I don't know whats worth fighting for....



After the tournamanet all the combatents went out for a post-battle drink at a local pub, the Pao Pao to be exact. Everybody was in good spirits, even Joe. Luckily Joe had not sustained any serious wounds during his last fight. Rock was walking around making friends with all the fighters. Especially Athena it would appear, 'Hey there cutie', Athena said as she patted rock on the head. Rock giggled and sat on the barstool next to her. Athena spent the rest of the night getting drunk, telling rock about her life, and flirting madly with kensou who was staying sober. Terry spent time finding out what happened to Iori and Kyo from Benimaru. Mai dragged Andy onto the dance floor and they danced the night away. Joe was dancing with all the girls he could find in the club. Ryo and Yuri weren't there, they went home after the tournament with Kim, Chang, and Choi. Chin was in the corner drinking heavily and speaking with an elderly woman, they left shortly afterwards. After a couple of hours Andy was danced out but Mai was still going strong, Terry and Benimaru split up, Athena was beginning to bore rock and Kensou was asleep on the bar.

Terry walked up to rock and put his hat on rock's head, waking up rock for a moment from his light slumber. 'Hey kid, wanna go for a walk?' smiled terry. Rock Yawned and answered 'sure' Athena said good by to rock, wished terry good luck with next year and woke up Kensou helping him on their way home. Terry and rock walked down the streets of Osaka at 2:00 a.m. and eventually found their way to a basketball court. Terry pulled a basketball out of his bag and passed it to rock. 'How bout some bball?' terry offered.

'sure i'd love to' replied rock between yawns.

'good cause the game is on right now, your ball' terry said quickly and threw the ball at rock. Rock in turn caught the ball unsteadly because he did not expect terry to throw the ball that hard. The game began and rock took off like a flash. Almost as fast as terry himself rock made basket after basket past terry. Terry just seemed to be one step behind rock at all times. After scoring 25 points they decided to take a break and sit down on a bench.

'Terry?' rock said while looking at the ground.

'Yes?' terry replied.

'why do you fight?'

'because i have to'

'why do you have to, i remember overhearing you once say that fighting takes away everything you love'

'it does'

'how did you start fighting'

'because i hated somebody'

'do you still hate anybody? do you hate me?'

'i could never hate you'

'then who do you hate'

'i just....its not warm'

'what do you mean?'

'without that warm feeling...i need the hatred to keep me warm at night.' (another quote from www.rejectionist.com)

'will you ever not hate?'

'i don't know if i can do that...'

'you still haven't told me what you fight for, do you want to protect people? do you fight for some magical reason? do you fight for your worth?'

'I don't know whats worth fighting for' Terry stood up and picked up the basketball and put it in his bag. Rock stood up as well and walked over to terry. 'I want to find whats worth fighting for, terry i want...i need to be strong, strong like you' rock suprised terry with that remark.

'joe, mai, or andy can make you strong...'

'no they can't, they are strong but they don't have what you have'

'and what is that...'

'iunno, but there is something about you...you are stronger then they are i want you to help me I want to become strong like how you became strong'

This remark sent terry into a tailspin of memroies of starving on the street corner because he had no food, having to beat up guys just to eat a meal that night. The blood, sweat, and tears for every punch, kick, and throw he had to take to become the best. 'Ok' replied terry 'but all i can do is show you technique, if you want to become strong you need to do that yourself'

'OK!!' squeeled an ecstatic rock.