The Path of the True Warrior Ch. 17
By Ryu-san

On a high mountain, a thunderstorm fills the air as the dark sky is repeatedly brightened by blue energy…

"Hya!" Rose says as she flings the tarot card charged with soul power at Bison. Bison punches it out of the air with his fist.

"Hmp!" Bison grunts as he throws his psycho shot at Rose. Rose waves her shawl and absorbs the power.

"There's no escape...for either of us...." Rose tells him.

"A rose without thorns means friendship.... Come now.... I should never have allowed you to grow thorns...." Bison replies.

No! That obedience is what caused all this tragedy.... The game is over.... Let's finish this now!" Rose yells.

"Prepare yourself! Soul Throw!" Rose yells as she runs forward, punching Bison and then uppercutting him into the air, as she jumps up after him and then throws him to the ground. Bison teleports and lands on his feet. He brushes off the soul flames from his clothing.

"That's it!? Nuruyu wa! (Pathetic!" Bison yells as he dashes along the ground, sweeping Rose. He jumps into the air and with both feet, stomps hard on her head. He then flips his body around and uses a double-fisted attack to punch Rose in the stomach.

"Psycho Crusher!" Bison yells as his entire body resonates with Psycho power.

"HA!" Rose says as she splits into four illusory figures. "You'll have to guess which one to hit Bison and if you miss, you pay for it…with your life!"

"Hehehe…hahaha! Watch and die!" Bison says as he jumps past all of them and then uses he rebound off the cliff wall to hurl his entire body past all the Roses. Rose screams as the psycho power fills her senses and then she falls to the earth, scorched by the power.

"Haha…two separate fates are now to be one…I didn't expect it to be this way…Bison…" Rose says as she lay on the floor.

"What are you babbling?" Bison asks. Rose says nothing as she rises and then spins her body and shawl into Bison's heart.

"Ugh…Ha!" Bison says as he slaps her away. Bison clutches at his chest but after a few seconds, nothing, not even a wound is apparent. "It's over…"

Rose's lifeless body lay still on the floor and Bison laughs as he teleports away…

"ALL PARTICIPANTS IN THE SEMI-FINALS PLEASE MEET WITH YOUR CORRESPONDING COMBATANT IN ORDER TO ARRANGE THE LOCATION OF THE MATCH!"

"Well, I guess that's it. Sorry you lost. Maybe next year you'll be as good as me!" Dan tells Sakura.

"Yeah, yeah…well, at least Karin lost as well…I wouldn't be able to stand it," Sakura tells Dan.

"Hmph! I'll challenge you any time, anywhere, Sakura Kasugano!" Karin declares, suddenly appearing behind Sakura.

"Ha! Do you want me to beat you again, Karin Kanzuki!?" Sakura retorts, still startled.

"Gr…one lucky shot and that's all you can talk about! Fine, meet me at my mansion next week! That's an official challenge!" Karin tells her.

"Fine! Then we'll see who's the strongest!" Sakura tells her as she stomps away furiously. Karin soon does the same, but only into her limo.

"…What was that…?" Dan wonders.

"Uwoo!?" Blanka asks.

"Uh, yea, Jimmy…Good luck! I have to go and meet up with Honda in Japan," Dan tells Blanka.

"Uwho (good luck and I'll be coming over to visit after I fight with Vega in Spain)!" Blanka tells him.

"Yea, good luck to you too and I'll see you later," Dan tells him.

"Hmph! Master vs. Pupil…the tiger shall always defeat the Jaguar, you know," Sagat tells him.

"Ha ha! Meet me in Thailand next to the abandoned temple…Then we'll see," Adon tells him as he walks away.

"Stupid pupil…" Sagat mutters as he walks to his private jet, provided by Shadaloo.

Charlie begins to walk away to his jet.

"Hey! You! You haven't told me where we're fighting!" Chun-li yells.

"I'll find you, Ms. Li! After all, I work for the U.S. special forces!" Charlie yells back as he flies away in his jet.

Ryu attempts to slink away from the crowd.

"Ryu! Where are you going!" Chun-li yells.

"Ah, I'm off to battle with Fei…" Ryu says.

"Well, since my stupid opponent didn't tell me where to meet him, I'll just go with you until he challenges me," Chun-li tells him.

"But…"

"But what! Are you saying that I bother you!?"

"No, it's not that, but…"

"No excuses. I'm going with you!" Chun-li says as she walks away. "Don't forget my bags!"

"Um…what just happened?" Ryu wonders. He turns around and beads of sweat drop from his brow as he looks at the piles of suitcases from the first day. Ryu awkwardly carries the massive amount of bags as he tries to follow Chun-li.

