The Wandering Warrior

by Onomonopia

Rating: teen
Tags: Diamond Tiara, Crossover, Zecora, Human, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe, Rainbow Dash, Other, Adventure
Length: 74721

Only in Equestria can Ryu find what he has sought.

The journey to be the best. Many have taken this road and many have fallen to the wayside, for this is a road that few can conquer. But it is the road that a certain warrior takes, no matter where it leads him.

And now Ryu finds himself in the land of Equestria, a strange land for one such as himself. But here he shall seek to improve himself while fighting the best ponies in the land to reach the pinnacle of fighting. For Diamond Tiara he is a master who can help her overcome her foes and herself. For Rainbow Dash he is a rival to defeat so she can prove that she is a great fighter. And for Zecora he is a student that she hopes to keep on the right path.

But the ponies must be careful of this noble soul, despite his calm and kind demeanor. For if pushed too far they might see that even the most kindhearted of fighters...can house deep within a raging demon.

Published 2016-08-01 23:20:02 UTC
Last updated 2016-09-24 16:07:59 UTC

First Round

Black Bull roared with the fury of the crowd as he lunged towards Ryu, horns aimed at his foes chest. Ryu watched the bull get closer and closer, before stepping to the side and ducking under the horns. When he realized that his foe had gotten out of the way, Black Bull skidded to a halt and spun around to face Ryu, whose face hadn't changed from a stern stare.

"What's the matter, too afraid to throw a punch?" Black Bull asked Ryu, snorting as he pawed the ground. With another burst of speed he closed the gap between him and Ryu, extending his arms this time so that Ryu wouldn't be able to duck underneath of him. Yet as he barreled down onto Ryu, the warrior simply jumped into the air over the bull and watched as he sailed right by underneath of him.

"Stop dodging!" Black Bull roared as he skidded to a halt once more. The crowd began to boo at the display and some even began to chant "boring". "What kind of fighter are you that all you do is dodge? Are you really that afraid throw a single punch?!" Ryu's response was to exhale slightly before sliding his feet apart, crouching down while extending one of his arms outwards.

"Because you have yet to prove to me that I should fight you," Ryu said in a calm tone, yet his words caused the bull to see red. The Black Bull bellowed as he lunged towards Ryu, throwing lefts and rights and occasionally throwing out headbutts in an effort to strike Ryu.

Yet even against the onslaught of attacks, Ryu did not give up an inch of ground. He blocked the punches with his arms, swatting away the bull's strongest attacks. When Black Bull tried to headbutt him, Ryu simply raised a hand and pushed the bulls head to the side, causing the bull to stager to the side as he tried to regain his balance.

"You punches are strong, but lack technique," Ryu informed the Black Bull in a strict tone as he turned to face the Bull, who seethed with fury at Ryu's words. "You do not spend time practicing your moves. You rely too much on your strength to win you battles. But even the strongest of gales cannot move the mountain they rage against."

"You spitting some kung-fu crap?" Black Bull asked Ryu as he attacked again, charging towards the human in a rage. The moment he got within range, Ryu wrapped his hands around the bulls spandex and put a foot to his chest. Ryu then rolled back and used the Black Bulls momentum to hurl the bull over his head, where he crashed down into the floor.

"What is going on?" Greed wondered allowed as Black Bull snapped back to his hooves with a roar of fury. "Black Bull is the second physically strongest fighter in the WWP! He should not be losing to this pajama wearing fool!"

"Dad, what's going on?" Diamond asked her father, leaning against the railing to watch the battle. When Filthy didn't answer her, she looked up to see both confusion and hope on her father's face.

Black Bull slapped himself in the face to get himself pumped up before glaring at Ryu once more, wondering what hold he should put the guy in to humiliate him. But then as he glanced around at the crowd and saw the bored expressions on their faces, he threw both of his arms into the air.

"I came here expecting to see a battle, but instead it seems that all I'm going to get is disappointment! But don't you worry, fans across the nation! Because I promise all of you that you will go home with your jaws on the floor!" Black Bull promised the crowd as he pointed to each and every one of them. "Because you are about to see a move so impressive, so powerful that it will be burned into the minds of your children. Your grandchildren! Prepare yourselves for...the stampede!"

The crowd roared with excitement at the Black Bull's words, all of them starting to chant stampede. Ryu did not budge from the boasting of his foe. All he did was close his eyes and exhale, bringing both of his hands down by his side. Black Bull roared as he slammed down onto all fours, veins sticking out across his entire body as he focused his power into his muscles.

"I hope you're ready, kung-fu kid. Because this battle is over!" Black Bull roared before he hurled himself forward, tearing up concrete with his ferocity.

"Yes. I suppose it is," Ryu agreed as his eyes lazily opened. Black Bull leapt into the air and charged down upon Ryu. But in a flash Ryu extended both of his hands towards Black Bull, white and blue energy erupting from them as the warrior yelled,

"HADOUKEN!"

The blue energy ball struck Black Bull square in the chest and sent him hurtling backwards, where the sound of his screaming was quickly drowned out when he was hurled through the concrete wall. The stone shattered under the impact and left the bull embedded in the wall. The crowd went deathly silent with shock and all eyes turned towards Ryu. Ryu exhaled slightly before he looked down at his hand, which he then tightened into a fist before he turned to leave the arena.

"If you spent as much time training as you did boasting, then this battle may have gone differently," Ryu informed Bull as he departed, not caring when he heard the arena erupt into cheers behind him. 'That was not the fight that I came here to find. Perhaps my quest lies elsewhere.'

"How?" Golden Greed managed to choke out from where he sat, forced to watch through stunned eyes as the trainers started trying to pull Black Bull out of the wall. He heard a pony clear there throat and when he turned his head to the side he saw Filthy standing next to him with a large smile on his face.

"I believe that my fighter won, Greed. Now pay up, as we agreed." Golden Greed spat out a few words that forced Tiara's mother to cover her child's ears, but after a moment he reached into his jacket and pulled out a large bag of bits. He threw the bits down at Filthy's hooves before waving his family over to him, the group leaving their seats. "We must do this again some time. This has been a most lucrative day for me!"

Filthy picked up the bag and placed it inside of his own jacket, but his mirth was shut down when he glanced over to see his wife staring at him. "And just what do you think you're doing, holding onto those bits?" she asked him. "No, don't answer that. You're going to give them to me, before you blow them all on another stupid BET!"

Filthy hung his head as he hoofed the bits over to his wife, before letting out a sigh and glancing at Tiara. Diamond Tiara was still glancing down at the emptying arena, where the trainers still had yet to pull the bull out of the wall.

"Hey honey, what are you thinking about?" he asked his daughter, who glanced up at him with a thoughtful expression.

"Hey dad, how strong was our fighter that was supposed to fight the Black Bull? Was he stronger than the Bull?" she asked him. Filthy placed a hoof under his chin as he thought about what she had asked for a moment.

"Well, I don't know about stronger, but he was supposed to be pretty tough. Guess he was afraid of large crowds, though," Filthy muttered under his breath before glancing down at his girl again. "Why do you ask?"

"Because that fighter wasn't as strong as Black Bull, yet you backed him. But now you're just standing around here talking when there's a fighter in the back who one shot the Black Bull," Diamond Tiara reminded her father, whose eyes lit up when he realized what she was telling him. "If I were you, I'd go get him before he's gone."

Filthy Rich took the hint and raced off towards the back, knowing that he had to have that fighter no matter how much he had to pay to get him on their side.

→↓↘ + P

The locker tried its best to prevent Ryu from reclaiming his possessions, but with a little bit more effort Ryu ripped the locker off of its hinges. He reached inside and pulled out his torn and battered bag from within, slinging it over his shoulder before placing the locker door back in its spot.

'That was not the fight that I had been expecting. I had hoped that the beings in this land would be stronger than that,' Ryu thought with disappointment as he turned and walked out of the locker room, ignoring how the other fighters in the back eyed him with uncertain glares. 'The hermit that I found told me that this land was full of fighters and foes that I would never have dreamed of. The talking unicorns and pegasi I would never have dreamed of, but so far none of the fighters seem strong. I must keep searching.'

Ryu walked out of the locker room and headed towards the stadium exit, but upon reaching the doors he found his path blocked by a tan stallion with bags of money on his flank. The stallion's eyes seemed to light up at Ryu's arrival and he waved Ryu over. Ryu raised an eyebrow at the gesture, but then tried to walk past the stallion without upsetting him. The stallion then ran over and placed himself between Ryu and the door.

"Can I help you?" Ryu asked with a sigh.

"Um, yes. It is so nice to meet you. I'm Filthy Rich," the stallion introduced himself as he held out a hoof. Ryu raised another eyebrow at the hoof, but after a moment extended his hand and shook the pony's hoof. "I just saw your fight with the Black Bull and I must say that you are quite impressive. Taking down Black Bull is no easy feat and aside from one other, no one has managed to do so in such a fast manner. You must be quite strong."

"He was sloppy and played to the crowd. There was no challenge," Ryu corrected the pony before nodding to him, trying to slip by him once more. The stallion once again placed himself between Ryu and the exit, irritating the fighter slightly. "Excuse me, but I must be on my way. I have a long road to travel and cannot waste any time."

"That's exactly what I want to talk to you about. See, my fighter, the Winged Weapon, was supposed to show up for this fight but they didn't. Can't believe I ever thought to back such a chicken," Filthy muttered to himself before smiling back up at Ryu. "So I need a new fighter and after seeing what you can do, I feel that you're the right pony...er, person for the job. So how about it, want to come fight for me? Thanks for you, I have plenty of money."

"Keep your money," Ryu responded as he pushed past the stallion and walked out the doors, sighing once more as he heard the pony's hoofsteps run up behind him. "I appreciate the offer, but I do not like to fight for money or sport. The fight itself is all I live for. Farewell." Worry crossed Filthy Rich's face as Ryu started to walk away from him, knowing that he had to say something to get him to join him.

"What about food or shelter? I promise you that my wife and I can get you anything you need as long as you are here!" he offered Ryu as he raced alongside him, but Ryu shook his head once more.

"I can sleep almost anywhere and eat almost anything. Thank you once more, but I have no need of your offer," Ryu stated firmly once again.

"Then how about transportation?! We have the finest mobile home on the planet and we can more than-"

"I prefer to walk. Goodbye." Filthy Rich bit down on his lower lip as Ryu walked further and further away, knowing that he was letting go of a once in a lifetime fighter. He then let out a sigh, knowing that he would have to throw his pride out the window if he wanted to get this fighter on his side.

"Look...I made a big bet on that match. Nearly everything I had," Filthy Rich began, the defeated tone in his voice getting Ryu to stop. "And then my fighter didn't show up. I thought I was done. I thought I wasn't going to be able to provide for my wife or daughter anymore. But you appeared and fought that match. You saved our family fortune. So please, even if you don't want to be sponsored by me, can my family at least thank the person that helped them?"

Ryu's face narrowed slightly as he thought about what the pony was saying. He truly wished to move on, to find the next fight and further strengthen his skills. But when Ryu glanced over his shoulder and saw how the stallion's eyes pleaded, he found himself sighing.

"Very well, I shall meet them. But then I must go."

The stallion's eyes lit up at Ryu's words and he raced ahead, motioning for Ryu to follow him. Ryu shook his head slightly as he walked after the horse, on guard for any ploys that the pony might use on him. The two eventually came to a stop next to a large carriage that looked like a small house, where a pink mare with an upturned nose was taking to a pink filly with a tiara on her head. Both of them stopped talking and hazed at the fighter with awe as he approached, Ryu towering over the two of them.

"Spoiled. Diamond. Allow me to introduce the two of you to the fighter that saved our fortune. This is...um..."

"Ryu."

"Well Mr. Ryu, you truly do seem like quite the fighter," Spoiled acknowledged with an disapproving nod as she glanced up his exposed feet. "Though it seems that you do not know the meaning of fashion or common sense. Why do you wear those rags?"

"Because they are important to me," Ryu responded curtly with a hint of heat. He then nodded to Filthy and Diamond before turning slightly. "It was...nice to meet you, but I must be going."

"Wait, you aren't going to fight for us?" Spoiled asked him before shooting Filthy a nasty look.

"No, I prefer to travel alone. Now I must go."

"Where to?" Diamond Tiara asked.

"To the next fight. I must get stronger," Ryu replied, but his words got a smirk out of Diamond.

"No, I mean where? It's clear that you're not from around here. I also talked to the pony that set you up for the match and he said that you showed up late. You just stumbled onto this place, didn't you?" she asked, her smile widening when Ryu nodded. "See, you have no idea where you're going. And the next big tourney is a week away in a city that's pretty far from here. You probably won't make it in time."

"But if you come with us, we can take you right to the fight and you won't have to worry about getting lost. Not only that, but you'll have a roof over your head and some...relatively nice company. Not to mention that you'll be able to train in the house without having to stop. If you ask me, it's a pretty good deal. So what do you say?" she asked Ryu with a large smile.

Ryu crossed his arms and lowered his chin onto his head, thinking about her offer. 'She is right in saying that I know nothing about this land. And I did stumble upon this fight by accident. I would most likely not make it to the next one in time. And I can't afford to miss any worthy foes.' Ryu then let out a sigh as he gazed down at the filly, who smiled back up at him.

"You have a way of getting others to do what you want. Do you know that?" he asked her.

"Can I take that as a yes, Mr. Wandering Warrior?"

Questions

"Our carriage has everything in it. A bathroom, plenty of space to put stuff and it's all pulled by our very well paid muscle," Diamond Tiara informed Ryu as the group reached the carriage parked close to the stadium. Ryu raised an eyebrow when he spied the carriage, which was far larger than most of the cars that were in his world. It was a ruby red and had eight sets of wheels. At the front of it was a team of eight horses, each of who seemed pretty strong.

"It is...certainly something," Ryu said politely.

"If you think it's impressive from the outside, you should see how it looks on the inside," Filthy Rich added as he bounded up the steps and opened the door for the warrior. "By all means, go in. Our honored guest should see where he will be staying after all."

Ryu sighed before he walked up the steps and into the carriage. One of his eyebrows went even further through his head band when he saw the interior of his new place of residence. Every inch of it was covered in images of Diamond Tiara's family, be it portraits, paintings or photos. He spied a tub in the corner of the room and his eyebrow went even further up.

'A tub in plain sight? Strange,' Ryu thought before he glanced at the ponies that walked by him. 'Right, they don't wear clothes.' Ryu began to take a step into the carriage, but before he could put his foot down Spoiled swatted his leg and gained Ryu's attention.

"What, were you raised in a barn like that hick Applejack? Wipe your feet!" the mare yelled at Ryu while pointing to a welcome mat. Ryu did as she asked, not feeling very welcome. Once he was allowed to enter in, he found a corner in the room that had nothing in it and dropped his bag down there. The ponies all let out small yelps as the carriage shook from his bag hitting the floor and all of them gave him looks.

"What?"

"What? What do you have in that bag, that's what?" Tiara asked with amazement.

"My things."

Content with his answer, Ryu sat down in his corner and crossed his legs before resting his wrists upon his knees. He stretched his back as straight as he could make it before closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath. He began to exhale lightly and then inhale deeply, loosing himself in his-

"Hey Ryu!"

Ryu creaked his eyes open to glance down at the tiny pony that was staring up at him, a piece of rolled up paper clutched in her hooves. She unrolled the paper and hoofed it to Ryu, who glanced over the writing.

"That's our contract, in case you were wondering," she said in a matter of fact tone. "If you want to be sponsored by us and fight under our name, then I'm going to need you to sign here, here and here. Here's a pen and you can get started at any time."

Ryu took the pen from the filly, who sat down next to Ryu and waited for him to start signing. The carriage then bucked slightly and told Ryu that they were starting to move. Ryu then glanced down at the paper again for a moment, before he placed it to the side and resumed his meditation.

"Um, what are you doing?" Tiara asked him.

"Meditating. I will look at your...offer later."

Tiara tried a few more times to get Ryu to sign the contract, but when he began to tune her out was when she finally realized that he would not be kept from meditating. So with a sigh she walked over to the rest of her family, who were sitting upon a couch reading the paper.

"He's really stubborn," Diamond said to her parents as she hopped up in-between the two of them.

"Well, as long as he fights for us I could care less about his personality," Spoiled Rich said with a sneer, but when Filthy gave her a look she stopped.

"Dear, please try to remember that this is the brave warrior who so kindly helped us when we were at our lowest," Filthy reminded her before flashing his best businesspony like smile towards Ryu, who was still ignoring all of them. "We should treat him with nothing less than the utmost respect."

The Rich's went back to their reading, leaving Tiara to entertain herself. At first she tried reading some of her books, but the longer she stared at the words on the page the more and more she thought back to the match Ryu had with the Black Bull.

'What was that thing he did again?' she asked herself as she balanced on her hind hooves. She then placed her forehooves together and brought them to her side, before thrusting them forward with a yell. "Hadouken!" Nothing happened and she let out a growl of frustration, bringing her arms back before trying again.

"HADOUKEN!"

Again she was met with failure and she let out a groan of frustration, bringing her arms back one last time. But as she crouched down she caught the reflection of Ryu in a mirror hanging on the wall and saw that one of his eyes was slightly open, watching the filly as she tried to do his move. A smile crossed her face as she spun around and yelled,

"Hadouken!"

She had only a second to look at Ryu, but when she saw his face his eye was clearly open. He shut it in a moment, but her smile became more devious as she walked over to the warrior. "I thought that you were supposed to be meditating, not watching me try to copy your moves."

"I am meditating," Ryu stated, but even when he closed his eyes could he feel the gaze of the pony burning into him. After a few moments he cracked his eyes open to find the filly staring into his face. "Do you need something from me?"

"Actually, I wanted to ask you a few questions since my dad won't," she began before poking the muscles in his arms with her hoof. "Sweet Faust they're like rocks. My first question is where are you from?"

"Japan."

"Japan, huh? Is that a place in the other world?" Ryu raised an eyebrow at her question before nodding. "Okay, second question. What are you doing in this world anyway? I thought that you had to be blown up or something to end up here."

"No...I came here because I was told that there were many foes in this world that would be able to challenge me, to help me find the meaning of the fight," Ryu answered as he lifted his hand before his eyes. For a brief moment the two of them could see what looked like an aura of pure purple glowing from his hand. He then clenched into a fist and the aura vanished. "And perhaps find someone here that would help me to finally defeat my greatest foe."

"Now I have a few questions for you. Your world seems to be inhabited mainly by horses, yet none of you seemed even interested by me when you met me," Ryu asked her.

"Oh please, we've seen way weirder things in Equestria than you over the past couple of years. You seen Discord? That guy is weird," Tiara replied with a smile. "My turn again. What do you mean by the meaning of the fight? And who was it that sent you here?"

"If I knew the answer to that myself, I would not be searching to discover it," Ryu replied. "And the one who sent me here was a wizard or hermit. He did not specify, but he had powers that made me wary of him. He did transport me here like we agreed, so I suppose he was trustworthy. My next question is why are there so many fighting tournaments going on in this world? The hermit told me that this world didn't care much for violence aside from its greatest fighters?"

"You really must be new to this world, then. For the past three years professional fighting has been the biggest source of money and entertainment," Diamond Tiara corrected Ryu. "There are tournaments all across the world, not just in Equestria. The dragons do it, the zebras do it and the changelings are the three time champions of the world. It's actually easier to name all the nations that don't participate. It's all in good fun, though."

Ryu lowered his chin onto his chest as he heard this, wondering why the world was so different from what the hermit had told him. He stopped his train of thought when he glanced down to see Tiara staring at his hands.

"I was also wondering, are you capable of magic?"

"No, I cannot use magic. At least, none that I know of."

"Huh, then how did you throw that fireball back in the fight?" Ryu rose to his feet as she said this, gaining the attention of both of Tiara's parents as he did this. He then slammed his feet onto the floor of the carriage and brought both of his arms back, placing his hands close together. All three sets of pony eyes widened as a sphere of blue and white energy began to form within Ryu's hands, causing pieces of paper to start flying around the room. Ryu then exhaled and closed his eyes, causing the white ball of energy to dissipate.

"That is the hadouken. A technique taught to me by my late master, Master Gouken," Ryu told Tiara, but she was able to pick up the traces of sadness it the warriors eyes.

"Late master...so he's dead?" Tiara asked. Ryu nodded somberly before walking over to the nearest window, gazing out of it towards the heavens above.

"He taught me everything that I know. How to fight, how to think...how to live," Ryu revealed to Tiara before he face seemed to harden and he turned back towards the pony. "And yes, he is gone. But I will never forget what he taught me. Now for my final question. How soon until we reach this next tournament?"

"That will be about a week from here, Mister Ryu," Filthy Rich butted in as he walked up with a map in his hooves. He offered the map to Ryu, who took it and glanced over the land. Ryu found that he raised an eyebrow at some of the names of the cities, but the next destination was circled and easy to find. "This is going to be a big one. It's one of the biggest tournaments in the world."

"There are a lot of fighters there?" Ryu asked. "And they all fight to be the best?"

"Well, yes and no. See, this tournament is a free for all, so all of the combatants will be in the arena at the same time," Filthy Rich explained. "The champion of the world will be in there as well and his title is on the line as well. It's one of the largest draws out of all the tournaments. It really rakes in the dough."

"Yes, but the champion of your world must be a truly fierce warrior if he is still champion after fighting in a battle of one hundred foes," Ryu observed. "I look forward to the challenge."

"Well don't be too disappointed if you lose. Last year the champion took on all one hundred of those challengers by himself and won," Filthy Rich said with a smile as Ryu's face went blank. "But don't worry, there are a few small fights inbetween here and there that I'm sure we can use to rank you up."

"Rank me...up?"

"That's right, you don't know the rules. See, at the biggest tournament, only the top of the top can make it in. Think the top sixteen best fighters in the world, if you will. The champion gets in automatically, but the others have to prove how good they are." Rich then pulled out a point card and hoofed it to Ryu, who saw that he had a hundred points on the card. "That's for how quickly you beat down Black Bull at the previous fight."

"I...see," Ryu replied, but it was clear to the two ponies that Ryu didn't understand what they were talking about. "That means that if I wish to fight the best this land has to offer, then I will need to fight in as many of these battles as possible. It seems...that I will need to travel with you all a little longer than I originally thought."

"Splendid! I'll pick up a bed and some supplies for you at the next town we stop at!" Filthy Rich exclaimed happily. Ryu tried to tell him that the gesture was not necessary, but the pony was no longer listening and instead was talking to his wife about future bets.

"Your father is...very enthusiastic," Ryu said to Diamond Tiara, but when he glanced at the filly he found that she was trying once again to mirror his hadouken.

"Wow this is hard to do. Hey Ryu, can you teach me how to throw fireballs like you?" she asked him.

"I am sorry, but I am still learning. I cannot teach someone while I still have so much to learn," Ryu tried to decline, but Tiara then gave him a look.

"You know more than me, therefor you can teach me. I look forward to learning from you first thing tomorrow." Tiara then walked to the front of the carriage and started to talk with the ponies that were pulling the carriage, leaving Ryu to his thoughts.

'What have I gotten myself into this time?' he asked himself as he held a hand to his head. But he found that he couldn't help but smile at the thought of the warriors in this new land and what he might learn while he was there. 'But what I must truly learn is a way to fight the demon within. For if I cannot defeat him, then I will never be the warrior I want to be.'

Potential

"Well done Ryu, a really impressive showing!" Filthy Rich laughed with a large smile to Ryu, who sat with his wrists on his knees. Ryu did not answer, choosing to focus on meditating before the next match. "That changeling didn't even know what hit him! If you keep this up, then this tournament will be a clean sweep!"

"Yes dear, but you forget that one of the most renowned trainers and fighters is here," Spoiled reminded her husband, handing him a pair of very fancy binoculars so he could look across the arena. "She is an unstoppable force in Ponyville. Even the champion has trouble against her."

"That may be true dear, but you forget that Ryu is my prized fighter!" Filthy laughed, blowing off the concerns of his wife. "Do you need anything, Ryu? Something to eat or drink? Your own house?"

"Thank you. I am fine," Ryu replied. Filthy nodded and walked off with his wife to their carriage, leaving Ryu alone with his thoughts. 'A force that can match the champion of this world? Finally there may be a foe that can give me the battle I seek. And if my instincts are correct, I know exactly who it-'

"Lift your arm." Ryu opened his eyes and glanced down to his side to see Diamond Tiara sitting down beside him, opening a first aid kit and pulling out numerous items.

"Pardon?"

"Lift your arm," she repeated, her face setting like stone when Ryu simply lifted an eyebrow at her. "I saw what happened during you match. You tried to block a fireball spell and instead you got burned. Now lift your arm and let me take care of you."

Ryu didn't reply, but upon seeing the look she gave him he lifted his left arm slightly. Tiara winced inwardly as she saw the horrible magic burn that covered a good portion of Ryu's forearm, but she managed to keep her face calm as she started to tend to his wound.

"So what the heck happened out there?" she asked while applying a potion that would sooth the burns. "You showed me during your last fight that you're more than fast enough to dodge fast attacks, yet this time you had the bright idea to try and block magic with your arm. And now you're wounded."

"I was not trying to block it. I wanted...to do something else," Ryu muttered, gaining him a look from Tiara. "It is a new technique of mine, one that I have not perfected, but I wished to try it out in an actual fight. I figured that earlier in a tournament would be better than later."

"Well, I guess you got burned for trying that. Get it? Burned?" Tiara asked with a slight laugh as she looked up at Ryu. He gave her a kind smile in reply, even though he had no idea what she was trying to say. Tiara then pulled out a potion of a green liquid and glanced up at Ryu. "This will hurt like hell. Might want to brace yourself."

"I'm ready," Ryu replied. Tiara popped open the potion and poured some of the green liquid onto Ryu's burn. Despite the potion making a sizzling sound and making Tiara gag, Ryu's face did not change from it's normal, stoic demeanor.

"Didn't that hurt?" Tiara asked as the burned skin began to heal itself.

"I've endured far worse than that," Ryu answered as he rubbed his hand along his repaired skin.

"Really? How bad?"

"A foe of mine once punched a hole through my chest with his fist."

Tiara gazed up at Ryu with a look of absolute horror, before letting out a nervous giggle. "And here I thought you couldn't tell jokes. That was a good one, you almost got me." Ryu then looked down at Tiara with a gaze that erased all humor from her eyes.

"I was not joking," he replied. Tiara then stole a glance at Ryu's chest beneath his gi and discovered the faint outline of a hole shaped scar on his chest. "Thank you for healing me, though. I am grateful, but you did not have to do it. I would have healed fine eventually."

"Of course I have to do it!" Diamond Tiara replied with a bit of indignation. "You're our fighter, so we have to take care of you. As long as you fight under our name, I promise that you won't want for anything! We'll take care of you...besides, dad and mom are a little uneasy about you, so I'm the one who got tasked with taking care of you."

"For such a haughty demeanor, you have a kind soul," Ryu said knowingly after a moment, getting Tiara's eyes to widen with surprise. "You are much different than your father and hardly anything like your mother. They look at me and see money. You look at me and see a person."

"Oh...um..." Tiara stammered out before the sound of a horn filled the air. Ryu's head snapped towards the sound and he was on his feet a moment later.

"It is time for the next battle."

Moments later Ryu was in the arena once more, but this time instead of one opponent there were five others foes in the arena with him. Ryu glanced to each of his adversaries, hardly impressed by any of them expect for the zebra that stood across from him. Their eyes met for a moment, both of them sizing the other up. Then the zebra smiled and bowed slightly to Ryu. Ryu returned the bow, before glancing up with the others at a pegasi that had flown over them.

"Alrighty, folks. For this last battle it's going to be an everypony for themselves competition!" the announcer called down to them, causing the six combatants to look back and forth between each other. "The only rules are private shots, no killing and no using levitation magic on your foes. Other than that, it's anything goes! Are you all ready? Then...BEGIN!"

Ryu brought up his fist and began to decide who would be the first to fight him, but to his surprise he found that two of his foes turned towards him, while another two went to face the zebra. One of them was a large pony, but the other seemed to be a medium sized dragon.

"Two against one, huh?" he asked them as he tightened up his stance.

"We've seen what you and that zebra can do," the pony replied with narrowed eyes. "The only way any of us have a chance of winning is if we take the two of you out first." The dragon snorted with agreement and crouched down low, stretching his claws while the pony pawed the ground.

Not wanting to give them the chance to make the first move, Ryu rushed forward and was upon the dragon in a moment. Despite the creature being a full head taller than him, Ryu placed his fist into the dragon's gut with enough force to send the lizard staggering back. Ryu's eyes then flashed towards the pony and he raised his arm in time to block the round house the pony threw at him. Pain flashed through his arm as the pony struck the burned area, but with a grunt he forced the pain back down before retaliating with a heavy right to the pony's jaw.

"Bastard!" the dragon bellowed as he re-entered the fight in time to see the pony drop. With the pony out, Ryu turned his full attention to the dragon. The dragon slashed at Ryu's chest, forcing Ryu to back away to avoid being sliced. With his concentration completely on the claws of the dragon, Ryu didn't see his foe whip his tail towards Ryu's head until it was almost in his face.

'No choice,' Ryu decided, before tucking his right arm in his side and closing his eyes. Then his fist exploded upward, slamming into the spot right under the dragon's chin while the tail failed to even faze Ryu. Ryu then pushed up with his legs while driving his fist upward, propelling the both of them nearly ten feet off of the ground while he yelled,

"SHORYUKEN!"

The crowd around the arena was left with slack jaws as the dragon was launched clear to the other side of the arena, falling to his back without making another sound. Ryu landed in a kneeling position, taking a moment to gather himself before rising and turning back to face the rest of his foes.

"That blow was quite the sight. Surely this will be a fun fight."

Both of the other foes that had teamed up lay defeated at the hooves of the zebra, both of them twitching in a way that told Ryu that their movements had been sealed. Ryu lifted his eyes from them to the zebra, who swayed with the wind in a style that was unfamiliar to him. He slowly raised his arms to his chest and slid his foot back, narrowing his eyes while waiting to see what the zebra would do.

She was on him in an instant. With his honed reflexes, only Ryu was able to see what none of the spectators could and lifted his arm in time to block the zebra's first strike. Yet the moment her hoof tip drove itself into his skin, he felt his forearm go completely numb. Ryu swung his leg up and caught the zebra in the chest, sending her flying backwards. She spun in the air and landed on a single hoof with such grace, that even Ryu was impressed by what he saw.

'She is far different than the other fighters here,' Ryu deduced as he slammed his fist into his forearm, shaking it out afterwards as feeling began to return to it. 'She attacks the nerves and pressure points. If she strikes me even once this battle will turn in her favor. I should focus on keeping her out until she's tired. Then I will strike her down.'

"Come on Ryu! It's only Zecora! You can beat her!" Tiara cried down from the crowd, her words causing Zecora to smile up at the filly.

"Glad to see you as well. Now somepony ring the bell."

Neither of the fighters waited for the bell to be rung. The moment Zecora turned her eyes back towards the fight she once again lunged towards Ryu. But this time the warrior was ready. He sliced at Zecora with the edge of his foot and forced her to jump over his attack. To counter her jump he crouched down and swung a single fist straight up. Yet even though his angle was perfect, Zecora tapped on the tip of his fist with one of her hooves and flipped over him, landing on the ground with grace.

'She's good. Better than most that I've fought,' Ryu noticed as he spun to face her, while also taking in the fact that his fist was also slightly numb. 'And she managed to inflict a small blow on me despite her playing into my hands. perhaps defense isn't an option. I need to push her. Make her be the first to mess up.'

Ryu started his offense by lunging forward and throwing out a heavy punch aimed at Zecora's chest. Zecora flipped over the attack and struck a hoof towards Ryu's neck. Ryu ducked under the strike and swept Zecora's hooves out from beneath her the moment she landed. All four legs went sideways and Zecora landed flat on her side. She rolled and got back to her hooves a moment later, but Ryu was already upon her.

"You're done," he told her right before throwing out a hard straight punch right for her head. He expected her to dodge his blow once again, but this time she lashed out with a strike of her own. The crowd winced as Ryu cracked Zecora right in the muzzle with his fist, right as her hoof tip struck him in the shoulder. Zecora was sent sprawling backwards with blood running down her muzzle and the crowd cheered for what they thought was a certain victory. Then Ryu fell to one knee with his right arm dangling uselessly, his teeth gritted.

'Damn it. So that's why she decided to take my hit,' Ryu pieced together as Zecora got back up, wiping the blood off of her face with a smile beneath. Ryu drove his remaining fist into his right arm, but aside from a tingling sensation he felt nothing. 'She took a hard hit, but in exchange my arm is now useless. This is not looking good.'

"Your skills and defense are the best I have fought. It's clear to me that you've been very well taught," Zecora informed Ryu as she started to sway in the wind again, a smile of victory upon her face. "But these moves and techniques are not your own. You were taught and then these moves you've honed. Whatever your master taught you, you took to heart. But then never created anything to set you apart."

"You are wise and skilled, that much I can clearly see," Ryu said as he pushed himself back up, eyes set like flint as he glared at the zebra. "But you are wrong in saying that I've learned everything from my master. There are a few techniques that he did not teach me."

'I have to use the metsu techniques,' Ryu decided as he brought his left fist down beside him, feeling the power of the dark hado starting to flow through him. 'I cannot use the hadouken, so the shoryuken will have to suffice. But I will end this. I will not lose here!'

Zecora narrowed her eyes at Ryu's stance before glancing into his eyes, eyes that she noticed were not the same as the ones she had previously seen. Ryu then took a step forward to begin his attack, but before he could Zecora raised a hoof into the air.

"I withdraw from this contest. In this battle, I have been best," she called up to the ref. Ryu and the rest of the crowd gazed at her with surprise, before Zecora turned and walked over to Ryu. He lowered his fist as she gazed up at him, neither of them sure what to make of the other. Ryu felt the dark power course through him once more, forcing him to close his eyes and force that power back down. When he opened his eyes and looked down at Zecora, her eyes narrowed in response.

"Seek me out before you leave. There is something I want you to see," she said to Ryu before walking past him and heading up the ramps to where the spectators were. Ryu watched her go as the crowd burst out into cheers, not even noticing the bags of gold that Filthy was waving at Ryu.

"Mares and gentlecolts, the winner of the Waterfall Basin tournament is the Wandering Warrior!" the announcer cried over the roar of the crowd, but Ryu never heard his words. His eyes were locked on the zebra that walked away from him.

'She could have beaten me.' It wasn't an assumption. Ryu knew that Zecora could have beaten him if she had continued the fight. 'But she chose to give up instead. Why? What made her suddenly do that?' Ryu walked up the ramp after the zebra, ignoring the crowd. Even if she hadn't told him to find her, he would have gone after her. He needed to know why she had stopped the fight. Why she had denied him his battle.

Words to Remember

"Excellent job Ryu, really," Filthy said with a laugh while tossing the bags filled with bits into the air. Tiara and her mother smirked at the other gamblers as they walked off with scowls on their faces, before Tiara turned her attention to the meditating Ryu.

"Ryu, it's time to go," she reminded him while nudging his arm. "We need to leave now if we want to make it to the battle royal."

"Soon. First, there is business that I need to finish," Ryu stated. Before Tiara or her family could ask what kind of business, Zecora walked up the hill towards them. Ryu rose to greet her and she smiled in reply, yet a glance at the two warriors faces told the filly that there was something going.

"Hello, Zecora! So nice to see you again after all of this time," Filthy greeted the zebra with a large smile, while his wife gave Zecora a look of slight contempt.

"Yes, how nice to see you," she echoed in the most bland way possible, turning the zebra's gaze towards the mare. "Especially after our last little encounter, where you threatened to place a hex on me that would curse me until the end of time. Glad to see that you didn't follow through with your little...hoax."

"Your face is bent and your soul is cruel. There is nothing worse that I could do to you." Both Tiara and Filthy winced at the insult, while Spoiled's face blazed as she tried to think of a retort. Zecora was done with the mare and instead turned towards the Wandering Warrior, who glared down at her. "Glad to see that you stayed. There is something that I wish to say."

"As do I. Why did you throw the fight?" he asked her point blank, turning all three sets of ponies heads towards the zebra.

"It was clear that I could not win. With your strength and speed-"

"Don't give me that," Ryu cut her off. "I've fought enough battles to know when a foe has the ability to defeat me. You got punched in the face. I lost an arm. If the fight had continued on, I would have had to use every skill I've mastered to have bested you."

"Would those skills be what your master instilled? In exchange for your soul to be killed," Zecora whispered so quietly only Ryu could hear. His eyes widened slightly at her words before she motioned for him to follow him away from the others. Only when they were alone on the edge of the arena, away from everypony else, did Zecora turn to look back at Ryu. "So why did you so badly want to prevail, to the point where your will might fail?"

"Because the fight is everything to me," Ryu bluntly replied with faint traces of rage beneath his stoic demeanor. "And it would not have killed my soul. I'm skilled enough to-"

"To what? Tap into that power without risking yourself? That way of thinking is dangerous for your health!" Zecora snapped back before Ryu could finish, surprising the human at the sudden ferocity of the zebra. Zecora let out a sigh as she regained her composure, before turning a more compassionate gaze upon Ryu. "I sense a darkness in your heart, one that was with you from the start. While you believe you can master it's power, I feel it only draws you towards your final hour."

"Must everything be a rhyme for you?" Ryu muttered before crossing his arms and shaking his head. "I do not wish to master this darkness. I only call upon a small amount of its power to aid me in battle. That way I can keep in under control."

"Under you control is what you say, but even a slight use may make you pay," Zecora muttered under her breath before shaking her head again. "But even with my wisdom this is nothing more than a guess. The only way to know for sure is to pass a test."

"Are you saying that you know of a way to help me control the dark hado without succumbing to it?" Ryu asked in a near whisper, not certain whether he could believe the zebra or not. 'She is skilled and is far wiser than me, but how can she do what my master and his brother failed to do?'

"This test will look into your future, into what you may be. That is if you can defeat the guardian being," Zecora informed Ryu before shaking her head and giving him a smile. "Forget I said anything. It matters not. It was a privilege to fight you and also to be taught."

Zecora then turned to walk away, but she felt a hand place itself upon her shoulder with such strength that she felt herself unable to move. She slowly glanced over her shoulder to see Ryu gazing down at her with an expression like stone upon his face.

"If this test of yours can truly help me master or defeat this power within, then I will take it," Ryu said with nothing less than the utmost confidence in his voice. Zecora gazed at Ryu for the longest of times before she sighed and slashed her hoof across the ground, swiftly creating a map for the warrior.

"This will take you to where the trials lay. Leave now and you will reach it in a few days," she instructed. "But be warned of what lays within. You shall face yourself...and not just your sin."

Ryu nodded before placing his fist into his palm, bowing to Zecora slightly. "Thank you for showing me this. And thank you for the battle. Perhaps the next time we meet, we will be able to fight without the need to hold back."

"You not holding back is my fear. But it is nice to meet another who I can call my peer," Zecora replied with a bow of her own. Ryu then rose and, with one last glance at the map, turned back towards where the carriage and the others awaited him. Zecora watched him the entire time, a smile on her face but concern in her heart.

'You are powerful, that much is clear. With one punch my defeat was near,' she admitted as she watched Ryu be greeted by the Riches. 'But there is a darkness that has made you lost. And if let loose, it will consume all with no regard for the cost. You are kind and strong, Ryu. But if consumed...would I be able to destroy you?'

→↓↘ + P

"So what did the two of you talk about?" Tiara tried to pry out of Ryu for the third time since they had left the arena. Ryu's response was to throw a kick well above his head, before driving the heel of his foot down towards the floor. He stopped it right before it impacted with the wood, before switching sides and doing the same with the other foot. "Faust, sometimes it's like talking to a brick wall. Which makes sense, since you've got a stone faced look and you're built like a brick house."

Not even Tiara's jokes drew the attention of Ryu, so with a sigh she flopped over onto her back and gazed up at the roof of the carriage while pulling the couch pillows over her. With nothing better to do, she started to practice the Hadouken motions again. When even that lost its luster, she rolled off of the couch and collapsed to the floor in boredom.

"Princess, please get off the floor and stop sighing like that," Filthy said to Tiara when one of her sighs made him look up from his paper.

"Sorry dad, I'm just so bored," she grumbled while lifting an eye towards Ryu, who was still practicing his axe kick. "I've already organized the place and calculated Ryu's fighter points six times. And don't get me started on how many times I've read the books we've got here."

