Jeffrey "OneShot" Wong	

Street Fighter 2 Alpha: Fighting a good fight




  Ryu looked at Sakura, not believing what he was seeing. This was just a high
school girl.
  "Ryu-sama," Sakura said, a bit nervous, wondering if she really was prepared
to fight someone of Ryu�s caliber. She could get hurt, badly "I have come here
to challenge you" She had to use all her willpower to keep her voice steady and
confident.
  Ryu regarded the young girl for a moment, wondering if she was serious. When
he saw the fire in her eyes, he knew she would not leave until they fought. 
  He stepped forward, into the moonlight, his young face illuminate by its eerie
light. He had his carrying sack slung over one of his muscular shoulders "Why do
you challenge me?"
  Sakura nodded, "I want you to take me under your wing and become your student.
I wish to learn from you. Let me fight you to prove to you I am worthy"
  Ryu was rather flattered that she wanted him to teach him. He smiled, his soft
features seemingly serene, hiding the incredible fighter that lay beneath "I am
flattered by your offer, but I�m also learning. How am I to teach someone when
I, too, am learning?"
  "It doesn�t matter, I still wish to have you becomg my teacher" Sakura said,
standing firm. She would not leave without fighting, even though her lbody
seemed to have ideas of its own.
  Ryu nodded as he released the carryign sack from his grasp and let it fall to
the ground in a soft thud. He then opened the top and reached in, raking out his
gloves, his movements graceful as he put them on and proceeded forward into the
middle of the field where he and Sakura would do battle.
  Sakura got into her battle stance, ready for anything. She watched intently as
Ryu got into his own battle stance, the very one her own was derived from. But
Ryu and hers were different.
  Ryu�s stance had no weakness, nothing left open for opportunity. His weight
was evenly distributed, allowing for quick movements. His arms were loose, ready
for anything.
  He nodded, letting Sakura know that the fight had just begun.
  Sakura slowly, cautiously, wearily, closed the distance between her and Ryu.
Ryu stayed where he was, waiting patiently, his eyes focused on her, especially
on her hips and shoulders.
  Her heart skipped a beat when Ryu slowly made his way toward her. She realized
she wasn�t ready for this when Ryu continued to make his way toward her slowly.
  They stopped their advance when they were no farther than two feet from each
other.
  Ryu, surpising Sakura, hopped upward and switched stances so that his rear
foot was now in front. She immediately realized that would lessen her attempts
to throw considerably.
  Seizing the initiative, Sakura crouched low and pivoted on one foot, her other
foot coming outward in a wide arc and an attempt sweep.
  Ryu casually lifted his front foot as Sakura�s attempt sweep missed its make
completely.
  Sakura quickly spun all the way around so that she would be facing Ryu again,
changin feet positions so that it would be easier to grab if she were closer.
Ryu was clearly more skilled than her. She would probably have to resort to
throws.
  Ryu switched his stance again, back to his regular stance.
  Sakura was getting frustrated as she tried to accommodate to Ryu�s changes. 
  As she was about to switch back to her normal stance, Ryu seized the
opportunity of her minute distraction and attack, lunging forward and giving
Sakura a quick front kick right to her mid section. The attack missed by mere
inches as she was forced to scramble backwards.
  His kicks are like lightning, Sakura thought. I could barely see it coming. It
was hard enough dodging. How am I going to counter attack something like that?! 
  Ryu took a step forward to close the gap between the two. The sudden step
forward made Sakura panick, thinking the attack would succeed this time in
landing,, causing her to instictively bring her arms up to protect her face,
leaving her lower half totally open.
  Ryu never attacked. He had seen her totally open but chose not to finish the
fight off. He knew she had potential. She only needed to focus more on the
fight. She needed to relax.
  "I don�t fight to the death," Ryu said, hoping his opponent would realize that
