Description: Sagat seeks out Grant after Grant defeats the Thai Legend in the World Warrior tournament. Sagat seeks Grant not out of revenge, but for answers.
It has been some time since the World Warrior Tournament ended. Or rather, I suppose it hasn't ended yet, though it has for its original host Sagat! Sagat had been eliminated from the tournament not by some wandering nomadic upstart. Oh no. He was eliminated by a powerful Master in his own right. Grant kicked him out of the tournament and swiftly left the tournament himself. Grant has been trying to drive something into Sagat's skull for some time. Sagat's defeat at the World Warrior was a huge step for the Thai Legend.
Sagat is aware of Grant's humble training grounds, as he has been here before. Sagat has also been invited to come back, and come back he does. Sagat has much to sort through both physically and mentally and it is here that his wandering feet lead him. He's dressed in a long leather overcoat, a newer one. It covers what he is wearing underneath, but one can probably assume he's in his fighting attire underneath.
Indeed, one would find this particular training ground to be in considerably worse condition then Sagat would have remembered. Much of the stone is more cracked and worn, and the ground looks long tread from extended sessions of working and training. In all these months, Grant has never once ceased in his personal advances, never once lost a sliver of his edge and expertise. Few have such dedication to that level of self improvement, although initially the broad expanse beside the mountain is empty. But a moment later there is a flutter, and the cloaked figure descends to land heavily upon the ground some distance off. "...Sagat." is mulled, green eyes observing the other man behind his dulled mask. "So you have decided to come and see what help I can give...?"
The Thai Warrior will slowly approach the training ground. Sagat's eye darts about scanning the general area. It definately looks a little different, though one would expect it to. Grant hits boulders over and over as part of his training! The Thai Tiger, when suddenly approached, will turn his one-eyed gaze to Grant. A scowl forms on the massive man's face, "The last time I was removed from my own tournament, I became enraged and unfocused. I lost my title of World Warrior. I lost my title of Emperor of Muay Thai. And I blamed others for those defeats." He pauses and narrows his eye as he looks at Grant, "I became angry, more egotistical... obsessed. However now..." His last word is drawn out for a moment as Sagat slips into thought for a moment. Sagat continues, "... Now I am not angry at you. Not obsessed with you. Not even blaming you for my defeat." The Thai Mountain straitens his posture a bit and faces the Martyr of Might.
"...Then you have already advanced far from that loss. It was the epitome of your one weakness, your one flaw, that I have observed through your entire career. Arrogance. Ego. Pride. They say it is the greatest sin, Sagat, because it is the one most destructive to one's own soul. One that leads to all others, such as envy and rage. ...I care not for religion, and less for the afterlife, but some ancient beliefs remain true.' The words are spoken calmly, in a gruff and heavy tone that resonates lightly in the still mountain air. His frame remains obscured by the blue cape, as there's finally a snort of laughter. "Would you be amused if you knew you were a benchmark for my progress? That one of my aspirations was to match titans such as yourself? We are the same age, but you became a legend as a child, and retained it countless decades. I had hoped to one day become strong enough to challenge you. But to see you lose your eye to Go Hibiki... due to careless arrogance..." The latter line holds a heavy amount of blame. Yes, blame; Directing the fault directly on the other man. "...Made me wonder at your true strength. And to see you fall before the prostrate form of Ryu, rather then finish him off... Confirmed it. After I heard your title was stolen by Adon, I had lost all hope for your redemption." But the Martyr of Might's stance spreads, the ground slowly beginning to resonate. "But when I finally met you, and struck you down, it was empty. Because I saw it in your eyes. The spark that I craved to surpass... Remains within you! I have felled you every occasion we met, but I will not settle for surpassing your shadow!!"
The Mighty Thai Tiger will stare at the Demon of Might. The scowl remains on his face. His eye can be seen slightly darting side to side. It's a look of thought, of mixed emotions battling for supremecy within the former Emperor of Muay Thai. Of course all too often these past couple of weeks one emotion eventually wrestles control and reigns supreme. Shame. The Thai looks away from Grant and turns his upper torso to the side a bit to face slightly away from the other. This shame only washes over the weathered warrior's face for a moment. Sagat snaps his head and gaze back over to Grant. His eye widens a bit and the scowl drops from Sagat's face, "Mistakes. All mistakes I've made and worked and trained to overcome. Now I seek to overcome another mistake, one that began after my first defeat at Ryu's hands." Sagat raises a hand and points at Grant, "You've offered to help me. I now seek your help."
"Hmmph. And that help is what I can offer. I have seen your technique. It is not at fault. And that is why you have not grown stronger. Your kicks do not need to be more powerful. Your body does not need to be harder. I do not know what path you took in those dark years, although I have assumptions..." He might have sniffed minutely at the man's connections to Shadaloo, but even pressuring Rose got no confirmation. "...But it is your spirit and mind that need restored. Your very shame is a weakness and liability. To grow, you must purge all emotion. You must purge all hatred, all pride, all regret. And only then can you regain what you lost. Do you understand?"