"I remember back in my day when foals were seen and not heard," Spoiled muttered under her breath, but just loud enough for Tiara and her husband to hear. Tiara responded by sticking out her tongue at her mother, which earned the foal a death glare.

"Alright, enough you two," Filthy said as he stood between the two of them, giving both mare and filly a stern look. Spoiled sneered while going back to her read, while Tiara glanced under the couch to see if something fun had rolled beneath it. Filthy stared down at his daughter for a moment before he walked to the door of the carriage. "We're going to take a break real quick. Stop here, please."

"Why are we stopping?" Spoiled asked in an annoyed tone, but Filthy ignored her as he walked over to Tiara.

"Hey Princess, there's an outpost not too far from here. Need some bits so you can go buy something to entertain yourself?" he asked Tiara, who rolled over and gazed up at him with a dull expression on her face.

"I don't feel like moving," she muttered before rolling back over. Filthy let out a small sigh before picking his daughter up and placing her practically limp body on his back.

"Be right back!" he called out, but neither Ryu nor Spoiled acknowledged. Filthy walked out with the still lifeless Diamond Tiara on his back, netting him strange looks from the drivers as he walked by. A small field filled with flowers rested not too far from where the carriage had come to a stop. When he reached the fields he sat down, causing Tiara to slide off of his back and lay limp on the ground.

"Just look at all of those flowers, Tiara. The common folk must work incredibly hard to keep them looking like this," Filthy said with a sigh of peace as he took in their scents. Yet when he glanced down to see that his words had barely budged the filly, his face darkened. "What's the matter, Princess? You haven't been your usual, spirited self today? Is something the matter?"

"I miss Ponvyille. I miss my friends. Why'd we have to go across Equestria for this fighting tournament anyway?" Tiara grumbled.

"Because finances have been a little tough this year and nothing in all of Equestria is more lucrative than the fighting tournaments at the moment," Filthy explained to his daughter with a sigh, having had this talk with her before. "And I want to make sure that when you're my age, you don't have to lift a hoof for anything."

"Dad, you know I don't mind working, right?" Diamond Tiara asked. "If it comes down to it, when I'm older I can get a job and-"

"No. Stop right there. I won't hear another word," Filthy silenced her while holding up a hoof.

"But dad-"

"My answer is still no. As long as I draw breath you will never need to work a day in your life," he repeated with far more conviction. Yet when he saw his words got Tiara to sigh his gaze softened and he pulled her in closer. "Look dear, how about I get you something nice. Maybe another book or a pet you can keep yourself entertained with?"

"Sure dad, throw money at the problem. That'll solve it," Diamond muttered under her breath as she got up and escaped her father's grasp. "Thanks for the offer dad, but I'll pass. I'm going to see if Ryu's doing anything else. If he's still doing those kicks I'm going to dress him up until either he stops or we run out of clothes."

Filthy watched as Tiara walked away from her with a somber expression on his face, before turning his gaze back to the field of flowers. 'It must have taken a long time to get them so nice. So much effort and work. That's not the kind of life that my daughter should have. That's not the life of a Princess.'

→↓↘ + P

"So should I start with the tutu or go right into the embarrassing stuff?" Tiara asked herself as she watched Ryu do another axe kick. After returning to the carriage, she found the warrior exactly where she had left him, kicking his legs into the air like he just didn't care. With a shrug she walked over to where her family kept their clothing, throwing open the trunk and digging through the numerous dresses and suits.

"Tiara, what in the world are you doing?" Spoiled asked her daughter when she glanced over to see the filly holding three dresses, two ties and numerous other articles of clothing.

"Playing dress up," Tiara bluntly replied as she dragged the clothes towards Ryu.

"You do know most of those don't even fit you."

"Who said they were for me?"

Spoiled realized what Tiara was about to do and lunged out of her chair to snatch the clothing away from Tiara, who barely had time to realize what had happened before she found her hooves empty. "Don't you dare, Tiara. These clothes are the best money can buy and I will not have you ruin them buy placing them on...whatever he is."

"Wow, say that right in front of the guy that's been saving your wallet," Tiara growled back before rolling her eyes and walking away towards her bed. "Fine. Whatever. I'm going to go to bed. Don't wake me."

"I swear that filly. She used to be just like me at her age. What in the world happened?" Spoiled asked with a snarl before glancing over at Ryu, who had stopped practicing to watch what had gone down. "What? You got something you want to add to this?"

"A teacher is listened to because the student respects the teacher. A parent is listened to because child loves the parent," Ryu replied, but all his words did was cause Spoiled to raise an eyebrow at him.

"Did you fail English class in where you are from?"

"She does not listen to you because she does not see you as someone who can either teach her or take care of her," Ryu simplified before he walked towards the door. "She neither loves nor respects you. And I can see why."

After verbally smacking her across the face, Ryu walked out of the carriage to where Filthy was sitting by himself. As Ryu approached, Filthy did not notice him right away and for a brief moment Ryu caught hints of sorrow in the stallions eyes.

"Ryu, my boy! How are you?" Filthy asked the moment he noticed Ryu and spun around to face him with a smile.

"I am fine. I sought you out because I have a favor to ask," Ryu began, getting Filthy to raise an eyebrow in interest. "There is somewhere I need to go."

Spiders

Each hoofstep by the team pulling the carriage echoed throughout the eerie forest that wrapped around the ponies, who glanced in every direction at every sound they heard. A thick fog covered the path before them, obscuring their already limited vision and the sounds that came from within the woods made their manes stand on end.

Even within the carriage, the ponies inside couldn't fine peace within their walls. Filthy Rich tried to distract himself by reading his magazine about money monthly, but the constant screeching of the owls tested his nerves. Spoiled tried to turn her nose up at her fear, but hungry growls constantly made her head hang slightly. Tiara was the most nervous of the bunch and had decided to hide underneath of a brick house to keep herself safe. And Ryu was doing his best not to step on said filly as he practiced training, hardly noticing the sounds.

"Diamond Tiara, while I do enjoy your company I will have to ask you to move," Ryu said to the filly after another close call, nearly stepping on her head when his foot came down from a kick. Tiara peeked out from beneath Ryu with terrified eyes, yet the emotion was not reflected in his. "You are interrupting my training, but more importantly your safety is at risk if you are too close to me. Can you not hide somewhere else?"

"Hmm...hide someplace else where whatever is out there can get ahold of me...OR I can hide next to the warrior that can throw fireballs and punched out a dragon in a single hit," Tiara considered before she wrapped herself around one of Ryu's legs as another animal howled. "Yeah-no, I'm staying right here. Consider me an ankle weight or something."

Ryu sighed with frustration, but as he figured it would be pointless trying to move her he decided to continue his training. 'Very well, I can turn this into practice. I will simply train as if I have lost my right lower leg and focus on keeping my balance while fighting.'

Ryu lifted his right leg slightly off of the ground, getting Tiara to tighten her grip, before he began to practice blocking and then countering with a punch. Tiara watched him practice his single legged fighting, occasionally holding on tighter when he hopped forward or backward with his left leg.

"Whoa, hold on a second! If you even think about throwing a kick with me on here I promise there will be consequences!" Tiara informed Ryu when she spied his left leg tense. "Seriously, I will bite you." Ryu growled slightly, before sighing in resignation and looking down at her.

"For supposedly being my manager, you are not helping me in my training," Ryu informed her. Tiara replied by sticking out her tongue, only to yelp a moment later when the carriage came to a dead stop. Ryu snapped his head up before he marched towards the door, forgetting of the filly that was still attached to him. "We're here."

"Already? But I thought it was going to be at least another hour," Filthy muttered before another howl caused him to shut his mouth. Without any of the fear the others held, Ryu walked to the door and threw it open. A wave of fog rolled right into the carriage, causing the Riches to cling to each other while the warrior stared out into the fog.

"I can feel it. There's something out there," Ryu muttered to himself before he glanced back at Filthy. "Stay here. I will do this alone." Filthy nodded, but Ryu was already out the door. He passed by the trembling carriage pullers and marched straight into the fog, being led by his senses and not just his eyes. He closed his eyes for a moment to feel out where he needed to go, before snapping his head to the left and marching into the fog.

'Here. This is where I need to go' he decided as he came to the entrance of a large cave, one that howled with what could be interpreted as the sounds of other fallen warriors. Ryu hardened his face at the cries of those that had fallen and marched on inside, being consumed by the darkness almost immediately. Even with senses practically honed to perfection, even Ryu found himself unable to see where he was going. "Not good. This darkness is too strong. Even I can't see through this."

"Well good freaking job. Not only are we lost in the creepy woods, but now we're lost in a dark cave!" Ryu glanced down right as a light shone from his right leg, revealing the face of a very annoyed filly. "Well come on Ryu, don't just stand around gawking. Let's go deeper into this cave and find whatever wants to kill us."

"What are you doing?" Ryu asked her, a look of bafflement on his face as Tiara swung the flashlight around while still keeping a grip like steel on his leg. "Do you not know how dangerous it is to be here?"

"Oh I'm sorry, but by the time I realized what you were doing I was in the middle of the woods filled with Faust knows what and I sure as hell wasn't letting go there!" Tiara barked up at him before shining the light forward. "Be grateful that I carry a few tools with me incase I ever do get lost, like this flashlight. Now let's go get whatever you need to get before I completely freak out."

Ryu wanted to send her back, able to feel how dangerous this place was, but he also knew she was right in saying that it was far more dangerous out there without him than in here with him. With another sigh of defeat, as well as realizing that she had become his boss in a way, Ryu marched on into the cave.

"Man this place is creepy," Tiara muttered through chattering teeth as she shined her light in all directions, yelping when she startled some bats. The bats screeched as they took to the air all at once and swarmed by Ryu's face, but his stalwart expression didn't change in the slightest as the beast flew past him. "Wow, all those bats and you didn't even blink. How in the heck do you not freak out?"

"I am not afraid of bats. Nor the dark or the creatures in the dark," Ryu explained to the filly in a calm tone. "The only thing that I am truly afraid of is the power within me. Nothing else aside from that will-" Ryu stopped dead midsentence, causing Tiara to raise an eyebrow before she followed where he was staring. Her eyes and light both rested upon a large spider web, which waved weakly in the cave winds. She then glanced up at Ryu's stunned face, a sinister smile spreading across hers as she put two and two together.

"Hey Ryu, I think there's a spider on my back. Can you get it off?" she teased, giggling to herself when Ryu glanced down at her with a hint of apprehension in his eyes. Ryu then shook his head and closed his eyes, inhaling and exhaling for a few moments before his eyes snapped back open and he moved further into the cave. The two moved on in silence for a long time, until both Ryu and Tiara noticed a new light source at the end of the tunnel.

"Hey Ryu, do you see that?"

"I do. And I don't like it," Ryu muttered as they approached. Another turn lead the two to a massive chamber, one that had a single beam of light coming down from a crack in the ceiling. Five pillars ascended into the sky, holding up the brittle ceiling that Ryu noticed seem to be covered in more darkness than the rest of the room, despite the beam of light. As Ryu reached the entrance to the chamber, he reached down and pried Diamond Tiara off of his leg, setting the confused filly down next to one of the pillars. "Stay here. And if things go bad, run."

"What do you mean "go bad"?" Tiara asked, but Ryu had already walked away from her to the center of the room. His eyes glanced around to every corner of the room, arms raised in his fighting stance as he prepared himself.

"Well what do we have here? A being not of this world has wandered into my den?"

Ryu's eyes snapped up towards the ceiling just in time to see a being slowly descending from above, twirling around on a web that gleamed in the beam of light. Ryu felt a shiver go up his spine when he saw that the being had eight legs and was dangerously close to an arachnid. But what staved off his fear was that the upper half of the being was more pony like, but far hairier.

"Oh, not prey but a warrior. Haven't had one of those in a long while," the being said in a feminine voice as she landed without a sound before Ryu, turning her head towards him to reveal eight eyes and a pair of mandibles that clicked as she moved. "Now are you here to seek what treasures I hold? Or simply here to try and kill me like all the others?"

"I have no desire for any treasure. Nor do I wish to take your life," Ryu managed to say as he fought down his shivers. "I am here because another warrior told me that there is a test here I need to pass. A test that will show me my future and the man I will become...or the demon that will consume me." Tiara tilted her head at Ryu's words, not sure if she had heard him right, but then the spider pony clicked her mandibles in delight.

"Oh, the test. I haven't had anypony take the test in such a long time," the spider pony cackled with joy as she clicked her hooves together. Ryu kept an eye on her as she started to walk around him, able to feel all eight of her eyes upon him as she walked. "In order to take this test, you will have to withstand a considerable amount of pain. But it will most likely reveal what you will become..."

"If it helps me to become a better warrior...and perhaps to finally find peace within myself, then I will withstand any pain," Ryu promised. "Inflict whatever pain you wish upon me. I will not succumb to it."

"If you insist."

The spider pony hissed before lunging forward and biting Ryu right on his neck. Ryu roared with pain before spinning around and swinging at the spider pony with all of his might. But his fist did not strike the spider. Instead, his fist was caught...by himself.

"What?" Ryu asked as he stared at himself. The other Ryu was older, indicated by the beard with grey hairs in it, along with the fact that his outfit was shredded and only his pants remained intact. Yet Ryu found himself slightly unnerved by the fact that he couldn't see the other Ryu's eyes...or that the hole in his chest had returned. Ryu ripped his hand free of the others grasp, taking up his fighting stance. "Showing me myself? I thought this test was supposed to be special. I've seen this before."

The Ryu said nothing in reply. He instead slowly lifted his head until he was "looking" right at Ryu...before his eyes snapped open to reveal twin crimson eyes. Ryu had just a moment to register what was happening before the bearded Ryu let out a howl of fury, throwing his arms to the side as an explosion of power erupted from his body. A power that Ryu knew all too well.

"This cannot be!" Ryu roared over the roar of the power. Bearded Ryu hurled himself towards Ryu, who barely lifted his arms in time to deflect the massive right fist that slammed into his arms. Ryu growled as he was sent skidding backwards, barely managing to stop himself before the monster was upon him again. Ryu shot both of his palms down to catch his foes knee, before raising his right arm to block an elbow strike to the back of the head.

"HADOUKEN!" Ryu roared as he slammed his wrists together and created a ball of power, driving it forward right into the raging Ryu's stomach. Yet the moment the ball of energy left his palms, the other Ryu vanished and the hadouken shot into the wall. Ryu realized what his foe had done the second before a fist plunged through his chest, causing Ryu to gasp in pain before he slowly turned his head to look behind him at his foe.

"This...cannot be me..." Ryu stammered out as pain flooded his body. "I...would never..."

"Succumb."

Ryu roared with pain as blast of murderous darkness erupted from his foes fist, consuming his body with pain and agony. Under the endless torrent of pain and darkness, Ryu could barely find the strength to stand, let alone fight. And then he felt an erupting of his own. An eruption of darkness from within. With a bellow that was far more bestial than any of the creatures outside of the cave, he tore himself off of his foes hand and turned around...only to find himself alone in the chamber.

'W-what...was...that?' Ryu asked himself, before he held a hand to where the hole had been in his chest. He sighed with relief when he found that he was still in one piece, but then he felt the rage and darkness within trying to break free. Ryu then dropped to his knees, taking in numerous deep breaths as sweat poured from his face. 'I've...fought the demon within before...but never like that.'

"Ryu?" a voice filled with fear and terror whispered from the shadows. Ryu lifted his head towards the voice to see Tiara staring at him from the shadows, her body trembling with fear.

"How very interesting. I can see why Zecora sent you," the spider pony said from behind Ryu, who was too tired to turn to face her. "There's a side of you that you wish to defeat, but it seems that your future is that you become this demon instead," the spider whispered into Ryu's ear so only he could hear it. Ryu let out a weak sigh before placing a hand on his face, wiping the sweat away from his face.

"I need to train harder. I can't let the demon win," Ryu whispered to himself.

"That may delay the inevitable, but eventually you may succumb," the spider pony whispered as she started to walk up the side of the wall. "There is a storm within you Ryu. A storm that can destroy everything in it's path. If you wish for my advice...seek out the elder in the Mystic Woods. Perhaps they can guide you."

Ryu finally glanced over his shoulder to see that the spider had moved into the shadows, leaving him alone with Tiara in the chamber. Ryu pushed himself up to his feet, feeling completely drained of all of his strength. He slowly walked over to Tiara, glancing down at her to see that she still held fear in her eyes.

"What happened?" he whispered.

"You...went into a frenzy. I've never heard you...scream before," Tiara whispered back, Ryu nodding his head with understanding. "For a moment, it seemed like you were possessed."

"And that is the last thing I want to happen."

Battle Royal

Giant beams of light shone into the heavens, beaconing all that could see them to head towards their glow. And by the sheer magnitude of ponies that could be heard roaring with amazement off in the distance, it was clear that many of them had come to see what those lights were advertising.

"And that is the greatest coliseum apart from the one in Canterlot!" Filthy Rich said with an air of pride as he and his family looked upon the massive, domed stadium that towered over nearly every other building in the city. "I helped donate money to build it three years ago and now my family and I have special seats reserved for just the three of us, plus any guests."

"I still cannot believe that it took three days to get here since our little stop," Spoiled muttered under her breath before casting a scowl at Ryu. "What could have been so important that we had to stop at that little slice of paradise will forever elude me."

Ryu chose the answer of silence as he walked alongside the rest of the group, not caring that they were slightly late to the arena nor the look of sheer venom Spoiled was flashing his way. He kept his eyes forward, but at the same time his mind was a million miles away, back in the cave. Back where he was supposedly shown his future.

'It cannot be true. I would never allow the Satsui No Hado to consume me. I would never fail master Gouken like that,' Ryu believed fiercely. Yet even as he forced himself to think that way, he felt a ripple of the dark power course through him, as if it was reminding him that he was never free from it's power. Ryu scowled at the power before turning his head to the side, gaining the attention of the filly next to him.

"Ryu? Are you doing alright?" Diamond asked him, yet when he answered her with silence Tiara felt a wave of annoyance. "Come on Ryu, you've shown more disgust and negativity in the last couple of days than I bet you have in your whole life. Come on, what's with all the emotion? I thought you were supposed to be as bland and boring as sandpaper? Stop feeling so down."

She had hoped that her more grating attitude would snap Ryu back into his normal self, yet to both her annoyance and concern he didn't reply in any way. "You want some candy?" she offered after a moment, holding out a piece to the warrior. Ryu looked down at her with the same sad eyes, but his eyebrows were raised in confusion. "They always help me to feel better. Figure I might as well give them a shot to see if they can fix you."

At the moment Ryu felt like his stomach was waging war with the rest of his body, but he took the piece from the filly anyway, not wanting to ignore her generosity. He popped the piece into his mouth and bit down, only to feel a surge of fire and pain burn through his throat. The sudden blast of flavor caught him off guard and he gagged slightly before holding a hand to his throat.

"What the...DAD! What did I tell you about putting your fireballs next to my candy!" Tiara roared at her father, who turned and gave her the most pathetic look he could muster.

"But Tiara, you eat the same candy all the time. I thought that it would be good for you to try something new," he said with a smile faker than a copper bit. Tiara snarled before resuming her rant upon her father, all of them seeming to forget Ryu for a moment, despite the fact that he was getting close to mastering Dhalsim's fireball technique. With a swift punch to his own gut Ryu spat out the fireball candy and sent it sailing far away from him. He then gasped in a few deep breaths before closing his eyes and forcing the blazing pain that coursed his tongue out of his eyes.

"That...was not what I was expecting," he muttered when he could finally feel his tongue again. His words snapped Diamon Tiara out of her rant, much to her father's relief, and she raced over to Ryu with a bottle of water in her hooves.

"Ryu I am so sorry! My dad likes to pull pranks on me sometimes and that is one of his favorites!" she said with another sinister glare at her father, who gave her a face of innocence. "Here, take this." Ryu took the bottle from Tiara and polished it off in a matter of seconds, sighing in relief when the burning sensation finally retreated.

"Thank you for that, Tiara," Ryu said after a moment, finding that not only was his mouth at peace, but the rest of him seemed to be as well.

"It's the least I could do after accidentally making you eat a super hot-"

"No. I mean, thank you for the fireball," he said with a small bow, confusing the filly. "It was just what I needed to get my mind off of things. I am indebted to you."

"Well when you put it that way, it was nothing. Gotta look out for my prized fighter," Tiara said with a smirk as she elbowed Ryu in the shins.

"Hey, he's my prized fighter," Filthy tried to cut in, but another glare of rage silenced any further argument.

"I don't care which of you he's the prized fighter of, if we don't get into that arena in another couple of minutes, odds are that we aren't going to make it in time for the fight!" Spoiled reminded all of them with a sharp tone, ceasing the conversation then and there. Ryu nodded as he prepared himself for the battle ahead, yet he caught something out of the corner of his eye that complete pulled his thoughts away from the fight.

"You three go on ahead. I will catch up with you in a moment," he informed them before taking off from the group, leaving them behind quickly so that they couldn't stop him. Ryu walked into a dark alley that was still covered in shadows despite the afternoon sun beaming down on the buildings. "I am surprised to see you here. I did not know that you would be in this land as well."

"That is because I did not tell you of that power. I thought it would be best if you...stayed on your own for a while," an ancient voice spoke from the shadows, yet that voice still held more power in it than any other Ryu had heard. "But after a week or two of waiting, I became curious. Intrigued. Impatient."

"I am sorry, but I have not found the foe that I seek. Nor have I found a way to be rid of the darkness within me once and for all," Ryu apologized as he turned his gaze towards the floor, not seeing the being in the shadows step forward. When Ryu lifted his gaze he was met with the same brown cloak that he remembered seeing the first time he met the hermit. Along with the metal limbs that stuck out from beneath the cloak.

"Do not fret. I know that what you seek is here. A way to be rid of that which you believes holds you back," he said to Ryu with such confidence that Ryu couldn't help but feel that he was right. "But you have not found it yet. But you will soon. For now, continue to seek out those that will challenge you, that will push you farther than you have ever gone before. For only then will you find what truly lies within you."

"But how can I be certain that what lies within me is what I wish to be?" Ryu asked, remembering what had happened back in the cave. "What if my destiny is to become-?"

"RYU!"

Ryu turned his head to see Diamond Tiara running towards him, a look of absolute terror on her face. Ryu turned back towards the cloaked hermit, but to Ryu's shock the being was gone. Tiara came screeching to a halt next to Ryu a moment, later, gasping for breath as she stared up at him.

"Former fighter...after dad...wants...money for...oh Faust that was far," Tiara managed to huff out quickly. Ryu wasn't completely certain what she had said, but he pieced together enough of it to know that her father was in trouble. Ryu grabbed the filly and tucked her under his arm before racing towards the coliseum entrance. He blew past the two guards who were powerless to stop him, being guided by the young foal. The pair came to a stop at the top of a flight of stairs, which they looked down to see what was happening.

"I want the money you promised me, Filthy!" a griffon that was covered head to claw in armor roared at Filthy, holding the stallion up with one clawed hand while brandishing his claws with the other.

"Weapon, I told you already, you didn't show up for your match," Filthy stammered out, eyes on the claws the entire time. "You were the one that broke our contract. Now I can help you find a new deal or pay back some of the money that you feel entitled to, but aside from that-"

The armored griffon let out a fierce roar before it tried to attack, yet when it went to slash Filthy with his claws he found that his arm would not move. The griffon turned with a snarl to find a warrior that was larger than him holding his arm, with a very dark expression on his face.

"Enough," Ryu said to the griffon with lightning crackling in his tone. Ryu then flung the griffons arm to the side before chopping at his other hand, freeing Filthy from the armored beings grasp with a single blow. The griffon snarled as Filthy scrambled over to his daughter, tucking her in tight as the two warriors stared each other down.

"So you must be who he replaced with me. Got to admit, I expected my replacement to look a little more intimidating," the griffon growled as he flexed his claws, which Ryu made sure to look out for.

"So you are the Winged Weapon. I expected more," Ryu stated bluntly. The Weapon bristled with rage at Ryu's remark, but managed to keep his composure a little longer.

"Well, don't blame me for my recent fall from grace. Blame that lying, sack of garbage over there that threw me under the bus!" the griffon bellowed as he took a few steps towards Filthy, but Ryu stepped between the two with eyes narrowed. "I miss one event, one fight, and he completely severs all ties with me! It's like he forgot who got him all of those wins in the early days!"

"Your absence near cost my family a great deal of money!" Filthy bellowed back now that he and his daughter were safely behind a brick wall. "If a client does not live up to my expectations, then I reserve the right to fire them. And guess what you became just a few moments ago?" The Winged Weapon shrieked with anger before hurling himself towards the stallion, only to be caught in the face by a right leg that swung out to intercept him.

"The hell?" the Winged Warrior roared as he staggered back, glaring through the pain at Ryu, who had taken up a fighting stance. "Stay out of my business, you freaking human!"

"I care not for your squabbles about money, but I will not allow you to endanger the life of that father or his daughter," Ryu coldly told the griffon as he brought his hands up and crouched down slightly. "I will say this to you once. Leave. Or you will not walk out of here on your own accord."

"Oh, you think you're tough?! Let's go!" the Winged Weapon roared as he hurled himself at Ryu. Ryu ducked under the griffons opening attack, a claw strike aimed at his head, before driving his fist straight up into the gut of the beast. The griffon gagged with pain before Ryu followed up with an elbow to the skull that sent the warrior sprawling. "What...the Faust...was that?"

"As I said. Leave," Ryu warned the being one last time. Instead of following Ryu's advice, the weapon lost all control and let out a howl of fury. He then unsheathed his razor like feathers before hurling his body towards Ryu, fury blazing like fire in his eyes. Despite the ferocity and the danger that was rushing towards him, Ryu found he couldn't help but shake his head.

"Tatsumaki."

Ryu then spun in place and stuck his right leg straight out, timing his attack perfectly so that his foot spun around to catch the Winged Warrior in the face the moment he was close enough. The force of the spin kick drove the Winged Warrior straight into the concrete wall next to them, with the impact of the being hitting the wall shattering it completely. Ryu landed a moment later as his foe collapsed to the ground, twitching slightly while his jaw hung at an awkward angle.

"You believe yourself to be so great. But after seeing the real you, I am ashamed to call you a warrior," Ryu said to his foe before turning back to Tiara and Filthy, both of who had shocked expressions on their faces. "Come. It is time to fight those who are true warriors."

Filthy and Diamond could only nod as they followed Ryu into the tunnel entrance for the arena, the three of them emerging from within to find a sight before them that none of them were expecting. Ninety eight other fighters were all laying defeated across the arena, while the crowd around them screamed bloody murder from sheer enjoyment. Some of the fighters were buried in the stadium floor, with only there legs sticking up. Others were caught in the rafters, dangling there like ornaments.

"What happened?" Ryu asked.

"It's like I thought. The champion is here," Tiara said before pointing to the very center of the arena. There, slightly hidden by the mounds of foes he had defeated, stood a being that was seven feet tall, muscular beyond belief and covered in scars. "He practically undefeated. No opponent in all of Equestria has gotten close to beating him. That's who you have to...why are you smiling?" she asked when she glanced up to see a large smile on the face of Ryu.

"Because I believed that we had had our last fight a long time ago," Ryu said to her before walking out into the arena. "Right before he vanished saving the world.

"What's this? It seems like there's one poor bastard left that wants to fight the champion!" the announcer roared over the crowd, who roared even louder in response that there was one last competitor."

"Who is it? Let us hope that they fight better than those who wished to tangle with a cyclone!" the champion roared as he turned to face his final opponent...only for his eyes to go wide when he saw who it was.

"I don't know, Zangief? Do you think I know what it takes to defeat a cyclone?" Ryu asked the champion as he took up his fighting stance. Zangief stared for a few seconds longer before letting out a boisterous laugh that echoed throughout the arena.

"Finally! An opponent that will give me a challenge! Actually," Zangief said as his face became dead serious as he crouched down. "I will have to unleash everything I have to best you. I dreamed of the day that we would fight again."

"As have I!"

"GRAAAHH!!!" Zangief bellowed as he charged towards Ryu, who already had both hands extended.

"HADOUKEN!"

Cyclone

Green fire blazed along Zangief's hand as he swung his palm into the hadouken, banishing it right out of existence. He then raised both of his arms over his head and lunged for Ryu, the stadium shaking beneath his mighty footsteps. Yet the only being in the arena that did not quake from the sight of Gief barreling towards them was Ryu, who simply smiled with he saw the Siberian Express approaching.

With a kick of his legs Ryu hurled himself into the air, right over Zangief's head. Zangief came to a stop and looked up just in time to catch a foot right to his face, one that Ryu followed up with a punch to the stomach the moment he landed. Zangief staggered backwards while wiping his face with his hands, but despite the damage done a smile was still upon his face.

"Very good comrade, you are even faster than the last time we fought," Zangief said with a laugh as he hunched over and slowly began to stalk the warrior. "But have you been training your muscles? If not, then this will be a very short fight indeed."

"I don't know. Let's find out!" Ryu yelled before doing something that no sane fighter would have done. He dashed towards Zangief. The crowd let out a gasp as the sudden movement caught Zangief off guard for a fraction of a second. That second was all that Ryu needed to grab hold of Gief's arm, plant his foot into his chest, and then roll back while kicking up. And to the utter disbelief of every pony, changeling and other in that crowd...Ryu threw Gief over his head.

"I...I don't believe it," the announcer said in a shocked voice as Zangief landed flat on his back, while Ryu rolled back to his feet. "I've never seen any pony other than Zangief throw Zangief. Who is this competitor?"

Zangief was upon his feet a moment later, the smile still plastered on his face. But Ryu could also see behind the smile and knew that the Russian was planning something. Zangief then lunged forward with a speed that Ryu was not used to and reached Ryu in a matter of moments. Zangief swung his arms down to grab Ryu, yet before he could Ryu reached out with both of his arms and caught the mighty limbs of the Cyclone.

"HAHA! You have gotten stronger as well!" Gief said with a laugh as he strained against Ryu's might, while Ryu strained against his. Yet even though Ryu was exerting all of his might, the grip of the Russian was too strong and he slowly felt himself being overpowered. "But you should know better than anyone, there are none stronger than me! Zangief! The Red...CYCLONE!"

As he said this he released his pressure all at once, causing Ryu to stagger forward as he lost his balance. And he staggered right into the arms of Zangief. Zangief wrapped his arms around Ryu's waste before slipping behind him, letting out a bellow as he suplexed Ryu over his head. Ryu looked up in time to see the ground rising up to meet him and in an act of desperation he raised both his hands over his head. His palms slammed into the concrete floors and his muscles screamed in agony, yet once again to the bewilderment of every spectator, Ryu had done the impossible.

"He...he stopped Zangief's suplex," Diamond Tiara whispered in an amazed voice as all eyes watched as Ryu strained against he backdrop, barely managing to keep from being driven into the ground. Ryu looked under his arm to see that Zangief's face was on his right, so faster than most could keep up with he rammed his right elbow into the face of the champion. Zangief let out a growl as the blow loosened his grip, allowing Ryu to break free and roll back up to his feet.

"For a moment...I thought you had me," Ryu panted out as he brought his fist back up, a smile on his face as well.

"You give yourself too little credit, comrade. If it was so easy to defeat you, I would have done it long ago," Zangief reminded Ryu before both of their eyes narrowed. Knowing that he couldn't let Zangief get close again, Ryu brought his hands back before firing out a hadouken. Yet the moment Gief saw the hands retract, his mighty legs to could lift bears propelled him into the air. He sailed over the fireball while extending one fist towards the warrior. Ryu realized what was happening a moment too late and took a massive right punch to his face.

The blow sent Ryu staggering backwards and he held a hand to his face as blood started to pour from his nose. He looked up in time to see Zangief throw a kick with his tree trunk like legs. Ryu brought his arms up in time to block, but the blow still sent him skidding backwards slightly. Now that he had a bit of distance, Ryu brought his arms back again to fire another fireball. But as he saw Zangief kick off the ground, a smile crossed his face as he brought one arm down and tucked it in tight.

"Clever, Ryu," Zangief said when he realized what his foe had done.

"SHORYUKEN!" Ryu roared as he leapt up with his fist extended, catching Zangief right on the jaw and knocking him out of the sky. The crowd roared in disbelief as Gief tumbled three times in the air before crashing to the concrete below. Ryu landed lightly a moment later, panting heavily as he stared down at Gief.

"This...has never happened before," the announcer said as Zangief pushed himself back up, blood running down his face as well. "I've never seen anypony push Zangief so hard. Whoever this opponent of his is, they're like nothing I've ever seen!"

"You do not know who this is, Chrysalis?! This is the warrior I told you about, the one who defeated me! This is RYU!" Zangief roared at the commentators booth before throwing back his head and letting out a hearty laugh. Yet to Ryu's surprise, the crowd went dead silent at Zangief's words, so the only sound in the arena was Gief laughing.

"Do they...normally go that quite when you speak?" Ryu asked Gief as the two began to circle each other.

"Normally they cheer. But I assume their silence has to do with them learning that you have bested me before," Zangief replied. "We will talk after the match. For now, we fight."

Zangief dashed forward, but this time Ryu was ready for the advance. Ryu let out a cry as he swung his foot forward, kicking Zangief right in the head as he got close. With the big guy stunned Ryu followed up his attack with a low kick to the shins, one that he knew would only annoy the giant. But he also knew it would give him the time to follow up his attack.

"Tatsumaki..." Ryu said as he swung himself around, extending his leg and driving it right into the side of Gief's head. "SENPUKYAKU!" The force of the kick sent Zangief sailing backwards and he crashed into the ground on his back. With a roar Gief rolled back and was on his feet in an instant, a smile on his face when he realized how much closer Ryu was now.

"MY TURN!" Zangief roared as he drove his hands into Ryu's back, doubling the warrior over. Gief then tucked his arms around Ryu's waste before kicking off into the air, spinning around as he did so. The both of them came crashing down to the arena floor a moment later, with Ryu being piledrived head first at mach speeds.

"RYU!" Tiara cried out as Zangief leapt back and Ryu collapsed to the ground, barely moving. The crowd let out a roar that deafened the little filly, but then the crowd was struck silent as Ryu slowly began to get back to his feet.

"That's not possible," Filthy Rich whispered from beside his daughter, who was unable to find the words to speak.

"That...was far more powerful than your previous piledrivers," Ryu panted with pain and weakness as he brought his fist back up. "You have gotten much stronger since you've arrived in this land. I'm impressed."

"Believe me comrade, you have not seen anything yet," Zangief promised before raising his arms and charging forward again. Ryu caught the faint flashes of yellow that were covering Zangief's body, so with a smirk he brought his hands beside him and poured far more energy into his hands.

"STRIKE!" Ryu roared as he fired the electrified ball of energy into Zangief, shattering the yellow ground around the Russian's body and sending him hurling backwards. Gief crashed to the ground once more, but this time it took him a little longer to get back up to his feet. To Ryu's somewhat relief, he saw that Zangief was panting heavily as well. 'So even Zangief can get tired. This isn't good, though. He's far stronger than he was the last time we fought. I may not have the power to beat him.'

Zangief let out a smile before he began to walk towards Ryu, who slowly shifted backwards as he kept his eyes out for any sudden movements. Zangief ducked down like he was about to rush forward, before kicking off his legs and taking to the sky once again. Ryu wasn't fooled by the sudden change in approached and he crouched down once again while tucking his fist beside him, before exploding upwards with his uppercut.

"SHORYU-!"

"I am the protector...of the equestrian SKIES!" Zangief bellowed as he started to spin, catching Ryu out of his uppercut with a meaty paw and sucking the warrior into the blizzard. Zangief then tucked Ryu under his arm before the both of them rocketed straight up into the air.

"SIBERIAN!" Zangief roared while the crowd roared along with him. Gief then tossed the spinning Ryu into the air over his head before catching Ryu's legs and placing his own feet on Ryu's arms.

"BBBLLLLLIIIZZZZAAARRRDDDD!" Gief finished as drove Ryu into the ground head first, causing the concrete arena beneath the both of them to explode with the power of the impact. The crowd screamed as they shook from the impact, while the sound of Chrysalis laughing her head off could be heard over the screams. Zangief then leapt back from Ryu, whose body fell to the ground without making another sound.

"HAHA! It seems that the day has finally come! I have bested you, Ryu!" Zangief laughed with pure merriment as he placed his hands on his hips and began to laugh. The crowd cheered along with Zangief and when he began to flex they started to flex along with him.

"Ryu..." Tiara whispered as she gazed upon the warrior that lay in a shattered crater. She hoisted herself up onto one of the guardrails to race over to him, but she stopped dead as if shot a moment later. Because out of everypony in the arena, she was the only one that saw Ryu move.

"Not...yet..."

Zangief stopped his celebration and slowly turned around to see Ryu was picking himself out of the rubble, blood pouring down his face and body as he shakily got to his feet. But even as the crowd, the commentators and the very air itself went silent, Ryu slowly brought his fists up and took up his fighting stance once again.

"This battle...is not over," he promised Zangief. Zangief looked upon his foe with complete disbelief in his eyes, before a smile crossed his face and he shook his head.

"Only you, Ryu. Only you could take a blow such as that and still find the strength to stand," Zangief praised his foe before lifting his hands one last time, before charging towards the wounded warrior. "And that is why I will make sure this next attack keeps you down! It is over, Ryu!"

Ryu closed his eyes as Zangief approached, bringing both of his hands down towards his side. He then felt the dark energy within him, coursing through his veins as the power flowed into his hands. He only dared to take a small portion of it, nothing more, but he knew that it alone would have to be enough.

"Metsu," Ryu whispered before a massive ball of purple energy formed in his hand, causing the crowd to gasp as torrents of wind were created by the forming of the sphere. Ryu then clenched his hands closer together and the sphere stabilized, before he hurled it at the approaching Zangief who was too close to dodged.

"HHHHHAAADDDDDOOOOUUUKKKEEEENNN!"

The ball of purple energy exploded into Zangief's chest, detonating with a flash of energy do powerful that the spectators in the first three rows were blown out of their seats. Zangief let out a roar as he was hurled around the arena and driven into the concrete wall. The wall shattered under his impact, with the Russian Wrestler falling to ground with a weak groan. As the power from the attack died down, all eyes moved to Ryu, who stood in place with his hands extended still.

"Now...it's...over..." he whispered before letting out a moan and falling to his knees, his vision obscured by the blood that was still pouring from his head. No sound could be heard in the arena, not even the sound of the crowds breathing. For their breath had been taken away by what they had just witnessed. After taking a moment to recover, Ryu shakily rose back up to his feet before gingerly lifting a fist into the air.

"Im...pre...ssive."

Now it was Ryu's turned to be stunned as Zangief began to pick himself out of the rubble that used to be a concrete wall. The crowd went even quieter if possible as the Russian rose back up, blood pouring from his face while his entire chest was bruised from the hadouken. Yet even with all that damage done, Zangief still found a way to rise to his feet.

Ryu and Zangief both stared each other down, both knowing that the other was on their last leg. So with whatever little power they had left they began to run towards each other, though in their exhausted states they were more jogging or hobbling. With the both of them knowing that they only had enough strength left for one more attack, the moment they were close enough to the other they threw out their strongest move.

Ryu hurled his right leg towards Zangief's head, while Zangief threw the mightiest of punches at Ryu. Ryu's foot struck Gief the moment Gief's fist hit Ryu in the face, causing the both of them to snap back from the blow. Both Ryu and Zangief collapsed to their backs, neither of them getting up after the blows. The crowd waited with baited breath for one of them to rise up, to stand up to show who the winner was, but neither of them did.

"It's...It's a DOUBLE KNOCKOUT!" Chrysalis roared, the crowd exploding into a frenzy of cheers and rage as the fight finished. Yet for the two warriors that had put on such a show, neither of them heard the crowd that was chanting their names. Both were completely out cold.

Catching Up

Ryu glanced around the area he was standing, not sure where he was. All he could see around him was a white void, one that was devoid of anything except for him. Ryu placed a hand on the "ground" amazed by how even though there was resistance, he still felt nothing.

He snapped his head up when he noticed a tendril of darkness seep into the ground, the only piece of black in an eternity of white. Then, to Ryu's amazement, the blackness began to spread, infecting more and more of the white void until nearly half of it had been consumed by the black. A cold realization began to seep over Ryu and he glanced down at his hand...to see that his entire right arm had been swallowed by the darkness.

