"Papa, papa, can I go watch you today?"
The boy jumped around his father. It was all the father could do from lifting the boy into his arms. "Sure, my son." In the past, he never let his son come to watch him. But this was the big tournament. A worldwide tournament. "Today, you will see the greatest martial artists in the world."
The boy was never really serious about the martial arts. Well, he was never serious about practicing them for himself. He enjoyed watching his father work around the dojo, but he always had his mind elsewhere. His father never thought him to be serious enough, so he never let him watch the fighting. But today was different. Perhaps witnessing a tournament of this magnitude would peak the boy's interest.
This was to be the case. The boy stared wide-eyed when it was his father's first match. The opponent was some no name martial artist. He rushed at the boy's father at the start of the match. The man threw his opponent over his shoulder. The opponent was slow getting up, leaving the man enough time to taunt his opponent. The taunt drew cheers from the crowd, and captivated the boy. The opponent made his way to his feet and rushed at the man. He was met by the man's knee, which struck his stomach. A foot swept across his face, then an elbow struck his jaw. The man fell to the ground. He would not get up.
"The winner: Go Hibiki!"
Go raised his hand up into the air and smiled to his son. His son was jumping in the air and cheering.
The tournament continued like this for several rounds. The man continued to put on a show for his son. He knew it would get him interested. He knew his son well.
It was the final match of the tournament. It was some guy who called himself Janx. Janx was a loudmouth and a taunter. Before the match started, Janx taunted Go heavily. Go just stood there and scowled.
When the match started, Janx ran straight at Go. Go's hands began to glow. Janx was just a few feet away. Go thrust his hands forward. The ball of energy engulfed Janx's head. He flew back several feet and slid several more feet. Janx wouldn't get up.
"The winner, Go Hibiki!"
He ran down the hall searching for him. He couldn't believe what happened. He just stood there while it happened. He had been humiliated and berated. Everything right in front of his son. He wouldn't stand for it. He didn't even search for his son. He just chased after the man.
The emperor of Muay Thai. He found him inside the parking lot.
"Sagat!"
Sagat turned around. "Mr. Hibiki... I'm rather surprised to see you."
Go threw his hand to the side. "How dare you insult me in front of my son?"
Sagat chuckled as he turned around. "You shouldn't be so angry. Everything I said was true."
Go stepped forward. "What? How dare you call me an amateur!"
"You won a tournament full of weak martial artists. Surely you don't think you compete with the... higher caliber martial artists."
Go scowled. "If the competition today was so weak, why didn't you enter the tournament?"
Sagat began to laugh. "Don't be ridiculous. These here... weren't even worth my breath."
Go began to walk forward. "I think you'll find that I am not like the others here."
Sagat turned around and began to walk away. "Don't waste your time, Hibiki. Perhaps in a few years, but not now."
The door behind him flew open. "Papa!?"
Hibiki turned his head to see his son. "Stay out of this, Dan."
Hibiki put his hands together and concentrated. He yelled as he thrust his arms forward. The ball of energy shot from his palms toward Sagat. Sagat turned in time to block the shot.
Sagat stared at Hibiki. "You just signed your death certificate."
Hibiki screamed at Sagat. "Bring it!"
Sagat brought his fists together, firing a blast of energy toward Hibiki. Hibiki waited for a moment, then rolled under the blast. He quickly returned to his feet and leapt at Sagat as Sagat's shot struck the wall behind him, cracking it. Sagat's foot smashed into his chest, causing him to fall to the ground. Sagat slammed his foot into Hibiki's chest causing to Hibiki roll along the ground.
"Papa!" Dan screamed as he ran towards his father.
"Stay back, Dan!" Hibiki screamed as he made his way to his feet. He staggered up and turned to face Sagat.
Sagat smiled. "Aren't you resilient?"
Hibiki smiled as he wiped the blood that began to trickle from his cheek. "It will take a lot more then that to defeat me."
Sagat nodded. "You're more impressive then I originally thought. But you waste too much energy when you fire your blasts."
Hibiki scowled. "I'm not here for a lesson."
Sagat laughed. "Surrender now and I'll let you live."
Hibiki scowled. "I will not have you insult my ability like this!"
Hibiki rushed forward. Sagat waited before him to get close. He threw his leg low, but Hibiki leapt over it, striking Sagat in the forehead with his knee. Sagat flew backwards, sliding along the pavement. Go jumped forward, slamming his fist into the pavement. Sagat jumped backwards just in time to dodge the attack. He brought his fists together, throwing a ball of energy into Hibiki's face.
Hibiki flew backwards, skidding on the pavement. Dan ran forward, but Hibiki held up his hand. Hibiki staggered to his feet. His face was covered with blood and he could hardly stand. He turned to face Sagat again.
"Give it up, Hibiki. You can't win."
Hibiki began to walk forward. "I won't give up."
"Such an idealist." Sagat began to walk forward toward him. Hibiki stopped and put his hands together. Sagat began to laugh. "Not this again."
Hibiki's hands began to glow. He was nearly out of energy, but he couldn't stop. He had to fight forward.
The blast was like none he had fired before. It shot past Sagat's defenses. Sagat fell to the ground, clutching his face. Hibiki was breathing heavily.
"I'd rather die then give up."
Sagat clutched his eye. Blood flowed from the whole. "What... What have you done?"
"I've won."
Sagat staggered to his feet. He screamed as he ran towards Hibiki. Hibiki tried to throw a punch, but Sagat threw his fist to the side. He grabbed Hibiki by the neck.
Dan watched as the mammoth crushed his father. He lost something that day. He couldn't explain it. It wasn't just his father. He had lost his innocence that day also. He became obsessed. He would not let the man who did this go. He would develop a style strong enough to defeat him. He would develop the strongest style.
