Gouki's First Coming

[Gouki]

Moments passed as Gouki slowly eased up and drew back his fist. He looked up and away from his foe and remained standing there for a while longer, still as a statue.

The martial artist's vacant gaze gave the false impression that he was lost in thought - he was thinking, yes, but he wasn't lost. He was perfectly aware of himself and his surroundings, but was replaying the fight in his mind, analysing all the blows thrown, blocked and landed. The strength of the punches and kicks, the sound of their impact, the effectiveness of either fighter's technique, the bruises and grazes they left on his body and the excitement the encounter procured; all of these things were lessons learned worth studying.

He then replayed the fight again only this time imagining different outcomes - what if he had thrown a punch a moment sooner or later? What if he had thrown a kick instead? What if he hadn't blocked a blow? Or if he had intentionally let a hit land in order to better counter-attack? What if his foe had anticipated his next move? When then? How would he have reacted? How else could he have ensured victory? Did he deserve to win?

And all of these thoughts led to the ultimate question: could Gouki become stronger?

"Of course I can," he spat, as though answering aloud validated the statement as self-evident. But the vast expanse of emptiness around him made his words sound dull and mute.

Then from within, he felt a familiar burning sensation rise to the forefront of his mind: anger.

Anger for the mysterious force that brought him here.

Anger for his dead opponent who brought him no answers.

Anger at himself for harboring doubts as to his progress, even though that moment only lasted for a split second.

Anger for his brother Gouken, who spared his life the one time he won what was supposed to be a fight to the death.

Anger for the watering down of modern martial arts, which he blamed on the weakness of human nature - something else he felt anger for.

And so more time passed with Gouki standing as still as ever, his clenched fists shaking violently, losing himself in his maddening thoughts until finally, with a deep and heavy sigh, he closed his eyes.

Forget about the past, focus on the future. There are more battles to come... More lives to end.

But where? Where do I go?

He opened his mind in an attempt to sense what lied in the blank distance... But found nothing. More like, he couldn't sense anything. His ability to sense a person's chi, or life force, was not responding.

I don't feel... complete. Something changed me... "Omni"?

Gouki frowned, turned on his heel and stormed away from the fountain, unaware of what lied ahead but determined to find a way out.