Bloodstorm: The Potential Within
Before you read this story, I will say that there is the usage of Profane language, and or most of the story, mild to strong levels of violence within this story. It is meant for a more mature audience, so anyone with children whom they would not like to have see the profanity, please only read this story when you are alone or they are in bed. I don't expect anyone to finish this in a day unless they have a bit of free time on their hands. I'm also looking for artists to turn this into a comic, as well as artists and consultants for my next story in this series. Thank you to Vesko Anchev for helping me by giving his input. Thank you for taking the time out to read this, I hope that you enjoy it.
Bloodstorm:
The Potential Within
Characters:
Andre:
Name: Andre Ratchford
Age: 19
Elemental Power: Crimson Flame
A young man with great potential to be one of the best fighters in the world, Andre is striving to become better, stronger, and to master his family's KyoKen style of combat. The youngest of four, Andre is crowned as the family's legacy, while he is still trying to better his older brother, Diamion, but he is yet unable to. His one true rival is his best friend, Deonta.
This young man is also the bearer of the legendary Crimson Flame, an accursed power that can consume the soul of the carrier with Greed.
Deonta:
Name: Deonta Robinson
Age: 18
Elemental Power: Demonic Ice
Deonta is Andre's best friend and rival in fighting, while neither is better than the other, they differ in opinion about what makes the best fighter. While Deonta does not practice the same style of fighting as Andre, his family techniques are very similar, leading people to believe that they are in some way related.
He, like Andre, bears an accursed power, this one causes him to allow his pride to take over, which is a very difficult emotion to fight off.
Diamion:
Name: Diamion Ratchford
Age: 30
Elemental Power: Steel Earth
Diamion is the eldest child in the Ratchford family, and is the next to be the master fighter. While many of his relatives boast about how strong he is, and how well he performs the techniques, Diamion's attention is on his younger brother, Andre, whom he feels will one day show them all what his family truly can do. Andre has battled Diamion countless times, and each fight he comes closer to defeating his brother, Diamion is only waiting for the day when he can proudly accept defeat to him.
Dre:
Name: Andre Foster
Age: 29
Elemental Power: Swarming Water
Diamion's best friend and closest rival, Dre is a fun loving guy who very rarely is caught off guard by anything. He's usually very well prepared for every situation that comes, and adjust quickly before much can happen. He's an extremely skilled fighter, and is not to be taken lightly.
Adrian:
Name: Adrian Ratchford
Age: 28
Elemental Power: Scorching Lightning
Adrian is the middle son in the Ratchford family, but also the least disciplined in the family. Though he slacks off during his training and takes time away often, he has learned a few things in his street fights that have become invaluable to him, and should not be underestimated.
Rasheed:
Name: Rasheed
Age: 26
Elemental Power: Slicing Wind
Rasheed is a friend of the Ratchford family, and he is also a very skilled fighter whom they've come to respect. He is always ready for a battle, and takes every fight seriously, no matter who his opponent is. Though outside of his battles, he has been known to be a bit arrogant.
Richie:
Name: Richard Miller-Dyer
Age: 12
Elemental Power: Sapphire Flame
Richie is one of two young boys whom Andre has taken under his wing and started training. They are learning the Ratchford family style of battle, which they incorporate with their own moves. Richie is learning the defensive style.
This boy bears a special angelic element, his flame gives him the virtue of patience.
Rodney:
Name: Rodney Miller-Dyer
Age: 11
Elemental Power: Ruby Lightning
Rodney is the younger brother between Andre's two students. While Richie learns the defensive techniques, Rodney is being trained in offense. The two are happy to be learning under their friend whom has been much like an older brother to them.
Rodney's element is of heavenly origin, giving him the virtue of diligence.
Iris:
Name: Iris Ratchford
Age: 49
Elemental Power: Divine Light
Iris is the mother and head of the Ratchford family. Her moves are almost unstoppable, and her strength is hard to match. Her children all try to avoid any fight with her, as they know it will be a difficult battle they don't want to have. Those who have thought little of this fiery woman have been laid down hard on their backs. She is one of a long line of Divine energy keepers, being that there is only one in every generation of her family.
Jenny:
Name: Jeneba Miller-Dyer
Age: 17
Elemental Power: Radiant Ice
Jenny is a close friend and opponent of Andre's, she's also the older sister of Richie and Rodney. She has never beaten Andre in a battle, but has never been too far from victory over him, so she trains herself hard to make it a reality one day.
Jenny is an angelic bearer like her younger brothers, her element gives her the virtue of chastity.
Patricia:
Name: Patricia A.
Age: 26
Elemental Power: Still Wind
Patricia is Diamion's girlfriend, she gets on Andre's nerves, and speaks too openly about things she knows nothing about. She's heard about a girl who is after Diamion, and doesn't like the notion of another female speaking to him.
Elzoria:
Name: Elzoria P.
Age: 18
Elemental Power: Royal Water
Andre's ex-girlfriend, but still a friend, they haven't spoken much recently, but still get along, Elzoria has been troubled lately concerning him.
Her elemental power gives her the virtue of Kindness.
Erika:
Name: Erika Lloyd
Age: 16
Elemental Power: Bright Lightning
Erika is deeply infatuated with Deonta, proclaiming herself to be his girlfriend, and stalking him at every turn, though he has no interest in her, she steadily attempts to be with him. Her older sister is Crystal.
Crystal:
Name: Crystal Lloyd
Age: 19
Elemental Power: Brave Earth
Crystal has been training all of her life to be a top fighter, and make it to champion level. She sets her sights on a fight with the eldest Ratchford child, feeling that he is a worthy opponent to battle, no matter what the outcome, as long as Crystal can hang with him in a battle, she'd get recognition as a champion level fighter, and get more respect from her battling peers.
Trevan:
Name: Trevan Lynn
Age: 20
Elemental Power: Abyss Flame
Trevan got into an altercation with Andre some years back, and the two have had it in for each other since. Though the fight never had a decided winner, both parties claim to be the victor of the battle, leaving more fuel on the already intense fire between the two.
Trevan bears the accursed Abyss Flame, a power representing the sin of Wrath, he has yet to truly understand what his power can do.
Sasuke:
Name: Sasuke Soshimatsu
Age: 34
Elemental Power: Violent Darkness
Sasuke is a rich investor who owns one of Japan's top computer chip production plants. He is also known for being a master fighter, and a very generous public servant. But those who know him know that he is up to no good, holding a strong control over the dark energies that surround his body, and others like him. This has made him take a particular interest in three very young, but accoladed fighters, Andre Ratchford, Deonta Robinson, and Trevan Lynn, all whom know each other.
Huck:
Name: Charles Melro
Age: 23
Elemental Power: Violent Darkness
Huck is one of two fighters trained by Sasuke to instigate fighters who have a potential to awaken dark power. Though he doesn't look it, he is a very skilled fighter with strength and speed to match.
Eddy:
Name: Edward Salchio
Age: 22
Elemental Power: Violent Darkness
Eddy is a fighter trained by Sasuke to battle those who hold dark power and awaken it. His skills are impressive, but even more so his quickness and efficiency in conflict.
Jack
Name: Jack Shibara
Age: 22
Elemental Power: Blaze Flame
Jack is an Expert Champion Muay Thai Fighter. But the Muay Thai Circuit got to be boring to him because he could never find any opponent who could excite him let alone keep up with him. He renounced his title in order to find better opponents. He heard of the abilities of Diamion Ratchford through the underground fight circuit and has had his thoughts set on a battle with him to prove his true worth as a fighter.
Jean
Name: Jean Delargo
Age: 23
Elemental Power: None
Jean is a former Sargeant in the American Military, a Marine. Jean fights to become stronger so that he can one day fight and kill Sasuke, the man who murdered his whole family in front of him because Jean's father was a former World Champion Fighter, knocked out in the semi-finals of the Bloodstorm Tournament 10 years ago by James Ratchford, father of the Ratchford family.
Story:
Prologue:
Andre and Deonta are battling each other in a field surrounded but large concentrated amounts of dark and destructive energies. With heavy rain down pouring and lightning striking all over the ground, both fighters are heavily damaged and weakening as the battle goes on. Both taken by their rage, and anger, unable to control the power that is moving them to destroy each other, both lost in the abyss of the powers they carry. Andre with fiery red, blood lusting eyes speaks to Deonta who's eyes are cold, murderous, and dead.
Andre: Why, why won't you stop, why won't you lose?
Deonta: I won't stop, I'll never lose, not to you, I won't quit.
Andre: Neither will I, not until you are face down and lifeless, not until I eradicate you.
Deonta: You'll die by my hand, and I'll enjoy watching you fall after I've ripped your heart from your chest.
We fade away from this battle, a scene which has only one ending, the destruction of a super power.
Chapter 1:
Run In With A Foe
About a month back, maybe a bit earlier than that from the battle between Andre and Deonta, we find a young man, Andre, who is dressed in a black shirt, black jeans and black and white Nike's with black fingerless gloves on as well as the two key necklace his mother gave to him. Andre was out bored, remembering some prior events of a huge battle that he and his friends fought to save his family. Remembering how hard they all fought together and worked as a team. He decided that he would talk with Jenny and Deonta to see what they were doing, and to see if he could convince them to train with him. He knew that he wasn't the strongest that he could become, and only wanted to push himself further and get better. He didn't want to keep living in Diamion's shadow for the rest of his life. Andre was tired of constantly losing to Diamion, and he was even more fed up about the fact that he still hadn't run into the person whom he hated most, Trevan Lynn.
Andre's battle with Trevan became one of the most talked about fights in their neighborhood, but it never came to a conclusion, due to Trevan running off and not finishing the fight. Andre had already looked for him everywhere that he would normally be, but couldn't find him anywhere. That was his main reason for deciding to find Jenny and Deonta. He knew that if he couldn't find Trevan, he must be making himself stronger, and that he wasn't going to allow himself to be beat by a punk who couldn't even finish the first fight.
Andre started searching for Jenny first, he didn't find her at home, but he knew that she should have been out of school, unless she stayed behind at the library. Which takes us to Adelphi Road in Hyattsville Maryland, in front of Northwestern High. Well, he found her dressed in a blue and white blouse and slacks, the school uniform, little did he know though, she was having a bad day, and just didn't want to deal with anyone at that moment.
Andre: Hey!! Jenny!!! Come here for a minute!
Jenny just kept walking, trying to ignore him and go about her business. He just kept persisting to get her to talk.
Andre: Jenny!! Hold up!!! Wait dammit!!!
Jenny: Leave me alone!!! I really don't want to be bothered right now, go somewhere!!!
Andre: Who bit you in the ass!? I just came to talk, stop being so damn bitchy!
Jenny stopped dead in her tracks, and turned around slowly, looking at Andre with a glare that would have turned Medusa to stone.
Jenny: Oh, I'll show your punk ass bitchy alright.
Jenny dropped her bag and immediately started attacking Andre. He narrowly dodged each punch and kick, Jenny's hands and feet just being out of reach of his body. As she got more frustrated, her attacks seemed to get more focused, to the point where he couldn't dodge anymore, her had to block the attacks. Until he couldn't play defense anymore and had to start attacking.
Andre struck Jenny across the jaw, and she hit him with an uppercut to the chin. He kneed her in the ribs, she kicked him in the back. He backhanded her, she gut punched him. They kept exchanging blows. Andre was becoming angry because he was being attacked and Jenny was getting angrier. And each hit got harder and harder. Any normal person who would have been hit by either of them like this would have needed a hospital visit, but they're fighters, they're conditioned to take hits like these.
Andre finally jumped back and took a defensive stance, realizing that his offensive wasn't stopping her. Jenny came running in and threw a punch directed at Andre's body, he quickly blocked the punch and kicked her in the side, she stumbled back, but didn't stop. She kicked at him this time and he blocked it again, this time clipping her leg from under her. Jenny flipped back to her feet, punched for his face, he knocked her hand away and punched her in the stomach, mouth, ribs, and then nose. Jenny was stumbled again, but not off of her feet.
Jenny figured she would take a new approach, she kicked at Andre again, but when he caught her leg, she flip kicked him in the face, knocking him off balance for a couple seconds. Then she charged him and landed a quick combo of her own, two gut punches, an elbow to the face, and a jumping knee to the chin. Andre was still stumbling backward, Jenny started building up ice around her right hand. Andre sensed it and built a flame around his right hand. Jenny threw her punch at Andre, but he grabbed her with his left hand and spun off of her, and then punched her with his burning hand, knocking her off of her feet and away from him.
Andre: (panting) Jenny, I wasn't trying to fight you, I wanted to talk, this isn't worth it though, I'm fucking leaving.
Andre walked away from her pissed off, went to chill himself for a while. He went to a nearby library and started looking up tournaments on the Internet, none of which looked promising to him, he'd win them all too easily. While he was sitting there, Andre kept feeling someone's eyes on him, but he wasn't sure about where they were staring from. He surveyed his surroundings slowly, and saw some strange guy about five feet away from where he was sitting. As Andre's eyes reached him, he turned his head away.
Andre: So you're the one who's been watching me? But what are you watching me for? Let's see how far this goes.
Andre sat and wasted time for a little bit longer, hoping that he could draw out the true intentions of the one who was keeping an eye on him. But to no avail, the strange man who was watching him just got up and left. It didn't make any sence to Andre why that man was watching, nor did he even know who he was. Than he started to think back to the fight he, Deonta, and Jenny had with the Lejinwu. Wondering if one of his former enemies from that group was keeping tabs on him.
Andre wasted a bit more time, thinking that maybe the guy only needed to watch him for a short while, hoping that it was over. Andre finally decided to get up and leave, he would walk around a little bit longer, knowing that he wasn't going to run into Deonta until later.
While Andre was making his way down an empty neighborhood street in University Park, he enjoyed the looks and sounds of the nature around him. He felt a weird presence near him, it was similar to the guy who was watching him, but this power wanted a battle, the one before was more calm and only wanted to survey him. But the one thing that remained the same about the to was that they were of dark energy. For some reason, this affected Andre in a strange way. Then from out of nowhere, a blast of dark energy flew over Andre's shoulder. It was only a warning shot, intended to get Andre's attention, and it did.
Andre: So, why were you watching me at the library? What do you want?
The same tall and skinny Caucasian male he had seen before was standing behind him now.
Andre: The least you could do is tell me your name, as I'm sure you already know mine. Speak!!
Man: My name boy, is Charles Melro, but those who I've beaten tend to call me Huck.
Andre: Huck? That's a joke, well then Huck, I'll be the person who beats you and gives your name a new meaning.
Huck stood ready to move and react to Andre, but he waited patiently and examined Andre a bit further. This being his specialty, knowing how to react to an opponent depending upon how their muscles and body move within the area around them. It was why he got to where he is today.
Andre stood completely still, getting a read on Huck's power level, which seemed to be similar to his own, so he was no slouch, but that didn't mean that the fight couldn't have been an easy one. He ran a few scenarios in his head about possible moves and the outcomes, and which would be the best way to start this fight and break through this tense moment. Andre back flipped from where he was next to where Huck was standing, who didn't seem the least bit phased or scared.
Andre: You're pretty strong aren't you? But about equal in power to me, that's it, unless you're hiding your true power to give me a false sense of security. Look Huck, I'm not some punk who will be deterred from a fight, so unless you were serious about the threat you just made to me with that blast of energy you threw my way. I'd say now is the time for you to walk away, because you are nothing compared to what I am and will be.
Huck: Are you done? I'm tried of you running your mouth, make a move, or I'll kill you right here.
Andre: I was hoping you'd say that.
Andre started by throwing a quick punch toward Huck's face, he deflected it quickly, and returned with one of his own which Andre in turn blocked away. Andre and Huck stepped away from each other with smirks on their faces, ready to fight, knowing that they were near equal opponents. As Andre looked at Huck, he realized that he was nearly the same height, around the same weight, their arms were nearly the same length, and they both had similar attitudes. If this fight wasn't set up by someone else, he didn't think he'd ever had a fight with more coincidences.
Andre: So who sent you, because this wasn't your own doing. We're too much alike for you to have just shown up on your own to be ready to fight me. Who told you about me?
Huck: You'll find out soon enough. (Huck charged and threw another dark bolt of energy at Andre) Dark Blast!!!!
Andre jumped out of the way of the attack and returned fire with one of his own.
Andre: Crimson......Wave!!!!
He struck the ground and a wave of fire sped right at Huck, who easily dodged, but wasn't expecting Andre to be standing where he was jumping and got hit in the face with a very strong right-handed haymaker. Huck was sent spinning into a tree face first.
Andre: I knew it, you're not anywhere near as skilled as I am, though you are good, you are lacking the same level of experience as me, even though you are older than I am. Come on, time for me to teach you a lesson Huck.
Huck stood away from the tree, angry that he was caught with such a cheap trick. But he wasn't really fighting in the first place, he was only there to be a key to unlocking Andre's power, and wasn't working yet.
Andre: I really wish you would get serious about fighting me, I can tell when someone is holding back, and I won't get any better by beating you if you don't make me work for it.
Huck: Alright, I'll give you a good fight, come on boy.
Andre jumped at Huck with a diving kick, he was caught by his leg and swung toward the ground, but instead of letting himself fall on his face, Andre caught himself with his hands and then kicked Huck in the jaw. Once he was released, he stood up and punched Huck's jaw again, then threw a flying knee into his chest, and jumped off of him while pushing him down to his knees.
Andre: Come on Huck! You can do better than that!!
Huck decided that it was time to get serious with Andre, and actually use his power against him. It wasn't what his boss wanted, but at least he could have some fun with the boy.
Huck: Alright, I'll give you what you were looking for. I'll really fight you.
Andre was getting excited, a good fight, it's been a while since he had one of those, but as Huck released his power, Andre felt his heart rate rise, and he started to want to kill Huck. This started to mess with his mind, this unusual feeling, this desire to destroy another life. He never had a feeling like this before. It was as if there was another person trying to make him break this man. The evil that he was thinking, it was worrying him, even now when he was so excited to fight an opponent who was equal to him.
Huck seemed to notice the change as well, and he finally realized that this is what he was supposed to do. Using the minimal power that he was using wouldn't engage the dark energy within the boy, it had to be a power that could threaten him in order to cause it to awaken. So while Andre was still trying to make sense of what was happening to him, Huck made his move.
He jumped toward Andre and punched him in his nose, then grabbed him by his head while he was still floating over him and threw him toward the very same tree he was knocked into, but he made Andre crash through the tree, and just before he could finish falling, Huck got himself underneath him and mule kicked him back into the air. The power of the kick nearly breaking Andre's back.
All this did was anger Andre and make him want to dismantle Huck piece by piece. Andre recovered from the attack and landed on his feet. His dark power was starting to come out, and his eyes had now changed color, they became the color of blood, a crimson red, and they looked horrific. The air around them started to become warmer than it should have been, and steam started to rise off of his body. Though Andre at this point was still in control of himself, he felt his blood boiling at the site of Huck, and could only remember one other person whom he had thoughts like this about. But his body never reacted this way before.
Andre: What is this? Why am I feeling this? Where is this power coming from, and why does it feel like this?
Before Andre could regain his composure, Huck attacked again, hitting Andre with an uppercut to his chin, and then kicking him in his stomach halfway across the street. Andre was now refocused on his current fight, and started to push back the darkness that was trying to get out, willing it back down. Huck noticed this, and was surprised, but he had done what he was asked, so now he could actually enjoy the fight.
Andre: I don't know what you did to me, but you won't do it again, I'm not falling for it.
Huck: I did nothing to you boy, I just woke you up, that's all.
Andre: Yeah, I was asleep alright, don't worry though, you'll get what's coming.
Andre was now paying his full attention to Huck, and wasn't going to allow him to land another hit. Impressed by his strong will power, Huck came at him, and threw a right hook. Andre did the same and as his hand was reaching Huck's, he ignited his flame and hit Huck's knuckles, hitting his nerves and making his arm powerless to move. When Huck had figured out what he did, he tried to run, but it was too late, Andre had his sights set on him.
Andre: You're not getting away buddy, I've had one fight end that way and I'm still unsatisfied.
Andre tackled Huck and started punching him in the back of the head making his face bounce off of the pavement underneath them. It only took about ten hits to make the man stop squirming and fall unconscious. Andre stood up and started to smile.
Andre: Looks like you weren't as tough as I thought you were. It was a waste of my time to fight with you. Next time I won't go so easy on you.
Andre turned and walked away, rubbing his jaw which was sore from that uppercut he received. Though Huck stopped resisting, it was only because he had to call his boss and tell him that he succeeded in his mission.
Huck: Boss, it's done, he's ready for you whenever you want, he's going down the street toward the Elementary School, University Park.
????: Good, you can return when you're ready, I'll handle it from here. (click)
Huck got to his feet and started heading back to his hideout to await his next orders. Meanwhile, Andre was just making it passed the school. He knew the school was out for the day and that no one should be there, but the front door was still open, and he heard a familiar voice. He felt a boy who's potential was very similar to his own, a child whom he decided to teach his style of fighting, Rodney. Rodney was wearing a green v-neck shirt, short sleeved, with black jeans and black and white Nike's.
Rodney: Dre? What are you doing here?
Andre: I could ask you the same, it's after hours for school isn't it?
Rodney: I'm here waiting for a friend.
Andre: Good, I heard noises and came in to see what it is, if you were a thief I would have buried you by now.
Rodney: Well, while you're here, I could use a little training and a workout.
Andre: Alright, but are you sure you're ready for this?
Rodney: Yeah sensei, I'm ready, teach me.
Andre: Good, watch.
Andre started doing various moves that he had yet to show Rodney before, mostly his offensive movements. Rodney stood and watched diligently, as Andre moved with each pose and stance. He then started to mimic what Andre had done before, and he had pretty much done each movement perfectly. Andre feels satisfied with Rodney's progress, he bows to him, just after they finish, Rodney's friend arrives, and Andre bids him goodbye.
While walking out, Andre could sense another power, similar to the one before, but stronger, and much darker than before. When Andre made it to the threshold, a man called out to him.
????: Andre!!!!!!!
Andre looked over and saw the man, wondering who he was.
Andre: Who the hell are you?
The man remains silent and just takes a stance. Andre is frustrated but also notices the man's clothing, looking very much like a business owner with a red suit jacket, matching slacks, a dark purple button up collared shirt, and burgundy shoes, with very short, dark hair. He also could see that this man was of Asian descent, Japanese maybe. Andre yelled to the man again.
Andre: Who are you? Answer me!!!
The man still remains silent and just waits in his position. Rodney runs out hearing the commotion.
Rodney: What's going on?
Andre: This guy looks like he's been searching for a fight. Stand back Rodney, cause I'm about to give him what he's been wanting. (Andre takes his fighting stance and smirks) Whoever you are, you're about to get it. Today is not the day to fuck with me, I'm ready to crush you right now.
Andre slides his foot a little, the man slides his foot. Andre slides again, and so does the short Japanese man. Andre instantly leaps high into the air right toward the man who at this point wasn't moving an inch, he just stood ready for the oncoming attack. Andre did a flipping dropkick that was deflected by his new enemy. Andre hit the ground but quickly rolled back up to his feet, ready for what the battler he was facing had planned. But he did nothing, just stand there, as if he knew he had the fight won.
Andre was watching him intently, looking for any slip up, any miscalculated move, or breath, any opening. But there was none, no opening, not anything that he could use that would break down this man's defense. That wasn't the worst part of it, Andre could feel the power radiating off of his body, and though he was trying not to concentrate on it, it caused him to flinch, giving his opponent the opportunity to attack with an extremely quick strike on him, a punch to the chest, which also knocked the wind out of Andre's body, as well as knocking him into the wall of the school.
Andre: (Thinking) How does he have so much power? Why can't I hit him? Where is his speed coming from?
Man: I can tell you're a bit distressed, but please boy, come now and finish this fight. I don't have much time and must be getting back home.
Andre: (Thinking) Fucking pompous asshole, I have to find a way to shut him up.
Andre just decided to allow his instincts to take over and began attacking wildly. The short Japanese man just kept avoiding his attacks and taunted him. He stuck his chin out toward Andre and jerked back quickly. He attempted to do it a second time and Andre struck him right under his jaw with a hard right-handed uppercut. Seeing this as his moment of opportunity, Andre unleashed a barrage of attacks on the man, hoping to weaken him, after Andre did a reverse roundhouse kick to his chest that sent him flying back into a tree, he stood waiting.
The man just stood up and brushed himself off as if nothing even happened. He wasn't hurt after all that Andre had just been done. He seemed to be impenetrable.
Man: You did well, but you have to hit me far harder than that if you plan on hurting me any. My cats could hit harder than that.
Andre: Fucking bastard, I'll show you.
Andre started gathering flames to both of his arms and increased the power as far as he could. The man just held one hand out with a small ball of energy in it.
Andre: You've had your laughs, now it's time for me to quiet you. Take this......Crimson......
Andre shifted his left arm down and his right arm up, and widened his feet. He then punched downward to ward the ground with his right hand while moving his left hand into position so his fist would pass his other hand and gather the remaining flames. He also made sure his knuckles were facing his new enemy so that there would be a straight shot right at him.
Andre: ....wave!!!
He punched the ground, releasing the flames from his hand. A big, dark red flame sped across the ground, coiling in two smaller flames back and forth as they flew toward the short man who didn't move, not even flinch. The wave left scorch marks in the ground as it moved, and as it got closer it seemed to intensify. It was just a half a second away from hitting the man when it got absorbed into the ball in his hand. The dark ball of energy held the flame in a cross around it, the man just let go of the power and it faded away.
Andre stood stunned by what he just saw. Did this man truly just pick his wave up and throw it away? Andre didn't know what to make of this situation, whether he should be excited, or afraid for his life. He knew that he didn't like that someone could make him look like an amateuristic fighter. It bothered him to his core that someone could belittle his power. And in that moment, something snapped in him, he wanted this man destroyed.
The man could sense that he had pushed Andre to the point that he wanted, so he got out of his stance and stood straight up. This frustrated Andre even more, making him want to rip the man's head off of his shoulders, but this wasn't Andre's mind, not his thoughts, it felt like it was coming from someone else, but the voice in Andre's head was his own, how could this be?
Man: You did well, you've got some impressive skills, but they could be better. Once you get to that point, I want you to come see me, and we'll fight again. My name is Sasuke Soshimatsu.
Sasuke takes a paper out of his pocket and tosses it toward Andre, he catches it, and opens it to reveal a cruise ticket.
Sasuke: Use that ticket to have some time to train, and make sure you get better, I don't want to fight you again at this minor level, your potential is far greater. Until then, I'll be waiting for you in Kyoto. Don't disappoint me......
Sasuke walks away, leaving Andre feeling powerless, knowing he could do nothing at that point to back his feelings. The only thing that was left behind was rage, and this voice which kept telling Andre that he needed to destroy his new foe. While Andre is thinking about all of the things that are going on around him, he has to fight back these demented intentions that keep beckoning to him to take life.
Andre: Arrogant fucking bastard, I'll break him.
Rodney: Don't worry about it Dre, I know that you can beat him, just calm down.
Rodney's words fell upon deaf ears, Andre had already begun walking away and wasn't listening to anyone or anything around him. He drifted off with thoughts of fighting Sasuke again, and defeating him. The only thing that was currently on his mind was a visit the local area gym. He'd hoped that he'd find someone who would help him regain proper focus.
He arrived to the Gold's Gym in Greenbelt, MD, and asked for a sparring partner for kickboxing. Though Andre knew he wouldn't be using kickboxing, he'd take out the usual boxer too fast, and wouldn't get to use his legs. Once he was in the ring, he stood against a very muscular man, bronze complexion, but still he looked like he was fast, and capable of breaking some bones. The fighter was adorned in silver striped, red trunks, with his hands and feet taped., no shin guards or gloves. This guy apparently liked bare knuckle contact better. Which worked out for Andre, if he got hit, he wanted to feel the punches and kicks.
Boxer: You ready?
Andre: Yeah, I'm ready. Make your move.
The kickboxer ran right at Andre and kneed him in his left side while hitting him with uppercut with his left hand. Andre was instantly dazed from the uppercut, and the knee had his ribs feeling like they might fall out. This guy was strong, almost comparable to Diamion's strength, but not strong enough to knock Andre out.
Before Andre could even think of his next move, the kickboxer hit him with a right hook across his face, and jumped kicking him with his left leg. And from these movements, Andre figured that he was just about the same speed as him, but his attacks were a little bit more precise than Andre's were. He was trying to end the match quickly and get Andre off his feet.
Not even letting his feet touch the ground, the kickboxer swung a hard haymaker down at Andre's head, and connected, sending his head toward the mat. But Andre still held his balance somehow and didn't collapse. This had the kickboxer stunned, he knew his attacks should have laid Andre out, but he wasn't even on the mat. Each attack was done for maximum damage and with such precision and speed, no normal fighter would have withstood that type of pounding. He backed away, and gave his opponent another look. He realized who the boy he was fighting was.
Boxer: I'm glad to know that I'm not fighting a normal opponent, you're Andre Ratchford correct?
Andre: (Standing back into position) Yep....that's..me.
Boxer: You had me shocked for a second. I'm happy that I'm fighting someone of your caliber, you'd help me improve my techniques whether I win or lose.
Andre: 'My caliber' huh? Man, I wish I knew what that was. I used to think I knew what 'my caliber' meant. Now I'm at a loss, and you're talking about me as if I'm some great, unstoppable fighter.
Boxer: I never said you were unstoppable, but a great fighter, yes you are, as well as your brother Diamion. The man I truly wish to fight. You share your brother's fighting style, therefore, you are the perfect opponent for me to battle.
Andre: Well, at least you have your focus. I'm lost, completely lost. He was my focus for such a long time too, because I've yet to beat him, but now, I have a greater opponent in mind, far greater a fighter than I or my brother may be. And he proved that to me today.
Boxer: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! You mean to tell me you had a loss, and you're letting it affect you this much? From what I've seen of you, you've got the spirit to be one of the best fighters to ever walk the face of the earth, or at least you used to have it. Let me help you find it again.
Andre: What?!?!
The boxer again advanced in on Andre, landing a combination of blows. A high knee to the chest, a kick to the ribs again, and another uppercut followed by a strong punch to the gut. This left Andre hunched over while the kickboxer continued to talk while holding him.
Boxer: You're letting this fighter put fear in your heart, making you anxious and easy to beat. You probably had the thought that there was nobody out there that could beat you. That's the wrong way of thinking. Never underestimate any opponent, and never think that you are the best, even when other people tell you that you are, always stay ready for an opponent stronger, faster, and better than you. And never lose your spirit as a fighter.
His words made it through to Andre's heart. He was done allowing his body to take so much punishment. He was ready to fight again.
Andre: Thank you for that, the pummeling and the wisdom. Your words are too true to be ignored. Now, I'd like to continue this fight, but the right way. What's your name?
Boxer: Jack, I'm Jack Shibara, remember that name.
Andre: I will Jack, I'll always remember the fighter who helped me return to my correct path. You ready?
Jack: Yeah, I'm ready.
Jack released Andre and stood back to his ready position. Andre was now somewhat back to normal, and was ready to fight, his trademark smirk appeared on his face, and Jack knew he was serious.
Andre leaped toward Jack and tried to drive his knee into his forehead, but Jack avoided the attack and countered with one of his own. He punched Andre right in his spine, sending pain through every nerve in his body. Still undaunted, Andre returned the favor by spinning around with a right handed haymaker that connected right with Jack's left cheek, and it sent him flying into the ropes which he got hung up on.
Andre: Like that punch? I'm still perfecting the technique behind it, but what do you think of it so far, did it hurt?
Jack: (Rubbing his face) That was a good attack, you must've been working on that one for your brother. I'm honored to have it used on me first. (Jack stands ready again) But it's gonna take a lot more than that to stop me.
Without another word Andre had just that quickly gotten into Jack's defenses and landed a strong elbow to the chin, along with a left hook to the ribs, a right knee to the ribs, and a double uppercut to his jaw. Jack stumbled back, but Andre wasn't done yet. Before Jack could get too far away, Andre kicked the back of his knee to make his slouch down, and then geared up for another attack, one that would knock Jack out. And witnessing this move, Jack knew he couldn't do anything, and that he would just have to accept defeat. Andre came with a strong haymaker right handed, this time combined with the motion of an uppercut. The attack connected with Jack's temple, and he was K.O.'ed.
Andre: Thank you Jack, you helped me get my head back in the game.
Andre left the ring, got his stuff, and went home. He rested as best as he could, still having Sasuke on his mind, and trying to figure out how he was going to beat him. This was an enigma that was plaguing him. Hopefully he'd discover something through his training.....
Chapter 2:
Seeds Planted
While Andre was busy sparring, Rodney had taken his friend home and was just arriving home himself. When he got home, he immediately told Richie what he witnessed. Richie was sitting in the living room wearing a white t-shirt, and black jeans with silver and black Nike's. Rodney told Richie about the fight with Andre and this new enemy he has.
