During this time, Dan Hibiki was taken into custody by Master Gouken and trained in the same as Ken and Ryu. We now take place a month after Dan's father fell to Sagat. The tournament ended, and our true saga commences, not just for Dan, but those around him....
"Focus, Dan. Feel the energy of nature around you. Clear your mind of distraction," Master Gouken softly spoke to Dan, trying to make him work on his ha do technique. Dan has been very frustrating to Master for his hatred for Sagat interferred with Dan reaching his inner calm. Not losing his patience he slowly continued to guide his new pupil, "Focus on everything and nothing. Hear the birds around you, the rustle of the leaves above you. Think of only external influence." Dan sat there in yoga style. His hands were palm up next to his abdomen. He occasionally opened his eyes to see how Master did it. He was doing it so it looked too easy. His breathing slowed yet rhythmic, his long black with silver streaked beard and moustache flickering gently back and forth in the wind. His aged body was still a sight of strength and disciple to the art of Shotokan. Dan closed his eyes again and tried to block the image out of his head. The image of his nemesis. Slowly it began to fade. His breathing became rythmical and felt focused for a moment, "O.k. master. I feel it." "Good. Now stand up without alleviating that focus." Slowly, they both stood up, embracing the offensive position like they have tried to do many times before. Master initated the exercise while speaking to Dan, "Now, channel all that energy into your shoulders and arms so when you expel your arms outward, the ki flows through a straight path and out of your palms." As always, Master went first. He cocked his arms back to his right side twisting his torso as if to hide something. As he opens his eyes he immediately focuses on a tree in front of him and lets out a scream, "HA DO KEN!" Master's arms fly forward and slam parallel together with the palms extended. A translucent blue aura expels from them and flies toward the tree. In seconds it strikes the tree with deadly results. It blasted a hole clear through the trunk of the tree. "O.k., Dan, now you try it." Dan cocked his arms back and twisted his torso. His eyes open and lets out the yell, "HA DO KEN!" His arms fly forward in similar fashion. But, nothing came out. He stood there, looking at his palms, waiting for something to come out. Nothing. He let his arms down gently and turned to Master, who looked compassionate. "Don't worry, Dan, we will get this anger out of you sooner or later. Patience, my son." Dan was very agitated and spoke with an attitude, "I CAN'T DO IT! I WILL NEVER DO IT! I CAN'T DO WHAT MY DAD DID!" "I am not training you as I did with your father. But you must relax and let things come naturally to you," Master responded calm as a stream. Dan turned and walked away in frustration, heading for the recluse in the forest that always gave him a thinking spot. Master just stared at him, feeling not pity nor apathy for him. "What's wrong with Dan, sensei?" Ryu asked as he and Ken came up from behind. "Young Hibiki is still to angry to reach his ki. I don't know how long this will take. He was really disturbed by his father's death." "If you ask me," Ken interrupts, "the kid is a lot like me. Lacking control but very aggressive." Ken's blonde hair was getting rather long and was trying to find his red band to tie it together with. This was Ken's 2nd month with master but was too inexperienced to enter the tournament. Ryu, however, was still healing from the fight almost a month ago. He had defeated Sagat with an uppercut technique that was only taught to him a week before the tournament, but used it with precision. Master was proud of that. "True, Ken. He is a lot like you." "Yeah, only that he doesn't compare to my great looks and charm, whoops!" Ken covered his mouth just a little bit too slow, for he said what Master told him to stop, "How many times to I have to tell you that such arrogance is not a warrior's way. I will not tolerate it!" becoming agitated. "B..but" "No but's Ken. You know the drill." "Yes, sensei," with a sad and pathetic voice, "two hundred push-ups." Now, while Ken was starting his punishment, Ryu more to say for their new sparring partner, "I hope you can help him, sensei." "Yes, I hope so too."