"NO!" Ryu roared as he sat up, scaring the hell out of the three ponies that had been sitting at his beside. His breaths came in rapid succession as he glanced around to see that he was in a hospital room, with the whole Rich family sitting around his bedside. Before any of them could say anything he snapped his right arm in front of his face, sighing in relief when he saw that his arm was normal. "It's just a dream. Nothing more."

"Well if you call that a dream, then I'd hate to see what your nightmares look like," Tiara said with a shake of her head before she placed a hoof against Ryu's forehead. "You don't have a fever at least, so it is possible that you damaged your brain during that fight."

"The fight," Ryu repeated before it all came flashing back to him. "That's right, the battle with Zangief! What happened? The last thing I remembered was that I threw a kick at him while he threw a punch at me...and then..."

"What happened next comrade, was that you managed to do what many of these ponies thought to be impossible!" a booming voice filled with laughter said from the door. All four sets of eyes looked over to see a bandage Russian walking into the room, with a very tall changeling following behind him. "You managed to knock out the great Zangief!"

"You say that like it's supposed to be hard," Ryu said with a smile as he kicked the covers off and rose from his bed, extending his hand towards Gief. Gief let out a laugh before pulling Ryu into a massive bear hug, one that made everypony in the room wince when they heard bones pop. "Glad...to see...that you're still alive."

"Of course I'm still alive! Did you really think such a weak machine would be able to put down the Iron Cyclone?" Zangief asked with another laugh as he let Ryu go. "The explosion generated by the machine sent me to this land, one filled with wonder and magic! Sadly no vodka, but you cannot get everything you want in life. I was then found by the Queen of the Changelings here and we quickly became the best of friends!"

"Much to my eternal misfortune," the queen said with a sarcastic smirk before walking up to Ryu, looking him dead in the eyes with eyes that he noticed, while not friendly, didn't seem mean or malicious. "So you're the famous Ryu, the one warrior that Zangief has never been able to best."

"Until today, I suppose," Ryu corrected for her, but Zangief shook his head.

"No comrade, that battle ended in a draw. Neither of us won and neither of us lost. Therefor, I cannot call this a win over you, not until I throw you so hard that you will never be able to see straight again!" Gief added with another boisterous laugh. "But for the time being, I would like to discuss with you about what has been happening! You are more than welcome to talk here, if you wish."

"Um, thanks," Ryu said before both Tiara and her family were up in his face.

"I can't believe you personally know Champion Zangief! That makes you, like, one of the coolest beings on the planet!" Tiara exclaimed before hopping off the bed and racing over to Zangief. "Even though I'm backing another fighter, can I please have your autograph! You're like, the greatest of all time!"

"Haha! I do not mind, friend pony!"

"Champion Zangief...so that's what happened to him three years ago," Ryu said with a shake of his head, remembering the battle against Bison and how they had all believed Zangief to have died during the battle. He then looked to the queen of the changelings, who was smiling while she watching Zangief interact with Tiara. "So, you found Zangief after he somehow ended up here? Would you mind telling me what has happened in the three years since we last saw him?"

"Sure, I can tell you real quick. This massive walk of muscle shows up out of nowhere, makes a huge commotion in my home, somehow manages to inspire my race with hope again, defeats the greatest champions of Equestria and then saves the world while in a body not his own," the Queen said to Ryu, who frowned slightly at getting the cliff notes version. "You want to know the rest in more detail? I wrote a book on it, so toss me some bits and you'll know all. Hell, I'll even sign it for you."

"Thanks, but not interested," Ryu said before turning his attention back to Zangief. "Actually Zangief, would you mind if I spoke with you in private for a moment? It's serious."

"It's always serious with you, comrade! That is why you never have any fun!" Zangief pointed out with a laugh, but he did follow Ryu out of the room. The two walked in silence down the hallway, with Zangief having to hunch over to avoid hitting the roof, before they found a section of the place that was quiet. "Now then comrade, what is it you wish to ask? And yes, I will give you my autograph."

"You've been in this world for three years, which is three longer than me. I need your help to find something...or rather, someone," Ryu began in a dead serious tone, one that knocked the smile off of Gief's face. "I am seeking an elder in the Mystic Woods, yet Tiara and her family have never heard of such a place. Would you happen to know where that is?"

"That idiot can't even remember where his trunks are half the time, let alone a location like that. And you're welcome for that mental image by the way," the Queen said as she walked up to the pair. "Chrysalis, by the way, since you didn't ask. And yes, I know where those woods are. They're in a part of Equestria that not many head towards, even changelings. There's something powerful in those woods, something that even I wouldn't go near. Zangief might, but other than him everypony else avoids it."

"Thank you. Where can I find it?" Ryu asked in a slightly impatient tone.

"It's in the far east of Equestria, at the end of the marsh land," Chrysalis instructed while also using her magic to create a visual map for the warrior. "Once you've gotten lost in the marsh, you're halfway there. But aside from the princesses and maybe Faust herself, none have gone in there and returned alive. Go for it."

"No words about how I should stay away from such a dangerous place?" Ryu asked, but Chrysalis simply smirked in reply.

"Are you kidding me? With you around somepony else aside from Zangief might win the world championships and as the sponsor for Gief, I'd prefer to send you to your possible death than risk that. With all of the best intentions of course."

"You have made some strange friends since you have arrived here," Ryu informed Zangief, who couldn't help but smile at Ryu's words.

"Indeed Ryu, but my strangest friends are still on Earth. Speaking of the Championship, it is only a week away from today," Zangief informed Ryu, who raised an eyebrow. "And after knocking me out in our bout, that qualifies you for the tournament! The sixteen best in the world there to fight it out to determine who is the strongest! And I know how you love strong fighters."

"Of course I will be there. Do you think I'll have time to go to the Mystic Woods beforehand?" he asked Chrysalis, who thought about it for a moment before shaking her head.

"If you had more time, maybe. But I wouldn't risk it. Especially if you don't come back out," she reminded Ryu, who frowned before letting out a small sigh.

"Very well. I will compete in this tournament before heading off to the Woods," Ryu decided before bowing to Zangief, then to Chrysalis. Yet when he turned to leave, he felt a hand the size of a bear paw land on his shoulder.

"Ryu...are you struggling to fight the beast within?" Zangief asked in a tone so serious that Chrysalis cleaned out her ears to make sure she had hear him right. When Ryu didn't answer right away, Zangief let out a sigh and retracted his hand. "I know that you wish to be the best. And with your skills, you may very well be. But do not let that desire for absolute victory take away what is most important."

"My soul? My ideals...my path?" Ryu asked Gief, who let out a smile before shaking his head.

"No Ryu. Do not let that desire for victory take away the person you are. The good natured fighter who his kind and a little bland. Because while you may not believe it, the world would be a little less interesting without your boring personality in it," Zangief replied before stretching his arms. "Khorosho. While I have enjoyed catching up, I believe that it is time for us to be on our way. I have another match tomorrow with the king of the dragon kingdom and I won't be able to use my left arm for the match. So I must be training!"

"Farewell then, friend. I hope you have the best of fortune," Ryu said as he extended his hand once more and this time Zangief shook it.

"Do not be worried for me! Be worried for the king! Because if he loses, then next time I will have to face him with both arms chained up!" Zangief said with a laugh before he and Chrysalis vanished in a flash of sickly, green light. Ryu stood alone in the hallway, thinking about what Gief had told him before he shook his head and headed back to where the Riches were waiting.

'If only it were so easy, friend. But I have to be the best. It is all I have.'

Ryu opened the door to the hospital room where he had been staying to see the family in a heated discussion about something, but the moment the door opened they all stopped talking. Ryu raised an eyebrow with concern before stepping into the room, shutting the door behind him. "Something that you'd like to talk to me about?"

"Nothing that can't wait till later," Tiara said as she averted her eyes, but even though Ryu raised an eyebrow with interest he decided to drop it there.

"I was informed by the champion himself that the largest tournament in all of Equestria will be being held next week. I assume that is where we will be heading next?" Ryu asked the Riches, his words causing massive smiles to break out across their faces.

"Why Ryu, you must be a mind reader. Canterlot is exactly where we are going to be heading next," Filthy said with a loud laugh before reaching into his coat and pulling out a flier. "After what you did to Zangief in the ring, everypony across Equestria wants to see the two of you battle again in front of the whole world! And with the odds stacked against you, we'll make a fortune when you win."

"Very well, but I have a favor to ask in return," Ryu demanded, catching the family off guard. "If I compete in this tournament for you and win you your prize, I wish for you to take me to edge of the Mystic Woods." Filthy and his wife shared a worried look, while Tiara tilted her head in confusion at the name.

"I thought that the Mystic Woods was just a myth," she asked her parents, who both looked away from her. Tiara gave her mother a glare, but when that didn't work she shifted her gaze to her father and he crumbled under her eyes.

"It is, to an extent. The place itself is real, but as very few have returned from it alive everything we think we know about it is a myth," Filthy explained before shaking his head and glancing at Ryu. "But why would you want to go in there? In none of the myths is there a fighter or a warrior within. Only death, danger and doom."

"But there is an elder in there, one who can help me achieve what I have been searching for," Ryu said with conviction in every word. "I am not asking any of you to come with me. All I ask is that you take me there after the tournament. And if you feel that is too much, then we can part ways here and I will find my way there myself."

"Wait Ryu, let's not do anything hasty...we'll take you there after the tournament," Filthy Rich agreed with a forced smile. Ryu nodded curtly in reply before he opened the door to the room and stepped out, closing it behind him once again before staring down at his fist. He remembered how the darkness had been creeping along his arm, how it had almost looked like it had been consuming him. He wrapped his hand around his wrist and closed his eyes, making sure that the demon was completely in check.

'I will not let you win. I will find a way to destroy you,' Ryu promised before he heard the creaking of the door and he turned around to see Tiara staring up at him. "Is there something that you need help with?"

"Just wanted to let you know that there's going to be a small change to the plan," she informed Ryu, who raised an eyebrow in response. "We'll still be heading to the tournament, but we're going to be stopping somewhere a few days before it begins."

"And where would that be?" he asked.

"My home. Ponyville."

Streaks of Rain

Rain pounded upon the top of the carriage like the raining of bullets, while the crackling of lightning above made the inhabitants glance out the window every few seconds. The scene sounded like a battlefield, causing those caught within the battle to appreciate the warm fire and the fact that the roof had no holes in it.

Filthy Rich was reading a magazine about what new fashions were in Equestria, while Tiara sat upon his lap and occasionally pointed out an outfit that she might like. Spoiled was sipping on a warm cup of tea, though she occasionally cast a nasty glance at the six ponies that were crowded around the fire, the same ponies that they had hired to pull the carriage.

"You know that this carriage is supposed to be for our family, right?" she reminded her husband for the fifth time in under an hour, but this time Filthy didn't even look at his wife. "We should not be allowing commoners into this place! Think of all the filth that they have on them from constantly working out there!"

"Dear, to leave them out there would be simply cruel. Besides, after the double knockout Ryu scored against Zangief, we have more money than even I know what to do with," Filthy reminded her before pointing to an outfit in the magazine, only for Tiara to shake her head. "I'm sure that we can clean whatever "filth" that they bring in. Besides, you seem to be the only one complaining about them being in here. Isn't that right, gents?"

The carriage pullers responded by all lifting their glasses in a toast to Filthy before they went back to their conversations. Spoiled sighed in defeat as she turned her gaze to the rest of the carriage, raising an eyebrow in surprise when she saw Ryu's bag laying in the corner, but the warrior was not resting against the wall like he usually was.

"Tiara, where is our fighter?" she asked Tiara.

"Where do you think, mom? He's out there training," Tiara replied before pointing to another outfit, one that made Filthy tilt his head in confusion. "And before you ask, no. I'm not going out there to get him. It's crazy out there. Only crazy ponies would go out in this weather."

"Well what if something happens to him out there? Like he catches a cold or he gets struck by lightning?" Spoiled asked, causing both Tiara and Filthy to look at her with some surprise with the level of concern she was showing. "Because if we lose him, then all of that promotion and our share of ticket sales will be gone! Imagine what would happen to our name if ponies came to see the rematch between him and the champion and we don't deliver. I would never be able to show my face in public again!"

Tiara and Filthy nodded to each other with relieved smiles, both glad that Spoiled sounded more like herself. Lightning crashed overhead with a boom loud enough to shake the entire carriage, causing all nine ponies to glance up at the sky with some concern.

"Maybe we should go check on him, just to be safe," Filthy agreed.

"Sure. Go right ahead. I'm not budging," Tiara stated as she snuggled into the couch.

"But dear, I thought you personally made yourself his trainer? And what kind of trainer would you be if you didn't check up on him?" Spoiled reminded her daughter, who gave her mother a nasty glare before she sighed in defeat and rose off of the couch.

"Dear, I can do it for you," Filthy tried to step in, but Diamond Tiara shook her head as she grabbed a coat off of the rack by the door.

"No dad, as much as I hate to admit mom is right, I am his trainer. I should probably go make sure he isn't doing something stupid," Tiara cut him off, before opening to door to the carriage to see a wall of rain blocking her rain. "Doesn't mean I have to like myself for doing this."

"Close the door! You're letting in water!"

Tiara stuck her tongue out at the carriage pullers before taking in a deep breath, gathering as much courage as she could before hurling herself into the storm. The rain beat down on her like she was a drum, but she forced herself to move into the blinding storm. She called out for Ryu, but quickly found that between the sounds of the rain and the thunder, her voice could barely be heard. She half considered just going back in for a moment before she saw a blast of blue energy fire into the sky.

'Of course Ryu would be practicing in these kind of conditions,' she thought to herself before she pushed herself onward into the storm. It took a few minutes of searching and two more hadoukens before she was finally able to locate the warrior among the rain. He was drenched to the core and he had removed the upper half of his gi, which she found in a puddle beside her hooves. His hair was in his eyes and with the intensity of the rain she couldn't see his face, but she was certain that it was the same stoic expression he always had.

"RYU! We need to get back inside!" she screamed at him, yet her voice was lost among the rain and thunder. She kicked Ryu in the leg to try to get his attention, yet if he noticed her he made no indication that he did. Instead he remained perfectly still, almost as if he was waiting for something. The sky then unleashed a bolt of lightning that came screaming down towards them. As soon as the bolt hit near them Ryu leapt back while moving one of his arms into the position Tiara had seen him perform many times.

"Hadouken!" Ryu roared over the rain and the thunder as he hurled his hadouken, but whatever he was aiming at was long gone before the attack had even left his hands. Tiara heard him growl in frustration as the attack sailed off into the rain, illuminating the clouds overhead for a brief moment. Yet the frustration left a moment later and he closed his eye once more, resuming his stance.

Diamond Tiara, who had been drenched to her very soul, had enough of waiting around in the rain, leapt up to Ryu and practically tackled his leg. She caught him in the back of the knee and caused the warrior to buckle slightly, finally gaining his attention. He glanced down at her and said something, but his voice was lost over the thunder that decimated the sky above them. Ryu's head snapped up towards the clouds once more and he brought back his arms, waiting a moment before firing another hadouken into the sky. A flash of lightning followed a few seconds after he threw the fireball, but another look of annoyance crossed his face.

"RYU! FOR THE LOVE OF FAUST COME INSIDE!" Tiara screamed at Ryu, who seemed to hear her words this time. He knelt down next to her and tilted his head so that an ear was facing her, causing an evil smile to cross Tiara's face as she took in a deep breath. But before she could roar into Ryu's ear the warrior scooped her up and dove to the side with her, getting her to scream as a bolt of lightning came down and decimated the spot where they had been standing.

'T-that was close,' she realized as she and Ryu both covered their ears, gritting their teeth as an earth shaking boom washed over them. "HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT THE BOLT WAS COMING?!" she screamed up at him. By the look of confusion that crossed Ryu's face, Tiara assumed that she didn't know either. Tiara gave up at that point and decided to head back to the carriage, but once more Ryu scooped her up into his arms.

"What's the matter?! Another bolt?!" she screamed as she turned her head to face him, but this time she saw that he was looking straight ahead into the rain storm. She followed his gaze but aside from the sheer volume of rain she couldn't see anything. Ryu slowly placed her down beside him, motion for her to stay there as he took up a fighting stance. Tiara was about to ask him what he was doing before something struck Ryu in the side of the head and sent him tumbling into the water below.

'What was that?!' Ryu thought as he rolled up to his feet, spinning around as he narrowed his eyes and stared into the rain for any sign of who had attacked him. Another blow stuck him in the back of the head and caused him to stagger, but this time he spun around and hurled a kick towards the spot where he had been attacked. He felt his toes brush against something that wasn't water, but whatever it was had gotten away from him before he could hit it.

'There's something in the rain. Something that I can't see,' Ryu figured as he kept his guard up, quickly glancing in all directions while also turning towards wherever he felt an attack would be coming from. He felt another strike catch him in the back of the leg, but this time he was ready for it. He forced himself to remaining standing before swinging a massive right hook into whatever had hit him. This time he only scored a glancing blow, but a small smile crossed his face as he felt his knuckles hit something solid.

'I'm figuring out where they are by where they strike me. A few more blows and I should be able to catch one of them with a real hit,' he deduced, tightening his muscles as he braced himself for the next blow to come. A blow like a hammer struck him in the back, but Ryu spun around the moment he felt the impact and drove his knee into whatever had been standing there. He felt the point of his knee hit home and whatever he had struck came crashing down into the water around his feet a second later.

"Got you," Ryu said before dashing forward and driving his fist down towards where the invisible foe had splashed. Yet his fist on struck water and rock, telling him that his foe had gotten up quicker than he had thought. Ryu resumed his fighters stance and waited for the next blow, but that next attack fell in a place that he was no ready for.

Ryu faintly heard a scream over the rain and thunder, causing him to turn to see that Tiara was being lifted up by the invisible foe. Ryu let out a cry before racing over towards her, only to be caught in the face by what felt like a fist. As he staggered back he felt another blow catch him in the shoulder, nearly knocking him to his knees.

'There are more than one of them,' he realized before a foot caught him in the nose, snapping his head back. Ryu then heard Tiara cry for help again before another fist slammed into the side of his head, blurring his vision. 'No, they're...going to take her. But why? Why would they-' Another kick to the head derailed that train of thought. 'It doesn't matter why. They want her and I have to stop them. But I can't see them...'

Ryu then glanced down at his own hand, seeing how the rain from the sky was bouncing off of it and causing a small outline around his hand. His brain began to move faster than ever before as he stood up once more, taking a deep breath as he forced himself to focus far harder than he had in a long time.

'I need to focus. I nee to focus far harder than I ever have in my life,' he thought, forcing himself to concentrate with a focus he had not yet mastered. He pierced the torrent of rain with his eyes, making himself look for any indicator of where his foes were. He stared at Tiara and the area around her, finding the faintest out line of something standing there.

"Got you," Ryu said before hurling himself forward, planting his fist right under the area that he hoped to be the creatures head.

"SHORYUKEN!" Ryu roared as he uppercutted with all of his might, blasting Tiara free of whatever was holding her while sending whatever had taken her flying into the sky. The creature splashed down a moment later, before slowly fading into reality and revealing a fish like creature with arms and legs. "So that is what took her," Ryu muttered before holding out a hand to catch Tiara.

Ryu then turned his gaze towards the other two invisible beings, now able to find them even in the torrents of rain. He saw their heads glance towards each other before they stepped back into the storm, vanishing from even Ryu's gaze after a few moments. Ryu stood silently in the rain, waiting for their sneak attack. But when it never came, he figured that they were gone.

"Do not worry, you are safe," he said to the filly, who clutched at his chest with fear. 'But I have never concentrated so hard in my life. But because she was in danger, I was forced to go beyond what I had learned from training...but how...she is safe. That is what is important.'

Ryu then walked over to his gi and picked up the soggy piece of cloth, figuring that it would do for washing the clothing. He slung it over his back before heading off towards where the carriage was parked, before casting one last glance at the fish creature he had knocked out. It was gone. Ryu pierced through the storm one last time before walking back towards the carriage, counting the day as a win.

"Those fish monsters!" Filthy roared with a rage Ryu didn't know he had within him after he and Tiara had returned to the carriage, explaining what had happened to her father and mother. "Those fish are know as petty thieves that hide alongside the coasts and cliffs, but to think that they would try to make off with MY daughter!"

"You did a good job of stopping them, Ryu," one of the carriage pullers said to Ryu, who was sitting next to the fire along with a Tiara wrapped in three layers of blankets. "Those Scalers as they're called are invisible in the water, even to pony magic. Finding them, let alone beating them, shows just how skilled you are."

Ryu nodded in reply, but he was far too lost in his own mind to answer. 'I was unable to find them with my own skill. Yet when I saw that Tiara was in danger I was finally able to see them. Could there be a connection...or did I break through one of my barriers due to being in a stressful situation?' Ryu was so far gone in his mind he didn't hear how filthy wanted to erect a statue in Ryu's honor or how even Spoiled said that he wasn't such a waste of space.

'But I have advanced. For the first time in what feels like years,' Ryu thought as he glanced down at his clenched fist, the tinniest of smiles crossing his face. 'It seems that the hermit was right. This land can help me become the warrior that I wish to become. Today was the first step. Now to take the next one.'

Over the Rainbow

"Hey Ryu, you know how they say that after rainstorm there's a rainbow, right?" Tiara asked before stifling a laugh, yet as Ryu gazed out the window at the land before him he found that even Tiara's bad joke couldn't take the smile off of his face. Dozens of rainbows hung in the sky with all of their colors glowing bright, while some bled into the ground and rivers to paint the land like a canvass.

"I will admit that I have never seen anything like this," Ryu replied as he stared up at the dozens of rainbows above him, having never seen so much color in the sky at once. "It brings a sense of optimism and peace to myself...and it is gorgeous to look at, of course."

"Well I'm glad to hear that you like it so much Ryu, because that's our next stop. Welcome to Rainbow Falls," Filthy informed Ryu as the carriage came to a dead stop. Tiara let out a laugh as she raced out the door, with her father right behind her. That left Ryu to slowly walk after them, ignoring Spoiled who also ignored him.

Ryu stepped off of the carriage to step in a puddle of the purest green, painting the bottom of his foot. He lifted it slightly to see his new paint job before a smile crossed his face, barely feeling irritated by the inconvenience. He spied Tiara and her father talking to numerous ponies holding cameras and figured that he should avoid them.

He spied a waterfall made of rainbow barreling into a pool in the distance, a smile crossing his face as an idea came to him. 'I've trained under many a waterfall, but I've never trained under a rainbow one. This should be fun.'

Ryu marched over to the waterfall and looked towards the top of it when he reached the base. Sprays of rainbow mist colored the air and the rainbow water caused even smaller rainbows to shine in the air around the pool. Ryu stuck a toe into the water to see that it was just as cold as all the other falls, not that the temperature of water bothered him all that much. He then lifted a foot, preparing to step into the lake.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Ryu turned his head towards the tree behind him to see a rainbow haired Pegasus resting in the tree, a mile on her face because she knew what was about to happen. "The rainbow in the water can be really nasty to get out of clothing. Trust me, I know. I accidentally dropped a friend's dress in there and had to spend a week cleaning it. That dress was black. Your outfit's white. I think you can figure out what happens next."

"Yes, I can. Thank you," Ryu said with a small bow before he took notice of her mane. "Does it also stain hair?"

The Pegasus looked up at her bangs before a her face turned red with rage. "No, this is my natural mane color!" she snarled with some heat as she hopped out of the tree, landing in front of Ryu and glaring up at him. While Ryu wasn't intimidated in the least, he did observe a little more about the mare that stared up at him. She had a cloud with a rainbow lightning bolt on her flank and he could see that her muscles were more defined than most that she had seen.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. I just saw the water and your hair and then assumed..."

"You assumed what? That I dunk my head in the water for fun? That I dye my mane?!"

"They have a rainbow colored dye? I do not know anyone that would want their hair to be a rainbow color...except perhaps Mika."

"You know, I would deck you for those insults if I wasn't going to deck you already," the Pegasus said with a smirk, while her words made Ryu lift an eyebrow in interest. "That's right, I know who you are. You're Ryu. You're the person who did what nopony else in all the land could do. You knocked Zangief on his ass. Something I've been trying to do for three years. Impressive."

"So you say," Ryu said in a dry tone before he turned and walked away from the Pegasus, only to come to a stop and spin around while in his fighting stance. "But I can tell from your tone and your eyes. You don't believe that I'm good enough to beat him. So you want to see just how good I actually am."

"Heh, that's pretty observant of you," the Pegasus replied as she stood up on her hind legs and threw out a few fast jabs with her forehooves. "No, I don't believe you have what it takes to beat Gief. I think you got lucky. Course, you can always prove me wrong."

"Enough talk. We'll let our fists decide this...er, hooves. Fight."

Faster than Ryu thought possible, the Pegasus launched herself forward and drove a hoof right into the gut of Ryu. He doubled over and clutched at his stomach, trying to process the speed at which the Pegasus had hit him with. Another blow connected with the back of his head which sent him tumbling, though he was fast enough to kick back up onto his feet.

"Having trouble keeping up? Don't worry, nopony can keep up with me," Ryu's foe taunted before she vanished in a burst of speed again, but this time Ryu was ready. He sensed her attack coming from the right and swung a punch out to intercept her...only to be struck in the back of the head a moment later. His right foot shot out to keep him from falling on his face, but when spun around he found the Pegasus resting in the tree.

"How...?"

"See, a few years ago, I was only concerned with being fast. Never really trained anything else," she admitted with a flippant tone before smirking at Ryu. "But after Gief kicked my flank for three years straight, I've been training more than my wings. I've been training my reflexes as well. Now not only am I the fastest pony in Equestria...but I have the fastest reactions as well. That punch of yours? Too slow."

The Pegasus vanished in another burst of rainbow speed, forcing Ryu to glance around to see where she'd appear next. He snapped his head to the side just in time to avoid a punch, but before he had the chance to counter attack a blow struck him in the knee and knocked his leg out from beneath him. Ryu slammed a fist into the ground to keep from falling over, snarling as he pushed himself back up.

"Fine. Use you're speed. I'll just draw you in. Tatsumaki," Ryu said before whirling in place, creating a vacuum as his body flashed with a yellow light. "SENPUKYAKU!"

Leaves were ripped off the trees, rainbow water was sucked out of the lake and even the ground itself was ripped up from the force of Ryu's attack. Yet even with all that might and power, when he came to a stop a moment later he realized that the Pegasus hadn't been sucked in. The sound of clapping overhead made him look up to see the Pegasus looking down at him, smirking while she clapped her hooves together slowly.

"Not bad, Ryu. Not bad. But after years of fighting Zangief, I've gotten really good at getting out of vortexs. Surprised you can flash yellow like him too, though. Might have to watch out for that," she muttered before landing across from Ryu, crouching down as every muscle in her body tensed up. "But I think I've seen enough. It's time to end this."

"No. You haven't seen anything yet," Ryu said in a deep voice as he crouched down, tucking a fist in as he felt his muscles tense as well. The Pegasus shot forward while shattering the air, while Ryu swung his fist up with a roar of, "SHORYUKEN!"

His fist collided with her jaw even as her hoof struck Ryu dead in the chest. The Pegasus was sent hurling into the air while Ryu was rocketed back. He slammed onto his back, causing pain to flood through his body. He forced himself to move beyond the pain as he picked himself up, just in time to take two hooves to the face. His head was driven into the ground, pain flooding his senses as the Pegasus wound up for a second blow.

Ryu raised his arm and blocked the attack, before driving his forehead right into her nose. She cursed before staggering back, giving Ryu a chance to hop to his feet and throw a roundhouse right at her side. Yet with the speed that he had no answer for, she caught the kick before giving Ryu a wicked grin. Then, with strength Ryu did not know she possessed, she swung the warrior around and threw him into the rainbow waters.

"HAHAHA! Look, we match now!" the Pegasus said as she cackled with laughter when Ryu pulled himself out of the water, his white gi now stained with the colors of the rainbow. "Man, I'd hate to be your tailor. It's going to take them a long time to get that out of your outfit."

"My master made this for me before I went off on my journey," Ryu said in a voice that was the calm before the storm, rising out of the water with his eyes covered in shadows.

"Well, maybe your master will now know not to give you a white outfit next time. Way too easy to stain," the Pegasi said with another laugh. "He must not be very bright."

"Do not mock my master," Ryu said in a voice unusually deep for him. Rainbow smirked in reply, yet in a flash Ryu was on her, fist brought back. She let out a yelp before tackling the warrior, bringing the both of them to the ground. She brought a hoof back just as Ryu went in for a strike.

"ENOUGH!"

Both the Pegasus and Ryu looked over to who had screamed to see Diamond Tiara standing next to the tree, a look of rage upon her face that Ryu did not know she could make. Neither pegasi nor warrior could move underneath of Tiara's menacing glare and as she marched over to the both of them they remained frozen in place while completely silent.

"I thought I told you Ryu, no fighting anypony in the tournament unless it is absolutely necessary!" Tiara roared at Ryu before rounding on the Pegasus with an equally rage filled stare. "And as for you Rainbow Dash, what the heck are you thinking attacking my fighter before the tournament?! Do you want to get banned like last year?!"

The pegasi winced at the filly's words before she hopped off of Ryu, brushing the grass off of her coat. Ryu picked himself up a moment later, physically calm but the thunder was still in his eyes as he glared at the Pegasus. Tiara looked up at down his gi before shaking her head with a sigh.

"It's a good thing that we're going to Ponyville. We can get that cleaned up for you there," she said to Ryu before turning with a glare to Dash. "And again. What? The hell?!"

"Relax kid, I was just testing out your fighter," Dash said with a shrug of her shoulders before smirking at Ryu. "He's not as good as I've heard though."

"The next time we fight-"

"You don't get it, do you? I was barely moving at half my speed during that fight," Dash informed Ryu, whose eyes widened slightly at her words. "And you couldn't keep up with me. How do expect to beat me when you can't keep up when I'm going easy on you? Simple answer. You can't. Good luck in the tournament, by the way. Seems you'll need it."

"Really? Well I hope you enjoy the bronze medal, Dash, because after you lose to Zangief again, Ryu's going to beat him and leave you with third place!" Tiara called after Dash, but the mare simply flicked her mane in response before kicking off the ground. She created a sonic boom a moment later and left the two looking up at her rainbow trail.

Both Tiara and Ryu watched Rainbow Dash take off with glares on their faces, before Ryu let his anger out in a sigh as he looked down at his rainbow stained gi. "So...who was that?"

"That was Rainbow Dash, the second best fighter in the whole world," Tiara explained with a shake of her head. "Sorry about her attitude. She was always competitive, but ever since Zangief showed up and piledrived her out of a tornado, she's been on a warpath to be the best. But every year at this tournament Zangief beats her. We don't know how, but he does. And Faust do the changelings lord it over us."

"She also swore to be the first to defeat Zangief. So now that you're here and you've shown that you can contend with him puts her victory at stake," Tiara continued, but Ryu wasn't really listening at that point. "But she is strong, I'll give her that. You'll have to be on your A game if-"

"She was right," Ryu admitted after a moment of silence, making Tiara raise an eyebrow at Ryu as he stared at his fist. "I could barely lay a hand on her. And if what she is saying is true, then she didn't even use half of her power to push me that far. If we were to fight at my current state..."

Ryu spun on his heels and marched off, leaving Tiara to call out to him and ask where he was going. But Ryu ignored her words as he walked through the town of Rainbow Falls, also ignoring the looks that the ponies were giving him. He only came to a stop when he found a place filled with trees and large rocks.

"I need to make myself faster," Ryu stated aloud before he ripped vines off of the trees and tied some of the rocks to them, hoisting them onto his back before he started to run. But as he sprinted through the hills and valleys a far more disturbing thought then he lack of speed came to him.

'He almost came out. The Satsui no Hado almost came out again,' Ryu swore with clenched teeth, the anger of what he had almost done making him sprint even faster. 'I need to get a hold of myself. I cannot allow even the slightest trace of the dark hado to emerge. Especially around Tiara. I need to stay in control. I am stronger than the dark hado...I am.'

Prep Work

"Okay, so the first thing that you need to know about Rarity is that she can be a little eccentric. No, a lot eccentric. She's the biggest drama queen I know. But that doesn't make her bad," Tiara promised Ryu as the two of them walked through the streets of Ponyville. Ryu occasionally glanced around at the small town, nodding to the ponies that recognized him and waved. He also gave glares to the ponies that snickered at his rainbow colored gi. "She's just hard to deal with at times. But if you're patient, which heaven knows you are, then she's a nice pony."

"The sooner she can get my gi returned to its original color, the better," Ryu said with a bit of anger in his tone, something that Tiara had rarely heard in Ryu's voice. He then switched his bag over to his left shoulder before narrowing his eyes. "I wish to begin my training to defeat Rainbow Dash as soon as I can."

"Um, sure. We can do that too," Tiara promised as the two approached a massive building, one that looked like a carousel. Tiara winked to Ryu before tapping her hoof against the door, stepping back a good distance from the door afterwards. "She was never really into the whole fighting thing, so while most ponies are in Canterlot for the tournament, she generally stays here."

As if she heard her name being spoken, Rarity threw open the door a moment later and stepped out of the building. Ryu quickly glanced her over, finding her to have more makeup and product in her mane than other ponies, but other than that he couldn't see how she was that much different than others.

"Ah, you've been to Rainbow Falls, haven't you?" Rarity asked Ryu after she glanced at his outfit. "There's only one place those stains come from. No need to introduce yourself darling, there isn't a soul in Equestria who doesn't know who you are. Nice to see you as well, Diamond Tiara. Took a dip in the falls, huh?" Ryu nodded curtly in reply, before Tiara stepped forward.

"Yeah, he ran into Dash at the Falls and she kinda kicked him into a pool of rainbow water. We're here so that-"

"Don't worry darling, I can get those stains out of that gi no problem," Rarity said before giving the gi another look. "Of course, with an outfit as old and worn out as that it might just be easier for me to make a new one instead. If you want darling, I can throw that out and-"

"No," Ryu said with such finality that Rarity shut up on the spot. "I wish for my gi to be returned to the way it was. If you cannot do that, then I will go elsewhere."

"Oh...I see," Rarity said in a slightly meeker tone, before moving to the side to allow the two of them to enter. Ryu walked into the boutique and glanced around before finding a chair and sitting down on it. Rarity wrapped an arm around Tiara and pulled her close so that Ryu couldn't hear her words. "He seems like quite the insufferable fellow. How have you put up with him for so long?"

"He's normally not like this," Tiara whispered in reply, casting a glance at Ryu to see that he sat with his arms crossed and eyes closed. But it was clear to her that the only thought on his mind was his battle with Dash and what she had said to him. "He's actually really nice. He's just been in a bad mood since Rainbow Dash beat him."

"She did not defeat me," Ryu cut in, causing the two to yelp as his eyes snapped open. "I had not begun to fight her. The next battle will be different, I promise you that."

"That's quite the hearing you have," Rarity said with a nervous chuckle before she approached Ryu, eyes glancing over the gi...and then his arms. "Good Faust they're like boulders. Er, what I mean is, it might take a while for me to remove the stains from your gi. If you do not have anything else to wear, I can always make something for you. Perhaps something that brings out your...features more."

Ryu stood up without a word and grabbed his bag, walking into another room and shutting the door behind him. Tiara and Rarity shared a look as a minute passed before Ryu emerged again, wearing an outfit so hideous that Rarity nearly passed out on the spot.

The outfit was a yellow tank top, a pair of black shorts with green highlights and a skull cap that was of the most vivid purple. Even Diamond Tiara winced upon looking at the outfit, while Rarity straight up puked into one of her trash bags. Ryu threw his folded up gi at Rarity's hooves, before walking out of the store without another word.

"I'll be paying for the cleaning cost. And about the gi...it's all that he has left from his master. That's why he cares o much for it," Diamond Tiara said with a nervous smile, before turning and taking off after the warrior. That left Rarity to pick up the gi and glance over it, shaking her head at both the colors and the shape it was in.

"Dear me, if this matters so much to him you would think that he would take better care of it," Rarity pouted before her gaze softened. "But if it was from one that he cared so much for, I could see why he'd want it repaired. Alright Ryu, I will have this returned to normal before the day is done."

→↓↘ + P

Tiara lost track of Ryu for a little while, but fortunately for her there weren't that many humans walking around Equestria. After asking a couple of townsfolk, she found Ryu standing in the middle of the diamond quarry. He had strapped numerous rocks to his body and was now practicing his moves while under an amount of weight that Tiara was certain would crush her.

"So you want to tell me that was about?" Tiara asked Ryu as she approached him. Ryu said nothing in reply and instead threw a kick over his head, his leg not shaking despite the twin, massive rocks that were strapped to his feet. He then hopped to his other foot and threw out another kick, holding it in the air over his head before changing legs again.

"I know you can hear me. Please tell me that your little hissy fit back there was because you lost a fight?" Tiara asked and while Ryu gave no answer, she could see from the way his eyes burned that she had discovered the cause. "You've got to be kidding me. You're upset because you lost a fight? Newsflash, everypony loses at some point in their lives. You've lost, the Ambassadors have lost, Dash has certainly lost and even Zangief was defeated once or twice. Granted, it was because a psychopath stole his body, but that's besides the point..."

"I cannot allow myself to lose. I must be the best," Ryu curtly replied before slamming his feet into the dirt and throwing out punches, each one so fast that Tiara had to wonder if the rocks were weighing him down at all.

"Okay, I get wanting to be the best you can be. It's a good goal, everypony should have it. But seriously, being upset by a single loss? That's a bit too much, even for me," Tiara said with a bit of heat, which grew into Rage when Ryu ignored her. She let out a sigh of frustration before she walked over and sat down in front of Ryu, so that she had no choice but to look at her.

"Why do you fight?" Tiara asked Ryu, who stopped swinging his arms long enough to glance down at the filly.

"I told you. I seek the meaning in battle."

"Yeah yeah, nice and philosophical. But what I'm asking is, why do you, as a person, fight so hard? Is it because your master beat it into you that you had to be the best? Is it because that you want to prove your fighting techniques to the world? Or is it simply that you found it fun?" Tiara asked Ryu. She expected to be ignored or another curt answer in reply, but to her surprise Ryu hung his head slightly for a moment before answering.

"Because fighting is all I have. And if I'm not the best at that...the I have nothing."

'I...don't know how to respond to that,' Tiara thought, wondering what exactly Ryu meant. But despite her asking a few different times, Ryu remained silent as he continued to train. Figuring that she wasn't going to get anything else out of him about his reason for fighting, she decided to try a different route. "So, what's up with that outfit? I mean, that looks way beyond anything that you'd wear."

"You are correct. My closest friend, essentially my brother, got this for me. He thought it would be funny to see someone as serious as me wearing an outfit like this," Ryu said with a small smirk upon his face. "He always did enjoy pranking me. My fear of spiders actually comes from him. He stuck one in my mouth when I was sleeping. Terrified me when I awoke."

"Hah, you're lucky to have somepony you're close enough too to consider them a brother. Everypony I've ever talked to either hated me or sucked up to me," Tiara said with a small grumble, turning Ryu's gaze onto the filly. "Wasn't always the nice little filly that you see before you. I used to be a real jerk. Sometimes I can still be."

"Was that from your mother's side of the family?"

"Okay, one: ouch. Second, you're right. She was the one that taught me to act like her. Took a long time before I finally saw the error of my ways and turned into this saint you see before you," she said to Ryu with a beaming smile, one that made Ryu slightly smile in reply. "But I know were you're coming from, wanting to be the best. I wanted to be the best for a long time as well. But I thought that by belittling others would make me seem that much greater. Didn't work."

"It never does."

"So yeah, for a long time, I was alone. I mean, I had ponies that hung out around me, but they weren't my friends," Tiara said as she lost herself in memories, most of them bad. "But then thanks to three fillies, I managed to change. I managed to cast off the pony that I thought I was destined to be and instead became the pony that I wanted to be. And I've never looked back since that day."

"I see...you were able to overcome your demon and rise even greater. So there is hope..." Ryu muttered to himself so that Tiara couldn't hear him, before he smiled bitterly and cut the rocks free of his body. "You are right Tiara, I have been acting...immature today. And I have put you and others through unnecessary hardship. I apologize."

"Um, it's fine Ryu. You don't have to bow like that," Tiara said as she nervously rubbed the back of her head, annoyed slightly by how low Ryu was bowing to her. "Come on, stop it!"