Rodney: Richie, you won't believe what I saw happen today!!
Richie: What Rodney, what's so amazing?
Rodney: Andre fought this guy earlier who treated him like he was nothing. He deflected all of his moves, and he even blocked the Crimson Wave!!
Richie: Are you serious!? Someone actually took Andre lightly? There's no way, are you sure? I really don't believe this.
Rodney: I witnessed it with my own two eyes, Andre fought his best, and the guy didn't even break a sweat. It felt like there was something wrong with the situation.
Richie: Then we need to train even harder now. We'll be in trouble if we run into this guy.
Rodney: I don't think he's after us, he was looking specifically for Andre. He even gave Andre a ticket to come visit him after training.
Richie: If this guy beats Andre, we're all in trouble. Let's just make sure we get ourselves ready for that situation if it comes.
Rodney: With the way Andre looked, I doubt this guy will beat him, the look he had in his eyes was so intense, more intense than I've ever seen him before. But either way, you're right, we should train and be ready.
Richie: Well little brother, let's go.
Rodney made the first move and jumped toward Richie with an extremely aggressive punch for his head, nearly connecting, but Richie was able to avoid it. Though he was a bit taken aback by the fact that Rodney started off so strong, and didn't do his usual build up to his better moves.
Rodney felt that it was time to take himself to the next level, he was sure that Andre will have taken himself to far greater heights by the time he's done with his training. He hoped that his first move would have hinted such to Richie and he would start at his best.
Richie obliged Rodney by taking his most serious stance. All of the defensive moves Andre had taught him were about to be put to the test. Rodney came at Richie yet again with a strong attack, a feint right knee to a spinning back side kick, this one connected as Richie was just a little too slow to catch it, but he didn't feel the full force of the attack as he stopped Rodney's leg. Rodney quickly pulled himself away as to not be sucked into one of Richie's moves.
It was still too late, when Rodney placed his foot, Richie was already in his guard, and he went to hit Rodney with a left uppercut. Rodney leaned his head back, and got scraped by Richie's knuckles on his chin. The attack left a burn mark where he got grazed, and he felt a little dazed by the move along with there being the smell of smoke in the air. Richie used an elemental attack on Rodney to gain the upperhand. It was okay to him though, that just meant that he could use his Lightning attacks to battle Richie's Fire.
Richie: You liked that one didn't you? You haven't been hit with the Sapphire Flame much, so now is a good time to start learning a way to deal with it. That would probably be the next step in our training anyway, how about it?
Rodney: We did agree to take it to the next level starting this fight, why not take up another? I'm all for it. Just remember, the Ruby Lightning works just as well. Better build your tolerance now while you can. I'm sure Dre's attacks are a lot stronger, and will be even more so when we see him again.
With that piece said, Rodney rushed Richie and threw him off balance, he sweeped a Richie's foot with his right leg, once Richie stepped back, Rodney hit him head on with a gut punch charged with Lightning. Richie was stunned by the attack, but he wasn't going down, instead, he grabbed Rodney's arm and punched him in the face with his flame on his fist stumbling Rodney back a few steps.
Richie attempted a follow up with a side kick, but Rodney sidestepped it and elbowed him in his ribs. Richie absorbed all of the pain from the attack, though he knew if he didn't score a knockout blow, he was losing this session, and that's not what he wanted. So he put all of his might into his next move while he was still close to Rodney.
This move Andre taught him to use when he was out of options, and Rodney had just proven to Richie that he had none.
Richie: Sorry Rodney, but you're not winning this time.
Richie ignited his hands; with his left, he gave Rodney a hard punch to his ribs; with his right, he punched Rodney in the side of his jaw. The attack spun Rodney and made him fall to his knees. He was winded and dizzy at the same time. He put his hands up giving Richie the win this time.
Richie: (Panting) That was good....you're almost on my level now.....
Rodney: Almost? I barely lost that one....I'm on your level.
Richie: As long as you think so. Look, I'm going to head up to the game store, I'll see you later.
Richie leaves and heads to the mall. Realizing that he might not be able to keep his perfect win streak against Rodney, he's looking for a game that he can play that he'll be better than Rodney at. The events of the day slipped his mind while he was spending his time searching. It just so happens that Andre's best friend, Deonta entered the game store and spotted Richie. Deonta is wearing a blue sleeveless shirt, denim jeans, and blue and white Jordans.
Richie: Hey! Deonta! What's up?
Deonta: What up, Richie?
Richie: Nothing, just buying a new game or two.
Deonta: I just got away from this crazy nut girl who keeps following me around. She's obsessed with me or something.
Richie: Hahaha!!! That's on you. But if she likes you that much, why not give her a chance? I mean, she's taking the time to chase you everywhere, it might actually be worth it. But on another subject, Andre's been training me, helping me develop my fighting skills.
Deonta: Is that so? Alright then, show me what you've learned, get your stuff and I'll wait for you by University Park Elementary, see you there.
Deonta left the game store and went down to the School, waiting for Richie to get there. He sensed a presence nearby while waiting, and decided to see who it was. There was a short Japanese man just idly walking back and forth, then he turned his glance to Deonta. He dropped something on the ground, then started walking away. Deonta ran over to pick it up and hand it to the man, but by the time he looked back up, he was gone. He looked at the item he was holding, it turned out to be a plane ticket. The destination was Osaka, Japan, dated for the next month from Reagan National Airport. A closer look revealed to him that his name was on the ticket. He was a bit confused as to why that man had a plane ticket with his name on it, and what it meant. But he wouldn't let it worry him, he had a challenger to face, and put the ticket away as Richie approached.
Deonta: So, you ready for this?
Richie: As ready I can be, the way Dre trained me.
Deonta: Come on then, show me what you can do.
Richie took a defensive stance, knowing that this would be his best shot against Deonta, he stood with the stillness of a rock, Deonta analyze him really quickly before deciding his first move. He rushed Richie's left side which appeared to be where he was lacking strength. Richie reversed his stance so that his right side would be his weak side. Deonta wasn't shocked by the change as he had seen Andre do the same many times, but he kept heading toward Richie's left side even still. Richie pulled his fist back and started to build his flames around his hand. Deonta sped up and feinted a kick for Richie's ribs, making him react to the leg Deonta was using, Richie swung his hand up to block the attack. By the time he realized the move was a fake, it was too late, Deonta was already making his real move, a strong left handed punch for Richie's stomach that connected full force.
Richie then realized another truth, that Deonta's punch was just as powerful as Andre's. Though his physical strength may have been a bit less than Andre's, his speed was just enough more than Andre's to make up the difference. Richie also took note that the strategy that used was one that Andre had shown him, so it's probably not a good idea to fight like Andre against Deonta, because he knew nearly all of Andre's moves, techniques, and patterns. Just from that one attack, Richie learned enough to make himself a better opponent for Deonta. That was also something Andre taught Richie, make every attack a lesson, not just the fight itself, but each moment, every attack, every movement, let nothing go wasted.
Deonta jumped back and let Richie process this new information, figuring that Andre taught him their shared philosophies on fighting. He was expecting Richie to come back a much better fighter after that first exchange. Richie looked up and even though he was in pain, he had a big smile on his face. This alerted Deonta that he was ready to have another go at it. Again Richie took a defensive stance and waited for Deonta to come at him. With confidence Deonta again rushed Richie's left side. Again Richie started with Andre's southpaw movement. This time though, Richie had a plan. Deonta started this time with a running right hook, Richie blocked it, then Deonta followed up with a left knee, Richie backstepped to avoid it, and Deonta saw his chance to connect with another blow, he did a stepping roundhouse kick with his right leg. Richie saw the attack coming and jumped over Deonta's leg, then kicked him in his chest, stumbling him back a step, though Deonta was prepared for this outcome, while he was going backward, he punched Richie in the jaw with an awkward left hook that spun Richie out of his kick, lessening the damage of the attack.
Richie landed on his feet, but he was a bit dazed by Deonta's retaliation. Another hit like that and he'd be knocked out. Richie quickly decided that he had enough for the day, and put his hand up to stop the fight.
Deonta: Well, well, calling it quits? It's okay Richie, if I would have hit you again, you'd probably be unconscious right now. But overall you did pretty good. Andre's been training you well, if I had underestimated you I'd probably have lost.
Richie: Thanks, I'm glad that I had the chance to impress you, but I think we both know I was going to lose either way, though it was fun.
Deonta: Look, keep up your training, but step up your pace, if you had been Andre in that fight, you'd probably have the upperhand on me right now. It's okay to fight like Andre, but don't turn his basic fighting strategies into your own, you'll never surpass him that way, be your own fighter.
Richie: Thanks for the advice Deonta, I have to get back now, but I'll see you again soon. Peace out.
Deonta: Peace Rich.
Deonta figured that he'd head home, his day had already been full, and there was nothing else for him to do. Though he still wondered about the man who left the ticket for him, and why he left it. It was all a bit too confusing, he figured that all the answers would come to him in due time, so there was no reason to stress out about it.
Meanwhile, Richie was returning home to find that Rodney had told Jenny about the fight that Andre had. Then it dawned on him that he hadn't said anything to Deonta while he had the chance.
Rodney: Where were you?
Richie: I was out buying games, and I ran into Deonta. He fought me to test my training with Andre.
Jenny: Did you tell him about what happened to Andre?
Richie: ....................
Rodney: Richie!
Richie: ......No. It slipped my mind. How did you know?
Jenny: Rodney told me as soon as I got in. At least I know he's focused on what's going on around him. How could you let something like that slip your mind, especially when you run into his best friend? Those damn games got your mind fried. Come on so we can get your training going.
Rodney headed outside while Richie began his training with Jenny. As he made it outside, he heard someone speaking, a girl.
????: Deonta! Deonta! Come on! Where are you?
Rodney: I hate to break it to you this way, but you're nowhere near where Deonta lives.
????: Oh! And I thought I was close for sure. Hold on, you know him? Where does he live?
Rodney: Yes I do, and I don't know. Who are you?
????: My name is Erika Lloyd, I'm Deonta's girlfriend.
Rodney: Deonta doesn't have a girlfriend right now, I think I would know, I'm one of his close friends.
Erika: Then you should know about me.
Rodney: I do, Andre told me about you, you're the girl that stalks Deonta all the time. I knew I recognized your name.
Erika: I'm far from a stalker little boy, I'm just a big fan who wants to be with him all of the time. I'm no pushover though, I can fight with the best of 'em, so don't take me lightly.
Rodney: That sounds like a challenge to me, I'd like to see what you can do if you're willing to show me.
Erika: Sure, I'd be glad to.
Rodney took his stance as did Erika. They both seemed to be analyzing each other. Standing they both realized that they were two offensive fighting types, this looked to make things interesting. Rodney wasn't sure if he should make the first move or not, but by the time he had decided, Erika was already in motion to attack. She geared up to catch Rodney with a diving right kick. He narrowly avoided the attack, as they crossed paths, their elements reacted to each other, two sparks, one of an emerald colored lightning and a ruby colored lightning, they struck at each other. Rodney and Erika both stopped, both with smiles on their faces.
Erika: I didn't expect that you used lightning as your element.
Rodney: Yeah, this is gonna make things a lot more fun. I won't have to hold back with you.
Erika: Exactly what I was thinking.
The both jumped back from each other, and started to gather the electricity in the air around them into their bodies. Staring at each other as if they knew what the next move was to be, but yet still wanting to see how the attack played out. They both concentrated the power to their right hands and ran in at one another. Once they closed in, they both punched and their hands blocked each other's attacks. They were both still standing, holding their attacks, trying to see who would wear down first. Sparks of red and green lightning were flashing everywhere around them, with neither party willing to back down. As they stood there, the power of both attacks seemed to keep getting stronger. Now bolts of red and green lightning were striking around them, leaving burn marks on the the ground, with patches of grass missing. Rodney started to lose power, and was reaching his limit, while Erika still had plenty left to go. With nothing left in him, Rodney released the attack, quickly avoided Erika and the combined energies, saving himself a truck load of pain. Erika swung and the powers shot off her hand toward the ground, exploding and leaving a small crater in the ground.
Erika: Man, you're one strong kid, good, that just makes all the more better for me, I've been needing a good sparring partner.
Rodney: (Huffing) I didn't.....think.....you could........hold out.......that long. (Steadied) But, I'm ready to go for more if you are.
Erika: Definitely.
Erika ran toward Rodney as he did toward her, they met at the middle, and clashed with a flurry of attacks. Punches, kicks, counter punches, parries, and a variety of grapples, but neither fell, nor did they retreat. Rodney was regaining his strength and the sparks between them started again. Rodney backed away from the constant attacks and started preparing his lightning projectile. Erika did the same. The power levels of the attacks seemed to be the same. But Rodney had one thing that Erika didn't, it was something Andre had taught him a while ago, how to increase the power of an already thrown projectile.
Rodney: Ruby.......
Erika: Lightning......
Ruby: Blast!!!
Erika: Strike!!!
As the powers neared each other, Rodney used his hands to increase the power of his just enough to overtake Erika's. Once the attacks collided, they were both sent back at Erika, who just barely avoided them. While she was recovering from avoiding the blast, Rodney was running in on her to make his move, he tried to punch her in the face, but she just blocked, the attack, and returned fire with a kick, hitting Rodney in his right side. Then she grabbed him by his head and flipped him over her shoulder, slamming him on his back. Erika stepped back to let Rodney up, but she didn't step far enough, Rodney flipped himself over and kicked her legs out from under her, them double kicked her to the jaw while jumping to a standing position, leaving Erika stunned at the moment. With his opportunity still in front of him, Rodney rushed Erika with a strong lightning punch to the stomach, and ended the fight, Erika collapsed to her knees gasping for air, saliva spilling from her mouth to the ground.
Erika: Who.....who trains....you?
Rodney: The guy I told you about before, Deonta's best friend, Andre, Andre Ratchford.
Erika: What!? Are you serious!? No wonder I lost. That's Diamion's little brother, and if he's been teaching you, with the level you're at already, Diamion must be thousands of times better a fighter!
Rodney: Well, I can't say anything about that because I don't know, but I do know that I had fun fighting with you, you made it an experience, and I've learned a little bit more about my own abilities. Maybe you should train with Andre, he's incredible when he's working on all cylinders.
Erika: Thanks but no, I'm going to keep with the path I've chosen, my family's name depends on it. But next time you see Andre, give him a message for me, tell him that Crystal Lloyd is looking to take down his brother.
Rodney: (Smirks) I guess she's your older sister right? I'll let him know.
Rodney heads inside to get some rest while Erika heads home to talk to her sister. Erika makes it home 20 minutes later after running all the way back excited about her fight. She finds her sister, Crystal, in the training room. Crystal is busy training against the family sparring bot, fighting a simulation of Diamion in a green sports bra, and black training sweats with white Adidas, black laced. Crystal must have been training for hours, she had worked up a heavy sweat and was panting hard.
Erika: Crystal! Stop the Sparring Bot for a second, I've got something to tell you.
Crystal punches the bot in it's chest panel and knocks it offline.
Crystal: What is it now? Can't you see that I'm busy?
Erika: You'll really like what I have to tell you. I fought one of Andre Ratchford's students.
Crystal: Okay, what difference does that make?
Erika: He shares the same fighting style as Andre, who has the same style as Diamion, meaning they use the same moves.
Crystal: Erika, that's not necessarily true. They may have similar moves, but you fought someone who is being trained by someone who isn't even expert, who doesn't have all of the same moves as the person he trains with, and who isn't anywhere near as advanced as Diamion is. What useful tidbit could you give me?
Erika: Sis, you're being bitchy again, I didn't do anything to you. Look, I already know all of that, but this boy was pretty advanced, so I think maybe you thinking that Andre isn't an expert may be incorrect. Besides, people in the fighting circuit who have fought Andre have come off just as bad as those who fought Diamion. Why not learn about the abilities of the whole family, you'll never know what may happen in a battle.
Crystal: Diamion uses 3 of the four family modes of battle, a Karate Style, a General Arts Style, and a Wrestling style. Andre only uses two, Karate, and General Martial Arts. You lose one third of the info right there, then the person you fought was Andre's student, meaning he's not even getting all of the moves, so you lose another third. So right now you're coming to me with 1/3 of the actual info I'd need to have.
Erika: Just shut up and listen for a change, goodness!! I lost my fight to that boy, meaning he's pretty damn good, meaning that Andre knows and does a lot more than you may be willing to allow yourself to think. Andre has won within his first year of fighting regionally 10 championships, Diamion won 10 Championships the same way. Very similar, and though Andre doesn't fully use the wrestling style, he has incorporated a couple of those moves. He's followed his older brother's footsteps ever since he's been fighting. And if I remember correctly, he was advancing far faster than any of his other family members as far as his skills and technique. Don't you remember hearing about how he and two of his friends took out that woman, what was her name......Ibuki, Ibuki Kazuka. She was one of the strongest fighters on the face of the earth. Man, we've done so much research and heard so much, but neither of us have encountered them yet, or anyone close to them until this day.
Crystal: You have, repeatedly.
Erika: Who?
Crystal: Deonta Robinson, how could you not have known that? His family techniques and the Ratchford family techniques are nearly identical. And with him and Andre being on the same level, I don't consider Andre to be much. As a matter of fact, Andre, Deonta, and Jeneba Miller-Dyer were the three that beat Ibuki. The boy you fought is one of her little brothers. Did you even get his name?
Erika: I hate it when you know more than me. And no, I didn't, I guess I should have huh? He used lightning attacks, and was as fast as I am. But his lightning was weird, it was as if it had a life of it's own, it was apart of him, but still separate at the same time.
Crystal: Now you're just not making any sense. But the boy it sounds like you fought was Rodney Miller-Dyer, he's the youngest in his family as well. His older brother is Richie Miller-Dyer, and he uses flame attacks like Andre does. So get on with it, what do you need to tell me?
Erika: Well, Rodney is pretty tough, he took all of my best hits, and kept coming, I think I stunned him good at one point, but he recovered, it's like he has an unbreakable will. I think he has the ability to sense the level of attack power from a move, something that can be taught, but not easily. I'm not sure how he did it, but I know we shot equal level powered blast, and he somehow changed the strength of his attack.
Crystal: What?!?! That's a highly advanced move, that's not something that he should know how to do just yet.
Erika: Then maybe you should listen to me next time before you badger me to death. He also did that while he got into my defenses as I avoided that collective blast, and hit me with a punch that concentrated a lot of force to his hand. I felt the punch as if it went through my body and punctured a hole in me. But there's even more Sis, I fought Diamion's girlfriend in that stupid tournament I participated in today.
Crystal: You mean Patricia? This was your lucky day. Tell me about the fight, the battle.
Erika started to explain to her sister about her fight with Patricia.
Chapter 3:
Amateur Tournament
Earlier in the day in Hyattsville, Maryland, at an abandoned warehouse, the battle was sanctioned by the local government thankfully. Patricia had entered this tournament to see what level she was on, and if she'd be able to win a championship like her boyfriend has done many times. Though Diamion was on a level that far surpassed her own, she'd hoped that she could get some recognition for her efforts in battling. Also in this tournament was Erika Lloyd, a young girl trying to garner the affections of a young man named Deonta, though she had already decided that unless her opponent was worthy, she was going to throw the fight before wasting too much time. After watching all of the possible opponents fight their battles against one another, Erika had figured she was too good of an opponent for these people to fight her. The best one next to her wasn't even on her level, she felt like she had wasted her time coming to this tournament, there wasn't a single opponent who would cause her to sweat.
Patricia on the other hand had felt that all of her battles were against tough opponents, especially the fight before the finals, the guy gave her a real run for her money and he just wouldn't stay down. But she had made it, she was about to win her first tournament as an amateur fighter. She was really overjoyed to be one of the top two fighters. But she was surprised about how old her opponent was. The child in front of her was 10 years younger than she was, and was surprisingly strong. Her name as she heard the announcer over the loud speaker, was Erika Lloyd. Patricia could only think of how hard this girl must have trained to make it this far, seeing as all of her other opponents were around her own age.
Patricia: So you're the one that I have to beat to win? (She's really young.)
Erika: What makes you think that you can win? (This slouch has nothing on me.)
Patricia: I'm Diamion Ratchford's girlfriend, the toughest woman that there is. (I've got this one in the bag.)
Erika: So you're Patricia? I'm Erika, Erika Lloyd. My sister Crystal wants to battle with you boyfriend, and I'm confident that she'll win. (Especially if this slouch is his woman.)
Patricia: She'll lose to Diamion just like you'll lose to me.
Erika: Bring it then!! (Erika said waving Patricia toward her.)
Patricia: You asked for it (She started to crack her knuckles and neck.)
Erika and Patricia took their fighting stances, and waited for the announcer to call for the match to start. Once the battled was started, Erika ran toward Patricia, she moved so quickly that Patricia couldn't see where she went, not until she was right in front of her. Patricia threw a punch toward Erika's body, but it was too late, she had already grabbed her hand and arm. Erika throws Patricia across the room with minimal force, knowing that she would recover from the toss. And as predicted, Patricia flipped herself so she would land on her feet, and was standing ready for the next attack, which Erika was already preparing. Erika started charging one of her lightning attacks, being an emerald color, she was brightening the arena. Patricia started to prepare herself a wind attack to counter the lightning that she saw Erika generating. Black blades of wind started to swirl around her body, and she was gathering them into a ball in her hands. Once she felt that she had equal power to Erika, she threw her attack, thinking that Erika's was a projectile, but she was sadly mistaken, Erika dodged the blast of wind and ran right toward Patricia with a bolt of lightning in her hands. Patricia was preparing herself to dodge the attack once Erika got close enough to her, but was also generating a stronger wind attack in case she couldn't do it.
Erika closed in, and saw the look of worry on Patricia's face, she was ready to give her a good shock, only enough to stun her, not enough to win the match. As she got closer, Erika jumped over top of Patricia and started to descend down upon her with incredible speed. Patricia was watching her to time her chance to dodge the oncoming attack. Once Erika was close enough, Patricia dove to the side and threw her stored up attack toward her. Erika fell into the attack and her lightning attack exploded in her hands, blasting her clean across the arena. Erika was surprised by the move because it was too advanced for the power level that Patricia had. She must've seen someone who is a much better fighter practice that technique quite a few times.
Erika: You caught me off guard with that move, but it won't happen again, I'm going to get a little bit more serious.
Patricia: Don't worry, I've got plenty of tricks up my sleeves. (She wasn't serious already? I may be in trouble)
Erika ran right toward Patricia again, this time she had an actual plan in order and wasn't just winging it because her opponent couldn't hold their own. Or maybe she was overestimating her, but she knew that she could do more than she had first thought. Erika wasn't going to be surprised by a person that she should be able to beat with one move. This gave her some insight on how strong and how capable a fighter Diamion was, if she could have seen him pull off that move and others like it, he'd have to be incredible. For Patricia to dodge the move was one thing, but for her to dodge and throw her attack to be right on target, she's only just emulated what she's seen done before.
While thinking about these things, Erika decided that it would be best for her to limit the power of her attacks, she still wasn't sure yet how much Patricia would be able to handle. While she was moving in on Patricia she held a charge in her hands that was equal to the one she was just using, running with her arms extended, leaving a sparking green trail of lightning behind her. Patricia took what was supposed to be defensive stance, probably something else that she was emulating, but this was a family fighting pose, one of the Ratchford poses. Erika hadn't seen one before, but she figured that that was what it was.
Patricia in the meantime was trying to remember how to do a defensive repelling technique that Diamion had shown her. It's supposed to use an opponent's power against them if done correctly, if not, then the person performing the technique will have wasted valuable time and effort. As Erika drew closer, Patricia tightened her range, pulling her arms closer as her current rival reached her. Once Erika was close enough and had made her attack, punching toward Patricia with both hands, she was grabbed by her arms and thrown up into the air over Patricia's head. While Erika was floating, she was planning her next attack, realizing that Patricia had performed the move incorrectly, but she was impressed that she would try such an attack. What Erika didn't know was that Patricia had done this on purpose in order to set up the actual attack. Though it wouldn't be nearly as strong as Diamion's, it should cause some heavy damage.
While Erika was falling, Patricia was counting, timing when to throw the actual end to the move. Patiently waiting, hoping that she could land the attack in the right spot. And Erika being unprepared this time would surely be in pain from the move because she was concentrating on landing a move of her own after she finishes falling. Once Erika's head was near Patricia's shoulder, she turned and threw a strong straight punch toward her. With her timing being right, she hit Erika right in the middle of her torso, and punched the wind out of her as she was being knocked away. She fell to the ground and skidded on her head a few feet as well. Erika was taken aback by Patricia's ability to copy other people's moves. Though she knew it still wasn't properly performed due to the level of pain it caused her, Erika was still pretty impressed with Patricia.
She got back to her feet, not really hurt, but acting up the part so that Patricia would feel better about winning the fight.
Erika: (faking panting) That....was a....good....at....tack....but..I'm not through.
Patricia: (feeling over confident) It looks like it was, and I thought you'd be a more promising fight.
Erika speeds toward Patricia in a blur and knees her in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her as well.
Erika: How's that for promising? Hurts doesn't it? Remember that pain.
She was getting tired of Patricia's mouth and wanted to shut it for her. But she also did this to see if she could draw more information out of Patricia's fighting to see how much she learned. She stepped away and jumped back, still faking an injury, waiting patiently to see how Patricia would react. She was rewarded, Patricia pulled out another move that wasn't apart of her own arsenal, A technique that Erika had never seen before, which must've meant that it was exclusive only to the Ratchford family, maybe even Diamion himself.
Erika: Come on, show me what you know.
Patricia held her hands together and concentrated as much of her energy as she could to her fists. Knowing that Diamion was the only person that used this technique, she was there when he developed the move. Though because hers wasn't an earth based attack like his was, she'd have to used a lot more of her power to make any damage. After she had stored enough energy, she pulled the power from her hands and started running toward Erika, moving the swirling blades of wind to her shoulder. Erika held her ground and just built enough energy into her hands to block the attack, at least that's what she thought. The move that Patricia was using is meant to break down defenses while protecting the user.
This was the one move that Diamion taught her how to use, and strictly said only to use it against strong opponents, those who you would consider to be stronger than yourself. He knew that Patricia's power wouldn't be enough to use the attack more than once.
Patricia closed in on Erika, whom stood with her hands ready to block the attack, but Patricia ran right through her defenses and knocked her off of her feet, into an arena wall that was 10 feet away. Though the attack was strong, it didn't hurt Erika too much, but she faked being knocked out in order to allow Patricia to win. She knew that she wouldn't benefit much from winning though she easily could have. She was much happier taking a loss and gaining some useful info.
From the battle Erika knew two things, that Diamion was a very strong and capable fighter, and also that her sister would need to train much harder if she planned on fighting up to his level. While Patricia was celebrating her win with the crowd that circled around them, Erika slipped out of the arena undetected and started searching for someone whom she was interested in.
Back to Erika and Crystal's home, Crystal sits astonished at the info that her sister brought to her, the information that could possibly help her defeat the man whom she's been pursuing. The man whom she feels is the best fighter alive currently. But to be more to her surprise, Patricia was a weakling.
Crystal: So you mean to tell me that she was that weak? You could have beat her easily, but you lost to that boy that Andre trains? She must have the fighting potential of a rock.
Erika: I never said that I was proud of myself, but I was bored, and I needed something to do, so I beat on a few losers, and threw a fight.
Crystal: Well, I know someone else that's a far greater fighter than her then too. It's Andre's ex girlfriend, that girl Elzoria.
Erika: You're serious, you have to tell me about that fight, no way you're gonna keep quiet about it.
Crystal begins telling Erika about her run-in with Elzoria at Union Station Mall. At this point, Crystal was wearing a gray workout top, white sweat pants, and black Nike's with black wrist bands. She spotted Elzoria a distance away, and could feel her power flowing off of her, as well as Elzoria's friends whom were too weak to even make her blink. Elzoria was wearing a tan V-Neck top, with navy blue jeans, a belt matching the top, and matching tan spiked heel boots. Though it wasn't fighting gear, and true fighter would be able to battle without being prepared.
Crystal decided that she would walk right into her and bump her, then walk off just fast enough to irritate her and get her to follow. Once she crossed Elzoria, she knocked into her side and hurried herself along until she came to an area that no one could see them, and when she turned around, Elzoria was standing there.
Elzoria: Aren't you going to apologize for bumping into me, that was fucking rude.
Crystal: I can, but I don't think I will.
Elzoria: You're asking for a world of pain that you don't want right now.
Crystal: Am I? Am I really Elzoria? That's your name right?
Elzoria: How do you know who I am?
Crystal: It's easy to find info on people on the net, especially someone as smart as you are. You used to be Andre Ratchford's girlfriend.
Elzoria: Okay, I get it, so who are you, it's rude to speak to someone without introducing yourself.
Crystal: My name? I'm Crystal, Crystal Lloyd. I wonder about you, you dated someone who is supposedly one of the best fighters to grace the face of the planet, or at least his potential is that great. Did you ever fight your own battles with him around, or did he have to fight for you?
Elzoria: Yeah, like I'd ever allow him to fight on my behalf, I'm sorry, but I'm not one of those types of girls, I know how to handle my own, and I really don't like how you're trying to say that I'm weak. I'll show you that I'm far more than you can chew. You'll have the chance to see first hand how good of a fighter I really am, are you ready for this?
Crystal: I've been ready, I was just waiting for you to get geared up. Now do something before I fall to sleep.
Elzoria suddenly appeared right in front of Crystal whom had just taken her fighting stance, and kicked her in her right side while punching her in the left side of her face, and then jump kicked her in the face knocking Crystal off her feet to the ground.
Elzoria: Don't ever take me lightly, you'll end up in the hospital.
Crystal: Point well taken, I've got it this time, I'm ready.
Back in a standing position, and ready to fight, Crystal just smiles at Elzoria. Elzoria flew at her again, this time though Crystal was able to avoid the attack, and connect with a right hook, knocking Elzoria backward, but not taking her down. Crystal then kicked at Elzoria's ribs, she just jumped out of the way and roundhouse kicked Crystal in her leg, knocking her foot to the ground, making her stomp down, which caused the ground to crack underneath her. This clued Elzoria to the fact that Crystal was an Earth style attack user. Elzoria had only assumed that Crystal knew what style of attack she used. But she wasn't ready to pull out any elemental attacks just yet, she wanted to gauge this girl's power carefully.
Crystal knowing that her attack type was discovered, decided to stop holding herself back, and to make Elzoria reveal her attack style with some unavoidable attacks. Crystal struck the ground, making spikes shoot up from the ground under Elzoria. She kept avoiding them until Crystal got her in the air long enough to a point which she couldn't change direction. The spike was coming up right under her chest, but instead of using her elemental power to avoid the spike, Elzoria used her hand to grab around the tip of the spike and threw herself off of it toward Crystal, who had to put up a wall of rock to stop her. While Crystal was trying to deflect her attack, Elzoria flooded the wall with a wave of water, softening it enough that it broke into hundreds of pieces as she flew through it toward Crystal. But she was prepared for this turn of events as well, she kicked Elzoria in the face with a strong back roundhouse. Elzoria however, had anticipated this attack, and the one who got kicked wasn't her, but a water clone of herself that evaporated the second that Crystal hit it. Elzoria followed her clone up while Crystal was still stuck without a way to compensate for the move, and kneed Crystal in the right side of her jaw.
Crystal was realizing that if she didn't do something that slowed Elzoria down now, she would be losing this fight, and it hasn't even really gotten going yet. But she had one new bit of info that would help her win, Elzoria used water based attacks. Crystal pulled herself back into her fighting stance and steadied herself as Elzoria had dazed her with that last attack.
Crystal: I can see why you're ranked in the top five female competitors in the area, you have amazing skills. You probably were able to hold your own against Andre very well.
Elzoria: I'm a better fighter than him, and I always will be, he's an amateur compared to me.
Crystal: Then if I beat you, I should be able to beat him right? That's pretty much what you just said right?
Elzoria: If? Like you'll win.
Crystal: I've got this in the bag.
Crystal flashed over to Elzoria, struck her in the face, the two punches to the gut, a knee to the ribs, and a jump kick to the back of her head. Elzoria tilted forward, and while she was coming down, Crystal punched her in the back of her head, knocking her to her knees, and panting heavily. She still had one more attack that could end the fight, and Crystal was gearing up for the same thing. One of Earth, one of Water, the attacks were the same level of power, exactly. Both girls looked at each other, ready to end the fight.
Crystal started to use her control of Earth to manipulate the gravity level around them, pulling on the Earth to trying to create a rippling wave across the ground. Elzoria at the same time was drawing in a large amount of water, enough to create a lake. She created a huge wall with the water she had accumulated. Crystal was near ready with her move, though Elzoria was done her preparations and sent her huge water pillar toward Crystal at high speed. While the attack was still flying toward her, Crystal unleashed her attack, making the ground beneath Elzoria throw her upward toward Crystal, right into the path of her own attack. With Elzoria in the air, and unable to block the next move, Crystal slammed a pillar of solid rock right into her back, knocking her in the direction of her own water pillar, which had just made it to Crystal, whom made a feeble attempt to block the attack using the move she just attacked Elzoria with. Elzoria fell to the ground, and Crystal was bombarded by the huge wall of water that felt like being hit with a car. She fell to her back, but then realized that Elzoria was still able to move, so she forced herself to stand right back up.
