Chapter 10: King of Fighters Final Round
"Today, South Town is booming with fans after the last round of the Tournament," Yumi Sanada reports standing in front of the South Town arena. Today is the last day of the King of Fighters Tournament and it is always the biggest. Yumi is doing her final report with the fans and it is always the hardest. She kept several pain killers in her pocket and a bottle of water handy just in case. "It seems that two of South Town's home teams have made it into the final round of the tournament."
The fans in the background cheer at the very mention of Team Fatal Fury and the Art of Fighting Team. Most of the fans whose favorites had already lost were now wearing the famous read Fatal Fury cap or a familiar Kyokugen Karate t-shirt paid for by the Garcia Foundation. It was indeed a bright day in the usually dismal place of South Town.
"Excuse me sir…" Yumi turned to a fan, "Who do you think will be the winner?"
The fan didn't even regard Yumi's fragile eardrums when he gave his response, "WOOO! Team Fatal Fury is invincible!" He cheered, the hundreds of Fatal Fury fans who could hear him gave an astounding yell. "TERRY AND ANDY RULE!" He finished. All of the sudden, hundreds of fans threw their Fatal Fury hats in the air in classic Terry Bogard fashion.
Yumi quickly moved aside, rolling her eyes and mentally gawking at the audacity of some of South Town's citizens. When she finally found a crowd that didn't seem as rude, she stopped and asked them the same question. "So… Who do you think will be the winner?"
Unfortunately for Yumi, she neglected to realize that the Art of Fighting fans were staying silent under the cheers of the others. "KYOKUGEN FOREVER!" He roared straight into the camera, completely taking Yumi out of the shot. "Ryo is the greatest! He is the Unbeatable Dragon!" He roared and his fellow Kyokugen fans followed his lead. Yumi is reminded of her television contract and moved along the line of spectators. When she finally found one that had a hint of sanity, she stopped and smiled.
"Hey there cutie…" Yumi grinned at the small girl holding a teddy bear. "Who do you like best?"
"I like…" She had to think. It was hard for an eight year old to think of names instead of vague descriptions. "I like Joe… He's funny!"
The fans gave an "Awwww!" after hearing that and Yumi was glad she was finally able to calm down the crowd. Yumi smiled and moved away while the fans were still tranquil to find another winner in the crowd.
Yumi finally stopped and saw a quite fan with a book in his hands and the thickest glasses in the world. He had nerd written all over him and that meant he was quiet and an ease on Yumi's growing headache.
"Who do you think will be this millennium's winner of the King of Fighters Tournament?" She asked in her normal tone of voice.
"I think…" He said while pushing up his glasses closer to his face, "The real winners are going to be the fans. This is going to be a great fight."
Silence.
Soon, the poor nerdy individual was pummeled by the rivaling Fatal Fury and Kyokugen fans. Yumi and her cameraman got out of there quickly and headed towards the end of the line for one final interview. She caught her eye on a man holding a PDA device in his hand and was looking very serious for the situation he was in. Yumi quickly ran over to catch this man before her television time was up.
"Excuse me sir!" She ran up, "What do you think the out come of the tournament will be?"
"I don't need to think," he boldly pointed out, "This device here can and has calculated every possible scenario and has picked the most likely outcome."
"Oh really?!" Yumi said pretending to be interested, "What does it say?"
"Let me see," he said while looking down. "It seems that the Art of Fighting team will win."
"Really?! How do you figure that?"
"Well," he said while pushing a few buttons. "It seems that Takuma will defeat M. Bison with a Kahmehameha wave in the 11th round…"
Silence.
Yumi quickly darted out of there before the camera could catch the beating that man was about to receive. "We will see you at the finals folks. This is Yumi Sanada reporting for News Combo Seven."
"Turn it off Joe…" Andy spat under his breath.
"But it was just getting…" Joe said without looking at Andy but he knew better than to test Andy in this situation. He calmly turned off News Combo Seven and tossed the remote on the coffee table.
All of Team Fatal Fury were nestled inside Mary's apartment. Terry had requested their presence for the annual pre-finals pep talk. Andy was still rattled from yesterday's events. Terry had taken the news just as he normally would but that was the problem. Terry never confronted situations that didn't seem important until the last minute. Andy may have been the younger brother but he was always the most concerned for Terry's well being.
Terry was inside Mary's bathroom, helping her pull off the last of her bandages. She had suffered a bruising in the last round and wanted to make sure she was one-hundred percent.
"Ow!" She cried while feeling the bandage being pulled off of her face. She began to rub her cheek where the bandage once sat and could feel nothing but smooth skin. She had fully healed.
"Quit being such a baby…" He joked while tossing the used adhesive strip aside. "You're fine."
"Thanks to you."
Terry cocked a half smile, "You should be more careful."
Mary pulled away. She had felt ashamed ever since she let her guard down in the last match. "If only I – "
"Shhhh…" Terry said while placing a single finger on her lips. Soon, his whole hand found its way to the back of her head and he pulled her in for a kiss. She gladly accepted and poured all her emotions into their physical connection. Mary always wanted moments like these and she never wanted them to end.
Terry pulled back after a few seconds. Mary still had her eyes closed and was surprised it ended so quickly. Inside, she felt a little disappointed that it was over. Outside she just looked back and smiled.
"Don't worry about it… Let's just worry about getting some rest and enjoying the day."
"Terry…"
"We can worry about fighting tonight. For now, we'll relax."
Mary smiled. Terry could make any situation comfortable with his words. Mary always like that quality. She then took Terry's hand and placed it on her cheek. Her smooth skin rubbed against his hands and she enjoyed every minute of it. This was the real Terry Bogard.
"Terry… What's going to happen after King of Fighters?"
"Hmm…?" He asked like he had no idea what was going on.
"What is going to happen with us Terry?" She asked. Mary was being as sincere as humanly possible. She wanted to know what was going to become of the Legendary Wolf when there wasn't anyone to fight and, if she was going to be a big part of it.
Terry leaned back while gently pulling his hand back and looked Mary dead in the eyes. "We'll cross that bridge once we get to the river," he winked. Mary gave a not so sure smile as she received another one of Terry's we'll see what happens answers.
Before Mary could blink a second time, Terry was up and out of the bathroom. She wanted to call out to him but she knew if whenever Terry was in this kind of mood, it was best to leave him alone and let him do his thing.
Terry walked into the living room and found a nice resting place on top of Mary's love seat. Joe was sitting in the sofa adjacent from him still wondering what to watch.
"What's the plan Terry?" Andy asked.
Terry knew he wouldn't be able to go the entire day without having to mention something about the fight. Andy was always concerned with what's ahead and Terry always had to pay the price.
"Well," he said adjusting his cap down as if he were preparing for a nap, "They've got the experience advantage. Takuma will be tough so we'll put Joe in against him."
"ME?!" Joe replied in shock.
"Yea. You've got the stamina and speed advantage. The worst case scenario is you and Takuma knock each other out."
"And what's the best case?" Joe pondered.
"That'll be up to you."
Joe hissed. That was the same Terry Bogard he knew when he first met him. Living in the moment.
"Andy, you'll go in whenever King's turn is up."
"King?!" Andy shot back. "What about Robert?"
Terry flicked his hat up and looked back at Andy. "Did you see their fight? Robert sprained his ankle. There's no way they'd put him in to fight. He'll be the striker."