The Thai Tiger will clench raise his hand from his side and hold it out in front of him. His single-eyed gaze looks down at his hand as he clenches and unclenches his hand into and out of a fist. He nods his head, "My form is perfect. My technique is unmatched. I know I can not learn to enhance my technique from you." Sagat drops his hand to his side and returns his attention to the Martyr of Might. His head tilts to the side, "I have always been driven by my emotions. I always considered them a strength. Though some of them I've grown to realize have led me to make mistakes." A pause is given and Sagat continues, "What is it you suggest I do?"
"There is a difference between you and me, Sagat. All I have before you is a lie. I have made terrible sacrifices, more then you can fathom, to achieve this strength and power. Were I to walk truly on my own two feet, I would still be considerably weaker then you..." Both hands snake free, parting open the cape. They ignite into purple fire, powerful but significantly tainted. "And I have achieved this... in the very contrast of why you fell. Through complete control of my emotions. I take my spark to succeed... I take all my passion and drive..." The ground suddenly heaves, as a huge swathe of chi seems to almost vortex into Grant. Cracks form on the ground beneath his exposed feet, a wall of visible wind distending and crashing around, intense enough to visibly obscure him. "...And I make it my own!!" With a loud crack the power cuts off, a second heave of the ground sinking it a few inches beneath him. High above the very mountain nearby seems to groan a moment in discomfort. "While you were instead consumed. It destroyed you, as I have said and you admit. ...I cannot teach you to strike. All of my mastery, I am still the peer of your shadow. But I can teach you to meditate. I can teach you to strengthen your resolve. I can teach you how to turn your back forever on your past, and take your first step into a future. But to do that... You must admit that I am better. I would be your sensei, in the one area I am an unquestioned master and you an unguided pupil. ...Being able to accept... is the first test of your capability to learn what must be done."
And there is that pride that Grant spoke about. It's welling up inside of Sagat by the time Grant finishes his statements. The Thai Tiger shifts his footing underneath him as the shaking began. Sagat listened and considered everything the Martyr of Might said. Then the thought of simply conceding that Grant is his better. His head begins to shake but he stops himself, "You can think of it in that respect." Sagat eventually utters, "You are a Master at what you do. I come and seek to learn from you to better my Mastery." Sagat slowly turns and regards the other fighter. The Thai Mountain seems to consider his words, "I am ready and I am willing to learn what I must learn from you, Grant." The Thai Legend's voice is ragged and gravelly as he chooses his words carefully, "There is no shame in accepting the assistance, advice and training from the Masters of other techniques."
"There is your words, and there is your heart. You have an innate and skill, a talent from birth, I have never had. But I know another who has; Another who was my pupil, and has since surpassed me. I will train you once you speak with my greatest student... Kain Heinlein." That name is doubtlessly known to Sagat, although the link between the pair is not. All of the man's mastery of fire, sprouted from the teachings of the old man opposite? Many find that startling, although not even Kain himself would dare call Grant a true inferior. "Seek his counsel. Speak with him. If he thinks you are ready and able, then you can learn. For he can see into one's very soul... And might be able to further show you your own mental limitations better then I." Grant slowly turns away thereafter, walking towards one of the nearby training stones. "While I must spend hours a day in brutal training, relentless effort and suicidal meditation, you sustain my pace in your greatest lethargy. Do not ever underestimate your potential. And do not ever settle for anything but mastery. That is all I have to instruct for now. ...Know your gift, but do not grow complacent from it again."
The Thai Mountain stands there and listens to the words that Grant utters to him. Every word is absorbed and repeated in the Thai's head. These are words that he will run through time and time again after these two have parted today. It's not much. Some of it is simple. But even the simplest of statements and the most minute of advice doesn't mean it should go unheeded. Sagat nods his head, "I will take what you have told me and ponder it. I will meditate on it. I will work on it." Sagat looks away, "And I will locate Kain. I will speak with him as you've instructed me to."
"Good. His estate is to the south. You cannot miss it. He should be expecting to meet you, if not knowing when. I look forward to seeing your full strength, Sagat. But I can only show you the way. That is the most important thing to remember. Everything will come from /you./" And seeming content with that, Grant merely returns to his training, the intent and focus almost palletable in the air as he works. There is no further words, no matter how long Sagat bothers to watch. But hours is right; Not until darkness begins to fall will the conditioning and practice cease, and he retires on the brink of passing out. As it is every day... and has been, and will be, until the day he finally dies.
However Sagat will not stay long, oh no. He's not here to observe Grant's training techniques. What works for Grant physically wouldn't work for just anybody. Besides, Sagat has his own training regimen. What Sagat seeks is to hone the less than physical attributes about him... so watching Grant work isn't going to help him. Sagat turns around and just strolls off in the direction he had come from. His large mitts get shoved into the pockets of his trenchcoat and his head gets downcast. Sagat is in a thoughtful mood, which is lucky for him. He has a lot to think about.
Log created by Sagat, and last modified on 20:19:55 05/08/2007.