Crystal's entire body was in pain, though she acted as if she was unaffected. Elzoria looked at her confused, and wondered how she could still have more in her to go after an attack like that. The shear amazement on her face, she was impressed by Crystal, as well as determined to defeat her. But Crystal couldn't make another move. So, she bluffed.
Crystal: (Looking down at Elzoria) You're a lot better than I expected you to be. I would finish our fight, but I have other things to do, so it's a tie for now. Bye.
Crystal walked off leaving Elzoria awestruck. She didn't have anything left in her, and risking finding out if Elzoria still did wasn't advisable. Crystal rested herself, to recover from the level of power that she used, she was drained.
Erika: So, you probably would have lost that fight if you didn't quit right there? Then what makes you think that Andre isn't going to be a challenge?
Crystal: Because I've gotten back up and started using the Training Dummy that Dad had made for us. I've increased the intensity settings again, so much so that I have these huge bruises from fighting that damned thing, and my knuckles are sore. And I plan on going back in there after giving it this new info you gave me. Looks like we both had some pretty full days huh?
Erika: Like I said before, that thing is good to help you get better, but it's not good for helping you beat someone, a person has a soul, that machine can never copy that. I'm gonna go to bed and get some sleep like a normal person, then it's off to find Deonta again in the morning. See ya sis.
Crystal: Goodnight Erika.
Crystal went back into the "Dojo" as they called it, which was just a really big room with a ton of floor mats placed to allow them the space they need to train and spar. She updated the Training Dummy's settings and set to start it's attack in 30 sec. This gave Crystal enough to get focused, and have her stance ready. The 30 seconds quickly passed, and she was on the ground before she could move.
Crystal: (face down) That hurt, but I didn't even see how I got hit, I just know I felt a punch to the back of my head.
Crystal stood back up, and in less than 3 seconds was back off of them. This time she was sweeped and elbowed in the stomach.
Crystal: (on her back) This is going to be a long night.
Crystal got back up yet again, this time paying far more attention to the movements of the Dummy. It got her again, but this time she could see it moving, though she wasn't able to move quickly enough. She got back up, feeling the sting of the moves she's been hit with so far, if Diamion was anywhere near this strong, she'd be able to stand up to his punches by the morning. She looked at the Dummy and tried to picture her opponent in front of her. Diamion's image took place of the Dummy's form.
Crystal: (Thinking) See your opponent's moves, see your opponent's thoughts, see yourself in their place, think of what you would do, the answer is in front of you.
The Training Dummy just stands, looking for a proper opening in Crystal's defense, and once the opening became available, it was time for Crystal to act. The Dummy's movements started to slow down, she was beginning to see the holes in his defenses. The dummy punched for Crystal's rib, she dodged, but it was a feint and she caught a left hook to her jaw, knocking her off her feet spinning until she fell flat on her face. But yet again, despite the pain her body was feeling, Crystal got back up, and took a stance.
Crystal stayed up the whole night battling the Training Dummy. She finally got to the point of being able to go toe to toe with it on it's highest setting. She was worn down, and tired, but she knew she could win this session if she just gave it a good enough shot. Her and the Dummy were geared up for the final attack, they ran to each other, both throwing hard right hands, only one connecting. Crystal knocked the Dummy's head clean off it's shoulders to the opposite side of the room.
Crystal: That was intense! I've never fought so hard before.
Without even noticing, her sister Erika had snuck up behind her and was about to ambush her. Erika tackled Crystal's already sore body, and rammed her face first into one of the pillars that supports the Dojo's ceiling.
Erika: I bet you weren't expecting that huh Sis?
Crystal: (Standing back up) That was a good one, but that didn't do enough damage to lay me out. You can do far better than that.
Erika: I know, and I'm about to. I hope that your training did you well, because I plan on laying you out this time Crystal.
Crystal: Come on then little girl, take a bite and see how much you can chew.
Erika: Gladly.
Erika threw herself shoulder first into her sister, knocking Crystal right back into the same pillar, and when she tried to punch her in the face, Crystal ducked it, making her hand hit the pillar, and while Erika was recovering from the pain in her hand, Crystal jumped and kneed her right in her neck, then kicked her in the chest, sending her sliding across the floor into a pillar on the opposite side of the room. Erika stood and dusted herself off, then retook her stance, and waited for her sister to come after her.
Crystal ran right toward Erika, and went to tackle her, but she got kicked in the face, making her back up, and giving Erika a chance to land a combo. A straight to her chin, a left hook to her ribs, a right kick to the side of her neck, and a jumping lift kick to her jaw, sending her flying through the room into a wall that was reenforced with steel plates. When she bounced off the wall, Erika punched her in the gut, causing her to spit up a little bit of blood. Erika jumped back and let Crystal fall to her knees hunched over.
Crystal: Playing for keeps huh little Sis?
Erika: You should know me a lot better than that by now. I've never gone easy on you, and you're not supposed to go easy on me. Now fight me for real!!
Crystal: Okay, you'll get what you want little girl.
Crystal stood back to her feet, and looked at her sister with a smile.
Crystal: This is why I love you so much little Sis, you never let me slip.
Crystal starts running toward her little sister, and Erika runs toward her. They clashed in the middle of the floor, sweat and tears flying everywhere, Crystal connected quite a few combos on Erika, and started to wear her down, but Erika was determined to make the fight last as long as she could, with each attack, she was becoming a better fighter, and so was her sister. They exchanged a number of punches and kicks, but Crystal was gaining momentum with each hit, whether it was her or Erika who landed it. Until Crystal knocked Erika away, setting her up with a finishing attack. Crystal generated rock around her hand, and went in for the last attack, or so she thought. Crystal swung for Erika, and she dodged the punch which left a huge dent in the wall. Erika punched her in the face with her hand covered with her lightning. The sparks from the attack temporarily blinded Crystal, allowing Erika a chance to end the battle. But quick thinking kept Crystal in the fight, used her sense of sound to keep tabs on Erika's current position, and imagined what she thought her sister would do as an attack for each different position depending on her distance. And each time Crystal was spot on, until her vision could completely come back to her.
Once her sight had fully recovered, she dodged an attack by Erika, and hit her with the strongest punch she could use, and knocked Erika's breath away, and then he struck her an even stronger torso kick which made Erika have to quit to regain her composure.
Crystal: A surprise attack and you still couldn't win.
Erika: I almost had you this time too, damn.
Crystal: Maybe next time, I still can't believe you tried to ambush me.
Erika: Oh quit your whining, you still ended up winning, I'm gonna get breakfast and then I'm heading out.
Crystal: Yeah, you do that.
Erika went and grabbed herself a some breakfast, Crystal went to bed. After having her meal, Erika went out searching for Deonta. During this time, Deonta had run into Richie and Rodney while out walking. They ran up to him in a very urgent mood.
Richie: Deonta!! There's something that Rodney has to tell you!!
Rodney: Yeah!! You'll really want to hear this, it's important!!
Deonta: Okay then, tell me what it is.
Rodney: Yesterday, Andre got into a fight with this weird guy. He made Andre's moves look like something out of a preschool book. He was so strong, and so fast. He toyed with Andre the whole time that they fought.
Deonta: Whoa! Are you serious? Someone treated Andre like nothing? I've got to find this guy.
Rodney: Well he was hanging around University Park, he gave Andre some sort of a ticket and just vanished. Andre didn't respond to a word I said after that, he just left. He looked like he had a lot on his mind, so I doubt he was paying attention to me.
Deonta: He was just surprised, that's all. I just wonder who the guy is. I'd like a chance at fighting him myself. Then I could see what Andre was up against.
Rodney: Well, that guy is in trouble the next time that Andre catches him, he'll beat him, I know it. With the way his eyes looked, I know that he will win. And speaking of fighting anyway, Richie told me that you had a sparring match with him yesterday, I want to have a fight with you.
Deonta: Alright Rodney. We'll fight, let's head over to the old apartment building, we might be able to do some damage to it and break a few things. Richie can be the ref.
Richie: Sorry, but I can't, today is my training day with Andre, and I'm not gonna miss it. So, I'll see you later Rodney, peace Deonta.
Deonta: Alright, see ya Rich.
Rodney: I'll see you at home Richie.
Richie went to see Andre, while Deonta and Rodney quickly headed over to the one apartment building that everyone grew up in. They were both a bit anxious to get the fight started. Once they arrived, Deonta had some questions to ask Rodney.
Deonta: Look, before we get started, there's something that I have to ask you.
Rodney: What is it?
Deonta: What was the name of the man who fought Andre?
Rodney: It was.....Sasuke Soshimatsu, why?
Deonta: I just wanted to know, so the guy is Japanese?
Rodney: Yep, sure is, well at least he looked it.
Deonta: Alright then, let's go.
Rodney: Right!
While Deonta and Rodney are battling, Richie finally finds Andre in front of University Park Elementary School. And he walks up and starts talking.
Richie: Rodney told me what happened yesterday, want to talk about it?
Andre: Nah, I'm cool, everything's okay. I just have another person to knock off the list, that's all.
Richie: Alright, if you say so, let's do it!
Andre: Alright Richie, do your best.
Andre and Richie both got into their stances. Andre's mind wasn't on training Richie, even with the fight he had with Jack the day before, he still wasn't sure about how to beat Sasuke, and he wasn't sure that he'd be strong enough to fight him by the time he was supposed to. He was also worried about that evil power that started to take over his body while he was fighting him. It all was a bit too much to bare all at the same time.
Richie jumped at Andre with a diving elbow, Andre just barely blocked the move and kicked Richie away. Richie could tell that he wasn't completely into the training, but hopefully he could jar something that got Andre to wake up. Richie back flipped and did a reverse dive kick at Andre, he dodged the attack and punched Richie in the stomach. Even his punches were weaker than usual, though he's still attacking on point. Richie landed back on his feet, and got pissed with Andre.
Richie: What the fuck is this?! You fight a lot better than that!! Hit me for fucking real and stop being a damn fucking pansy!!
Andre heard Richie's voice, he returned his focus to training Richie.
Andre: I'm sorry Richie, you won't be getting tapped anymore, I'll give you your training the right way.
Richie blinked and Andre was standing right in front of him, Richie went to block, but he was too late, Andre punched him right in the face, knocking him back into the wall of the school. Richie recovered quickly though, and started building his blue flame into his hands. He wanted Andre to know he meant business, this training was going to make him stronger than he was before. Richie ran head first at Andre.
Meanwhile during Deonta and Rodney's fight back at the apartment building, Rodney is surprising Deonta with the movements that he so easily performs, meaning that Andre taught him well beyond his expected level. Rodney hasn't yet landed an attack, but he wasn't that far from connecting with an attack. Rodney was standing with his hand charging a red lightning bolt, gearing up to use it on Deonta who stood ready, watching Rodney with curiosity about his next move. Inside the apartment building, you can see the holes that they've left in the wall, and cracks in the floor from their fight so far.
Deonta: Damn Rodney, if I would have known you were this good already, this place would have been far more damaged because I would have used stronger attacks.
Rodney: Don't worry about it, I like seeing what you can do from the ground level up, it makes me a better fighter.
Deonta: Well then you'll love this move!
Deonta runs at Rodney, then jumps to the wall, and pushes himself off the wall, punching Rodney in the face with a strong right hand. While Rodney is still falling backward, Deonta kicks his leg out from under him and punches him in the stomach down to the ground. Rodney bounces off the floor cracking it, and coughs up saliva. Before Deonta could move though, Rodney flipped up to his feet and kicked Deonta in the jaw, making him stumble back.
Deonta: Good, you finally landed a blow, you probably would've caught Dre by now huh?
Rodney: Nah, it would've taken about the same amount of time, Andre is just as hard to catch. Though you landed one more punch than he would have by now, maybe it's because you're a bit faster than him, but his punches hurt a little more than yours, so I guess that evens it out right?
Deonta: Quit talking and come after me.
Rodney obliges and runs at Deonta with his hands sparked up. Returning back to Andre and Richie, with Richie on the ground, slowly getting back up smiling. Andre was finally giving him a real fight for a change, and he wanted to know that he could take it.
Andre: I must say I'm impressed Rich, you stood up to all of those attacks, but I'm sorry my dear pupil, this time, you're gonna lose bad.
Andre was standing in front of Richie with his hands lit, ready to finish him with the next move, when something changed in Richie, if only for a brief moment, Andre felt his power spike up, and change it's demeanor. Richie gained a step on achieving his true potential. And in that flash, the second that stunned Andre, Richie tackled him and they slid across the ground. Andre was astonished, he was so proud of Richie that he wanted to end the fight with his best move. The move that won him his first fighting tournament.
Andre kicked Richie off of him and jumped up, building his power quickly. He set his feet apart, and radiated so much heat to his hands, left arm down hand opened, right arm up knuckles facing toward the ground fist closed.
Andre: Richie, you've done something amazing today, you've made it a step closer to unlocking your true potential, and for that I'm proud to have been the person teaching you. Thank you for giving me the chance to see what you can really do. And as a reward, I'll use my favorite technique on you. Crimson.....
Andre punched toward the ground, sending the flames to his right hand and struck the ground shooting the flames right at Richie. Richie was too tired to move, but was happy that he impressed Andre enough to have that move used against.
Andre: ...Wave!!
Richie flashes back to the first day he and Rodney started training with Andre. They were sitting in the back field area of what was P.G. Towers and Andre was explaining to them how the training would go, and what he would do to help them.
Andre: Listen, I know I'm not a master fighter right now, but I see the potential the two of you have, and I don't want someone to come along and corrupt you, so I'm going to teach you the same things I was taught, and show you the same things I've been shown. Now how you develop is completely up to you, but I want to see the moment you ascend to your true potential. When you get to that point, I will no longer be able to teach you. When that happens, I'll use my best technique on you in honor of your ascension. That's when you'll know that I'm a proud teacher. I'll defeat you with my best attack out of respect for what you achieved.
Back to present day, and Andre's attack reaches Richie, and explodes on contact, knocking Richie down.
Andre: (thinking) He did it, he did what I have yet to be able to, I'm happy that I could see it.
Andre waits for Richie to get back up, and walks over to him. Andre has a huge smile on his face, like an older brother who's seen his younger brother achieve another level in life.
Andre: You've gotten a lot better since the last time, I'm proud of you. Keep it up and you might actually beat me one day.
Richie: I'll beat you alright, as long as you don't get any better. But I know you will, you always do.
Andre: Sorry, but that's never gonna change. At least not until I'm old and gray. But since we're finished for today, go relax yourself. I'll see ya next time.
Andre walks away from Richie with a smile on his face, but he's still concerned with what he's going to do about Sasuke, and how he will handle that situation. He's still lacking the answer that he seeks, what will he do next?
Again we're back to the battle between Deonta and Rodney, things have heated up dramatically, Rodney and Deonta have left burn marks and ice chips up and down the walls of the hallway in which they are battling. Deonta standing with his hands building ice around them, Rodney fatigued, but still maintaining his lightning power in his hands. He experiences the same spike in energy that Richie did just moments ago. This causes Deonta to flinch, and Rodney blasts across the hallway, and strikes Deonta right in the side of his mouth. The attack knocked Deonta back, but it used all of Rodney's energy. Deonta was shocked, but also happy to have witnessed Rodney's evolution.
Deonta: Well Rodney, I know if Dre were here, this is what he'd do for you, use his best attack, which I will be doing for you in honor of your achievement.
Deonta took a similar stance to Andre's for his Crimson Wave attack, and built as much ice around his hands as he could. All for this one attack to finish the fight off. Rodney just stood with a smile, knowing this was done as a badge of honor for him. Deonta then channeled the power from his left to his right arm and swung overhand down toward the ground.
Deonta: Demon Wave!!
He struck the ground and released a wave of ice that snaked across the ground just like Andre's toward Rodney, leaving a trail of ice shards in the ground. The ice exploded into thousands of shards that hit Rodney, knocking him back into the wall. Deonta walked to Rodney who was already back to his feet.
Deonta: You did great Rodney. You put far more intensity into your fight with me than Richie did. But you shouldn't be so quick to rush at people. It's the reason you haven't beat Richie yet.
Rodney: Thanks for the advice, I'll keep it in mind.
Deonta: Hold up, I'm not finished. The moves that Andre taught you can be used to counter Richie's, you just have to figure out which moves counter which and know what moves to use when Richie uses his. Watch for your chances to throw him off balance.
Rodney: Thank Deonta, I'll remember that next time that I'm fighting Richie. But right now I have to go, I'm running late, so I'll see ya.
Deonta: Alright Rodney, be careful man.
While leaving Rodney, Deonta started to think.
Deonta: (thinking) What did the guy do to make Andre become all serious? Is he really that strong?
Then it dawned on Deonta that the man that left him the ticket was Sasuke. It didn't make any sense to him though, Deonta & Andre were only known locally as great fighters, how come some Japanese guy was after them?
Deonta: What does he know that we don't? What does he want with us? What is he after, what's his goal?
It was all Greek to Deonta, he didn't understand what it could mean. All he was worried about at the moment was getting back home, there was nothing that he could do at the moment, at least not until he got everything straightened out, who knows how long that will take?
Chapter 4:
Confusion
Andre is walking the bike path to clear his head of the many thoughts that were polluting his mind, he wanted to try to gain some more of his focus, so he could figure out what the next move he should make was. He felt like someone's eyes were on him, but he couldn't tell from where. He was reminded of the day before, when he had to fight Huck, was this another one of Sasuke's goons? Why did he let this man into his mind like this, he was becoming frustrated, and that was the moment, when he was attacked.
Andre saw the assailant out the corner of his eyes jump out of the bushes, when he was close enough, Andre dropped to his back, and mule kicked the guy in the throat, knocking him back into a tree. Andre hopped back to his feet and he was amazed at what he saw. The person whom he just floored looked very similar in size and weight to Deonta. His only natural guess would be that this guy was probably going to be sent after Deonta, and that Deonta must been on Sasuke's mind too. But still, why? What did they possess that he wanted?
The guy jumped up and stood in front of Andre with a huge smile on his face. He stood there wearing camouflage pants, a green tank top, and black combat boots.
????: I'm here to do what Huck couldn't. The name's Edward Salchio, but you can call me Eddy. Don't worry, I'll make this quick.
Andre: Well Eddy, Huck said something to me that was very similar before I left him on the ground, face down in the pavement. What makes you think that you could do any better against me?
Eddy: Don't worry about that buddy, you'll see.
Andre: Yeah, like I haven't heard that one before. Just come on already.
Eddy immediately pushed his power level up, which caused the reaction in Andre's body that Sasuke was pushing. Andre's heart started to pump fast, his body began to heat up, causing the area around them to get warmer. Andre's eyes turned the blood red color, and he began building his flames. Eddy was happy, he got the reaction that he wanted. Eddy stood in his stance ready to fight Andre.
Eddy blinked and Andre was punching him under his jaw, and the again in his neck sending him toward a tree. But before he could touch it, Andre was behind him and german suplexed him head first into the tree, breaking him through it. Andre then picked him up by his head, and threw him into another tree. While he was stuck there, Andre bashed him with a series of body punches, and then kicked him in the head with a standing side kick, breaking him through another tree. While he was still in the air, Andre jumped and stomped on his chest, slamming him to the ground, and leaving cracks in the dirt. Andre then proceeded to pound Eddy's face in, and started stomping him in the ground.
Then Andre realized he was allowing his anger to control him, and that this dark power he felt within himself was controlling his body and actions. He pulled himself off of Eddy who seemed to already be knocked out. Then Andre feels another presence in the area, he looked around and found Rasheed. A familiar face that helped him regain himself. Rasheed was standing with a black skull cap on, a black t-shirt, black wind breaker pants, black fingerless gloves, and a black backpack on along with his gold and black mountain bike.
Rasheed: Hey Andre. I saw your fight, I mean I was going to help you, but you already had it all under control, so I just watched in amazement. You really stomped his ass out, shit I should learn a few pointers from you. He just jumped out of nowhere and you beat the living hell out of him.
Andre: Yeah, well I would have been better, but I had somethings on my mind. I'm normally a lot better prepared for things like that.
Rasheed: Even under the circumstances you did pretty well, though I will say, you were a bit sloppy though. You wouldn't get close to beating me with that lack of skill and precision.
Andre: You'd be surprised at what I can do, even at my worst. You can see what I'm capable of when I'm not ambushed, how about it?
Rasheed: Sure, it'll be a nice workout for me, and I'll be able to school you, teach ya a few things.
Andre: Alright, I'll enjoy this, I hope you can keep up with me.
Andre stands ready to fight Rasheed, and Rasheed looks at Andre. The stance he took was a defensive one, he wanted Rasheed to come after him. He did it to get the fight going, but he held back, he could tell from the look on Andre's face that his mind wasn't fully into it. While Andre and Rasheed were getting into their fight, Eddy got up and left, he had to meet up with Huck.
Andre ignited his hands into flames, letting Rasheed know he wasn't going to play around with him. When Rasheed closed in, Andre feinted a left hook, getting him to duck his head while running in, and Andre jumped and kneed him in the neck, then back flipped off his chest kicking him back into a tree stump. Rasheed stood up and dusted himself off. Then he started to generate blades of wind, very sharp, green blades. Andre just smiled, starting to feel excited about this fight, which hasn't been able to do since fighting Sasuke. Rasheed sees the flare in his eyes, and gets a little more serious about fighting him.
Andre: You know, I'm beginning to see what went wrong, and why I'm having this problem, keep coming at me, I want more of this fight.
Rasheed: Be careful, you get what you wish for.
Andre braced himself knowing that Rasheed was going to use his speed to make his attacks more devastating than normal. Rasheed kicked a blade at him, Andre punched it out with his flame.
Andre: Remember I know this 'Sheed, heating air makes it soft, freezing air is what makes it hard. I'm the wrong person to just haphazardly throw an attack at.
Rasheed: Don't worry, I was just testing you.
Rasheed throws a wave of multiple blades at Andre, who jumps back charging his Crimson Wave attack. Upon landing, he throws the wave, nullifying the attack. But he looks up and Rasheed is nowhere to be found. He turns and punches toward Rasheed, his punch is blocked, and Rasheed kicks him in the ribs, making him hunch over, then he elbowed him in the mouth, and overhand punched him in the side of his jaw, knocking him down. Andre jumps back to his feet and elbows Rasheed in the face, then jumps and punches him on his forehead while tackling him. Then he grabs Rasheed by the head and tosses him over his shoulder. Rasheed grabs a tree limb and shoots himself back at Andre and drop kicks him in the stomach, and uppercuts Andre while his weight is still buried in his stomach. Rasheed jumps back off Andre, and Andre stands back up wiping his mouth.
Andre: Damn, I have to admit, that shit hurt.
Rasheed: That was nothing, but I'm shocked at how much your hits hurt me, I swear you weren't this strong before.
Andre: Well, I got older, I was strong as a kid, no way I'm gonna be weak now. But I still feel like somethings missing. Keep coming.
Rasheed: As long as you want, just be sure you don't get yourself hurt now.
Andre: I'm a lot tougher than I look.
Andre jumped at Rasheed and flipped kicked downward toward his head, Rasheed blocked the attack, but Andre was already prepared for that, and punched the top of his head with his right hand, still using the momentum he built with the jump. Then Andre flipped his body backward quickly and drop kicked Rasheed in the chest before he could move. Andre rolled himself back to his feet and looked at Rasheed to see what he would do next.
Rasheed ran toward Andre and shouldered him in the chest, crashing Andre into a tree, and then he gave him quite a few body shots. Andre broke free and hit Rasheed in the mouth with a high knee, the geared up for his special haymaker. He swung and missed, leaving Rasheed the perfect opportunity to finish the fight. Andre knew it was over, but he didn't care, he enjoyed the fight. That's what he was missing, his love of fighting, the thrill of the battle. He lost that fighting Sasuke because of the darkness that awakened within him. Rasheed hit Andre with a stepping uppercut to the center of his chin that sent pain through his whole body and made him collapse to his knees.
Rasheed: You did well, but your mind wasn't in it. I could have won easily. You're lucky that I wasn't serious.
Andre: We'll see next time, but right now, there's something that I have to do. Fighting with you helped me figure it out. So I'll see ya next time for our rematch.
Rasheed: Alright, I look forward to it, maybe next time you'll actually be into the fight.
Andre runs off toward home, ready to do what he feels is his destiny, to defeat Sasuke. We return to Deonta, who is just making it to the park near his home. He caught two guys robbing an elderly person and ran over to stop them. He clotheslined the first guy, knocking him out for a couple minutes, and the second one jumped at him, punching for his head and missed. Little did he know that these two individuals worked for Sasuke, and the one he was fighting at the moment was Eddy.
Eddy shot a bolt of dark energy at Deonta, which was also avoided. Huck was lying on the ground increasing his energy, and it sparked something in Deonta. His eyes changed, though the affect wasn't completely taking shape yet. Deonta hit Eddy so hard that he crashed through the wall of the community center that was nearby, luckily no one was in it. Deonta jumped through the hole and stomped on Eddy's head, then grabbed him up and threw him back outside. Deonta jumped back out and waited for him to get back up. Eddy dodged Deonta's punch, but he was grabbed and Deonta did a brain-buster suplex on him driving the top of his skull right into the concrete pavement knocking him out.
Huck then stood up, and by this time, the change had taken full effect on Deonta, the air was freezing, and his eyes were a cold, dead blue. Erika was watching the fight from the distance, so she hadn't noticed the change just yet. Huck is using his dark power to his full ability, so he's ready to face Deonta. At least he thought so, Deonta vanishes and reappears right behind Huck, then turns and elbows him in his rib cage, shattering two of his ribs, then jumps above him and flips over his head, performing and falling DDT on him, making his head bounce off the ground, then he flip kicks him into the air, jumping up behind him. Deonta grabs him around his waist, and flips upside down with him in his arms, driving his head down to the ground, slamming him and knocking him out.
Erika walks over clapping, and cheering for Deonta, who isn't in control of himself right now.
Erika: Bravo! You really did some good helping that lady!
Deonta: (Looking over at Erika).....
Erika: What's wrong with you?
Deonta: .....
Erika: Say something, you're creeping me the fuck out. Quit playing.
Deonta was enveloped by his anger, and the voice in his mind, the power that was controlling him was telling him to attack, to hurt her. Erika readied herself for the fight she felt approaching. Deonta flew at her, and his movements were a lot quicker than they had been before in their previous fights. He punched for her head, she ducked and kicked him in the ribs, tried to jump back, he grabbed her by her leg and slammed her on her back, then threw her into a tree halfway across the park. Erika stood back up, and readied herself again. She blinked and reopened her eyes, Deonta was inches from her face and was kicking for her head, she narrowly ducked, and he took the top of the tree off. Erika hit him with a two-piece uppercut, and went for a right-handed straight, but she missed when he moved out of the way, then he kicked her in the side, sending her flying into the middle of the field. She fell on her back and slid across the ground.
Deonta was standing above her, and when he looked down at her, he started to return to himself. He was looking at his hands, and clinched his fist which were shaking now. His eyes had returned back to normal. He looked down at Erika, who at the moment seemed to be unconscious.
Deonta: What am I doing? What's wrong with me?
Then he looked around and noticed that the lady and the two goons were gone, but how did they get away so quickly? What were they there for?He wasn't sure, but it worried him that he would use such force against Erika, though he didn't like her, he didn't want to hurt her.
Deonta: What was that voice in my head? How did it control me? Why did I do this? Since when do I have those abilities? What happened to me?
Deonta ran off, and went home, he needed to figure things out, to get himself back. He decided that he would stay in and train himself, maybe he could figure out a way to counter what it was that was controling him. Meanwhile, Andre was at the Baltimore Harbor getting on a boat to make the long trip to Japan, to see the man who awakened his inner darkness, and defeat him. The cruise sets off, and Andre begins his journey of solo training.
Andre: (Thinking) This is it, whatever comes next, I have to be prepared for, there's no one to help me, I have to take care of this myself.
The waters were clear, and the path seemed open, the only thing to do now was to make it passed the first door, and claim himself back, to take the happiness he had from Sasuke.
Back at Richie, Rodney, and Jenny's home, Richie and Rodney were having another match against each other, and Jenny was there watching.
Jenny: Alright, get yourselves ready, I want to see the two of you really go for it, don't hold anything back.
Richie: We got it Jenny, just let us do this.
Rodney: Ready to lose tonight Richie?
Richie: If you can win, go for it, just don't make it easy for me.
Richie and Rodney were staring each other down, then all of a sudden, both of their powers came to life in their bodies. Richie was baring the Sapphire Flame, while Rodney was using the Ruby Lightning. They stood, both waiting for the right moment to make a move, then Rodney jumped at Richie and punched down toward him, Richie moved, and Rodney struck the ground, leaving a big burn mark in the dirt. Richie kicked for Rodney's body with a flame on his foot, Rodney flipped backward and avoided the kick, which scorched the air.
Richie and Rodney looked at each other, then ran right for one another. The met with punches, kicks, and grapples, all while still using their elemental powers and controlling them with their whole bodies. Richie punched Rodney, and received a knee to the chest in return. Rodney headbutted Richie, but got kicked in the face for his troubles. Richie elbowed Rodney in the mouth, then got punched in the throat. Then they both jumped back, both battered and bruised, but still ready to go for more. Richie and Rodney both built up their elemental attacks into their hands for projectiles.
Rodney: Ruby....
Richie: Sapphire....
Both: Blast!!!!
They threw their attack at each other and the resulting collision created a plasma ball that blew up and created a cloud smoke. Richie and Rodney ran right into the cloud and started attacking each other. Though Jenny couldn't see anything that was going on, she could hear the loud crashes their attacks made when they connected, and as the smoke slowly cleared, it looked like Richie and Rodney were getting stronger. Every hit being a bit more powerful than the last, tiring them both out. Then they came down to the final blows, both swung a hard right handed hook toward each others faces. They both connected, Rodney dropped to his knees, while Richie feel to his back.
Jenny: Looks like Rodney won this time.
Rodney: (tired) I final..ly...won. Man...that was hard.
Richie: (winded) You're telling.....me? I.......thought I.....had you there. Oh well.....congrats.....Rod...ney.
They all go back in and try to get some rest, though Rodney wished that Andre and Deonta could have seen their fight, they would've enjoyed watching it. Jenny continued their training as well as stepping up her own, so when Andre got back she'd be ready to face him again.
A couple weeks later, location, Kyoto, Japan, Sasuke's mansion, backyard field. Trevan was running a marathon of 20 straight opponents, he got down to the final two. Standing their with a black tank, black sweats, and black sneakers, Trevan was ready for the fight to continue. Sasuke sent the next guy after him. A bald Asian man ran at Trevan and tried to dropkick him, Trevan avoided the kick, grabbed the man by his legs, and slammed him on his face, then kicked him into the air off of the ground, while he was falling down, Trevan geared up for a hard punch. Once the man was in range, Trevan punched him right in his sternum, knocking the man out, Trevan tossed him aside. He was tired, but still wanted to push on, to beat the last guy. Sasuke waved, and a Muay Thai Fighter ran toward Trevan, jumped and threw a rising knee to toward his head, Trevan stepped back, and punched the man directly in the knee, shatter his leg from the knee down. Then he kicked him in the chest knocking him across the field into the side wall of the mansion. He then ran up to him and elbowed him in the neck, cutting off his air supply, and making him faint. Trevan dramatically improved his skills and technique. He even got quite a bit stronger than his was when Andre fought him. But he was feeling frustrated.
Trevan: Sasuke, what's the point in this, I could have easily gotten myself to this level without you.
Sasuke: Trevan, you would have eventually made it to this point, but Andre would have been far far passed you if I had not intervened. At this point right now, you're stronger than he is.
Trevan: What about this beast I have inside, this dormant power, you said you'd help me unlock it, and yet nothing has come of it so far.
Sasuke: That's because you have to make it to a certain level mentally as well as physically to be able to handle that power. If not, then your power will consume and take control of you.
Trevan: Bullshit! You don't want me to unlock that power because you're afraid of it!
Sasuke: Look boy, I'm not some punk kid who you've come across on the street, I'm a master in many different forms of martial arts, how dare you tell me what I'm afraid of. Power comes from more than strength, more than speed and instinct. True power comes from your person, your soul, in the depths of your being. You have the potential to use that power, but I won't give thought to teaching you to use it haphazardly. I want an apprentice who can understand that!
Trevan: I'm tired of your shit Sasuke, I'm gonna kick your ass, and I'll learn how to control that power on my own.