"So why do I get King?" Andy replied. He knew his brother always had the heads up when it came to fighters but it was interesting to hear his disposition.
"Because she's a kick boxer and you've had some good luck against kick boxers in the past," Terry joked while pointing his thumb to Joe. Andy chuckled a bit remembering his first fight with the kick boxing champion. Terry was right when it came to that scenario.
"I'll take Ryo," Terry stated. "If anyone is going to give us trouble… It'll be him."
"Mary's the striker again?" Joe asked actually giving a thought onto today's fight. "Are you sure that's wise Terry?"
"Kyokugen is all about strength. Mary doesn't have any ki strikes. She'll be helpless at far ranges."
Andy nodded. Joe rolled his eyes back after being shut up by their smartest and strongest fighter. Terry tipped his hat back down and was preparing for a nice long nap.
"Sounds like a good plan," Mary called walking in. It caught the attention of all of the males in the room including the sleepy Terry. They all looked up to see what she was going to say next.
"Terry knows his stuff," she calmly stated, "But…"
"But what?" Joe questioned. "But-ter and bread? He's got a tight butt?"
Mary blew right past Joe's quips and proceeded to calmly continue her analysis. "But… There's a situation you forgot about."
"And what would that be?" Terry kindly asked.
"Ryo Sakazaki."
"Ryo Sakazaki?" Andy replied. "Terry already figured him in."
"Really? And I thought Terry watched the fight," Mary stated. "I guess he never watched the end."
"Why?" Terry pondered. "What's wrong with Ryo?"
"How's he doing?" King asked. She placed another cold wet cloth on Ryo's head. He was burning up and he's been sick ever since they all got him last night. She was kneeling next to him and praying for the best. She'd never seen Ryo this way and it really hurt her. She pondered in the back of her head if this is what Mary went through and shook it off as soon as the emotions started their way to her eyes.
Takuma looked up and down and his son and shook his head. "Not too good. He's infected with poison."
"Poison?!" King shot out. "When did that happen?!"
"It seems that Lin's glowing red hands do more than just slash at his opponent. Ryo was unfortunate to get cut open by the initial strike," Takuma replied.
"So… What are we going to do?" She wondered. Her eyes showed an expression of fear and worry. They had made it so far and now it seemed like it was over and at too great a cost. Ryo was badly hurt and Robert was in no condition to fight. It was like everything bad that could have happened before the finals just jumped into a blender from hell and was being poured out in the Sakazaki house.
"I don't know…" Takuma answered. "I don't know."
"I know!" Robert called from the backyard. He limped his way back inside the house to where everyone was gathered and found his way into a more comfortable position against the sofa.
"Robert!" Takuma replied, "You should be icing your leg outside!"
"There's nothing more ice can do for me now," said Robert. "I'll just have to walk it off."
Takuma raised his eyebrow after that last remark then quickly brought it back down. Robert was in good spirits about the situation so it was much better for him to keep his mood than try and shoot it down and make everyone feel bad.
"How's the old dragon?" Robert asked. Neither King or Takuma responded nor did they want to respond. Robert got a feeling on what the answer was and let it pass. Their leader was down and maybe out.
*KNOCK**KNOCK*
King looked up at the door as well as everyone else. She wanted to volunteer and answer it but she didn't want to leave Ryo's side. Takuma noticed this and took the initiative. He walked up to the door and checked the side window to see if it was another reporting hoping to get a scoop on Ryo's condition. He was a lot happier to see that it wasn't.
Takuma opened the door and Yuri walked right in. She held a couple of filled grocery bags and one very peculiar looking brown bag.
"Hey dad," she said while moving right along. It wasn't as cheery as her normal tone but after getting the phone call last night, she wasn't in a cheery mood. "Hey guys," she greeted everyone else and moved straight into the kitchen. Yuri lost herself in the room and went to work.
"She seems –," Robert was about to say before he was cut off from the howl emanating from the kitchen.
"Hey King! Can you come here and help me?" Yuri asked. King's eyebrows shot up and looked right over at Takuma. She didn't want to leave Ryo but after seeing Takuma nod in approval, she knew he was in good hands.
"Thanks King," Yuri stated. "Could you grab that bag over there?"
"Sure," King replied picking up the first bag she gazed her eyes upon. Yuri really didn't narrow it down so King just grabbed the small brown paper bag and handed it to her.
"Thanks," Yuri said while opening the contents. There were two small red vials and a couple of unusual looking plants. King was dumbfounded at what they were and she had to ask.
"What is this stuff?"
"It's medicine for Ryo."
"Oh…" She whispered feeling dumber for asking. "It looks exotic."
"It is… Dad spent all of the savings just to bring them here."
"What?!"
Yuri sighed. "Yea… But it's worth it. For Ryo."
King agreed and nodded. "What… What is it supposed to do?"
"Not sure," Yuri said while stirring in some of the contents. "But my dad was very specific with the contents so it must be helpful."
"I see…" King said. She had no idea what was going on with her body. If this was a fight she would have gotten her second wind by now but this was different. Her eyes felt like bursting every other second but she held it inside. This was not what she wanted.
"King…?"
King didn't hear a thing. Her thoughts were lost and away from the present world.
"King?"
Again nothing. Ryo plagued her thoughts. Not even twenty four hours ago he was up and moving as if he were on an adrenaline high and now… Now he may not even see the light of another day.
"King!"
The sound broke King out of her gaze but not out of her mindset. King turned to face Yuri, tears were slipping down each of her cheeks.
"King…" Yuri whispered. She grabbed King and hugged her tightly. Yuri knew she needed it and made sure to squeeze extra tight. King let a few more tears slip out but made sure to keep it as quiet as possible.
They broke off after a couple of seconds. King was still a bit rattled but was feeling a lot better. She was glad to have a friend like Yuri.
"Don't worry King… Ryo's tough, he'll be just fine."
"Yea…" King sniffed while wiping away the last of her tears.
"Yea… Well…" Yuri tried to change the subject before she would let her emotions get the best of her, "Let's bring this to dad," she said while pouring the last of the liquid into a pan. They both walked into the living room and saw that nothing has changed. Ryo was still out cold and it looks like he didn't move at all, not even to breath.
"Here dad…" Yuri said while passing on the dish. It was full of a thick red liquid and Takuma quickly took it and placed it next to Ryo. He dried out the towel that was on his forehead and placed it in the dish. The white towel quickly turned red as it soaked up all of the liquid.
"King, open up Ryo's chest," Takuma stated.
King looked back up at Takuma as if he asked an impossible task but then the reality of the situation grasped her mind and she opened up Ryo's gi. A bandage was covering the slash mark Ryo received and blood was still stained from the interior to the exterior.
"Remove the bandage," he ordered.
King followed his instructions and cut the bandage off with a knife. The cut on Ryo's gut was still fresh and it hadn't fully healed. Takuma worked quickly and rubbed the liquid all over Ryo's stomach and chest. It almost looked like he was rubbing blood black into his system but the liquid was a little too thin to fill that role. King watched and wondered what kind of healing process this was.
When Takuma rubbed enough liquid on Ryo's chest, he put the towel back into the dish. Ryo still lay motionless as if nothing transpired.
"What did you do dad?" Yuri asked. King wanted to know as well. Robert did too but he pretended as if he knew and just shut up and let his master work.
