Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ A Fighter's tournment ❯ AFTChXI ( Chapter 11 )

Scene: Fight

While the next match got set up, the Fatal Fury Team visited Team Korea's resting area. Kim cracked a small smile even with his injuries. "Well fought as usual, Bogard."

"I see you made some changes to your team this year," noted Terry.

Kim nodded. "Yes. Jhun was injured before the tournament so my pupil, May Lee took his place."

She bowed her head in apology. "I'm sorry for not listening to you earlier, Master."

"What's done is done. But keep in mind that it's alright to switch out when you are feeling exhausted. Nobody will think any less of you, Jinju."

Mary glanced at her friend and smirked. "She must be quite a fighter if she took out the Great Joe Higashi like that."

"Very funny, Mary," grumbled Joe. May Lee simply blushed lightly in embarrassment.

"We'll leave you guys to get some rest. Let's go," said Andy.

As they passed by the arena, Andy saw the Boss Team getting ready for their fight. He clenched his fist when he saw the man who killed his father, Geese Howard. Terry noticed this and sighed softly. 'Father's death has been avenged but Andy still can't let go.'

The doors on both sides of the arena were shut as the first combatants prepared to battle each other. Lin incinerated the gloves covering his arms before chuckling. "Messatsu!!"

The Hizoku warrior got into a battle stance as the first fighter on the Boss Team entered.

A powerfully built blond man stepped into the ring to face the ninja Lin from The Hero Team. Everyone knew this man and his reputation.

He was Geese Howard. The King of South town.

Geese smirked and said in voice that could be heard by the fighters. "You cannot escape from death!!"

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Out of the corner of his eye Ranma noticed a handsome, blond man clench his fist in anger. He didn't have to wonder why he did that. He knew from the previous fight who this man was.

'Looks like Andy Bogard still retains the anger and revenge in him for Geese. It's become an obsession to him. Doesn't he realize that these two things are hindering him from getting stronger? I bet he hasn't even asked himself what he's going to do after Geese is gone.'

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Mai looked at Andy and just shook her head. She had noticed his clenched fist and angry expression. She was feeling sorry for Andy because he was totally obsessed in defeating Geese.

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The Lone Wolf just had sympathy in his eyes when he saw Andy's reaction to Geese Howard stepping into the ring with Lin. Even though Geese had survived the battle with him Terry had gotten his revenge and justice. The King of South town had been defeated and humbled.

He still had hope that Andy would realize this and get stronger. Not the false strength of anger and revenge but true strength.

The bell started ringing, signaling that the match has begun. Geese decided to start things off by leaping into the air. "Shippuken!!" He tossed a small energy wave towards the Hizoku warrior. Lin teleported out of the way.

As soon as Geese landed, he fired a larger, slower wave. "Double Reppuken!!" Lin leapt over it and aimed a kick at Geese's head. The other man tried to move his arms for a Upper Body Slam but Lin's first kick beat him out of it. The Hizoku followed up with three more kicks which launched Geese into the air. Lin positioned himself and started moving his right arm in a familiar fashion to those who knew Takuma and Ryo Sakazaki. Geese landed right in the move and got hit twelve times before Lin landed a final blow to force Geese to go back.

The man got up and saw the Hizoku vanish again. 'Sneaky fellow...' Geese concentrated on only his senses and his instinct told him where Lin would strike next. He moved to the side and adjusted his body just as Lin came out to attack. "Humph!! Predictable!!" The low counter move knocked Lin away a few feet but the Hizoku got back up again.

'Time to turn up the pressure.' Geese started to run towards Lin and rolled just in time to get away from Lin's poison attack. He then performed a different version of his Reppuken. Rather than using the wind to create an energy wave towards the opponent, Geese whipped his arms for a quick close range energy attack. This move had a resemblance to Iori's Deadly Flower since both moves could be done up to three times. He slashed at Lin twice before running in for the third slash.

The Hizoku grunted as he recovered from Geese's attack. He moved in and started doing a similar move to Geese's EX Reppuken (the move that Geese inflicted upon him). Geese could not use his counters in time and had to block the moves instead. Lin kept up his attack by firing another poison blast. But he miscalculated the range of his move.

Geese grinned before initiating his counter attack. He first leapt into the air to perform a minor Shippuken to start the combo off. As the small wave hit Lin, Geese landed at the same time to start poking him a few times on the lower body. He then performed the first two slashes of the EX Reppuken before changing to another move. "Ja-ei Ken!!" He slid across to perform a three hit combo attack but instead of going for the third hit, he used another move.

"Deadly Rave!!!" Geese rushed in for nine more hits before using some chi energy to blast Lin back.

'That's some combo!!' commented Ranma. 'It's no wonder that Geese is one of the more tougher opponents. He understands how other fighters think and can use counter moves to discourage them from attacking. And his arsenal of moves allows for some deadly combos to come up. I have a feeling that I haven't seen everything yet!'

Geese waved his hand to taunt Lin. "Come on!!"

Lin slowly got up...

