So just off the bat,** I did not play off of Street Fighter lore nor did I care for accuracy** so you can bite me if this doesn’t follow the storyline :bgrin:. I had a creative writing project for my English 112 class and was required to write a five page fictional prose. I main Ryu in SF and was inspired by some of my favorite (and most plain) characters off of the series. This came off the top of my head, minus the parts about the tenants of karate (Thanks, Wiki!), which my prof really liked. Got an A. FTW. Enjoy!
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Gouken’s Requiem
Ryu and Ken knelt in repose on opposite sides of the meadow in reflection. The tall grass danced happily to the urging of the wind, as if in approval of what had transpired. While it had been years since either man had seen each other, they danced gracefully across the wide expanse as if they were an inseparable couple. Yet they were black and blue, muscles aching and deep cuts from each step of their bloody ballet. It had been ten years since they last sparred, since they went their own separate ways. It would only take a matter of moments and carefully calculated blows to the sternum and head for the two men to become reacquainted.
It was hard to say what each fighter was thinking as they gathered their breath, but one can only assume that the other was in awe of how the latter had changed since their last encounter. From the beginning, both Ken and Ryu were forever linked. In training, both studied the ways of Shotokan karate in a small unknown village in Japan. Master Gouken had fathered them from an early age, finding the two orphaned boys at the doorsteps of his dojo one morning. Ryu looked like every other mischievous boy in the village, while Ken bore a pair of blue eyes and blonde hair like a Caucasian foreigner. While the two looked nothing alike, they grew to be inseparable brothers.
Whether it be through their childhood adventures through the foliage surrounding the dojo or their arduous training under Gouken, the years of growing up in isolation proved to solidify the bond that they shared. They would run through the woods when they were little, pretending to be legendary warriors called upon to vanquish the evil that surrounded their home. Ryu and Ken would find a large opening in the forest and stand with their backs to each other, as if surrounded by minions hungry for their flesh and bones. In an instance, the two little boys would unleash a barrage of attacks, fighting off the air as if fists and feet swung loosely towards their tiny bodies. In those moments of peril did they then realize that at a moment?s notice, one would go to blows for the other, even if it meant risking their own life.
Seeing this passion, Gouken was quick to focus their energy how he saw fit. Largely based on Bushido and Zen Buddhism, the practice of Shotokan karate demanded both an inward and outward calmness. While the younger iterations of these two men were largely brash and overconfident, it was the wiser and much stronger Gouken who would discipline Ryu and Ken and remind them both of the Twenty Precepts of Karate, or Niju kun. While training, Gouken would recite certain tenants to his students. ?Mazu onore o shire, shikashite ta o shire,? or ?First know yourself , then know others.? During training, when his two young pupils would argue and become frustrated, Gouken would quickly remind them, ?Wazawai wa ketai ni seizu,? ? ?Calamity springs from carelessness.? As Ryu and Ken grew older, so did their ambition and thirst for adventure. At the age of 18, with Master Gouken?s blessings, the two young men set out to leave the small dojo in order to fulfill their own destinies. After their last day of training, Master Gouken left them with these words of wisdom: ?Dojo nomino karate to omou na. Karate-do no shugyo wa isssho de aru. Ara yuru mono o karateka seyo; sokoni myomi ari.? In other words ? Karate goes beyond the dojo and is a lifelong pursuit. Apply the way of karate to all things. Therein lies its beauty.
Watching his two disciples grow from rambunctious and starry-eyed boys to mature young men, it was difficult to watch them leave. As they slept through the night prior to their departure, Gouken watched over them and pondered: Did he teach them all they needed in life? Will Ryu and Ken be ready to take on the world? Gouken retained years of experience and unbridled strength, but he himself cannot fathom to predict their fates. It would be their decisions and actions that will define their legacy, and no man could ever dictate that for them. Master Gouken retreated into isolation the morning Ryu and Ken departed?
Ryu?s travels led him to a life of a roving vagabond. Always moving, always training, always learning. Ryu was the consummate fighter, looking for challenges that would help him grow not only as a combatant but also as a person. ?Danshi mon o izureba hyakuman no teki ari,? he recalls from training. ?When you step beyond your own gate, you face a million enemies.?