"This liquid will seep into Ryo's pores and eventually neutralize the poison," Takuma stated. Those words were like a great weight lifted off of everyone's chest. "But, this process will make Ryo very weak. That is why I had Yuri buy the special herbs and spices."
"Why is that?" Robert added from across the room. He had to say something to prove his interest in the situation. After all, it is his best friend laying there.
"Those herbs will be used to make a broth. Once Ryo wakes up, he'll have to drink it quickly or else his strength will never recover."
"How long will it take?" Yuri asked. Her words ended up stuttering towards the end. She was definitely showing her concern.
"If Ryo stays strong and drinks the broth immediately… I'd say a good three days."
Everyone looked gloomy after hearing that last statement. That wasn't the news they wanted to here. Ryo was taken out of the final round without even stepping foot in the ring. It was an injustice in the Sakazaki house.
"But…" King interrupted, "He'll get better right?"
Everyone looked up at King. She knew she said nothing wrong and had an idea where she was going with this so she just remained calm and let the situation roll with the punches, so to speak.
"Yes King. He'll be fine but – " Takuma stated before being interrupted.
"There is no but sir. That's all that matters now. Winning the tournament is nothing more than a faint achievement but," King replied before feeling her emotions swell up. "But… At a cost like this… It is more like a travesty."
Everyone concurred with that. There was nothing more words could say to prove King right. They just stood around watching Ryo as the time passed. It wasn't the greatest or most productive thing around but it was the only thing they wanted to do.
Mary's apartment got pretty quiet real quick. Andy and Joe ordered some lunch for the team and were waiting in the lobby for it. It wasn't the most elegant thing they could eat but there was no way they would make it outside with the crowd the way it was. That would be a version of suicide.
Terry was in the bathroom. He made sure the door was locked even after his shower was finished. Normally he wouldn't be concerned about these things but he definitely had something to hide. He let the towel slide from his upper body and revealed his hidden wound. A large blue bruise covered the extremity of his sternum and another on the right side of his ribs. K' was a lot stronger than Terry realized and he felt these wounds well after the adrenaline finally died out. These wounds kept him up most of the night, it made it difficult to do certain tasks and especially difficult to conceal it from everyone else. Terry wasn't one hundred percent and he had no idea how he would be able to pull off another miracle from his magic hat.
"Terry," Mary called while knocking on the door. "What's going on?"
Shit! "Huh?" He said while pretending to not hear her.
"You never used to keep this door closed. What's the deal?"
"Uh… I guess it just slipped my mind. Sorry about that," Terry replied while throwing his shirt over his body. "I'll open it right now."
The door made a click sound and opened up. She saw Terry with the towel over his head as he was drying his hair. Everything looked to be normal in Mary's eyes so she just calmly entered the room with Terry as if there was nothing wrong with it and decided to have a little chat with him.
"Feeling better?"
Huh? "I'm doing alright…"
"Oh? Even these?" Mary said while poking Terry straight in the chest. He cringed at the first impact and grabbed Mary's hand before she could do any more damage.
"Thought so… Terry – !"
"Just drop it Mary. There's nothing we can do now."
"Yes there is. You're not fighting today."
"What?! Forget it. I'm not letting you fight in my place."
"Why not?!"
"Because Kyokugen is too tough for you to handle. You'd never make it pass the first round."
"So Terry… Why are you doing this? To fuel your own little desire to become the strongest fighter alive?"
"…"
"It's hard to be a strong fighter when you're in the hospital or… Even worse," Mary paused at that last remark to let it sink in. "Tell me!"
"I… I'm not going to watch you get hurt again. Not when I could do something about it. Even if I have to go out with broken arms and legs. As long as there is air in my lungs I'll keep fighting."
"Terry…"
"I've fought tougher fights in much worse conditions. Don't worry about me… I'll be just fine."
Mary slowly formed a smile on her lips and then grabbed Terry in a hug. She was happy that he was finally starting to open up a little bit. Even though it was small, it was a start and this was just the beginning. What a way to open up a relationship sitting in a bathroom just before a big event. Life wasn't always what you saw in movies and video games.
I guess you over did it…
What?
Look at yourself. You went all the way and then some tough guy.
What are you talking about?
You'll learn in time. Here's a better idea, why don't you get up and stop worrying everyone.
Everyone… Who?
You know! Your dad, sister, friend… King.
King… KING!
Ryo shot up from his rested position. Within an instant his body took the initial shock of his condition and he jittered and gasped at the new found pain.
"RYO!" King screamed after seeing Ryo spring up like he did. She looked him over and watched as his body moved without energy. He collapsed back on the futon without giving a second thought to what was going on.
Takuma's face shot out from behind the dojo. He was almost finished with Robert's healing and was very surprised to hear King yell out like that.
"What's going on?" He asked.
"IT'S RYO! HE'S UP!" She screamed back. King was a little too excited for the moment and forgot to take note of Ryo's sensitive state. Takuma quickly rushed over there to check Ryo's condition for himself.
"Ryo…" He calmly said hoping King will take a cue from him.
"Hey… Dad…" Ryo coughed. He was still very weak and let everyone know that with his frail tone of voice.
"Remarkable… I didn't expect him to get up until at least tomorrow morning," Takuma pointed out. "His body is more resilient than I imagined."
"Thanks for… The vote… Of confidence…" Ryo replied. His breathing remained quick and short. It was hard to tell that this was the legendary invincible tiger laid out as if he were a vegetable.
"Ryo, calm down. Don't waste your energy on speaking," Takuma said while trying his best to comfort his son. "Yuri! Is the stew ready yet?" He yelled into the kitchen.
"Yes sir! Coming right up!" Yuri ran straight out of the kitchen with a steaming bowl in hand. She'd been cooking for at least two hours and took no consideration in her own personal affairs. Yuri placed the bowl next to Ryo as King and Takuma helped lift him up. They started feeding Ryo a spoonful at a time. Soon, the whole bowl was empty and they let Ryo back down in a resting position.
Ryo closed his eyes and tilted his head sideways. He felt exhausted and if he was going to do anything right now it was sleep.
"Ryo…" King whispered. She wasn't in the happiest of moods but there is nothing that can change that now. All she wanted to do was sit there and wait until Ryo was back to normal.
"Let's get ready King," Takuma stated.
"No."
"No?" He replied.
"I… I want… I want to stay here… With Ryo," she whimpered.
Takuma smiled. His son had definitely made a fine choice. He placed his hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. "You truly are the king of hearts… But there is nothing we can do for him now."
King agreed physically but not mentally. She got up and gave Ryo one last glance before heading towards the staircase.
"What should we do now?" Yuri asked.
"Yuri… Stay here and watch over Ryo," Takuma ordered. "We must leave for the final match."
"But sir!" King yelled out. "We can't fight without Ryo!"
"Yes dad, I thought it had to be a four person team. Without Ryo we have no team!" Yuri pointed out.
"I know… That's why we're going… To forfeit."
"Man these fight locations keep getting weirder and weirder…" Joe stated. Team Fatal Fury was standing in the middle of a giant warehouse. Terry has lived in South Town most of his life and he's never noticed a place like this. It seemed so clean and high tech for its location. Terry felt there was something up with this situation.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," Andy replied.
"Keep your cool guys…" Terry said. "The fight hasn't even started yet."
"Yea, but it doesn't mean we don't have the right to complain…" Joe responded. No one could argue with that. Or actually, no one wanted to. They just stood around the warehouse waiting for their opponents to show up which seemed like the longest time in this place.