Ryu rose back up with a smile on his face, before turning his gaze and staring off at the castle resting upon the mountain that loomed over them. 'In a few days, I will finally fight the best that this world has to offer. And I will finally see what all of my training has been for.'

"Hey Ryu, I know you want to train, but there are a few places that I'd like to visit in Ponyville real quick," Tiara asked Ryu, who nodded to her. "Thanks. Been on the road for over three months and haven't seen much of my home. Want to meet a few friends and see how things are going."

"Certainly. I do not mind if...actually, go one without me. I will catch up."

Tiara shrugged before heading off on her own, leaving Ryu standing alone in the quarry. But he wasn't as alone as one would think.

"I was wondering if I would see you again," Ryu spoke to the quarry, even though there was no one standing with him. "I know that you are there. I am beginning to sense whenever you are around."

"That just shows that you are getting stronger. Better. More useful," the voice of the hermit said from behind Ryu, but when he glanced around behind him he saw no one there. "But just because you can sense me does not mean that you are yet at your maximum potential. There are still a few trials more that you must overcome first."

"Care to tell me what those trials are?" Ryu asked.

"You will find out during the tournament. I am expecting many great things from you, Ryu. Try not to disappoint me."

The silence that followed the hermits words told Ryu that he was gone, but Ryu did begin to ponder what trials the hermit had in store for him. 'He cannot simply mean Rainbow Dash and Zangief. While formidable, they are trials I can overcome with my current skills...I believe. He must mean something else. I must be on my guard.'

Ryu then turned and followed after where Tiara had walked, heading into the town only to find a large crowd of ponies gathered around a stand. Being taller than all of them, Ryu glanced over their heads to see what they were so interested in...only to sigh before he waded through the sea of horses and reach the stand, which was being run by Filthy and Tiara.

"I thought that I said no merchandise," Ryu said to Filthy, who smiled up at Ryu with a red headband that was similar to Ryu's resting on his head.

"Ryu, you said that you did want to wear any of my material. You never said anything about not selling stuff based on you," Filthy replied with a laugh. "Now if you want to sign our contract..."

"I swear I didn't know he was going to do this either," Tiara said with pure honesty when Ryu gave her a look.

"Come on Ryu, there's just excited to support the one fighter that has the best chance of beating Zangief" Filthy informed Ryu, before motioning to all of the ponies that were standing around them. "Is there anything wrong with being a symbol that so many fans look up to?"

Ryu opened his mouth to answer, but before he could a group of foals and their parents approached him. They held up posters of Ryu, all sold to them by Filthy, that they wanted him to sign. Ryu cast Filthy a glare, before his gaze softened and he took one of the posters from the foals. He quickly wrote his masters symbol upon it and handed it back to the now beaming foal.

'Perhaps there is nothing wrong with being looked up to,' Ryu figured as his fans swarmed around him. 'I just hope that I do not let them or myself down. I must win.'

The Rematch

"...and that building over there is where the greatest chefs in all of Equestria will gather to cook food for the contest," Filthy explained as he pointed towards a large structure that was shaped like a cake. Ryu nodded before glancing to his side to see dozens of sets of eyes staring up at him with awe and wonder. He waved slightly to the ponies gazing up at him and they went wild.

"It is strange to be so well known, especially on an alien world," Ryu muttered to himself as he leaned on the carriages railing, while his words got a laugh out of Filthy before the stallion patted Ryu on the back.

"Well, you're Equestria's only hope," he reminded Ryu with a smile, yet his eyes showed that he was far away. "After all, no pony, dragon or other creature stands any chance of defeating Zangief. All have tried and all have failed, thus the changelings are the champions of the world. But with you, Equestria finally has a chance. We can bring an end to their tyranny before they can build a dynasty. That is why they look up at you with such hopeful eyes, Ryu."

"I do not know how I feel being so...adored. All I wish for is to improve myself," Ryu said softly to himself, but Filthy Rich still heard what he said and nodded.

"That is what I like about you Ryu, more than your ability to draw in money for me. It's that you only seek self improvement, to rise above where others decide where you should be and stand atop the mountain, above all those who sought to bring you down," Filthy said with a nod, his eyes similar to Ryu's for a second. Ryu raised an eyebrow through his headband and motioned for Filthy to continue, but with a sly smile the stallion winked. "Story for another time, my dear friend. Right now your only thought should be on the battles that you are going to have."

"The sixteen best fighters in the world, that is what I was told," Ryu repeated, getting a nod from the stallion. "I know already of Zangief and Rainbow Dash, but there are still thirteen others that I have not heard of."

"Well they aren't important right now," Filthy muttered as a massive shadow covered the carriage, causing Ryu to look up to see a massive stadium rising over their heads. It reminded Ryu of the massive coliseums that they had back in his world, but with all forms of life pouring into it. "Yep, that's where you'll be fighting in the tournament. The greatest tournament the world has ever seen."

"Yes..." Ryu agreed before he glanced down at his fist, remembering how helpless he had been when faced with Rainbow's speed. Filthy noticed the change in expression upon Ryu's face and slapped him on the shoulder, a small smile on his face.

"Hey, no real pressure. I know I said all that stuff about only hope for Equestria and all that, but honestly...after saving my daughters life, you don't owe me anything. I'm in your debt if anything."

Ryu glanced at the stallion for a long moment, before a thin smile creased Ryu's lips as well. "You are not like the other men of money that I know. Despite your business like demeanor, you have a soul beneath all that gold."

"Yeah, you can thank Tiara for that. She really does bring out the best in me. My princess is the star of my life after all," Filthy said with a shrug before pulling out a bag of bits and waving in front of Ryu's face. "And considering how I owe you for saving her life, I figure I should start with this."

Ryu waved away the bag, but Filthy would not be told no. He tried to place the bits into Ryu's hands, but Ryu tightened his fist. Filthy tried to pry them open, but after a few attempts he gave up, figuring that not even alicorn magic would be able to pry those hands open. Ryu figured he would give up after that, but when the warrior wasn't looking Filthy slipped the bag into Ryu's belt.

"I appreciate the offer, but for the last time: no," Ryu said with finality in his voice when he discovered the bag, pulling it from his bag and pushing it back to Filthy.

"I always repay my debts, Ryu. That is how I'm such a good business pony," Filthy retorted as he tried to find another opening, but Ryu wasn't giving him any.

"If the two of you are done playing "no you go first", I could use that money."

Both Ryu and Filthy looked behind them to see Spoiled walking out of the door to the carriage, joining the two of them on the already cramped front of the carriage.

"How is Tiara doing?" Filthy asked.

"She's fast asleep. She's still very tired out from the ordeals she suffered over the past week," Spoiled snarked while turning her nose up at both her husband and Ryu. Ryu slightly narrowed his eyes while Filthy simply sighed. "Judging by the smile on Ryu's face, I take it that you didn't tell him the news."

"I was going to wait until we got to the stadium first," Filthy replied, but another look from his wife silenced him.

"What news" Ryu asked.

"You didn't know? We've found out the brackets and who you will be going up against first," Spoiled said with a look that Ryu couldn't read, one that looked like both disdain and concern. "And your first opponent in this tournament will be Rainbow Dash."

Ryu felt his fist tighten at the mention of the mares name, his mind flashing back to their battle a few days prior. Her speed was impressive, that much he could not deny, but Ryu knew that there had to be a hole in her defense or an area that she could be bested in. She was far too arrogant to not make any mistakes.

"Tiara told me about how she kicked you up and down the Rainbow Falls," Spoiled continued, snapping Ryu out of his thoughts and turning his attention to the mare once more. "And with a performance like that, it is hard for me to believe that you'll be able to keep your end of the bargain and fight Zangief in the finals. All you'll be doing is disappointing all those ponies who've come to believe in you."

"That's enough dear, Ryu doesn't need that kind of pressure," Filthy tried to butt in, but Ryu held out a hand to silence him before he glared down at Spoiled with a look that made her back away from the warrior.

"Rainbow Dash insulted someone who is very important to me. She embarrassed me and made a mockery of my masters teachings," Ryu said in a voice so calm that it terrified Spoiled far more than any amount of shouting ever would. "I promise you that I will not lose to her a second time. I WILL defeat her."

"Okay," Spoiled said with a slight whimper. Before the situation could escalate any further, the carriage came to a stop at the base of the stadium. Without a word Ryu hopped off of the carriage and walked off on his own, pulling out a folded up map of Canterlot that Tiara had given him the other day in case he got lost. What he needed at the moment was a quiet place to train, to prepare for his rematch with the rainbow haired mare tomorrow.

He followed the map until he found a small garden, one with numerous statues that made Ryu raise an eyebrow as he walked past them. But they were quickly forgotten when Ryu found an open area free of distractions or those who could annoy him. He placed the map back inside of his gi before closing his eyes and placing his hands close to one another, feeling the power of his energy flowing into his hands. He then tightened his focus and felt the dark hado begin to flow into the hadouken as well, forming the Metsu Hadouken.

Then he went beyond the Metsu. He began to pour more of his dark hado into the fireball, turning it from purple to a sickly black. He felt his skin crawl as the dark power began to crawl up his arm, but the warrior did not break his focus. Not until he felt the very presence of the demon on his back. Ryu then snapped his eyes open and hurled the hadouken into the sky. But the power that he had fused to the fireball caused it to dance around in the sky before finally exploding in a blast of dark energy.

'I see. If I pour more of the dark hado into my attacks than I can handle, it causes them to lose both their power and form,' Ryu realized as he started to pant heavily, just realizing how tired he was after that one attack. 'Not to mention the toll on my body is far greater than I would believe. But if I cannot access that power, then how can I hope to defeat Zangief?...How can I hope to defeat Rainbow Dash? Even my greatest attacks are too slow to tag her. Have I truly reached my limit?'

Ryu then locked himself inside of his mind, trying to find the solution to his problem. Yet while the answers never came, his train of thought was broken up when he heard the sound of wings flapping behind him. He turned his head to see the two alicorns that he recognized from the one hundred being battle, where he had fought Gief.

"You must be Princesses Celestia and Luna. Diamond Tiara has told me about you two," Ryu said as he turned to face them before bowing his head.

"And we have hear just as much about you, Ryu," Celestia said with a bow of her own head, while her sister Luna followed suit. "You are the Wandering Warrior. The fighter that has taken our world by storm. The only one, if my sources are to be believed, that stands any chance of dethroning Zangief."

"I will admit, it has been a long time since our world has been taken by such a storm," Luna added with a polite chuckle before she walked over to Ryu, looking up and down him before resting her eyes upon his arms. "May I?" she asked, waiting until Ryu nodded before poking his biceps. "Wow, those could break diamond."

"While I appreciate the...kind words, I am trying to train. May I ask why the two of you have interrupted me?" Ryu asked, before he caught his tone and bowed once more. "I am sorry. I do not mean to be rude, but I have a lot on my mind."

"You are preparing for tomorrows fight. You need all the concentration you can get," Celestia said as she waved away the apology with a wave of her hoof. "And honestly, while we don't wish to add any additional pressure, "I would love to see you defeat Zangief."

"Not that we have anything against him of course. He did save our world. But it's more we want to see the look on Chrysalis's face when he finally looses," Luna finished for her sister before returning to poking Ryu's arms. "I take it you've met her?"

"Yes, I have met her."

"It's just a friendly rivalry. She has gotten a lot more...manageable in the past couple of years," Celestia said with a small laugh before bowing again to Ryu. "Well, thank you for taking the time out of your training to meet with us. I do enjoy getting to know those who will be fighting before the actual match. But I will say Ryu, that if anypony stands a chance of defeating Zangief, it is you. Come sister, it is time we visited the others."

"Sister, have you felt his arms? They're completely solid," Luna said to Celestia, before a look from the elder sister caused Luna to sigh. "Seriously, how does one get their muscles like that?" Luna asked before she and her sister took off. Ryu watched them go, not feeling any better from what they had said to him.

'Even the rulers of this land are expecting me to win. I have not had this much pressure upon me since I needed to defeat Bison,' Ryu thought as he glanced down at his fist, which was still tinged with dark energy. He then tightened his hand into a fist and shook his head. 'I cannot get caught up in winning. I seek to improve myself, not to win at any cost. I will not go down that path.'

→↓↘ + P

The roar of the crowd was deafening as hundreds of thousands of attendants screamed with anticipation for what was about to go down. The day had been made especially sunny by the pegasi that controlled the weather and Celestia had been sure to make the sun at the perfect temperature, so that nopony would complain about the heat during the fight. Even Chyrsalis, who sat with Celestia and Luna in the princesses booth couldn't complain about the weather. Not that she wouldn't find other things.

"Ah, here are our seats," Filthy said to his family and the plus fours as they reached a box reserved for V.I.P's, ushering in his wife, Diamond Tiara and her four friends. "No pushing now, there's plenty of room for everypony."

"Wow, I've never had seats this good at a tournament before!" Scootaloo exclaimed with amazement as she leaned out of the box, gazing down at all of the ponies beneath her. "This is so cool!"

"Yeah, thanks again for inviting us," Applebloom thanked Tiara, who smiled proudly.

"Well, it's the least I could do for my bestest friends," she replied as she sat down in her seat, with Silver Spoon sitting beside her on one side and Sweetie Belle taking up the other. "And it's only right that my friends have the best seats in the house to see the defeat of Zangief at the hands of my fighter."

"Ryu, right? The warrior that has been beating every fighter in the world?" Silver Spoon asked, her eyes going wide when Tiara nodded. The silver filly let out a squeal before pulling out a poster of the warrior (sold to her by Filthy). "Do you think he'll sign this? I'm such a huge fan of his!"

"If I ask him to, he probably will."

While the spectators got ready for the days matches with excitement and cheers, one warrior sat in the locker rooms in the back completely ignorant of the cheering and screams. Ryu sat in a kneeling position, with his hands on his knees and eyes closed. He was lost within his own mind, focusing on his single fight with Rainbow Dash. He did not allow emotion to rule his thoughts, but he instead planned out each and every possibility that might happen. And how to counter them.

'Her speed is her greatest attribute. If I can clip her wings, then she will have to fight me at my speed. And then the battle is mine,' Ryu eventually concluded, his plan on how to fight the mare coming together at last.

"Hey. We're up."

Ryu cracked open his eyes and looked up to see Rainbow standing over him, while the clock on the wall showed that three hours had passed since he had begun to meditate. Without a word he rose up and followed Dash to the entry point, able to hear the crowd roaring both his and Rainbow's name. Ryu bowed slightly to her, but she marched on ahead without so much as a glance at the warrior. Ryu frowned slightly before following her out.

"And now for the match you've all been waiting for! The Rainbow Blur, the fastest in Equestria, versus the warrior that has taken our world by storm! The warrior that managed to pull a double knockout against Zangief himself! Ponies and everything else, put your appendages together for the Wandering Warrior...RYU!"

The crowd went bombastic at the introduction of Ryu, who glanced at all of them with slightly humbled eyes. He also spied Gief sitting in the box with the princess and Chrysalis, with a changeling slightly smaller than Chrysalis at his side.

"Hey, eyes on your opponent," Dash said to Ryu, turning his gaze back towards her. "So are you ready, tough guy? Because the world is going to see that your fight with Gief was a fluke. And how that I'm the only one that will defeat him."

Ryu didn't say anything in reply. All he did was slide his foot out, extend one arm with his hand angled up while tucking the other arm just under his ribs. He then lowered his head slightly before snapping his eyes open, focusing all of his concentration on the mare.

"Alright! On your marks...get set...FIGHT!"

Demon

Ryu hated awakening like this. With a sickening feeling in his gut that something terrible had happened and that he had been the cause of it. But as he felt consciousness return to him, that was the feeling that clawed at his stomach. A feeling that he knew all too well.

Ryu cracked open his eyes to find himself staring at a ceiling. With a grunt he sat up in bed to find himself in a backroom that housed only the bed that he was resting upon and a single chair, a chair occupied by a man that was five times larger than the actual seat. Zangief was fast asleep and as Ryu did not want to wake him, he glanced down at his body to find that his wounds had been bandaged in a sloppy manner.

Ryu swung his feet over the side and hopped out of bed, but the moment his feet hit the floor Zangief snapped his eyes open and lunged out of the chair. Ryu had just time to widen his eyes before Gief tackled him to the ground, pinning Ryu with a massive boot as Zangief wound up a fist that was aimed right at Ryu's face. But the two locked eyes and for a brief moment, Zangief didn't move. He then removed his foot and backed off, holding out a hand to Ryu.

"Thanks. What was that about?" Ryu asked Zangief after he grabbed Zangief's hand and was pulled to his feet. "You attacked me as if your life depended on it...what happened?"

Zangief did not answer right away and instead glanced to his side, staring out the window at the city on the other side. Ryu raised an eyebrow at Gief before he felt his hand itch, but when Ryu lifted his fist to scratch it, but his eyes went wide when he saw his fist was drenched with dried blood. The sickening feeling returned to Ryu, who gazed up at Gief with wide eyes, the pieces falling into place.

"Zangief...please...tell me what happened."

Gief did not answer, but instead motioned for Ryu to follow him. Ryu followed Zangief out of the small room and down a long hallway, which Ryu quickly found out was a back room for a hospital. Zangief pushed open a pair of large doors and walked into a room that was too small for him, with Ryu glancing around Gief's frame to find the sign in to a hospital.

The ponies eyes widened when they saw Zangief and for a moment some of them approached him, but then their expressions turned to ones of horror when they laid their eyes upon Ryu. Some ponies fled for their lives, other cowered in fear and others snarled at him with clear intention to fight.

'These looks...these reactions...they are terrified of me. And there could only be one reason that they would be so afraid,' Ryu deduced before he slightly shook his head, guilt tearing him apart on the inside. The two moved on in silence, with noponies bothering to interfere with them until they reached one of the recovery rooms. Ryu reached for the door to enter, but Gief placed a hand upon Ryu's shoulder and shook his head. He then beckoned the warrior to the glass, where Zangief looked through with sad eyes. Ryu followed Zangief's gaze and was struck dumb by what he saw.

Rainbow Dash was laying in a bed, but she was drenched in blood and her chest was completely covered in a cast. One of her wings were being held up by a contraption, but Ryu found only a bloody stump where her other wing was supposed to be. Ryu glanced from the stump to the blood upon his hand, clenching both his hand and his eyes as he put the pieces together.

Numerous other ponies were in the room with Dash, but none of them glanced at the glass. All of their eyes were too full of tears to see the one responsible for the tragedy was on the other side of the glass. Zangief placed another hand on Ryu's shoulder, escorting him out of the hallway and then out of the hospital. Once outside Ryu found the Rich's awaiting for him on a park bench, but unlike before they all kept their distance when he approached.

"Zangief...I succumbed to the hado again, didn't I?" Ryu asked, but the truth was clear to Ryu already. Gief's silence answered for him, but after a moment Ryu let out a bellow that terrified all of Canterlot before he fell to his knees and slammed his fists into the ground. His whole body shook with rage at himself, as he silently cursed his own weakness.

"Ryu...I thought you had it under control," Zangief asked Ryu, not bothering to lower his voice. Tiara and her family turned their ears towards the Russian, who crossed his arms and shook his head at Ryu. "You told me the last time we met that you were starting to get a hold of the Dark Hado. That you could even tap into its power to fuel you. What has changed? How could you allow yourself to fall so far?"

"Because...I'm so weak," Ryu whispered in response, staying down in the dirt where he felt he belonged. "After what Dash said to me...after what she said about my master, I wanted to beat her so badly. I wanted to prove to her that my masters teachings were not flawed. That I was the fighter that he believed me to be. So when she was about to defeat me...I gave into the darkness. I wanted so badly to win."

"So you gave in. You risked her life and the lives of those around you, just to win," Gief said with what sounded like bitter disappointment in his voice. "You are better than that, Ryu. You do not need this cheap, evil power to be strong. You are already one of the strongest fighters that I know."

"But I have to be stronger...strong enough to make Gouken proud," Ryu whispered, causing Zangief to sigh once more.

"I have tended to your wounds friend and I have spoken with the princesses, explaining some of what happened. They will not try to kill you or harm you, but...they no longer wish for you to be in Canterlot. Near anypony, actually, unless I am with you."

"I see. Thank you for all that you've done for me," Ryu said with understanding as he stood up, extending a hand towards Gief. "They are correct though. I am too dangerous to be around anypony. It is best that I travel alone."

"I...I don't understand," Tiara butted in a weak tone, causing both Ryu and Zangief to lift their heads towards the filly. She took a step forward towards Ryu, but her father grabbed her and pulled her back. "What happened to you? The Ryu that I've come to know would ever do that to another pony, no matter how badly he wanted to win. What happened to you out there?"

Ryu and Zangief shared a look, before Gief nodded and left the four alone to discuss. Ryu crossed his legs and sat down, the guilt still burning in his eyes. He lifted a hand and summoned a small fraction of his power to form a hadouken. Then he narrowed his eyes and the sphere turned purple.

"The Satsui No Hado. The surge of murderous intent. The darkness that you saw consume me...after I lost to Dash," Ryu admitted as he clenched his fist and caused the power to vanish. "It is the curse that comes with follow the teachings of Hado, such I as have. It is power, plain and simple, a power that none who face it can hope to match. It is strong enough to sink islands, to obliterate your foes or do the impossible."

"But as with all great powers, it come with a terrible price. The soul of the ones that uses it. They lose all their morals, all of their ideals and become a demon that only seeks combat and bloodshed," Ryu whispered as he gazed down at his bloody hand. "To give into that power is to give into violence itself. It is a power that I have battled with all of my life, yet I have not always successfully fought it back. When consumed by it, I become a near unstoppable monster, capable of almost anything. Was it Zangief that stopped me?"

Ryu hung his head when Tiara nodded, doing his best not to think of what would have happened had Gief not been there. "It the battle that I have fought every day of my life. Every day I can feel the pull of the Dark Hado, feeling as it tries to drag my soul down where it took my master's brother. But up until recently, I had been fighting it off...you said in the spider's lair Tiara, that I looked like a man possessed? That is because I was. Possessed by a power that I fear is gaining hold over me."

"Ryu..." Tiara whispered with horror in her voice as she shook off her father's hoof, taking a few steps forward towards the warrior. "Is there anything we can do to help you? Have the Ambassadors use their powers on you and banish this evil from your soul?"

"Believe me, I have tried almost everything. But there are only three ways that this can end for me," Ryu said in a dead whisper that made the Rich's back away from him slightly. "I defeat the Satsui no Hado and destroy it once and for all, finally reaching the point my master wanted me to. The Satsui no Hado consumes me and turns me into a monster far more dangerous than what you saw in that arena. Or I am killed and the hado is kept from overcoming me. And after what I have done, I am starting to think that the third option might just be the best option for everyone."

"No...you can't do that," Tiara whispered to Ryu. Ryu smiled at her kindness before he rose to his feet and began to walk away from them. "Where are you going?"

"To the mystical forest. If there is anyone in this land who can help me overcome the darkness within, it will be the elder that lives there," Ryu said in a voice that was half defeated. Ryu saw the question that was forming on Tiara's lips and he shook his head before she could utter it. "No, Tiara. I am far too dangerous to have you go with me. It is clear now that I cannot hope to hold off the Dark Hado. I will not risk your lives to help me battle this darkness. This is my battle."

Ryu then began to walk away from the ponies, not bothering to seek out his bag filled with his belongings. Then Filthy Rich stepped forward and cleared his throat, getting Ryu to turn around to face the stallion.

"Then I will go with you," he said with a strength that Ryu had never seen in his eyes before.

"As I said, it is far too dangerous for you to go with me. I will only harm you in the long run," Ryu reminded Filthy. "You have a family. You have a wife and daughter that-"

"Is only alive because of you," Filthy finished for Ryu, with a tone that was powerful enough to temporarily silence Ryu. "I know what I saw in the arena three days ago Ryu. I saw a destructive force the like of which Equestria has only faced a hoofful of times. But I also know what I saw when we traveled with you. I saw a kind man who always tried to help those that needed it and was always willing to be a friend. And if you are telling me that I have to watch the man that saved my daughter and rescued my family from debt go and fight a demon that seeks to consume his soul all on his own...then you must think little of me if you believe that I'll stand by and watch."

"Filthy, your family-"

"This is my decision, Ryu. Saving my daughter has placed me into your debt. A debt that I will never be able to repay, but one that I will do my best to," Filthy said with complete conviction as he stared up at Ryu, who found the strength of the ponies words surprising. "I am a grown stallion that can make his own decisions and this is what I have decided. You did not abandon us when we faced our demons, so I will be there when you face yours."

"Same with me," Diamond Tiara agreed as she ran up beside her father, glaring up at Ryu with a look he had gotten used to. "You're our fighter. That means we take care of you whenever you need help. But more importantly, you're our friend. And that means we'd face an army of demons alongside you. Don't try to get rid of us, because you can't."

Ryu glance down at the two of them, trying to think of something that would cause them to see how dangerous he was, how it would be best if they left him alone. But he could see in their eyes their conviction and strength, a strength that he could not hope to bring down with words alone. He then held up a fist and felt no trace of the Dark Hado flowing through his veins.

'It will be a while before it truly returns. And if I cannot get them to see the folly of their words, then it would be best to have them with me during this grace period,' Ryu figured as he tightened his fist, making a silent vow to himself. 'But I feel myself slipping against its power for even a moment, especially with them around, then I will take the only option left for me. I have to keep them safe above all else.'

"Very well," Ryu agreed after a moment of silence, before holding up a hand. "But only if am I kept as far away from you as possible during this trip. And I also want the two of you to promise me, if you see me begin to give in, that you will kill me without a moments hesitation."

The filly and stallion stared up at him with wide eyes, but from the stare Ryu was giving them they saw how serious he was. They both nodded weakly, yet Ryu was still uncertain if this was the right decision. 'But each second I wait around here debating is another moment the Dark Hado gets stronger. I need to find the elder as soon as possible.'

"We agreed to your terms Ryu, but I have a term of my own," Filthy said. "I want you to promise that you will not try to tackle this demon by yourself. You have us there to support you. You are our friend. And we will help you in anyway that we can."

"Very well, I agree to your terms...my friends. Now let us go. We need to move."

Pain

The stars shone with a brilliance that could not be matched as they hung in the night sky, giving Ryu a small degree of comfort as he lay in the grass. The carriage that held the Rich's was a good hundred yards away from him, the minimal distance he felt that they should be from him. He did miss their company, but he knew the risk was too great to be any closer. So he rested alone, with only the stars to watch over him.

Ryu then lifted his fist and stared at his, his muscles clenching tight as images from the battle during the tournament replayed in his mind. 'Thank the gods that Dash's injuries aren't life threatening, but after what I did to her she'll never be the same again. I am so weak. I should have been able to control myself...ten years of training, of trying to keep the Dark Hado under control...all for nothing.'

Ryu then shook his head and forced himself to close his eyes, banishing those kinds of thoughts from his mind. 'I cannot think like this. I cannot allow the Dark Hado to break my spirits. If it does, then it is only a matter of time before it consumes me. The elder will be able to help me. And if they cannot, then I will find someone who can. I will not rest until I find a way to destroy this darkness within me.'

Ryu slowly began to drift off to sleep, feeling the fatigue of the past couple of days starting to weigh on his mind. But just when he was reaching the border between reality and fantasy, he felt the slightest movement next to him. A moment later he felt something fall onto him and he sprung into action. In a moment he was on his feet with his fist cocked back, yet he found Diamond Tiara standing next to him with the blanket she had placed upon him cast aside.

"If you're going to be like that every time I try to be nice, then maybe it's for the best that you stay away from us," Tiara muttered as she gathered the blanket, while Ryu let out a sigh and sat back down.

"I am sorry that I reacted that way. I am a bit...on edge," Ryu admitted, but all his words did was cause Tiara to give him a look of suspicion.

"I hope by on edge, you don't mean about to let loose that demon that is inside of you?" she asked, masking her fear with a laugh that didn't convince Ryu.

"No...simply being startled is not enough for the Satsui no Hado to take effect," Ryu informed Tiara, who raised an eyebrow before cautiously sitting down next to Ryu and draping the blanket around herself.

"Then...what does cause that demonic force within you to surface?" she asked. Ryu looked off into the stars as he thought about his answer, remembering all the times the dark power had surfaced.

"The desire to win," he admitted with a whisper, a whisper that made Tiara lean in slightly so that she could hear him better. "The desire to win at any cost. When I am placed in a situation where I feel I must win, be it to protect someone I care about or to defeat my foe, that is when I am most vulnerable to its power. I become so consumed with the desire to win...that I will even kill my foe and any around me to achieve that goal."

"And...have you?" Tiara asked in a whisper far quieter than Ryu's.

"No. Fortunately for me, whenever I have nearly succumb in the past, my friends and family were there to aid me, to bring me back to my senses," Ryu said with a shake of his head. "So far, I have not struck anyone down while under the influence of the Dark Hado. Thanks to my master, Ken, Sakura and now Zangief. I am blessed to have so many allies that I can call upon. That is why it hurts so much when I fail them."

"...why do you care so much about winning?" Tiara asked after a long moment of silence. "If you know that this dark power is waiting for you to be desperate for it, why do care about winning? Why not just accept the loss and train harder to win next time? You aren't losing anything except a match."

"I have to win. I have to prove that I am a true fighter. That I have not failed my master's teachings," Ryu replied with a very shaky tone, as if he was forcing the words out of his mouth.

"That's dumb. Nopony thinks that you're a bad fighter. You're incredible. A loss or two won't mean anything to anypony."

"It will mean a lot to me."

"What will it mean? You're amazing Ryu, one of the best in our world!"

"That's not good enough. I have to be the best period. I have to find the meaning of the fight."

"WHY?!" Tiara practically roared at Ryu, who glared at her with dark eyes in response. "It's just a stupid fight! It was just a tournament! Sure I would have loved to see you win, but for you to nearly damn your soul and almost kill a pony I respect just for a win is going too far!"

"It's not just about winning! It's about proving myself to my master!" Ryu roared back, glaring down at the mare who glared back up at Ryu without budging an inch. "Only when I have overcome all that has been placed before me can I finally end my quest! Only when I have proven myself!"

"Why do you care so much about proving yourself?! You are incredible! Why in the hell do you have to go so far to win?!" Tiara screamed at him.

"So I can prove to my parents who abandoned me that I am not worthless!"

The filly, the insects and very nature itself went silent after Ryu's words, leaving the warrior to sit there breathing heavily while a dark fire raged in his eyes. After a moment Ryu regained control of himself and closed his eyes, turning away from Tiara and beginning to meditate.

"Ryu...what do you mean?" Tiara asked after a moment, but Ryu refused to answer. She then took the blanket off of herself and draped it over Ryu's shoulders, then sitting down in front of him and waiting. After what felt like an hour Ryu opened his eyes, finding that the filly was still staring up at him with caring and concerned eyes. "Ryu?"

"...I was abandoned on Master Gouken's doorstep," Ryu admitted to her, in a voice so quiet that she could barely make out the words. "I was tiny, scrawny and he was afraid that I would not make it through the night. My parents who left me left me with nothing more than the basket I was in and a note. A note asking Gouken if he could care for me. Because they couldn't take care of me anymore."

"Ryu...they might have done it to keep you alive-"

"They abandoned me," Ryu cut her off in a sharp tone, one that silenced her instantly. "They left me because I was weak, because they viewed me as worthless. Gouken nursed me back to health, but they never came for me. They never checked to see if I had survived. They left me with him and continued on with their life, no doubt relieved of the burden that they had cast off their shoulders."

"You can't believe that...there's no way your parents would do that."

"Then where were they?" Ryu asked Tiara in a whisper that was as dangerous as the Satsui no Hado. "Where were they when I had recovered, when Gouken healed me? Why did they not come back? Why was Gouken unable to find them when he went into the city to find my parents? Why did they abandon me? I'll tell you. Because they saw me as worthless and weak."

"You..."

"So I was raised by Gouken, by the man who bothered to give me a chance. He taught me his craft, taught me to be powerful and strong like him," Ryu continued before clenching his fist and seething with rage. "But I am not naturally gifted for fighting. I have no talent in anything. Everything you've seen me achieve was through countless years of repetition and hard work. Every move I have mastered has been a struggle. My brother Ken is talented. Everything I can do he can do and then add a bit of flare to it."

"But not me. I have to practice day in and day out just to keep up with him. And I don't mind. I don't hate having someone to keep pushing me. What I do hate, more than anything else, is when someone disrespects my master and his teachings. When they insult his arts. The man who took me in and loved me when everyone else had abandoned me...and there are those who DARE mock him," Ryu seethed, his eyes flickering crimson for a moment before he placed his hands together and clamed himself down.

"Gouken is gone. Murdered by his brother, who gave into the Dark Hado. The same power he sought to save me from. Leaving me and Ken to continue on his teachings. But try as I might, I am not the master he was. I am not even close. Where as he always knew what to do, I struggle to contain that darkness that plagues all users of the Hado."

Ryu then hung his head and sat in silence for a long time, long enough for the moon to nearly reach the horizon. "All I want is to show my master that I have achieved what he wished for me. That I have taken his teachings and become the warrior that he wished for me to be. But even with all he has taught me, I am still weak. I still fall to those gifted or talented."

Ryu then turned his head towards Tiara, who was completely stunned by what Ryu had said to her. "That is why I must win, Diamond Tiara. So I can finally prove to my parents that they were wrong. That I was not worthless. And so I can prove to my master that I am more than just a baby that was left on his doorstep. That I am worthy of carrying on his name. Because if am not able to fight...then I have nothing left."

Ryu then stood up and bowed slightly to Tiara. "That is why I cannot teach you the way of the Hado. Because I myself am not yet the teacher my master...my father was. All I would be doing in leading you down a path that I would never wish upon another. Forgive me, if you can."

"Ryu...I'm so sorry. I had no idea," Diamond Tiara whispered as Ryu slowly began to walk away. Then she thought about what Ryu had just revealed to her and decided that it was only fair she did the same. "You're the opposite of me."

Ryu raised his head to see Tiara now staring up at the stars, sorrow upon her face. "All you want to do is make your father proud, to prove to him that you have followed his teachings. But me...I want to break away from my dad. All my life I've never had to work for anything. Anything I wanted, he would give me. But after I changed as a pony, I wanted to change how I viewed my outlook on the world. I want to work hard, I want to give my all for others."

"But my dad doesn't see that. He won't dare let his daughter work hard for anything, so long as he can help it," Tiara continued before giving Ryu a glance. "That's one of the reasons he's so nice to you. You helped save our family name and fortune. If not for you, we would all have to work. And he hates the idea of me working, more than anything else in the world. I don't know why, but I hate it. I'm tired of being the spoiled princess. I want to be more. I want to be better."

"So I understand you Ryu, wanting to improve yourself and show to the world that you're more than what they think of you. The difference is you're doing it to make your dad proud...and I'm doing it against his will."

"I'm sure he has a reason for not wishing for you to work," Ryu said as he sat down next to her, sharing the blanket with the filly. "He loves you too much not to."

"And I'm sure your master would want you to release that desire to win that you seek," Tiara replied. "He would hate to see all the pain and strife that you're going through just to make him proud."

"Perhaps you are right...but I still feel that until I prove that I am strong enough...that I will still be the worthless child that was cast away," Ryu whispered.

"And I feel that if I don't work for myself, that if I rely on my father and his wealth, that I will never shake the pony that I used to be," Tiara whispered, before she looked up at Ryu with a small smile on her face. "Hey, maybe we could work together to improve ourselves? You can teach me how to work hard like you do and maybe I can help you to become the person that you want to be?"

"I cannot teach you, Tiara. Not while I still have so much to learn," Ryu replied, but Tiara then elbowed him in the gut.

"You don't have to teach me how to do backflips or defy the laws of gravity or anything. Just help me to become a hard worker."

"...Alright, but in return I will need your assistance to help rid myself of this person that has burdened me for so long," Ryu agreed.

"It's a deal! Bump it!" Tiara exclaimed as she held out a hoof to Ryu. Ryu looked at it for a moment before slightly tapping her hoof with his fist. "Alright, first thing tomorrow you'll teach me how to throw fireballs!"

"How will that help you become a hard worker?"

"Because it takes hard work to throw fireballs!"

"Very well...but then when will you teach me how to let go of the old me?" Ryu asked with an amused smile.

"After I can throw fireballs!"

As the two sat and talked with each other, neither of them were away of the figure that watched them from afar. He had been listening to their conversation and found it to his disliking the longer and longer it went on.

"No, this won't do at all. Seems I will have to interfere after all."

Trial

Branches snaked around the wheels and walls of the carriage, forcing Ryu and the carriage pullers to tear off the vines every few minutes. The ponies that were pulling the carriage were glancing around at the forest nervously, as the trees seemed to glare at them and the vines were like fingers just waiting to strike. But despite their fears, the calm face of Ryu was far more terrifying than anything the forest could throw at them.

"Are you sure that we're heading the right way, Ryu?" one of the stallions asked Ryu, who was leading the ponies pulling the carriage. He held up a hand to silence them before closing his eyes and tuning his senses. After a moment he snapped his eyes open and turned to the left, the ponies following him.

Ryu kept his guard up during their trip, but even with danger lurking around ever corner he found that he couldn't help but be amazed by the forest around him. Birds in a multitude of colors sang in tones that he had never heard before, while plants that glowed with a vibrant blue floated on the breeze around them. He had been in many forests before, but this was the first one that had an underlining air of magic to it.

"These are the Mystic Woods alright," one of the stallions said to Ryu, who nodded in agreement. "These woods are way more dangerous that the other ones in Equestria. Completely uncontrolled by ponies. There's a magic here that not even the princesses can crack. We shouldn't be here."

"Then you are free to take the others and leave. I am not afraid to continue on alone," Ryu informed them. The stallions glanced at each other for a moment before the door to the carriage opened and Filthy Rich stepped out with Diamond Tiara at his side.

"Sorry Ryu, but they won't be able to take you up on that offer," Filthy said with a laugh as he waved a few bags of bits in his hooves. "That is, unless they want to give up a twenty five percent pay increase if they get us there."

With the power of greed overriding their other senses, the stallions pushed onwards alongside Ryu through the forest. Ryu caught motion out of the corner of his eyes and snapped out with his hand, snatching what looked to be a dagger out of the air. The stallions let out a gasp as Ryu narrowed his eyes and glared into the trees, unable to find who threw the weapon.

"Here. Souvenir," Ryu muttered as he tossed the dagger to Filthy, who examined it with wide eyes. "All of you be on alert. It is clear that there is something or someone here that does not want us here."

The stallions nodded before letting Ryu take the lead, the warrior keeping his arms up as he moved forward. He was ready for any sign of attack, though to his concern he did not feel any hostile intentions coming from the forest around him. It felt more as if the forest was testing him, seeing how he would proceed.

'I will pass this test. I will find a way to be rid of the dark power,' Ryu promised. But even as he made that promise, the group came across a large cliff that blocked their path. Ryu glanced to his left and right to see that the cliff face went on far into the distance.

'I assume that this is the first trial,' Ryu figured as he placed his hand against the wall. The moment he placed his hand upon the wall spears shot out of it. With his reflexes Ryu managed to dodge the attacks and catch the spears that would have hit the ponies, but he wasn't fast enough to block all of them. Tiara and Filthy screamed as some of the spears impaled the carriage, a few feet away from where they were standing.

"Holy hell that was close," Tiara whispered to herself, before glancing up at the stunned face of her father. "What?"

"Where did you learn such language?!"

"I hang around fighters, dad. That is not the worse word I've learned."

"If the two of you are done discussing parenting, Ryu found a way through!" one of the stallions called up to them, turning the ponies attention away from each other and to the cliff face to see that Ryu had found a small opening. The passageway was small, barely large enough for Ryu to fit in with all of his muscles mass. The stallions and the Rich's both took one look at the carriage and knew that it was never fitting through the entrance.

"Stay with the carriage," Filthy instructed the stallions and his daughter at the same time, before he hopped off the carriage and followed Ryu through the opening. Filthy had made it about halfway through before he glance behind him to see his daughter following behind him. "What are you doing here?! I thought I told you-"

"Sorry dad, by I have to take care of my fighter, no matter where he goes," Tiara replied with an innocent smile that reminded Filthy of when he was young.

"Neither of you should be following me," Ryu told the two once they had joined him on the other side of the rockface, finding themselves standing before a colossal temple made of stone and covered in flora that seemed ancient in time. "This place is filled with danger. You should both be at the carriage."

"Honestly Ryu, you do not seem to understand the concept of repaying a debt," Filthy replied before turning back to Tiara. "And you do not seem to understand the concept of staying with your mother at the carriage! It is incredibly dangerous out here!"