On foot, he traveled and met many worthy foes along his path. In India, he met a relic named Dhalsim. On his neck hung a necklace comprised of skulls from children who had died from a horrible plague. ?It?s always a grim reminder,? Dhalsim explained, ?of how life is not to be taken for granted. No life is safe from the world?s horrors.? Like Ryu, Dhalsim too was a skilled fighter. Despite being three times Ryu?s age, his arms and chest were chiseled like the mountains that surrounded his home. Dhalsim?s fighting style was methodical, always letting his opponent make their own mistakes. He fought to raise money for his village. ?While my time on this earth inches closer to the end, my work is eternal,? he tells Ryu after a sparring session. ?Bide your time well, Ryu. It is necessary to help others, not only in our prayers, but in our daily lives.?
A stark contrast to the tranquil landscape of India, Ryu found his biggest challenge in Thailand. After obliterating his competition at a local fighting tournament, his final foe was to be the merciless Sagat, the self-proclaimed Muay Thai king. Sagat was notorious for his involvement with the ever-growing drug trafficking in his town and was largely feared. His entrance to the ring was a rumpus, surrounded by drunken gamblers who gawk at his every step and young women who would throw themselves at his feet, not knowing they would most likely become one of his many prostitutes if they conceded to his power. Sagat laughed at the sight of Ryu, who stood half his size and was much smaller. ?You fool! Do you really think you can defeat me? Rather than embarrass yourself in front of my people, JOIN ME! I could use a solid and able body like yourself.? By match?s end, Sagat?s right eye bulged out of its socket from Ryu?s devastating shoryukens, his rising Dragon Punches serving as an answer to the drugpin?s requests?
Ken Masters. The name was synonymous with fighting excellence in the United States. A champion many years over, Ken?s style of Shotokan karate swept the nation by storm as he won tournament after tournament in his career. Largely unknown to the sport of competitive combat prior to his success, his name became a household name after victories against some of the most revered fighters in the country. At the tender age of 18, Ken entered his first tournament, still discussed among fighting fans as the tournament that symbolized his legacy.
Ken faced competition twice his age and size at his first Las Vegas Invitational, but this fact did not bend or break his confidence. With an at-large pool of 64 contestants, Ken proved his mettle, easily defeating each of his foes in quick succession. At the championship bracket awaited Balrog, an infamous and menacing boxer who had been banned by several boxing committees because of his unacceptable demeanor during fights. At Balrog?s last official boxing match, he continued to assault his opponent even after the final bell, landing a flurry of devastating blows to an unguarded head that left his prey unconscious for two weeks. While several of the contestants at the invitational forfeited at the news of facing Balrog, Ken did not falter.
?You must be one dumb brick,? Balrog proclaimed. ?I?m gonna smash your face to a pulp!? Once the opening bell rang for the championship match, the arena fell silent. ?This guy is as good as dead,? whispered one spectator to another. ?He?s half his size! That fuck is as good as dead!? At a moment?s notice, Balrog leapt from his stool in the corner and dashed across the canvas, hoping to overwhelm the much smaller opponent and knock him out in the first round. Waiting patiently at his own corner, Ken did not seemed fazed at all. His face was calm as an ocean?s breeze. ?Karate ni sente nashi. Gijitsu yori shinjitsu. Tekki ni yotte tenka seyo,? Ken whispered to himself. ?There is no first strike in karate. Mentality over technique. Make adjustments according to your opponent.?
Moments later, a bloodied Balrog looked up at his maker. In his haste, every hook and uppercut he threw at Ken was dodged and countered by masterful jabs and one dizzying haymaker to the chin. After being knocked out the first time, Balrog, in his frustration, charged Ken one last time and wound his last punch so far back that his arm could have snapped off his shoulder. At the sight of this, Ken quickly snapped his fist into the air, stopping Balrog in his tracks with a perfect straight in between his eyes. Balrog stood motionless for a second after that final blow, only to crumple onto the floor like the disappointed gamblers who largely bet against the unknown fighter?
The two fighters regained their footing and met at the middle of the pasture. They still could not believe how the other had grown. Ryu, in good sportsmanship, extended his hand to Ken?s. ?You?re an amazing fighter,? Ryu conceded. ?Master Gouken would be pleased.? Ken smiled at his brother?s assessment. ?You?re not bad yourself,? Ken said. ?It?s good to know you?re still training hard.? They stood for a moment in handshake, memories of their childhood flashing before their very eyes. In that moment, a light breeze blew across the open field, brushing Ryu and Ken as if an approving hand was placed on their shoulders. With eyes closed and in meditation, Ryu and Ken heard Master Gouken?s voice: ?Kokoro wa hanatan koto o yosu. Tsune ni shinen ku fu seyo.? ? The mind must be set free. Be constantly mindful, diligent, and resourceful, in your pursuit of the Way.
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