"We are a bit early," Mary declared while looking down at her watch. "Let's just be patient."
"Easier said than done," Joe replied. "I'm bored outta my mind!"
The warehouse doors opened allowing natural light to enter. A shadow of three warriors appears as they enter the building. The Art of Fighting team had arrived.
"Hello…" Joe quipped. "Well it's about time mis amigos. Did you stop for a burrito or something?"
"Joe!" Andy shouted while smacking Joe in the chest with the back of his hand. Joe allowed his comedic repertoire to end as they watched the other team enter the fighting square.
Takuma, King, and Robert were on hand. The walked firm and strong not letting the other team know of their short comings even though it was probably broadcasted on television. They moved in as if there was nothing wrong and prepared to do the inevitable.
"Well guys… Shall we begin," Terry mentioned without giving consideration for their missing team member.
"No," Takuma replied.
"No?!" Joe snapped, "Then what's the deal?!"
"The deal is…" Takuma said. It was the next two words were going to be the hardest he would ever have to say. "We forfeit."
"What did you say?!" Andy shot without hearing the words right. Forfeit wasn't in the Bogard dictionary and he needed to hear it again before it could be confirmed.
The cameramen began to shake. The situation was even nervous for them and they were just watching it. The fans back in the arena must be feeling the same intensity.
"HOLD IT!" Called a voice from the warehouse entrance. Everyone turned their eyes to face the man who interrupted the tournament. The camera panned on the man and the arena exploded with cheers so loud the cameras almost felt like they were shaking.
It was Ryo Sakazaki.
Behind him, his sister Yuri stood there with a worried expression over her face. Takuma couldn't believe it as well as the others. He moved forward as if there was nothing wrong with him to begin with. Ryo approached his teammates and they couldn't be happier to see him feeling and walking like his old self.
"RYO!" King cheered while giving him a hug. Ryo cringed a bit but graciously accepted it.
"I'm a little banged up… But I'll be fine."
"Ryo…" Takuma said in a faint whisper. "How?"
"Let's not worry about how right now," he replied.
"But Ryo!" King protested.
"Don't worry about me. Let's deal with them first," he said while pointing towards the Fatal Fury team. "We've got a tournament to win!"
"Right!" The other three cheered. Ryo put on his best smile and was ready to go as any of the rest of them. Before he stepped into the fighting square he felt his gi being tugged. Yuri didn't want to let him go just yet.
"Are you… Sure you can fight Ryo?" She asked.
Ryo gave her a wink when no one was looking. "Don't think about it… Just remember what I told you at home. Everything will be fine."
Yuri smiled but it wasn't truly expressing her emotions. She was still worried about Ryo's condition and didn't want him to go out there and hurt himself some more. There is nothing she could do now, the fight was about to begin.
"So Ter, what are we waiting for?" Joe asked.
"Just be patient Joe, let them make the first move. We'll act on it afterwards," Terry replied. Joe gave a classic tough-guy nod and prepared himself for battle whenever that may be.
The Art of Fighting Team was giving their final conference. Ryo had everyone in a huddle. This was an important moment for each and every one of them. They wanted to make sure that everything would go as smoothly as possible.
"What are we going to send in first Ryo?" Robert pondered.
"Well, it's not you. You need to say off of that foot," Ryo interrupted.
"What?!" Robert replied. "Is this coming from the half dead tiger?"
"Think about it. You're power is in your legs. How good will you be at half strength?" Ryo responded. Robert didn't have any beef with that. Ryo was right.
"So what will I do then?" Robert asked.
"You're the striker. At least you can lend a hand with a Shoukouken attack that doesn't require any leg movements."
"Got it."
"Dad. You'll go first."
"Are you sure that's wise Ryo?"
"Trust me. They're saving their big guns for last so if we mow through the weaker ones, we'll have more strength to fight the bigger fight towards the end," Ryo stated. Takuma nodded and smiled.
"Brilliant analysis Ryo…" Takuma replied.
"Thanks dad. King," He said while looked towards her. She was ready and standing at attention.
"You'll go in when I instruct. If my dad should happen to make it to Andy or Terry, I'll go in before you."
"Are you sure Ryo?" King asked. She had to show some consideration for his condition. If she had it her way Ryo would go last or even be the striker. He was taking a big risk and she hoped that luck would be on his side.
"Yea. Terry and Andy are machines in the ring. If I can slow them down, you can finish them off."
Slow them down… Doesn't he have any confidence? She thought. King nodded at Ryo and hoped that he was sure of his plan.
Ryo smiled after the conference had ended. "Alright guys… Let's do it!"
Takuma stepped into the fighting square. He cracked the muscles in his shoulders to loosen his body up and then threw on his fighting stance.
Joe quickly jumped into the ring with a nice large grin on his face. "Sakksai Ikuze!" He taunted while pointing at Takuma. Joe went into his standard energetic kick boxing stance and was ready to go.
"Ready to go old timer?" Joe taunted. Takuma only responded with a grunt. The next words spoken would only be a war cry.
"Kououken!"
A ball of ki flew right towards Joe. He swayed to the right and allowed it to pass him and smash against a ventilation shaft. The massive dent was cue enough for Joe to keep his guard up and his mouth shut.
Takuma didn't let Joe get away with that comment. He rushed forward while trying to reach out and grab Joe. All he grabbed was empty air.
"Slash Kick!" Joe cried while jumping forward. His foot smashed into a guard rail and almost kicked it completely off. Takuma moved away just in time but prepared his guard for the worst. Joe unleashed more kicks and knee strikes all over Takuma's body but none of them connected where they should have. Joe was trying to soften him up and at best, keep him on his toes.
None of Joe's attacks were prevailing. His legs were starting to get tired from all of the assaulting so unless he found a few of Takuma's weak points. Joe leaned his foot back and went for his famous knee strike.
"TIGER – !"
"Migitawa Shya!"
*SMACK*
Joe took a deep shot right in the gut. It sent him straight into the ground and into a roll all the way back into a standing steel pipe. Joe's body jittered after the initial shock but he soon regained his standing position as if the punch didn't even put a scratch on him. He was glad that he had cement abs to be able to take a punch like that. Joe put up his fighting stance and was ready to go again.
Takuma admitted to himself that this kid was strong. Usually when he connected with that punch straight on, opponents wouldn't move the same but Joe looked as if he was hit with a light gust of wind.
"HURRICANE UPPER!" Joe screamed. Takuma was caught off guard with his thoughts and was swept backwards into a stack of metal crates. He heard a weird combination of cracking and crunching sounds after the collision but pushed those thoughts aside. Takuma used the crates as leverage and picked himself up. If Joe got the best of him that easily, then there's no telling what he would do later in the match.
"ORAAAHHH!" Joe screamed while performing his Golden Heel attack. His foot was stopped, however, by the beefy forearm of Takuma Sakazaki.
Takuma could feel the ki radiating from Joe's attack. He may be young but he definitely was a skilled fighter. Joe's heel kept pressing downward hoping to strike some part of Takuma's body but to no avail. Takuma was a lot stronger that he thought. He threw his arm up as hard as he could and Joe went with it. Joe flew into the air and upon his landing, crashed into a bundle of steel pipes that soon buried his body in metal.
Joe cried out in one of his well known what the hell hollers. Steel pipes were even as brutal standing still than in the hands of a thug. Joe knocked away most of the pipes and as he stood up the remaining steel cylinders slide off of his body. This wasn't like the first hit. Joe really felt it and he knew two or three more like that would put him down for the count.
