How a Demon Got Its Fangs
By Ryu-san

In a quaint secluded forest in Japan, there lived a karate master. With him lived two students and only two students. However, they had dedicated their lives to the art of Shotokan karate and both had proven to be exceptional students.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

"Gouken! Gouki!" a voice bellowed from the confines of the dojo.

"Hai, shisho? (Yes master?)" the two voices rang out simultaneously.

"Koi (come)," the voice demanded.

The two men dropped everything and immediately ran as fast as their legs would carry them to the dojo. Their belts flapped in the wind and their gloves clung to their moist, sweat-filled hands as they raced towards their master's voice. Gouken reached the dojo first, immediately followed by Gouki, and the two removed their sandals and entered the dojo. Upon seeing their master, both disciples bowed deeply and respectfully.

"Ohayo (good morning)," Goutetsu greeted.

"Ohayo gozaimasu," the two pupils replied, still bowing.

"Sit," Goutetsu commanded.

The two students promptly obeyed their master and sat on the floor, cross-legged. Goutetsu remained standing and he looked directly at the two.

"I will be leaving for a few days to replenish our supplies. I want you two to train hard and Gouken! Look out for your brother!" Goutetsu said as he narrowed his eyes.

"Hai!" Gouken responded. Silently, Gouki clenched his fists in anger.

Goutetsu walked outside and two students followed.

"Ja (bye)," Goutetsu said as he walked into the forest and away from the isolated house.

"Sayonara, shisho! (farewell, master!)" Gouken yelled as he waved. Gouki grunted but he waved as well. Goutetsu disappeared from their sight and the two students walked in the opposite direction.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

"Hya!" Gouken yelled as he threw a punch at Gouki.

The sound of fist meeting flesh filled the air as Gouki and Gouken sparred with each other. The two sparred in front of the dojo, right in front of the stairs.

Gouken delivered another punch but Gouki swiftly dodged the blow and countered with a sweep. Gouken tripped but he caught himself and used his hands to bring him back to his feet. Gouki lunged with his elbow but Gouken sidestepped and kicked Gouki to the floor. Gouki fell to the ground with a thud. Gouken walked over and offered his hand. Gouki slapped it away.

"I don't need your pity!" Gouki yelled.

Gouken pulled backwards in shock and an awkward silence fell over the two. The birds chirped and the trees rustled in the wind but the silence between the two boys was almost tangible.

"Um…let's go and take a run," Gouki suggested nervously.

"Sure!" Gouken replied, immediately cheered up.

The two boys ran side by side down the stairs and past the forest until there was a cliff. Gouken ran and leaped, easily clearing the gap. Gouki, on the other hand, hesitated slightly before jumping. He lifted off with all of his strength and almost missed the cliff but at the last second, his hand reached the ledge jutting out. He slowly climbed his way back up and Gouken sat there waiting.

"Daijobu de ka (are you ok)?" he asked.

"Hai, hai. Daijobu de yo (Yea, yea…I'm fine)…"Gouken murmured. "Ikuyo (let's go.)"

The two boys walked slowly back to the dojo.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Gouken began sweeping outside with the broom while Gouki scrubbed the inside with a towel.

"I don't understand. He's not here, why should we do this?" Gouki complained.

"It builds discipline, consider it training," Gouken replied, still sweeping.

"Whatever," Gouki said as he began scrubbing the floor.

Gouken said nothing but he smiled. He continued to sweep vigorously as Gouki cleaned the dojo. A few hours later, the dojo was spotless and the outside was swept clean.

"Ok, now that we're done, let's eat!" Gouki shouted.

"Hai, hai," Gouken said with a smile. He walked inside the dojo and into the kitchen.

"Dinner will be ready in thirty minutes. Why don't you train until then?" Gouken suggested.

"Shoot, I was going to do that anyway," Gouki said as he headed towards the dojo. Gouken took out the ingredients for the soup he was creating and as he began to boil the water, he could hear Gouki's vigorous kicks and punches.

"Brother, you will surpass me in strength, I know it," Gouken said. "You desire strength more than anybody I know. Yes, you will become the strongest…"

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Meanwhile…

Goutetsu walked into the store and he chose the resources he needed. He paid the man and he left the store. He began walking home but as he walked home, he felt an evil presence.

"Nani?" Goutetsu wondered aloud. He began to scan the people around him but he saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"Maybe it was my imagination…" he murmured as he continued his way home.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

"Gouki! Let's eat!" Gouken said as he added the little dash of salt and pepper to perfect the taste. *Hm…we're running out, I hope sensei remembers to buy some more…*

Gouki runs from the dojo and sits down. He picks up the bowl and begins slurping its contents.

"Gouki! Slow down! You're gonna choke!" Gouken warned.

"Aw, shut up! I won't…Ghrkr!" Gouki said as he choked on the soup.

"I told you so…" Gouken told him smugly.

-SLAM!-

"I'm not feeling hungry anymore," Gouki said as he left the table.