"I think I'm safer here with Ryu than I am back at the carriage with mom," Tiara replied before she brushed past her father and walked alongside Ryu.

"Why do you not listen to me?" Filthy Rich asked under his breath, not knowing that Ryu heard him.

The group then began to walk towards the colossal, stone temple that towered over them, with Ryu keeping his guard up in case of traps while the other two stayed close behind him. Ryu narrowed his eyes as they group walked by a pair of statues of strange creatures that wielded spears, taking careful note of how no vines had grown on them.

"Those things look ancient," Tiara whispered as they walked up to another set of statues that were identical to the others. Yet as the group tried to walk by them, the statues eyes were suddenly filled with green energy and they swung their spears towards the group.

"MOVE!" Ryu roared as he pushed the two ponies out of the way before he caught the spears right before the tips could impale him. Ryu strained before he pushed the spears from the statues back, narrowing his eyes as they stepped down from their pedestals and slowly began advancing on him. He heard noise from behind him and he glanced over his shoulder to see that the other set of statues were advancing from behind.

"So that's how it is, huh?" Ryu asked as he slowly backed to the side, making sure that all four statues were in sight before he planted his feet and refused to retreat any further. 'They only seem to be after me, meaning that I won't have to worry about protecting Tiara and Filthy. But the question now is if this another test...or security designed to kill me.'

The statue closest to Ryu thrust at him with his spear, forcing Ryu to weave to the side before wrapping his left arm around the spear. He then drove his elbow down onto the top of the spear before the tip, shattering the stone weapon and removing its point. He then hurled the tip of the spear into the winged head of the statue, piercing it's stone and causing its head to fall from its shoulders.

'One down,' Ryu thought before he hurled himself to the side to avoid a kick thrown by another statue. Ryu regained his footing before thrusting his foot into the statue, gritting his teeth as his foot struck stone and pain lanced up his leg. But the blown was enough and the statue staggered backwards before falling to one knee.

He couldn't take a moment to rest, though, as the third statue was upon him. It twirled its spear and swung the tip towards Ryu's head, forcing the warrior to duck underneath of the attack. The final statue attacked while Ryu was distracted with the third, driving its fist into his back with enough force to send Ryu skipping across the stone courtyard.

"Dammit that hurt," Ryu snarled as he pushed himself back up and spun around to face the twin statues, with the third getting back up. "Enough. I'm putting an end to this," Ryu stated before he placed his hands together and closed his eyes. For a moment he began to tap into the dark power, but then he remembered what had happened and shook his head.

"HADOUKEN!" Ryu roared as the blue and white ball of energy exploded from his hand and slammed into the statues. The first statue took the brunt of the attack and fell over with a hole in its chest, but the other two were hardly phased by the attack. The fireball seemed to have sparked the fighting spirit within the statues, for the two lunged upon Ryu in a matter of steps.

"What the-?" Ryu asked before he was forced to defend himself as the statues reached him. He parried a spear strike before blocking a fist that was aimed at his head. With a snarl he retaliated with a blow to the stomach of one of the statues, but when his fist made a sickening crack he figured he made a mistake. The statue that he had struck showed Ryu how to throw a punch and the blow caught him right on the chin.

"RYU!" Tiara cried out as Ryu landed flat on his back, groaning slightly as he picked himself up and wiped blood from his nose. The statues were upon him once again in a moment, but when he glared up at them there was a fire in his eyes.

"Enough."

With numerous rapid blows Ryu staggered one of the statues, leaving the other one open to a side kick delivered at full power. Ryu bellowed as he drove his foot through the statues waist, practically slicing the guardian in half. Stone shattered as the top half of the statue separated from its lower half, before both halves shattered as they collapsed to the ground.

Ryu then spun on his toes and delivered another powerful kick to the side of the staggered statues head, knocking it's head completely free of its shoulders. The statue let out a groan before it fell over and shattered, leaving the panting warrior to glance around to see if there were any other foes for him to deal with.

"Wow...that looked tough," Filthy muttered as he and Tiara tepidly walked up to Ryu, who was trying to stop his nose from bleeding. "So, think that those things will be the only challenge awaiting us in this place?"

"They were the first trial. If I had to guess, there will be many more," Ryu stated with certainty as he finally got his blood letting under control. He then turned his gaze to the top of the temple, narrowing his eyes when he saw a door open that had not been open before. "I would advise that the both of you return to the carriage."

"Perhaps he's right. This place does seem rather dangerous for such a young filly," Filthy muttered, but before he could say anything else Tiara raced over to Ryu and stood next to him.

"Why do you not listen to him?" Ryu asked Tiara as the group started to walk towards the entrance to the temple.

"Because if I want to be my own pony and not just another Rich, I have to make my own decisions," she replied matter-of-factly. Ryu said nothing, but he did give Filthy a sympathetic glance as they approached the entrance. Ryu placed a hand before Tiara to stop her, making sure he was the first to enter the chamber.

His eyes widened as he stepped inside, drawn to the pictures on the wall that covered every ounce of the room. Pictures depicting warriors of stone waging war against ponies made of crystal, while a black stallion battled with a dragon akin to a serpent, with lightning crackling behind them. The images moved on to show the dragon resting over numerous other beings, all of who seemed to be training under its instruction.

"This is a strange place," Filthy muttered as he and Tiara walked in behind Ryu, glancing around at the images while Ryu moved on to examining the floor. "I can feel a magic in here that makes my mane stand on end."

"That is not all there is," Ryu replied as he began to run his fingers upon the ground, tracing his fingers along the images that were upon the floor. Then he looked at the dust that covered the ground, dust that should have only been disturbed by Ryu and the others. But as he narrowed his eyes, he saw that there were very faint tracks in the dust. "There is someone else here. And they haven't been here long."

As soon as he said this, something struck him in the back of the head. Ryu grunted as he rolled up to his feet, arms up as he glanced around to see who had struck him. A blur of motion attacked from the side and Ryu swatted it away with his arm, only to find that his arm went numb after deflecting the blow.

"I've felt that blow before," Ryu realized before a laughter filled the room, a laughter that made Ryu's eyes narrow while a look of surprise crossed Tiara's face.

"I see that you have slightly improve. I am impressed and ready to fight you."

"I know that voice," Ryu muttered before he glanced around to see a zebra wielding a staff standing at the end of the room, which had grown incredibly longer with her appearance. "Zecora. I thought that I might find you here."

"You wished for a rematch, so here I am. I am another trial for you, young man," Zecora said with a laugh before she cracked her neck and took up a fighting stance. "Let us hope that you have prepared for my techniques. For this time I will not be so easy to defeat."

Teacher

"So, this is what you setting up when you sent me to find that spider being," Ryu grunted as he deflected a shot from Zecora with the back of his gloved hand, making sure to use the padding to keep the zebras shots from numbing his hand. "You wanted to see if I had the resolve to make it to this place."

"You are strong, that much is true, by I can sense a good deal of quit in you," Zecora informed Ryu as she somersaulted back to avoid a kick aimed at her head. She landed on her hind hooves before vaulting herself onto one of the chamber walls, which she then kicked off of and thrust a leg at Ryu's chest. Not wanting to lose feeling in his body, Ryu dove to the side and rolled up in time to see Zecora land as graceful as a feather on the floor.

"I do not know what you are speaking of. I never give in," Ryu snarled before closing the distance between the two, throwing out short but powerful punches when he got within range. Yet despite his size, strength and reach, Ryu was unable to land a single blow on Zecora, who lightly swatted away his blows as if she was brushing away insects. "I have given everything to the fight, to improving myself. And I have never given up!"

Ryu swung his fist down towards the top of her head, but once again Zecora simply spun to the side to avoid the blow. She kicked Ryu in the back of the knee with hardly any power, but Ryu seethed as he lost all feeling from his knee down. His leg gave out and he had to catch himself with his hand to keep from falling over. He gritted his teeth as he prepared himself for the next strike, but instead of pressing her attack Zecora simply swayed in place behind Ryu.

"Never given up? Never given in? Ryu, you have few vices, but I did not know that lying was one of you sins," Zecora said with a shake of her head. Ryu growled in reply before driving himself to his feet, balancing on the on leg he could still feel. "There is no shame in admitting defeat. In admitting that you have failed. That you have succumbed."

"Your words are meant to distract me. I know that I have never surrendered in my life," Ryu roared as he placed his arms by his side and began to charge his energy. "No matter how powerful my opponent, no matter how bleak the outcome of the fight looked, I never gave in!" he bellowed as his hadouken pulsed with a purple light.

"Then what would you call that fight with Rainbow Dash?"

The blow created from Zecora's words were far more powerful than Ryu could have ever believed and they struck him with such force that his arms fell to the side, the power of his hadouken dissipating. Ryu opened his mouth as he tried to think of an answer, but Zecora's words rang true. In the moment he spent trying to figure out an answer to her question, Zecora stepped forward and drove her hooves into his shoulders and body. Ryu let out a small cough before he collapsed to the ground, unable to feel most of his body.

"I would call it giving in. I would call it surrendering. Is that not what you did with that dark power? You gave into the sin," Zecora said in a voice as if she was scolding the warrior, who said nothing as he felt anger and rage coursing through his veins. "I had thought that such a power was curse, one of which that you sought to overcome. But if you willing gave into that power just to win...I wonder what your master would have done?"

At the mention of Gouken, Ryu's eyes blazed to life. He roared with pain and fury as he slammed his fist into the floor, forcing himself to move despite barely being able to feel anything. He was halfway back up to his feet before he realized that traces of red energy were starting to radiate from his body, while the ground beneath his fist had been pulverized by his power. He gritted his teeth in defeat as he realized that Zecora had been proven right twice, leaving Ryu to rest upon his knees while hanging his head.

"You are victorious," Ryu said in a whisper that was barely audible. "You have bested me in more ways than one today. I am not fit to be taught by you."

"I am not the one that would be instructing. It is my master who would be conducting. But I cannot allow you to see them as you are. In order to win you are willing to go too far," Zecora stated with what sounded like traces of venom in her voice. "On such an innocent you would use this power and now in her bed she cowers. You took more than her wing that day...and I am still deciding if I should make you pay."

"...if you so chose to, I would not resist," Ryu whispered in reply.

"Please, wait!" Diamond Tiara exclaimed before she rushed between the zebra and the unmoving Ryu, who kept his head bowed. "It's not entirely Ryu's fault! That dark power is trying to consume him, is trying constantly to destroy his soul! He can fight it off most of the time, but when he was fighting Dash he...he did not succumb willing. He did it because Dash insulted the only person that truly loved him. I'm not saying what he did was okay, but...please, he's not evil. He's in pain."

Zecora narrowed her eyes for a moment, Tiara's words causing her to think very carefully about her next action. She could see both concern and fear in the filly's eyes, while a quick glance at Ryu showed that he was simply awaiting her decision. Zecora then scowled as she found herself coming to a conclusion she did not like.

"I have taken what this filly has said to heart and perhaps I will not rip you apart," Zecora decided, causing a smile to slowly spread across Tiara's face while Ryu remained unmoved. "But I must now ask that you depart. When I first met you I believed you a warrior struggling with a curse within. Now I see that it is a power of which you'd willingly give in. Such evil desires have no right to be at this place. Begone from my sight and be thankful for my grace."

"Hold, my student."

All eyes widened at the sudden voice that spoke in the room, with even Ryu's eyes snapping open in shock. The voice was ancient, powerful and held within it a regality that none of them would dare to oppose. Zecora turned around as the walls of the room began to vanish into thin air, revealing that the room that they had been standing upon was now thousands of feet in the air. Tiara, Filthy and Ryu looked around with wide eyes as they found the new location to be atop a massive mountain, with the summit resting high above the clouds.

Then the clouds burst apart as a colossal beast emerged from beneath them, a beast that was akin to a serpent of the purest azure coiling around the mountain top. It came to a stop with its face resting over the group, staring down at them with twin lavender eyes that held wisdom and knowledge within them that exceeded any other being in the world. A stream of cerulean hair floated in the breeze with the spikes and scales on its entire body were as blue as the sea. It was colossal in size, with it's head larger than the room that they were standing in. Ryu wondered if it's entire body was coiled around the mountain at that moment.

"By the heavens above...I've seen a few dragons in my life, but none like this," Filthy Rich whispered with nothing but awe in his voice. Neither Ryu nor Diamond Tiara could find the strength to say anything in the face of such a being, while Zecora turned around to face the dragon with a humble look upon her face.

"Master Ra-Lor. I am pleased to see that continue to soar," Zecora greeted with a deep bow.

"And I am glad to see that you have not lost an ounce of your skill. Your strikes are as precise as ever," the dragon replied in a voice that boomed over the group while she slightly bowed her head to her student. She then turned her eyes upon the ponies and Ryu, who felt the crushing weight of her presence upon them. "So you are the warrior called Ryu. The one that holds within him a power of the darkest intent."

"I...I am," Ryu barely managed to speak before he bowed his head to the dragon. "And you...are the one that I have sought. The one that can help me overcome that same darkness."

"Hmm," Ra-Lor grunted in reply before turning her gaze upon the filly and her father, both of whom were holding each other tight for comfort. "It has been many ages since I have seen ponies seek me out. Most consider me to be a legend. Yet it is clear that neither of you are fighters. Why are you here?"

"Because...because Ryu is my friend and I promised that I would journey with him until he overcame his demons," Filthy spoke in a very timid voice. "I owe him that and so much more."

"Ah yes, ponies always did value friendship above all else. It is an admirable quality," Ra-Lor replied before turning her gaze upon Ryu once more, who had yet to lift his head. "But now I ask you the same question. Why have you sought me out, holder of the Dark Hado?"

"Because I wish to be rid of this dark power within me," Ryu explained in a near whisper, but his voice grew stronger with every word. "Because I do not wish to succumb to the darkness within me! Because I want to be the warrior that Gouken always saw within me, not the demon that he feared I would become!"

"I do not believe you." Ryu staggered back as if the dragon had shot him in the chest. "You say that you wish to be rid of the darkness, yet when you need it most you do not push it away. You call upon its power in battle, as you were preparing to do when you fought my student. It is your safety, your comfort. Knowing that a power that no one can best lies within you allows you to face any challenge without fear. Because you know if all else fails, the dark power will not."

"That...that is not..." Ryu tried to argue, but his voice failed him as he thought over her words.' Is she right? Am I secretly glad that this dark power rests within me? That I hold within the power to overcome any foe by relying on its darkness?'

"If you seek to be the best fighter in the world Ryu, as you claim you do, then give into its power and there will be none that can best you," Ra-Lor continued. "Because with it's power you will be able to destroy all that are-"

"NO!" Ryu roared as he found his strength, causing all to gasp as he cut off the dragon. He then glared up at her with flame filled eyes, before slowly bowing down until he was on all fours and his head was touching the ground. "I do not seek to destroy my foes or my own soul. I seek the power to win...not the power to destroy. I seek to become the best I can be through my own skill, not through a dark power that is not my own."

"But that power is yours. It is the savagery and desire to destroy that rests within your heart," the dragon master informed Ryu. "If you allowed it to consume you, you would reach your true potential. A warrior that can strike down all who stand before him."

"...I do not wish to hurt others in the way I do when I am under the Dark Hado's influence. I want to believe...I have to believe that I am more than the desire for power. That I am more than the darkness wishes me to be," Ryu whispered, with only Ra-Lor able to hear his words. "So I ask of you-no, BEG of you, teach me how to overcome this darkness. Help to reach a level beyond the Satsui no Hado that is found through the teachings of my master."

"...I can teach you, Ryu. But I tell you now that even with all of your skill and all of your potential, you will never reach your true potential unless you allow the Dark Hado to take over," she replied with a shake of her massive head. "Even if you were to achieve an incredible power, the darkness within you will still be stronger. Because that is what you are destined to be. A warrior of darkness and-"

"No. I cannot believe that is me," Ryu replied as he lifted his head once more, locking eyes with Ra-Lor so that she could see into his very soul. "I will find a way to surpass the darkness within me. I will become a warrior who transcends the Satsui no Hado without giving in. I will reach another destiny."

Ra-Lor narrowed her eyes at the warrior that bowed before her, lost in her own thoughts. She could see the desire to be more in his eyes, eyes that shone with a strength she had never seen within another fighter before. But she could also see the darkness behind those eyes, the evil power that was just waiting for its chance to escape. And she saw the two halves of Ryu constantly clashing within in a constant battle to decide the mans fate. A battle that she could not see an outcome to. The desire to win...versus the instinct to destroy.

"I will train you, Ryu," she stated at last, causing Ryu to look visibly surprised by her words. "If there is a chance that I can steer you from this path of darkness that you seem to be on then I will do all in my power to do so. But there is a storm in you Ryu, a storm that has the potential to destroy all in its path. A storm that threatens to consume all. What you do with this storm...only time will tell."

"Then when do we begin?" Ryu asked.

"We begin now."

And everything went white.

Steps

The first rays of the sun broke through the cloud cover, bringing with it the warming light to dispel the cold of the mountain top. But for the warrior that had been meditating since the previous night, the rays of the sun brought no comfort for him. For when the sun appeared it told him that it was time to start the real training. With a grunt he pushed himself to his feet, shaking the weights that had been shackled to him free.

"An entire night without sleep nor food. And yet you seem in a better mood," Zecora spoke as she appeared behind Ryu, who was stretching out his limbs and warming his muscles. "But I do not expect that to last. For it is time to begin class."

"I'm in such a good mood because it is finally time to rid myself of the darkness within me," Ryu replied with a small smile. "I will finally triumph over the Dark Hado and become a warrior who finds his own path to victory. Today I vanquish the dark hado."

"If your evil side is summoned by insults or disgrace, then your training will move at a snails pace," Zecora replied with a smirk.

"Rainbow Dash insulted my master. My father."

"She bad mouthed your mentor and said some mean things. In return you tried to kill her and ripped off her wing," Zecora stated coldly. "If you give in every time something mean is said, go back home and let me get back to bed."

"Sigh...I see your point. I cannot let the words of others get to me," Ryu agreed, before a smile crossed his face. "But I am excited to finally find a training that will help me suppress or maybe destroy the dark hado. Today will be a good day."

"Do not be so sure."

As soon as these words were spoken, a blow struck Ryu in the back of the head and sent him tumbling across the training arena that Ryu had been meditating in. He hit the ground and immediately rolled up to his feet, spinning around in time to deflect another jab from the zebra.

Despite having fought Zecora twice, Ryu found to his amazement that her moves were now even harder to keep up with, as if he was truly seeing her power for the first time. He did not ask why she chose to attack him but instead retaliated by driving his knee at her. When she leapt back as he predicted, he spun slightly and angled his leg so that the edge of his foot slashed at Zecora.

Right before his foot struck the zebra, she clasped her hooves together before driving them into Ryu's foot. A massive burst of power ripped through Ryu and tore him from his feet. Ryu was hurled clear across the training yard and landed hard on his back, knocking the wind out his lungs while he pushed himself to rise back up.

'She's truly fighting me now,' Ryu deduced before the zebra was upon him once more, forcing him to move as fast as he could to avoid being struck by her blows. Knowing that he couldn't keep up with her speed for long, he closed his eyes and sensed her next strike. His eyes then snapped open as his arm moved itself into place, parrying her blow and leaving her open to a counter attack.

Ryu drove his knuckles into her jaw, snapping her head to the side and staggering Zecora. Not letting his chance go to waste, Ryu followed up with a knee to her stomach that knocked her into the air. He then tucked his fist in before leaping skyward, exploding upwards while driving his fist into her jaw.

"SHORYUKEN!" Ryu bellowed as he sent the both of them skyward...only for his eyes to widen in disbelief when Zecora faded out of existence, leaving Ryu striking at empty air. Ryu had enough time to wonder what had happened before he felt four sets of hooves drive themselves into his back, sending him straight back down into the floor that he had just left. Pain arced though his body as he was driven head first into the stone floor, which shattered under his impact.

"What...was that?" he asked Zecora while pulling himself out of the concrete.

"I am more than just a master of the martial arts. Illusions and magic are another part," Zecora explained as she walked before Ryu, glaring down at him with narrowed eyes as he slowly pushed himself up. "Now rise once more. This is the beginning of your war."

When Ryu opened his mouth to ask what she meant, Zecora quickly slipped something into his mouth. Ryu gagged as he tasted what seemed to be some sort of herb, before his world began to swim around him. He held a hand to his head as he fought to remain standing, struggling as his vision began to swim. And then as suddenly as the confusion had begun, it suddenly ended. Yet as Ryu regained his vision he believed that he had been transported to hell.

"It cannot be," he whispered to himself as he gazed forward, unable to believe what he was looking at. Two other people stood before him, two people that he knew well. One of them was wearing a schoolgirl uniform and wore a headband made from a part of Ryu's gi. The other wore a red gi that mirrored Ryu's. But what truly terrified Ryu was that the both of them were giving off the power of the Satsui no Hado.

"What has happened to the both of...no, this is nothing more than an illusion. A test," Ryu figured out as he shook his head and took up a fighting stance. "And I will pass it."

The two bellowed at Ryu before lunging towards him in flashes of black and red. Ryu's eyes narrowed as they barreled down upon him, forcing him to block their combined opening strikes. He deflected the kick from the girl before elbowing her in the back of the head when she sailed past him. The other fighter caught Ryu in the face with a hurricane kick that sent him skidding backwards, though Ryu retained enough of his senses to remain standing.

"I will not fall!" he promised them before catching a punch from his red gi clone before slamming his foot into the stomach of the shadow. The red gi warrior roared as he was sent hurtling backwards, leaving Ryu to turn to face the girl. She roared with a fury that he had never heard from her before she charged a ball of black energy in her hands. Ryu had only a moment to prepare himself before she hurled the ball of energy right for the warrior.

'No time to dodge,' Ryu realized as he closed his eyes, sensing the dark blast approaching him. His eyes then snapped open as his arm raised up, parrying the first wave of the energy ball. He then swung his arm up four more times, each time deflecting a different wave of power that tried to wash over him.

A blow to the back of his head broke his concentration and Ryu roared with pain as the final blow from the dark fireball caught him in the chest, forcing him to his knees with its power. He forced himself to fight through the pain as he started to push himself back up, until someone grabbed the back of his head and yanked it back.

"You cannot defeat us, Ryu," the demented voice of Ken said to Ryu, who snarled in reply before chopping at Ken's hand to free himself.

"Give in to your power. Become the master I have always wanted you to be," Sakura's voice whispered deviously from behind him, forcing Ryu to spin around to deflect a right hook from her. Ryu prepared to counterattack a blow from Ken caught him in the back of his head, dropping him to a knee. Sakura then drove the point of her knee into the bridge of Ryu's nose, snapping his head back as blood sprayed everywhere.

"SHORYUKEN!" Ken bellowed as he raced up to Ryu and drove his fist into the chest of the warrior, black fire burning across his fist before Ryu was sent hurtling skyward.

"Messatsu...HADOUKEN!" Sakura roared as she fired a second ball of black energy into the descending Ryu, who bellowed with pain and fury as the dark energy obliterated him. When the attack ended he crashed into the ground, every nerve screaming in agony as it took all of his will power to remain conscious. As he slowly lifted his head, he found that there was one other now standing with Ken and Sakura. He had red hair, burning eyes and a necklace of beads around his neck that made Ryu furious just to look at.

"Behold Ryu, this is what you shall achieve with that pitiful power of yours," the man spoke in a voice that sounded akin to a demons. "All you care about shall be consumed by the darkness, because you were too weak to embrace it. You forced the darkness upon others...and it consumed them instead."

"No...I will not let this happen," Ryu weakly said as he pushed himself back up, taking up his fighting stance once more. His body shook under the pain, but he forced himself to remain standing. "I will find a way to prevent his from happening! No matter what I must do!" A hand then placed itself upon Ryu's shoulder, a hand that was identical to his but filled with dark power.

"There is only one way to prevent this. Give in...to ME!"

With a start Ryu's eyes snapped open and he found himself still kneeling upon the stone floor where Zecora had struck him down. The only difference was that the sun was much higher in the sky and now Diamond Tiara was there, as well as Ra-Lor who towered overhead. Ryu then felt something in his mouth and quickly spat out the herb, weakly shaking his head before he rose to his feet.

"What did you do to me?" he asked Zecora, who differed to her master with a slight bow.

"This herb is a special plant grown atop this mountain. With its power it has the ability to draw out a persons worst fears while also revealing who they truly are. And I saw what you saw, Ryu," the dragon master informed Ryu with a tone that seemed to be filled with hints of confusion as well as concern. "Is that man, the one who turned your friends to the Dark Hado, what you strive to defeat?"

"How is this training?!" Ryu bellowed up at the dragon teacher as he forced himself to stand, despite still feeling the faint traces of a pain that had never been. "If I wished to battle with that nightmare, then I would simply close my eyes and dream! What are you trying to do?!"

"I cannot teach you any new techniques, Ryu. No magic skill that will help you to overcome this," Ra-Lor informed Ryu, whose eyes flashed with a red tint at her words. "You are already a master both in terms of technique and skill. What you need is help overcoming yourself, overcoming the mental barriers that prevent you from moving forward. How do you feel after eating that herb?"

"Emotionally drained. Physically exhausted," Ryu replied, though he did everything in his power to not show his weakness.

"Good. Now I wish for you to battle with Zecora once more," the dragon instructed, causing Ryu to raise an eyebrow as Zecora walked forward to meet him. "But during this battle Ryu, I want you to focus not on your rage and desire to win...but instead simply letting the battle go as it decides to go. Focus on the now, not on what you wish to happen. Do not fight the tide, but move with it."

Ryu didn't reply as he rose back up to his feet, but he did take in a breath to steady his nerves before turning to face his foe. She was on him in a flash and despite his body being nowhere near as weak as it had in his mind, he still found himself struggling to keep up with her movements.

'Am I going to lose to her a third time? No, I will not allow myself to...' Ryu began, but then he remembered the dragons words. He drove a fist into Zecora's chest to push her off of him, before he quieted his mind and focused himself. 'Whatever happens, let it happen. Do not fight against the tide of destiny, but move with it.'

Zecora attacked Ryu again, moving faster than any of the ponies or Ryu had ever seen her move. Yet despite being overwhelmed by her speed and skill, Ryu found himself remarkably calm in the face of such power. Each of her blows, despite being precise and strong, Ryu found he was able to deflect. For ten seconds he deflected and retreated from Zecora's power, but then he spied a small opening in her guard. He struck in a flash of movement, catching Zecora right in the chest with an open handed strike.

The blow sent Zecora skidding backwards, where she was forced to dig her hooves into the ground to halt her progress. She then glared up at Ryu, before crying out in a pained voice as she collapsed to one knee. Ryu blinked in surprise before he glanced down at himself, seeing the faintest traces of a white energy washing over him.

"This...feels like what my Master was trying to teach me so long ago," Ryu whispered to himself before he gazed up at the dragon, who seemed to be smiling in her eyes. "What kind of power is this?"

"This is the power that you can obtain when you finally focus all your efforts on your opponent," Ra-Lor replied, causing Ryu to raise an eyebrow in confusion. "You always said that you seek to win Ryu, but you never gave one hundred percent of yourself in your battles. You were not just fighting your foe, but also with yourself and against your destiny. In every battle you were fighting with three foes, not just one."

"This is the first step though, to focusing your power. By accepting the flow of destiny and quieting your mind, you remove the two other opponents that are not there, allowing you to focus all of your skill on a single foe," she continued to explain, before motioning down to her student. "Did not Zecora seem to be easier to handle after you allowed yourself to focus on the foe before you?"

"Yes, but I still do not understand? How did this make it so much easier?"

"Because you are always fighting with yourself Ryu, always wondering if what you are doing is honoring your master or leading you down a dark path. So you battle with yourself and your decisions," Ra-Lor clarified for the warrior. "And that in turn leads you to fight against your destiny, a battle that is far more taxing than any would believe."

"But I thought that you said my destiny was to be consumed by the darkness."

"I did. But that was the you that was walking along that path," she added. "Surrendering yourself to the Dark Hado would grant you the power you seek...but there is more to combat than just power. There is more to you than just the desire for power. What is it that you feel, Ryu?"

Ryu glanced down at his hands, which still radiated the white light however faint it was. 'I feel...not strong, not filled with power like with the Dark Hado...but I feel calm. I feel at peace. I feel...nothing. For the first time in a long time. This feels almost identical to the power that Gouken used before. What did he call it again? The power...of Nothingness?'

Personal

Absolute silence was all that Ryu heard as he sat in place meditating, eyes closed and hands on his knees as he simply enjoyed...being. He did not feel any rage, he did not feel any joy: he felt nothing at all. All he was doing was enjoying the fact that he was existing, that he was alive.

The he felt two evil presences approach him from behind, causing Ryu to open his eyes before looking over his shoulder. Behind him once more were Ken and Sakura, both of them glowing with the dark powers of the Satsui no Hado. Their eyes told him what they wanted, so with a sigh Ryu rose to his feet and turned around to face them.

"You will join us, brother," Ken spat in a voice that crackled with darkness, before he took up his fighting stance and narrowed his eyes.

"Or you will die," Sakura finished with a cackle as she too brought up her fighting stance.

Ryu said nothing in reply, nor did he feel anything upon seeing both his family and his student corrupted by the power. Instead, he closed his eyes and let out a small sigh, taking in a deep breath before he slowly opened his eyes once more. Ken let out a roar as he hurled himself towards Ryu, fist crackling with fire that burned black. Ryu simply sidestepped the blow before chopping Ken in the neck as he passed by, sending the warrior tumbling across the floor.

Sakura screeched as she lunged forward and swung her leg towards Ryu's head. Ryu caught the leg with his hand, stopping her attack before he used his strength to hurl her across the floor. Both Ken and Sakura snarled, while Ryu's face remained completely unchanged.

"What's the matter, Ryu? Do you feel nothing even seeing your family like this?" Ken snarled with hatred seething in his voice, hatred that burned even brighter when Ryu showed no reaction to his words. With another roar of fury Ken hurled a black fireball towards the wandering warrior. Ryu snapped his right arm upwards and parried the fireball, before he slowly began to walk towards Ken and Sakura.

Sakura screamed as she came flying at Ryu with a tatsu kick, only to roar with pain when Ryu drove a fist into her stomach to knock her out of the air. He then drove a knee into her face to stun her before chopping her in the back of the neck with both of his hands, dropping her to the ground with both of her eyes white. Ryu then turned his gaze towards Ken, whose eyes were blazing with the dark hado.

"Nothing?! You feel nothing?!" Ken bellowed as he lunged towards Ryu, both fists blazing with dark fire as he drove himself towards Ryu. Ryu said nothing in reply as he crouched down and concentrated, focusing his destiny through his veins. His two hands then shot out and grabbed hold of the fists, the white energy that was radiating from him extinguishing the black fire that consumed Ken.

"How?" Evil Ken asked, his face changing from raged to shocked as his dark power was subdued. "How did you do this?"

"Anger, hatred, doubt, the desire to win...all of these emotions are what fuel the Satsui no Hado," Ryu replied in a voice that was as calm and smooth as the sky. "I have sealed away those emotions. I no longer doubt myself. I have accepted my path. All that I am left with now...is my raw, uncontained strength."

Ryu then slammed his forehead into the bridge of Ken's nose, snapping his brother's head back in a spray of blood. Ryu then clasped his hands together and brought them next to his side, channeling a sphere filled with the power of nothingness.

"Shinku...HADOUKEN!" Ryu roared as he fired a blast of raw power into the chest of Ken, who roared with pain as he was sent hurtling backwards. An explosion of colossal power erupted around Ken and when the explosion died down there was nothing left. Ryu then sighed and closed his eyes once more, allowing the power to flow through him before it finally wore out. He then opened his eyes once more to see Zecora, Ra-Lor and Diamond Tiara looking upon him.

"You have done it," Ra-Lor said with both praise and amazement in her voice. "In only a month you have grasped enough of my lessons to obtain the power of destiny. You no longer fight against yourself. You no longer fight against destiny. You know now where you stand on your path. All that is left to do is master this power."

"And then the Dark Hado will finally be no more," Ryu said with a smile as he glanced down at his chest, amazed that he hadn't felt the presences of the Dark Hado in nearly two weeks. "And it is all thanks to your teachings. If not for you, I would still be questioning myself and the path that I walk. I am forever in your debt," Ryu thanked the dragon before bowing to her.

"Do not think that you are out of the woods yet, my dear apprentice. You still have to master this power fully. Now then, go practice. I expect to see you have a better grasp of this power before the next week," Ra-Lor replied with a deep smile before she turned and flew off below the clouds. Ryu bowed until she was gone, before he rose up and nodded to Zecora.

"I am impressed. At this rate you may be the best," she praise him with a nod of her head. "Perhaps I was wrong about your soul. You are even closer to reaching your goal."

"And I have you to thank for pushing me in the right direction," Ryu said with another bow to her. "You helped start me on this path. All I have left to do is finish walking it."

Ryu then turned on his heels and walked off to where he sought to train. But as he reached the exit to the mountain peak, he found Diamond Tiara waiting for him at the entrance. She didn't say anything to him as he passed by, but she did join him in the teleporter that used magic to transport the both of them to the bottom of the mountain. Both Tiara and Ryu were consumed in an azure light that blinded them, but once they could see again they found themselves at the bottom of the mountain.

"Hey Ryu..." Tiara began when Ryu began to walk away from her, causing the warrior to stop and turn to face the filly. "I know that you're busy and all, but...any time you want to start, I'm ready to star my training. Y'know, we did promise each other that we would help one another."

"I am sorry Tiara, but I must train to master this power," Ryu replied with a shake of his head before he faced forward, not seeing how Tiara's face fell at his answer. "I have almost found the power that can defeat the Satsui no Hado, the power that can finally defeat the two demons that have plagued me nearly all my life. I must master it as soon as possible, before the Dark Hado breaks free once more."

"Oh...okay," Tiara replied, but Ryu was already too far away to hear her. He found a small clearing in the trees that was devoid of sound, a place that he found perfect to train. He closed his eyes and channeled the power of nothingness, feeling the power beginning to flow through his body and fuel his muscles. He then let out a sigh as he extended his arms outward, flowing his power through his arms. He then brought his arms back in before extending them downward, feeling the power flow into his legs.

Then he brought his arms close to his chest and angled one hand over his heart, before angling the other hand underneath of his heart. He then tightened his eyes and concentrated, feeling the raw power spiraling into his very heart and soul.

"Hey Ryu."

Ryu's eyes snapped open and the power faded away into the unknown. With a sigh of slight frustration Ryu turned his head to see the smiling face of Filthy Rich, who seemed to be completely oblivious to the fact that he interrupted Ryu's training.

"How can I help you?" Ryu asked with as much restraint as he could, smiling as Filthy Rich approached.

"I just wanted to talk to you about something real quick," Filthy said as he sat down next to Ryu, taking in a deep breath and letting out a sigh of contentment. Ryu shook his head slightly before he sat down next to the stallion, slightly miffed.

"See...my daughter has been trying to mirror your moves as of late," Filthy began, but Ryu already knew where the conversation was heading. "She's been pushing herself hard, even going so far as to trying to copy your work out. That didn't work out too well for her."

"What do you want to say to me?" Ryu asked bluntly, wishing that he would get to the point already.

"What I'm trying to say is that...my daughter really looks up to you. She wants to be like you," Filthy muttered. "But that also means that she's pushing herself way to hard for a filly of her age. She's constantly covered in bruises and is exhausted most of the time."

"And that's a bad thing?" Ryu asked with some interest.

"It's a bad thing because she shouldn't be working this hard!" Filthy exploded in a wave of anger, one that caught Ryu completely off guard. Filthy sat in place and seethed for a moment, before he regained control of himself and sighed with some sorrow. "I am sorry to yell Ryu, but all of her life I have been trying to provide for my daughter so that she'd never have to work hard...like I did."

"I take it that there is a story behind this rage?" Ryu asked the stallion, who nodded.

"My father was a brilliant stallion. Not as in genius or anything like that, but more like business and swindling kind of brilliant. He made a lot of money, more than most would ever seen in their entire life. And he enjoyed working, almost too much, " Filthy snarled with bitter resentment. "And he gave none of it to me and my sister. Said that if we wanted anything in life, we would have to work as hard or harder than him. And then he kicked us out into the world."

"For five years we each worked whatever jobs we could find, working unreasonable hours for little pay. Eventually my sister found a decent job and settled down. Me, I wanted to get back at my old stallion. Wanted to make him pay for abandoning us," Filthy said in a tone that unnerved Ryu slightly. "So I clawed my way up, rising higher and higher in the cooperate world while lining my pockets. Even married another rich mare to add to my profit...though to be fair, Spoiled was a lot nicer back when she was young. We were in love by the way," Filthy added before Ryu could judge him.

"So I built my own empire and prepared to buy out my father. To take everything he had ever worked for...and then the bastard went and died on my three weeks before I could," Filthy said with a shake of his head. "Died proud of me, if you can believe it. How little he knew."

"So...did you buy out the company?"

"What was the point? I retired early with my millions, settled down with Spoiled and had Tiara. Ponyville asked me to be a figure of importance and I spend most of my time helping out the town," Filthy finished before sighing and glancing up at Ryu. "At my dads grave I promised that my daughter wouldn't have to live like me and my sister did. And then I found out she loves to work, just like dad. How's that?"

Ryu sat in silence for a long time, not sure what to say to Filthy. After hearing his story, he understood why he was so against his daughter having to work for anything. But Gouken had taught Ryu the value in hard work, how it strengthened a person both physically and mentally. And if those were the values that Tiara sought...he didn't believe he should stop her.

"Filthy...if she wishes to work to make herself strong, then that is the path that she has chosen," Ryu said in a calm voice, one that made Filthy sigh. "All you can do is support her. She has the will of a fighter. She will not give up. You know that."

"I do...maybe it's time I just give up trying to get her to stop. She has the drive of her grandfather and the stubbornness of her mother. She will not be stopped," Filthy admitted with a small laugh before he smiled bitterly. "Guess I won't be able to spoil my little princess for much longer, will I? She doesn't need me any more."

"That's not true. Even though she wishes to work hard and fight for herself, she will always need the guidance of her father," Ryu replied with a calming smile. "Believe me, despite me being powerful and taught to fight since I was a child, I still look to my fathers advice constantly. She will always need you."

"You think? I know I need her," Filthy said before casting a sad glance at Ryu. "And Ryu...about your father-"

A scream of absolute terror echoed across the entire forest, causing both Filthy and Ryu to jump. Filthy glanced around with terror while Ryu was already on his feet, racing towards where the cry had come from. Filthy tried to take off after Ryu, but the muscles of the warrior allowed him to outrace Filthy completely. The two of them reached the entrance of the temple...only to be stopped dead by what they saw.

The body of Ra-Lor lay motionless on the ground before the temple, blood pouring out of wounds that looked like they were caused by shattered glass. On top of the dragon stood a being in a brown cloak, one that poorly hid the mechanical body that shined beneath the cloak. But what drew both father and warrior's eye was the filly that was clutched in the beings grasp, a filly that had tears in her eyes as she weakly struggled.

"Tiara!" Filthy cried as he took a step forward, only for a blast of shattered magic to destroy the area at his hooves.

"Hermit...?" Ryu asked as he recognized the being, who turned his cloaked head to face him.

"Hello, Ryu."

Succumb

Ra-Lor let out a weak groan as she shifted underneath the mechanical legs of the hermit, who glared down at Ryu and Filthy Rich. Tiara let out a whimper and tried to escapes the beings grasp, but the hermit tightened his grip and she cried out and pain.

"Release her this moment!" Ryu bellowed before kicking off of the ground and hurling himself towards the hermit, taking aim and swinging at the being's head with all of his might. Yet to Ryu's surprise his fist cracked against the skull beneath the hood, getting a grunt of pain out of Ryu as he landed in front of the hermit.

"I will not release her, Ryu. Not until you listen. Hear. Obey," the hermit informed Ryu, slightly relaxing his grip so that Tiara could begin breathing again. "You have gone dangerously close to following all of the other you's. I cannot allow such a boring outcome to happen again."

"What are you talking about?! Why are you doing this?!" Ryu roared before he lunged forward, but the hermit lifted his hand and fired a blast of shattered magic into Ryu's chest. The warrior was hurled from the back of Ra-Lor and came crashing down onto the stone steps of the temple, where he seethed with pain.