Joe took a deep breath and let out a great sigh. "I guess I'll have to take the fight more seriously now." And with that Joe moved in.
He was as quick as lightning. Joe moved as if there were no laws of physics and charged right into for Takuma. He unleashed a flurry of punches in a somewhat organized manner. Takuma covered his chest as best as he could but he was no match for Joe's Explosion Punch.
Takuma took a fist right between the sternum and the stomach. He spat in agony but his mouth wouldn't remain open for long.
"TIGER KICK!"
Joe's knee smashed right into Takuma's open jaw. The kick sent him flying backwards into a pile of empty wooden crates and Takuma's body destroyed them there after. Takuma didn't know what hurt worse, the punch, the kick, or the landing. All three of them were making his nerves jump up and sing.
Takuma lifted himself from his helpless position and proceed forward. He thought it was now best to give Joe a full serving of Kyokugen karate even if it was going to be one spoon at a time. He threw his fist back and lunged for a fierce punch aimed right at Joe's chest.
*SMACK*
Joe countered Takuma's punch with one of his own. Anyone could block or even counter an attack but it takes a real man to stand toe-to-toe and fight with all of your power. Joe got a chance to fight the only master of Kyokugen karate and he would not waste the opportunity. Joe threw a kick straight for Takuma's rib cage but was blocked by his kick instead. Takuma had the same mentality as Joe. This was going to be a war.
Punch after punch, kick after kick, Joe and Takuma wouldn't let up. There were no blocks and fists never hit open air. The whole fight sounded like two guys cracking each others knuckles over and over again. This is where real strength lies; in the ability to best your opponent by overpowering their attacks with one of your own.
*SMASH*
Joe and Takuma both missed their punches but landed them in a more adequate place. They both took fists right on the side of their jaws and sent each other packing the way they came. Each of them slid across the metal floor and came to a screeching halt but neither of them wanted to back down. The both got up as quick as they could and prepared for the worst.
"Kououken!" Takuma cried while firing his ki projectile. Joe moved quickly to counter.
"HURRICANE UPPER!"
Both attacks consumed each other and were instantly halted. Neither Joe nor Takuma took the intelligent road and just went with their instincts. They went at it once again.
"Hien Shippuu Kyaku!"
"Slash Kick!"
*SMACK*
Both fighters flew back once again. The impact of their feet was too much for either of them to take and sent them screaming into the ground. This time, it was a lot harder for them to get back on their feet.
Joe let out a lot of heavy breaths. This man he called old timer had nearly depleted all of his energy. Joe could barely stand let alone continue a fight. He would have to pull into his reserves to come out the victor in this match.
Takuma could see Joe loosing stamina but that doesn't help if you're feeling the same way. He knew he had fought a long hard battle but the fight wasn't over yet. If it was going to be decided it would be in one final attack and it would have to be their best.
Joe prepared his offense. Takuma was strong but slow. All he'd have to do was be faster than his strength and he would succeed. The only thing he had to do was know what Takuma was going to do next.
Takuma took a step back and held his hands at one side of his waist. He began to focus his energy to a single point of his body.
"HAOUUU!" Takuma screamed.
Joe's body froze. He heard that sound one time before and he woke up a day later not knowing what he was hit by. Joe had to act fast. He knew he had only seconds left.
"SHOUKOUKEN!"
*CRASH*
Takuma's giant ki blast laid out a path of destruction. The warehouse was also blessed with a new circular window.
"SCREW!"
What the - ?! Takuma thought just before he was swept up by the newly surrounding air.
"UPPAHHHHH!"
Takuma was picked up by the tornado like attack and shot into the back wall. His body made a sickening thud and landed motionless on the ground.
"FATHER!" Ryo yelled while running towards Takuma. He'd never seen his dad take a hit like that and not move.
Takuma lifted himself up. "How… Could… He?" He asked. It was normal of him to question his opponent's strength after loosing a match but he was really inquiring about how he lost. The Haou Shoukouken was an invincible move. There was no way he could have dodged it and set up a counter attack that quickly.
Ryo smiled. He knew his dad would be fine after a few hours of rest. "He rolled dad."
"Rolled?" Takuma said surprisingly as he regained his footing. Yuri was quick to his aid and was ready to tend to his wounds.
"Yes dad… Right under it…"
Takuma smiled. "I guess my… Intensity wasn't… Strong enough."
"Just rest dad… We'll take care of the rest," Ryo replied. "King!" He screamed. She was standing back in their corner waiting for Ryo to return. His sudden call to her gave her a small chill up her spine.
Ryo quickly ran to her. "You're up."
"But – "
"Joe's a kick boxer. So are you. The difference is he's tired and you're not," Ryo stated. King could feel the confidence flow in her blood. She gave Ryo a wink and jumped into the fighting square.
Joe continued letting out heavy breaths. That last attack really took a lot out of him. He was sweating like a freshman football player during hell week.
"Joe!" Terry called. "Are you good to go?"
Joe didn't say anything. He just raised his hand and gave Terry and his team a thumbs up. Everyone else felt it as a sigh of relief but couldn't help but wonder what Joe's condition.
King put on her fighting stance without the thought of taunting. There was no bullshit in her attitude. She just wanted to fight.
Joe moved forward. He knew the only way to beat a kick boxer was either wait and counter or completely lay out an onslaught of kicks and punches until the opponent goes down. He was tired of waiting and countering.
Joe threw a quick roundhouse but only smacked air. King swayed away from the initial strike and prepared to do so for the rest of the fight. If she could just get Joe kicking he'll get over exhausted and won't be able to stand up for the rest of the fight.
"TIGER KICK!"
King flipped back. She felt the heat of Joe's kick all the way through her outfit and was thankful that she moved away in time. Joe landed only a few feet from her and continued his attacks. If he didn't make any contact soon, he'd be too tired to even block.
Joe took a step in without striking. If he got close enough, the only thing King could do was block. He read her moves exactly. Joe took a nice good strike at King's open rib cage.
"OOF!" He cried as he felt a shock hit his rib cage as well. King took the first hit in stride and looked good enough to take twenty more of those. Joe could feel King wanting to go for a test of strength and he kindly obliged.
King and Joe went at it. The kicked at each other like there was no tomorrow. They both cringed after each strike but never gave up. The biggest sign of weakness was falling during a test of strength. They both knew this and went at it even harder after thinking about it.
Joe's body moved harder and harder after every hit he took. He wasn't doing as much damage as he was taking and his body let him know that about a few seconds after every strike. Joe went for one last kick with all of his might and hoped to do at least some damage before he fell over.
King felt her ribs take a hard hit; the hardest she had ever felt, but it wasn't enough to keep her down. The pain caused her to not notice her adversary's position and upon looking up, there Joe was grasping his damaged sides.
Joe slid to his feet, slowly at first, and then sprang up as if nothing was wrong. His body told another story as he could barely keep his stance in tact. King noticed this and didn't hesitate to move forward.
King threw a heavy amount of kicks, all of them hit, and Joe was reeling. She didn't need to lay out a full dose of her strength, just enough to knock him down and keep him there.
"TRAP SHOT!" King cried while rocking Joe's face. She unleashed a flurry of kicks all over his body and Joe careened onto the ground. He jittered after taking in the full mass of the blows but wasn't about to kiss the floor just yet.