The boy jumped around his father. It was all the father could do from lifting the boy into his arms. "Sure, my son." In the past, he never let his son come to watch him. But this was the big tournament. A worldwide tournament. "Today, you will see the greatest martial artists in the world."
The boy was never really serious about the martial arts. Well, he was never serious about practicing them for himself. He enjoyed watching his father work around the dojo, but he always had his mind elsewhere. His father never thought him to be serious enough, so he never let him watch the fighting. But today was different. Perhaps witnessing a tournament of this magnitude would peak the boy's interest.
This was to be the case. The boy stared wide-eyed when it was his father's first match. The opponent was some no name martial artist. He rushed at the boy's father at the start of the match. The man threw his opponent over his shoulder. The opponent was slow getting up, leaving the man enough time to taunt his opponent. The taunt drew cheers from the crowd, and captivated the boy. The opponent made his way to his feet and rushed at the man. He was met by the man's knee, which struck his stomach. A foot swept across his face, then an elbow struck his jaw. The man fell to the ground. He would not get up.
"The winner: Go Hibiki!"
Go raised his hand up into the air and smiled to his son. His son was jumping in the air and cheering.
The tournament continued like this for several rounds. The man continued to put on a show for his son. He knew it would get him interested. He knew his son well.
It was the final match of the tournament. It was some guy who called himself Janx. Janx was a loudmouth and a taunter. Before the match started, Janx taunted Go heavily. Go just stood there and scowled.
When the match started, Janx ran straight at Go. Go's hands began to glow. Janx was just a few feet away. Go thrust his hands forward. The ball of energy engulfed Janx's head. He flew back several feet and slid several more feet. Janx wouldn't get up.
"The winner, Go Hibiki!"
He ran down the hall searching for him. He couldn't believe what happened. He just stood there while it happened. He had been humiliated and berated. Everything right in front of his son. He wouldn't stand for it. He didn't even search for his son. He just chased after the man.
The emperor of Muay Thai. He found him inside the parking lot.
"Sagat!"
Sagat turned around. "Mr. Hibiki... I'm rather surprised to see you."
Go threw his hand to the side. "How dare you insult me in front of my son?"
Sagat chuckled as he turned around. "You shouldn't be so angry. Everything I said was true."
Go stepped forward. "What? How dare you call me an amateur!"
"You won a tournament full of weak martial artists. Surely you don't think you compete with the... higher caliber martial artists."
Go scowled. "If the competition today was so weak, why didn't you enter the tournament?"
Sagat began to laugh. "Don't be ridiculous. These here... weren't even worth my breath."
Go began to walk forward. "I think you'll find that I am not like the others here."
Sagat turned around and began to walk away. "Don't waste your time, Hibiki. Perhaps in a few years, but not now."
The door behind him flew open. "Papa!?"
Hibiki turned his head to see his son. "Stay out of this, Dan."
Hibiki put his hands together and concentrated. He yelled as he thrust his arms forward. The ball of energy shot from his palms toward Sagat. Sagat turned in time to block the shot.
Sagat stared at Hibiki. "You just signed your death certificate."
Hibiki screamed at Sagat. "Bring it!"
Sagat brought his fists together, firing a blast of energy toward Hibiki. Hibiki waited for a moment, then rolled under the blast. He quickly returned to his feet and leapt at Sagat as Sagat's shot struck the wall behind him, cracking it. Sagat's foot smashed into his chest, causing him to fall to the ground. Sagat slammed his foot into Hibiki's chest causing to Hibiki roll along the ground.
"Papa!" Dan screamed as he ran towards his father.
"Stay back, Dan!" Hibiki screamed as he made his way to his feet. He staggered up and turned to face Sagat.
Sagat smiled. "Aren't you resilient?"
Hibiki smiled as he wiped the blood that began to trickle from his cheek. "It will take a lot more then that to defeat me."
Sagat nodded. "You're more impressive then I originally thought. But you waste too much energy when you fire your blasts."
Hibiki scowled. "I'm not here for a lesson."
Sagat laughed. "Surrender now and I'll let you live."
Hibiki scowled. "I will not have you insult my ability like this!"
Hibiki rushed forward. Sagat waited before him to get close. He threw his leg low, but Hibiki leapt over it, striking Sagat in the forehead with his knee. Sagat flew backwards, sliding along the pavement. Go jumped forward, slamming his fist into the pavement. Sagat jumped backwards just in time to dodge the attack. He brought his fists together, throwing a ball of energy into Hibiki's face.
Hibiki flew backwards, skidding on the pavement. Dan ran forward, but Hibiki held up his hand. Hibiki staggered to his feet. His face was covered with blood and he could hardly stand. He turned to face Sagat again.
"Give it up, Hibiki. You can't win."
Hibiki began to walk forward. "I won't give up."
"Such an idealist." Sagat began to walk forward toward him. Hibiki stopped and put his hands together. Sagat began to laugh. "Not this again."
Hibiki's hands began to glow. He was nearly out of energy, but he couldn't stop. He had to fight forward.
The blast was like none he had fired before. It shot past Sagat's defenses. Sagat fell to the ground, clutching his face. Hibiki was breathing heavily.
"I'd rather die then give up."
Sagat clutched his eye. Blood flowed from the whole. "What... What have you done?"
"I've won."
Sagat staggered to his feet. He screamed as he ran towards Hibiki. Hibiki tried to throw a punch, but Sagat threw his fist to the side. He grabbed Hibiki by the neck.
Dan watched as the mammoth crushed his father. He lost something that day. He couldn't explain it. It wasn't just his father. He had lost his innocence that day also. He became obsessed. He would not let the man who did this go. He would develop a style strong enough to defeat him. He would develop the strongest style.