Trevan squares off with Sasuke. Being impatient, and wanting to control the dark power before he's even capable of controling his own emotions. Trevan runs at Sasuke who is patiently waiting for him to attack. Trevan charges his black flame into his hand, swinging his right hand upward throwing the wave across the ground in similar in fashion to Andre's Crimson Wave. Sasuke blocks the wave, and the air around him feels with smoke.
Trevan uses the smoke to attack Sasuke from behind, punching for his head, but Sasuke ducks his head and kicks Trevan directly in his stomach with his left foot. Then he turns and punches Trevan in the side of the face, sending him twisting to the wall behind him, hitting it face first. Trevan still remains standing, and runs right back at Sasuke.
Sasuke: Trevan!! You will never be as good a fighter as I thought you could be, at least not if you keep making these stupid moves!
Sasuke kicks Trevan right in his mouth as he closes in, then back elbows him in his rib cage, and step kicks him in the chest, sending him back into the wall.
Sasuke: You can be one of the best, but you don't even have control over yourself, how do you plan on controling a whole other entity from yourself!? Think about that, this fight is over, I'm done!!
Sasuke walks away from Trevan, heading back inside. Trevan decided to leave, and go train himself for a bit, letting what Sasuke said to him sit with him for a while.
Back in Hyattsville, Maryland, Crystal found Patricia, and she wants to battle her. Patricia took notice of her physical features and realized that the girl in front of her looked like the one she fought a couple weeks ago.
Patricia: You're Crystal right? You look just like Erika.
Crystal: Well yeah, I am Crystal. So you're Patricia, the "World's Strongest Woman?"
Patricia: Yep, that's me, and if I have to I can prove it.
Crystal: Please forgive me, but you don't even seem tough enough to be the toughest woman in this state, for that fact of the matter, this city. What makes you think you're toughest in the world? Have you even challenged Iris Ratchford to be able to make that claim?
Patricia: No, but I don't have to.
Crystal: There is no way you are then. Unless you beat Iris Ratchford and can prove it, you can't even say you're the toughest around here. But if you still want to keep making false claims, then I want to see some proof of your claim.
Patricia: Alright, let's fight.
Patricia was underestimating her opponent, which the number #1 rule in fighting is to act as if your opponent is a better fighter than you are. She took her stance, as did Crystal, who had no intention of holding back. Patricia leaped toward Crystal and kicked for her body, Crystal side stepped and punch Patricia right in the center of her nose, making her flip back ward falling on her head. Crystal kicked her across the pavement with her head still on the ground and she skidded until she stopped. Patricia still got back up, and stood ready for Crystal. Patricia began actually building her black winds blades.
Crystal: (Thinking) She's getting serious already, I barely hit her twice, her skill level won't get her very far with me.
Patricia: (Thinking) I've got to put and end to this fight quick, if she hits me with a couple more of those, I'm a goner.
Crystal ran head first at Patricia, being ready for any surprise moves she might try to pull off. When Patricia felt Crystal was close enough, she started throwing the blades of wind at her. Crystal while running hit the ground using her power over Earth to launch herself into the air at Patricia, who redirected the blades she had thrown to that they would hit Crystal in mid-air. Crystal covered her body with solid rock, and the blades of wind had no effect. She dissolved the rock and fell straight toward Patricia, trying to land a punch to her head.
Patricia jumped out of the way and Crystal landed striking the ground, sending a shock wave across it, rippling the pavement and making a small crater. A cloud of dust formed around them, but Patricia used her control over wind to make a gust blow away the cloud. Crystal was gone, Patricia looked around for her, and couldn't find her she then looked up, and Crystal was falling down toward her again, this time kicking. She was obviously trying to end her fight Patricia quickly, but again, Patricia avoided the attack, and this time she immediately gusted away the cloud that was created, not giving Crystal enough time to hide her moves.
Crystal: Stop running, I want to get this over with. (She won't be able to make it passed my next move.)
Patricia just stood in silence, concentrating on Crystal, trying to read her movements while still creating blades of wind around her body. Crystal just ran right at Patricia again, and jumped at her. Patricia decided to try to land an attack instead of just ducking and covering. Crystal kicked for her again, Patricia side stepped, and spun with a back kick from Crystal's face. Crystal twisted her body just enough to avoid the kick, and landed right next to Patricia. While she was still confused about how she missed, Crystal hit Patricia right in her kidney, basically paralyzing her and ending the fight. Crystal starting walking away, feeling disappointed.
Crystal: You said you're the strongest? You're nowhere near close, I feel stupid for taking you seriously. I should have known that if you had trouble with Erika that you would be no match for me.
Patricia: How did you get to be so strong?
Crystal: I actually trained unlike you. Someone teaches you a few moves and then you all of a sudden think you can fight, I wasted my time on you, where's Diamion?
Patricia: If I knew right now I would tell you, but I don't. Stick around this area though, you should run into him soon enough. I'm going to train and become better, I want a chance to rematch you at the Bloodstorm Tournament in three months.
Crystal: Fine by me, you'll still lose. Have a good day, I'm gone.
Crystal walked away, leaving Patricia to sort out what just happened in their fight. She figured it best to just go home and look for Diamion the following day. She got some well deserved sleep after all of the training that she had done.
But now we find Andre's other brother, Adrian in New York City, he was in an underground fighting tournament, and had just made it to the finals. His opponent didn't look like much of a fighter, but Adrian watched him anyway, knowing that the man was hiding something from him. Adrian stood in his white shirt, black jeans, and black and white Nike's. He knew who his opponent was going to be from the start, from the fact that he K.O.'ed all of his opponent's in less than 30 seconds, while Adrian took his time and at least gave them some glimmer of hope that they could beat him.
The man that Adrian was watching had appeared to be a former member of the Military, though he couldn't tell which group he was affiliated with. The fighter's name was Jean (pronounced like it is spelled) Delargo. He was of hispanic descent, and was a bronze color. Jean stood to be pretty tall, with short brown hair and he was pretty well built, his face had determination on it, but what was he so determined for?
As predicted, Jean put his opponent out again within 30 seconds, and with no use of elemental power. Jean walked right by Adrian, exiting the arena, without looking toward him or speaking a word. Adrian didn't mind, it just meant that his opponent was going to be serious about their fight, and that he needed to step his game up.
A couple hours pass as Adrian was relaxing in his room when he gets called to take his position. He hears over the loud speaker the announcer calling for Jean, he can't help himself but to smile, as if he knows what's coming. Adrian and Jean arrive into the arena area, in this illegal underground fighting circuit, where only cutthroats and cheats are allowed to do battle. The announcer calls out their names.
Announcer: In the Blue Dragon Corner, we have the Tournament's Golden Boy and Champion!!!!! Adrian "Lightning Hands" Ratchford!!!!!! And in the Orange Tiger Corner, standing at 6'4", 220 lbs of mean muscle!!!!! Jean "Muscle Mountain" Delargo!!!!!!
The surrounding crowd of fight enthusiasts exploded into an uproar of screams and excitement. They yelled out the names of both of the titans to which they were cheering for. This place suited Adrian pretty well, he got to fight tough opponents, and most of all, he was the star here, no older brother to shadow over him and no younger brother to worry about coming up from behind, he owned this place, it was his home.
Announcer: Whenever you're ready gentlemen, have at it!!!
Adrian: If you don't mind, I'd like to make the first move, a dude your size and power shouldn't hae anything to worry about right?
Jean just nods his head in acknowlegdment, and the fight begins. Adrian begins by walking over to where Jean is, he doesn't say a word, he just looks straight and walks. When he stops walking, he's standing right next to Jean, and he begins to speak.
Adrian: This pose is famous, but do you know what it's famous for? This pose, the one we're standing in, is famous for being known as the rivalry pose. Now, I know that you're a great fighter, which is why from now on, you and I will be rivals against each other, so no matter who wins here, I'm declaring you a worthy opponent whom I'd like to battle, are you cool with that?
Jean looks at Adrian puzzled for a moment, towering over him, he wonders what Adrian means as he looks down into his eyes. Jean wondered if it was just so that Adrian could get into his head. But as he watched him, he could feel that his words held a strong level of sincerity, so he turned to Adrian, and he put his hand out to shake. Adrian grabbed his hand and shook it, the crowd being puzzled for a moment. Adrian and Jean knew that once they shook hands, whoever released first was the one to likely receive the first blow, so Jean let go first, but Adrian didn't swing, he let his hand go.
Adrian: Now we can get down to business.
Without another second delay, Adrian jumped and punched Jean right in his mouth, sending the crowd into cheers and Jean back into the barricade. Once he recovered Jean set his eyes right on Adrian. He had the looked that Adrian had seen in him before, so he knew that this fight was serious for him. Already just with that speech and the one punch, Adrian had outlast all of Jean's other opponents.
Adrian: Let me say one thing here Jean, I'm not the type to be beaten in less than a minute, and I don't give up that easy.
Jean still stood without words, and he ran at Adrian pretty fast for his size, with a bare knuckled fist that was aimed right at Adrian's torso. He very slightly avoided the attack, being grazed on his side as Jean crashed his fist through the wooden barricade. Adrian wasn't severely hurt from the attack, but you can be sure that he noticed it. Jean stepped back and turned to Adrian again ready to fight. Adrian, with a smile on his face, ran right at Jean, ducking under a punch, and took it right to his ribs. He hit Jean with a hard right, followed by a left, then a jumping kick, and he finished by spinning himself off jean with his right foot and kicking him with his left leg across his jaw. Jean with stunned, but he still managed to stay on his feet.
Adrian ran at Jean again ready to land another combo. Jean swings and Adrian jumps over his arm, ready to plant his foot in Jean's face. Jean ctaches Adrian's leg and throw him into the barricade on the other side of the arena while running at him. Adrian's body hits the wall, and Jean rushes his shoulder into him immediately after, not giving Adrian any chance to return an attack. He held aAdrian up by the head and tossed him overhead, Adrain still being stunned was floating in the air. As he is descending, Jean gears up for an extremely powerful kick. Once he felt that Adrian was in perfect range for the move, Jean spun around with a standing whirlwind kick at Adrian's head. Adrian kicked his legs down to flip himself in midair, just making it passed the kick.
The audience screams in excitement and everyone gets out of their seats cheering for more displays of skill and power. Adrian looks at Jean as a real opponent, he's as serious about him as he would be about anyone in his own family as a fighter. So he decides it's time to pull out one of his favorite techniques. The "Scorcher Blade", a move based on a technique that his mother uses.
Adrian extends his right arm outward, and begins generating electricity around it and molds it into the shape of a blade. Jean gets an excited look on his face about the new attack that Adrian has shown him. It appears to Adrian that his opponent has been enjoying their bout so far, and is ready for more.
Adrian: You seem to like this technique of mine, it's called the 'Scorcher Blade'. I'll tell you about it, this blade on my arm, can cut you, and it causes excrusiating that lingers for long periods of time, depending on your stamina and endurance, that can be hours, or only minutes. When I strike you with this move, little bolts of electricity will run through the wounded area of your body, and will eventually cause you to lose feeling in in that part of your body. I'm telling you this to give you a fair chance at avoiding it.
Jean: Well then Adrian, thank you, but I don't think I will be needing it.
The crowd paused as well as Adrian, this is the first time that Jean has spoken in this tournament, and his voice was so young and soft, but his exterior was so strong and tough, it threw people for a loop, which is exactly he wanted. Jean went to take a swing at Adrian, but he quickly avoided it and sliced the outside of Jean arm. He fell to the ground rolling around from the massive amount of pain that his arm was feeling, screaming at the top of his lungs.
Adrian stood back and watched, feeling like he was being duped to fall into an attack, like Jean had done by speaking. He just looks at him, knowing he's playing possum while the fans just eat it up. Adrian doesn't make a move, knowing that his attack didn't hurt Jean that much when Jean finally lloks up at Adrian and stops tossing about.
Adrian: You done acting? I knew that attack wouldn't hurt you that much, your body's tone and muscles make it too hard for me to believe that you hurt for more than 10 seconds.
Jean: Well Adrian, you are right about that, I was only in pain for about 7 seconds, but I thought I'd get rope you into a submission if I got you close enough. I guess that I was wrong, you are a far more experienced fighter than I thought.
Adrian: Everyone in my family fights with this type of precise thought, it's why we're who we are, I'm sure you already knew that, seeing as my father and your father fought so long ago.
Jean: So you knew about that then huh? My Dad said he was one of the toughest opponents that he ever faced, and he was honored to lose to him.
Adrian: And how do you feel right now?
Jean: I could say I feel the honor, but I don't feel the loss.
Adrian: Then let's finish so you can.
Jean stood back to his feet and readied himself to fight some more. Adrian ran at him again with the "Scorcher Blade" and sliced at Jean's body, which he did an air round-off to avoid, landing behind Adrian to his back. Jean grabbed Adrian and jumped as high into the air as he could, flipping his body over, making Adrian face the ground, holding his left arm behind his back. While they are falling, Adrian struggles to get himself free, while Jean's grip tightens. While being just inches from the ground, Adrian frees himself then kicks off of Jean sending himself to the floor faster, giving him time to roll out of the way of Jean who stomped down, breaking into the ground.
The crowd was silenced, not a word spoken or a scream made, they just witness an amazing move that was very risky for Adrian, who could have just been squashed. Adrian stands himself back up and looks over at Jean, knowing that move was meant to end the fight. He decided that he would pull out his show stopper technique as well. Adrian released the lightning blade, and started generating more electricity around his body. Jean tried to run and grab Adrian, but his hands got shocked, and he couldn't keep his hold for more than a few seconds.
Adrian: I wouldn't try that if I were you Jean, this move keeps my body from being touched, and will pretty much use up all of my energy. It's my finisher, just like your last move was. It's only fair that since I survived your move that you be allowed the chance to survive mine. (Adrian is now finished creating lightning.) You'll like this move, Scorching Storm!!!!!
Adrian swings his arms outward and lightning strikes from his body in random spots in the battle arena. Jean tries to dodge the attacks, and does a good job until he gets hit in his left arm, then he continually gets struck until the attack ends. Jean falls to his knees and raises his hand in defeat. Adrian just stands with a smile.
Announcer: What an amazing battle people!! After all of that, Adrian remains the Champion!!
The crowd cheers loudly, screaming high enough to block out one's thought. Adrian walked over to Jean and extended his arm out to help the man stand to his feet. Jean accepted the offer, and they walked to the locker room area together. When he had the chance, Adrian stopped to talk to Jean.
Adrian: That was a great fight Jean, and I want to fight you again, but I want to know what you had that serious look on your face the whole time.
Jean: Honestly, I'm fighting to become strong enough to kill the man who destroyed my family. A few months after my dad fought with yours, a man named Sasuke attacked our home, now being an only child, I was away at school when he first arrived. He murdered my father and what I later found out, my pregnant mother. My father had been training me to be a fighter since I was 5, I was 13 when I lost him and my mother. I've got to put an end to Sasuke before he causes anymore pain in anyone's life. I walked in just as he shot his power through my father's heart, and just like that, he vanished. I was powerless at the time to do anything and it took me a while to research him and find out who he was. I want to make sure he pays for the pain that he has caused my family and any other family he may attack.
Adrian: That's a heavy load to carry on your shoulder's alone man, if you need help, I'll be glad to bring this dude down with you.
Jean: Don't worry about this, I've got it covered, as soon as I have the chance, I'm breaking him in half.
Adrian: Look, I know of a way that you can increase your skills, the Bloodstorm Tournament is in a few months, we should both train for it and enter, I know everyone else in my family will be there, so even if you don't fight me again, you'll fight someone strong.
Jean: I had already planned on being in the tournament this year, I'll sign up for it when I'm done recovering from our fight.
Adrian: I'm done here for now, I'm heading back home anyway, I need to take the time to train for the tournament, being the Champ here is good, but it's not the same as being the Champ of the Bloodstorm Tournament. I'll be seeing you around.
Adrian leaves Jean and New York behind, heading back home to a situation that he didn't even know existed. When he got back home, he found out that his mother was distressed about Andre being gone, and went out looking for info on him.
Chapter 5:
The Missing Brother
Diamion hadn't heard from Andre for nearly a month, the last thing he remembers is Andre saying he was taking a trip, packing a bag and going. There was no length of time placed on his leave, and Diamion was starting to wonder what was going on with him that he would just pick up and leave like that. Diamion was wearing Timbaland Boots, blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a yin-yang medallion around his neck. He's set out looking for Andre in all of his usual hang out spots and got nothing. He decided to take a look around the old apartment building, to see if anyone there had seen him recently. No one knew where he was.
Diamion was leaving, and two kids trying to rob him jumped out with knives. Diamion looked at them and all he could do was smirk.
Kid 1: Give us your money and you won't get hurt.
Kid 2: Yeah, just give us your money.
Diamion: Look, I'm not giving you my money, you didn't earn it, I did, and you couldn't hurt me anyway, not even if you actually tried.
Both teenage boys started to run at Diamion with their knives facing him. He knew he'd hurt them too much if he used his actual strength, so he pulled his attacks drastically. Kid 1 reached him and swung his knife at Diamion's head, he stepped back, punched the boy's hand and made him drop the knife, then he lightly tapped him with his fist, and the boy fainted. Kid 2 tried to stab him in his back, but again he avoided it and then hit the boy's hand, making him drop his knife as well. Kid 2 was so scared that he ran off, Diamion woke Kid 1 and he got up and took off too. They were surprisingly quick for untrained people trying to fight.
Diamion sensed the presence of an actual fighter, and turned seeing a young girl standing against a tree with a smile on her face. She jumped down and stood in front of Diamion still with the smile on her face. She had on black wrist bands, a blue tank top, and black shorts.
Diamion: See something you like?
Girl: Yes I do. You're Diamion Ratchford correct?
Diamion: Yes I am. Who're you?
Girl: I am Crystal Lloyd, and I've come to challenge you to a fight.
Diamion: I guess I can accept the offer, but why do you want to fight me?
Crystal: I want to prove my strength in a battle against you. I know that you're the best fighter in your family.
Diamion: Well then, let's get started. Show me what you've got.
Crystal: Here I come!!
No sooner than the words left her mouth was Crystal charging in at Diamion. Once she was in range to attack, Crystal kicked for Diamion's side, and her leg was caught. Diamion tossed her into the air. Then she remembered the move that Erika described Patricia performing on her. Diamion was geared up for the punch already, having his fist covered in rock. Crystal saw this and placed her arms in a cross in front of her face and built rock around them. Diamion punched Crystal's arms, her blocking the attack, but also being sent flying toward a tree, and Diamion jumped behind her. Once she made it to the tree, she jumped off the branch downward to avoid Diamion's coming attack, but she wasn't expecting him to grab the same branch and swing himself down after her.
As soon as Crystal landed on her feet, she jumped out of the way of Diamion, who came crashing down and left a pretty deep crater in the ground, at least deeper than anything Crystal had made. She was astonished by how strong he was.
Crystal: That was amazing, not only did you counter me, but you followed me when you knew I deflected the attack, and even did gymnastics when I avoided your original attack. And then the hole you just made in the ground, that's bigger than anything I've ever made before.
Diamion: I'm glad that you're impressed, but I was enjoying the fight so far, let's not get lost in the words that come from our mouths, but the ones that our fists speak.
Crystal ran back at Diamion, and he stood ready for her next attack. She jumped, flipping high into the air, creating rock on her fists again. Diamion did the same, making a shield out of his. Crystal dove down at him with unbelievable speed, crashing right into his shield, bouncing off of it. When she landed on her feet again she hit the ground making it ripple. Diamion was only off balance for a couple seconds before he stomped down and stop the movement.
Crystal: (Thinking) What can I do to hurt him? So far he's countered all of my moves. He's studying me, learning my strengths and weaknesses. I already know his and haven't made any head way. What do I do?
Before Crystal could figure that out, Diamion made his next move. He pulled his back and she could feel the Earth move beneath them as if it bowed to his commandments while it only agreed with her choices.
Diamion: Crush Wave!!!
Diamion threw his arm up and three waves of dirt and rock flew at Crystal. She jumped to avoid being hit by the attack, but didn't pay attention to where Diamion was when she was in the air. She looked everywhere for him, but didn't see anything. Then she looked to her left, and he was jumping off of the top of the hill at he after getting a running start. Diamion kicked at Crystal, she threw herself off of his leg before contact could be made, and flipped over him to the top of the hill. They both landed on their feet.
Diamion: You're good at thinking quick on your feet, that move would have ended the fight with a lot of people. I'm honored that you chose to fight me.
Crystal: The honor is all mine. I've trained for so long to fight you, and the fact that I've kept up so far is honor enough for me. You're an amazing fighter, I'm just glad that I ran into you. I've been hoping that I would soon, or else my training would have been pointless. I mean if I didn't get to fight you.
Diamion: That's not necessarily true, do you enjoy fighting?
Crystal: Yeah I do, but...
Diamion: Then your training wouldn't have been for nothing, if you didn't find me, there would have been someone else better that would have been a more worthy opponent for you. But let's finished what we started.
Crystal: Sure! (I don't know if I'm ready for this.)
Diamion ran straight Crystal who deemed his change in tactic to be odd, since he's a defensive fighter, then she remembered the other move that Erika told her Patricia did, with the wind surrounding her body, but Diamion is an Earth user, and more than likely the one who originated the attack, so his would be a whole lot more powerful, and he could probably do it more than once.
Sure enough, Diamion was covered by a big wall of rock, and was charging straight for Crystal. She punched the ground to launch herself over him, and Diamion jumped right at her with his attack still continuing. Crystal saw the move and knew that there was only one thing that she could do, but she wasn't sure if it would work. She covered her hands with rock, and held them out to catch Diamion. The two fighters touched, and Crystal's rock broke on contact, but she had enough time to touch the wall around Diamion and throw herself off of it before she could feel the full force of the attack, a dangerous maneuver, but it kept her in the fight. She landed on her feet, and looked back up toward Diamion, and was shocked to see the wall that he had around himself flying at her. She wondered how he changed direction in mid air without touching anything.
Crystal avoided the rock wall which broke on contact with the ground and Diamion wasn't there. She looked around for him, but couldn't find him, then she looked up, and a wall of the same mass was falling down toward her, she avoided that one too, still no Diamion, and she was still continuing to search for him. Diamion was coming from behind her with a third wall, but he let that one go and jumped up into the air above where he wanted Crystal to end up. Crystal dodged out of the way of the last wall right into Diamion's target zone.
Crystal looked around and finally looked up again, but it was too late to move, he had her. Diamion fell on top of Crystal with his rocked covered fist hitting her right in the back. Diamion got up, and backed away to allow Crystal back up. She stood, but was conceding defeat.
Crystal: You're a great fighter, I see why you're the best.
Diamion: Believe it or not, I'm not the best, my younger brother Andre is, he may not seem like it now, but once he becomes a master fighter, he'll be more powerful than I am. I just haven't been able to find him.
Crystal: I hope that you find him soon. I would love to take him on once I've had sometime to train, if he's as special as you say he is, then I shouldn't have been underestimating his ability. Good luck with your search. As for me, it's back to training.
Diamion: Thanks, and good luck to you too.
Diamion searches for Andre a bit more, and then calls his best friend, Dre, to help him search. Diamion looked around for hours, but couldn't find a clue as to where Andre was. Diamion and Dre had arranged to meet up at a local park after going to a few places that some of Andre's friends told them about. Diamion caught up with Dre, whom was in his everyday clothes. A black skull cap, black shirt, navy blue jeans, and tan Tims. Dre could see that Diamion was extremely worried about Andre being missing.
Diamion: I'm starting to worry now, what could have happened to him? It's odd that he'd just pick up and leave, and not even call back, it just doesn't make any sense.
Dre: I'm sure he's fine. Don't worry, he knows how to take care of himself. He's your brother after all. I know what will take your mind off of this, let's spar a little bit.
Diamion: Sure, sounds like it'll help.
Diamion pulled his arms up into a defensive stance, Dre took an offensive one. Dre inches himself toward Diamion, having a big grin across his cheeks. As he got closer, he seemed happier, until he vanished. Diamion just closed his eyes, listening for where Dre may have been. He reappears right above Diamion's head swinging a strong right punch down a Diamion. Diamion's steps back ,and kicks for Dre's body, but he grabbed Diamion's leg and pushed himself off of it, landing back on his feet. Dre ran right back at Diamion, and slid trying to kick his legs out from under him, Diamion swings the target leg back, and punches downward right from Dre's face, but he kicked his legs up, tossing his upper body out of the way of the attack, and nearly kicks Diamion in the head.
Diamion grabs Dre's leg and throws him into the air, preparing one of his power attacks. While Dre was floating, he pulled water to his body, expecting Diamion to do something that could easily turn the tide of the battle his way. Diamion punched his fists toward where Dre was going to land, and made an earthy bed of spikes. Dre flooded the the spikes turning them to nothing but mud, and then tried to use the mud to attack Diamion while he was landing on his feet. Diamion held back the wall of mud that Dre was sending at them, being that it was of mixed elements, Earth and Water. While using one hand to hold on against Dre, Diamion used his other hand to set up an attack, Dre did the same. They both pulled their arms back.
Diamion: Crush Wave!!! (Diamion swings his arm upward sending three waves of earth shooting toward Dre.
Dre: Mizu Kire!!! [Water Slice] (Dre swings his arm across throwing three water blades toward the ground attack that Diamion used.
The powers meet, canceling each other out because they are of equal power, just making another pile of mud where they collided. Diamion and Dre having had their fun, decide to drop the big mud ball between them and stop sparring.
Diamion: You were right, I do feel better. He'll be okay, I know that he will. I just need to chill out and relax, when he turns up, he'll turn up.
Dre: Good, now get your ass outta here before I really kick it. You need to get out and have fun more often.
Diamion: Yeah, I'm gonna go and rest, let myself calm down. I'm heading home, I'll see you another time Dre.
Dre: See you whenever.
Diamion and Dre parts ways, heading back to their own homes. Meanwhile, Deonta is in his home, training his control over his elemental power, trying to increase his power level. Pushing his power to it's limits, and beyond, trying his best to maintain control. Though he was making progress, he was still worried about how he attacked Erika. But in his training, he never went back to that point, so he wondered what caused him to lose control in the first place.
Deonta: (Thinking) I don't get it. I wasn't even near my limits, but fighting those guys, that made me lose control of my power. It made me weak to the anger I have. How do I control it? What can I do to make sure I don't lose myself again? I wonder if the something happened to Andre. Probably not, he keeps his head together pretty well, but I'm sure he's training right now wherever he is, and I'm not letting him surpass me.
While Deonta is training himself on control, Andre is doing the same thing. Sitting in a cabin on a cruise liner, just waiting to be able to face Sasuke. Andre has a much better control over his power, but he's not sure if that will be enough to keep the anger his has within himself from taking over again. Then he hears a ruckus going on outside. He leaves his room, following the sound of the noise, and ends up at the bar. Some big, burly man was picking on the little bartender guy.
Andre: Dude! Let the bartender go! Whatever the problem is, you can probably work it out by talking, please don't disturb everyone else's time on this nice cruise.
Man: (Dropping the bartender) And who are you? Some punk kid who thinks that he can give me orders?
Andre: It's not like that.....
Man: Shut Up! Since I can't take my anger out on him for ruining my drink, I'll break you in half instead!
Bystander: Look, I don't know who you are, but that man won the strongest man in the world competition a few months back, I doubt you'll be able to handle his punches, let alone hurt him. Please, just leave him be, we don't need to see anyone get hurt.
Andre: Don't worry about me, he can't hit what he can't touch. With his muscles being so big, he'll never be close to hitting me. Just get back and watch.
Man: Boy, I'm Raymond Jenkins, you'll be stuck in the ship's floor if you don't mind your business!
Andre: Well then Raymond, put me in the floor boards, if you can. Just because you're strong doesn't mean you'll be able to hurt me, I'm a trained fighter, trained far better than you'll ever be.
Raymond: Alright kid, since you think you can hurt me, I'll take you on full force!!
Raymond stands tall, at about 6'8", looking to weigh about 350 lbs, but it's all muscle, rock solid muscle. He looks to be of Samoan decent, wearing a blue t-shirt, and a gray vest, with dark gray pants on, and heavy black boots. This opponent seems like nothing compared with the skill, speed, and power of Sasuke.
Andre takes his stance, and looks up at Raymond, who isn't moving, just giving an intimidating stare down at Andre's head. Andre runs forward at the beastly man, at full speed, ready to do whatever it takes to quiet the giant and make the cruise peaceful once more. When Andre got close, Raymond swung down at him, Andre dodges the attack, and Raymond punches a hole into the floor. Andre jumps to his face, punching him hard in his nose, then kicking him in the neck, and as he descended, kicks Raymond's chest, stomach, and knees, trying to wear the huge man down. While the strikes stunned Raymond, they did little in the way of damaging him, but then again Andre was just testing the man's mettle in the first place. He didn't think the attacks he used would do too much damage, but he wanted to let him know that he had his own power as well, and to not take him lightly.
Raymond: That stung a little boy, but unless you can actually hurt me, you won't be getting very far fighting me.
The crowd watching the fight were in mixed emotions, scared for Andre, but surprised that he was so quick, and willing to take on the human mammoth. They were worried that Andre would get hurt in the battle.
Andre stepped back away from Raymond and sized him up once more. Then he ran toward him again, Raymond swung once more, this time Andre slid under him between his legs. Once on the opposite side, Andre used one of his strongest kicks on the back of Raymond's knee, making the big man buckle, and making the crowd get excited. Then Andre back flipped to Raymond's shoulders, stomping on them, forcing his face to the ground, but the big man caught himself, keeping his face from landing on the floor boards which he threatened to put Andre in. Andre jumped away again, allowing Raymond to get back up.
Andre: What happened to sticking me in the floor? Can't do it?
Raymond: (Infuriated) I'm going to squash you, you're a little worthless piece of shit that doesn't deserve to even breathe the same air as me! I'm make you wish you were never born!
Andre: (trademark smirk) Well then big man, show me how you plan to do that. You're sluggish for one, lacking the speed needed to catch me, two you're not even strong enough to hurt me, even if you land a punch, your weight in your hands decreases the amount of power you can hit me with, along with the fact that your hands are so wide. I'd be willing to wager that I'm actually able to break your hands, even with you being so much stronger than me.
Raymond: (Screaming) Shut your fucking mouth!!!!
Raymond charged in at Andre, who just stood there gearing up for a punch. Raymond punched right at Andre, and he in turn punched back for the big man's fist. The crowd looked worried that he would attempt such a move, especially when this man was three times his size and weight. Their hands connected with each other, and Andre's fist broke the man's knuckles and his arm up to his shoulder. Raymond's arm dropped, and he was in agonizing pain. The surrounding people were all shocked. How could this thin young man have broken the hand of someone who was so much bigger than him in a bloody knuckles contest?
Andre: Listen Raymond, it's not that you haven't had great achievements, but like I said before, I'm a very well trained fighter, my body is used to taking extreme amounts of damage, and it's great for dealing it out as well. I'm not even a World class fighter yet, I'm just barely a champion fighter locally where I live.
Raymond: (In pain, and calming down) What's your name again?
Andre: I'm Andre, Andre Ratchford.
The crowd gasps, but Andre doesn't even know why. Everyone starts looking at him strangely. He wonders what they are thinking and whispering about.
Andre: What? What did I say?
Bystander: You mean to tell us that you're the son of Iris Ratchford?
Andre: How do you know about my mother?
Bystander: She's the World Champion of the Bloodstorm Competition, running 10 years straight, after she defeated your father in the Finals for her first Championship.
Raymond: No wonder I lost to you. You're the son of a living legend.
Andre: That's not important at the moment, we need to get you to the medic, get that arm taken care of.
Andre helps Raymond to his feet, and gets him to the on board Doctor, then he heads back to his own room, and continues his training, not even worrying about what he just found out about his mother. Andre's cruise was coming to an end, he was almost there, almost in Kyoto, Japan. While this was going on, Deonta was getting his things together, and he grabbed the ticket that was left for him by who he assumed was Sasuke, and headed for Baltimore Washington International Airport. He boarded the flight to Osaka, Japan to meet the man who easily defeated his best friend.
Deonta's flight took a few stops, but once he made his change over in Los Angeles, he was on his way to Japan. His flight landed in Osaka, and when he exited the airport, there was a man waiting for him with a limousine and a sign with his name on it. Deonta walked up to him.
Deonta: You must be the driver right?
Driver: Yes, Mr. Soshimatsu is waiting for you.
Deonta: Good, I've been wanting to meet him, let's go.
Deonta jumped in the limo, and was on his way to see Sasuke, so he could see first hand the man that made Andre feel like a meaningless fighter. A half an hour after Deonta made it to Osaka, Andre was arriving via the cruise ship. He got off and grabbed his bag, heading toward the exit, when he found a similar situation as Deonta did, a driver, a limo, and a sign with is name on it.
Andre: I guess you're here to take me to Sasuke right?
Driver: Yes I am Mr. Andre.