"JOE!" Andy shouted. He knew Joe couldn't take much more. He'd already been in an exhausting fight with the master of Kyokugen there was no shame in throwing in the towel.
Quitting wasn't in Joe's very small personal dictionary. He got up as best as he could and got ready for another volley. Joe wasn't going down until he was dead.
King kept a tight stance but inside she was going nuts. She had no idea Joe Higashi had this kind of resilience. If she couldn't stop him now, there is no way Ryo could take all three of Fatal Fury's best.
"SLASH KICK!"
Huh - ?! "AHHHH!" She cried while taking a foot right in her stomach. She let her guard down and she didn't even realize it until it was too late. Now she was bent over and at the mercy of the kick boxing champion.
Joe thrusted his knee back in King's gut. She reacted in almost the exact same manner after receiving the Slash Kick. Spit shot out of King's mouth and she was just glad that it wasn't blood.
Joe wasn't finished. He used his leg as leverage and chucked King onto the opposite side of the fighting square. King bounced and rolled all over the cold warehouse floor and stopped just shy of the wall. She picked herself up and saw Joe coming at full force. There was only one thing she could do in this situation and it was going to be a desperation move.
"TORNADO KICK!"
*THWACK*
Joe's head snapped back and sent his body with him. He hit the ground hard and saw the black clouds blur his vision. He desperately tried to get up but his body just wasn't responding. Joe was finally out of steam.
King sighed. She had pulled it off and almost ended up like Joe himself. She was hurting but probably not as bad as Joe when he started his second match. King was ready for another fight.
Terry and Mary pulled Joe aside. He was bleeding from the lips and had several bruises around his rib cage. They set Joe down and made him feel as comfortable as possible.
"Looks like you went all out Joe," Terry joked.
"Ye – Yea…" Joe replied while trying to stop his body from shaking. "I got… Beat… By… A girl… Again."
Terry gave a quiet chuckle but it didn't last for more than a second. He motioned with his head for Andy to go next. Before Terry could blink a second time, Andy was already in the fighting square with his stance ready.
King wasn't out of the fire yet. Andy Bogard was up next and he was one of the roughest competitors in the game. Ryo had previously told her what would happen if Andy got in the fighting square. She quickly turned her glance over to her corner for some sign of advice from her team captain.
Ryo just gave a smile and nodded. It was all of the guidance she needed.
"Zaneikan!"
Andy dashed forward. King would have been caught completely off guard if Andy wasn't as loud as he was. King dove to the side and caught herself in a roll. Andy was testing King's fighting ability and adjusted his fighting style accordingly.
After regaining his fighting stance, Andy went after King. He threw kicks and punches at King not wanting any to penetrate her defenses but to measure her guard and work his style over it there after. This kind of knowledge makes Andy the experienced fighter that he is.
King was actually feeling alright. All of the attacks struck her arms and they've been through so much hell over the weeks, this was actually a bit of a relief. Soon enough though, Andy's attacks became stronger. He was holding back and now it seemed he was going full force. King ended up dodging a few attacks rather than blocking them just to give her arms a rest.
"Sho Ryuu Dan!"
Andy's knuckles smacked King's double block and sent her arms in opposite directions leaving her chest wide open. Time was frozen for King as she saw Andy place his next attack.
"Hishouken!"
*THWACK*
King took a palm full of ki straight in the chest and it sent her flying backwards. She landed on the ground and her body responded by making a loud thud noise rattling the bones of her back. She quickly rolled back on her feet and waited for any other quick trick Andy had up his sleeve.
Andy didn't follow up. He knew all of King's weak points in her defense and could use and abuse them until the fight was over. King had no intention of throwing in the towel no matter how much more prepared Andy was.
"Double Strike!"
Andy saw the dual ki blast almost seconds before it was shot. "Geki Hisouken!" He cried while countering the attack. Both of King's strikes were instantly absorbed in Andy's ki ball as if they did no damage at all. Andy finished his attack and kept his stance firm. No matter how well he was doing in the fight, he never let his guard down.
King had no idea what to do. She was completely baffled by Andy's style of fighting. Mai told her he was trained by her grandfather but Andy and Mai's styles are very different. Before she could reminisce about the Shiranui martial arts, Andy was at it again.
Andy threw more kicks and punches at King. All she could do was block and dodge. She had no strategy, no focus, and no previous fighting experience with him. Andy was too much for a finals rookie like her to handle.
"Kuu Ha Dan!"
King ducked and Andy past right over her. She'd seen how dangerous Andy's half circle kick was and wanted to have no part in it. Andy landed a nice distance away but King knew that he could be deadly at all sides of the fighting square.
"Zaneikan!"
King stepped back to sway the attack but came into an unfortunate scenario. She kicked a pipe Joe had knocked away and ended up only moving a few inches to the left before Andy got there.
*SMACK*
King was brushed aside by Andy's dashing elbow. She landed in front of a pile of metal crates and grasped her ribs. Andy got a lot closer than she realized and her body made sure to tell her. She slowly got back to her feet using the crates as leverage and put up her fighting stance with not as much enthusiasm as before.
Com'on King! Wake up! She yelled at herself. He knows exactly what I'm doing!
So… Do something he's not expecting! Her inner voice beckoned.
That's it! She cheered.
"ZANEIKAN!"
Uh oh… THINK!
"TORNADO KICK!"
Andy reeled backwards. He took two straight kicks right in his jack and it was his turn to kiss the floor. The force of his dash plus the weight of his knock back equaled a world of hurt for Andy. He got back to his feet but not as quick has he usually would. He checked his jaw to make sure there was no permanent bone damage and after a few seconds of that he was feeling alright. King was slowly starting to slip away from the predicted path and onto a whole new level of her game.
Andy took off into the air. He had to test whether King had figured him out or just gotten lucky. He was about to pull off one of his favorite moves that was coincidently named after his sensei in the Shiranui temple.
"SHYAAA!" He cried while dashing downwards and an oblique angle. King had never seen this move before so she took a quick dash back to avoid the attack. Before Andy landed she could sense something was a miss. An attack like that leaves him very open for strikes upon landing so why would he try this on King in such a crucial part of the match. That answer came low and fast.
Andy swept low at King's feet. He was already too late.
"TRAP SHOT!"
"ARGH!" He cried while taking another shot to the jaw. There was no rest for the weary, however. He began to feel the length of King's twelve strike attack and was finished of by a searing roundhouse that smacked his already fragile mouth.
Andy took to the ground and rolled away. He swept himself to his knees and placed his knuckles under his lips. Blood began to drip on the back of his hand guard coating it with a darker color.
"Venom Strike!"
"OOOFFF!" Andy cried while taking a ki blast straight in his chest. He rolled backwards from the momentum and made a stop as soon has his body hit the opposing wall.
King was tired but not out of it. Her sides were hurting and her body didn't move like it could this morning but she still had enough left to finish this fight. Andy had never expected someone to take charge like King did and he too was nearing the end of his rope. It was all left to stamina now.
Andy picked himself up looking like a raggedy drunk on his last bottle. His chest kept pumping in and out letting all of the air in the surrounding area circulate and exit as quickly as possible.
"Surprise Rose!"
Oh shit! Andy roared in his mind. His rest was no longer in sight. He had to counter and counter fast.
"Sho Ryuu Dan!"