the worst that could happen is that she leave the battle with a couple of
bruises. That�s all "I�m not out to kill you. You must relax more. You are too
tense" 
  Sakura realized he was right and flushed a bit. She was an exceptional fighter
yet her skills were dwarfed by her opponents. 
  The wind started to blow, the dust and dirt blowing about.
  Unfortunately, Ryu hadn�t anticipated this contigency. The wind blew toward
his direction, the dirt getting caught in his eyes. Sakura had he back toward
the wind, leaving her eyes unexposed for the dirt to enter.
  Ryu�s eyes stung. He took a cautious step backwards, unable to see clearly.
His step backward leaved his in perfect range for a perfectly exectued spinning
kick.
  Sakura, noticing that Ryu was in perfect range for a spinning hook kick,
pivoted on her left foot as she brought her other foot around in a wide arc,
aiming the back of her right heel straight for Ryu�s face with enough power to
knock him out with a single blow.
    She was totally caught off guard, expeciting Ryu to deftly dodge it, but he
didn�t. Instead, he raised his arms to his face and caught Sakura�s leg. He then
took a step toward her, causing her to lose her balance and start hopping on her
one leg. But before she had a chance to attack, Ryu�s front leg around Sakura�s
balancing leg and kicked it out from behind her in a perfectly executed reaping
throw.
  She fell to the ground but quickly rolled backwards and back onto her feet.
She tried to hide the pain that that throw had cause to her backside when she
landed on it. That would leave a bruise.
  As the winds picked up, Ryu stood perfectly still, waiting for her to attack.
  Ryu couldn�t see out of his eyes. The dirt was blinding his vision totally. He
was at a serious disadvantage. He was grateful he had raised his arms up before
and instinctively counter attacked that hook kick.
  He closed his eyes. He would have to resort to nothing but reversals. In this
wind, his eyes was giving his a weakness.
  Sakura hadn�t see Ryu�s eyes closed. She charged forward and gave two quick
snap kicks toward Ryu�s chest, both of them easily blocked. She had noticed in
both attempts, Ryu tried to reverse her kick, perhaps attempting to do a painful
achilles hold.
  As she brought her second snap kick back, she quickly executed a jab toward
Ryu�s face, the punch landing perfectly on his chin. Ryu�s head cocked back, but
before he did, he lashed out with a kick to Sakura�s ribs, the blow coming as a
surprise. She keeled forward, gasping for air.
  Ryu fell to the ground and rolled to his feet and immeditately got back into
his battle stance, awaiting for Sakura to attack.
  Sakura, on her needs, looked up and saw Ryu�s back toward her. Her life
flashed before her eyes as she assumed he was going to execute a spinning ax
kick, but he never did. He never moved. He remained standing in his stance, his
back toward her.
  Where is she, Ryu thought to himself. He tried to open his eyes but it was no
good. The dirt had gotten into his eyes real well. He would need water to get
the dirt out.
  Sakura remained perfectly still. What is he doing, Sakura thought. Why isn�t
he going to finish me off. But she didn�t ponder on it for long as she realized
Ryu�s back was wide open. 
  She quickly got to her feet and kicked Ryu in the floating ribs, hard, before
he had a chance to react. 
  Ryu had heard something behind him but was unable to react. Pain shot through
him as he felt a hard blow land on his floating ribs, sending shockwaves of pain
throughout his body. He fell forward but quickly rolled to his feet, this time,
facing Sakura again.
Sakura eyes widened when she realized she had actually landed not one, but two
clean blows on Ryu. That made her realize something was wrong. Ryu wasn�t
fighting at his peak. She took a tentative step forward, rather recklessly. When
she realized he could have attacked but didn, she knew something was wrong. 
  Taking another step closer, she came to realize that Ryu�s eyes were closed.
  Ryu opened his eyes just a peek and caught sight of Sakura just a foot away.
Closing them again to block out the stinging sensation, he kicked forward to
keep her away from him. He realized she must be attempting to throw him. Perhaps