"The why does not matter. All that matters is that you do what I want," the hermit replied with a cold voice devoid of any emotion save for annoyance. "You will give into the Satsui no Hado and then you will face me for the life of this filly. If you do not do as I say, I will kill her here and now."

"What?" Ryu asked as he pushed himself up to his feet, shaking the pain from his mind as the hermit floated off of the back of Ra-Lor and landed before Ryu. The hermit then tossed Diamond Tiara to the side, but before she hit the ground she was captured by a bubble made of the shattered magic that had struck Ryu. He then raised both of his metal arms and glared at Ryu from beneath his hood, waiting for him to make his next move.

"I will not give in," Ryu replied bluntly as he took up his own fighting stance, closing his eyes before exhaling. He felt the power of nothingness beginning to course through his veins, giving him strength. His eyes then snapped open and he threw his arms to the side, a faint aura of white energy forming around him. "I have found a power greater than that of the Satsui no Hado. And I will use it to defeat you."

"You will try. But you have yet to master that power. And even if you did, it would not matter. All that will save the life of that filly is the Dark Hado," the hermit replied in a voice that knew it was right. In the blink of an eye the hermit was upon Ryu, driving his metal fist into the warriors face. Ryu roared with pain as the blow snapped his head to the side and sent him rocketing backwards. The hermit appeared behind Ryu and stuck out an arm, nearly breaking Ryu in half when the warrior slammed back first into the limb.

The hermit then thrust his arm and threw Ryu into the air, before spinning around and driving his other fist into the stomach of Ryu. The blow struck the warrior with such force that he was driven through the stone floor that lay out side the temple, sending shards of rock in every direction.

"Now succumb. If you do not, I will kill her," the hermit stated once more before moving his arm towards Diamond Tiara. The bubble began to shrink around her, causing the filly to whimper in fear.

"NO!" Ryu bellowed as he lunged back to his feet, leaping into the air and driving his foot into the side of the hermits head. Despite his foot striking a metal that was far harder than anything he had hit before, he forced himself to finish the strike. The hermits head slightly snapped to the side from the blow, even though Ryu couldn't feel his left foot anymore. Forcing himself to ignore the limp limb, he bellowed with power as he clasped his hands to his side and channeled all of his power.'

"SHINKU HADOUKEN!" Ryu screamed with power as he unleashed all of his channeled energy into a blast of energy that he aimed right for the hermit. A massive explosion of concentrated energy swallowed the hermit whole and the force of the explosion forced Ryu to cover his eyes for a moment. When he lowered his arms all he could see was dust created from the fireball...that was until a metal fist thrust itself through the dust and drove itself right into his stomach.

Ryu gagged as the blow devastated his abdomen, dropping the warrior straight to the ground. Ryu held a hand to his stomach as he started to cough up blood, feeling the power of nothingness starting to fade as pain overrided his feeling of peace. Ryu then shakily lifted his head towards the hermit, who stared down at him with no signs of injury upon his form.

"Succumb. Now."

"Why...?" Ryu managed to weakly spit out as he slowly began to force himself upwards, barely able to find the strength to stand as his newfound power left him. "Why are you doing this? You said that you brought me here so that I could find the power to destroy the Satsui no Hado!"

"I never said such a thing. I said that I brought you here so that you could find what you sought and be rid of what held you back," the hermit replied with what sounded like scorn in his voice. "What you seek is power and what holds you back is that soul of yours. For if you were to get rid of those useless morals, you would gain power beyond that of Akuma. You would be a god."

"I do not wish to be a god," Ryu replied as he brought his fists up to defend himself, narrowing his eyes at the hermit. "I will carve my own path. I will not give in."

"Then she will die."

The hermit then turned to face Tiara, clenching his fist as he did so. The bubble then began to shrink at an incredible rate, causing the filly to scream with fear as the walls closed in on her. Ryu roared as he thrust a fist forward, only for it to crack against the metal body of the hermit. Ryu followed up with a kick from his right leg, one that caught the hermit in the side of the chest. Ryu snarled as pain as hot as a fire lanced up his leg, causing him to drop to one knee. The hermit then slammed the heel of his foot into the face of Ryu, sending him rocketing backwards once more. He skidded to a stop and collapsed to the ground, struggling just to lift his head.

'She's going to die,' Ryu realized as he glared through the pain at Diamond Tiara, who was crying her eyes out as the walls closed in on her. Ryu gritted his teeth and clenched his fists as he tried to think of another way to defeat the hermit, but nothing came to him. 'I have to do it. The power of the Dark Hado might be the only thing that can save her.'

"No Ryu." Ryu then opened his eyes and glanced at Ra-Lor, who was staring at him with weak eyes. "Do not give in. If you succumb to the power now, when you need it the most, then it will forever have a hold on you. And even if it does not claim you today...it will claim you eventually. Think about your master. Think about your soul. You have a power in you greater than the Dark Hado...be the warrior that you are destined to be."

Ryu thought about her words, realizing that she was right. If he gave into the Dark Hado then and there, it would forever be his crux, a source of power that he would always rely upon. For if he could not resist it when it's power was the most tempting, he was already lost to it. He realized that he couldn't give in, no matter the cost. And the Tiara screamed once more.

"GGGGGRRRRRAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!"

An explosion of black and red energy erupted from Ryu, shooting a pillar of darkness into the sky that summoned black clouds to blot out the sun. The earth shook beneath the force of the dark energy and any plant life next to the warrior wilted and died from the sheer presence of the evil energy. Then the explosion stopped as soon as it had began, revealing to both pony and dragon alike what had happened.

In the center of the explosion stood Ryu, whose body was covered in a black and red aura. His skin seemed burned and his clothing had turned from white to a corrupted blue. His hair had changed from black to red and now stood straight up, while his mouth was contracted into a sinister snarl. But when he lifted his head towards the hermit, the others finally saw a chance to look into his eyes. Eyes that were of the bloodiest red. Eyes that no longer held the kindness nor the strength of the warrior they belonged to. Eyes that now only sought destruction.

"Finally," the hermit whispered. Evil Ryu then bellowed with absolute hatred before he lunged towards the hermit, driving his skull into the metal head of the cloaked being. The force of the blow caused the hermit's head to snap back, though his body remained rooted in place. Evil Ryu cocked a fist back and drove it into the face of the hermit, striking with such force that the hermit was forced to take a step back to steady himself.

"This is what I have sought. Finally, we can see something new," the hermit said in a calm voice before he pressed his hand against Evil Ryu's chest. A blast of shattered energy tore into the chest of Evil Ryu, hurling him backwards once more. But this time Evil Ryu flipped in the air and landed on his feet, roaring with bloodlust before he charged back towards the hermit. "And seeing as you obeyed, I suppose that I should free the filly. Her death or life is of little consequence after all."

The bubble that had nearly crushed Tiara to death popped just as Evil Ryu reached the hermit, who turned back towards the warrior just in time to take two feet to the chest. Evil Ryu bellowed as he kicked into the hermit with all of his might, sending the metal being skidding backwards. The hermit slowly raised his head to face Evil Ryu, who resumed his attack upon the being once more. A snicker escaped the hermit before he vanished into thin air, just in time to avoid an axe kick from the demon.

Evil Ryu then threw his head back and bellowed at the sky, causing bolts of black lightning to crash across the dark clouds. He then slowly narrowed his eyes and turned his head towards where Tiara and her father had reunited, the bloodlust building within his crimson gaze.

"R-Ryu? Is that you?" Filthy asked with fear as the warrior with the red aura began to walk towards the both of them, his whole body trembling under the power of each breath. "Come on Ryu, you chased him off. You can stop with whatever that is now."

"He's given in," Tiara whispered with fear as she gazed upon the evil warrior that stalked her and her father. "Faust or Zangief help us, he's given into the Satsui no Hado. He's been consumed. We need to run, dad."

"What are you talking about? It's Ryu," Filthy reminded his daughter with a laugh, but there was no merriment in his voice. Evil Ryu reached the two and glared down at the both of them for a moment, just long enough for Filthy to smile up at him. Then with a bellow of absolute evil, Evil Ryu pulled his arm back and prepared to take off the stallion's head.

"NO RYU!" Tiara screamed as she threw herself forward and grabbed onto the chest of Evil Ryu, stopping him momentarily. "You are better than this! You can't surrender yourself to its power! Remember what your Master Gouken taught you! He taught you another way! He taught you to carve your own destiny!"

For a brief moment Evil Ryu scowled at the filly and brought his arm back even further. But then what seemed to be the faintest trace of recognition flashed in his eyes and for a brief moment his hand shook. "We're your friends! We've gone through so much together! You're my friend! One of the best friends that I've ever had! REMEMBER!"

"It seems he is. How bothersome."

Evil Ryu howled with agony as a blast of shattered magic caught him in the back, the force of the impact hurling Tiara off of Evil Ryu. He roared with fury as the magic began to lift him into the air, seeping into his body and tearing him apart from the inside out. Tiara shook her head and sat up in time to see the hermit using his magic to hold Evil Ryu in the air, who was screaming in pain.

"Leave him alone!" Tiara screamed before she hurled herself towards the hermit, who glanced down at her before extending his other hand and trapping her within a sphere of magic as well.

"So you wish to spare him of his pain? Then you can share the burden." Tiara screamed with pain as she felt her very soul being ripped apart, before she was hurled out of the sphere and sent crashing to the ground next to her father. The hermit then turned his attention back to evil Ryu, firing a second beam of shattered magic into the warrior and causing him to bellow. Then the hermit began to pull apart his hands and at the same time began to rip Evil Ryu in half.

With one last pull Evil Ryu was split, causing the dark hado wielder crashing into the ground to the right of the hermit...while a warrior in a white gi slammed into the ground on the left side of the hermit. Ryu let out a weak groan as he slowly pushed himself back to his feet, his entire body feeling like he had been burned alive.

"What...happened?" he asked as he lifted himself up and turned his head...to find himself staring at a dark reflection of himself. The two's eyes met and for a brief moment there was silence. Then Evil Ryu let out a bellow and lunged towards Ryu, with only the intent to destroy his weaker half blazing in his eyes.

"That is simple, Ryu. I wanted to draw out your dark half. And now that I have, it is time to see which of you is truly the stronger force," the hermit explained as Ryu tried to defend himself from the onslaught of Evil Ryu. "The light. Or the dark."

Parted

With a bellow of pain Ryu was sent hurtling across the forest clearing, smashing through stone pedestals before he finally skidded to a stop on the ground. He gritted his teeth as he kicked himself back to his feet, just in time to see Evil Ryu lunging towards him with a bloodlust in his eyes. Ryu swung his arms up to defend himself, blocking Evil Ryu's kick with his forearm. The strength of the kick was enough to blast Ryu's arm to the side, staggering him as his arm went numb.

"How?! How are you free?!" Ryu roared as he cocked a fist back and hurled it at Evil Ryu's head, only for the demon to weave out of the way before driving his fist into Ryu's stomach. Ryu spat out blood before he collapsed to the floor, clutching at his stomach as pain overloaded his senses. Evil Ryu kicked Ryu right in the jaw, snapping his head back and sending him rolling across the ground.

"I freed him. Of course, I needed you to succumb to your desire for power so that I could separate the two of you and you were kind enough to oblige," the hermit said as Evil Ryu crashed down onto Ryu, punching him repeatedly in the face before grabbing hold of Ryu's gi. With a roar of absolute rage Evil Ryu lifted Ryu over his head before slamming him through the stone floor beneath him. Ryu screamed in pain as the ground shattered beneath him.

Ryu forced himself back to his feet in time to dodge a punch thrown towards his skull. Ryu counterattacked with a swift punch to Evil Ryu's abdomen before catching him in the jaw with a palm strike. Evil Ryu staggered back and gave Ryu an opening. With a bellow of his own Ryu drove his right fist into the jaw of Evil Ryu, snapping his head sideways before the rest of Evil Ryu's body was sent spiraling sideways.

"You monster!" Ryu roared as he spun on his heels and lunged at the hermit, diving down towards him with a foot extended. The hermit snickered as he swatted Ryu's foot out of the way, before grabbing the warrior by the throat as he came crashing down.

"Monster? Perhaps. But I prefer the term scientist," the hermit replied as he began to choke the life out of the wandering warrior. "I like to learn. I like to see what would happen if, say, Twilight was never born in an Equestria. If Sombra did defeat Celestia and Luna, only to have to face all those other evils himself. What would happen...if you were forced to do battle with your evil self?"

The hermit then hurled Ryu back into the battle and right into the fist of Evil Ryu, who drove Ryu's skull into the ground. Ryu roared as he swatted Evil Ryu's arm to the side before cracking his skull against Evil Ryu's, causing the both of them to growl with pain. Ryu kicked back up to his feet and took up his fighting stance, while Evil Ryu bellowed with fury and began to stalk around Ryu.

'This is bad. I am already weakened from my fight with the demon internally, but now for me to fight a physical manifestation of him? This may be my last battle,' Ryu realized as Evil Ryu lunged at him. Ryu parried the first hit before driving his fist into the gut of Evil Ryu, causing the demon to cough up blood. Ryu then followed up with a haymaker to the face.

"WEAKLING!" Evil Ryu bellowed before he whipped back around and slammed his clawed hand into the face of Ryu, causing him to flip backwards three times before he crashed into the ground. With another roar Evil Ryu leapt onto the chest of Ryu, driving his knee into the center of Ryu's sternum. Ryu screamed with pain as he felt his bones break under the impact, blinding him with pain and leaving him helpless as Evil Ryu grabbed Ryu by the gi.

"You have contained me for too long. Now I am the true Ryu," Evil Ryu snarled in a voice devoid of any emotion aside from unstoppable rage. He brought a hand back and took aim at Ryu's chest, while the wandering warrior lifted his hands in an effort to defend himself. "And I will slaughter any that stand in my way!"

"No," Ryu grunted before he planted his fist into Evil Ryu's chest, stunning his evil half long enough for Ryu to get a foot free. He planted his foot into the chest of Evil Ryu and kicked him off with all of his might, sending the dark warrior skidding backwards. With the chance he was given Ryu pushed himself back to his feet, holding a hand to his chest as agony seared across his mind. "I...will not let you hurt anyone! If I am to die today, then I promise I will take you with me!"

As Ryu said this he closed his eyes and began to concentrate, banishing away the pain that consumed him along with the feelings of rage and terror. After a brief couple of moments Ryu's eyes opened once more, eyes that were filled with a white power that radiated strength. Evil Ryu bellowed before he lunged at Ryu once more, his footsteps causing the ground to shatter with each step. Ryu took up his fighting stance with a look of pure concentration on his face.

Ryu blocked Evil Ryu's first strike before countering with an elbow strike. Evil Ryu ducked underneath of the elbow strike before throwing out a kick aimed at the back of Ryu's knee. Ryu leapt over the kick and drove his foot into the face of Evil Ryu, who snarled as he was staggered by the blow.

"I am impressed Ryu, I rarely see a version of you that has learned this power at such a young age," the hermit interjected, causing Ryu to glance over at him. "Of course, very few of you actually make it to an older age. Most of you are consumed by the dark hado and then either destroy all or are killed by your friends. It is tragic, in a way. But I must confess, I am curious to see which of those paths claim you. Do you triumph and destroy the darkness? Or do you die to it?"

Ryu narrowed his eyes at the hermit, but the moment he took his attention away from the battle Evil Ryu took that chance to attack. With none of his usual screaming Evil Ryu lunged at Ryu. Ryu caught the moment and turned just in time to catch Evil Ryu's fist with his chest.

"GO-SHORYU!" Evil Ryu roared as he uppercutted Ryu with a fist consumed by darkness. Ryu roared with pain as his ribs were shattered even further and unfathomable agony blasted across his mind. The white aura of nothingness faded as Ryu lost control of himself, releasing the rest of the pain that Ryu had been blocking with his mind. Ryu crashed into the ground and writhed in pain, fighting through the agony to try and move. Yet before he could even move an inch Evil Ryu was upon him, lifting him up with one arm and glaring down at the warrior with hate filled eyes.

"It is over," Evil Ryu stated as he brought a hand back and clawed his fingers, taking aim at where Ryu's heart was. "Now die."

Evil Ryu lashed out and Ryu closed his eyes, waiting for darkness to take him. But instead of the silence of death, Ryu heard Evil Ryu roar in agony. Ryu felt himself hit the ground, causing him to open his eyes to see what had happened. Evil Ryu was staggering backwards with one of his arms dangling uselessly at his side. He turned his head with a roar, which in turn caused Ryu to turn his head to see what had happened.

What he saw was Zecora standing across from Evil Ryu with two very thin blades grasped in her hooves. Ryu glanced at Evil Ryu's arms to see two puncture wounds in his left arms, wounds that matched up perfectly with her blades. Evil Ryu roared and lunged towards the zebra, who waited until the last second before she spun out of the way. She struck Evil Ryu's right arm three times with her thin blades as he passed, causing his right arm to go limp as he skidded to a stop.

"So you are what he has been trying to fight. I will admit...that you fill me with fright," Zecora whispered as she crouched down at prepared to strike. Evil Ryu bellowed with rage before he glared down at his arms, tightening his fists and screaming in fury. The black and red aura that surrounded him exploded with power and through sheer will alone Evil Ryu forced his arms to move. He spun around and lunged at Zecora, reaching her almost instantly.

Zecora slashed at Evil Ryu with her blades, but with speeds that surpassed hers Evil Ryu caught the blades and shattered them with his grasp. Zecora had just enough time to gasp before Evil Ryu drove his palm into her chest, sending her hurtling backwards into a wall. She coughed up blood as she fell to her knees, her breaths coming in weakly as she lifted her head towards the evil warrior.

"You cannot win," Evil Ryu snarled before he lunged at the zebra. A smirk crossed Zecora's face before she clasped her hooves together, causing a cloud of white smoke to envelope her. Evil Ryu roared as he slashed through the cloud with his hand, but the zebra was gone.

"Defeating you was not my goal. I came her to save his soul," Zecora said from behind Evil Ryu, who spun around to find the zebra standing next to the motionless Ryu. "And now it is time for me to depart. Any further conflict would not be smart."

"NO!" Evil Ryu screamed as he lunged towards Zecora, but with one last smile the zebra clasped her hooves together and created another wall of smoke. Evil Ryu leapt into the smoke and blew it away with a Tatsu kick, but when the smoke cleared both the zebra and the warrior were gone. Evil Ryu roared with a fury so intense that the whole forest shook in terror.

"Hmm, seems she had been helping them leave from the sidelines," the hermit noted as he glanced over to see that Filthy and Tiara were gone as well. Upon hearing his words Evil Ryu turned to face the hermit, bellowing with rage before charging towards him. The hermit noticed Evil Ryu approaching out of the corner of his vision and snapped his fingers, causing a vortex of shattered magic to appear before the warrior. Evil Ryu roared just before he fell into the vortex, which closed a moment later.

"So they got away, did they? No matter. They cannot hide for long. And soon enough I will see how this Ryu's story ends. Either the darkness falls...or he does." The hermit snapped his fingers and vanished into nothingness.

→↓↘ + P

Ryu's eyes snapped open with a start and he sat up with such speed that the filly that had been watching over him fell back with a yell. The very first thing that Ryu noticed upon awakening was that he couldn't feel his chest. The second thing that he noticed was that he was lying on the floor of the carriage, with moonlight shining in through the window. Finally he glanced to his side to see Diamond Tiara looking up at him with a smile of relief, one that caused him some concern.

"What happened?" he asked in a deadly serious tone, one that caused the smile to vanish from the young filly's face.

"You lost," was all she said, but Ryu didn't need any more information. He rose up and glanced down at his chest, finding it bound in bandages with strange marking on them. Contributing the bandages to why he couldn't feel his chest, Ryu headed towards the door, not caring that Tiara was following him. Ryu opened the door to the carriage to see Zecora sitting on the ground in the center of the moonlight, her markings shining in a strange way under the beams.

"I am glad to see that you are alive. I didn't think you would survive," Zecora said with a nod of her head as she heard Ryu approach, yet she never opened her eyes even as he sat next to her. "You have gone through quite an ordeal. Please tell me how you feel."

"I feel like I was split in half and then beaten within an inch of my life," Ryu answered honestly, holding up a hand to his face as he did so. "Like my worst nightmare was finally brought to life, given physical form and then nearly killed everyone here that I care about."

"Well...that's what happened," Tiara explained as she rubbed the back of her head, before forcing a smile upon her face. "But look at it this way! The evil side of you is finally gone! That's means you no longer have to worry about it consuming you again."

Ryu glanced down to see her smiling face, almost wanting to believe her. He then lifted his hand towards his face and closed his eyes, able to feel the blazing fury of the Satsui no Hado deep within him. And it was still waiting, still waiting for the chance to destroy his soul.

"I am sorry Tiara, but that is not the case. The Satsui no Hado is still within me, still waiting for it's chance to take my soul. All that has changed is that it was given a physical form to destroy me as well, one that, master help me, is far stronger than I could be," Ryu admitted before he hung his head and let out a sigh of weakness. Tiara's eyes widened for a moment as it looked like Ryu shrunk, like his entire body had lost its strength. "How is Ra-Lor?"

"I do not know. I had to take you and go," Zecora whispered in a concerned voice. Ryu the closed his eyes and felt a wave of regret and hatred wash over his heart, before he forced those emotions out of his mind. Ryu then rose up to his feet and began to walk off.

"Where are you going?" Tiara asked him.

"I am going to finish what Ra-Lor started. I am going to finally master the power of nothingness, the only power that can possibly defeat the now physical form of the Satsui no Hado," Ryu replied in a whisper, one that was filled now with doubt and uncertainty. But when he turned to look back at Diamond Tiara, she saw the eyes of the warrior who would not be stopped.

"I am going to train."

Return

Ryu howled with power as he drove his fist through the massive boulder, shattering it to thousands of pebbles with a single punch. He then whirled around on his heel and lashed out with the blade of his foot, slicing through the trunk of a tree and causing it to fall over. To finish he leapt into the air and came down with a mighty right punch that shook the ground upon striking it.

His eyes widened sharply as hundreds of blades began to hurl themselves out of the forest around him, causing Ryu to move faster than he ever had before as he either dodged the blades or knocked them out of the air with his bare hands. Twin logs that were tied to the trees then came crashing down towards him, one on each side as they tried to crush the warrior between the both of them. Ryu roared at their approach before he struck with both of his arms, blasting the approaching logs into splinters with a single strike.

Spears of wood erupted from the ground just inches away from Ryu's foot, forcing the warrior to flip backwards to avoid being impaled. With no idea where the spears were coming from, the wandering warrior had to concentrate with all of his might to avoid being impaled. The spears came in rapid succession and unyielding intensity, never giving Ryu a moment to pause.

"Enough of this! HADOUKEN!" Ryu roared as he aimed his fireball right to the ground, roaring as a flash of white light decimated all of the spears that were being held within the ground. The earth shook beneath him as the hadouken tore through the ground, sending bits and pieces of the spears along with the rest of the forest raining down. Ryu stood in place panting before he let out a snarl and drove his fist into the ground.

"Why are you upset? I thought you looked amazing," Tiara's voice said, causing Ryu to look up to see the filly walking towards him, a look of concern upon her face.

"It is not enough. My speed, my strength...my evil half is far superior in every way," Ryu whispered as he regained control of himself and stood back up, turning towards the forest to repair the damage that he had done. "You will want to stand back. The training and traps will only get more intense from here on out."

"Yeah, but it will take you at least two hours to do so," Tiara reminded him before reaching into the saddlebag she was wearing, pulling out a small bottle of water which she chucked at the back of Ryu's head. Ryu caught the bottle without looking, but he did give Tiara a glance out of the corner of his eyes. "You've been pushing yourself for a week now with no food, little water and hardly any rest. If you keep going at this pace, your own body will kill you before your evil half ever gets the chance to."

"I need to train. I need to push myself beyond what I was capable of," Ryu said with an intensity that made Tiara shudder slightly. He then let out a roar as a white aura covered his body and all emotions that had shone on his face vanished. Ryu focused his energy into his hands and then fired a massive hadouken into the skies, one that consumed everything around it until it exploded into a massive burst of energy. Ryu then began to pant as he fell to one knee, the white aura fading.

"My body cannot hold the power of nothingness for long. I can either use it to increase my physical strength or the power of my hado, but it cannot do both for long," Ryu informed Tiara as he forced himself back up. "I need to shape this body to one that can withstand the power of nothingness, just long enough so that I can destroy Evil Ryu. That is all I can do."

Tiara knew that she wasn't going to get any further words out of Ryu for he was too far focused on his training. What she did do was stand on her hind hooves while moving her forehooves closer together. She then concentrated with all of her might, before hurling her forehooves forward.

"Hadouken!"

A tiny ball of light shot out of the tips of her hooves, traveling only a few inches before it vanished in a small flash. But it did it's job and caused Ryu to spin around with a look of both disbelief and amazement on his face.

"How...?"

"I've been watching the way you stand, the way you move and how you hold yourself when you do that thing," Tiara said with an exhausted voice as she fell over, that single fireball taking up most of her strength. "I've gotten the stance and the technique down, but I still can't throw more than one without nearly passing out. Think you could give me a few pointers on how to make mine better?"

Ryu thought about his answer for a moment before he shook his head. "I am sorry, but I must concentrate all of my efforts onto defeating my evil half. After I have done that...if I am still alive...I will train you. Just wait a little longer, if you wouldn't mind."

Tiara's face fell as Ryu turned and began to set up his training once more, leaving the filly to sigh slightly before she turned and headed back to her carriage. The moon was beginning to rise over the horizon, another indicator of how long Ryu had been training by his lonesome. Tiara shook off the feelings of sadness with a shake of her head before picking herself back up and walking into the carriage.

"Were you able to get through to him?" her father asked as she walked in. Despite trying to look confident, Filthy was able to see through the disguise and his eyes narrowed for a moment. "I see. Do you want me to go and talk some sense into him? I've gotten pretty good at it."

"No dad, it's fine. I do want to train...heck, spend any time with him, but he's right. Evil Ryu...was far more terrifying than I ever thought possible," Tiara admitted before her whole body began to shake, her memory flashing back to that battle. "It's going to take everything Ryu has and then some if he wants to defeat that monster. And honestly, I don't know if he can. But I believe he will."

"When did you go and get so grown up? You still look like the little princess that I had to drag everywhere in a wagon because she refused to touch the same ground as the commoners," Filthy reminisced with a chuckle, one that brought a small smile to face of his daughter.

"When I realized the pony that I had become. When I wanted to be more," Tiara replied before she let out a tiny yawn. "I need to get to bed. It's been a long week and I can't wait to put it behind me. See you tomorrow, dad."

Tiara's dad waved to her as she walked towards her bed. Tiara spied that her mother was already fast asleep, allowing her to head straight to bed without any further interruption. She slipped under the covers and passed out within a matter of moments, drifting off into dreamland.

"Wait...this can't be right," Tiara muttered to herself as she found herself standing in a white space, one that was devoid of anything except for eternity. "My dreams do not consist of white rooms that have nothing in them. Those are for crazy ponies, like Twilight. Where the heck am I?"

"With me."

Tiara spun around with a yelp to discover that she wasn't as alone as she had believed herself to be. Another pony stood in the room, one that looked nearly identical to her except that she seemed to be a darker shade. Fear crept into Tiara's heart as she slowly approached the pony, who had her head hung so that Tiara couldn't see into her eyes.

"Who are you?" Tiara asked as she reached out with a hoof, but with a bellow of fury that seemed all too familiar, the other her swatted away her hoof. Tiara yelped as she clutched at her hoof, while a smile spread on her others face. She then slowly raised her head to reveal that her eyes were a crimson red, a red that she had only seen on the eyes of one other.

"No," Tiara whispered.

"Yes. You took your first steps the other day down the path of hado. Congratulations," the other her mocked with a laugh as she walked towards Tiara, who backed away with fear. "But if you had listened to Ryu's warning, then you would know what that means for you."

"You...you can't be...I got rid of you!" Tiara screamed at the other her, who replied by throwing her head back and laughing manically.

"You may have buried me, but that side of you will never truly go away. And thanks to that weirdo in the cloak, I have been awakened once more," the other Tiara whispered with a smile that creeped Tiara out. "And I'm tired of you ignoring me, acting like you're better than you used to be. Didn't you know Tiara that fillies at your age...shouldn't play pretend!"

The other Tiara let out roar before she lunged forward, causing Tiara to scream as she threw herself out of the way. The other her roared as she resumed her attack, tackling Tiara to the ground and pinning her down with her hooves. Tiara struggled, but what little muscle she had was no match for the dark power that the other her possessed.

"Now you'll get to see what it's like to be buried," the other her whispered. Tiara opened her mouth to cry for help, but a moment later all she could see was darkness that completely consumed her.

"Tiara!" Filthy said as he shook his daughter again, whose eyes finally snapped open. Tiara slowly sat up as she began to look around to room, as if she was seeing it for the first time. "Thank goodness that you're awake, you were crying in your sleep. Did you have a nightmare? Where is that princess of the night when you need her?"

"I am fine, father," Tiara said in a very controlled voice, as a smile spread across her face as she looked down at her hooves. "In fact, I feel better than I have in a very long time."

Filthy raised an eyebrow at her choice of word, before Tiara turned to look at him. For a brief moment their eyes locked, but that moment was all that Filthy needed to realize that something was really wrong. The moment she saw the realization dawn on his face Tiara lashed out with a strike, hitting her father in the chest and sending him tumbling backwards.

"What have you done to my daughter?!" Filthy roared as he shot back up to his hooves, eyes blazing with a fury that the other Tiara didn't know he could make. "What have you done with her?!"

"Oh daddy, don't you recognize me?" the other Tiara said with a laugh as she crouched down and began to stalk towards her father, who held his ground. "I'm still your daughter, just the part of her that she thought she could get rid of. But she couldn't get rid of me and now, thanks to the power of hado, I've finally found the strength to break free. Let me show you my newfound strength!"

Tiara let out a roar as she charged forward, but she had only taken a few steps before the door to the carriage was kicked clean off its hinges. Tiara yelped as she jumped back to avoid the chunk of wood, which shattered against the other end of the carriage. Both eyes turned towards the entrance just in time to see Ryu lunge into the room, eyes widening when he saw both the expression and the intent that was flashing within Tiara's eyes.

"It cannot be," he whispered, but a moment later he was proven right when dark energy radiated from Tiara before she lunged at him. Ryu deflected her strike before he brought a fist back to retaliate.

"RYU! Don't hurt her!" Filthy roared before Ryu could strike and Ryu realized that he was right. Ryu snatched the filly out of the air and pinned her to the ground with one hand, before he closed his eyes and channeled the power of nothingness.

"BEGONE!" Ryu bellowed as he filled a hand with power and drove it into the chest of Tiara, who roared with fury as the dark power within her retracted into her body. The white light died down a moment later, leaving a panting Ryu to look down at the little filly, who seemed normal once more. "Tiara, are you-?"

Filthy slammed Ryu to the side before he pulled his daughter into his arms, shaking her slightly while calling her name. Tiara's eyes slowly opened and the moment both Ryu and Filthy saw them they both knew this was the filly that they knew. She glanced at the both of them before she burst into tears and pulled herself close to her father, who held her close as he did everything he could to calm her.

"It was so scary, dad. It was like I was the old me, but far more dangerous," Tiara sobbed into her father's shoulder, while her whole body trembled with terror. "I could see what was happening, but I couldn't do anything to stop it!"

"It's okay. You're safe now," Filthy whispered to her before looking up at Ryu. "Thank you, Ryu. If you hadn't shown up when you did...at least that darkness is gone now, right?"

Ryu hung his head while looking to the side, causing Filthy's eyes to widen with terror. "I managed to seal the darkness away, similar to how my master sealed mine away, but I cannot get rid of it."

"Then...then what does this mean for my daughter?" Filthy asked in an absolutely terrified voice, one that made Ryu look away.

"She has chosen to follow the path of the hado. That means that she will have to struggle with this demon within her for the rest of her life," Ryu informed Filthy as he closed his eyes, not wanting to see the look of terror that he knew was upon the father's face. "If she does not seek out combat like I have and lives a peaceful life like my brother Ken, then it will not be as powerful as mine. But it will always be there, just looking for the moment to escape."

"Then train her, Ryu! Train her to fight the darkness the way that you have!" Filthy Rich exclaimed with some hope, but that hope began to fade as Ryu rose back up to his feet.

"I cannot. Rather, I could, but it would amount to little. I cannot even best my own demon. How can I help her battle hers?" Ryu asked with a shake of his head as he walked towards the exit. "The best thing for me to do is train myself so that I can destroy my evil half, then I will finally have to power to help Tiara rid herself of hers. It is the only way."

"So you're going to go and train while my daughter suffers? The same daughter that took such good care of you and always helped you?" Filthy asked in a near whisper. "Ryu...you're a selfish bastard, do you know that?"

Ryu turned to look back at Filthy, hoping he would explain what he meant, but the father was far too busy comforting his daughter. All Ryu could do was turn and head back to training, but his mind was still wracked by what Filthy had said to him.

'Selfish bastard.'

Helpless

'Back here again,' Ryu thought to himself as he gazed over the hill at the small town of Ponyville, which was just waking up to the rising of the sun. With the height given to him by the hill, Ryu was able to jut barely see Tiara and her father walking through the streets, with four other fillies following Tiara. 'I can't blame the girl, though. After I battled with my evil side for the first time, I needed my friends alongside me. It's best that she's here.'

Ryu then closed his eyes and channeled the power of nothingness through his body, opening his eyes to see that everything within his field of vision had a white tint to it. He looked down at his arms and legs to see a white aura radiating from him, one that was far stronger than it had been the last time he had used it. Ryu then brought his hands together and concentrated, summoning a sphere of power within his grasp.

"Shinku...HADOUKEN!" Ryu roared as he fired the ball of energy into the sky, watching as it exploded in a shower of power. He heard some ponies in the town begin to scream, but his focus was quickly brought back to himself as he glanced down to see that the white aura hadn't faded away like before.

"I've gotten stronger," Ryu realized with a smile as he clenched his fist, feeling the power of nothingness flowing through him. 'This is the strongest I have felt since the Satsui no Hado. Perhaps...perhaps after all of my training I am finally ready to fight my evil half. But whatever may come, I will walk the path of my destiny. That is the true power of nothingness."

Ryu then focused on his strikes, sending out rapid punches with far more speed than he would have ever been able to do without his new power. Each strike created a small shockwave and his kicks sometimes sent out burst of air that knocked branches off of trees.

While Ryu would have wanted to be there to help Tiara, he knew better than to head into Ponyville with what had happened at the tournament. He knew they saw him as a monster, as a demon that would kill all of them if give then chance. And he knew that when they had last seen him, their thoughts about him would have been correct.

'But now I am ready. Now I can finally rid myself of the demon that has plagued me for so long,' Ryu thought as he clapped both hands together, generating a shockwave that tore apart the air around him. He then closed his eyes and felt the power disperse until the next time he needed it. Ryu crossed his legs and sat in the field, taking in the sweet air and enjoying the silence that surrounded him.

But despite the peace and tranquility of the situation, he could not tear his mind away from what Tiara's father had called him. Selfish. And despite thinking as hard as he could, Ryu couldn't find a reason for why Filthy would call him that. Ryu had fought for them when he didn't want to, aided them in their times of need and had always given them advice and help. Isn't that what his master would have wanted him to do?

Ryu then opened his eyes and glanced towards the town, suddenly feeling guilty for a reason that he did not know. Should he ignore what the ponies thought of him and be there with Tiara while she was trying to recover? Ryu then shot to his feet and shook his head, walking over to the trees on the edge of town before he split one in half with a punch filled with rage.

'No, I cannot go aid her. How can I hope to help her overcome her demon when I have yet to best mine?' Ryu asked himself, now understanding the source of his guilt. 'If I had trained harder from the start, if I had not allowed myself to be distracted by this world, then I would have found the power earlier to best the demon.'

'And then there is that hermit. This was his plan all along. To draw out the demon in me and force me to battle against my dark self. But what was he speaking of when he meant the other me's? The ones that didn't make it to old age or the younger ones that found a power like mine? And what does he have to gain from unleashing a force such as Evil Ryu?'

Ryu found the questions more than he could figure out and he sat down beside the tree he had punched in two, closing his eyes and banishing all distracting thoughts from his mind. He quickly lost himself in meditation, but a small part of him refused to stay quiet.

'Master, if you are watching over me, am I walking down the right path?' Ryu asked into the unknown, knowing that there would be no answer. 'Following the true path of my destiny has brought me this great power...but is it me? Is surrendering myself to my destiny something that you would approve of? Is it right? I need your guidance one last time...although I would prefer to simply talk with you again.'

"So this is where you've been hiding."

Ryu's eyes opened to see Diamond Tiara standing beside him, a kind but weary smile upon her face. Ryu made a motion for her to sit with him and she did so. "Figured you'd be off by yourself somewhere, but thanks for tossing up that giant ball of power that scared half the ponies in the town. It was kind of you to tell me where you were."

"I did not mean to scare anyone," Ryu apologized, but Tiara waved him off with a shake of her head.

"Stop apologizing. You don't always have to do it," she said before she gained a faraway look in her eyes, one that slightly concerned Ryu.

"How is the darkness within? You haven't had any issues with it, have you?"

"No...but it's always there. I can feel it, just waiting for me to mess up," Tiara whispered quietly, fear in every word. "It's just like you told me about yours. It whispers to me, tempting me with it's power. And I hate it. I spent so long trying to cast off the old version of myself, only for it to come back even stronger. Sealing it away made it go quiet for a little while, but I'm afraid of when it gets it's full strength again."

Ryu found as she spoke he couldn't help but nod somberly in agreement. When he had first discovered the power of the Dark Hado, at a much older age he admitted, he had many talks with Gouken about the very same topics. The fact that it seemed to wait until its host was weak before striking with all of its power, trying to tear apart who you are.

"Perhaps it would have been best if I had not taken you up on that offer about fighting for you," Ryu eventually said, causing Tiara to raise an eyebrow at him. "Had I not, then you would have never had the chance to mirror my techniques and thus the power of darkness would have been unknown to you."

"And then we'd be in debt and I might have been kidnapped by fish ponies and a hundred of other what if's might have happened. Ryu, whether you like it or not we're friends now. That means we stick with each other through the best and the worst," Tiara told him, but there was none of her usual fire within her voice.

"You're scared," Ryu stated. He didn't need to ask her: he could hear it in every one of her words. She shuddered slightly before curling up into a little ball, staring at the ground.

"Yeah...how do you do it, Ryu? How do you deal with this kind of darkness within yourself day after day and find the courage to get up each morning, knowing that it might be your last?" Tiara asked Ryu, who closed his eyes at her words. "Because I've only had it for three days now...and I can barely find it in me to greet my friends. To have it with you nearly all of your life...you're so strong."

"I am weak. If I was strong, then none of this would have happened in the first place," Ryu admitted in a bitter tone. "I would have slain my evil side and you would have never had to have dealt with this darkness. I have failed you as a protector."

"...well, you can still try to make up for it," Tiara began, her tone causing Ryu to glance down at her. "Because while you can't get rid of this darkness within me, you can teach me how to control it. Like you did."

"...I cannot. If I cannot control my own demon, then I will most likely be unable to help you with yours," Ryu replied with a shake of his head. "The best thing for me to do is perfect this new power and use it destroy my dark side. Once I have proven that I can, I will be better suited to-"

'Selfish.'

Ryu lifted his head with a start as he heard the voice echo through his mind, causing him to look around for a moment as he tried to figure out why the words had chosen then to appear. He then glanced down at Diamond Tiara to see that her head was hung low and defeat burned in her eyes. Ryu gritted his teeth before letting all of his frustration out with a sigh.

"Place your hooves on your knees like this, if you are able."

Tiara glanced up at Ryu, who was sitting up with his hands resting upon his knees. After a moment she copied his position, though he did have to push against her back slightly so that she sat up straighter. He then began to show her how to breath in an out, to calm the body and prevent emotions from becoming too strong.

"The most important part of meditation is to just...be," Ryu explained to Tiara, who looked lost at his words. "To not worry about the world or the future or even who you're supposed to be, but just live in the moment. To just exist. To become one with reality."

"Sounds boring."

"It can be. But then you will reach a point where you can feel the world around you becoming one with you. Where you can feel the breathes of the butterflies, feel the weight of the rivers and know the strengths of the mountains. And once you can do that, you can find peace, even if it's just for a moment," Ryu calmly replied.

