Description: As punishment for attacking Quon in the middle of his Neo Development Project match and completely disrupting it, Ken strong arms Adon into being interviewed by the very person he attempted to break. Adon's motivations are explored, and his sanity tested. Will Quon ruin Adon's image or will he make himself look bad in the face of petty sniping?
There's times where Ken truly can be the perfect bastard, and this very well may be one of those times. He manages to orchastrate something that can create a good deal of mayhem not only for himself, but for another man that's already had enough mayhem for five lifetimes. However, he's got a good idea that this can prove to be beneficial for all parties involved.
So, Ken's set out the letters, made the calls and rented out a rather sweet beach house that's out of the way to prevent any sort of public fiasco from going down.
The blond Ansatsuken master moves around the house, making sure that he has the cameras setup properly, to catch different angles for when it goes to editing, it'll be as dramatic as possible.
Meanwhile, Quon is getting ready in the dining area. This is allows him the peace and quiet required to organize his questions but also allowed himself the possibility to watch Ken at work. It was a major opportunity to see how things were done behind the scene. If Quon could be considered Sagat's protege in fighting, this may end up being a chance for Quon to become Ken's protege in the media realm. Or at the very least the closest he'll ever get. He couldn't allow himself to believe that he would be able to get involved in media. Too entrenched in his belief that he would become a target and Adon's conduct in Quon's own match proved it. Especially in how he smacked around the referee.
He takes a deep breath and takes note of the cameras in the room, how they are angled and how they would interact with the lighting.
The last touches are put on his notes and then he takes a deep breath before moving in to the living room part of the room where the interview would take place.
And in the midsts of the living room, an Emperor broods.
Adon sulks bitterly in an easy chair, forcing a grimace more than a grin. Dressed in a fine suit, the Muay Thai warrior was not here for pleasantries. Not only was he publically humilated by Quon, but Ken had got wind of his interruption. The administrator of the Neo-League made it clear that he was upset with Adon disrupting the tournament, and such actions usually came with suspensions from ALL Masters-related venues, including the Neo-League. Instead of mercifully banishing Adon, however, the Emperor was given a much more tortureous alternative.
Being interviewed by the very boy who insulted him.
Adon seethes, his mind plotting with devious, violent schemes as Quon enters the room. His smile remains fixed, a toothy, corn-fed grin. But his eyes burned with a murdereous rage as he glanced over the Chinese man. He considered leaping into Sagat's little pet, driving a knee into his torso as he grabbed his collar. With a clean, easy motion, he could unleash those punches into his face, letting it swell up like a rotten Cauliflower. The gaze then shifts to Ken, and the Emperor flinches. Ken's warning, as well as his presence, would make that difficult. Adon was trapped, restrained from tearing apart Sagat's Little Pet, helpless to his inane question. But the Emperor's mind continued to plot.
After all, a caged Jaguar could still bare his fangs.
Ken grins slightly at Adon, moving to sit down at a small control station before he starts the cameras rolling. It's not often he gets to actually chit-chat before interviews, even when he's not the one doing the questioning. "I want you to relax Adon, it won't look good to the public to look like a crazed caged animal, now will it?"
It's obvious he's watching Adon closely, knowing full well that the Emperor of Muay Thai is trying to calculate his chances against making a mad dash towards Quon. It's actually a shame in a way Ken isn't going to allow it. "Quon, you've got the questions ready, right?" His attention doesn't really shift off of Adon as his hands start to move over the buttons, turning the cameras on and getting the tape running.
"It's going to really be straight forward, but I want you to be as honest as you can Adon. It's not often the public gets to find out what the Emperor of Muay Thai really thinks and feels."
And as Adon quietly seethed behind that grin that didn't quite make it to his eyes, Quon quietly hid his repulsion and anger at the man who struck at him only because he trained with Sagat for a short time before taking on Shadaloo together. And while he had done nothing to Adon before that debacle of a Neo Development Project match, he had become his enemy. It was as if the Jaguar of Muay Thai had taken offense at his mere existence. Adon certainly wasn't the first on that account and the nightmares that Quon has to live with on a daily basis is evidence of that.
