Heya minna-san! Here's chapter three of 'The Tournament'! Domo for the SUGOi reviews! It's really great to hear that people actually LIKE what you're writing (take that, 'ni-chan! BWAHAHAHAHA!) *Ahem* N E wayz, forward!
This chapter doesn't have any fighting in it(I had some explaining to do), but there should be some in the next chapter(s), so don't worry! The whole theme of this fic is fighting and battles, so there should be some good ones later on.
Dedication: I hereby dedicate this chapter to all my constant reviewers, my tomodachi Manda-chan, Nakayoshi magazine (for first publishing 'Cardcaptor Sakura'), and my o-sensei (Bruce) for introducing me to the wonderful world of Shotokan (arigato for being there through all the belt gradings and tournaments!)
Arigatos: to Kingpin, Sakura, ~*Sakura Scout*~, Geo, Otaku Romance, Manda-chan, Lenna, Nelly, and Kyra, relena angel of spirit, and Shirazuki
Disclaimer: As I've said before, CCS, Mortal Kombat, and all other things with a logo DO NOT BELONG TO ME! (If you do own them, you're probably wasting your time trying to sue me, as all you will get out of the very expensive lawsuit is a bunch of pirated pictures of Van, the Gundam boys, the CCS gang, and Ranma 1/2, amongst others). The senzu bean belongs to Funimation and all other owners of DB and DBZ
Now, to the fic!
The Tournament (When Worlds Collide)
by Jurei
"Domo arigato."
Ryushi accepted the bowl of rice offered to him by Yelan gratefully. She, however, just growled angrily.
"O-okay..." said the blonde fighter, sweat dropping slightly at her angry action.
Switching his attention back to the food, he whipped out his chopsticks and began to eat the white grains slowly, enjoying each mouthful.
Noticing the look that Syaoran was presently giving him, he sighed contentedly."It isn't often that I get a free meal on my scouting trips." He explained to the green clad youth, "and the trip back to the Lookout is pretty long."
"Lookout?" asked Syaoran puzzledly.
"Umm," said Ryushi, closing his eyes (and looking a shocking bit like Yamazaki with blonde hair),"everything will become clear in the explanation."
"Oh." Answered Syaoran. He still didn't like being in the dark, though.
"...Which comes after I eat." Added the warrior.
Syaoran fell over anime style.
***
Half an hour and five bowls of rice later, Ryushi was still eating.
'Where does he fit it all?' thought a bewildered (and by now impatient) Syaoran.
The older male placed the now empty bowl in the middle of the table.
"Done?" asked Syaoran hopefully.
"...I think I'll have another one." He answered the youth.
Syaoran fell over.
"You okay?" asked Ryushi worriedly to the young warrior on the floor, "You don't look so good."
"HURRY UP ALREADY AND TELL ME WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON!" exploded Syaoran, jumping up. He couldn't take it anymore.
Ryushi placed the chopsticks back in his mouth, closing his eyes again. "You really need to work on your patience, kid." He advised. "Patently is the best way to fight. It allows for the most intelligent move to be made. Remember that."
"Yes." Answered Syaoran, bowing his head in slight embarrassment. It was the first thing he knew that all martial artists learned. His own father had started to train him with that law.
Unknownst to Syaoran, Ryushi had been taking so long on purpose, to test him. The fact that he got a full meal out of it was a plus.
Finally, he put away the chopsticks in his pouch, pushing the totally cleaned bowl to the centre of the table. "Domo for the meal. You're an excellent cook, Yelan." He praised.
Syaoran's mother just grunted in reply.
"O-okay." Ryushi mirrored the same reply as before, sweat-drop and all.
Turning to Syaoran, he looked the youth in the eye. "Now Syaoran," he began seriously,"I will explain everything to you. If you weren't Kwaihu's son, I don't think Raiden-sama would forgive me for telling you, but you have a right to know."
Syaoran gave his full attention to every word that was coming out of the fighter's mouth.'Finally!' he thought, "I get to find out what happened... what this is all about.'
"A long time ago, the previous ruler of the Seven Worlds, Kwailwong, died, leaving the position empty. The sides of Good and Evil promptly began to war over who would gain control of the Worlds. Many fierce battles between the two raged, eventually threatening to tear the Worlds apart. To reach an agreement between them, the higher Kami created the Worlds Combat Tournament. Every one hundred years, the two sides would bring together their strongest warriors and compete in a fierce tournament for the control of the Worlds. Whichever side emerged victorious would rule for the next hundred years.
"The side of Good managed to remain victorious, until ten years ago, where a tie was reached. The side of Evil had managed to discover the 'Perfect Technique', used only by the legendary warrior monk Liu Kueng to defeat the evil Shao Khan at the first ever Tournament; thought to be lost until ten years ago. Along with the legend of the Perfect technique, there was also the legend of the Counter; a move called the 'Kamehame No Kiai'. A fighter of the side of Good went on a perilous quest to find it, knowing it to be the only hope.
"That fighter, was your father, Kwaihu. A skilled warrior; one of the best on the side of Good."
"He was THE best." Cut in Yelan indignantly.
Ryushi continued.