Andre: Alright, let's not keep him waiting.
Andre got in the limo, and was heading to Kyoto. While Andre was just departing, Deonta was arriving to Sasuke's mansion. It was starting to get dark, and Deonta felt uneasy about this whole situation, coming fight a man he's never even met. When he got out, he surveyed the area, and then looked toward the stairs leading into the mansion, by the door there were two men standing. They were the ones that Deonta had beat up in the park, so these guys were connected. He started to feel even more uneasy, wondering if the dark power within him was purposely being drawn out. He'd have his answers soon enough. Deonta walked up the stairs, entering the mansion. A butler lead him through the huge house, to an open door leading out the back. There was a huge field with nothing around but some trees far off in the distance. Deonta could see the short Japanese man standing in a blue suit jacket, blue slacks, with a white button up shirt, and short cut hair. Deonta walked down to him in his black tank, black athletic pants with a blue stripe down the side, black Nikes, and black wristbands.
Sasuke: Welcome Deonta, come, join me.
Deonta: So you're Mr. Soshimatsu? I knew it was you.
Sasuke: That's so formal, please, call me Sasuke.
Deonta: Well Sasuke, what is it that you want from me and Andre?
Sasuke: I merely want a challenging fight, that's all. I see that you've had a taste of the sweet darkness within you, I'm happy that my underlings were able to push you to that point.
Deonta: So you set that up? I wish I would have known that, I wouldn't have been so merciful. Because of you and your little henchmen, I attacked someone who had nothing to do with the situation, I should kill you right here.
Sasuke: Such bold words for a pup. If you think that you can beat me, come with it.
Sasuke took his stance, and Deonta did as well. Deonta ran right toward Sasuke, not even thinking about what could happen, looking to bury Sasuke where he stood. Immediately Deonta used an ice punch to knock Sasuke back, and followed it up with his wave attack.
Deonta: Demon Wave!!! (throwing the attack then running right behind it)
Sasuke avoided the ice ground wave, and jumped toward Deonta kicking. Deonta rolled under the kick then turned and punched for Sasuke's face, he blocked the attack and blasted a dark bolt of energy at Deonta's face, but he ducked his head back, with Sasuke trying to make an attack, but Deonta spun off his back foot and spin-kicked Sasuke right in the side of his head, knocking him back, and giving Deonta some much needed breathing room, with the fact being that Deonta at that time wouldn't have even been able to land a strike on him, but his month's worth of training has severely improved his skills, and if Andre did the same thing, he'd be able to fight Sasuke the same way.
Deonta ran at Sasuke again, and jumped into the air, dive kicking at Sasuke, he blocked the kick, but Deonta did a forward flipping hard downward kick that hit Sasuke in the back of his head, slamming his body to the floor. Deonta jumped off of his head, cautious of what could have happened if he would have stayed above him. Sasuke got back up and flipped toward Deonta, then punched down with dark energy on his hand. Deonta rolled out the way, and Sasuke's punch hit the ground, exploding, leaving a hole in the ground.
Deonta: (thinking) Man, if I were a bit slower he would have just ended my career as a fighter.
Sasuke: Your moves are very interesting, I'd swear that you have the same moves as Andre, but they're still very different. And you've been analyzing my moves, looking for holes. I'm glad you could keep up this long, but it's time for me to get serious with you.
Deonta: What!?
Sasuke ran at Deonta and punched him right in his gut, knocking the wind right out of his body. Deonta was trying to recover his breath and Sasuke kicked him across the face, then punched him across the jaw, sending him flying toward the mansion, dragging across the ground when he lands. Feeling his dark power starting to wake, Deonta ran back at Sasuke, punched him in the mouth, elbowed his throat, kneed him in the nose, and turn kicked him in his neck. Sasuke returned fire with a combo of his own. He elbowed Deonta in the stomach, kicked him in the knees, and then hit him with a haymaker charged with dark energy, activating the Demonic Ice Deity in Deonta making him slide back.
Deonta: Not this again, I can control this, I can!
Sasuke: Let yourself be consumed by it, it's the only way that you'll ever be able to beat me.
Deonta: I won't let myself be like you!!
Sasuke: Don't worry, you won't be anything like me, you'd be controlled by your power whereas I own my dark power. Allow the rage to take over, it'll keep you from dying here.
Deonta struggles with the dark power in himself, and Andre arrives to the mansion. He walks up and notices Huck and Eddy, and senses dark power while following the butler. Deonta fights back the darkness.
Deonta: What were you saying Sasuke? I'd be consumed by my dark energy, what a load of shit!! I'm in control of myself, and now I'm gonna kick your ass!!
Chapter 6:
Awakened
Trevan feels a strong pull of energy calling him back to Sasuke's Mansion, from which he's been gone for two days. So he starts running back, wondering what could be calling him back to that place when he was just about to leave Japan altogether. But this feeling was strange, as if the was someone there he had unfinished business with.
Andre walks through the mansion to the back door, seeing that Sasuke is standing there, talking with someone. They must've been in the middle of something because he could hear Sasuke talking.
Sasuke: I would love to continue, but my guest would think that unfair since he traveled so far to come fight with come.
Deonta looks up to the top of the mansion stairs and he sees Andre, carrying a duffel bag, wearing a black sleeveless shirt, black windbreaker pants with a bold red stripe going down the side, black shoes and his black fingerless gloves. Andre walked down the steps with a level of intensity and anger that he's only seen against one other person, Trevan. Deonta almost felt a bit scared of Andre. He could tell Andre was serious about this fight with Sasuke, more serious than fighting Trevan. Andre stopped next to Deonta and started talking.
Andre: What are you doing here?
Deonta: Didn't think I'd let you have all of the fun did you? Richie & Rodney told me about your run-in with this guy. You should've came and got me.
Andre: I didn't want to concern you with my problems, and anyway, I can handle this on my own. This guy caught me at a bad time, that's all.
Deonta: I think we should team up on him, he's stronger than what Richie & Rodney told me.
Sasuke: I'm sorry to interrupt, but my last guest has arrived.
Andre & Deonta turn to see a familiar enemy walking toward them, Trevan. Andre gets a devious smile on his face, as if he was happy that Trevan was there. He clinches his fists tightly, waiting for Trevan to make any remark that could lead to a battle. Trevan recognizes Andre, but says nothing to him, he instead turns to Sasuke angrily.
Sasuke: Welcome back Trevan, I'm sure you know both of these young men.
Trevan: Yeah, I know these two punks, so why are they here?
Andre: What did you say? I'll squash you like the roach you are!!! You really don't want to piss me off right now bitch!!
Deonta: He's got that look on his face again. You better chill out unless you want to be buried here.
Sasuke: Gentlemen, no need to fight amongst yourselves, you're all here for me. Hopefully one of you will be at least slightly difficult for me to defeat.
Andre: Oh, I will. If you want to fight, I'm right here!
Sasuke: Alright then, I'll take you on.
Andre ran at Sasuke in a blur of speed that was too fast for Deonta or Trevan to see and slugged him right in the side of his head. Sasuke was knocked away hard, he feel on his back, but quickly got back up.
Deonta: (thinking) How did he just do that? He's not supposed to be that fast, but Andre has even made himself faster than I am.
Sasuke: Good, I didn't expect that. Let's continue.
Andre built flames on his hand, and prepared himself for his Crimson Wave. Sasuke started charging a ball of dark energy in his hand.
Andre: Crimson Wave!!!
Andre slammed the ground hard enough to crack it, sending the strongest wave he's ever thrown right at Sasuke. He held his hand out like before to try and absorb the wave. But the move failed, and Sasuke had to avoid being blown up by the flame attack. After he avoided it, Andre jumped into the air, falling over Sasuke's head doing a forward flip kick, hitting Sasuke right in the top of his head, and while still having the momentum, he punched hard down onto Sasuke's skull, knocking his face down into the dirt.
Deonta stood stunned at how dramatically more powerful Andre got after having fought Sasuke, and his moves were even more precise. But Deonta noticed something strange about Andre, his eyes were starting to glow red, the color of blood. He also felt the air start to warm up, it's was beginning to get hot, but the atmosphere in the place they were was cold at first. It also started to rain, but the water was just evaporating before it could touch Andre, making a fog of steam.
Andre was punching Sasuke's body with hard, but incredibly quick strikes, then punched for his face, but Sasuke blocked the attack and hit Andre right in his mouth. As the fight went on, Andre could feel himself slipping away, but he was too into the battle to stop himself. Andre kicked Sasuke right in his face with a standing ax kick. Sasuke clipped his leg out from under him and then stepped and kicked him in his chest, knocking him back toward the mansion where Deonta and Trevan watched from. Andre hopped back up and charged in at Sasuke, having the Crimson Flame basically guiding his body now, the more he fought, the more the flame burned.
Andre uppercuted Sasuke, then hit him with an overhand punch knocking his head back down, kneed him in his face getting him back to a standing position, the hit him with a hard right-handed haymaker, knocking Sasuke off his feet, spinning til he hit the ground, flat on his face. Sasuke stood back up and started building a super charged version of his dark ball. Andre geared up for what looked like his Crimson Wave, but Deonta could tell from the level of power he felt, this was a new move, a powerful new move.
Andre: Crimson Eruption!!!!!
Andre struck the ground like usual, but this attack was a far more heightened version of the Crimson Wave, almost looking like a wave of molten lava was flowing toward Sasuke, meaning Andre had really focused hard on defeating Sasuke. The wave hit Sasuke, burning up his suit, leaving him charred. Sasuke fell to his knees, then on his face in the dirt. Andre walked over to Sasuke and stood looking down at him, huffing and puffing, he was thrilled that he defeated him, but the Crimson Flame still wanted more, it wanted a more challenging fight. Andre turned toward Deonta.
Deonta got into a defensive stance seeing the look that Andre gave him. Andre flew at Deonta who was standing still in shock, but he had already started using his ice. Andre swung at Deonta, he blocked but was still sent flying from the power behind the punch. Andre knocked Deonta down while he was still in the air, making his body bounce across the ground. Deonta flipped himself back to his feet, seeing Andre still advancing in on himself, Deonta kicked at his head and missed. Andre grabbed his leg, then pulled him in and punched him right in his mouth, sending him back over toward Trevan.
Deonta was starting to get angry, and the Demonic Ice started taking over again. Andre went to attack again, but Deonta deflected the attack this time, and went to attack Andre, though his move was also knocked away, and Andre stomped down on his chest, sliding across the ground on him, then he kicked Deonta up off the ground, and punched him right in his stomach, almost knocking him into Trevan. Deonta threw his Demon Wave at Andre, who threw another Crimson Wave. Andre's wave ate right through Deonta's and hit him, angering Deonta and fully awakening his dark side. Deonta screamed like a beast, while his eyes turned a pale blue, looking as though to be dead. He vanished, leaving only Trevan to face Andre. At that time, Andre started to calm down.
Andre: Arrgh! What am I doing!?
Trevan: You're truly a bitch, you ambushed your own friend, you're fucking pathetic.
Andre: You really don't want to fuck with me right now!!
Trevan: Like you can do anything to me, I nearly broke your damn nose the last time we fought. Do you really think that you can do anything to me? You can beat me, no matter how hard you try.
Andre: You can only hope that I don't hurt you as badly as I want to.
Trevan: Bring it.
Andre and Trevan run toward each other and clashed, both with flames in hand. Andre's blood-red Crimson Flame against Trevan blackened Abyss Flame. Strike after strike, blow after blow, the area around them heated up, and smoke was everywhere. Sasuke's training made Trevan able to stand against Andre, otherwise he would have been put to rest right then. Trevan hit Andre across the jaw, then punched him in his gut, and right to the chin with an uppercut, then he kicked Andre in the chest causing him to slide back, but Andre returned fire. He jumped at Trevan and punched him dead center in his chest, then kicked him in his stomach, elbowed him across his face, tripped him up, then kicked him right in his back before letting him fall to the ground. Then Andre jumped on top of Trevan, and starting pounding on him, left, right, left, right, left, right. Trevan finally kicked Andre off of him, but by then, it was too late, Andre was already going back to the dark side.
Trevan jumped at Andre punching for his head, Andre just stepped forward and punched him right in his groin, and punched him the rest of the way up his body keeping him in mid air, then kicked him away with a reverse high roundhouse. While Andre still had Trevan up there, he jumped above him, and charged for a Crimson Wave, punching Trevan to the ground, and pressing him down with his fist. Once that hit they ground, the wave shot off of Trevan's body, knocking him out as well as nearly killing him. Andre stood up, and still felt unsatisfied, he hungered for stronger opponents.
Andre: Heh, worthless garbage.
Andre vanished from the site, leaving both Trevan and Sasuke down, but Sasuke stood back up. After all of this time, he was still unhurt, but he smiled, Andre and Deonta's powers were finally unlocked. Now all he had to do was wait, wait for them to find each other and destroy each other. He smiled, just waiting for the chance to kill the one that was left standing.
Deonta meanwhile was in a park beating on random people as he came across them. He was taking on three strangers all at once, the first person tried to attack him from behind, Deonta turned and kicked him in the ribs, knocking him through three trees, breaking his back in the process. Then the other two, another man, and a woman, tried to subdue him together, coming at him from his left and right side. They both punched, Deonta ducked, making them hit each other, then punched them both away. More people ran over to help the others, but they all suffered the same fate, they weren't even strong enough to make him question if they could beat him.
Andre was very much in the same situation, he was standing in Union Station Mall, and had just laid out a group of people, because he hungered for more powerful opponents. There were fighters as well as non fighters decimated by both Andre and Deonta, there was nothing that they could do to stop them, and authorities were on the look out for them, trying to bring them in. Andre picked up on Adrian's power, and teleported himself to his position, anew ability the darkness granted him, then he watched Adrian beat someone who he knew was below his level. Adrian was wearing a black shirt, blue jeans, and white shoes.
Andre: Damn, so you're still a punk, I'd hoped that you'd at least be a better fighter by now.
Adrian: What do you want? You know that Ma is looking for you?
Andre: Who gives a fuck? I'm here for you, finally all of those years that you've picked with me have come back to bite you in your ass.
Adrian: I've been waiting for this day, you really shouldn't have picked with me right now, I'm not in the mood for it.
Andre: I'd like to see you try it, I've always been the better fighter and always will be. I've always held back because I didn't want to kill you, but I won't anymore, I'll show you why I was always the one pulled away from our fights, to protect you, not me.
Adrian: You'll eat those words and your teeth.
Adrian jumps toward Andre and punches, but his hand is caught, and Andre starts slamming him into walls, the floor, and throws him into some stairs that were nearby. Adrian struggles to get up, and Andre knees him in his chest, pressing his back against the metal edge of the steps. Adrian tries to punch Andre, but he vanishes, then reappears punching Adrian in his stomach, then he throws him off the stairs onto the ground. Andre jumps and lands with his knees on Adrian's chest. Adrian couldn't even get up. Andre steps of him and turns his back, walking away.
Andre: Like I said, you're nothing but a punk, you're not strong enough, nor do you have enough skill. I would kill you, but you're not worth my time or energy, you're a waste of space. I'm leaving.
Adrian: Come back here, this isn't over!!
Andre left Adrian, while Deonta had found Rasheed. Rasheed was unaware that Deonta was anywhere around him, all he noticed was that it got a bit colder out than usual. Deonta decided to surprise him.
Deonta: I've finally found you, now it's time to break your skull in with my bare hands.
Rasheed: (turning around to face Deonta) What the hell....how did you do that?
Deonta: I've become a lot stronger, much stronger than you'll ever be.
Rasheed: Deonta, I don't have time to hurt you, chill out.
Deonta: I already am, you'll be chilled too.
Rasheed began sweating a bit from the tension in the air. The look Deonta had, the aura being poured out of his body, it was all murderous. Rasheed looked and noticed that Deonta's right hand was covered in ice. He swung his hand downward for the ground before Rasheed could make a counter measure against it.
Deonta: Demon Wave!!!
Once Deonta's fist smacked the ground, the ice wave shot quickly across it right at Rasheed, giving him very little time to avoid the attack. He didn't even see Deonta move, he got punched hard right in the center of his spine, sending him toward a tree. Rasheed caught himself mid flight, and used his legs to jump off the tree back to a standing position. By the time he was able to see what was going on, Deonta was already behind him again. He wrapped his arms around Rasheed's throat, lifting him off of his feet.
Deonta: Feel that pain, that agony. You don't have much time left, is there anything you would like to say? I can't hear you. Speak!!
Rasheed struggled trying to get himself free, but Deonta's hold was just too tight. He wasn't getting any oxygen, and everything started fading out. After a couple minutes of pulling and tugging, Rasheed's arms finally fell, and he was unconscious. Deonta dropped his body.
Deonta: You were far too easy, I need someone harder to beat.
Deonta left Rasheed there. Searching for more people to fight. Meanwhile, Sasuke was laying traps, trying to cause more trouble in an already dire situation. He sought out Jenny, whom had just finished having a training session battling both of her brothers at the same time. He spotted her, wearing a white shirt, tan shorts, white socks and shoes. She looked like she was out on a mission, and he just happened to be in a place where Andre & Deonta usually hang out. Jenny walked right up to him.
Jenny: Sir, have you seen either of these two people around here lately?
Jenny showed him two pictures, one of Andre and one of Deonta.
Sasuke: I recognize these two boys. (He looked her over and started smiling) I'll tell you what I know if you'd allow me some time with that body of yours.
Jenny: You fucking pervert!!!
Jenny became very angry and threw a surprisingly quick punch for Sasuke's head. He was just barely able to dodge it. Jenny threw punch after punch, kick after kick, and nothing connected, everything missed, each attack and strike only hit air. Sasuke was just having such a good time playing around with Jenny, making her fight her hardest. He could see from her movements that her skill level wasn't much different from Andre's, and also why she was one of Andre's closet rivals. But he could also tell she had more of an affinity for light energy, which was of no use to him. Jenny did however, luck up, and score a punch right on Sasuke's cheek, leaving a bruise on the side of his face. He kicked her back, sending her into a wall.
Sasuke: Well done, I see why Andre is careful of you, but you don't have THAT potential.
Jenny: Who the hell are you?
Sasuke: I'm Sasuke, the one that you heard of from your brother. The one who made Andre feel insignificant. The man who you fear.
Jenny: Sorry to break it to you like this, but that last part is completely untrue. I don't fear you, I want to beat you.
Sasuke: Fair enough, you'll get your chance, but first you have to do something, you have to defeat Andre's ex-girlfriend. If you do that, then I'll give you a chance to defeat me. You'll find her at Union Station in the subway area, she'll be the only one there, I promise you.
With Jenny heading toward Union Station, Sasuke had to find Elzoria quick, and get her prepared to fight with Jenny. Luckily he had some of his people tailing her, she was at the mall above the train station. Sasuke quickly went to the mall, and he saw Elzoria, wearing blue jeans, a white blouse, and white tennis shoes, she looked as if she were trying to find someone. Her spoke to her when she was close enough to him.
Sasuke: Hello there, you wouldn't happen to be Elzoria would you?
Elzoria: That depends, who's asking? (Twice in the same place I run into people looking for me?)
Sasuke: Oh, forgive my rudeness, my name is Sasuke, Sasuke Soshimatsu. I met your ex-boyfriend, Andre. He and I had a bit of a confrontation, but I'm afraid, that sadly, his mind just wasn't able to handle it.
Elzoria: What did you do to Andre? (I've been having a bad feeling that something happened to him.)
Sasuke: I unleashed his dark side, and yet he was unable to grasp the power and take control of it. I sense a strong power within you as well, maybe not of the same caliber, but strong nonetheless, and it intrigues me a bit, but not enough to explore it.
Elzoria: What do you mean? What type of power?
Sasuke: Your power would be the polar opposite mine, the light to the dark. Your power is opposite that of mine, Andre's and Deonta's.
Elzoria: You fought Deonta too? So he's like Andre is right now? What the hell did you do to my friends?
Sasuke: I did nothing to Deonta, Andre took care of him. And besides, they're better this way, much more powerful fighters than they were before, and more worthy of me destroying them. The useless amateuristic levels they were on before weren't worth the dirt they walked on.
Elzoria: What did you just say? Amateuristic? So let's see if you feel that way about my skills. I'll crush you for what you've done.
Sasuke: Well, here's your chance. Make me pay, get revenge for your friends. That is, if you can.
Elzoria: You must be joking, to think that I'm a weak fighter is to seal your fate to be defeated.
Elzoria jumped at Sasuke kicking for his face, he stepped back, and swung at her head, Elzoria grabbed his arm and jumped on him doing a rolling take down armbar. She fought with him trying to lock the armbar in, but Sasuke broke free, and jumped back up to his feet. Elzoria rolled off the ground to her feet watching Sasuke closely. He dashed at her kicking for her body, she jumped over his head, grabbing him, and tossed him into a wall, leaving a big crack in it. Sasuke just pushed himself off the wall and landed back on his feet.
Elzoria ran right back at him, this time bringing a wave of water behind her, and started holding it around her fist. He looked at her curious about the move she was about to perform. Once she had enough moment and felt that she was close enough not to miss, Elzoria stopped her legs in place, and swung her fist forward, punching with the water on her hand.
Elzoria: Shotgun!!!
The water blasted right off Elzoria's hand and hit Sasuke square in the chest, the shot was too fast for even him to avoid it, and he was knocked right back into the wall again, cracking it more. Sasuke for a moment was in shock, but that quickly went away. He was presently surprised that she had developed such a high level attack for her current skill level. Maybe there was more to her than he could see, but he wanted her to know that he meant business as well.
Elzoria: You liked that one didn't you? And I can do that particular attack constantly, wanna see?
Sasuke hurriedly got off of the wall and started running. Elzoria was using the Shotgun attack with both hands in full force, as a rapid fire attack. Sasuke was ducking and dodging each blast, all of which were leaving cracks, dents, and holes in the walls. Sasuke was slowly getting himself closer and closer to Elzoria running in a huge circle, jumping off objects, flipping around chairs, bouncing himself off of surrounding walls. Elzoria was concentrating on hitting her target, with each shot getting closer and closer to Sasuke's body. Elzoria shot one huge blast with both hands at once, and Sasuke narrowly avoided it, seeing his chance to counter attack before she could get going again. He jumped toward her and drop kicked her into the wall she had previously knocked him into twice, crashing her through the wall. Elzoria stood back up a bit exhausted.
Sasuke: My,my, you are a bit of a spectacle. To be able to use so much power so rapidly, and with so much force. But even with that ability, you still would have never defeated Andre, even before I got to him. But you have potential, if only you had a dark aligned element, I'd gladly take you under my wing.
Elzoria: (Breathing heavily) Get....to the point....you asshole.
Sasuke: You're not like Andre or Deonta, but you can control such a high level of power, even though your skill level isn't up to par with the power that you hold. While their skills have been equal with their power the whole time. They have the potential to completely destroy everything around them, separately and together. You're nothing compared to them, and they are nothing compared to me. I would love to stay and play some more, but I have other matters to tend to at the moment.
Sasuke leaves Elzoria, but has one of his men follow her to keep track of where she is. He was glad to see that his plans were coming together. Now all he had to do was align the pins to knock them down. Soon, everything would be perfect, and he'd break Andre or Deonta once they tore each other apart. Mean while, Andre has found Diamion at the gym, and is watching him defeat some trash fighter who he felt wasn't worth the air he breathed.
Andre: Resorting to beat on such useless fighters?
Diamion turned around a bit shocked to hear Andre's voice, but he felt even more worried that Andre's aura had completely changed.
Andre: Why do you look so surprised? Are you scared?
Diamion: Scared? Of who? You? You must be joking.
Andre: You soon will be, I'm not the same pushover that I was. I know I'll crush you this time Diamion. Get ready to be laid out.
Diamion: You still have quite a few years before you can beat me little bro, but there is something different about you. You seem to be stronger, but it's gonna take a lot more than strength for you to beat me.
Andre: It's not only strength, it's not just power, it's skill, ability, and determination that will make you lose. I'll break you.
Diamion: You don't even sound like my younger brother, you're a completely different person from the Andre I know. My brother is a great fighter, and you may have his body, but you don't have his heart.
Andre suddenly appeared behind Diamion and kicked him down.
Andre: I don't have his heart? Then why does it beat faster and become excited at the thought of tearing you down one piece at a time? Get up so I can defeat you like a man!
Diamion stood to his feet and was watching Andre closely. Diamion was readying himself for anything that would come. Andre took a familiar stance and was holding fire in both of his hands, Diamion knew the move, and had seen it thousands of times since Andre created the attack, his favorite move, the Crimson Wave.
Andre: Crimson......Wave!!!
Andre threw the wave across the ground right at Diamion, he jumped over it at Andre, and kicked him in the jaw, stumbling him back a few steps, then Diamion ran in quickly giving him some extremely hard body strikes. Then Diamion punched Andre in his chest, sending him into the ropes of the boxing ring in which they stood, making him ricochet off of them, back toward Diamion. He tried to land another blow, but Andre ducked his body and tackled Diamion to the ground, then started whaling on him, making it difficult for Diamion to move and fight free. Eventually Diamion flipped Andre over and pulled him into a Boston Crab position, trying to lock the hold in. Andre twisted his body and kicked loose, then flipped Diamion over and kneed him in his chest, forcing him down on his back.
Andre jumped off of Diamion with his fist ignited, ready to dive bomb Diamion. Andre came straight down at Diamion's head, but he was able to roll out of the way of the attack, though Andre went through the center of the ring, leaving a big hole in the middle of it. Diamion quickly jumped out to avoided being pulled in. Andre flew out behind him, and punched him in the face, knocking him back toward the ground, making his back smash against the cement flooring, breaking it. Andre landed on Diamion's stomach.
Andre: You're not even worth my time, I thought you'd be harder to take down. I'm gone.
Diamion: Wait! Andre!
Andre vanished, and left Diamion dropping his cruise ticket. While Andre was fighting Diamion, Deonta had found Dre. He was watching him closely, even got to see Dre beat the snot out of some loser who tried to attack him out of some bushes. Once he was done, Deonta made his presence known.
Deonta: Dre, Dre, Dre. I thought so much better of you before.
Dre was shocked to hear Deonta's voice and to feel his new level of power.
Dre: Deonta?
Deonta: It's me.
Dre: What happened to you? (His power level is intense, I don't think I'd even be able to beat him at this level.)
Deonta: I've seen the darkness hidden within me, it's awakened, and my power has unleashed itself. Thanks to Sasuke Soshimatsu.
Dre: So why are you here then?
Deonta: I came to fight you, to see if I am as strong as I feel. So put your guard up.
Dre took his stance, and no sooner than he was ready to fight, Deonta was in his face punching. Dre blocked it and kicked Deonta in the side of his head, knocking him down. Deonta quickly retaliated, sweeping Dre off of his feet, then hitting him with a rising uppercut to a standing position. Then while he was standing, Deonta connected with a standing high kick that knocked Dre into the branches of a tree before he fell to the ground. Dre hopped back up to his feet, but he couldn't find Deonta. Then without warning, Dre got kicked in the center of his back, and Deonta got back in front of him, hitting him in his gut, sending him back into the tree. Dre hit the tree hard and Deonta was closing in on him ready to finish the fight. Dre's cell phone rang, and Deonta just vanished. Dre quickly answered his phone. It was Diamion.
Dre: Diamion!
Diamion: Yeah, it's me.
Dre: Your brother's friend just attacked me, but he was way stronger than I remember him being.
Diamion: Deonta attacked you!?
Dre: Yeah, but he vanished just now, when you called me.
Diamion: Did you notice a change in the temperature while he was there?
Dre: Yeah, now that you mention it, it was colder while he was here than it should have been.
Diamion: It was the same way with Andre, though it got hot instead of cold. Did Deonta tell you how how got that way, did he mention anyone?
Dre: Yeah, he did mention someone named Sasuke, Sasuke Soshimatsu I think.
Diamion: That name sounds familiar, but it's obviously a Japanese person. Andre dropped a cruise ticket to Japan, it looks like he went on the cruise just before we started looking for him. Maybe that's why he left, to fight this Sasuke person, and this happened.
Dre: I'll do a search on the guy and I'll get back to you in the morning, so now I suggest you go home and try to rest, that's what I plan to do, after the beating I just got.
Diamion: I will, Andre's punches were much stronger than I last remember, and his speed was amazing, but he still didn't seem like himself. I'll let you go so you can do your research, get back to me in the morning.
Andre was on a bit of a rampage, destroying buildings as he saw fit, his dark power consuming him even more. Deonta went after Iris, Andre's mother, planning to get info out of her about where Andre was, and then to try to kill her.
Deonta: It's been a while, have you seen Andre? I'm looking for him, but I can't seem to get a lock on him right now.
Iris was looking around for Deonta because she heard his voice and knew it was him. She had her usual tan beret on with a tan shirt, navy blue jeans, and her black and white Filas on. Deonta appeared right in front of her.
Iris: Deonta!? What the!? How'd you do that?!?
Deonta: It's simple, but not something that I can just tell you, cause then I'd have to put you six feet under. Hell, I might just do that anyway.
Iris: Try it boy, and see what happens.
Deonta: I know what will happen, you'll cave in.
Chapter 7:
Searching For Answers
Andre was running through an office building, terrifying the workers, destroying walls. The people ran as fast as they could for the exit. Everyone just barely escaping before Andre laid the final blow to the building's structure, causing it to fall apart at the seams, crumbling until there was nothing left but dirt and rocks. Andre was buried in the rumble, leaving the people to think that he was dead. He blew everything up, sending rocks and pebbles everywhere, some hitting the people, others destroying the area around them. Then he just vanished. The army was called in to confront him.
Deonta was fighting Iris, but he wasn't winning. Iris had him against a wall and was pummeling away at him. She then side kicked him in his head, sending him tumbling across the floor, sliding into a pillar.
Iris: Deonta, I don't want to hurt you, but you're not leaving me much of a choice.
Deonta jumps back up, and charges right at Iris, he went to punch at her, but she blocked his attack and then countered with a hard punch to the chest, a back elbow across the face, and a double high kick to the chin, knocking him into the air. Deonta recovered in the air, creating ice around his hand, and the power level of the attack felt so strong. He took a stance, the same one he uses for his Demon Wave. The ground was shaking beneath them, but Iris was undaunted.
Deonta: Demon......
Iris stood watching, getting herself ready to make her move when she saw the right opening.
Deonta: Explosion!!!!!
Deonta hit the ground and a huge glacier like wave of ice was sent across the ground right at Iris. She was holding a huge ball of light in her hand, ready to counter Deonta's attack. The glacial wave was spiking up as it traveled quickly across the ground, looking as if it would impale Iris. She held her hand forward, and the wave was completely melted. But Deonta's presence had disappeared, though Iris knew by instinct that he was still there.
She hit the ground hard with her right hand and unleashed the light, blinding Deonta, making him reveal his position. Iris ran over to him with a ball of light in her hands.
Iris: Wake up Deonta, I don't want to have to kill you.
She struck Deonta right in his gut, knocking the wind out of his body, but she also used the light to revive his mind, and counter the darkness within him. The brightness of her previous move died down, and Deonta was returning to normal, but Iris still backed away to be cautious.
Iris: Deonta, is that you?
Deonta: I've got to keep control, I've got to keep control. Sasuke, I have to find him.
Iris: Who is that?
Before he could answer, Deonta vanished, with the darkness consuming him again. Andre however appeared shortly after he got away.
Iris: Stop hiding Dre, come on out, I know that you're here.
Andre: There goes the element of surprise.
Andre appeared right next to his mother, he was smiling, but it wasn't his usual smile, it was as if he was there for blood.
Andre: I guess you've already run into Deonta, too bad, I've been looking for him, it's a shame that I wasn't here.
Iris: Andre, who is Sasuke?
Andre: He's the one who made me wake up to my dark power. I crushed him and my power became unlocked.
Iris: Where is he?
Andre: That's not something that you need to know, I'm not here to worry about him anyway, I'm here to destroy you!!
Iris jumped away from Andre who tried to kick her in the head. He missed, but was still determined to pursue her. Before she could land of the ground, Andre got under here ready to attack, but as she got closer, Iris readied herself. Andre punched for her body, she grabbed his arm, then decked him with all of her weight and force as well as the assistance of gravity. They crashed to the ground, making a small crater. Both jumped out of the dirt and dust that kicked up from the impact. Andre flipped high into the air, planning to come down on top of his mother's head. He did his flipkick, but Iris hit him with an uppercut to the jaw as he closed in, sending him back where he jumped from.
Andre wiped his mouth still smiling, his demeanor was sick and twisted, like he was a murderer just waiting to catch his prey. He ran at his mother again, and Iris stood ready for his attacks. Andre jumped and drop kicked at Iris, she blocked, then he kicked with the other leg, she blocked again, then he flipped himself backward while still in mid air, and threw a double leg dropkick. Iris spun around the kick and punched Andre down forcing him headfirst into the ground, splitting the floor again. While he was down, she jumped away, holding another ball of light in her hand. Andre hopped up and held his flame on his hand. That's when Iris noticed that his flames colored changed, it was darker than it used to be, and such was the same for Deonta. They both ran toward each other, ready to strike, both punched, but Iris's attack landed, hitting Andre right in the stomach.