"What's wrong with him today?" Gouken wondered as he cleaned the mess with a towel.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Outside…

"Chikusho! Why must my brother always be better than me at everything!?" Gouki yelled in the midst of the forest. In the midst of his anger, he punched a large tree but he pulled back his fist in pain.

"Chikusho…I can't even vent my anger…" Gouki whispered as a few tears fell from his eyes.

* 'Take care of your brother' *

"I don't need anyone to take care of me!" Gouki shouted in the darkness. "I want strength, I want power! I want be the strongest!"

"You want power…?" a voice asked him from behind.

-Gasp-

Gouki turned around to see a large man in red tower over him.

"Who…are…you?" he asked in awe.

"I am known as Vega," the man said. He raised his right hand and pointed it at the same tree Gouki had been hitting. He walked over and punched the tree, causing it to collapse. Immediately afterward, the tree burst into flames.

"This is power. Do you want this power?" Vega said as he crossed his arms. "Power to surpass your brother? Power to prove to your teacher your skills?'

"Y, yes," Gouki replied timidly.

"Work under me and you shall have the power you crave," Vega told him.

Gouki thought about this for a few seconds.

"How will you give me power?" Gouki asked.

"There is a forbidden technique sealed by your master. Learn it. Then you will have ultimate power," Vega told him. "If you DARE to betray me, I will kill you."

With that, Vega left in a flash of blue light, leaving behind a blue outline before that too fades. Gouki looks at his fists and at the sky, then he smiles.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Three days later…

Goutetsu finally returned home after being sidetracked searching for the evil presence, he felt. He returned home and opened the dojo. The night rain had begun to pour and he wished avoid the rain.

"Okaeri nasai, shisho (welcome back, master)…" Gouken greeted his master soberly.

"Where is Gouki?" Goutetsu asked Gouken.

"I have no idea, shisho! He left three days ago and I have been looking for him ever since!" Gouken told his master.

"K'sou! Gouki, where are you!?" Goutetsu yelled as he ran outside.

-Hn-

"Nan da!?" Goutetsu whispered as he turned around.

-Crackle!-

The thunder rumbled and lightning lanced the dark clouds as a wicked aura filled the air.

"Heh. Hehe. Ha. Haha. Hah aha hahahahaa!!!" Gouki yelled as his maniacal laughter filled the air.

"Gouki! What happened to you!?" Gouken asked him.

Gouki's hair had turned from a brownish red to a definite crimson color. His ordinarily white gi had now become a charcoal black gi and his pale skin became very tan. His smile held no mirth as his razor sharp teeth flashed before their eyes.

"Well, brother dear, it looks as if I have finally surpassed you after all!" Gouki told him with the utmost satisfaction. "What do you think, shisho? I have become the strongest now!"

"Gouki…did you unlock the forbidden seal?" Goutetsu asked him solemnly.

"Feh. Of course," Gouki replied unremorsefully.

"Gouki you fool! Don't you know that unlocking the Shun Goku Satsu only results in your own horrible fate!?" Goutetsu warned him.

-STOMP!-

The ground shook as a glowing red aura emanated from Gouki.

"ENOUGH! I AM THE SUPREME MASTER OF THE FIST! WHO WILL KILL ME!" Gouki yelled as he teleported towards Goutetsu.

Goutetsu shoved Gouken away as far as possible.

"RUN GOUKEN! RUN NOW!" Goutetsu said as he aimed a fireball at Gouken.

"YOU DARE TO IGNORE ME!?" Gouki yelled. "SHIN NE!!!"

Gouken watched in horror as a blinding light surrounded the two. Goutetsu's fireball hit Gouken and he flew away from the impending murder. He flew off the cliff where Gouki almost dropped he landed in the river below.

"Gouki…you…will…" Goutetesu whispered hoarsely as he lay on the ground.

"Hn. I am Gouki no longer. I am Akuma!" Akuma bellowed as he stomped his sensei's head, scattering his brains as they leaked out of open head.

-CLAP CLAP CLAP-

"Excellent job, Gouki. Now, come with me," Vega ordered him.

"HA HA HA! You think I'll work for you now? I have no use for you anymore…" Akuma threatened him as he began slowly walking toward Bison. "Well, I do have one use for you…"

"Fool! You believe you can challenge me and live?!" Vega seethed as he gathered blue energy around his form.

"Psycho Crusher!" he yelled as he propelled his body, launching himself at Akuma.

"Baka mi da," Akuma mumbled to himself as he jumped into the air.

"Hn! Messatsu!" Akuma yelled as he jumped into the air. He charged a ball of concentrated chi and hurled it at Vega's oncoming form.

"Nan da kore wa!?" Bison yelled as his body hit the fireball.

"AAAAAAAAARRRRGH!" he yelled as his body flew backwards due to the impact of the fireball.

"Shini na wa yo (I don't want to die)!" Vega shouted as he teleported away.

"Hmph. Useless creature. Very well, I'll spare your life today because you gave me the path to this power," Akuma spoke to himself.

Akuma began laughing in the dark as the letters of 'Ten' burned in the sky…