Chapter 7: Challenges of Old and New

At the Masters Estate, all the workers tended to their duties with calm demeanor. The cooks prepared the coming meal, the maid prepared the spare room for the newly arrived guest and the security guards performed their hourly patrols around the perimeter. Nothing disrupted them from their tasks, not even the echoing sound of impact coming from the small dojo statoined next to the Mansion.

"Hwaaaa!" Ken cried out as he launched a kick to Ryu's head. The vagabond barely managed to block it and was about to retaliate with an a low sweep, but the red gi warrior followed through with a hurricane kick, landing three rotating kicks on the right side of Ryu's face. The attack was quick, but it lacked the power in comparison to Ryu's method of the technique.
Upon Ken's decent from the successful attack, his rival had already recovered and grabbed Masters' gi and performed his Judo throw, slamming Ken on his back against the wooden floor. Ryu paused for a moment as he tried to read into his rival. If the World Warrior Champion knew his friend well enough, Ken would want to come back strong.
The Japanese warrior was correct, Ken launched himself off the ground performing a flaming Shoryuken, but Ryu had dashed back quick enough to evade the attack. Ken's attack would have devastated should it have connected, but because he missed, he left himself wide open for punishment.

Ryu pull his hands back to his side taking up his famous stance. Blue chi began to quickly develop between his palms; however, right before he release his attack the chi turned into a burning red fire ball. "Shakunetsu!" Thrusting his arms forward, the flaming hadouken surged forward, impacting the descending Ken Masters.

"Uaaaargh!" Ken fell skidding across the dojo floor. The burning attack connected solidly. The American champion looked at his gut where the attack connected but no burning damage had been done to his gi or his body. It was a technique Ryu had mastered on his own. His rival once explained that it took a great deal of effort to control the chi to insure it didn't catch the opponent on fire. This was not so different from Ken's flaming Shoryuken.

"That was fun Ken!" Ryu said excitedly with a wide small on his face. Taking up his stance again. "Ready for round two?"

Ken sneered. "Heh! As if you have to ask!" Flipping back up to his feet with new bruises and sores, the eternal rivals charged at each other once more.

Outside of the Masters Estates property Juri was watching the fighting of the two fierce warrior's on top of a building across the road. Her S.I.N. binoculars have been getting plenty use these past couple days. Her toes flexing with excitement from watching the match, her tongue traces her lower lip, and her smile maintained.
These guys are pretty good! She thought to herself. They'd be way more amusing than China-girl. I'd even wager they'd last two minutes longer than her!

But as she watched Ryu fight she started getting a feeling something different about Ryu now than the fights she watched in the videos. There was no question that the World Warrior was stronger now than he was in his previous fights, but something there was no sign of struggle, hesitation, or sign of the Satsui no Hado.
The dark power that she saw scar Sagat's chest in the video was something she was hoping to see. The small amount of footage of when Ryu fought agent C. Viper was a spectacle to behold. Even in fights where Ryu didn't become possessed by the Sastui no Hado, it was clear he had to hold himself back to contain the dark power within himself.

What she was a pure drive of victory, but without worry of the murderous intent. Yet at the same time he fought with the greatest ferocity. Had he completely mastered the dark hado? Did it leave him entirely? Or was it something else?
As exciting as the match was to see, she grew concerned if her plans for him would no longer be possible. Her Feng Shui Engine had already proven to be more than powerful enough to take down even the strongest of warriors around the world. She had yet to taste defeat since the late Seth had embedded it into her left eye-socket. But as formidable as it was, it still isn't at its full potential. The eye was meant to completely replicate the Satsui no Hado, but all it does was mimic it by bolstering the user with excessive amount of chi energy.

Hmmm...Juri began to think to herself. If Ryu somehow rid himself of the Satsui no Hado, what good is he to me?! I better get a close look.
Lowering her binoculars she leaped down from the building deftly. A feeling of excitement crossed the back of her mind, and the sensation got stronger the closer she got to the Masters' Estate.

Back inside the dojo, both Ryu and Ken began to pant heavily. Sweat drenched their gi, and bumped fists after what proved to be another memorable confrontation where they had demonstrated some new techniques they learned and others they've mastered.

"Wow," Ken sneered. "I never thought the Master taught you the Shin Shoryuken! That was his ace-in-the-hole!"
"Actually he didn't" Ryu chuckled. "This I had to rediscover myself ever since my last encounter with the Master."
"You saw Master Gouken again?"

"Yeah, about a week after we found him. He wanted me to try to defeat him at all costs."
"Wouldn't that provoke the Dark Hado?"

Ryu and Ken sat down on the bench outside, Ken bringing a water bottle he left at the dojo entrance.
"The Master did awaken the Satsui no Hado within myself." The World Warrior Champion explained to his friend. "I could feel it taking hold of me in my desperation for victory, my desire to not disappoint Master Gouken."
"Dude! You didn't try to kill the Master did you?!" Ken raised his voice as his brow narrowed into a frown.
"No. The master stopped it. He performed a technique I had never seen. Before I blacked out, I felt all the evil lose its grip over me; it felt like the darkness washing away from my very soul."

Ken's frown went away, and tossed Ryu the water bottle. "The power of Nothingness..." Ken said softly as he passed it to Ryu. "I remember the master telling me about it once, but I didn't understand it. Too young and dumb I guess."
"It was the power of nothingness that seemed to have to do something about stoping the Satsui no Hado, and how it no longer threatens to take hold of me any longer." Ryu said after taking a swig from the bottle.