There is only so much punishment a body can take. There are some that can take a god knows amount of punishment. Almost every one of the fighters here could take the god knows amount. However there is one thing that matches taking that amount of punishment.

And that is delivering that amount of punishment. These fighters know how to deliver and take god knows amount of punishment. One of the best at both is Geese Howard.

That is the reason why Lin tried to get up and failed. The medic team stepped in and carried the fighter to the healing room.

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Ranma nodded in respect at Geese Howard for his skill and power. Everything he had heard about the King of South town was true. He overheard his team talking about the fight.

"That's your dad for you eh Rock." Chae said.

"Right, mate." The son of Geese answered. "Thought it looked like dad had some trouble at the start."

"You're right Rock." Mignon agreed.

"Your father won because Lin started getting predictable and he figured out Lin's pattern of attack." Ranma interrupted the talk.

"Predictable!?"

"Yes. At the beginning of the fight Geese couldn't tell where Lin would pop up. As the fight continued he saw a pattern to Lin's attacks." Ranma explained.

"And Geese made him pay big time." Chae finished.

"Right. I don't know what the outcome would have been if Lin had been more unpredictable guys." Ranma said.

K' hopped into the arena and took off his sunglasses while the next member of the Boss Team got ready to do battle. 'Wasn't there any other way to get to NESTS?!?'

The reason why he gave this thought is that he practically hates the King of Fighters tournament. Ironically, the tournament is the only way for him to get to the big cheese of NESTS, get his memories back and free himself from them once and for all. He gave one last silent sigh before focusing on his new opponent.

The clone gave a slightly startled look. 'Didn't Maxima say that this guy died?!?' In front of him, Rugal Bernstein adjusted his gloves before grinning savagely.

"This will be your dying place!!"

K' frowned before getting himself ready. 'We'll see...' "I'm more than enough for you..."

As soon as the bell rung, K' threw out some fire before kicking it, sending a projectile at Rugal. But the pirate simply produced a green shield to reflect the attack back while laughing. K' jumped over it and leapt in for a kick.

Rugal leapt into the air to perform his trademark move. "Genocide Cutter!!" The move didn't change when he tweaked it from 1998 so K' got hit three times.

He quickly recovered while muttering under his breath. "You're pretty good..."

On the Boss Team bench, Mr. Big nudged his teammate. "What exactly did your opponent do to you? It couldn't have been that bad from what I saw."

Geese stretched for a bit. "I'm not sure. After the match, I felt sluggish. Decided not to risk the next match."

"It's possible that your opponent's combat style was designed to slow you down before finishing you off," commented Krauser. "When he cut you, he could have injected some sort of poison or venom into your bloodstream to make you feel this way." Krauser raised an eyebrow as he saw Rugal use an altered Kaiser Wave to blast through the projectile of his opponent. 'I may have to take some notes on Rugal's modifications.'

"Die!!!" Rugal powered up for a Gigantic Pressure move that he would use when K' came out of his dash/teleport move. Problem was that K' used a long teleport rather than a short one and escaped Rugal's attack so the modern pirate just ran for a while with nothing.

K' saw an opportunity to counter-attack. He powered up the hand sealed inside the glove and produced a burning fire. "I'll finish this..." He then dashed forward and blasted Rugal from behind. The pirate got up after brushing some dust off.

The clone grumbled to himself under his breath. "I hate KOF..."

"I'm surprised he teamed up with Rugal you know." Chae said to his friend. "I mean after Rugal stole his techniques and all."

"Me too, mate." Rock paused. "But I guess everyone is sick and tired of NESTS. I think the attack on Lily was the last straw."

"Yeah. Lily doesn't even have anything to do with Billy's work and she was attacked because of it." Chae said.

"Actually Chae, it's my fault." Ranma spoke up for the first time. "If NESTS was not interested in me..."

"It's not your fault Ranma." Mignon said. She had heard the story. "I think the reason they are so desperate in getting info about you is because they have none. Other than the pressure point knowledge you have. To them you are a wild card they can't predict."

Everyone nodded as they saw a small smile of thanks appear on Ranma's face. They knew he still held himself responsible for Lily being put in danger.

The fight between Rugal and K' began to heat up.

'How in the world does Rugal copy someone's moves just like that?' Ranma asked himself.

You can copy moves too Ranma.

'Yeah but I have to see the technique many times to do so. From the way they are talking he only has to do so once.'

The answer is the Rugal Execution.

'Rugal Execution?'

Yes, the Rugal Execution. The Rugal Execution is his own technique that allows him to copy the techniques from other fighters if he uses it on them. Such as Geese, Krauser, Athena and a few others.

'Sounds like Copycat Ken.'

Yes he does but you must remember that while Copycat Ken will not understand the spirit or heart behind a technique Rugal can and will.

'I see, so this makes him a most dangerous person in battle. Yet...'

Yet?

'Yet that makes me eager and excited to fight him.'

But he could be the most dangerous man you will fight in the tournament.

'Believe me I know. Believe me I know Strike Claw.'

End of the chapter