"That sounds cool. How do you do it?"

"...I do not know. I have not made it to that point yet. A man named Dhalsim explained that is how it feels," Ryu admitted with a bit of embarrassment, causing Tiara to roll her eyes.

"And all your credibility goes out the window," Tiara said with a shake of her head, but Ryu cracked open his eyes to see a smile upon her face. She then took in a deep breath and let it out as she closed her eyes, trying to focus on just existing. "Hey Ryu? What do you plan to do after you defeat your evil half?"

"You mean if I defeat him."

"I mean after. You'll beat him Ryu. I know you will," Tiara replied with nothing but confidence in her voice. Ryu began to think about her words, supposing that he had never considered it before.

"I will finally defeat the demon that slayed my master. After that...I suppose I will continue to do what I always do. Travel the world seeking the best fighters, challenging them and then becoming stronger in the process."

"Oh. That's...nice," Tiara said, but Ryu sensed there was more to her words. He nudged her with his elbow to get her to continue. "It's just...I think you should do more with your power than just fight. You're really strong, far stronger than nearly anypony I've ever met. I think you could use your powers to help better the worlds, to make it so others don't have to worry about the darkness that you struggled with. You could help show them how to be strong. You could teach them."

Ryu thought about her words, wondering if what she was saying would suit him. A life of aiding others, of using his skills to not simply better himself. 'My master always told me that he spent his entire life seeking to master his skills, but only when he began teaching me and Ken did he ever truly feel satisfied. Perhaps...that life would not be so bad.'

"That is if you make it to that stage of your life."

Ryu and Tiara's eyes snapped open in unison to see the hermit walking towards them, face hidden by his hood but the rest of his metal body visible in the gleaming of the sun. Ryu sprang to his feet and placed himself between the hermit and Tiara, his body already glowing with the white aura.

"What do you want, you monster?!" Ryu roared at the hermit as he channeled his power into a hadouken, which he was ready to throw at the first sign of an attack.

"What I sought before your zebra friend so rudely interrupted us. I wish to see how your battle ends," the hermit replied as he waved his hand and created a vortex of shattered magic beside him. Within the vortex both Tiara and Ryu could see the red eyes of Evil Ryu, eyes that were just waiting to be freed. "You are an interesting Ryu, I will say that much. You question more than the others and you seem to have grasped the power of nothingness quicker than the others as well. I wonder if it will be enough."

"Take another step towards us and I will show you that my power is more than enough!" Ryu bellowed with hatred in every word. "Why did you unleash the demon within Diamond Tiara?! What could you possibly have to gain from hurting such a young girl?!"

"Why? Because she was so desperate to be your student that I thought I would make her more like you. A slave to the demon within," the hermit replied with such cold indifference that Ryu almost lost control of his emotions. "Or do you mean why do that to such a young filly? Because I can. So why shouldn't I?"

Ryu bellowed with fury as he hurled his hadouken towards the hermit, but in a flash of darkness Evil Ryu burst through the vortex and slashed through the fireball, ceasing its existence. Ryu's eyes narrowed as the evil him slowly walked forward, taking up a fighting stance as it did so.

"You wish to see how this battle ends? Fine. I am ready," Ryu spat before calming himself down, taking in a deep breath and concentrating. His body was coated in a white aura that filled him with strength and when his eyes snapped open they were completely white. "But once I have bested my other half, I will be coming for you hermit. Prepare yourself."

"Oh Ryu, if you survive this then I will more than be happy to end you," the hermit replied right before Evil Ryu let out a bellow and lunged towards Ryu.

"This is the path...of my destiny!" Ryu roared before charging forward to meet Evil Ryu. The both of them threw out a punch and their fists collided in the air, signaling the start of their final battle.

His Destiny

Twin fists collided in the center of a small field with such intensity that the ground shattered beneath the two fighters, who never registered the power of their strikes as they continued to strike at each other. One of the warriors was clad in darkness and death, with an aura of wrath that was so powerful that every pony in Ponyville felt the rage. The other warrior was cloaked in a white light that felt of nothing, practically masking his strength and emotions.

With a bellow of wrath Evil Ryu lunged at Ryu, striking and slashing at his foe with no emotion within his soul except to murder. Yet even in the face of such overwhelming murderous power, Ryu's face didn't fracture for a moment as he deflected or parried each of the attacks that would have torn a normal being asunder. Evil Ryu lashed out with his elbow and aimed it at Ryu's throat, but the white clad warrior caught the elbow with his hand.

"It ends today, Ryu," Evil Ryu snarled, straining against his most hated adversary with all of his strength. The dark power of the Satsui no Hado flowed through his veins, but to his increasing frustration he found that Ryu now matched him in power. "One of us will fall today. And I plan on it being YOU!"

Evil Ryu exploded with dark energy as he hurled a kick at Ryu's head. Ryu ducked underneath of the kick before striking out with a quick jab that struck his evil half in the side. Evil Ryu snarled and struck out with the back of his hand, catching Ryu off guard and striking him in the side of the skull. Ryu recovered quickly after the strike and retaliated with a hard blow to the sternum, before he followed up with a low sweep that knocked Evil Ryu's feet out from under him.

"Indeed, today it does end," Ryu agreed with a voice that shook with power, while his eyes were shining with a divine light. He hurled a kick into Evil Ryu's stomach, only for his foot to be caught by Evil Ryu's hands. Ryu then leapt up with his other foot and drove the top of it into the side of Evil Ryu's head, causing him to roar in pain as he dropped Ryu's foot and staggered back. "But today will be the day that I will finally defeat you. Today will finally be the day that I destroy you!"

Ryu struck out with a fist packed with power, yet with his speed enhanced by the darkness Evil Ryu ducked out of the way before driving a knee into Ryu's stomach. Ryu let out a grunt of pain as he doubled over slightly, leaving him open to a spin kick that sent Ryu tumbling backwards into the grass. Ryu kicked up to his feet just in time to dodged a right hook that would have taken his head off. Ryu grabbed the arm that had missed him and placed the elbow over his shoulder. With a roar Ryu snapped the arm down, but Evil Ryu's other arm grabbed hold of Ryu's arms to stop him from breaking his limb.

"Using your newfound power to destroy your greatest enemy? It seems that you have not abandoned the ways of the Dark Hado after all," Evil Ryu snickered with a smile that would haunt Ryu's nightmares. Ryu's eyes narrowed at his evil counterparts words before Evil Ryu kicked him in the chest and caused the two to return to neutral.

"Ryu..." Tiara whispered as the two launched themselves at each other once again.

"This is quite the battle," the hermit said to Diamond Tiara as he appeared next to her, causing the filly to yelp at his sudden appearance. "It seems that the both of them are physically equal to one another. I have rarely seen this kind of outcome."

"Y-yeah? Well Evil Ryu is going to lose! Because Ryu will never give in!" Tiara said with as much confidence she could muster. The hermit then turned his head to the filly, whose courage melted into fear and she backed away from him with terror.

"Perhaps you are right. But as the physical battle is a tie, this fight will come down to a mental battle. Which one of them has the drive to give it all," the hermit pondered before ducking to the right as a purple and black hadouken flew past his head. "But there is also the issue of destiny...and where it will take Ryu. That is what I cannot wait to see."

Ryu grunted as a palm strike slammed into his shoulder, sending him skidding backwards. Ryu dug his feet into the ground and ceased his momentum before lunging back into the battle. A quick left caught Evil Ryu under the chin and left him open to a follow up kick that went right into the side of Evil Ryu's knee. The dark Ryu collapsed to one knee with a growl, before he was silenced by an elbow to the face that drew blood. Evil Ryu bellowed before he leapt back, wiping it away with the back of his glove as he glared at Ryu.

A thin smile crossed Ryu's face as he brought his fists back up. Evil Ryu snarled as he marched back into the fray, deflecting Ryu's quick punch with the back of his hand before slamming the front of his skull into the face of Ryu. Ryu snarled as blood spurted from his nose and he leapt back to try and get some distance, only for Evil Ryu to be upon him once more. Ryu blocked an overhead chop before lashing out with a side kick that struck under the ribs. Evil Ryu tightened up to take the hit before his fist lashed out and planted itself into Ryu's chest, sending him hurtling backwards.

"Frustrating, isn't it?" Ryu asked Evil Ryu as he rose back up to his fighting stance, giving Evil Ryu a smile that infuriated the demon even further. "That you are no longer stronger than me? That after all this time you are finally free of me...and now you will be destroyed by the very one you've spent so long trying to kill. It's almost poetic."

Evil Ryu snarled with rage, but then the rage faded away as the dark warrior began to laugh. Ryu's eyes narrowed as the wielder of the dark hado threw back his head and cackled at the sky, before he raised his hand into the air. Dark thunderclouds that crackled with lightning began to circle around the battlefield, while little droplets of rain started to fall upon the combatants.

"It is frustrating that I cannot kill you so easily. But this battle? It is mine. And no amount of power that you believe you can possess with change that outcome." Evil Ryu then hurled himself forward even faster than before, catching Ryu off guard and leaving him open to a kick to the stomach that cracked bone. Ryu spat out blood before he went crashing into the ground, kicking up dirt and grass as he tumbled. His white aura burned brightly as he shot back up to his feet, leaping into the air and kicking Evil Ryu right in the center of his face.

The moment he landed Ryu sent out a punch right into the chest of evil Ryu, before crouching down and driving a close punch into the gut of Evil Ryu. Ryu then spun around and extended his foot, snapping Evil Ryu in the side of the head with a spin kick of his own. It was Evil Ryu's turn to take a tumble through the grass, but when he pushed himself back up he still wore a smile upon his face.

"This is the ultimate power of my master. The power that I sought for so long. A power that is beyond that of the Satsui no Hado," Ryu informed Evil Ryu as he concentrated all of his power into his hands, his eyes shining with the light of the stars as he glared up at his evil counterpart. "This is the power of my destiny. This is the power that shall defeat you! Shinku..."

"HADOUKEN!"

A colossal blast of energy erupted from Ryu's hands and tore across the ground as it hurtled towards Evil Ryu, who bellowed as his dark aura burned with even more power before he extended both of his hands towards the attack. A massive explosion of energy consumed the evil warrior, creating a cloud of dust and debris that washed over both fighters and spectators alike. Only Ryu was still visible in the dust cloud due to his white aura, but neither Ryu nor Tiara could see any trace of the dark aura. The dust eventually died down and revealed the fate of the evil warrior...and all that was left of him, which was a red headband that was torn apart.

"And with that...it is finished," Ryu said with confidence as he closed his eyes and let out a sigh, a smile crossing his face as he felt the joy of victory begin to wash over him. His eyes then snapped open as he felt a surge of murderous intent blaze behind him and he lashed out with his elbow, only for it to be caught be Evil Ryu's hand. "So, you didn't die from that attack? Then it seems I can no longer go easy on you!"

"If you have been holding back against me, then you have dug your own grave!" Evil Ryu bellowed as he slammed his palm into Ryu's stomach, causing him to cough up more blood. Ryu gritted his teeth before striking up with his knee, catching Evil Ryu between the legs with such force that even the spectators heard something pop. Evil Ryu roared with pain before he slashed across Ryu's chest with his hand, drawing blood as his fingers sliced through flesh.

"Still think he's going to win?" the hermit asked Tiara as he glanced down at the filly, who was watching the battle with terror in her eyes.

"Of course he's going to win. He's Ryu. He'll overcome his dark side...he has to," she whispered, but her expression alone drew a smile across the hermit's face.

The warriors clashed once more before they both leapt back, both of them breathing heavily as they stared the other down. The rain had come to a stop and the sky above was still, the dark clouds devoid of sound as they awaited the victory of the battle. Evil Ryu and Ryu glared down each other one last time before they both lunged forward, each of them tucking their arms down to their sides as they reached each other.

"Shin..."

"Go..."

"SHORYUKEN!"

The two fighters fists clashed in the air, striking each other with such strength and ferocity that the a hole was torn in the clouds above the both of them. The two sailed passed each other with fists held high, before a moment later they both came crashing back down to the earth below. Both Ryu and Evil Ryu landed on one knee, each of them taking in a moment to register what had happened. The both of them simultaneously rose to their feet...before a geyser of blood erupted from Ryu's chest.

"RYU!" Tiara screamed as Ryu's white aura faded away and the blood rained down upon him. Ryu fell to his knees, barely registering the pain as his body began to go numb. Ryu then slowly moved a hand to his chest, feeling the warm and sticky blood that was pouring from his chest. He raised his hand to see it was drenched in blood, but also that the white aura, the power of nothingness, was gone.

"How...?" he croaked out weakly as he slowly turned his head towards Evil Ryu, who was walking up beside him. "The power...of nothingness was my masters...my fathers greatest technique. It could...defeat...even a master of the Dark Hado. How...?"

"How?!" Evil Ryu roared before he slammed a fist into the side of Ryu's face, knocking the warrior flat. Evil Ryu grabbed Ryu by the front of his gi and hoisted him up so that Ryu was looking right into the dark eyes of the evil warrior. "Because as you said, the power of nothingness is achieved by surrendering yourself to destiny. But what you failed to grasp Ryu, is that your destiny...ends with me!"

Evil Ryu then slammed a foot into the side of Ryu's stomach, lifting him off of the ground and hurling him across the clearing. Ryu let out a weak cough after he crashed into the grass, which had become painted red with the blood he was losing. Ryu placed a hand on the ground and tried to push himself back up, but his strength had abandoned him.

"I am your destiny, Ryu! I am what you will become, no matter how hard you fight against me!" Evil Ryu bellowed as he landed on top of Ryu knee first, causing Ryu to scream in pain as his ribs shattered under the blow. Evil Ryu began to unload rights and lefts into the face of Ryu, who was too weak to lift his arms to defends himself. Evil Ryu then grabbed Ryu by the back of his head and rose up, lifting Ryu by his head while the warrior dangled helplessly.

"Your will has failed you. Your masters teachings have failed you. And your strength has failed you," Evil Ryu said to Ryu, who was too weak to even utter a reply. "All that you once had is gone and now you are alone. Alone with the true you. I want you to remember how it feels Ryu," Evil Ryu began as he brought his arm back, taking aim at where Ryu's heart was. "As I send you to hell!"

"Hadouken!"

Evil Ryu's hand stopped mere inches away from Ryu's back as he felt a small burst of energy strike him in the back of the head. Evil Ryu then slowly turned his head to see Diamond Tiara standing a good twenty feet away from him, forehooves outstretched as she stood in the hadouken stance. Her whole body shook with terror and her lips quivered in fear, but within her eyes Evil Ryu saw a will that infuriated him.

"No...you cannot die yet," Evil Ryu whispered before he dropped Ryu to the ground, before he turned and began to march towards Tiara. "Not until I have taken everything from you...like your student."

'Tiara...' Ryu weakly thought as the filly began to back away from Evil Ryu, who walked towards her as if he had all the time in the world. 'I am so sorry. I do not have the strength to beat him. Even the Satsui no Hado, even the dark power that I have held within me all of this time, has abandoned me at the end. I am so weak. I could not stop him. This is where my journey ends. This where all the training and fighting has led me. If only I were stronger. If only I had-'

'Selfish.'

Ryu's eyes widened slightly as the word echoed across his mind once more and for a moment the pain and the suffering that he was going through subsided for a brief moment. And in that moment Ryu saw his entire time in Equestria. How he had arrived for his own goals. How he had agreed to go with Filthy and his family for his own goals. How every battle, every action...every time he ignored Tiara to train by himself had been for his own personal goals. And in that moment did Filthy's words finally make sense to him.

'...I am a fool. All this time, I have been so concerned with myself. Every action I have taken has been solely for my sake, even at the risk or expense of others. I was so concerned on finding the strength to defeat the darkness myself...that I forgot about those who stood beside me,' Ryu realized, both guilt and hatred towards himself boiling within. 'I am selfish. I am a warrior that fights only for himself. A warrior that fights alone. So it is only fitting that I die alone.'

The Ryu shifted his bleary eyes towards Tiara, who was still running from Evil Ryu. But the warrior of darkness was too fast for her and Ryu knew that she couldn't escape him forever. 'But she...she has so much courage in her. She stayed by me when I was selfish. She put me above her own needs, a stranger in her land who sought to be alone. And even now, even after I've lost, she has the courage to stand by me, to battle my demon when I could not...she speaks about how she wishes to be better, but she is far beyond me. And all this time, she has been sharing that strength with me.'

Ryu then clenched his fist as he felt the faintest traces of his power course through his body. 'And yet she will die, die because of my weakness. Die believing that the darkness within one self cannot be overcome. Cannot be bested. All because I could not be as strong as she was! And even if she lives, she will carry that with her the rest of her life! She will always fear her other side!'

Ryu then slammed his fist into the ground as he forced his body to move, forced himself to push past the pain and the agony to slowly rise back up. Tears poured from his eyes from the pain, but he forced himself to keep going, not stopping until he placed one foot under him...and then he pushed himself even further.

'Master...if you can hear me, know that I have failed you. I could not become the student that you wanted me to be. I cannot defeat my darkness in battle,' Ryu said as he placed another foot under himself, feeling his muscles screaming at him to stop. 'But though I have failed you, I cannot fail her. I cannot let her live the rest of her life believing that the darkness within ones heart cannot be bested! Even if it kills me, even if my soul is damned for eternity, I will show her that you can never surrender to the darkness!'

'I will fight,' Ryu promised as he rose back to his feet one last time, swaying on unsteady feet as he slowly raised his arms. He couldn't hear when Tiara called out his name and he could barely see Evil Ryu turn to look at him because of the pain. But as he took up his fighting stance once more, as he prepared for his final battle, he was not afraid. 'I will fight. Not for my sake, for I am a lost cause. All my life I have fought for me. But now, against my greatest foe, I no longer fight for me. I fight for her.'

Evil Ryu let out a roar that shook the planet as he lunged at Ryu, taking aim at the warriors chest as he lashed out with his fist.

"Today I stop fighting for solely myself," Ryu whispered in a cracked voice before he summoned what little strength he had left before he brought his fist back, taking aim at the dark warrior. "Today I leave that part of me behind! Today I fight for more than just the battle! To save her I will go...beyond the battle!"

Beyond the Battle

Evil Ryu swatted away Ryu's strike as if it was nothing, before driving his fist into Ryu's chest and sending him flying across the ground. Ryu cried out with pain as he crashed into the ground, his already broken bones screaming with agony as they were further destroyed. Yet though the blow should have taken his life, Ryu placed a hand on the ground and forced himself up once more.

"Why do you rise? You are beaten," Evil Ryu informed Ryu with a snarl of rage. Ryu said nothing in reply, it took all of his might to remain conscious, yet he still raise his arms up and took up his fighting stance. Evil Ryu growled at the action before he lunged forward and kicked Ryu in the side of the head. Ryu was sent tumbling into the ground once more, where he coughed up more blood onto the already stained grass. Yet once more Ryu pushed himself back up to his feet, almost as if his only intent was to get back up each time he was knocked down.

"Why do you rise?!" Evil Ryu bellowed before he assaulted Ryu, hammering him with furious lefts and rights that tore at the warriors body. The strength of the blows nearly caused Ryu to collapse once more, but before he could fall over Evil Ryu grabbed him by the gi and held him up just so he could continued unload punches into Ryu's face. "I have destroyed you! Your master cannot save you! Not even his power can! You have found your destiny! So why do you not die?!"

Evil Ryu then hurled Ryu into the dirt with so much force that a cloud of dirt was kicked up by the impact. The dark warrior then spat into onto the body of Ryu before he turned back to Tiara. He had only taken three steps towards the filly before he heard the cracking of bones and the pained breathings of a man who was not long for the world. With a snarl Evil Ryu turned to face his counterpart, who was slowly rising once more.

"You...are right," Ryu admitted in a voice that was filled with pain and agony. "I have failed my master. I could not find the strength to defeat you in battle. In the battle between the two of us, you have bested me. I cannot defeat you for my sake."

"But it is no longer about me," Ryu continued as more and more strength filled his voice, a strength that caused Evil Ryu to take up his own fighting stance. "It is about her now. It is about Diamond Tiara. Because she now faces the same battle that I did. The battle against the darkness within ones self. And after today, if I die here, then she will believe that battle to be futile. She will live the rest of her life in fear of her dark half...as I did."

"And she was willing to do so much for me. She sacrificed so much for me despite how selfish and cold I acted towards her," Ryu spat out with disgust as the flames in his eyes died out...and were replace with something far more powerful. "And all this time I have been selfish, I have only cared about myself. But today that changes. Today I fight for her. Today I show her...that that darkness is not unstoppable!"

Evil Ryu roared in response before slamming his hand into Ryu's face once more. But despite the blow being strong enough to fell a mountain, Ryu remained standing. He slowly turned his head back towards Evil Ryu so that the demon could look into his eyes. Eyes that would not give in.

"A nice sentiment, but you cannot win! That has been proven!" Evil Ryu stated before he slammed his fist into Ryu's stomach. Ryu doubled over from the pain, but forced himself back up once again. "The path of nothingness has lead you as far as you can go! It has led you to your destiny! It has shone that you lose to me! And you cannot change that!" Evil Ryu said as he threw another punch, but this time Ryu's fist shot up and he caught the blow before it could strike.

"You are right once more. For my own sake, for my own soul, I cannot best you. I cannot win this battle. My destiny is to lose to you. But as I stated before this is no longer about me. It is about her," Ryu repeated before he threw the fist to the side and kicked Evil Ryu in the stomach. Evil Ryu grunted as he staggered backwards, trying to comprehend where Ryu was gaining this strength.

"But if this is as far as my destiny will take me, if this is where it believes I should end...with the fate of a filly who cared for a fool like me far more than he deserved, then it is no longer the path that I seek to walk!" Ryu bellowed as he closed his eyes, feeling the anger and power within him beginning to build once more. But now he sensed something else behind the power and rage, something even greater that he had never felt before.

"And if destiny constructs walls to obstruct me, to keep me upon that path, then I will tear them down! And if the darkness within me seeks to steal from me all that is important, to leave me only in the shadows, then I will illuminate my own way!" Ryu roared as he crossed his arms, feeling that power crackling with him as power and might flowed through his body. The dark aura of the Satsui no Hado began to flow around his body, but a moment later the white aura of the power of nothingness consumed him as well. And for a brief moment, the power of darkness and light merged into one, leaving Ryu covered in black and white power.

"I am not a warrior of the Satsui no Hado! I am not one who surrenders himself to destiny! I am a warrior who has finally found the meaning to his battle! I am a warrior who shall protect those who believed in me!" Ryu bellowed as the very sky above crackled with lightning and thunder even as the ground beneath him shattered and crumbled, as the Satsui No Hado and the power of nothingness became one within him. And it was a power the likes of which none had seen before. "I am Ryu. And I am a warrior...of the true HADO!"

Lightning erupted from Ryu's body as he hurled his arms to the side, roaring with all the ferocity and strength of the greatest of thunderstorms. His eyes crackled with power while electricity coursed through his veins, fueling him with the strength of a power beyond that of the dark hado or the power of nothingness. Ryu then snapped his eyes towards Evil Ryu and appeared before the demon in an instant, driving his fist into the gut of Evil Ryu.

Evil Ryu howled with agony as he was sent rocketing backwards, smashing through every obstacle that got in his path. He finally came to a stop when he smashed into a massive boulder, with the force of the impact sending chunks of rock in every direction. Evil Ryu pulled himself out of the boulder just in time to receive a lightning filled kick to the side of the head, one that sent him crashing through the earth.

"NO!" Evil Ryu bellowed as he erupted from within the ground, his dark aura burning brighter than the sun. "I will not fall to you! I am beyond you in this battle! I am beyond you!"

With all of his might Evil Ryu swung up at Ryu as the warrior appeared in front of him. Ryu parried the first uppercut, but the moment evil Ryu landed he threw out another one. Ryu parried that one and Evil Ryu launched himself even higher into the sky. But this time Evil Ryu opened his hand and sucked in all of the darkness around them, all of the blackness and shadow that filled the sky. He then channeled all of that power into his fist, before taking aim at Ryu and lunging towards him.

"You are beyond me in battle. But I have gone beyond the battle," Ryu promised as he tucked his fist in close. "Shin..."

Ryu then swung his fist up with a roar that drowned out the thunder that rumbled overhead, driving his fist that crackled with more lightning and power than all of storm clouds combined through the dark sphere that Evil Ryu held within his hands.

"SHO!" Ryu bellowed with the force of the storms as he drove a his right fist into the stomach of Evil Ryu, blasting a bolt of lightning through the gut of his foe.

"RYU!" Ryu roared as he slammed his left fist into the chest of Evil Ryu, shattering the ribs of the demon while sending lightning coursing through his veins. Ryu then placed his right fist under Evil Ryu's jaw, pausing just for a moment so that he could glare into the eyes of his foe. And then he struck.

"KEN!

A flash of lightning tore through Evil Ryu and the clap of thunder that followed hurled the body of the dark Ryu into the ground, where he exploded in an explosion of power. Ryu landed on the ground and rose up once more, narrowing his thunder filled eyes as he saw Evil Ryu rise up once more.

"No..." Evil Ryu whispered as he glared at Ryu with such hatred and intensity that all of the world felt the wrath of the demon. "NO! You are weak! You give in! I will not die to you!"

Evil Ryu then tucked his arms beside him, channeling a ball of darkness and rage that caused the very planet to shake with his power. He then channeled the darkness and hatred of every being in the battle and even the sky itself, sucking all the darkness into a sphere of dark energy that could tear the planet in half. Evil Ryu then hurled the ball forward towards Ryu, shattering the very land they stood upon as the massive hadouken disintegrated everything in its path.

"DDDIIIIIEEEE!!"

Ryu watched as the hadouken sailed towards him, but then he averted his eyes for a moment to glance over at Diamond Tiara. The filly was scared beyond belief and her entire body trembled from the battle she was witnessing. But Ryu saw that deep within her eyes was a strength, a strength that had never left her.

"Thank you...for showing me what it means to truly be strong," Ryu said to her before he turned back to the hadouken, he eyes narrowing as lightning tore across his body. He then clasped his hands together.

"Metsu," Ryu whispered as he created a ball of purple and black energy within his hands, one that was fueled by the hatred and rage he felt towards Evil Ryu, hatred and rage that roared like thunder.

"Shinku!" Ryu roared as the sphere changed from a deep purple and black to a sphere that was pure and powerful, a sphere that held within it the power of the lightning.

"DENJIN!" Ryu bellowed as the sphere was fueled with Ryu's desire to protect Diamond Tiara, causing it to erupt with black and white energy that was superior to the thunderstorm that tore apart the sky. Ryu then channeled that power as the very colors of the world melted away from around him, leaving him surrounded by the crackling of black and white. Then he snapped his eyes towards Evil Ryu and thrust his arms forward.

"HHHHAAAADDDDDOOOOOUUUUKKKKKEEEEENNNN!!!"

The sky itself was torn asunder as the hadouken left Ryu's hands, causing the planet to quake with power as the hadouken exploded forward with a power unmatched. The giant ball of darkness collided with the ball of lightning and for a brief moment the two battled. Then the Denjin Hadouken obliterated Evil Ryu's hadouken and barreled towards the evil warrior, who could only watch with disbelief before he was consumed by the power.

An explosion then followed with shook Equestria to its core, an explosion that was said to also shake the moon and solar system around Equis. Ponies believe that the world was ending and took cover. Dragons hid within their caves and prayed that the end times had not come. A Russian who had been training stopped to nod his head with a smile, understanding what had been achieved. And even the sun and moon quaked from the power they had just witnessed.

But as the explosion died down at the dust began to clear, only Diamond Tiara and Ryu were the first to see the true power of the hadouken. The forest that had been around the two of them had been blasted away, along with the mountain range that had been standing behind Evil Ryu. All that was left now was a barren wasteland...and a single warrior of darkness, who stood smoldering amongst the destruction.

"He's...still alive?" Tiara asked in disbelief. Ryu narrowed his eyes before he walked towards his evil half, stopping when he was closer.

"I am amazed your still alive," Ryu said, his voice carrying further than before due to the entire world having gone quiet after his attack. To the surprise of Ryu, Evil Ryu began to chuckle as he lifted a head that was drenched in blood.

"You...cannot kill me. I am...you. I am your desires...your rage...your drive to win. You will never...be rid of me."

Ryu narrowed his eyes at Evil Ryu's words, but then a moment later he closed his eyes and raised his hands to his chest. He then slowly exhaled while bringing his hands down, causing the lightning that had been covering his body to slowly fade away. A few moments later the lightning had completely vanished, leaving Ryu as he had been once more.

"You are right once more. You are my desire to win, my rage when I lose and the dark part of me that wishes I could just lose control," Ryu admitted.

"Fool...how dare you lower your guard before me!" Evil Ryu bellowed before he began to teleport towards Ryu, the symbol of Akuma flashing on his back as he soared towards Ryu. "Taste the Raging Demon!"

Ryu watched as the attack approached, but he did nothing to move out of the way. He simply closed his eyes and began to practice his breathing. Evil Ryu was upon Ryu moments later and with a roar of victory he reached out with his hands to grab Ryu...only for Ryu's hands to lash out and grab the dark warriors wrists, ceasing the attack.

"What?!" Evil Ryu roared as he tried to break free, but Ryu's grip could not be broken. Ryu then opened his eyes and stared into the eyes of the evil warrior, showing him that he had lost.

"You are those desires. And all this time I have been trying to destroy, trying to be rid of you like you are a cancer or a disease. But now I see you for what you truly are," Ryu whispered as he glanced over at Tiara to make sure she was watching, before he turned back to his evil part. "You are a part of me. You are a piece of who I am. The only way to destroy you would be to destroy myself. All this time the being that I have been trying to push away...was me."

"Release me!" Evil Ryu demanded, but Ryu closed his eyes once more and took in a deep breaths.

"You are my fears, my rage, my desire to win, my hatred towards those who mock me and even those who abandoned me. For too long I have sough to destroy those parts of me, to cast them aside and say that they are not me," Ryu began before he opened his eyes and smiled at his evil half. "But today, thanks to the strength of a certain filly, that will no longer be the case. Today I can admit that you apart of me. That you are me. And that it is time to end this."

Evil Ryu bellowed as he broke free of Ryu's grasp and threw a punch at Ryu's head, but the moment his fist struck flesh the two Ryu's seemed to merge together, with Tiara able to see both of them existing at the same place at the same time.

"I am a warrior of rage. I am a warrior that seeks his own destiny. I am selfish. I am determined. I am a wanderer. I am one who enjoys those closest to him. I hate to lose. I love to learn. I wish to destroy those in my way. I wish to be more than the desire to destroy. I hate that my parents abandoned me...but I am grateful that they did, so that I might meet my true family. All of these traits make up the warrior I am. I accept all of this," Ryu said as he raised his arms over his head, while the screaming Evil Ryu did the same.

"I accept..." Ryu then swung his arms down and Evil Ryu dispersed as if he were mist, vanishing into Ryu once more.

"Me."

For a long moment Ryu stood there in silence, simply existing within the world. He then raised his head and glanced over at Tiara, a large smile crossing his face before he raised a hand and waved to her. She let out a cry of joy as she rushed over to him, tackling him around the leg and tightening her grip.

"You did it!" she practically screamed at him, tears running down her face as she smiled up at him. "You finally defeated your evil side! You found the strength you were looking for!"

"Yes...and I have you to thank for all of it," Ryu replied with a kind smile, yet his words caused Tiara to look up with surprise. "You showed me that there was something more important than seeking to be the best. A strength that lay beyond all of the training in the world. You showed me that true strength can only be achieved...for the sake of another. And for that, I thank you," Ryu began before he got on all fours and bowed his head. "Master."

"What? I really did all that? Wow!" Tiara exclaimed with a nervous laugh as Ryu rose his head once more, but before either could say anything the sound of clapping caused the both of them to turn to the hermit.

"Well done Ryu. I must say that I am impressed," the hermit said with what almost sounded like praise in his voice. "In all my life I have never seen one of you do that. That was...a first. And I see so little that surprises me any more. I must thank you somehow. I know..."

The hermit then snapped his fingers and created a vortex of shattered magic. "This portal will take you back to your world. Consider it thanks for showing me something new. Farewell." The hermit then vanished without a trace, leaving Ryu and Tiara to stare at the portal.

"So I guess this is goodbye?" Tiara asked with sorrow beginning to fill up her voice. Ryu smiled down at her before he crouched down and threw a fireball into the portal, shattering it into thousands of shards. Tiara then glanced up at Ryu with shock on her face, while the warrior's smile grew even larger.

"No, it is not time for goodbye yet. There is still much I have to do in this world," Ryu informed her before he sat down on the barren ground, crossing his legs and closing his eyes. "For example, I made a promise to a young filly that I would help train her to become a fighter and to fight the darkness within her. And I have been lousy with keeping my promises."

A warm smile crossed Tiara's face as she sat down next to Ryu and mirrored his movements, tears forming in her eyes before she closed them and focused on her breathing. For a minute the two of them sat in silence like that, but then Tiara's curiosity got the better of her.

"For a moment there I thought you were going to destroy the planet. But I'm glad to see that all you did was destroy your evil half," Tiara said with a smile, but when Ryu chuckled she cracked open an eye. "What's so funny?"

"I didn't destroy him, Tiara. He is back within me. But in reality he was always there," Ryu admitted. "See, that darkness within us...that is a part of us. It is the anger, the hatred, the revenge filled side of us that we don't want to admit that we have. But it is a part of us all the same. My mistake was seeing it as a demon, as a part of me that needed to be destroyed. And in turn, it manifested itself as a true demon, thanks to me. But in reality, the only way to truly defeat that side of me...was to accept it."

"Wow...that's deep," Tiara admitted before she closed her eyes, a smile spreading on her face a moment later. "Alright, I've accepted that part of myself. And hey, I can already feel it fading slightly."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"Truly there is much I can learn from you. But before I do, I have a question."

"What is it?"

"Do you know where a hospital is? I think I'm dying."

A New Challenger Appears

The chirping of the birds overhead woke the sleeping warrior from his slumber. He let out a soft moan before he opened his eyes, squinting slightly as the bright sun blinded him momentarily. He glanced up to see the branches of a tree resting over his head, with the birds colored like the rainbow looking down at him.

He placed his hand against the ground and pushed himself up to his bare feet, adjusting his red gloves slightly before tucking in his white gi. Ryu reached up and tightened his headband, feeling the breeze catch its tails. He glanced down and found his bag with his personal belongings leaning against his worn, white gi. He bent over and picked up the incredibly heavy bag with a single arm before slinging the bag over his shoulder.

'I don't recognize this place,' he thought as he glanced around, finding himself in a large field. 'This was not near the cave where I found that hermit. So did his magic work? Guess I'll have to find out.' The warrior looked ahead to see the buildings of a large city looming in the distance. Figuring that it was as good a place to start as any, Ryu began to walk towards the buildings.

Ten minutes of silent walking went by before he met another traveler on the path he took, though he was slightly surprised by what he saw. It was a horse smaller than him that was colored yellow, with a brown mane. They gawked up at Ryu as he walked by them, but aside from a slight bow of his head Ryu paid them little mind.

When Ryu finally reached the edge of the city, he found more of the horses within. All of the horses were painted like the rainbow, but when he looked closer he found that some had horns while others had wings. All of them, aside from the smallest of the small, had marks on their flanks that were a variety of things. Most of them stopped what they were doing to watch Ryu as he walked by, but as none of them did anything he found no need to notice them.

'Truly that hermit was correct,' Ryu mused when he glanced up at the city sky to see dozens of pegasi flying overhead. 'This world is far stranger than the one that I call home. I am glad that he warned me that there would be strange beings here that I have never seen before. This would be jarring otherwise.'

The closer he went into the city, the more crowded the place became. Soon he found himself walking on the sidewalk alongside other ponies, who he towered over completely. Every time he glanced around at them he saw that all eyes were upon him, but none of them said anything to him. Nor did he read fear or terror in their eyes. They were just curious.

'I should ask for directions,' Ryu realized while standing at a crosswalk. 'I'm just wandering around aimlessly. Perhaps someone here will be able to at least point me in a direction that I would need to go.' Ryu spied a stand that had the words "Information" printed above it, so he decided to try there. He walked up to the stand, where a pony was sleeping in a chair, and tapped against the wood with his fingers. The pony awoke with a start, but when they laid eyes on Ryu a smile crossed their face.

"Well hello there. You're not from around here, are you?" the pony asked Ryu, who shook his head in reply. "No no, don't say anything. I can tell from your build, your outfit...you're a fighter, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am. How did you know that?" Ryu asked with some confusion. The pony's response was to smile before reaching under his desk, reemerging a moment later with a flier that he handed to Ryu. Ryu took the flier in his hand, raising an eyebrow when he saw what was written on it.

"That's for the fighting tournament that we have going on in this city. Today as a matter of fact," the pony said to Ryu, who folded up the flier and stuck it in his gi. "We've had all sorts of martial artist showing up over the past couple of days. Some of them even came here. That's how I knew you were one of them."

"You are correct, I am a fighter. And perhaps this tournament you speak of is the first step towards what I am looking for," Ryu pondered aloud.

"Well what are you looking for?"

"I do not know."

The pony smirked at Ryu's response before reaching under his desk once more and pulling out a map. "Here, I've circled where you are on here in red and circled where the fight's taking place at in blue. Shouldn't be too hard for you to follow."

"Thank you for you kindness," Ryu said with a bow. After receiving the map from the pony, he began to moved towards the blue circle as best he could. With all of the side roads and back alley's, he got lost more than once. Though even when lost, he found that there was still things of interest in those places.

"Whoa, who is that, mom?" Ryu heard a foal ask when he had stopped in a park to see where he had gotten to.

"I don't know dear, but it's rude to point. He's probably here for the fighting tournament, same as all the others."

"But he looks so different from nearly all the other fighters! And his gloves look so cool! Can I get some?!"

"Dear...we don't have hands."

As he moved through the streets, Ryu found that while the ponies were interested in him, they were not exactly the most courteous of creatures. They yelled at each other from the tops of carriages after they cut one another off. Some bickered in the streets over the smallest of details. Ryu also believed that he saw a few black, insect looking beings among them.

Eventually, as the sun was starting to set, Ryu found his way to the place that had been circled on the map. It was a large stadium, build from marble and flooded in spotlights. Even from the outside, Ryu could hear the sounds of the crowds roaring from within. He pulled the flier from his gi and saw that the tournament began at six. He then glanced at the nearest clock to see it read eight o' five.

A frown crossed his face, but he walked up to the gates anyway, figuring that he would simply explain why he was so late in entering the tournament. A single pony sat behind a folding table with a sign that said "Sign ups", fast asleep on his table. Once again Ryu tapped against the table to awaken the pony, who let out a small yawn before glancing up at the warrior with curious eyes.

"Well hello there. You're quite the specimen, aren't ya?" the pony asked as he looked up at down Ryu. "Let me guess, here for the tourney? Well well, seems that you've arrived awfully late. The whole thing is pretty much over."

"I am sorry to hear that. I had come in hopes that I could test myself against the fighters of this land," Ryu said with disappointment as he turned and started to walk away.

"Whoa there buddy, I said almost over, not completely over," the pony hastily said, his words causing Ryu to stop and glance back over his shoulder. "See, while there were a lot of cool preliminaries and fights for the crowd, we actually have a bit of a problem. There's no final match."

"Why is that?"

"Because no pony wants to fight the three time defending champion of this tourney. The Black Bull, as he's called," the pony explained. "And the one fighter that was supposed to didn't show up. Whether he got held up or chickened out, we don't know and we don't care. Because nopony else wants to fight him and because of that we don't got a show. A lot of ponies had money on this final bout, so of course most of them are upset. So I'll tell you what I'll do. You agree to go fight our champion, and I'll allow you to enter. What do you say? Want to fight one of the best we got?"

"What do I say?" Ryu repeated before looking down at his fist, clenching it tight with a smile crossing his face. "I say that this would be the right way to start off my journey here."

→↓↘ + P

"Alright mares and gentlecolts, it's time for the moment that you've all been waiting for! The main event!" The crowd of ponies bellowed with excitement, causing the whole stadium to shake beneath their excitement. "Now then, let us introduce the champion! You know him, you love him! Give a loud round of applause for the three time, I said THREE time, champion, the BLACK BULL!"