*SMACK*
Andy's face took another assault by King's heel but not without getting a lick of his own. He felt his knuckle dig into King's side and she, as well as Andy, crashed onto the ground holding their respective injuries.
King was clenching her ribs. She heard a snap in the midst of the attacks and knew she wasn't going to be moving as well as she was for a long time. Not with a broken rib in her body.
Andy was the first to get up. It was almost a full fifteen seconds before he made it but he was the first one standing, that's all that mattered. Andy couldn't see straight. After taking several blows to the head, his vision was all blurred. In his condition, he couldn't walk much less continue to fight. He was going to need a good day's rest to get over this one.
From her humbled state, King also arose to her feet. She was looking a lot worse than Andy and she didn't even have a stance to put up. Her arm was draped across her side clenching her one broken bone and she knew that her fight was over.
*TIME OVER*
Saved… By… The bell… King thought as she collapsed. Ryo quickly ran over there and cradled her prone body.
"King?! KING?!" Ryo yelled. She looked liked a fallen angel who just had a run in with the devil. She was lucky to have a pulse let alone keep her face free from scars and marks of blood.
King opened her eyes but briefly. She confirmed that it was indeed Ryo that was holding her and she smiled as she shut her eyes. King had done the best she could and there was nothing more she could do in this consciousness. Ryo carried her over without saying another word and Yuri was already there and waiting for her treatment.
"Andy!" Mary shouted as she and Terry went over to him. Andy was frozen minus his breathing. He threw up his hands in his regular fighting stance and was ready to go another round.
"Forget it…" Terry said in his normal tone. He placed his hand on Andy's shoulder and gently pulled him aside. Andy didn't have the strength to argue much less try and fight of Terry. "You've done your part now. Just leave the rest to me."
Andy cracked a half smile. His face was so soar he didn't even want to laugh much less talk. Mary laid Andy down and began to treat him as she did Joe who was now looking almost one hundred percent.
Ryo looked back to make sure everything was ok with his father. Takuma was nestled safely with ice packs on various parts of his body and was looking alright for now. Yuri was tending to King's injuries as best as she could but Ryo knew that King would need to seek definite medical attention after the match is over. If Ryo had it his way he would put the entire fight one hold but he knew he couldn't do that. All of the fighters must compete until their team is defeated. That is the contract he signed and that's the way it shall be in King of Fighters.
"ORA – ORA!" Ryo taunted. He didn't waste any time. He knew he wasn't at full strength, he knew he might end up getting worse after the match has ended, and he knew he was going up against South Town's Legendary Wolf. That didn't matter a bit to Ryo. He was calm and collected, the only way he knew how to fight. Fear and anger weren't tools on his workbench and all he was concerned about now was the fight.
Terry turned around and noticed his opponent's impatience. He happily obliged though, knowing how well a good fight comes around these days and jumped into the fighting square. He tipped his cap slightly over at Ryo and began his classic taunt as he did for so many years.
"Hey! Com'on! Com'on!"
Ryo gave a half smile and diminished it after a single second had passed. It was now time for the real fight to begin. The Unbeatable Dragon versus the Legendary Wolf. This is the show down the world is watching. This is the fight to determine who is the greatest fighter in the new millennium. This is the final match in the King of Fighters Tournament.
Let's do it! Ryo screamed to himself as he charged forward.
This is it! Terry shouted as he approached Ryo.
*SMACK*
Ryo's fist met Terry's hand and vice versa. The two were old rivals and knew almost everything there was to know about one another. The only way either of them were going to win this fight is if they both completely changed styles and that was the farthest scenario that fell off of the tree.
Terry and Ryo went at it. They weren't going to pull any punches to test each other. They both knew how strong the other was and struck each other at full force. Terry could feel after each strike that Ryo had gotten stronger and it was the same for Ryo. That didn't matter much. Their styles were still the same. That's what counted in a fight against experience.
After a streak of constant attacks and blocks, Ryo's fist finally found its way into Terry's stomach. Terry responded with a cringing cough but didn't let it slow him down. He grabbed Ryo's arm he punched him with and threw his shoulder into his chest. Ryo coughed much like Terry but the Lone Wolf didn't let up then. Terry tossed Ryo over to the other side of the warehouse as hard as his muscles would allow.
Ryo took to the air but landed gracefully. He was at his knees but the only thing that he was concerned about was the first attack at his chest. Terry gave him a good first hit but looking over at his opponent, Ryo knew he got a nice one in too.
"Power Wave!" Terry cried as he smashed his ki filled fist into the ground. A short and fast wave of energy was released and was sent right into Ryo's direction.
"Kououken!" Ryo called has he threw his ball of ki right back at Terry. Both attack collided into one another and left a high cloud of smoke and debris. Terry was surprised to see Ryo's projectile reach all the way across the fighting square. Ryo improved in ways Terry hadn't even imagined.
"Hein Shipuu Kyaku!" Shouted Ryo as he broke through the smoke and aimed straight for Terry's skull. Terry blocked both strikes with his beefy forearm but was pushed back from all of Ryo's momentum. Ryo landed inches away from Terry and was ready to go some more.
"Power Charge!"
"ARGGGGHHHH!" Ryo screamed while taking the shot right in the bread basket. He rolled backwards away from Terry and the fight and slammed into a metal crate. His back was in pain no less but the real punishment came from the shoulder tackle. Terry hit Ryo right where the slash had been made and the nerves were singing like there was no tomorrow.
Terry heard just how much pain Ryo was in and realized he had found the weak point. It wouldn't do Terry much good though since most of his strongest attacks struck the head and chest. Terry would have to do a lot of work if he wanted to put Ryo down.
Ryo picked himself up as best as he could without looking too hurt. It was tough to hide though. Ryo was really battling the pain inside. He set himself into his Kyokugen stance and was ready to go again.
"Burn Knuckle!" Terry shouted as he charged Ryo. That attack had great power potential but was weak at greater distances. Ryo could see it coming a mile away and prepared himself thusly.
Ryo allowed Terry to pass him, giving up the opportunity to block and counter and went straight for the open shot. It was a risk knowing Terry's speed and recovery time but Ryo was willing to risk it. This was King of Fighters after all. If you don't go all out, don't go at all.
"Hein Shipuu Kyaku!"
Terry took two short hits right at the back of his skull that sent his hat flying clean off and it was his turn to fall. He landed hard on the ground and rolled a few times before the momentum died. His face smacked the concrete like no other time and felt foolish for allowing Ryo to have such an open opportunity like that.
Both of them had gotten good hits on each other but it wasn't enough. Terry sprung up from his fallen state and charged after Ryo. In kind, Ryo dashed at Terry and the punches and kicks started to fly.
*SMACK*
Terry connected with a mean haymaker right across the face.
*THWACK*
Ryo followed with a viscous uppercut to Terry's jaw.
In this volley of attacks; more were starting to hit their projected targets than before. Blocking was only used if their strikes were stopped by the others attacks. Ryo and Terry were going all out but the big surprise was the looks on their teammate's faces.
They all couldn't believe how hard their captain was fighting. Terry usually leveled the situation and, in his calm state, could take on any fighter without having to worry about his emotions getting to him. Ryo was more or less the same, only when he got into a fight, it only took a few kicks and punches to take his opponent out. This was definitely not the case tonight. Both of them were fighting as hard as they could for a reason not known to anyone but themselves and, like the fan said this morning, the real winners are going to be the fans.
"BURN KNUCKLE!"