It was then their discussion was interrupted by the voice of a woman. "Excuse me you two." She said sweetly. "Sorry to interrupt, but there a call for you, honey."
Masters looked to his right to see his beautiful wife. "Hey babe!" Ken smiled as he quickly got up to wrapped his arms around his wife and gave her a passionate kiss. Eliza had been caught off guard from his spontaneous approach, but such surprises from her husband were always enjoyed.
After their soft lips parted, she went red in the face from embarrassment. "Not in front of guest, sweetie..." She said, trying to hide her blush. "Um...your brother-in-law is on the phone."
"Guile?" Ken asked. "I wonder what he wants?"

"Go on." Ryu smiled as he rose from the bench stretching his arms behind him. "I'll do a few more exercises in the dojo as I wait."
Ken looked back and nodded. "Sure thing man." Ken smiled as he swooped his wife in his arms playfully and began to head towards the mansion. "I'll tell him you said hi"

"Ken!" Eliza yelled playfully. "What do you think you're doing?!"

Both their laughs could be heard as they got farther and farther away until they couldn't be heard anymore. It was always good to see Ken and his family blossoming so well. Such warm loving sights from those he cared about always raised Ryu's spirit.

Ken and Eliza entered the mansion and was greeted by the large Hall entrance. The polished marble flooring along with the expensive chandelier that hung over the center of the hall helped reflect and illuminate the large space.

Eliza walked Ken into the study where the phone was on hold. Ken removed his arm from around his wife and picked it up and help it to his ear. "Hello, this is Masters."

"Ken," Guile called. "It's been some time, hasn't it?" The man sounded grim; and if Masters knew his brother-in-law well enough. He's calling on business.
"Yeah, I must have just missed you in the last tournament. So what can I do for you?"
"Is Ryu with you?"
Bingo, Ken thought to himself. Business as usual.
"Well he's here visiting for a bit, but I don't know for how long. Why?"
"I have reason to believe Ryu is being followed by Shadaloo. Just the other day, they destroyed the dojo Ryu was at when they tried to apprehend him."
"Yeah, he told me about it. So you think those bastards are still after him?"
"I am on my way to you're place now. I should be there in two hours."
"Okay. I'll let Ryu know you're coming. Is there anything else?"
"Just be careful Ken."

And with that Guile hung up, and Ken put down the phone. He looked sternly at it for a moment. Memories of Ken's run-ins with Shadaloo activity didn't sit well with him. The American Martial arts champion had a feeling things were going to get serious fast.

"What's wrong, Ken?" Eliza asked. "You looked troubled."
Ken snapped out of his deep thinking, and looked back at his wife and smiled. "It's nothing." He lied softly. "But Guile is coming over to see us."
"Is he bringing his family?"

Ken fell silent and lowered his eyes to the floor as he thought of what to say to his wife without scaring her. She is aware of Ken's incidents with Shadaloo, and he didn't want to frighten her. He then raised his gaze back to Eliza and only said. "It's...it's complicated."

Meanwhile Ryu made his way into the dojo. Upon entering he got this cold chill up his spine upon entering. He felt something, someone, creeping closer and closer. Once he stood in the middle of the dojo, he looked over his shoulder to find a familiar figure standing at the entrance.
"You...!" He said softly as he turned around. He examined her wearing the same outfit as before, only it was cleaner, and not covered in the smoke from the burning dojo. She stood there with a pleased smile on her face and placed one hand on her hip. Ryu made it a point not to stare at her for too long. "I had my suspicions I'd see you again. Agent Chun li had told me about you."
The CEO of S.I.N. slowly began to step forward, her hips swaying from side to side. Her smile slightly widening the more the distance between them closed.
"I only caught some of what you and you B.F.F said." She announced. "So you no longer have that dark power inside you then?"
Ryu wasn't sure how much she knew about the Satsui no Hado, maybe she already knew the answer to the question.
"Is that why you've been following me?" He responded. "You want that evil power for yourself, but it's useless. Nobody can control the power of the Satsui no Hadou, the power takes control of you. That mechanical eye is as close as you're ever going to get to it."

Juri tilted her head as she stopped her advance five feet away from Ryu. She didn't expect him to know about her Feng Shui Engine, but it didn't matter to her really. It only took a couple of seconds to deduce how he figured it out. "Aww..." She said coyly as her left eye began to glow a bright purple. "You already know about my little toy. I'm guessing China-girl told you?"
"She also warned me about you!" He said strongly, standing his ground.
Juri smiled sensing a bit of nervousness from the display of her eye. Suddenly she closed the distance between the two if them in an instant. Her face was only inches away from Ryu. The World Warrior didn't react, for he sensed no hostility to her abrupt movement. She could smell his sweat from his fights with Ken. It was a familiar sent to her, the smell of battle and hard training. But for the malicious woman, the aroma it lacked the bitterness of blood.

"Why?" She said suggestively. "Afraid I'll bite?"
Ryu felt her chest gently brush against his and pulled away. He felt a rise inside himself an uncomfortable feeling went over him as she continuously tried to tempt and provoke him. "I don't know what you're up to, or why you helped me before, but I will not be part of your wrongful schemes." The warrior stated. "But if it's a fight you want, you are welcome to it."

Juri saw the champion take up his fighting stance. She tilted her head once again as she examined him with her left eye. His readings were considerably high, higher than all the fighters she's come across. It was even comparable to that of Bison from when she last met her enemy. The CEO of S.I.N. didn't expect the chi energy surrounding him was going to be so abundant.

"Now you're talking, baby!" Juri smiled as she shifted her weight to one leg as she lifted the other. The feeling of excitement from the anticipation that was building inside her for the past couple days finally began to surface. This was the chance for her to let it loose and go wild. And from what she could tell, this guy might be able to handle it for a bit. "I think we both know this is what we REALLY wanted!"

They both stared at one another in silence for a moment. Both warrior's sensing the others chi, examining their postures, trying to see who was going to make the first move. Then, exploding from their still positions, both fighters launched themselves at one another.