"He discovered it, written on a manuscript in the Temple of Kiu, a sacred place rumoured to be on the hidden island of Kiu. He recovered it, and learned it. Unfortunately, he refused to teach it to anyone, not even his master, Raiden-sama. The final match of that tournament was between your father, and Shang Tsun; the only warrior to know the Ki Shujin attack on the side of Evil. The match reached an incredible climax, where both warriors used their signature techniques. Both were hit at the exact same time-"
"Umm... exactly what does the Ki Shujin attack DO?" Asked Syaoran.
The older warrior lowered his head. "It removes the soul of the opponent that it is used on."
Syaoran also looked down, bowing his head in both shock and sadness.
"Since both warriors died at the exact same time, the Tournament was called at a draw. According also to the rules placed by the Kami, the next one was arranged for ten years later, giving both sides limited time to recover. Also according to the rules, the Tournament this time is for keeps. The winning side rules forever. Until the passing of the leader."
"Well, then it isn't that bad." Said Syaoran frowning, "If these guys are as old as you've made it out that they are, it'd only be a matter of time..."
"That's the part that you don't understand." Said Ryushi, "Both Raiden and Yao'Xi'Liu are Immortals. That means that they live forever, until they die of an unnatural cause."
"Why not just get rid of Yao'Xi'Liu then?" continued Syaoran.
Ryushi looked at Syaoran as if he was crazy. "Do you honestly think that Yao'Xi'Liu would be careless enough to let us even get NEAR him after waiting to rule that long?" he asked.
Syaoran looked down, understanding the importance of everything.
"For that purpose, both sides have sent out scouts for fighters, as ten years isn't nearly enough to recover from something as devastating as the Tournament. You have been chosen by the side of Good, Xiao Lang, son of Kwaihu. The decision whether to fight or not is yours."
Syaoran looked up, meeting Ryushi's determined eyes. The sea green colour seemed to bore into his own amber, filled with something that seemed like incredible power and... hope.
He also now understood why his mother was so set against his going. The risk of losing someone else to the Tournament must have been horrible for her.
"Why don't you use those Senzu bean things to recover?" he finally asked.
"There are many different types of healing that need to be done after each Tournament." Explained the elder warrior, "Part of the Tournament is losing people, which takes a lot of time to heal, and as I told you before, the Senzu can't bring things back to life, or work for soul replacements."
Syaoran looked back at the table, frowning in thought. Something had been bothering him since the explanation. He finally decided to voice it.
"Why me?"
"Well, as you've illustrated," began Ryushi, "you're an excellent fighter. You're strong, determined, and your father was one of us, which places you in a position of trust."
"That's it?" asked Syaoran in disbelief.
"...And Raiden-sama has his own reasons too." Added Ryushi.
Syaoran could tell that something was making the fighter feel slightly uncomfortable. This made him slightly suspicious.
"And those would be...?" he probed.
Ryushi didn't meet his eyes. Instead he looked down at the table in an uneasy silence.
"If you expect me to join you," said Syaoran decisively; "I need to know the reasons why."
Ryushi looked up, and sighed heavily. "Do you remember what I said about the Perfect technique?" he asked.
"Yes," said Syaoran, "I remember that you said that it has a special counter called the 'Kamehame No Kiai' and that it was discovered by the side of Evil and that my father was the only one to discover the counter. I don't see what that has to do with anything though-"
"Don't you see?" asked Ryushi in exasperation, "Your father was the only one to know the Kamehame No Kiai, and after his death it was thought to be lost.-Until now...when you fought me..."
"You mean to tell me that you think that I..."
"It appears that Kwaihu took precautions; that he hid the technique...in you." Finished Ryushi.
Syaoran looked at him in disbelief. "But then, why didn't I know?" he asked.
"It seems that the key to unlocking the technique is that you be in incredible danger." Said Ryushi, thoughtfully brushing his hand through his blonde quills, "You need to learn how to control it."
"And who can teach me that?" asked Syaoran skeptically.
"If anyone can, it's Raiden-sama."
Syaoran thought this over. It seemed that he had more than one reason to get involved in this Tournament.
Ryushi looked him in the eyes. "We need you." He said, staring hard, "Not just our side, but all the worlds."
The young warrior made a decision. 'For father.' He thought. 'This is what he would have wanted.'
"Okay. I'll do it."
*****
Raiden's lookout...
Xiu looked out on the worlds below. The fighter's eyes were clouded, as if in deep thought. An inner sense which he possessed told him that a new fighter had been gained. There was only one person who he had ever shared such a bond with, and he had the feeling that his son would be the same. 'Hope at last.' He thought, seeing the luminescent blue mist that filled the spaces between plains, 'He'll do you proud, Kwaihu old friend. I'm sure of it.'
***********************
That's it for chapter three, minna-san! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE write a review! Onegai...tell me what you like, so that I may improve the story likewise.
Ja for now, minna! ~Jurei
ULT
Songs listened to while writing this chapter: "Sun is Shining"-Bob Marley vs. Funkstar DeLuxe, Cardcaptor Sakura Chinese theme, Mortal Kombat theme, Pulp Fiction theme, "Equador"-DJ Sash, "Feel the beat"-Darude, "Sandstorm"-Darude
Jurei's favourite foods: tamago, ebi (most sushi), Spanish rice, yakisoba, teriyaki, seafood
Quote of the day: "Grasshopper have small brain, but big mouth."