The crowd erupted into shrieks as a minotaur that was completely black burst through a wall of concrete and skidded to a stop in the center of the arena. He bellowed with a voice that could be heard over the roaring of the crowd, while he pawed at the floor with his hooves. His white horns gleamed in the spotlights, blinding a number of ponies in the crowd. He then began to pace back and forth across the arena floor, waiting for his opponent.

"And now for the challenger. The master of the skies, the unholy angel: Let's get a large cheer for...the WINGED WEAPON!" The crowd bellowed as well, but as the spotlights shown on the other entrance the roaring died down to confused murmurs. "Perhaps you didn't hear me. I said the WINGED WEAPON!" Once again the challenger failed to appear, causing the murmuring to continue.

"Well well, it seems that the rumors were true Filthy Rich. Your pick to win is nowhere to be found," Golden Greed said with a smile as he cast a glance at the brown stallion with the slicked back hair. His smile grew longer when he saw the look of disbelief that was crossing the face of the stallion.

"Perhaps he is in the bathroom. Or he simply didn't get his gear on," Filthy Rich tried to argue, but all his words did was get a smirk from Golden Greed. Greed then looked behind the box seats to the rest of the ponies that were there as well. His own family sat on one side while Filthy Rich's wife and daughter sat on the other, with the same looks of concern on their faces as Filthy Rich's. "We just need to give him more time. I'm sure that he's-"

"More time? Filthy, can't you hear this crowd?" the grey stallion asked with a small chuckle as the crowd began to boo wildly, not at all happy that there was no fight going on. "They all paid good money to see our, well, money match. Two of the best fighters in the world going at it. And your combatant is a no show. That's got not good for sales...or for our little bet."

Filthy Rich bit down hard on his lip as he hoped fervently that his fighter would walk through the gate at any moment. Greed let out a chuckle as the crowd's booing got louder, which was only stopped when Black Bull got ahold of a microphone and began to talk smack to his opponent. Filthy took that moment to walk back over to his wife and daughter, one who glared at him with anger while the other simply looked concerned.

"Dad, what's going on?" Diamond Tiara asked him.

"What's going on is that your father was so certain that this warrior of his would be able to win that he placed nearly all of our money on this fight," Spoiled Rich explained for her daughter, her haughty words only making Filthy hang his head in shame. "But since his fighter isn't showing up, it seems that we're going to lose this little bet of his by forfeit. Good going "dear", you ruined our family by betting on the wrong horse."

"Now don't be too hard on him, I'm sure that he had nothing but faith in his fighter," Golden Greed laughed from his seats. "But seeing as your fighter isn't going to show up, I guess we can go ahead and call the bet and match here. Now are you going to pay me in bits or-?"

"I invoke the substitution rule," Filthy cut off Greed in a near whisper. Spoiled Rich gasped at this while Greed let out a loud laugh. Diamond Tiara looked back and forth between the two, both confusion and concern written clearly on her face.

"What's the substitution rule?" she asked with fear in her voice.

"The substitution rule, my little filly, is a rule that can be invoked when a fighter does not appear. The rule states that the next combatant to step up to the plate, as it were, shall take the place of the fighter that was originally supposed to fight," Greed explained, practically licking his lips. "Are you that desperate, Filthy, that you would leave the fate of your fortune up to chance? Up to whatever jobbers they have sitting around in the back?"

Filthy looked away from Greed as he sat down next to his family. His wife gave him a cold scowl while his daughter rested her head against him, trying to comfort him as best she could.

"Of course, if no other fighter steps up to challenge my Black Bull, then you still lose," Greed reminded Filthy and his family with a smile. "Perhaps you shouldn't have bet so much money on this match. I mean, who knows what can happen to a fighter in between bouts?" Filthy gave Greed as cold a glare as he could muster, but his courage quickly fell when Greed gave him another smirk. The ponies waited five more minutes before Greed let out a sigh. "Alright Filthy, I'm done watching you squirm. Nopony else is coming out, so-

"Wait a moment mares and gentlecolts, looks like this evening isn't over yet! We have a new challenger!" the announcer roared, silencing Greed and causing the crowd to turn their eyes towards the tunnel where the spotlights shown. A being then walked out of the tunnels, a being in a white gi with the sleeves ripped off. A red headband was wrapped around his head and he tightened his red gloves as he walked into the arena. He walked into the center of the arena, right next to the Black Bull, who smirked down at him.

"You really think you can take me, shrimp?" the bull asked, despite barely being taller than his opponent. "When I'm done with you, they won't even be able to carry you out in a body bag. you'll have to be take home in a jar, because you'll be pounded into liquid when I'm finished! What do you think of that?" The crowd then looked to the other fighter, who stood with his eyes closed. He then slowly opened them and looked up at the bull.

"Talk is cheap. Let's settle this with our fists," he replied as he took up his fighting stance. The Black Bull snorted as he began to paw the ground, the two sizing each other up.

"So this is who you've put your faith in?" Greed said to Filthy with a chuckle. "Well, I hope that he at least puts up a show."

"Mares and Gentlecolts, I give you your new challenger!" The crowd roared in response, excited that they'd finally get their fight. But for Filthy Rich and his family, they all watched the battle with scared eyes, placing all of their hope on this fighter. "From parts unknown, weighing in at Faust knows how much, I give you the mysterious being, the black haired battler. Mares and Gentlecolts..."

"THE WANDERING WARRIOR!"

Training

A combination of the chirping of the birds outside along with the rays of the sun that beamed down upon the small filly awoke her, a smile crossing her face as she cracked an eye open to see that there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Diamond Tiara slowly pushed herself off of her bed before stretching her back, wincing slightly when she heard it pop once or twice.

"Ah, looks like today is going to be a great day," she muttered to herself. "And today is the day that I'm going to learn how to throw one of those hadoukens. Now then, were is my-?" Tiara glanced towards the corner where Ryu had been sleeping the night before, but to her surprise the corner was vacant of warriors. For a brief moment panic crossed her mind, but then she spied Ryu's bag and she placed a hoof to her heart.

"Well, he couldn't have gone far," Tiara said as she tiphoofed past her sleeping parents to the door to the carriage, gently pushing to door open and slipping outside. "Hey guys. Any of you see the human that was supposed to be in here?" she asked the team of ponies that pulled the carriage.

"Yeah, we saw him nearly two hours ago," the lead replied, causing Tiara to raise her eyebrows in surprise. "He left right when the sun was starting to rise. He seemed to be heading towards the waterfalls over that a way." The pony pointed to where the water came crashing down from the lakes and rivers above to the cliffs below, shaking slightly as he did so. "I don't know what he wants over there, but that's definitely where he was heading."

Tiara followed off after where the stallion had pointed, keeping a careful eye on her hooves to make sure that she didn't misstep. 'This place is kinda narrow and I don't want to fall off here,' she realized as she peeked over the edge next to her, gulping down her fear when she saw how far of a drop she had. She felt a chill run up her leg as she stepped down into a puddle of water, instinctively leaping back as the cold seeped into her hoof.

'What the heck does Ryu want over here anyway? Maybe he's finally decided to take a bath, Faust knows he needs one.' Tiara followed along to small path, reaching an area that took her breath away. It was a large half circle, with a lake in the center that was filled by five separate waterfalls that poured into its basin. Seven rainbows shined in the sky around the base of the waterfalls, but the beauty of the landscape was lost on the mare when she found her missing human...underneath one of the waterfalls.

"Ryu?" she asked with more disbelief than anything. Ryu was beneath the largest waterfall, eyes closed and head bowed slightly. His legs were bent to where he was somewhat crouching, while both arms were tucked in close to his chest. Tiara winced as the water thundered down onto his body, able to feel the bite of the cold from where she stood. But if Ryu felt the pounding of the water or the sting of the cold, he showed no outward sign.

"Hey Ryu, what are you doing? That looks really stupid...and cold," Tiara pointed out to the warrior as she rubbed her arms, but Ryu did not budge an inch. "Ryu, can you hear me? I thought you were supposed to be training me this morning, not freezing yourself to death."

Ryu remained silent, leaving Tiara to sigh as she glanced around. She sat down on the only dry spot she could find and watched the fish in the lake dart around. When she got bored of that she leaned back and watched the clouds in the sky move. Eventually she grew bored of that as well and started to practice trying to throw fireballs again.

"Why do you seek the power of hado?" Ryu asked, startling Tiara slightly as she had given up on him talking to her. She turned her head over at Ryu, who seemed as unmoved as before.

"Hado? Is that what you call your fighting style?" she asked him, but Ryu did not answer. "Because from what little I've seen of it, it's awesome! Could you imagine how all of my friends would freak if I came home and was suddenly throwing fireballs! They'd flip!"

Ryu gave no answer once more, but for a brief moment Tiara was certain she saw his face darken. Then the neutral look returned to Ryu and he continued his silence. Tiara let out a groan before marching up to Ryu and kicking him in the shins. Yet to her amazement her blow didn't budge the warrior an inch and his face remained as unmoved as before.

"Faust you're boring," Diamond muttered, before she glanced up at the top of the waterfall and spied something tumbling over it. "Ryu! There's a tree trunk falling over the falls!" she yelled at him as the log tumbled down towards Ryu. "You need to get out of the way before-"

Without opening his eyes Ryu's shot his fist straight up, slamming into the tree trunk and turning it to splinters with a single blow. Tiara's jaw got wet from it dropping straight into the lake, but once again Ryu's face didn't change despite the display of strength. He did, however, finally open his eyes.

"That's enough for now. Time to head back," he decided as he moved himself out from beneath the falls, which roared with fury as the object that had been blocking it moved from its path. Tiara's eyes widened for a moment when she saw the full ferocity that the falls had been raging with and then she moved her eyes to Ryu, who seemed unfazed by that power.

'What is he? Are all humans like him?' she asked herself before shaking her head and racing after Ryu, catching up with him as he reached the carriage. "Um, you got pretty soaked after your bath. You need a towel or-"

"Thank you, but I will dry off as I train," Ryu politely interrupted.

"Training? Wasn't that your training right there?"

"No. That was to wake up."

Leaving Tiara slack jawed once again, Ryu found a flat spot of grass near the carriage and crouched down slightly, moving his arms back beside his ribs once more as his eyes focused ahead at the nothing with an intensity that Tiara had never seen on the face of another before.

'Wonder what technique he's going to do next?' she asked herself as she sat down, slightly bouncing in place as the anticipation took hold of her. The muscles in Ryu's arms contracted as he focused his strength and the very air around him seemed to tense as he prepared himself. His face then changed to an expression of power before...he threw a single punch forward.

"That's it?" Tiara asked as Ryu brought back his arm, repeating the same motions once more before throwing another punch with his other arm. "That's what all of that build up was for?! I wanted to see something cool, like a larger hadouken! Or maybe you'd shoot a dragon out of your fist!"

"This is just as important as being able to do any of those feats you have mentioned," Ryu replied stoically as he tensed up once more before throwing out another punch. "If I focus solely on my special abilities, then when the time comes for me to fight with my fists I will fail. I will hone a single attack until it reaches perfection. And then I will go beyond perfection."

"Wow that's dumb...I mean that's really impressive and all, but I wanted to talk to you about training me," Tiara interjected as she walked over and sat down in front of Ryu, smiling up at him with the same smile she used to get her dad to buy her something. "When do you think you can start training me to do hadoukens?"

"When I no longer need to hone my punch," Ryu replied as he threw another blow.

"But you just said you will keep throwing punches until you go beyond perfection! At this rate it will take you an eternity to train me!" Tiara exclaimed, getting a thin smile to cross Ryu's face.

"That will give you plenty of time to reflect on why you wish to fight. You are welcome to meditate here." Instead of taking Ryu up on his offer, Tiara instead let out a groan and collapsed to her back, closing her eyes and drowning out all other sounds until all she could hear was the chirping of the birds and the sound of Ryu's punches.

→↓↘ + P

"It's a little small, but trust me when I say this is a place for you to get some practice in before the big tournament later this week," Filthy said to Ryu with a beaming smile, one that Ryu was certain the pony had used before conning someone. But he found it hard to distrust the pony's words as he glanced around at all of the different combatants around him, some of whom were species that he didn't recognize.

"Ah yes, the waterfall arena. Has it been nearly a year since the last time we were here?" Spoiled asked her husband as she glanced around the area. A single, circular platform was held aloft with six stone bridges over a lake of raging water, where several waterfalls poured down into the lake. "I also have noticed that Mr. Ryu here still hasn't signed the contract that we offered him. Are you sure you wish to enter him into this battle without him being signed?"

"Oh come now dear, Ryu doesn't have to sign if he doesn't want to. He just has to wear our merchandise!" Filthy exclaimed with a smile as he held out a shirt and cap, both of which had his smiling face on them. Ryu raised an eyebrow through his headband before he walked past the pony while patting him on the shoulder.

"So what do you think of these guys?" Tiara asked Ryu from the seats above the arena. Ryu narrowed his eyes slightly as he glanced around at the combatants, shaking his head a moment later.

"Most of them seem to be amateurs. Some of them seemed seasoned." Ryu then focused his full attention on a zebra that stood across the arena from him, his body tensing slightly the moment he laid eyes on her. Her body did the same as she set her eyes upon him. "But a few of them seem that they can provide the challenge that I am looking for."

"Well good luck with finding that challenge, because you're the first one up!" Filthy exclaimed as he pushed Ryu towards the arena, but failing to budge the warrior. "You're first opponent is a changeling. Their pretty strong, but should be no challenge for you. But be careful, their nation does produce some good fighters. Go get them!" Ryu nodded before slamming his fist together as he walked across one of the stone bridges onto the arena, where he was met by a pony in a referee shirt and a bug like creature that he remembered seeing in the city, which he assumed to be the changeling.

"Alright you two, I want a good, clean fight," the referee said to the both of them. The changeling snickered at the refs words. "No shape shifting, no weapons and no attacking the eyes or privates. Other than that, anything goes. We clear?"

"Oh, crystal," the changeling buzzed as it crouched down. Ryu responded by slamming his front foot down and shaking the entire arena. Both the ref and the bug looked at him with surprise while he lifted both of his arms up to his chest, taking up his stance. His eyes answered for him.

"Ready? FIGHT!"

The moment the ref called out for the match to begin, the changeling went low and tried to knock Ryu's feet out from under him. Ryu couched down and blocked the sweep with his arms, before swinging with his own leg to counter sweep the changeling. The bug was knocked straight to its back, but a moment later it flipped back up to a vertical base.

"Okay tough guy, how about this!" the changeling roared before firing a blast of green magic from the tip of its horn. Ryu narrowed his eyes as he saw the blast coming towards him, but instead of moving out of the way he chose to close his eyes for a brief moment. The moment the spell was about to touch him his eyes snapped back open and he swung his arm to intercept he blow...only to growl in pain as the spell seared his forearm.

"Ryu, what are you doing?! Just use your hadouken and finish this already!" Tiara yelled at Ryu from the ring of spectators watching from above. Ryu ignored her words as he brought up his arms and took up his stance one more, slowly inching towards the changeling while watching for any sudden moves. "Come on, you can't lose in the first fight!"

"Nothing to say about that? Are you mute or just too afraid to speak?" the changeling taunted.

"My words will not be what defeats you. It will be my fists," Ryu replied, before throwing out a right punch that moved faster than most could see. The changelings reflexes kicked in just in time for it to lift its forearms to block the blow. It growled with pain as it was sent skidding back, where it winced as it lowered its stinging arms.

"Yeah, right. How will your fists be able to hit me when I'm too far away?" the changeling asked as his wings began to buzz and a moment later he took to the air. Ryu's face narrowed slightly as he looked up at the bug, who was buzzing around Ryu with a snicker on his face. "Hey, remember that magic that you failed to block? Where here comes some more!"

The changelings horn had just barely begun to glow when Ryu kicked off and propelled himself into the air, leaping right up to where the changeling had been flying. Surprise and fear crossed the bugs face as Ryu reached it, before Ryu slammed a single fist right into the face of the changeling. The changeling came crashing down to the ground as Ryu landed perfectly on his feet.

"You...you..." the changeling tried to grunt out as it pushed itself to its hooves, but when it turned around it found Ryu standing over it. It let out a roar of fury as it threw a punch towards the warrior, only to be struck down a moment later by a basic punch from Ryu.

"You may float like a butterfly, but your blows were far from stinging like a bees," Ryu said to the unconscious changeling.

"Knock out! And the winner is, the Wandering Warrior!" the referee said as he hoisted Ryu's arm up as high as the pony could reach. The crowd began to cheer, but Ryu ignored their praise as he glanced at Tiara, who wore a look of bafflement on her face.

"See? All I needed was a single punch."

What It Takes

The crowd roared in a frenzy as Rainbow Dash hurled herself towards Ryu, practically invisible aside from the rainbow trail she cast behind her. Ryu shut his eyes and focused all of his efforts into waiting for a split second before his eyes snapped open and he swatted aside the punch that Dash had thrown at his head. The mare was close enough for Ryu to see her eyes go wide before he swung his left fist into her stomach, knocking her out of the air and sending her tumbling across the arena floor.

"H-how did you do that?" Dash spat out as she pushed herself back up to her hooves, which shook slightly as she forced the pain out of her mind. Ryu's reply was silence, a silence that only made Rainbow Dash all the more angry. With another snarl she rocketed herself towards Ryu, who shut his eyes once more before swinging his arm out to intercept the blow.

But when the blow never came, he snapped his eyes open to see that Dash had come to a stop right in front of him. "You're not the only one that can learn a few new tricks," she snarled before driving both of her hind hooves into Ryu's nose, snapping his head back with a small spray of blood. The warrior held a hand to his nose to see that he was bleeding slightly. "Neat trick, your little parry. But that will only work on me once."

Ryu responded with silence once again as he clasped his hands down at his side, a ball of energy forming in his grip. Dash narrowed her eyes as she spied the fireball, her whole body tensing as she awaited the next move. Ryu then thrust his hands forward with a roar, letting loose the hadouken and hurling it towards the rainbow mare. Yet in a flash of rainbow light she vanished and the fireball sailed right past where she had been standing, causing Ryu to narrow his eyes before leaping to the side to avoid a blow by Dash.

'Just as I thought, she's too fast to hit with my hadouken. I'm going to have to rely solely on my fists for this battle,' Ryu deduced as he skidded to a stop and raised his arms, focusing as the rainbow blur rocketed towards him once more. Ryu was the only being in the entire arena with the reflexes to keep up with Dash's blows, allowing him to deflect her punches and kicks as they rained down upon him like a storm.

But while Ryu was able to react to the speed of Dash, he quickly found that like before, his body couldn't keep up for long. A swift right hook slipped under his guard and caught him in the rib hard, causing him to lean to the left slightly. That threw off his balance and allowed Rainbow to catch him in the shoulder with a kick that staggered the warrior. Ryu threw up a swift knee in hopes of catching Dash off guard, but in a flash of rainbow she was out of his range and left his knee to strike at empty air.

"And it seems that the Wandering Warrior can't lay a hand on Rainbow Dash. She's known for her speed, but I don't think I've ever seen her this fast!" an announcer who sounded an awful lot like Chrysalis roared over the screaming crowd. "Things might be looking bad for the crowd favorite! Can Ryu make a comeback or does Dash have this in the bag?!"

"As if they need to ask," Dash smirked as she dashed on her hooves out of Ryu's range, buzzing around him like a bee while Ryu remained rooted in place, waiting for Dash to inevitably come to him. "You see how this is going to end, right? You're too slow, old man. You can't keep up with me."

'She's right for the most part. I can't keep up with her speed forever,' Ryu agreed before his eyes rested on one of her wings and he remembered his plan. 'But all I need is one good strike to her wing and then she has to fight me at my pace. And then she's done.'

Ryu lifted a hand and motioned for Dash to bring it. Dash raised an eyebrow in reply before she bolted forward in a zig-zag, making it as hard as possible for Ryu to track her movements. Yet even with her incredible speed and blaze of color, Ryu was able to keep track of her basic movements. He knew that trying to strike her would be next to impossible. She was ready for all of his tricks. He would have to do what Zecora taught him.

It was only when the rainbow blur was right on top of him that Ryu hurled out a right hook, aimed not at the blur, but slightly above it. He felt Rainbow's two hooves drive themselves into his stomach, causing pain to lance through his entire body. But for a brief moment he knew exactly where she was and he took that moment to strike at her wing for all he was worth.

Time seemed to slow down for Ryu, who watched as his punch slowly headed right for Dash's wing. But in a burst of speed that Ryu didn't know she was capable of, Dash spun her body just fast enough so that Ryu's punch sailed right over her wing. Ryu's eyes went wide before Dash rocketed away from Ryu and skidded to a halt a good twenty feet away from him. The full pain from the blow he had received struck Ryu and he almost fell to one knee, while Dash narrowed her eyes at him.

"You almost had me," she said to Ryu with a nod, as if she was finally impressed with his skill. "You were willing to take that hit so that you could take down one of my wings, huh? Got to admit, didn't see that one coming. But again, you're too slow. If you were slightly faster, you might have hit me. But you didn't."

Dash then zipped towards Ryu again, who forced himself back up in time to be struck in the face by a swift blow. The impact didn't hurt as bad as her previous blows had, but by the time Ryu had a counter attack prepared, Dash had already flown back out of his range.

'This is bad,' he realized when she did the same trick again, zipping in to kick him in the knee before dodging back out of range of his kick. 'She's figured out all of my strategies. I can't trade blows, I can't throw hadoukens and she's too fast to try and straight up fight.'

Dash rocketed in and drove an elbow into the side of Ryu's knee, catching him completely off guard and dropping him to the arena floor. Sensing her chance to do some real damage, Dash immediately followed up by bucking Ryu in the jaw with her hind legs. Ryu felt pain roar through his mind as his head was snapped to the side and he tasted blood.

'I can't give up. I won't lose!' Ryu roared within the confines of his mind. He pushed himself back to one knee and glanced up to see Dash hurtling towards him once more. He tucked his arm into his side and channeled all of his power into his left fist, snarling as purple energy coursed through his body. He waited until she was right in front of him before muttering, "Metsu..."

"SHORYUKEN!"

Ryu then exploded into the air, driving his left fist forward as he propelled himself skyward. His fist burned with purple energy as it tore through all that was in its way...but Ryu was halfway into the air when he realized that his fist hadn't struck anything. He glanced down with terrified eyes to see Rainbow Dash smirking back up at him, slightly out of range of his punch.

"Like I said...too slow," she said before she rocketed backwards, building up speed as she turned herself into a rainbow drill. The drill then hurled itself towards the descending Ryu, who was completely open after trying to deliver a blow such as his Metsu Shoryuken. All he could do was watch before Dash barreled into his stomach, driving both Ryu and herself into the arena wall. Ryu roared with pain as the drill tore through him, driving him deeper and deeper into the concrete.

Dash stopped spinning so that she could pull Ryu from the wall and hurl him into the floor, where he weakly began to push himself up once more. Dash then drove her hooves into the back of his head to keep him down, pumping her fist in the air as she placed a hoof on the back of Ryu's head.

"I don't know about you, my fine spectators, but I think this match is almost over!" Chrysalis roared, but now most of the crowd was cheering for Rainbow Dash. "It doesn't seem like there's anything Ryu can do to stop this rainbow maned blur! Ryu, I have an idea! Try to catch her inside a tornado!"

"Ryu..." Diamond Tiara whispered with horror as she watched Ryu slowly try to push himself back up, only to be kicked down by Rainbow Dash once more.

"Give up. You can't beat me," Rainbow Dash said to Ryu when she felt him trying to get up once more.

"N-never. I will never give up. I swore to my master that...I would...always fight," Ryu spat out with some blood. "He always believed in me. He was the only one who did. I will not let him down!"

"Well, seems he put his faith in the wrong fighter," Dash replied before she rocketed up into the air, driving herself back down a moment later and driving both of her hooves into Ryu's back. Ryu roared with agony before his head fell to the ground. Dash waited for a moment to see if he would get back up, but when he didn't she shook her head at Ryu. "You're strong Ryu and you've got good technique. But that's all you got. If I was your master, I would be disappointed in you. Heck, I'd be disappointed to be your master."

"Zangief!" Dash then roared as she spun and pointed her hoof at the man in the princesses box. "This is only a taste of what I can do! I'm coming for you next," she roared, the crowd roaring with her as Gief slowly narrowed his eyes at the unmoving body of Ryu. A massive smile then crossed the Russian's face as he slowly rose out of his chair, the crowd losing their minds in the process.

'Master...Gouken,' Ryu weakly thought as his conscious began to fade, unable to hear the roar of the crowd or the bragging of Dash. All he could think of was the smiling face of his master, the one who had taken him in when he was abandoned by the world. The one who had shown him the way of the fist...and how he had failed him. Then he remembered what Dash had said about Gouken, how she had dishonored his name. How she had dared to mock him.

'No...I won't let her mock my master like that...she will not get away with this...she will not...WIN!'

"Come on down, big guy! What are you so afraid of?" Dash called up to Gief, who was making his way down to the ring. "That's right, come and face me. It's time for you to-"

Dash's words were cut off as she felt a chill colder than any winter slide down her back. She spun around with a yelp to see that Ryu was getting back up to his feet. He hung his head low and seemed to be breathing oddly, but all that Dash did was smirk.

"So, you haven't had enough of a flank whoopin' yet?" Dash asked with a laugh as she flapped her wings and prepared to attack. "Well don't worry, I promise that-"

The next thing Dash knew, Ryu was in her face and staring right into her very soul. But it wasn't the blinding burst of speed that was too fast for Dash to see, nor was it the fact that Ryu shouldn't be able to move that fast with his injuries that made her quake in her coat. It was his eyes. Eyes that were now a crimson red.

"GGGRRRAAAAHHH!" Ryu bellowed as he slammed his palm into her chest, sending the mare rocketing backwards as she heard her ribs break from the blow. Agony coursed through her veins as she tumbled into the stadium ground, her breathing coming in pained burst as she tried to push herself back up. She fought through the tears to glare at Ryu, who was now radiating an aura that was red and black. His eyes were still the same burning crimson, but the stoic look that he normally wore was now replaced by a glare of hatred so intense that Dash felt herself withering away under his gaze.

"W-what the hell is this?!" Dash screamed out to Ryu, but the moment she uttered a sound Ryu vanished in a flash of movement. She wasn't aware of where he had gotten to before she felt a hand grab hold of her wing and yank it out. She turned her head to see the crimson eyes of Ryu glaring down at her, before they slowly shifted to her wing.

"You are so proud of your speed," Ryu spat in a voice that sounded like a man possessed, but Dash's eyes went wide when she realized what he was about to do.

"Please...don't..."

In the next moment Ryu tore his arm back and ripped Rainbow's wing clean from her body. The scream that left Dash's mouth afterwards would haunt all who were watching for years to come, but before she could start to wail in pain Ryu grabbed her by the back of her head and drove it into the arena floor with such force that it shattered solid concrete. He then pulled the now silent Pegasus free of the ground and held her dangling body before him, scowling at her before he dropped her wing. He then took aim at her heart.

"Die."

"NOT TODAY!"

Ryu hurled Dash to the side before spinning around and slamming his arms into the massive limbs of Zangief, who roared with fury as he tried to overpower the warrior. The two locked hands as they began to push against each other with all of their might, the arena beginning to shake underneath of their combined power. Then, to the absolute horror of the ponies that were spectating, Zangief was slowly overpowered by Ryu. Ryu slowly began to push Zangief back, despite the mighty limbs of the Russian using all of his borsched fueled might to fight back, before Ryu tightened his grip and slowly forced Zangief down to his knees.

"RYU! I know that you are still in there! Do not let the evil of this power take control of you!" Zangief roared to Ryu, his face contorted with pain as Ryu forced Zangief onto his knees, wrenching Gief's wrists back so that his arms began to twist. "You are a better person than this. THINK! Remember who you are!"

"You...are so proud of your strength," Ryu replied in a voice that was as black as an abyss, as he began to channel all of his power into his arms. "Perhaps I should take your strength from you as-"

"RYU!"

Ryu lifted his crimson eyes to see that a filly had entered the arena. She was a pinkish color, with a purple mane and a crown on her flank. But what drew the eyes of the man was not the mare's cutie mark or that she was in the arena. It was the look of absolute terror that was gripping at her heart. Ryu glared at her with nothing but hatred, but then for a brief moment a flash of horrible realization crossed Ryu's eyes. And Zangief seized that moment.

"Muscles at...FULL POWER!" Zangief bellowed as he broke free of Ryu's grasp and slipped around behind him, suplexing Ryu over his head and driving him head first into the arena floor. Ryu bellowed with fury as he tried to break free, but the Russian had him trapped and had no intention of letting him go. Zangief then powered the might of muscles that had suplexed gods into driving Ryu into the arena, with such force that the entire continent of Equestria shook beneath the impact.

Yet even with all that power and all that might the roar of Ryu still rang loud over the arena. It wasn't until Zangief put all of his might into driving Ryu even further into the concrete and shattered it completely that the roaring finally stopped. Zangief then let out a tired sigh as he pulled himself back up and turned to look at Ryu, who was buried in the concrete from the chest up with only his legs still visible.

Tiara then raced over to Zangief, terror in her eyes as she glanced from the buried Ryu then up to Gief, her eyes begging somepony to tell her what was going on. Zangief then let out a sigh before he collapsed onto the ground, his impact of hitting the ground the only sound in an arena, filled to the brim with a hundred thousand, that was completely silent.

Master

Sun light shone down on a class of foals that sat in meditative positions, each of them supposed to have their eyes closed and to simply be one with the world around them. But due to the fact that two fighters were battling it out before them made it a little hard to concentrate on nothing. So most of them had their eyes cracked open to watch the battle between their teacher and his advanced student.

Diamond Tiara flipped back from a kick that would have likely knocked her out before she struck out with one of her hooves, catching Ryu in the knee with a fairly strong strike. Ryu gritted his teeth slightly at the impact before he turned his hips and threw out a side kick that Tiara failed to completely avoid. The blow glanced off her shoulder and sent her tumbling through the dirt, where she shook her head and rose up to her hooves once more.

"Fine, play it that way," she said as she tucked her arms into her side and channeled her power, creating a sphere of white energy within her grasp. The foals that were watching gasped as the ball charged the air around them, while their reactions caused Tiara to smirk before she attacked. "Hadouken!"

She thrust her arms forward and hurled the ball of power towards Ryu, who for a brief moment was impressed with how concentrated the blast seemed to be before he sliced down with his hand and cut the hadouken in two. The foals gasped with shock at how easily the attack had been dispersed, but Ryu paid them no mind as Tiara took to the air.

"Tatsumaki!" she yelled as she swung her leg around and struck at Ryu's head, only to snarl a moment later when she realized that he had caught her leg with his arm. He wrapped his arm around her leg before striking her in the chest with his palm, sending her flying backwards into the ground. Tiara coughed in pain as she pushed herself back up, beginning to yell as she prepared her next attack. Yet when she spun around she found a fist come to a stop right in front of her face, putting an end to her comeback.

"And break," Ryu said to both Tiara and the foals that were watching, changing his closed fist to an open hand which he offered to Diamond. She grabbed it and was pulled up to her hooves before both she and Ryu looked out over the class. "Alright, so how many of you managed to keep your eyes closed and focus on meditating during all of that?"

None of the foals raised their hooves and instead they all glanced around with nervous expressions. Only one of the foals in the back didn't raise their hoof and when Tiara glanced back at them she found that he was still meditating, with his eyes closed and breathing perfect.

"Hey, we actually got one," Tiara said to Ryu, who raised his eyebrows at the sight. "Maybe your teachings are actually starting to stick with them?"

Ryu said nothing in reply, but simply stood and stroked his beard for a moment as he thought. He then walked over to the foal that was still meditating, glancing down at them before he placed his foot on their side and kicked them over.

"I wasn't asleep! I'm awake!" the foal cried out as he suddenly woke up, causing the class to laugh as he glanced around in confusion. Tiara groaned in the front while Ryu let a small smile cross his face before he turned and walked back to the front of the class.

"I know that meditation may seem boring when all you want to do is throw fireballs and do fancy attacks, but the key to mastering fighting is to first master yourself," Ryu informed the class for what he was certain was the tenth time, yet he saw that barely any of them were listening to his words. He frowned slightly at this, but then let go of his frustrations with a sigh. "Alright, I'm going to check in on the other group. The rest of you will listen to Diamond Tiara and follow her instruction until I get back. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" they cried out in unison.

Ryu nodded at their response before he turned and began to walk to where his other class was training. While he walked he glanced around him, amazed that the area that he had destroyed during his fight with Evil Ryu was already showing signs of life again.

'Hard to believe that that was three months ago,' Ryu reminisced as he came to a stop, lifting his hand and glancing down at it. He closed his eyes and concentrated with all of his might, but when nothing happened he felt a smile cross his face. 'And still nothing. Not once in these three months have I felt any presence of the Satsui no Hado. Not since I accepted that part of me.'

Ryu then found the adults class standing next to a riverbed, exactly where he had left them. All of them were still slowly going through the motions of a form that he had taught to them, though he had instructed them to do it with their eyes closed so that they had to focus on their movements and balance. Yet he could see that most of them were a little further ahead of where they were supposed to be, meaning that they still needed much practice.

Ryu said nothing to announce his presence and instead simply walked in-between the ponies, watching their forms carefully. Without a sound he would nudge or adjust one of the ponies forms before moving on, leaving them to look around. But none of them opened their eyes. All of the ponies in this group had been training under him for at three months straight and they were used to how he taught.

After a few minutes of helping the ponies adjust and watching their forms, Ryu sat down by himself a bit away from his students. He could still watch them from his spot, but he also didn't feel that they needed his guidance at that moment.

'But I am still getting used to this being a teacher routine,' Ryu realized as he collected his thoughts into his head, before letting them all go with a sigh. 'Master Gouken made it look so much easier than it is. I wonder how he always seemed to have an answer for everything?'

"What are you doing over here by yourself when you have a class to teach?" Diamond Tiara asked as she walked up beside Ryu, who glanced over his shoulder at the approaching filly. Tiara was his oldest student, having been training under him for longer than three months. Yet he felt like it had been longer than that with how fast she was advancing through his techniques and teachings.

"I could be asking you the same thing," Ryu said to her as she sat down next to her teacher and matched his position perfectly, getting a small smile out of Ryu. "Don't you have a class of foals to be teaching right now?"

"See, I was teaching them and then a rainbow butterfly flew by and that was it for their focus," Tiara said with a sigh as she nodded her head towards the foals, who Ryu could see were all chasing around the insect that shone with dozens of colors. "How about you, Master Ryu? None of the ponies are harassing you, are they?"

"No, they have been very kind and understanding. I am amazed they could so forgive me so quickly, especially after what I have done," Ryu replied with some awe before giving Tiara a look. "And I thought I told you to stop calling me master. I am not worthy of that title yet."

"Everypony heard about your battle with your evil self, the one that changed the landscape of Equestria forever. They all know why you did what you did. We are a very forgiving people, if we feel like it. Also, you teach a group of ponies how to fight and meditate and you have a student under you who you teach everything to. You're a master now, whether you want to admit it or not," Tiara informed him with a smirk on her face before realization dawned on her. "Oh yeah, my dad said that the training supplies that you asked for will be coming in soon. He's had some issues with the delivery pony being a jerk."

"That's good to know. Tell him thank you for the supplies...and also for funding all of this," Ryu added as he glanced at the two groups, one of which was supposed to be training, but Ryu could tell that they were starting to watch the foals play. He shook his head at them before looking down at Tiara, who had her eyes closed and was breathing in a calm way. "Are you alright? The darkness hasn't been harassing you again, has it?"

"Every once in a while I hear its voice whispering to me, trying to get me to give into it," she informed Ryu with a sigh, before a smile broke out across her face. "I tell it to go to hell. I spent enough of my life being a jerk to ever want to do it again, even it means I get sweet powers."

"Tiara..."

"I'm kidding. Geez, one of these days I really need to teach you how to take a joke."

"Perhaps," Ryu agreed before something else caught his eye. "Where is the gi that I gave to you? You know that you are not supposed to be teaching without it on." The way Tiara whipped her head away from Ryu made his eyes narrow. "Tiara?"

"Okay, look, I went to wash it and there was a red sock in there that I didn't see, so now it's...pink," Tiara grumbled under her breath. For a moment Ryu gazed down at her with a dumbfounded expression before he threw his head back and began to laugh, a laugh so joyful that both the adult class and the younger class stopped what they were doing to look at Ryu. "It's not that funny."

"It's far funnier to me. As punishment, you'll have to wear that pink gi to class from now on...Dan," Ryu finished with a snicker before he held a hand to his mouth to keep him from cracking up once more.

"Who the heck is Dan?"

"That's what I will be calling you until you get a new gi," Ryu replied with delight in every word. Then he glanced to the side out of the corner of his eye and his body tensed for a moment before he rose to his feet. "I believe that they've had enough fun. Work on getting the younger class back under control. I'll be right back."

"Where ya going?"

"Somewhere."

Ryu walked away from the class and from his student as he headed off towards wherever he felt he needed to go. As he walked though he channeled the power of nothingness through his body, figuring that he would be needing it momentarily. But once he felt it's power coursing through his veins he glanced down at his hand with a grim smile.

'And nothing from you as well. Ever since I called upon the power of the storms I have been unable to do it again. Was it a one time power that I could only use to defeat my evil half?' Ryu pondered once more, before he glanced back to where Tiara was teaching her students. 'Or perhaps I can only achieve this power when I go beyond the battle. When I fight for another. Is that where my strength lies? In fighting for others?'

"If you're trying to sneak up on me, you will have to do better than that," Ryu said aloud as he came to a stop in the middle of the field, feeling another presence behind him. He turned and looked over his shoulder, only to be startled by what he saw. Standing behind him was a woman, a woman with jet black hair and eyes that held within them more power than any other set that Ryu had seen.

But what truly drew the warriors eyes were the sword and shield upon her back, the silver bracelets that covered her wrists and the silver lasso that was coiled at her side. Ryu could also sense an unfathomable amount of power within her, putting him far more on edge than he believed possible. Another glance at her eyes informed him that she was sizing him up as well, before a smile crossed her face.

"You are the one they call Ryu, correct?" she asked and Ryu nodded a moment later. "I am Diana. I have been looking for you...well, not you in particular, but for this world actually."

"This world? Why?" Ryu asked.

"Because I am hunting someone...a monster that cares nothing for the lives of others. A monster that sees life and chance as his playthings, as tools that he can use to further expand upon his knowledge. A monster that I have sworn to stop no matter the personal cost," Diana seethed with a fury that made the ground quake beneath her. Ryu was slightly surprised by the power, but what surprised him more was that he knew exactly who she was talking about.

"I know who you speak of," Ryu informed Diana, whose eyes widened in surprise. "He is the one who brought me here and the one who nearly destroyed all those here that I hold dear. Metal limbs, brown cloak and a way of talking that makes you want to punch him in the face."

"Maestro. I call him the Maestro," Diana informed Ryu as she sized him up once again. "And you say that you know of him? Was he here?"

"The last I saw of him was three months ago," Ryu replied and Diana swore in response, before she placed a hand under her chin as she began to think. "But he has been elsewhere, hasn't he? If you are hunting him that means that he had destroyed the lives of others elsewhere."

"You have no idea. So many have been lost due to his interference. So many innocent never got to live out their lives because he wanted to see what would happen," Diana seethed with rage, before calming herself a moment later. "And I have been hunting him for a long time now, but he always seems one step ahead of me. Perhaps I cannot do this on my own anymore..."

She then gave Ryu a look, a look that was asking him if he wanted to help. Ryu glanced back at where Tiara was teaching the other ponies, not wanting to leave them. But then he thought about how close the hermit, Maestro, had come to destroying his and Tiara's life. How he cared nothing for even children. And according to the woman in front of him, he had done this to so many others.

"Very well. I will help you track him down," Ryu said, his words causing a smile to spread across Diana's face. "But on one condition."

Diana tilted her head in confusion, but the confusion melted away when Ryu slid a foot out and brought his arms up in a fighting stance. A smile spread across Diana's face as she reached back and detached her sword and shield. She laid them on the ground next to her before she too took up a fighting stance. The wind blew quietly next to the both of them before they both lunged forward towards the other, with both Ryu's fist and Diana's fist clashing against one another with such force that the ground shattered beneath them.

"We fight!"

Author's Note

And as Ryu finally steps free of the shadows that have held him down for so long, we can move past this tale of the warrior and move onto another story. A story of two sisters that failed their home. The story of a villain that brings down worlds for knowledge. The story of a boy who merges with an alien to become a hero.

The story...of Star Force.