Dan made it to his spot. It was still late morning so he had the whole day to contemplate his conscience. He sinks his head into his hands and curses himself, "Damn Sagat! I will never forgive him. Never!" "You know what I think?" Dan quickly raises his head and looks behind him. Leaning against a tree was a rather large figure of a man in a black gi with the arms and shoulders still attached. He had the traditional sandals on and his black hair was tied so it pointed upward. "You should strive for what you want. Let nothing interfere with your desires." "You're Akuma, aern't you? Master's brother." "So I've heard," speaking with contempt, "I heard about your unfortunate situation and came to lend my advice to you." Now Dan never met Akuma before, and Master never really spoke about him with any emotional content. "Go out on your own, train the way you want to. And when the time is right, you'll be ready to take what you want, revenge." Dan's eyes lit up like wildfire, "Yeah! That's it!" But his fervor suddenly left, "But Master wouldn't dare.." "DON'T LISTEN TO GOUKEN. YOU ARE YOUR OWN MAN!" Akuma shoved his face into Dan's when he said that. Dan was almost frightened of Master's brother. Could they really be related?
"I can't believe that 'boy' beat me!" Sagat cursed to himself as he gave his sparring opponent a pummelling. He visualized his sparrer as Ryu, over and over and over. His rage grew intensely and kept attacking after his opponent asked him to stop. But Sagat didn't hear him. His fury overpowered his judgement and reason. He kept throwing his huge limbs at the staggering opponent, tossing him around like a ball. "STOP IT SAGAT!" Sagat paused in mid-attack and looked around for who said that. Everyone knew that he couldn't be disturbed during his practice. And those who did were severely reprimanded. His one good eye looked at him, "How dare you enter my sparring room without asking me first!" Sagat embraced his new trophy along his chest and snarred at Adon, "This better be good." Adon just gave a smirk and started his reason for coming, "I am leaving Sagat." "WHAAAAAAAT!" Sagat leaped out of his arena and started walking toward Adon, "Yup, Sagat. I am no longer going to be your disciple. You have shamed all of Muay Thai because of your defeat." Sagat didn't need to hear those words and embraced a fighting position, "You watch your tongue in front of me, boy!" "Hmph! You're pathetic Sagat. And that eye patch only enhances your weakness." That did it. Sagat flew at Adon with a flying thrust knee. Adon dodged it and gave Sagat an elbow to his side. Sagat wasn't even phased as he barreled at Adon when he landed. He threw a barrage of multi-directional forearms and elbows. Adon's inexperienced showed as some of the hits connected and sent him reeling backward. Sagat charged again at him. Adon flipped forward with an extended right heel, "Jaguar kick!" but Sagat side-stepped it and grabbed Adon by the throat and held him up against the wall, "YOU WILL NEVER SHOW YOUR FACE HERE EVER AGAIN", and threw him to the side. Adon got up, sneered at Sagat and spoke just as he left, "One day Sagat, I will take your throne as the Muay Thai champion." Sagat stood there burning up, "Screw that Adon. He's worthless." True, since his mind was determined upon other things.....
"So, you are really going Dan?" Ryu asked as Dan was packing up his duffle bag full of what was left of his past, "Yes, I'm leaving. I will learn my own way. Make Sagat pay for what he did." The next morning was beautiful. The fresh dew was along all the grass and leaves. The sun sneaked inbetween the trees. However, Dan's situation dampered the whole scenario. Ken shook Dan's hand, "Well, good luck with what you do Dan. I'm really sorry about your dad." "It's o.k., Ken. Maybe I'll return in a few months." As he left the dojo, Master was waiting for him down by the woods path to speak once more to change his mind. "Don't try to persuade me, Master. This is my decision and that's final." "But such consumption of rage can only hamper your potential, Dan. You must stay and let me help you." Dan looked into his eyes and then just walked past him, "I thank you, Master, but this is my way." Walking down the dirt-trodden path, Dan was only beginning his real quest for himself.
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