"Guys! Don't forget me!" Cammy yells as she runs after them.

"Oh Cammy! I'm so sorry we forgot you!" Chun-li tells her. "Here, Ryu, carry her things as well."

Ryu's knees start to buckle under the combined weight of Cammy and Chun-li's baggage. *This is going to be a long week…* Ryu thinks to himself.

An island far away…

"Ryu…hehe…this is even better than I expected! It has taken several days but now I have complete mastery over the dark shotokan arts! I will unleash the satsui no hado (murderous intent) within you!" Akuma yells as he trains even harder, redoubling his efforts. He aims his messatsu gou hado at some nearby mountains, shattering them with the blast.

"Haha! I shall exploit your weakness…and you shall be a worthy challenge for me!" Akuma says as he continues to destroy mountain after mountain.

Next week…

"Jisaku!" Guy yells as he runs quickly into the streets of Metro City.

"Kakate koi!" Ken yells as he warms up with a small combo, ending with a provoking 'come here' motion.

Guy runs straight for Ken. Ken prepared for this uses his Shoryuken. Unexpectedly, Guy stops immediately and Ken's punch leaves him wide open in the air.

"Hisatsu!" Guy yells as he begins his technique. Ken drops down quicker than expected and Ken sweeps Guy before he can utilize hit.

"Let's end this now! Shinpuu Jinraikyaku!" Ken yells as aims several kicks at Guy, ending with a rising Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku. Guy falls down but he quickly rises and slides, tripping Ken. Ken instantly rolls but Guy spins his body around, rising into the air, carrying Ken with him.

"Hya!" Guy yells as he uses his Bushin Senpukyaku. Ken falls on his back. Guy wipes blood off of his lips as he rolls on the ground. He jams his elbow into Ken's spleen. Ken doubles over and lowers his guard. Guy, waiting for this moment, runs straight for Ken. He grabs him.

"Jisaku! Hya hya hya, hya hya, hya, hya!" Guy yells as he hits Ken with a jab to the head, a punch to the chest, another to the head, another follow up punch to the head, a high kick to the head, a snap kick to the shin and a flip that kicks Ken in the chest and in the face as Guy neatly lands on his feet and turns his back.

"Ware ku omo…" Guy taunts Ken.

"Ugh…" Ken barely reaches his feet.

"You are finished, do not make me cause you more pain…" Guy tries to offer Ken.

"I don't need your charity! Kakate Koi!" Ken says, motioning Guy to come forward. Guy jumps and flips around, aiming an elbow at Ken.

"Kurae…Shinryuken!" Ken yells as he hits Guy in the air. However, Ken's impatience betrays him once again as he only hits Guy five times. Guy falls to the earth and he steadily rises to his feet. He walks to Ken and simply trips him.

"It's over…" Guy mutters, as Ken has no more energy to fight.

In Thailand…

"Hya! Hya! Huh!" both Muy Thai kickboxers yell. Adon punches, only to have Sagat's fist meet with his. Then Adon kicks low, meeting with the same result. Sagat kicks high and Adon's leg clashes with Sagat's. Both laugh as they go into their stance. Adon spins his body around to kick Sagat.

"Jaguar Kick!"

"Tiger Blow!" Sagat yells as he mimics Ryu's shoryuken, hitting Adon for seven consecutive hits.

"Where did you learn that!?" Adon asks as he falls to the ground.

"From the man who cursed my life…" Sagat says.

"Jaguar!" Adon yells as he aims his knee at Sagat's chest.

"Tiger Crush!" Sagat yells. Both blows cancel out and the fighters rush at each other again. Sagat kicks Adon in the ribcage, only to have Adon counterattack with a kick to the shin. Sagat kicks Adon in the chest, and Adon clutches his chest. Adon runs forward and then flips backward.

"Gr…At chu!" Adon yells as he uses his Jaguar Revolver. Sagat runs underneath the first kick and chases after Adon.

"Tiger…Genocide!" Sagat yells. He brings up his knee and jumps, hitting Adon squarely on the chest four times. Before he has a chance to fall, Sagat follows up with a small tiger blow and a strong tiger blow that sends Adon sprawled onto the pavement of the temple.

"As I told you…the Tiger will always defeat the Jaguar! Mwa ha ha!" Sagat says as he walks away.

"But…even the Tiger will lose before the might of the Dragon…" Adon says as his head finally rests on the pavement.

"Gr…silence!" Sagat says as he walks back to the jet. "We will see who is stronger, the Tiger or the Dragon! Ryuuuuu!"