Iris: (Praying) Please work.
Andre started to become himself again. His eyes went back to normal, losing the glow they had temporarily.
Andre: What am I doing? I need to control this energy, I can't let it take over again!!
Iris: Andre, where is Sasuke?
Andre: I don't know, he lives in Kyoto, Japan, but I haven't seen him since we last fought. I........ahhhhhhhh!
Iris: Fight it Andre!!!
Andre reverts to his darkness, his eyes change back, and the air becomes hot again.
Andre: I'm impressed, this boy still has some fight left in him, but that won't last too much longer. I'll take over, but for now, I have to go Ma, I'll be back to kill you soon enough.
Andre vanished from Iris's sight. On the inside of himself, within the depths of his soul, he was fighting the aggressions in his heart.
Andre: Give me back my body! I don't want any of this!
Shadow: You wanted power, you lusted to defeat Sasuke, and you used my power to do that. I have claimed the usage of your body in exchange for that power.
Andre: You won't hurt anyone that I care about, I won't allow it.
Andre ran toward the shadow of himself, ready to fight. Getting back to Elzoria at Union Station Mall who has just crushed the spy that Sasuke had following her. She's standing over the man wondering when Sasuke will return, but he already has.
Sasuke: I was wrong to think that I had worn you out. You have a lot more stamina than I thought you did. I know that you are eager to fight me again, but there's something that I want you to do for me first. If you'd really like to take me on again, then you must first beat a girl named Jenny.
Elzoria: Why do I have to beat her when I can get you right now?
Sasuke: Because I have an army of followers that would just love the chance to take your head off of your shoulders, and though you are a skilled fighter, I doubt that you'd be able to handle all of them alone. She has a power that is similar to your own, which means that she could be an unwanted thorn in my side. So, beat her, and I'll fight you again, it's that simple.
Elzoria: Fine then, have it your way, I'll do it.
Sasuke: Good, now head to the lower level train station, you'll find her there soon.
Elzoria runs off to get to the train station below. She sits and waits for a little while, and just as Sasuke said, there appears a girl. She figures that this is Jenny. She looked prepared to do battle. They met right in the center of the station.
Jenny: So you're Andre's ex huh?
Elzoria: Yes, I am, and you're Jenny right?
Jenny: Yep, but I don't know your name.
Elzoria: I'm Elzoria. So Sasuke put you up to this?
Jenny: Exactly, so let's get started, it's nothing personal, but I have to end this quickly.
Elzoria: Oh, it's gonna be quick, but I'll be the winner.
Elzoria and Jenny face each other, both with the same goal, to find out what happened to their friends. They both run right in, head first toward each other, Jenny connects with the first punch, but Elzoria quickly returns the favor. Elzoria then knees Jenny in the stomach, and kicks her back, gearing up for her "Shotgun" attack. Jenny senses the move's power and jumps fast before Elzoria could complete the motion for the move. A powerful blast of highly concentrated water is shot passed Jenny, and hits the wall behind her, cracking it.
Jenny: Whoa, that was close.
Elzoria: There's plenty more that I can give you.
Elzoria went to motion for a second blast, but Jenny ran right at her and caught her hand, stopping the attack.
Jenny: Sorry, but I just can't let you hit me with that attack.
Jenny then headbutted Elzoria, and uppercuted her chin, she went for a spinning high kick, but she missed, and Elzoria grabbed her leg, then swung and slammed her on her face. She let go of Jenny's leg when she tried to kick Elzoria in the face while standing back up. Jenny formed Ice Shards with her hands.
Jenny: Radiant......
Elzoria got herself ready again for her "Shotgun" attack.
Jenny: Shard!!!
Elzoria: Shotgun!!!
The attacks canceled each other out. Jenny's shards were instantly broken when Elzoria's water blasts connected with them, but the water was dispersed along with the ice. Then Jenny and Elzoria went after each other again, Elzoria throwing a wave of water across the ground, and Jenny then freezing it. To stop it from continuing.
Jenny: Our elemental attacks are useless against each other, we might as well just use our fighting skills rather than our abilities.
Elzoria: Agreed.
Jenny and Elzoria jumped at each other, and both got hit hard with a right handed punch. Jenny grabbed Elzoria, and flipped upside down with her, trying to slam her head into the ground. Elzoria breaks herself free and they both catch themselves then push back to their feet. Just as they are about to advance in again, they both stop.
Elzoria: Do you feel that?
Jenny: Yeah, it just got really hot in here.
Elzoria: That's strange with as cold as this station normally is, something doesn't feel right.
????: I was enjoying watching you fight too. I guess I disturbed you.
Both: Andre!?!?
Andre: Yes ladies, it's me, I'm here.
While inside Andre, he's still fighting the shadow that has control over his body.
Andre: These are my friends, leave them alone.
Shadow: Too late, I'm going to kill them.
Jenny starts talking to Andre.
Jenny: How did you get so strong? Your energy is intense.
Elzoria: Just being around you is starting to make me sweat, what did you do?
Andre: Let's just say, I had a fight with the devil and I won. Now the two of you are trying to make a deal with him to find me, but I found the two of you first, so I guess that voids the contract.
Jenny: I went through all of the trouble to fight Sasuke so I could get info on what happened to you, and then you just show up?
Elzoria: Something is wrong with him, his eyes, they're glowing.
Andre: That's the power flowing through me, the energy that you feel radiating from my body. But to be honest, I'm not that bum of an Andre that you knew before.
Jenny: We kind of figured that much, the Andre that we know wouldn't give into such a pitiful desire for power.
Andre: He didn't, his anger allowed me to open a gate to his heart, and from there I took over. The power that he wanted, and what he gave up to get it, I'm the answer to his prayers, a far better, superior fighter to what that Andre was. And I plan on burying you along with him here and now!!
Elzoria: You can try, but I doubt that you can follow through on that threat, especially killing Andre, he's a lot stronger than you think.
Andre: We'll see about that, in the meantime, I can have some fun with the two of you.
Andre ran right between Elzoria and Jenny, clotheslining them both, making them flip in the air. Then he kicked them both apart and ran at Elzoria. He shoulder Elzoria into a pillar, then punched her across her face, and grabbed her up by her head. Jenny tried to kick him in the back, but Andre threw Elzoria into her and they both hit the ground rolling. He jumped toward Jenny and stomped down at her, but she flipped herself up and went to punch him. Andre avoided the attack, and hit Jenny in the stomach, holding her there. Elzoria hopped up and did her Shotgun attack, Andre just threw Jenny into it, making it hit her back with twice the force it normally had, and then appeared next to Elzoria and side kicked her through an advertisement window. He ran to her, catching her in mid air, and grabbed her, performing a strong german suplex toward the ground, ready to crash her through it, Jenny just narrowly slid herself under Elzoria, though she was trying to kick Andre's legs out, Elzoria's head was slammed into her stomach.
Andre let them go so they could stand back up. Jenny and Elzoria rolled back to their feet, Jenny threw her Radiant Shards and Elzoria followed it up with the Shotgun attack again. Andre threw his Crimson Eruption attack and wiped out both of their moves as well as burn the both of them. They still stood back up, ready for more. Andre ran for them again, Jenny threw the first punch and got grabbed by her face and slammed on the back of her head, Elzoria tried to dropkick him, but he jumped behind her, wrapping his arms around her and threw her into the up escalator crashing her right through it. Jenny threw more Radiant Shards at Andre, he wave his hand with his flame and melted the ice into water as well as evaporating it. Then Andre felt Sasuke's presence in the area.
Andre: You girls were right, I wasn't able to kill you. Did you enjoy the show Sasuke?
Sasuke: You knew I was here? My gosh you're good.
Andre: I'll destroy you!!
Sasuke: Heh, prove it.
Sasuke disappeared then Andre followed right behind him. If Sasuke hadn't shown up when he did, Elzoria and Jenny may not have been able to walk away from that fight. They both looked around, but couldn't find anything. They then decided that they would look around together for clues to see if they could get to Sasuke.
Deonta found Erika, who was with her sister at the time. They were in Deonta and Andre's old neighborhood. It's was supposed to be a nice warm day out. Crystal took notice of the weather change.
Crystal: Erika, didn't they say it was supposed to be like 80 degrees out today?
Erika: Yeah, it was warm just a minute ago, but now it's freezing out. I don't know why this is happening unless.......
Deonta: (Interrupting Erika) That would be thanks to me.
Erika: Deonta!
Deonta appeared right in front of Erika and Crystal.
Crystal: Is this what you were talking about when you said he attacked you?
Erika: Yes, that freaky look, those dead eyes, and it seems like he's gotten even stronger since then.
Crystal: I thought that you just pissed him.....
Deonta kicked Crystal in her side knocking her into the brick wall of the building. Erika punched for his head and missed, then she tried to kick him, he punched her leg. Crystal ran at Deonta who had grabbed Erika up by the throat, and tried to tackle him, but he stepped backward and Crystal ran into Erika. Then Deonta ran and kicked them both off of the ground, he elbowed Crystal in the back, and punched Erika in her ribs, separating them from each other. Then he stood and waited.
Erika: Crystal!! Are you okay!?
Crystal: The good thing is, I've taken harder hits than that before. But I don't think that he was using his full power, something in him is holding it back.
In the darkened space in Deonta's soul, he fights a shadow similar to that of Andre's demons. Deonta punches his shadow in the face, and grabs it, slamming it hard to the ground.
Deonta: You will release my body!! Give me back my life!!
Shadow: I'm sorry, but I can't do that, you allowed me the freedom, and now I'm keeping it!!!
The shadow kicks Deonta off and them throws him quite a distance away. Crystal and Erika both watch Deonta to see if they can find a weakness that they can exploit and get away. Deonta then jumps behind Crystal and kicks her over to where Erika is standing.
Erika: Why are you doing this Deonta? This isn't the person I've been a fan of, not this beast that you've become!
Crystal: Save it Sis, Deonta's long gone. I don't know him personally, but from what I've read about him, I can tell this isn't that guy. We have to fight if we plan on living. And if it comes down to it, we may have to kill him.
Erika: What?
Deonta: She said you may have to kill me to live, but I don't see how that's going to work when you can't even land a single hit on me. I'll turn you both into ice cubes.
Deonta flew at Erika and Crystal, and the two sisters punched at him at the same time, he grabbed both of their hands, twisting his body and throwing them both into trees. Erika fell down charging a bolt of lightning, ready to use it on Deonta, and Crystal started preparing to hit Deonta with a wall of Earth. He stood still again, waiting to see what they would do. Crystal slammed her hands together and two gigantic walls came flying in at Deonta, while Erika threw a huge bolt of emerald colored lightning right for Deonta. It all collided at once and a big cloud of smoke and dust was formed. Erika and Crystal waited patiently to see if that got him, but once the smoke starting clearing, they could see the silhouette of Deonta stand there, and knew that they didn't get him.
Once the smoke and dust was gone, they saw that it was an ice sculpture standing in place of Deonta, then they started looking back and forth for him. Deonta dropped down behind Crystal and clubbed her on her neck, knocking her out, and her quickly dashed over to Erika, hitting her in the stomach, knocking her out as well.
Deonta: I would have killed you already, but HE is still holding me back. I'll be back to finish the job later, once I've removed this pest.
Deonta left Erika and Crystal battered on the ground. He attacked a police station, officers pulled their guns and shot at him, but Deonta quickly dashed around the bullets and hit the first officer, breaking his jaw, then the second, cracking his ribs, next he kicked the third officer, knocking him unconscious. The remaining six officers started to unload their guns, all of their shots missing as Deonta skillfully slipped between them all, he punched the fourth officer right in his nose, breaking it, and nearly killing him, the fifth ran to him with his baton drawn, trying to club him, but Deonta punched through the baton and hit the officer in the throat, silencing his vocal cords. Then he tripped the sixth, and kicked him into the last two officers.
Deonta: Amateurs.
Deonta punched a hole in the stone wall of the police station. He removed his hand, and you could see straight through to the outside. Then power in the police station went dead, and Deonta left. Meanwhile, Andre was fighting a few of the of the Army's well trained soldiers, they were losing horribly. Dozens of soldiers were laid out on the ground, the street was burned up, and there were holes in the walls everywhere.
Andre: You pathetic fools are the most powerful military in the world? I've seen rats with better fighting potential!!!
Andre ran through the crowd of soldiers dodging their bullets, knocking each and everyone of them out. The deity of the Crimson Flame would have easily killed them had it not been for Andre's strong will within himself to reduce the damage of the attacks.
Andre: Why? Why do you desire so much destruction? Why are you here?!?
Shadow: I'm here because of fools like you who crave power, and that are willing to go to any lengths to obtain it. I'm only carrying out what your heart truly wants you to do.
Andre: Truly you still don't understand me, this is nothing like what I envisioned in my head for me to be doing.
Shadow: But you envisioned yourself crushing Sasuke like a pumpkin. You saw yourself killing him. You released me, remember that, I didn't come out of my own will.
Andre: Then I'll just have to put you back myself.
Shadow: Once released, I can't be returned to my resting place until.......you are dead.
Andre stood in shock, feeling as if all was useless, he had stopped fighting the Crimson Wave back. He let it take over as he just watched it's rampage.
Shadow: Richie & Rodney, they looked like they're ready to die!!!
Andre: What!?!?
Andre walked up to Richie and Rodney in plain view. Rodney was first to take notice of him being there.
Rodney: Richie, look! It's Andre!!
Richie: Andre!! Hold up, something's not right with him.
Andre: What gave me away?
Rodney: Your eyes have changed, they're red, almost like your eyes are bleeding.
Andre: Well boys, since you know my secret now, you both have to die!!!! (Andre ran toward Rodney)
Richie: Watch out Rodney!!! (Richie tackled Rodney out of the way)
Rodney: Shit!!!!!!
Andre stood waiting for Richie & Rodney to make a move. They stood ready to fight him, but they were unsure of what to do. Andre waved them both forward, Richie & Rodney took off quickly right toward him. Rodney jumped at Andre with his hand charged full of lightning, and Richie was throwing his Fireball at Andre, which was blocked. When the smoke cleared, Rodney tried to connect his punch for Andre's head, which he stopped by grabbing Rodney's hand directly in his palm. He threw Rodney at Richie, but Richie jumped over his brother and dive kicked right at Andre. Rodney landed on his feet, and ran right back at Andre. Andre blocked Richie's kick, from which he flipped off of Andre's arm, while Rodney was slide kicking for Andre's leg.
Andre lifted his head up, and kicked at Rodney's head, but he dropped himself backward a bit further and was missed. Rodney hopped up and turned kicked at Andre, while Richie was coming in for a punch at Andre. He avoided their attacks, and Richie punched Rodney while Rodney kicked Richie. Then Andre ran up to the two of them and started beating on them. He kicked Rodney in the chest, punched Richie in the stomach, elbowed Rodney in the face, kneed Richie in his throat, and then punched both of them down. Andre started trying to reason with the shadow deity in his body.
Andre: Leave them alone!!!
Shadow: No, these two possess a great potential to destroy me, and I won't allow them the chance!!!
Andre: No!!! (Andre tackled the shadow down) You won't hurt them any longer!!!
Andre had regained some of the control over his body before he could score the final blow against them. The boys were a little bit weirded out by the change.
Andre: Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
Richie: What's wrong?!? Andre!!!
Andre: Knock.....me out....now!!!! Before I change......back!!!! Hit me.... with your... best moves!!!
Rodney: But.....
Andre: (Screaming over Rodney) Do it now, dammit!!!!!!
Richie & Rodney both hit Andre in the side of his head with their strongest elemental punches, knocking him unconscious. They both ran off not sure of when he'd be back up, nor if he'd be himself when he got back up.
Meanwhile, Dre found some info on Sasuke Soshimatsu and was calling Diamion to tell him about it. He had also previously received calls from Adrian and Rasheed about the encounters that they had with Andre and Deonta.
Dre: Diamion, I found out who Sasuke is.
Diamion: What do you you know?
Dre: You probably won't believe this, but he's one of the wealthiest people on the planet. He owns a company that makes silicon computer chips. He's also a very skilled champion martial artists, well at least in Japan. Even though he has a background in fighting, it still doesn't make any sense as to why he went after Andre and Deonta. What could he possibly have to do with them being corrupted?
Diamion: I'm not sure, but whatever it is, it's costing me my little brother. Is there anyway we can find out where he is, or will be?
Dre: Yeah, actually, he'll be back in town in a couple days at a computer show, I guess to look at the new stuff from the competition.
Diamion: Then you knew that I was going to asked you that already, I'm glad to see that you're on top of this.
Dre: There's another thing though, Rasheed and Adrian both got attacked by Andre and Deonta too. I think we should meet up with them and plan how we are going to take this guy down and get some answers.
Diamion: Agreed, we need to figure out how we can stop them, and he's the one holding all of the answers.
Elzoria and Jenny were also still looking for clues as to who Sasuke was and what happened to Andre. They were in a library reading up on Sasuke.
Elzoria: Well, I can tell you this much, he's rich.
Jenny: And he's a very famous fighter in Japan. But his connection to Andre and Deonta doesn't make any sense at all, how does he know them?
Elzoria: More importantly, what did he want with them? Though we didn't run into Deonta, I've been hearing about him running rampant and tearing places apart.
Jenny: Andre too, he destroyed an office building, nearly leveled a mall, and fought the military. Deonta broke down a police station, dismantled a tank, and cleared a city block of it's residence.
Elzoria: With the way that they are, I'm surprised that no one has been killed you. They're going to have a lot to answer for after this is said and done.
Jenny: Well, we need to keep researching Sasuke a bit more, maybe we can find something that will....hold on, I think that I found something. Look at this, it's a video showing Sasuke performing some of his martial arts techniques.
Elzoria: There's a cloud of dark energy surrounding him. Maybe that's what it was. He kept talking about sharing a similar type of energy with Andre.
Jenny: Let me see if I can find any vids of Andre fighting. Got some, good. Look!! (Jenny was pointing at the screen) It's the same dark energy swirling around Andre whenever he attacks his opponent. Looks like we made our connection. Now we just have to find out where he is.
Elzoria: It's difficult to see it because it's very faint, but that wave of energy coming off of his body doesn't look normal. I didn't think Andre would have that type of power in his body.
Jenny: Well, we actually heard about this a little while ago, after me, Andre and Deonta took down that group, the Lejinwu. These two twin girls and their father who all worked for the group, as well as being more than the average fighter could ever think to achieve, told us about the power.
Flashback about four months time, inside a skyscraping office building Andre, and Deonta, had just defeated the girls while Diamion, Dre, Rasheed, and Jenny held all the extras back. The pair of girls are known as the Twin Dragons to many. Kikyo the Dragon of Flame, wearing a red vest with gold trim, and a blue sleeved shirt underneath with blue pants, while Kogome is wearing the same outfit, just with the red and blue reversed. The girl are of mixed Chinese and Japanese decent.
Andre: Look, we've beaten you, now I'm going to ask again, what is the "Crimson Flame"?
Deonta: Yeah, what the fuck is the "Demonic Ice"?
Kikyo: Should I explain sister, or will you?
Kogome: I'll start first. Your power Andre, the Crimson Flame is a power of extreme darkness. At some points, you may feel that you are being directed by another entity, well that entity is the Crimson Flame, it has it's own soul. The same as Deonta's Demonic Ice.
Kikyo: Now Jenny on the other hand, has a power of pure light, which is the Radiant Ice. This power also bears it's own soul, but it also ensures that the user never gets taken in by darkness. There are others, two of which Richie and Rodney, Jenny's younger brothers use. The Sapphire Flame and Ruby Lightning, both are light aligned.
Kogome: The others of the dark side are the Abyss Flame, which your enemy Trevan uses, Ebony Ice, which his cousin and Deonta's personal enemy uses, then there are Devil Lightning, Death Water, and Loathing darkness, all of which we can't currently find.
Kikyo: The remaining for the light side are the Royal Water, which Elzoria, a girl Andre and Deonta both know uses, then the Phoenix Flame, Linex Ice, and Blessed Light, which again, we can't find. There's also another element.....
The Twin Dragons' father drops down in front of everyone stomping hard, sending a wave of energy across the ground that makes everyone step back.
Man: Traitors! My own daughters!!
Kikyo & Kogome: Father!!
A silhouette of the man stands, and as the dust clears, they see him more clearly. He was wearing a Chinese warrior outfit, adorned in lots of gold and purple. Andre steps forward.
Andre: Who're you?
Man: I am General Lee, the man who will defeat you.
Dre: Oh fuck no....
Diamion: What is it?
Dre: If this is who I think it is, we're in trouble. You're General Tao Lee correct, the one who fought in the Vietnam war?
G. Lee: Yes, that is me, you must have had a stay in the military to have known that. Then you know what you are up against unlike your friends here.
Dre: We've got to be careful with this, he's taken down army platoons by himself, without a single weapon.
Andre: You've got to be kidding me.
Deonta: They seriously have somebody like this working for them?
Jenny: You've got to be joking.
Rasheed: You're shitting us right?
Dre: I wish I was.
Diamion: And just how are we supposed to beat him?
G. Lee: Figure that out while you fight me.
Back to the library that Jenny and Elzoria are sitting in.
Jenny: We got through that fight, and he ran off with his daughters, we ended up beating them again, but the point is, that power Andre has, even though it's his, he's not in control of it. We even found out about another power, this 15th element that is supposed to show up when all of the other powers are aligned, a power combined with dark and light, the "Divine Darkness".
Elzoria: And we're all just pieces to the puzzle that allow this power to be awakened. Are all of the powers aligned right now?
Jenny: Actually, yes they all are. We don't know who has that power, but then again, we don't know who the other six hosts are in the first place.
Elzoria: But if they're all fighters, then we should run into them somewhere at one place and time, but our focus at the moment should be how to get to Andre, and stop him, or at least to find Sasuke for some answers. But we still don't know where the hell he is right now. I think we should leave and start questioning some people.
Jenny: I'm not sure if that's going to work, what are the chances that anyone in this area knows who he even is?
Elzoria: Every fighter has fans.
So Jenny and Elzoria head out looking to see if they can find anyone who might know where Sasuke is going to be and how they can catch up with him.
Chapter 8:
Murderous Rage
Deonta and Andre have both been rampaging for three days, tearing down buildings, destroying military equipment, all by the whim of the dark powers controlling them. Neither able to stop the dark shadows within themselves, losing even more control of themselves. Deonta however was nearby Richie and Rodney, picking up on their energies. He decided to go right after them, while Andre was still searching for Sasuke's energy, trying to find him.
Deonta appeared in front of Richie and Rodney who were in the middle of training themselves outside of their home. He looked right at them.
Deonta: Hello boys, it's been a while.
Richie: (Immediately recognizing the difference in Deonta) Shit, he's just like Andre was a few days ago.
Rodney: Get ready Richie, here he comes!!
Deonta: Now you can really put what he taught you to use!!
With blinding speed Deonta elbowed Richie in his jaw, and punched Rodney in his stomach. Then he threw Rodney into Richie, and geared up for his "Demon Wave". They crashed into a thick tree, and both fell to their feet. Deonta hit the ground sending the wave of ice huge right at the boys. Richie and Rodney quickly jumped to avoid the attack. The wave hit the tree freezing it.
Rodney: What the hell?
Richie: I'm glad that didn't hit us.
Deonta: Don't be too happy!!!
Richie turned his head toward Deonta just in time to see his fist before it connected with his skull, sending him toward the ground head first. Rodney tries to run over to help Richie, but is caught with a strong knee to his chin. Richie hops back up, but has his hands engulfed in blue flames, and his power has increased just like when he trained with Andre. His eyes started to glow with the blue of his Sapphire Flame.
Richie: Come on Deonta, let's get serious with each other.
Deonta: Good, just what I wanted out of you.
Deonta felt the same spike of energy come from Rodney, who was now getting back to his feet, his eyes the same ruby color as his Ruby Lightning.
Deonta: Good, just what I wanted out of you, fight me right now!
Richie and Rodney both charge right at Deonta with their hands holding their power, ready to attack. Deonta stood still, wanting to see what they could do in their heightened states. Their combined energies were about even with him at the moment, so he felt it would be a good battle. Rodney flipped high into the air, while Richie continued on the ground. Rodney threw a strong bolt of lightning down at Deonta while Richie had slung a huge ball of fire at him. The attacks collided with Deonta's body and a huge cloud of smoke floated around. Rodney landed next to Richie, and they were both watching diligently to see if they scored a direct hit.
Deonta walked out from the smoke cracking his knuckles, and his neck as if nothing happened. Then he stood waiting from them to make their next move. Richie & Rodney advanced in on him again, this time building even more power into their attacks. Deonta just stood smiling, knowing what their next moves were going to be. Rodney punched for Deonta's head, and Richie went for a kick to his ribs, Deonta vanish from between them and let them hit each other. Then he dropped down and punched both boys in the head, knocking their faces into the pavement, knocking them out.
Deonta: You boys impressed me. Your attacks actually hurt. I'll leave you to become stronger. I want to fight you like this again.
Deonta leaves them, and goes on a rampage at Andrews Air Force Base. Tossing soldiers, breaking their vehicles, destroying military property. He left the base in ruin, with all of the soldiers and their commanders laid among the waste. He locked onto a dark energy signature, it was Trevan, apparently he was beginning to awaken to his power. He quickly transported himself to where Trevan was. It was an empty road, but he was still in Kyoto.
Deonta: You, your power is finally beginning to wake up.
Trevan: I know you're not him, so stop with the theatrics, I'm not an idiot.
Deonta: But I assure that I am him. His body is mine, I'm in complete control.
Trevan: You may have the body, but you aren't Deonta, though I despise him as well as his friend, I know the difference between your energy signatures. You're only a small fragment of the fuck's personality. How do you expect to beat me?
Deonta: Test me, see if you can handle my power.
Trevan: If I take on an enemy, I want to face the truth of them, not some charade that thinks it can do some damage.
Deonta: Well, since you won't make the first move.......I will!!!!
Deonta quickly runs in on Trevan, and lands an uppercut on his chin. But Trevan didn't just take the hit, he gave one back in the form of a downward knuckle punch to Deonta's head. Deonta jumped away after feeling the force behind the attack. It was much stronger than Trevan had been in the past. Deonta smiled, knowing he was about to fight a decent opponent, only wasting his time until he could find Andre.
Andre had just finished demolishing Fort Meade's Military Base when Sasuke revealed himself again. He was somehow back in Kyoto, but it didn't matter, with the dark power Andre had, he teleported himself there.
Andre: I'm glad to see that you're going to be serious this time Sasuke.
Sasuke: I knew you were onto me. How does that power feel to you?
Andre: I'll let you see for yourself.
Andre didn't hesitate to throw a Crimson Wave at Sasuke, whom dodged it and ran straight toward Andre. Upon reaching Andre, Sasuke kicked for his body, and his leg connected, but Andre grabbed him and started swinging him around. Andre tossed him into the air and jumped behind his twisting body, grabbing him and then spiraling downward aiming Sasuke's head for the ground. Andre let him go just centimeters before making contact with the Earth beneath. Sasuke's face hit the ground and his body went through the cement walkway, leaving a hole the shape of his body behind. Andre just stood waiting, knowing that Sasuke could still fight.
Andre: Come out, I'm not so easy to trick.
Sasuke climbed out of his body print with his clothes torn and ripped up, but he himself was still unharmed. He just stood there with a smirk on his face.
Sasuke: Well Andre, I'll say that you've improved greatly, You're pretty much even with me, this should be interesting.
Sasuke dashed quicker than lightning over to Andre, burying his right elbow into Andre's sternum. Andre retaliated with a right hook to Sasuke's jaw, then he jumped and kneed him in his chin, following up with an elbow to the left side of his head, on his temple. Sasuke spit blood out, splattering across the ground. Sasuke returned fire with a headbutt, and knee to the chest. He then kicked Andre in the stomach, driving his foot deep. Andre grabbed Sasuke around his throat and threw him across the field. Sasuke landed on his feet and Andre stood up staring directly at him, more intense and more determined than before. Andre and Sasuke start running toward each other with their fists ready to pound in their faces.
During their battle, Deonta was fighting Trevan with their levels of power steadily increasing. Now Trevan has been consumed by the power of the Abyss Flame, and Deonta is testing out his power. Trevan is standing with his clothes torn hunched slightly over, gripping his chest with black flames rising out of his mouth every time he exhales.
Deonta: You have fought pretty well up til now, but I'm done playing around with you, I feel the power of the person I truly want to stomp nearby, we're done here.
Trevan: Huuuuuaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!
Trevan screams screechingly loud as he runs toward Deonta, his eyes blackened as if his soul were dead. He punches for Deonta's face, trying to score the final blow, but Deonta ducks the punch and retaliates with a powerful iced uppercut knocking him out and breaking his jaw.
Deonta: Garbage, just like I always thought you were.
Deonta left Trevan laying on the ground, passed out. Deonta left, vanishing quickly, and reappearing only to see Andre knocking Sasuke out. Andre turns to Deonta, knowing that he was already there. The two stare each other down, knowing that they are the only opponents that they sought for this fight. The only ones who could take each other in a fully even battle. The darkness between the two of them beckoning them to rip each other apart. They stood eagerly ready to dismantle one another. Familiar friends, but foreign enemies, they knew this battle would one day come, but they didn't know it would be this soon.
Deonta: You are the only one who will be able to fight me on my level. The only one who deserves destruction by my hand!!!
Andre: No one else is worthy of my full power. No other opponent is powerful enough to withstand my unleashed force, I will kill you!!!
The two combatants run head long toward each other, and the sky starts crying, tears of the heavens falling down upon them, along with the wrath of hell in the form of huge bolts of lightning. They met in the center of the field and their fists crashed into each of their faces sending a loud bone smashing sonic boom through the air, blasting Sasuke's body away. He took this chance to escape back to his hotel room in Washington, DC, to make his move and take out their friends while Andre and Deonta concluded a fight that they didn't want to have.
Even though their bodies were fighting, Andre and Deonta's hearts were not in that fight, they wanted nothing to do with that battle, but they had no choice in the matter, their bodies were taken over by the evil deities that lived within them. The parts of themselves that they never knew fully. Forced to watch as they hurt each other unwillingly. Their true emotions felt by the sky, clouds, and the Earth beneath them. Andre uppercut Deonta only to receive a knee to the side in return. Then Deonta flipped and kicked Andre in the face, stumbling him back, and Deonta drop kicked him in this throat with both face, making Andre spit out blood as he hit the ground. Andre grabbed Deonta's legs and rolled himself over making Deonta fall on his face, and Andre punched him dead in the center of his spine.
The two hopped away from each other quickly, and retook their stances while watching closely. Andre jumped at Deonta who stood ready to attack. He came down with a hard right hand, Deonta crouched under it and stuck him with a quick left handed jab, knocking him back. While falling backward, Andre had already charged his Crimson Wave, but on his left hand instead of his right, and hit the ground sending it at Deonta before he was prepared to move, and burned up his clothes, leaving them singed and tattered Deonta quickly repaid the favor by getting behind Andre, grabbing him and jumping up into the air with him. He swung Andre around as they were ascending and threw him down full force making Andre crash into the ground. He jumped back up as Deonta descended downward for his head, narrowly keeping his skull from being broken into the pavement. Andre punched at Deonta with a flame engulfed fist, but it was blocked by an ice covered hand. Deonta tried to attack Andre, but his hand was caught as well, and they stood there in a stalemate.
Then something curious happened, Andre's eyes reverted back to normal as did Deonta's, even though the deities were still in control of them. They could see directly into each other's souls, as well as the internal struggle that they both shared. But their eyes quickly regained the evil that was within them.
Andre: You will die!!!
Deonta: Not until your carcass is buried in the dirt.
During their battle, Sasuke is putting his scheme into action he hunts those who are closest to the boy so that they wouldn't be able to help them. His first targets are Richie and Rodney, the boys who train under Andre. Rodney is the first to notice the huge level of energy that Sasuke has and turns his direction.
Rodney: Shit!
Richie: Who is this guy?!?
Rodney: It's him! That's the guy that Andre fought!!
Richie: This is Sasuke? Shit, I thought that he'd be bigger.
Rodney: Richie, don't underestimate this man's power, he's for real.
Sasuke: Yes, listen to your younger brother. I'm interested in your power though, it's very strange.
Richie: What about our power? Leave us alone.
Sasuke: Don't worry, I'll leave you alone as soon as you're dead.
Sasuke powers himself up, and in response to the situation and the need for their newer heightened power, Richie and Rodney's powers unlocked themselves.
Sasuke: Oh, boys, you didn't have to do this for me, I'll crush you anyway.