"ARRRGH!" Cried Ryo as he took Terry's ki swarmed fist right in the side of the head. He rolled his body to the side but didn't fall although he badly wanted to. He saw a nice opening right in Terry's midsection and wanted to swing full force. Ryo pulled back and went for his Kohou Senpuu Ken.
*CRACK*
"YARRGH!" Terry shouted. Ryo's fist smacked his bruised sternum and Terry moved a few feet back to collect himself. Terry clenched his chest in order to sooth the pain but quickly removed it after he realized exactly where he was. He had just pulled a fighting no-no. He gave Ryo a weak point to exploit.
Terry shook off the pain and resumed his fighting stance although it didn't have the same energy as the beginning of the fight. He quickly moved in and started all over again.
Ryo took the defensive. He allowed Terry to strike as much as he wanted and it was for the better. Ryo's stomach was still feeling the force of the last hit it took and Ryo wasn't ready to move at full speed.
Terry thrusted a strong side kick right into both of Ryo's arms and it sent him back, breaking his balanced stance and giving Terry another opening.
"POWER – !"
Ryo looked up and saw Terry coming down hard with his hat backwards and his fist glowing. He only had one opportunity and exactly the right move for this situation.
"KOHOU!"
"DUN – KRAAAGH!" Terry spat. Ryo's fist hit the money spot dead in Terry's chest. Terry collided with the ground like never before, his hand was wrapped tightly around his chest.
Ryo looked over at Terry and saw his half seated position. He had found the strongest and most effective attack and was ready to utilize it to its full extent. Ryo moved in as Terry was picking himself up and had his next attack lined up in his mind.
Terry saw Ryo coming and prepared a counter-strike as Ryo did previously. He saw Ryo's fist clenched toward his side and knew another uppercut was coming.
"KOHOU!"
Terry rolled forward almost hitting Ryo's fist but barely skidded away. He swung his flying leg into the air to strike at the unexpecting Ryo.
"CRACK SHOT!"
"KAAAAH!" Ryo cursed as he took Terry's heel into his shoulder. He fell to the ground like a meteor and firmly grasped his bruised shoulder.
Terry moved back. He was using this time to rest and recuperate. Ryo was down but he wasn't going to be out. Terry's lungs were pounding in and out intaking and releasing oxygen like never before. Another few minutes of this and Terry would be out of it.
Mary surveyed the situation and she honestly couldn't take it. Ryo was on the brink of defeat but then again, so was Terry. They were almost evenly matched but Terry was the one who was standing. Before she could process another thought, Terry looked back at her, dead in her eyes, and gave a nod. She knew that was the signal for her to go in.
Ryo picked himself up. He was unquestionably hurting but it wasn't going to keep him out of the fight. Soon, all of the thoughts he had before the fight, why he was fighting, and who he was fighting for, began to wash away. All he could think about was beating Terry and he could feel the fire build within him.
The sound of a whistle blowing woke Ryo up out of his stammer and before he could realize what was going on, he saw a blonde opponent trying to jump on top of him. There was only one more he could think of to counter that.
"KOUOUKEN!"
"AAAAAHHHHHH!" Mary screamed while taking the ki blast to the chest. She still flew forward but not at the same angle. She crashed into a pile of crates and didn't move at all after that.
Ryo couldn't believe what he had just done. His body was frozen. He had saw King in his eyes and threw a Kououken at her. He didn't know what to think. The fight was a blur in his memory, that is, until he heard a wolf charging right at him.
"OVERHEAT!"
Ryo dove to the side but he was a little too slow. His legs were clipped by Terry's shoulder and it sent him off into a direction he'd never even heard about. Ryo managed to take minimal damage but then could hear Terry's fist smack the ground.
"GEYSERRRRR!"
The shockwave sent Ryo's body up from the ground and almost to his feet. Ryo couldn't believe his luck but didn't thrive in it. He found an open spot on Terry's body and went for it full blast without the thought of hesitation.
"ICHIGEKI HISSATSUUUU!"
*CRACK*
"GRAAAARRGGGGHHHH!" Terry cried as he was sent flying. He was spinning like a missile and was moving just as fast until he crashed into a pile of wooden crates, sending the loose pieces up into the air like an explosion.
Ryo cringed after the strike. The punch extended his gut a little too much than he had expected. No matter though, Terry had taken the full blast of the punch and was in a whole new world of hurt. Ryo had nothing to worry about.
"POWERRRRR!"
What the?!
"GEYSEERRRRRRRR!"
*CRASH*
*CRASH*
*CRASH*
"YARRRRRGGGGHHHH!" Ryo cringed as he took the spike of orange ki right in his weak point. He was sent packing into a standing pile of metal crates and his body left a very large dent. Ryo hit the ground and felt unconsciousness dance on the sides of his vision.
Terry moved away from the pile of wooden debris. He was staggering no less and had one arm tied up while it was holding his chest. Terry could almost swear he heard a crack and confirmed it when it hurt to take any kind of breaths.
Ryo could hear his heart pounding and it hurt every time. His blood was burning but it wasn't killing him. That was the only reassurance he needed to get back on his feet. He picked himself up from the ground, which seemed to take forever, and put on his fighting stance as best as he could.
Terry couldn't believe it but then again realized how he was still standing. They didn't have much left in them and it was all going to be decided here and now.
Ryo only had one move left that could put Terry down for the count. He didn't know how much power it was going to have in it but in Terry's state, it would be more than enough. Ryo clenched both hands to the side of his body and began to focus his energy. Wind began to pick up and swarm all around him, kicking up any loose pieces of wood and trash as Ryo charged his attack.
Terry looked over at the sight and could feel Ryo's ki being radiated all over the warehouse. He knew Ryo was going to try and end it with just one move and Terry wouldn't allow that. Terry began to gather up his reserved energy and focus it on his one fist. It was time for his hidden trump card.
King awoke to the blast of warm wind caressing her face. She picked herself up, feeling a whole lot better than before, and looked at the site. Her jaw wanted to drop as she saw the battered and beat up Ryo Sakazaki give it his all in one final attack.
"No… Don't…" King whispered to herself. She didn't want to see him go all out at the cost of his health. She wanted to run up and hold him down but her body wasn't receiving her brain's request.
"HAOUUUUUUUU!" Ryo shouted as he pumped up another large burst of ki into his hands. He could feel a different kind of energy build within him but couldn't harness it like he did his regular ki energy. Ryo didn't know what to make of it but quickly shifted it aside as he was about ready to release a mountain of ki.
"TERRY!" Mary shouted from the sidelines. She had seen this move done on opponents before and they had never looked the same afterwards. Mary tried to warn him but Terry didn't flinch. He only kicked back his knuckles in a pitch like motion and moved ahead as if there was nothing left but the moment they were living in.
"IWOKENNNNNNN!"
"SHOUKOUKEN!"
*CRASH*
(Author Notes: WOW! How's that for some suspense? Now I'm going to be hammered to punch out the next chapter ASAP. This story is really cooking and it's approaching its end. Ahhhh… How sad. Well, what are we going to expect next? Who knows… Well, me but that's beside the point. The secrets of the past 10 chapters will all be revealed in Chapter 11 and I hope everyone will be there. Thanks for your support guys, especially SilentNinja20 who helps me out with clearing up some back story elements and putting other characters in their best representation in my fic. Take it easy guys and I'll see you next chapter.)