a little payback for him reaping her earlier. His kick missed completely, Sakura
having sidestepped it in just the right time. If she had side stepped a split
second later, she would probably have a shattered pelvis right now.
  The quickly got back into his battle stance. It was too hard to attack. Every
attack would leave him open for a counter attack. He would have to be the one
doing the counter attacking.
  "You can�t see," Sakura said, noticing Ryu�s eyes still closed. It only took
her a split moment to realize the wind was the cause of it.
  Ryu said nothing. Now his opponent knew of his weakness.
  "I can�t fight you like this," Sakura said, feeling ashamed of herself at
having attacked Ryu when he lacked his vision. 
  Ryu got out of his battle stance and stood up, trying desperately to see out
his stinging eyes, much to no avail. Ryu said, "Don�t worry about me, even
though I can�t see, it doesn�t mean I�m helpless" He got back into his battle
stance.
  Sakura couldn�t help but feel this great deal of admiration and envy toward
Ryu. Even though he is at a serious disadvantage, he would still continue to
fight. And he had even managed to land two blows that could have finished her
off if he followed up his attacks.
  Sakura picked up a rock and threw it over Ryu. When the rock landed, Ryu
turned to face toward the sound, and Sakura realized Ryu was leaving his back
completely open for any of her attacks.
  "I can�t fight you like this," Sakura said, her voice causing Ryu to suddenly
turn toward her "Ryu-sama, I�ll cover my eyes also. That way, we would be on
even ground again" 
  Sakura knew she wouldn�t be on even ground. She would be a sitting duck. She
had little experience fighting without her sight. And she lacked any reversals
or counter attacks.
  Ryu opened his eyes just long enough to see Sakura removing her headband and
tying it over her eyes. Ryu did the same, covering her own eyes with his
headband.
  With both their eyes closed, they slowly inched toward one another. As soon as
one of their arms touched, Sakura and Ryu attacked. Actually, Sakura attack. 
  Ryu simply leaned backward as Sakura�s punch missed its mark. He grabbed her
outstretched hand tightly kicked Sakura�s legs out from under her. She fell on
her rear end once again. But this time, she was unable to roll away get back to
her feet since Ryu still had hold of her hand.
  Sakura, while on her back, raise her one free hand to protect her face. But no
blow rained down on her. She waited several long moments, waiting to be knocked
out. But all she felt was Ryu�s hand relase Sakura�s other hand.
  "I forfeit," he said softly.
  Sakura surried to her feet and took off her headband. She looked up at Ryu as
he stood her, still blindfolded, his hands at his sides. He sensed her looking
up at him and he smiled, "You have come to challenge me in hopes of proving
yourself worthy of my training you"
  Sakura nodded. When she realized Ryu wouldn�t be able to see her, she blushed
and said, "Hai, Ryu-sama"
  Ryu took off the headband and put it over his forehead, his eyes still
partially closed, "Well, when you allowed yourself to be blindfolded, I realized
you are very talented, and that I would love to teach you what I know,"
  Sakura�s eyes widened. Thankfully, the wind was blowing toward her back. In a
fit of bliss at realizing Ryu deeming her worthy, she jumped up and hugged Ryu.
  Ryu smiled back and said, "I travel a lot, all around the world, looking for
fights. Are you up to it?"
  "Hai,"
  Ryu walked over toward his carrying sack and removed his gloves, putting them
away.
  "Let�s get going," Ryu said.
  Sakura smiled, filled with bliss. 
  Together, they walked off into the horizon.
  
  

I wrote this on the fly. I didn't even bother to edit it or anything so please,
don't flame me for grammatical or spellin' mistakes. It was just an idea that
was floatin' around in my head that I wanted to get rid of so I put it in
writing. Comments welcomed, if any. No need to send 'em if ya don't want. I
don't really like what I wrote...

-OneShot
Jeffrey Keith Wong: jeffwong@li.net
http://www.rit.edu/~jkw7063/fanfic/index.htm
http://www.li.net/~jeffwong/index.htm
The latter site has been updated on February 4th.
ICQ#5594272