Richie and Rodney flew at Sasuke together, both trying to kick him from opposite sides at the same time. He simultaneously deflected both of them. While flying back, Richie threw his "Sapphire Blast" while Rodney threw the "Ruby Blast" at Sasuke. He jumped into the air leaving the attacks to connect and blow each other up. There was a hole left in the ground where Sasuke had been standing. Sasuke landed nearby and still stood ready for their next attack, which didn't take very long to start. Richie started running toward Sasuke while Rodney jumped high over his head coming down with his hands radiating his Ruby Lightning. Richie threw another "Sapphire Blast" which Sasuke blocked away, only to be punched hard in his face with Richie's right hand. He stumble right back into Rodney's attack zone and got floored with Rodney's "Diving Strike" technique. Smoke shot up and both boys jumped back away from Sasuke, waiting to see him move. Once all of the dust and smoke cleared, they looked and saw no one, but they knew that he wasn't beat.
A blast of dark energy shot up from under Rodney and hit him in his mouth, knocking him away. And was that happened Sasuke jumped out punching Richie in his face, knocking him into a tree. Sasuke ran in at Richie ready to put him out of his misery, but Rodney shoulder tackled him from his right side.
Rodney: You okay Richie?
Richie: Yeah, I'm good.
Richie and Rodney again advance in toward Sasuke together, both with their hands backed by their explosive power. Sasuke was having fun fighting them, seeing what they were capable of doing, but he decided that he was finished toying around with them. Sasuke flashed right in front of both of them, hitting them in their stomachs, knocking the wind right out of them. Then he uppercut them both, hitting Richie first then Rodney. Richie flipped back up and kicked Sasuke in his jaw, and Rodney quickly tripped him while Richie was still in the air, which made Sasuke fall on his back. Richie was falling down with his right hand ignited punching toward Sasuke's body, and the attack connected, Richie's fist was digging into Sasuke's sternum.
Sasuke felt the pain, but still wasn't daunted, and flipped Richie and Rodney around, Richie landing on his face, Rodney on his back. Richie tried to jump up but got his head punched down, bouncing off the ground, knocking him out. Rodney tried to come to him brother's defense, but received the same in the form a kick. Rodney's head was stomped into the ground.
Sasuke: Well boys, you put up a good fight, but it's time that I end this......
Girl: Nooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sasuke was tackled from behind by a young girl with an unspeakably forceful lightning attack. It was Erika, and she was now standing face to face with Sasuke. She had planed on meeting the boys here to do some training against them.
Erika: LEAVE THESE BOYS ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sasuke: So Erika, you want to die too? Oh well...
Erika: You will back away from them before I break you fucking neck!!!
Sasuke: Tsk,tsk,tsk. Such a beautiful young girl with her whole life ahead of her, but so fucking stupid. I guess I can do away with you quickly.
Erika: (charging in with her body covered in lightning) Do away with THIS!!!
Erika flew into Sasuke and rammed him into a tree. With her body covered by her element, Erika's power doubled while her speed tripled, a technique that she was saving for fighting Deonta. The move is called the "Raikou Shinjou" translated to be "Lightning Body". Erika hit Sasuke in his mouth, chest, neck, and stomach with near mach speed. She then kicked Sasuke straight through the tree, and ran behind him, keeping up with the speed that his body was flying. She wrapped her arm around his neck while still running, and slammed his head into the hard soil. His body was still standing straight up and she pummeled him with nearly a thousand strikes. Erika then jumped back and charged all of her power into a gigantic ball of lightning energy.
Erika: You don't deserve to live you bastard!!! Coming after these boys like that!!! Unfortunately for you, I was coming here to see them!! I don't take child abusers lightly, and you shouldn't have underestimated me either!! Now you get to taste the power of my strongest move!!
The huge ball of lightning that was being held by Erika was being concentrated into a smaller, tighter orb of solid energy.
Erika: This is over. Brightness Gale!!!!!!
Erika shot the orb of energy right at Sasuke's body, and the attack connected and exploded into a bright enough wall of energy that could've blinded anyone, even with the best quality sunglasses, almost the intensity of a solar flare. Once the energy disappeared, Erika collapsed to her knees looking around at the destruction she caused, the field of trees that were in front of her were now nothing but ashes and there was a massive crater left in the ground.
Erika: I did it, he's dead.
Sasuke: Who's dead?
Erika looked over her shoulder in fear for the realization of Sasuke's power. She wondered how he was even able to withstand all of that punishment, even the "Brightness Gale", and still be alive, much less able to walk. He stood with his clothes torn to pieces.
Sasuke: You are a very talented fighter, I'll give you that, but your best bet was to keep your energy to sustain that attack you began with, I wouldn't have been able to touch you. And yes, your last move was powerful, much more powerful than most fighters your age would have been able to even comprehend much less use. Thank you for showing me how to defeat you though, and I enjoyed the display of power, but this game of ours is over.
Sasuke kicked Erika in her face knocking her toward the tree she broke with his body. She hit the ground and tumbled all of the way to the stump that was left and hit her head on it. She tried struggling to her feet, but Sasuke dropped feet first down on her stomach and then punched Erika in her face to knock her out.
Sasuke: You impressed me enough that I'll leave you and the boys alone. There's potential with you that I could possibly use. I've got others who need my attention, I guess I should head back to my hotel room to change my clothes. Sayonara.
Sasuke left for his hotel room to which he could feel four very strong fighters coming his way. His guess was that they were connected to Andre and Deonta, so he made himself look presentable, then sat and waited for them in the living room area of his suite. Soon he heard a knock on the door, and he happily jumped up to open it for his guests. On the opposite side of the door stood Diamion, Adrian, Dre, and Rasheed, all pissed off and angry, ready to lay Sasuke to rest.
Sasuke: Hello gentlemen, please, come in.
The group proceeded to enter Sasuke's room and all of them took a seat, waiting for the Japanese man to give them some information.
Sasuke: Well, I guess it is safe to say that this isn't just a social visit. You're all here to get info on what happened to Andre and Deonta correct?
Diamion: Yes, we want to know what you did to them. Why did you involve yourself with them?
Sasuke: To be painfully honest, I did nothing to them that wasn't already going to happen, all I did was speed up the process. Those two boys have an inner darkness within them that right now, is fighting for control of their bodies. I want to see them achieve that power, so that I can have a worthy opponent to battle before I go after those who I am truly hunting.
Adrian: So my little brother and his friend are just fucking being used? I'm going to break your face in for this shit. And for all that you did to Jean's family!!!
Sasuke: Why Adrian, do you really feel that way for your brother? Or is it a front to make people think that you care? And who is Jean, oh you mean the Delargo boy who's father and mother I killed. They were skilled fighters, they were prepared.
Diamion: Push any of us the wrong way and this hotel room will be your grave.
Sasuke: Now gents, you certainly don't think that you can beat me do you? Even if the four of you fought me together, you'd still lose.
Dre: You really need to know when to shut up. Any one of us could split you in half.
Rasheed: You've wronged us and our friends in a way that cannot be let go, so don't act all damn cocky.
Sasuke: If you really feel like you can beat me, then follow me to the roof of this hotel. I would fight you in here, but I do want to have a bed to lay on when you lose.
Sasuke lead the four men out of the hotel room up to the roof of the hotel. Once their he separated himself from the others in his blue and black business suit. While they were walking, Diamion and the other's were thinking of the strategy that they had originally created to fight Sasuke.
Diamion: We've got to come up with a way to handle this guy, I'm sure he's powerful beyond our expectations, which is why Andre and Deonta had a hard time with him.
Adrian: I've got a couple bones to pick with this dude anyway, a fighter I met while I was in New York is after him as well, for killing his parents when he was 13. If I get the chance to end him here, I'm taking it.
Dre: Let's not allow our emotions to rule this fight, it's probably what he'll be banking on, and we don't need that to be the deciding factor.
Rasheed: Do what you want, I'm going after him with everything that I have when I see the time to do it, just stay out of my way.
Diamion: I think it's best that we let Adrian and Rasheed do in first, they're more offensive fighters anyway, and their techniques are better for closing in on an opponent than either of ours are.
Adrian: I'm fine with that, I want the first hit anyway.
They see Sasuke go through the door to the rooftop of the hotel, and they follow him through it, he turns around to face them and see what they are bringing.
Sasuke: This will only take a few moments. For the group of you, I shouldn't even need to use half of my power to win.
Diamion: You're underestimating all of us.
Sasuke: From what it seems, you are underestimating me. Out of the four of you, Rasheed has the lowest level of power.
Rasheed: You can't be serious, Adrian and I are near even.
Sasuke: He's been hiding his real power, it's much closer to that of Dre and Diamion. But as far as skills, you have him beat. That's what balances the two of you out. Now gentlemen, please come so we can get this over with.
Adrian: I'm going in first.
Adrian quickly charges Sasuke in an attempt to dishevel him. He closed in with his right hand covered in a sword like lightning sword, the "Scorcher Blade". This move is a variation of his mother's "Divine Blade" technique. Adrian swung his bright yellow blade at Sasuke who blocked it with his hand covered in darkness energy.
Sasuke: This is a pretty deadly looking sword, but I remember saying that all four of you need to take me on at the same time.
Sasuke threw Adrian right back toward everyone else. He stood waiting for them to put together a collaborative effort. Diamion and Dre had already started preparing their projectiles and Rasheed was running head first in Sasuke's direction, Adrian quickly followed after landing on his feet. Diamion through his "Crush Wave" as did Dre his "Mizu Kire", sending a wave of rock and flying blades of water at Sasuke behind Adrian and Rasheed. Adrian jumps over Rasheed to gain momentum with his "Scorcher Blade" on Sasuke, and Rasheed uses his wind ability to make himself run faster as well as powering two big whirlwinds on the ends of his arms.
Sasuke started calculating in his head how long it would take each attack to make it to him and what he would do from there. It looked like Dre's water attack would make it first, followed by Adrian's, then Rasheed's and Diamion's would make it at about the same time. Sasuke sidestepped Dre's attack, then grabbed Adrian by his arm and threw him toward a pipe, stepped forward toward Rasheed and punched him the face knocking him into Diamion's "Crush Wave" attack. Diamion and Dre that time were standing on opposite ends of Sasuke ready to punch his lights out, he ducked and their hands knocked into each other, then he kicked them both away. Now he had everyone apart from each other, he could quickly end fighting them as he felt two more presences nearing, but these he knew exactly who they were.
Diamion: Looks like the test round is over, time to play some hardball.
Sasuke: What do you mean?
Diamion: We all held our power back Sasuke, you didn't really believe that were so weak did you?
Sasuke: That's fine for me, I was only a small dose of my power. This just gives me more fun to have.
Diamion: Good, cause we're ready to start playing the game.
Sasuke: What!?
Dre: We already knew that we weren't as strong or powerful as you, but we're not the pushovers that you thought we were. Combined, our powers have a much better chance of ending you.
Diamion: Get 'em!!!
Adrian tackles Sasuke from behind and tosses him into the air. Dre and Rasheed throw their projectile attacks at him while Diamion jumps into the air planning to body slam him. Sasuke blocks the wind and water attacks that were thrown at him, but he is hit directly by Diamion who punched Sasuke in his stomach hard with a huge boulder on his hand sending him downward into the roof.
Dre: Get ready, there's still more.
Sasuke jumps back out from the hole that he was sent through, and he wasn't his pleasant self as before. His facial expression was nothing short of pissed off.
Sasuke: You boys might want to use your full power now, I've lost my patience with you.
Rasheed: Here it is!!!
Diamion and the others readied themselves for Sasuke's power, hoping that they'd be able to do some damage to him. Sasuke unleashed his power further, and it was felt for miles. The two people who were on their way to his location started to close in much fast than they were before. Sasuke was prepared for the situation if he had to face all six of them together. He only needed to use his third level of power for the four men, and if the girls showed up, he'd only increase it a bit more.
Diamion ran at him first to strike, he swung at Sasuke's face, and missed completely, but before Sasuke could attack Diamion, Dre blocked his attack while Rasheed and Adrian hit him from opposite sides, Rasheed with a kick, and Adrian with a punch. Dre then hit Sasuke with a strong uppercut to his jaw as Diamion punched downward at the top of his head, rocking his brain. Adrian stepped forward and hit Sasuke with a hard elbow in the side of his head, which was followed with a roundhouse kick by Dre to Sasuke's chest sending him flying away from the group.
Sasuke still hadn't increased his power anymore, but he felt the force of their attacks, and he knew that he would beat them. His only concern at the moment was if he would be able to beat them before his other two guests showed up as they had gotten very close to his location, giving him only three minutes to finish the ones who were in front of him.
Meanwhile Andre and Deonta were still going at it with their clothes ripped up and them bleeding everywhere. Andre had stunned Deonta briefly and was hitting him with a quick barrage of punches to the chest and stomach, his last punch being a powerful flame engulfed right hand to Deonta's face. The attack threw Deonta across the field sliding across the muddy, wet grass. He flipped himself back up to his feet and saw Andre closing in for another punch. Deonta sidestepped and hit Andre a gut punch and right handed ice uppercut knocking him off his feet, then Deonta jumped and did a spinning kick, striking Andre in his sternum, sending him back across the field tumbling across the ground and sliding to a stop on his face. Andre stood back up with his eyes glowing and his fangs shown in anger. Deonta and Andre again ran head on at each other, with trails of blood left on the ground they crossed, and they both hit each other right in the face, then grabbed one another by the throat, trying to choke the life out of the other.
They both released their holds and started slugging it out with each other, the sounds from the blows earth shattering. Eddy and Huck stand in the mansion watching the battle with looks of shock and fear on their faces.
Eddy: Could you imagine fighting them now?
Huck: We'd be dead if they cared that we're here. I hope Sasuke knows what he's doing.
Eddy: I know he's strong, but is he as strong as these two are right now?
Huck: Maybe, maybe not, but I know he doesn't want us involved any further.
Andre kicks Deonta in his ribs and gets a knee to his jaw in return. They locked hands trying to overpower each other. And again the power stays, but their eyes return to normal briefly. The stalemate continues and neither fighter is backing down.
Returning to Sasuke and the others, Diamion, Adrian, Dre, and Rasheed are all still standing, and Sasuke is out of time before the other guests finally show up. Jenny and Elzoria bust through the door on the roof to find Sasuke and the others already fighting.
Sasuke: Welcome ladies, come, join the party.
Elzoria: That's just what we were planning to do!!!
Elzoria jumps at Sasuke first and gets kicked away toward Diamion and Dre, whom had already started advancing toward him. Sasuke powered up again as Jenny gave him a punishing kick to the side of his head, making him roll forward as Diamion and Dre both sent their projectiles at him. The attacks connect and Elzoria gears up for he "Shotgun" attack. Sasuke senses her power increase and knowing the attack that coming, throws a huge ball of dark energy at Elzoria, forcing her to stop the attack to dodge his. Jenny throws the "Radiant Shards" into Sasuke's back, stunning him long enough for Elzoria to hit him with a barrage of "Shotgun" blasts.
Sasuke increases his power again, just enough to tip the scales in his favor. Jenny tries to attack him again, but gets thrown into Adrian and Rasheed whom were closing in for their own attacks. What Sasuke didn't know was that Crystal was on her way too, Elzoria and Jenny found her at the hospital along with Jenny's younger brothers, and she wanted revenge. Sasuke had just taken down Elzoria, Diamion, and Dre while the others were still recovering.
Crystal was only a few feet from the rooftop exit where she was feeling all of the different energy levels, and she flashed back to the hospital, sitting wit her sister who was nearly killed. Erika laid in the hospital bed very beat up, and sore. She has bruises in places she didn't even know existed, and her ribs were shattered. She had told Crystal of the fight she had with the short, Asian man. Crystal was beyond pissed to find out what happened. Elzoria told her about the fact that she and Jenny were after Sasuke themselves and could use the help.
Sasuke: Looks like this is it for you, you're all beaten with my next move.
Suddenly, two huge walls of rock come slamming together on Sasuke, and they form a case around him. Crystal walks up behind Diamion and Elzoria. Her face expressed emotions no words could ever truly equal.
Crystal: You bastard, are going to die!! You hurt my sister, and know I'm going to make sure that you break!!
Sasuke broke loose of the hold that the attack Crystal used had on him. He started to smile again, he was having fun with this battle. He had stepped his power up to nearly his full potential, feeling that he had no choice with the addition of Crystal to the battle. He liked the odds of seven against one though. He was especially happy with the expression that Crystal had, he knew she meant business.
Sasuke: You sister is a very talented fighter, she took me on by herself, and had the upperhand for a short while. She had impressive powers, much like your own and the others standing here. And like her, none of you are even close to being a match for me.
Crystal: WHAT!!!
Crystal ran first followed behind by everyone else. Sasuke started plotting the order he would take them down in. Crystal and Diamion combined their control of Earth, and ran with a stone wall covering them and the others. Elzoria geared up for a more powerful move than her "Shotgun", Jenny did the same. Dre, Adrian, and Rasheed started working on combining their elemental attacks in a huge energy ball, part water, lightning, and wind. Sasuke was watching each and every one of them closely, he knew Diamion and Crystal were brewing a surprise. Elzoria's power went up even higher than Erika's did when her fought her, but not nearly as much as Andre or Deonta's power had, and Jenny's power was equal to her's.
The Earth wall was sent at Sasuke, he punched it and it crumbled over his hand. Elzoria and Jenny had both finished building their energies for their attacks.
Elzoria: Machine Gun!!!!!!!!!
Jenny: Ice Rain!!!!!!!!!!
Elzoria punched her right arm forward once and hundreds of blasts, all equivalent to the power of one Shotgun attack were sent flying at Sasuke, while Jenny who had been holding her arms up, threw them down, making hundreds of Radiant Shards come down on top of Sasuke's head. Both attacks landed solidly, but that wasn't it, Dre, Adrian, and Rasheed had finished combining their powers, and threw the oversized ball of energy at Sasuke while the other two attacks were still going on. A huge explosion of white light covered everything while they all stood looking to see if they had taken Sasuke down. Sasuke still stood there, unharmed, and untouched by that massive attack.
Sasuke: Is that all that you have? Some cold water and a light show? I could have had the same thing if I would have stayed in my hotel room. My turn.
In a dark blur, Sasuke punched out Jenny, elbowed Elzoria in the side of her head blacking her out, he kneed Adrian right in his gut from which he pass out, chopped Rasheed in his throat knocking him out, and kicked Dre deep in his stomach winding him as everything faded out. Then Sasuke stopped and looked around for Diamion and Crystal, the two that went unaccounted for. Then from both sides, to bodies of rock came flying at Sasuke, he caught them and threw them away, but still didn't see any sign of Diamion or Crystal.
The same attack was again launched at Sasuke, from opposite sides, and he again deflected the attacks. Than two from above him, which he caught, but he before he could throw these away, he was hit from the front by two others. The rocks went off the side of the hotel down toward the dumpster. Diamion and Crystal still kept themselves concealed. Sasuke was still standing on the roof, and was still unhurt. He walked to the middle of the rooftop still looking around to see if he could spot them. Then a huge boulder came flying down from the sky, and Sasuke punched right through it. He locked onto their positions, and quickly drew them out with energy blasts at both of their locations.
Sasuke: You two are dangerous together, you know that, but you won't be defeating me tonight, not now, not ever.
Diamion: It's people like you that give me a reason to fight. I won't let you get out of this fight uninjured.
Crystal: Neither will I!!
Sasuke ran at them as they ran at him, both using all of the remaining energy that they had left. Diamion and Crystal both punched at Sasuke with their fists covered in earth rock, and scratched both sides of his face. As he hit the two of the right in the mouth, ending the fight.
Sasuke: You were right, I did get injured, but just barely.
Sasuke went back down to his hotel room to change his clothes and left them all knocked out on the roof. He changed his clothes, and started preparing to leave his room again, but he didn't get the chance to make it that far. The next person who stood in front of him was one of the best fighters to walk the face of the Earth, Iris Ratchford.
Sasuke: Well, this is quite the surprise, I didn't think I'd be running into you here.
Iris: I followed the stench, it lead me right to you.
Sasuke: I just beat your two of your sons and a slew of their friends, yet you're willing to take me on by yourself?
Iris: They aren't near my level of training yet, nor are they as skilled as me, I know you know who I am, and I know who you are, so let's cut the crap and get down to business shall we?
Sasuke: I was hoping that you would say that.
Chapter 9:
Coming to the Light
Sasuke and Iris square off, looking at each other, ready to begin. Darkness versus light, a battle of supreme masters, which side is strongest? Sasuke stands smiling while Iris keeps a stern look upon her face, ready to break Sasuke when he lets his guard up. Iris stands defensively and waves Sasuke forward. He obliges her and runs in without a second thought.
Sasuke: I was hoping to find you soon, thank you for making it easy for me!!!!
Sasuke throws a punch for Iris's face, but his arm is easily deflected, and she chopped him in the throat with her right hand making his eyes bug out of his head and him spit out blood. Then she hit him in his chest with three strong punches and kicked him away from herself. Sasuke slid back still standing, but his shoes left a trail of rubber on the carpet ten feet long.
Iris: I understand that you may have beaten my sons, but you still have no idea how strong I am and what I'm truly capable of.
Iris stood still waiting to see what Sasuke was going to do, up to this point she had only been using a little bit of her power, more than enough for anyone who had underestimated her before. Sasuke was about to fall into that same group unless he quickly changed his strategy. She kept that same look on her face, and Sasuke still remained with his seemingly teenage smile. Sasuke again charged in head first at Iris attacking. This time he tried a hook punch to her body, but Iris quickly stepped to the side and grabbed Sasuke by his face then slammed him on the back of his head cracking the ground and disturbing the people below.
Sasuke rolled himself back and jumped to his feet with his ever remaining smile. He was enjoying fighting a master fighter, something that he hadn't done in a while. The motions that she used with her attacks were so elegant that he had to give himself a chance to study them up close.
Sasuke: You are more than just a well calculated fighter, the moves that you just used on me could easily have killed me. Why didn't you use the force that was necessary to put me away?
Iris: Killing you won't change my son or his friend back. I'm here to give you a warning, you may have awakened the darkness in those two, but there's more to them than even you know. By now I'm sure your plan has lead them right to each other and they're fighting as we speak. Which is why you came here, to disable anyone who may have tried to help.
Sasuke: Have you ever been a detective Mrs. Ratchford, because you have excellent skills of reasoning and deduction. But I don't care about whatever else there is to them, I'm after someone much bigger and far more powerful than them, and far more powerful than you. A man with a mechanical red eye, and the ability to drain a man's power. A German man with no fear, and no heart.
Iris: So, this man must have defeated you, humiliated you, and now you are using those two in order to prepare yourself for fighting that man again? You are more dumb than I thought you were. You saw their potential and you think that your skills will be able to beat them? You're out of your mind.
Sasuke: Yes, he beat me, and I want to challenge him again. I knew he would get stronger, so I have to fight opponent's with the same type of demeanor and disregard for the world. Forcing Andre and Deonta to face the powers within themselves awakened the parts of them that carry those traits. They are the perfect candidates for my new and most powerful techniques, and only one of them will be able to feel that power, whichever one of them survives their fight. I know that their elements are entities to themselves, that's exactly what I wanted, those deities know moves that Andre and Deonta wouldn't be able to perform normally because of the amount of years and time training it would take to master them.
Iris: Just remember what I told you, there is far more to them than the darkness you helped unearth, be prepared for the consequences of your actions.
Iris stopped speaking about the matter and just readied herself to fight again. Sasuke knew that she was looking to get down to business, and didn't want to disappoint her. Sasuke took off at Iris even faster than Erika did at him, but Iris had already within that time created her "Divine Blade" and waited for Sasuke to be close enough to be hit. When she saw her chance, she swiped the blade at Sasuke, and he avoided a direct hit, but he still got cut on his left arm. The pain he felt was indescribable, this attack had hurt him far more than any other move he's ever felt.
He wondered what that blade's power was exactly, how could the cut hurt him so much with so little power being used? He looked at Iris again who had the same look on her face since she first laid eyes on him. Sasuke went back at her again, and got the same thing on the opposite arm, he fell down and slid across the floor. Sasuke stood back up and looked at Iris, but his looked had changed, he wasn't so happy anymore.
Iris: I see that you like my technique. The "Divine Blade" which I'm no doubt sure that you saw my son Adrian's version of this attack. Both are deadly and will leave the victim with a lingering pain. At face value, both attacks are the exact same strength, but what my attack does that which Adrian's can't, create little pockets of energy in the affected area of the opponent's wound and leave a stinging pain for hours, maybe even days. And the pain is behind belief, unspeakable even.
Sasuke: That...is something that you're right on. I've never felt such pain before. Even from the strongest opponent's I've face have never been able to make me feel like this. How could you do so much with so little power?
Iris: It's taken me year's of practice to get to this point, and I know that my children will go even farther than I have, my daughter will carry on my legacy, as will her two older brothers, but Andre, he'll create his own legend, and you're the start of that. I've seen this all already, and I know what happens, I'm not who I am for no reason.
Sasuke: I can agree with you there, you are the person you've become because you chose to be strong. I've chosen to be stronger!!!!!
Sasuke runs again at Iris, and has his hands engulfed in dark energy as he rapidly approaches. Iris knows what he's doing but goes along with it anyway, she swung her blade right at his hands. Sasuke caught the energy blade made of light, using both hands to fight it back, while Iris only uses the one arm to press with.
Sasuke: (thinking) How can she be this powerful? She's only using one arm with that attack and yet I'm struggling just to stop it with both of my hands. Is this her legendary power?
Iris: Sasuke, stop thinking so hard. If you plan on being able to beat Andre and Deonta, then you'll need to be able to beat me.
Sasuke: What did you just say?
Iris: You heard my words exactly, you plan on standing a chance, you have to beat me. I don't want them to have an opponent who can't even beat an old woman.
Sasuke: As you wish.
Sasuke started to push Iris's arm back, but he was still on wrong side of the fight, the losing side. He knew that Iris was only toying with him while he was using his full power, it irritated him, putting him back in that position like before, with THAT man.
Sasuke has a flashback of his fight, the one that changed him, an opponent who defeated him with very little effort. Sasuke was lying on the ground after being nearly wiped out.
Sasuke: How can you be so powerful? Where did you gain so much strength?
Man: Like you, I too was faced with an enemy who I didn't know how to defeat, and like your power, there is is an air of darkness swirling around me. I want that power, the power to become a GOD!!! The unstoppable energy that claims my every desire and thought. You too shall be consumed by that mind set, and when you've achieved that power, we will fight again.
Sasuke looked up into the glow of his mechanical devil eye, and knew that his words were true. That moment defined who he wanted to be as a fighter, and made him become who he is now. Now Sasuke was facing the same situation against a fighter who may be even greater than the man he fought before. He wasn't going to lose this time.
Sasuke: You know, you remind me of HIM. I'm surprised that I'm even able to say that. But one thing you won't do that he did is stop me.
Sasuke pushed Iris's arm back even further, forcing her to use both of her hands to keep herself at an advantage. She was getting the fight that she wanted out of him, pushing him to his true limit, so that he knew that power when he faced Andre and Deonta, so that they would be pushed to there true limits as well. She did all she had to do, but still wouldn't reveal to Sasuke that she was holding herself back.
Sasuke: You are a very well known fighter, famous for being the Strongest Woman Alive, but that doesn't make you stronger than me.
Iris: Good, I want you to be even stronger for your fight because they need you at your best.
Sasuke: Stop talking and fight!!
Sasuke broke the blade of light with his hands, and punched Iris in the stomach, then kicked her back. He closed in for another strike, but was surprised with a hard elbow hitting him right in his vocals cords. Iris then quickly stepped behind Sasuke and wrapped her arms around his body them performed a german suplex, followed by a jumping german suplex, and rolled to her feet after dropping Sasuke on his face. Sasuke stood up, and had his smile back on his face.
Sasuke: I see all of those fights with your husband paid off, you incorporated some of his wrestling techniques into your fighting style, but I shouldn't be surprised, your eldest son did the same. Now that I think about it, wasn't your husband defeated by the same man as me shortly after you began you run as the Champion on the Bloodstorm Tournament? I do recall your husbands famous "Crasher" technique being used by that man, but his was far more efficient for causing damage. Shortly after fighting HIM, your husband retired from fighting.
Iris: I'm sure that he too will have to deal with the wraith of my son just as you will. That fight is not for me to take on. It's my job to make sure he is prepared for anyone who comes along, but I'm sure after he beats you, he won't need me anymore.
Sasuke: You truly are confident in that failure of a child you raised aren't you?
Without a word or thought, Iris had grinded her hard knuckles right into Sasuke's chest, knocking all of the air from his body, and causing the ground and walls to shake with earth shattering force, nearly knocking him out.
Iris: Don't you ever call anyone in my family a failure, especially not my children, I'll bury your body and eradicate your soul from this existence.
Sasuke: Gotcha.
Sasuke had built a highly powerful charge of dark energy in his hands and hit Iris with it at point blank range, sending her though a wall into the next area of his room. Sasuke, though he was in a lot of pain, smiled even harder. That is, until he saw Iris walk back out towards him, then his face became serious.
Sasuke: A blast like that would have killed anyone else, and I didn't even KO you. You are one tough old bitch.
Iris: Now if Andre or Deonta were to hear you say that, they'd have killed you where you stood, but as for me, it means nothing. Let's just continue this fight.
Andre and Deonta are still waging their war in the stormy field, both having sustained life threatening injuries, and heavy bleeding. Their clothes are ripped and torn, but yet neither is conceding in the least, and both seem to be getting more powerful. Deonta has just recently knocked Andre down, who is getting him back up to his feet.
Andre: Why, why won't you stop, why won't you lose?
Deonta: I won't stop, I'll never lose, not to you, I won't quit.
Andre: Neither will I, not until you are face down and lifeless, not until I eradicate you.
Deonta: You'll die by my hand, and I'll enjoy watching you fall after I've ripped your heart from your chest.
They both run right at each other, and land direct hits against their ribs, then chest, face, temples, and end by knocking each other away with two extremely strong hand punches from with they both bounce across ground flipping over laying on their faces. Neither is able to move at this point, but both still have a will to fight. They struggle back to their feet slowly, looking at each other, having tears in their eyes, crying not from the physical pain, but from the emotional pains that they are suffering in this battle. Inside Andre's soul, he speaks with his shadow, the demon who holds his body captive. Andre is binded by a crimson red energy barrier.
Andre: Why won't you let me go, please, just let me go, he's my best friend, I don't want to kill him!!!
Shadow: It's the fate that you resigned your body to when you called upon me for power. After he dies, my power will quadruple and I'll have more than enough to obliterate Sasuke for you.
Andre: I'd rather just fight Sasuke on my own, the price for the power is too much.
As this argument inside Andre continues, so does the fight in Deonta. He's being held up on an imaginary table, tied up with dark blue ropes of evil energy.
Deonta: You're telling me there is nothing that I can do to stop you?
Shadow: No, there is nothing, you are my prisoner from now on, simply because you choose to use my power instead of making it on your own. The demon inside of your friend is my twin brother, and we have been waiting for thousands of years to take revenge on the clan that Andre's family belongs to, and in order for that to be complete, either one of you has to die. It doesn't matter to us, we will come again anyway, with the next generation that is capable of holding our power.
Deonta: I'm not a member of Andre's clan. There isn't any connection between us other than our friendship.
Shadow: And that is the key. The curse we've placed on his clan isn't just for them, but for all of those who they care for. You as big a part of his power as you are apart of his family, whether it be by blood or not, you are linked, and forever will be. Now my brother and I have some business to get back to.
Deonta runs at Andre, and shoulder rushes him, driving his body into Andre's chest, and still running until he crashed him into a pillar on Sasuke's mansion. He jumps away, leaving the imprint of Andre's body in the pillar, though he pulls himself out. Andre's concentrates his flames to his hands once more and heads at Deonta. He stood with his power ready to block what Andre's hands were about throw at him. Andre leaped high into the air, and dove down with a strong, hard kick aimed at Deonta's ribs, which was anticipated, but as he closed in, Andre switched from the kick and punched at Deonta's face, leaving him with little time to deflect the attack, while Deonta was still defending the first move, Andre double kicked him in his stomach and flipped off of Deonta, landing on the ground and throwing his favorite attack, the Crimson Wave right across the ground at him. Deonta answered wit his Demon Wave, and stopped in place, he stood looking at Andre.
They both again ran to each other to battle once more. Deonta landed two punches to the gut, Andre returned with a knee to the stomach and hard downward to punch to the face, then Deonta hit him with a staggering back elbow, and jumped kicking him in the mouth. Andre spun off from the attack and kicked Deonta in his neck, then spun around and punched him down. Deonta rolled backward and jumped to his feet, still staring at Andre. The frustration was mounting, but neither fighter was falling, though they both knew that one of them should have been beaten by that moment. The will power of the both of them was keeping their bodies from falling, even under the control of the demon energies living within them.
They rain washing over them only made the scene more tense, as with their bodies being of wet and heavy, each hit felt tens times stronger than it normally would. The shadows were getting tired of the resolve of the boys, wanting for one of them to fall, so that the other could absorb his energy and finally execute their revenge. Both powers run toward each other and lock fists in combat, punches, kicks, elbows, knees, chops and headbutts. Anything that a fighter could think to do, they did, and they began talking while brutalizing each other.
Then something snapped inside both of them, the control that the demons had over them was starting to fade, their eyes went back to normal, and didn't return to darkness. They both started speaking to the shadows of themselves.
Andre &
Deonta: You really thought that you could defeat me that easily? I may not be the strongest fighter in the world, but I'm not a weakling. I don't need your power, and I will not accept killing the best friend that I'll ever have. I'm not giving up, I'd rather die in control of myself than destroy someone so important to me against my will. You no longer have control over me, or my body.
Andre & Deonta break themselves free of the binds that held them in place, the darkness became light, and their energies increased beyond that of the dark power they held. From the inside out, their darkness was pushed back, and they realized their abilities to rebuke the evil that was controlling their minds. The power of their hearts over took the darkness, and they were released of their inner prison. Both fighters collapse next to each other, and lay there recovering from the intense fight they just had breathing heavily, and highly damaged and bruised.
Andre: Deonta.....
Deonta: Yeah.....
Andre: We're......back.....
Deonta: Good.....
Andre: Too bad....though....we don't..... get to keep their moves......
Deonta: Yeah....it sucks.....but we're still here.....at least......
The two began laughing as they laid there recovering their power, meanwhile, Sasuke and Iris we're still fighting, and the battle was locked dead even. Iris was aware of the change in their energies, feeling the darkness fade from them, she figured it would take them a few moments to regain their power. She also knew that she had taken Sasuke to his limit, and now that he knew it, he wouldn't have any problem pushing himself there to fight Andre and Deonta. The only thing was that she hoped that their limits would be enough to help them survive the battle and defeat him.
Sasuke could sense that Iris was distracted, but he wondered why, he even began wondering if she was fighting him at her best, or if she was waiting for some sort of trump card. Her previous words still lingered in his mind,"there is far more to them than the darkness you helped unearth". He was baffled by what that meant. Did they possess some other power that Sasuke wasn't aware of? He decided to deal with that issue later, and to focus himself on beating Iris, as she was far more dangerous and powerful than he first had thought.
Sasuke: Stop daydreaming and fight me, you don't have time to think about anyone or anything else but the person you are taking on.
Iris: I'm not daydreaming Sasuke, I have a surprise for you that I was going to wait to use, but now feels like a good time to use it.
Sasuke: Show me then, don't keep me waiting long.
Iris started powering herself up to do one of her strongest, most devastating techniques. The ground started to shake around them, as her energy made the air around them even vibrate strong enough that you could physically see the ripples. In her right hand appeared a small ball of light with a very high level of density. One would guess that the ball itself weighed at least 80 pounds.
Sasuke stood with a look of shock and amazement on his face, but he also smiled. He heard of this move before, but didn't think that he had forced her to have to use this technique. The name escaped him at the moment, but he was sure that she was pulling out the stops on him now, she took him as a serious opponent, which made him even more excited.
Sasuke: I've heard of this move before, and I've studied the technique behind it, you concentrate a high level of power into a small ball of energy that is both very heavy and deadly. The level of density in that small ball of power that you have is enough to level a skyscraper if used properly.
Iris: That would be improper use of my moves, this is a technique that I plan on teaching Andre and Deonta once they have achieved the level of power to be able to handle it. It took me ten years to refine this attack, they'll master it in one month when the time is right.
Sasuke: You have such high hopes for two people who will be dead in the near future, but then again, I guess that's what a mother's love is right?
Iris: Come closer so I can show you what a mother's love can do.
Sasuke decided to go against his better judgment and ran headlong into the attack which was so happily prepared to be used against him by Iris. Sasuke used his energy to make a shield around his body, to cover any point that she may attack. He was closing in on her very quickly now, and Iris was still standing in wait patiently. Though the attack wasn't at it's full power, it could still heavily damage Sasuke, and wake him up to what he will face after their battle is over.
Iris: Divine Soul Wave!!!!!!!!!!
Iris punched Sasuke in his stomach with the ball, and the blast of condensed energy shot out of his back, disappearing into the distance as it shoots out of the large glass window. Sasuke's eyes were bugged out, and he stood there in shock at how strong the attack actually was. His pupils had dilated to the point that his vision went away briefly. He was shaken that she could create that much force with her power, no matter how much more powerful an opponent may be with her, if that move is refined enough, it could stop anything. Sasuke fell to his knees, his insides feeling like that were being torn open from the inside out, but yet he still had a will to fight. This woman has the power and the technique to defeat the man who humiliated him, but he wondered if she would be able to defeat him. Sasuke felt that if he could defeat her, then he would be that much closer to winning his battle with THAT man.
Sasuke: You are amazing, more powerful than any other opponent that I have faced, but I will not lose!! I won't lose to you, and I won't lose to him again!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sasuke stood back up, and his power increased again, Iris had accomplished her goal, she could let him win this fight. She smiled, which confused Sasuke a bit, but either way, he knew he had this battle won, he didn't think that Iris was capable of repeating that attack, though she honestly was able to.
Sasuke: Looks like this is the end for you, thank you for all that you've done in this battle, you've pushed me to my limit, but I'm ending this right here and now.
Sasuke had enveloped his power around his hands, and speedily closed the distance between him and Iris, hitting her with both of his hands, and all of his energy, knocking her to the ground, believing that he incapacitated her. Sasuke went to the inside of his room and rested a bit to recoup his energy. Iris sneaked out of the room, and went to the roof to check on everyone else.
Back at Sasuke's mansion, Andre and Deonta had fallen asleep in the middle of the field, and the rain had ended. Huck and Eddy walked over to them slowly, wondering if they were alive or not as they couldn't hear the conversation the two previously had before nodding off. They had no idea that though the two boys hadn't opened they're eyes yet, that they were awake, and they were standing over them.
Huck: Do you think that they're alive?
Eddy: They may be, but I can't tell if they are breathing or not, if they are breathing, it's very shallow.
Huck: I guess that they could still be alive, even so, they're knocked out if they are.
Andre: Think again fellas.
Huck &
Eddy: What!?!?
Deonta: We're alive and very much awake.
Andre and Deonta jumped up from their backs, still cut up and bruised, and stood ready to fight Huck and Eddy. They both seemed extremely happy, none of the evil energy that they had exhibited earlier seemed to remain. This made Huck and Eddy feel a little bit better about the challenge, the power that they were previously using was gone, and they were injured, the fight should be a win.
Andre: Come on boys, why are you still hesitant?
Deonta: We're both hurt, and our power is less than what it just was, come on, you can even get the first swing.
Huck: We may not be the world's greatest fighters, but don't think little of us.
Eddy: You haven't actually seen us at our best.
Andre: We'll then, show us.
Deonta: I've been waiting for this.
Huck & Eddy stand against Andre & Deonta in a stare down. The group stands still and silent, just measuring each other up. It seems that the rules have been already established among them, take out the opposing pair. Andre and Deonta slid their feet forward an inch, Huck and Eddy steadied themselves, feeling the aggression that they're opponents are showing. Andre started to make the first move, he did a classic attack which he had been using a lot recently, he flipped high into the air toward Huck. Deonta meanwhile began running right at Eddy and slugged him with a hard right, knocking him away from his partner. Huck turned their direction in response to the speed of the attack, but Andre soon dropped down on him with his flipped ax kick, and punched him in the center of his skull, then he flipped him backward and missile drop kicked him in his stomach, knocking him in the same direction as Deonta and Eddy.
Eddy slid back on his feet a pretty long distance, nearly 8 feet, and Deonta was right behind him, before Eddy could make a move to even defend himself, Deonta jumped up and kneed him in his nose, then kicked down into his stomach, and then spun around and punched him downward knocking his head toward the ground, but Eddy stopped just before his face hit the ground. Andre following behind Huck, was running their direction. Deonta and Eddy were fighting blow for blow, Deonta gaining more momentum as they fought, and Huck tackled him down sliding across the ground, squared up, ready to start punching, but Andre quickly jumped over his head and mule kicked him right in his jaw, knocking him back, Andre rolled to his feet just to have Eddy punch him right in his mouth.
Deonta stepped up to kick Eddy, but his attack was blocked and he was elbowed in the back by Huck, then Eddy kicked him in the stomach. Andre recovered from being stunned by Eddy's kick, then punched him in his throat, and pushed him into Huck to knock them away from Deonta. Huck flipped toward Andre and punched for his head, Andre caught him by the hand and threw him away, but Huck landed on his feet and ran back at Andre who was back to back with Deonta now as Eddy was running at him too. Huck dove for Andre's head, and Eddy slid at Deonta's feet, so feeling Andre's movement to go backward, Deonta leaned forward as Eddy got closer, when the two were close enough for them to avoid the attacks, Deonta had bent forward as Andre leaned backward on him, Huck flew over Andre's head, and he flipped kicking him upward, while Deonta jumped just enough to get his legs out of the way and punched Eddy in his nose while flipping himself off of him.
Andre jumped up toward Huck, and Deonta kicked Eddy in his head, bouncing him across the ground like a rock on a pond. Andre grabbed Huck by his legs and swung him downward quickly to start descending to the ground fast. He then positioned himself with his legs around Huck's neck, and his arms around Huck's waist in a pile driver position, falling at 50 mile per hour. Eddy quickly hopped up and saw the distance and speed that they were falling, then made a move to try to save Huck from the disastrous crash that was about to happen. Deonta was running at Eddy as he was running for Huck, Deonta tried to hit Eddy, but he blocked the attack and pushed Deonta away, whom quickly reversed his direction trying to stop Eddy.
Deonta was closing the distance between him and Eddy as he got closer to Andre and Huck. Eddy drove to try and knock Andre out of the air, and off Huck, but Deonta grabbed his foot as he was closing in and threw him down to where Andre was going to land. Eddy landed face first right in the dirt, and Andre dropped on his spine with Huck's head. Both of the gentlemen were knocked unconscious from the attack. Andre jumped off of them and stepped back to where Deonta was.
Andre: They were a lot tougher than what we fought them as, but they aren't nearly as good a team as we are.
Deonta: I'm surprised, where did we get all of this extra power?
Andre: I'm not sure, but I know that I like this. I just wish that Sasuke was here, he's the one we really need to fight.
Suddenly Sasuke appears right in front of them standing with a black suit on, red tie, and a pink shirt. He had his usual smile on.
Sasuke: You rang gentlemen? What can I help you with tonight?
Chapter 10:
Beginning of the End
Andre and Deonta stood staring at Sasuke, but not with fear or aggression, but with determination, and what almost seemed like admiration. Sasuke could feel the difference in the two of them, but he still was unsure of what the change was, but he could tell from looking at his two minions who had been knocked out I in the middle of the field, they were a lot stronger than before. He couldn't help but smile.
Sasuke: You two are really something, you know that? I wouldn't have guessed that you'd break the hold of the dark energy on yourselves and return to normal even stronger than you were before. There is a level a calm to the two of you that I hadn't seen before, it intrigues me.
Deonta: Well Sasuke, if you're so curious, why don't you try us out?
Andre: I'm sure that we'll surprise you, I know I have a few moves that you still have yet to see.
Deonta: Even without the teleportation technique that those darklings had, we're still very capable of planting you face down in the dirt.
Sasuke: Big words for a pair of pups, alright then, show me what you can do.
Andre &
Deonta: Gladly, here we go!!!
Andre and Deonta dash at Sasuke nearly as fast as he had at Iris in the hotel, he was a bit shocked, but not unprepared. He knew that they were planning a joint attack, but he doesn't think that they even had time to discuss it before he showed, seeing as his two pupils were recently beaten. The only answer to that is that the two have become synced with each other. Andre came at Sasuke from the left with an uppercut, Deonta came from above diving down with a kick, Sasuke quickly jumped back to avoid both blows, seeing if Andre and Deonta would hit each other. Andre pulled his arm back and stepped away from Deonta just in time to keep them from both colliding.
Sasuke: I see, the two of you have become synced, even without talking, you know what the other is planning to do and can use that knowledge to attack me together, well this will be fun, come at me.
Sasuke stood still watching them as they approached slowly, walking toward him. Just that quickly, Andre and Deonta we're both gearing up for their ground wave attacks.
Andre: Crimson....
Deonta: Demon....
Andre &
Deonta: Wave!!!!!
Sasuke jumped high to dodge the moves, but neither of them completed the attack, and both jumped up behind him. He realized they had learned a bit more than he thought, but he didn't feel threatened in the least bit. While descending and nearing the boys, Sasuke prepared an attack that he just recently created. He created to balls of darkness in his hands, and dove at the two of them.
Sasuke: Darkness Bind!!!
When they were within his range, Sasuke locked them both in rings of dark energy, preventing their attack. They all landed on their feet, Sasuke watching them, wondering if they were immobilized or not. Andre & Deonta both willed themselves free of the binding energy just as quickly as it had been attached to them. He was sure that his move would hold them long enough for him to plan another attack. As it stood at the moment, the two of them had him steadily increasing his level of power, starting from his lowest level to about his third..
Deonta sensed that he was a bit confused, and nodded to Andre to acknowledge that they were both on the same wavelength about the next moves. They both began running after Sasuke again, he in turn did the same. Andre jumped into the air with his flip special, an attack Sasuke has seen before, while Deonta on the other hand continued running at him. Andre's kick was blocked, and he attempted the punched which Sasuke again blocked, Andre went to flip himself backward, and Sasuke went to block that attack as well, but couldn't because Deonta had grabbed him around his waist. Andre kicked Sasuke dead in his chest while Deonta jumped backward with a flying german suplex driving Sasuke's head into the ground, then Andre quickly grabbed Sasuke by his legs and spun him around, tossing him into the air like a frisbee, and Deonta threw a "Demon Wave" in his direction which he landed on as he neared the ground.
Andre: Looks like that may have gotten his attention.
Deonta: You think?
Andre: Absolutely.
Deonta: If you say so.
Sasuke stood up, his body was in pain, but he wasn't sure if it was from the combination of their attacks, of from his earlier bout with Iris. But the way Andre & Deonta stood started to make him think that they had done it.
Sasuke: Are you two really this strong now? How could you have gain so much power so quickly?
Andre: You!
Deonta: I hate to say it, but he's right, you are the reason we've gotten this strong Sasuke.
Sasuke: Well then, I'll end you now so you know there is no hope of you defeating me.
Andre: Here he comes.
Sasuke basically flew at Andre and Deonta before they could put up a guard, and slugged them both, making them roll and bounce along the ground until they crashed into the side of his mansion. They both stood back up and were greeted by Sasuke's right fist and his left knee, Andre getting hit across the face, and Deonta in the gut. Sasuke then kicked Andre away, and lifted Deonta over his shoulders, then slammed him on his back against the concrete. Andre tried to help him but was grabbed by his head and had his face crushed into a pillar of the mansion, then was thrown to the ground like a rag doll. Deonta flipped and kicked at Sasuke, but had his leg grabbed and was tossed into the air, then Sasuke grabbed him and flipped spinning Deonta in mid-air, throwing him at Andre like a twisting torpedo, slamming head first into Andre's stomach.
They both slowly stood back up, still with smiles on their faces. Andre and Deonta again nodded at each other, then ran for Sasuke. He just waited to see what they were cooking up. Deonta jumped at him spinning with a strong roundhouse kick, Sasuke blocked the attack, but the sheer force of it created a wind blade that shot off quickly into the distance, and Sasuke felt the pain in his arm. Before he could take notice, Andre was in his defenses, performing a move that he had only so far, seen Elzoria do.
Sasuke: What are you doing, that's not your technique!!
Andre: Sorry buddy, but it is, who do you think taught it to Elzoria in the first place?
Sasuke: No!!!!
Andre: Shotgun!!!!!!!
Andre hit Sasuke right in his chest with a huge flame blast, knocking him at least 20 yards away. Sasuke's shirt was burned to ashes, all that remained were his slacks. Andre stood with a big smile on his face, while Sasuke grimaced
Andre: See, while her's is better as a projectile attack, mine is awesome for close range use. It's far stronger than her attack is anyway. This is something that I should have used against you before.
Deonta: You are a geek dude, did you have to give him an explanation?
Sasuke: Thank you for that Andre, you just gave me a bit more insight into what your mother told me, right before I crushed her.
Andre: What!?!?
Andre's power spiked up, and he blinked to where Sasuke was, shoving his elbow deep in to Sasuke's abdomen, followed up by Deonta hammering him with a strong downward punch, both of them kicked him in the stomach, stepping deep into his body before he was pushed away by the force of the attack.
Sasuke: (thinking) So what she said was true, they don't take the thought of someone hurting her lightly, their power increases even if it's only for a brief moment, not a mistake to make again.
Andre: What's the hold up Sasuke?
Deonta: We know that you have far more power than what you're using against us, stop holding back, fight us for real.
Sasuke: (standing back on his feet) I guess you boys are right, I'm robbing you of a golden opportunity lose against the best fighter the world has ever known.
Andre: I'm going to quote to you what a great fighter I know told me, "Never underestimate any opponent, and never think that you are the best." Don't become conceited in your own ability, there is always someone who can knock you off your throne.
Deonta: And we're that someone, or better yet, those someones.
Sasuke: Well then boys, show me.
Andre and Deonta run at Sasuke, but this time, they hold on to their elemental powers as they charge in, knowing that Sasuke is being more serious about them. Andre throws the first attack, but gets punched right in his mouth, Deonta tries to sneak a punch on Sasuke, he gets grabbed and thrown into around at mach speed, they both slide across the ground leaving a huge trail of mud. They both stand back up, looking right at Sasuke.
Sasuke: Do you boy know exactly why I chose this location for my mansion? Look at the sky above you. You may not have noticed it before, but the atmosphere of this area reacts to the power of the beings in it. The area covers up to 2000 meters, which is exactly the amount of field there is behind my home. I've blocked anything further of from being able to enter. Nature at it's darkest.
Clouds of rain and thunder appeared behind Sasuke, while the area above Andre and Deonta stays the same. They look up and only smile.
Andre: Well Sasuke, that means one thing to me, I'm nothing like the scum that you are.
Deonta: Meaning that we don't need the dark energy that you need in order to be great fighters.
Sasuke: You? You're not great fighters, you nothing but trash that I found and helped along. Understand this boys, you are only as good as I allow you to be.
Andre: Really?, you sure do talk a lot Sasuke, where's the action?
Deonta: I'm getting bored just standing here looking at your ugly face. Let's get this going.
Sasuke: As you wish.
Sasuke takes the offensive heading after Andre and Deonta, they both stand in defensive positions for the approaching attack. Sasuke throws his arms back while running, creating a huge ball of dark energy in each hand. Andre starts emitting flames in a circle on the ground around him, Deonta creates a mist of frost around himself, both building up for their counter attack, only waiting for Sasuke to be close enough. Once they feel Sasuke is in too deep, they throw their moves.
Andre: Crimson Eruption!!!!!!
Deonta: Demon Explosion!!!!!!
Both boys smash the ground with their hands, sending a gigantic wave of flame and ice at Sasuke who was barely a foot away from them when they attacked, he swung his arms forward to block the wave of energy. The powers of the attacks meshed together, both sides still pushing to have their power win out the battle, but Sasuke still has the upperhand, forcing their attacks to flood right back at them along with the dark energy he provided. Andre and Deonta narrowly dodge the attack and make a move to go after Sasuke, but when they get to where he was, he's gone.
Sasuke drops down on top of Andre and Deonta's heads with his knuckles being driven right into their skulls, making their faces plant themselves right in the ground. Sasuke picks them both up by their collars and throws them into the air, then begins building and energy ball between his hands. He throws the big ball of energy that them, connecting and knocking them farther away from the mansion. Their bodies bounce off of the wet ground and their faces lay in the mud.
Sasuke walks over to Andre and Deonta, holds one of his hands out, preparing the finishing blast. He smiles at them, having enjoyed his fight, but knowing that it must come to an end.
Sasuke: I'm sorry I have to do this boys, but you both have to die, I can't be easy on you like I was with the others, you may come back to beat me, even kill me, and I can't have that.
As Sasuke's energy ball is nearing completion, Andre and Deonta's auras change, sensing it, Sasuke stops his attack and jumps away. He looks on, wondering what is happening to them, then a glow of light shoots off from them, cutting through Sasuke's dark clouds. Both Andre and Deonta stand up, and their eyes have changed, but this time, not to the darkness that was hidden within them, but to the light that they've always shown.
Andre's eye were silver, shining like a blade of steel, and Deonta's eyes were white, more pure than the wings of an angel, but their eyes also showed retribution. Sasuke's mind replayed Iris's words " There is far more to them than the darkness you helped unearth". He was starting to realize exactly what Iris meant when she told him that.
Sasuke: So, this is what she meant, these two can harness the power of light as well as the power of darkness. I should have figured it out when she was talking, how could I have been so blind when the answer was right in front of my face.
Andre: That's a question that you'll have to answer at another time.
Sasuke looks up and Andre hits him right in his face knocking him away 20 feet. Deonta gets behind him wrapping his arms around Sasuke's shoulder and neck, then jumps up into the air spinning at a high velocity, then sending Sasuke down into the dirt. Deonta lands next to Andre, both glowing with light energy.
Sasuke gets back up and runs straight for them, hitting Andre first, then kicking Deonta a distance away, he elbows Andre in the stomach, then the throat, knees him in his ribs, and uppercuts him away. Deonta comes back trying to kick him, and gets shouldered in the chest, then grabbed and slammed on his back from an over the shoulder throw, Sasuke steps down on his throat, kicks him off the ground, and then step kicks him away.
Andre tackles Sasuke, then mounts and starts punching him face in. Before he can get in the last strike, Sasuke grabs his arms and uses his right hand to blast Andre off of himself. As he stands, Deonta throws a "Demon Wave" into Sasuke, to keep him off balance while Andre recovered. Sasuke jumps for Deonta, but gets sideswiped by Andre with dropkick in his rib cage. Andre flips back to a standing position, with Deonta.
Andre: You've hurt far too many people for me to allow you to win here.
Deonta: You'll regret having ever started this battle.
Deonta attacks Sasuke with an ice covered fist, just to be countered with a punch to his own jaw knocking him away, Sasuke stands up waiting for Andre's next attack, which comes in the form of a "Crimson Wave". Sasuke deflects the move directly at Deonta, he dodges it, and Andre tries to come down on top of Sasuke's head, but he's hit dead in his stomach, causing his eyes to bulge, and making him hear a buzzing noise. Deonta goes to save him, and gets kicked in his mouth, sent rolling backward rolling across the ground. Sasuke throws Andre over next to Deonta, landing flat on his back.
Sasuke: I guess fighting at my full power wasn't a waste, you two have shown me that I can always improve my technique.
Andre: You've just shown us both....
Deonta: .....that we're stronger than you are Sasuke.
Sasuke: What!?!?
Andre: We weren't fighting you to the best of our abilities.
Deonta: We've been holding back this whole time. Individually, you would have easily beaten us.
Andre: But we're far too strong for you together. It's over Sasuke.
Andre and Deonta fully power themselves and rush Sasuke, Deonta landing the first combination, headbutt, kick to the mid section, punch in the kidney, roundhouse kick to the jaw, and an ice punch to the chest knocking him toward Andre. Andre kicks him in his spine, grabs him by his arm, slams Sasuke on his face, and throws him across the field as he and Deonta begin charging up for their heighten wave attacks. Sasuke lands on his feet, battered and bruised, but ready to to block their move. The ground starts rumbling and the rain pours heavier while the lightning starts striking right next to them.
Sasuke: Violent Abyss!!!!!!!!!!
Sasuke throws an extremely powerful dark wave of energy at Andre and Deonta, they return fire quickly striking the ground.
Deonta: Demon Explosion!!!!!!
Andre: Crimson Eruption!!!!!!
Andre sends a silver wave of fire with Deonta's white wave of ice, they both meld together. The wave of flame and ice meets with the darkness wave. The forces battle out, each side struggling to maintain it's hold. Sasuke's wave begins tearing through the powerful wave Andre and Deonta made.
Sasuke: You'll lose this battle, and be among the defeated just like everyone else.
Andre: I'm.....not giving.....up!!!!!
Deonta: I.....won't......lose!!!!!
With one final push of energy, the light wave of flame and ice overtook the darkness wave and hit Sasuke head on, killing him. His body laid on the ground, lifeless. Andre and Deonta came down from their light energies, and walked over to Sasuke's body.
Andre: Looks like in the end, you couldn't do it Sasuke. Whatever you were fighting for just wasn't enough.
Deonta: Let's go man, we're a long way from home, and we need to get training. There's nothing else we can do here, it's too late.
Andre: If he were still able to get back up, he'd be able to kill us, hell, at this point any baby could. But do you really think he's been beat?
Deonta: If he could move, he would have done it back now, I think that we actually beat him this time. Let's go home.
Andre and Deonta left the field, and were both greeted by one of Sasuke's servants with plane tickets back to home. They looked confused at her for a second, but then took the tickets that they were presented with, figuring that they were probably Sasuke's back up plan for if he lost. On the plane ride back, Andre questioned himself about the experience.
Andre (thinking) Did we really just end that man's life? Why did we use so much force? Did things really have to end like that? Why don't I feel any remorse?Where is the next step from here?
He was worried about the two new powers that he has been awakened to, wondering if he'd fall back into the darkness, and if he'd even be able to summon the light power again. He looked over at Deonta whom seemed to not have a care in the world at the moment.
Deonta: Dre....
Andre: Yeah?
Deonta: Did we do the right thing? We stopped the "bad guy" right, so why am I questioning myself over it? I know that he was out to do horrible things, but I feel like killing him was just taking it too far.
Andre: Well, that makes two of us, but I know we did the right thing, it's the only way that I'm going to be able to cope mentally with what happened. But I do feel like we need to take something from this experience.
Deonta: And what would that be?
Andre: That we need to maintain control of ourselves at all times. Our thoughts and our emotions need to be in check, we never know when that power will rise again, and we need to be ready to face it.
Deonta: Yeah, you're right, and I have an idea that I think will help. We need to do something, something BIG.
Andre: What do you have in mind?
Deonta: You'll see when we get home, just get ready for some intense training. Remember, the Bloodstorm World Tournament is coming up, and you don't want to fall behind do you?
Andre: Fall behind you? Never, you know you'll never be a better fighter than I am. And since you're challenging me here, you better be ready to lose when I become Champ.
Deonta: Cocky as always, don't worry, I'll show everyone who the best truly is.
Andre & Deonta arrived home to be greeted by everyone at the airport, and to also be court marshaled for all of the crimes they committed in their darkened forms. They went willingly with the police who escorted them to jail. They sat for a week before they were to appear in court for trial. They ended up acquitted of all charges due to some anonymous letter and video recording of them in fighting tournaments against the images shown of them destroying government and public property. The writer calls the secondary images imposters trying to blemish the names of the young men and asks for their release. After taking that into account, the court questioned whether the two people in front of them could have be capable of doing all of that damage, setting them free.
Andre & Deonta met back up with their family and friends, told everyone that they would go off on a training journey for the three months up to the beginning of the tournament, and that they would see everyone after they were finished. With very few words, the boys headed off to the mountain woods, and trained themselves for the tournament. They plan on surprising everyone with the new techniques that they learn. Diamion soon after broke things off with Patricia, feeling that she was only a distraction to him.
Epilogue:
Andre and Deonta have been away for two months training, and are still out, everyone else has been training themselves as well for the big up coming tournament. Adrian finally decides to challenge Diamion to a fight, to see if he got any stronger. They planned to meet in the middle of the field out back of the old apartment building, being that there was a lot more space for them to fight and use their moves.
Diamion: Are you sure you want this fight, there's time to just walk away.
Adrian: Stop acting like you're untouchable, I'm a lot better a fighter than you may think.
Diamion: Alright then, if you think that you can handle it, who am I to stop you from coming to be beaten.
Dre and Rasheed were there as well, but only stood by to watch the bout, they weren't going to be involved. Adrian made the first move, he ran toward Diamion with his fists charged full of lightning. Diamion just stood there waiting for him to make a move. Adrian jumped into the air when he was close to Diamion and kicked for his face, which was deflected, then he kicked with the opposite leg at him, Dimaion grabs his leg and tries to throw Adrian toward the ground. Adrian punches Diamion right in the side of his face, stunning him and making him release Adrian's leg, he dropped to his feet, and jumped away from Diamion.
Shaking off the daze from the attack, Diamion just smiled, and decided to not play it safe. He ran at Adrian and threw his "Crush Wave" while he was running, making Adrian over him, right where Diamion wanted. As soon as Adrian landed on his feet, Diamion hit him with a powerful punch right to the stomach, knocking the air out of him, and making a cloud of dust kick up off the ground. Adrian withsttod the blow, and returned fire with both of his hands, he grabbed Diamion and shocked him steadily for 10 seconds, then grabbed and kicked him away.
While flying backward, Diamion hit Adrian from above with a boulder, knocking him down. Adrian quickly got himself back up, as Diamion was now advancing in on him quickly, Adrian generated a ball of static electricity, and held onto it. Diamion built a wall of rock around himself while running, knowing the technique Adrian was about to use, or so he thought. Adrian molded the "Scorcher Blade" onto his left arm, and went right at Diamion. He sliced throough the rock, as it opened he hit Diamion right in his face with the ball of static, temporarily blurring his vision, and disorientating him.
With Diamion unable to determine what was going on, Adrian made his next move. He started attacking, hitting Diamion with a barrage of punches, kicks, elbows, knees, and a final punch attack to the chest sending Diamion sliding back across the ground while still standing, dragging his feet making a pair of parellel dirt trails. Diamion's vision was still blurring, but he was starting to be able to see silhouetted images. He could make out the image of what looked like someone running at him, so he figured that it was Adrian, but he still couldn't makout attacks or movements.
Adrian struck Diamion in his gut, then punched him in his mouth, kicked him in his ribs, and finally finished by flipping backward and kicking Diamion's jaw. Diamion stumbled back, still standing up, with his vision ever so slowly coming back to him. Adrian jumped toward Diamion and kicked him in his chest, then punched in the side of his head, then spun off Diamion's chest and kicked him across the cheek with lightning on his leg, knocking Diamion down, making his head bounce off of the ground. Dre and Rasheed were still surprised by what they were seeing, they didn't think that Adrian would be able to beat Diamion so badly, but yet, here he was, taking it to him.
Diamion slowly got himself back to his feet, still feeling stunned and being the unable to attack or defend. The shock of Adrian's last attack returned his vision, but it also drained Diamion of a lot of his energy. He only had one shot to end this fight and win, otherwise, Adrian had him beat. Adrian, started charging his power for his most powerful move, the "Scorching Storm".
Diamion could sense the level of power coming from the attack, and new which move it was, his vision was back enough that he could see what Adrian was doing, so he felt like it was worth as shot to chance trying his finishing move as well. He powered up for his move, the ground began quaking, and he held his hand up. At first glance, they all thought Diamion was performing a move he dubbed the "Ganseki Sumasshu" translated to english being "Rock Smash", which causes boulders to drop out of the air down on into his opponent. Adrian threw his arms down before Diamion had a chance to perform his technique, making the lightning strike around searching for him.
Diamion began running at Adrian through the blasts of lightning, barely avoiding each strike, Adrian, Dre, and Rasheed which the whole event stunned, wondering how Diamion is even moving through that attack. Diamion closed in and did his "Ganjou Danketsu", which means "Strong Combination", hitting Adrian first in his ribs, shaking the ground around them, as well as the wave of energy that came off Adrian's body, then a second punch to his chest, followed by and uppercut, and an eblow to the side, then finally a powerful punch to the center of Adrian's body, knocking him a great distance away, and ending the fight.
Diamion collasped down to his knees while Adrian laid on his back, both panting and breathing heavily, and both in a lot of pain. Adrian sat up slowly still breathing heavily and hurt, looking right at Diamion only able to hold on eye open. He started laughing, and everyone looked at him confused.
Adrian: I had that fight, I should have finished it sooner instead of wasting my time playing around.
Diamion: Well, you made it worth it, I'm gonna need the next week to rest up from this, fucking hurting everywhere.
Dre: Did we seriously just watch this?
Rasheed: Yeah, I think we did. I'm going to head home, it was a good fight, but I think they could have put on more of a show.
Dre: Yeah, they could have, starting with all of the powerful attacks first, it's unshowmenlike.
Diamion: You mean you aren't going to help us get off our asses.
Rasheed: We've got you two assholes, just wait there.
Dre and Rasheed help Adrian and Diamion get to their feet and everyone went home to prepare themselves for the tournament. While everyone else was preparing, Deonta and Andre have developed a whole new fighting style to use along with their older moves. They plan to unvail the newer moves during the Bloodstorm Tournament.