Quon is a bit better at hiding his own bitterness at having to be in the room with Adon. He did after all had a desire to be an actor some day. Nothing like daily life training. The Chongquan prodigy takes his own seat noting the only really good thing about having to do this is that he has the potential to make the man make a complete ass of himself on film... Yet again.
He waits for the cameras to start rolling as he adjusts his own suit, and presents himself as the image of politeness extending a hand to the Muay Thai kickboxer. "Thank you for taking the time to come here today, Adon. It is my pleasure to speak with you."
Part of Quon dies inside at hearing himself say that.
"Relaxed?
The Emperor almost screams it out, restraining himself as he turns towards Ken. Where Ken is cheerful, Adon is on edge. The Emperor just imagines beating that smile off that face. Then he could run the Master's Corporation, proving that Muay Thai is the ultimate art. Of course, such dreams would never come to pass. Forcing himself to calm down, the Emperor can barely restrain his rancor as he answers Ken.
"Oh, don't worry Ken. I plan on telling the public just how I really feel."
Simmering down, the Emperor shifts his gaze to Quon. The same caustic, mealy-mouth tone drips from the Emperor's mouth, the oily words oozing through every pore. "Oh no, QUON, the pleasure is ALL MINE. I am HAPPY to explain some of the questions that not only YOU have about myself, but the PUBLIC AT LARGE shares as well." Adon's neck cracks slightly as he turns to the camera, keeping up that wide, fierce smile.
He was not dismissing the crazed animal look.
If there's one thing that Quon has going for him, it's the ability to put aside his displeasure at having to share the same air as Adon all in the name of personal responsibility and professionalism. He glances at his cards for a moment and then looks into the eyes of the crazed animal.Quon doesn't flinch. There's no fear in the face of someone who he knows is a superior fighter.
And then he launches into his first question. It's to warm him up as it were, get him to talking about himself. In the short time that Quon has known on a more personal basis, it's that he loves talking about himself and might as well give him enough rope to hang himself. "It's not often that people get to talk with a two time Neo League Champion. So how did it feel to win it for the first time and how did it feel the second time?"
Brooding. Adon was brooding within, bracing for the first question.
But as it comes, the Emperor's face shifts to a true smile.
"My victories?" The Emperor began, his eyes brightening up, his body relaxing. "HAH! As you remember, a WAR was running during my FIRST tournament victory. Some LESSER fighters thought it was expected to pass over the FIGHTING, and save it for battle! But MUAY THAI is not bound by the war of CULTURES! A TRUE MUAY THAI warrior is able to fight competitively, neutral to the affairs of nations. The world of competitive fighting is an ART! And as the EMPEROR of MUAY THAI, I had a DUTY to PROVE MY STRENGTH and PROVE MUAY THAI'S STRENGTH, well PAST some meager Southtown Siege. And I did. Six victories, one loss to the foul, effeminate Alma." Adon pounds a fist on the arm of the sofa chair. "A true warrior of Muay Thai must ALWAYS be on guard, ALWAYS READY to receive any challenger. Should he fail in that..."
The Emperor pauses, sneering to himself.
"... Then he doesn't deserve the crown."
Adon pauses for a moment, before continuing on. "But my SECOND VICTORY was much more interesting. My FIRST victory was due, in part, because of how little INTEREST there was in the Neo-League. My SECOND season was far more interesting, because the people of the world had LEARNED that the WAY of MUAY THAI demanded utter SERIOUSNESS. It was still somewhat... limited. Six victories, one loss. To chun-Li, which isn't a COMPLETE embarassment." The Emperor mulls, considering, before turning a question upon Quon.
"However, I did terrible in my third season, but I had... personal problems at the time, if you are thinking on asking me on that!"
So far, this is going to be marketing gold, and to help ensure that Ken's pulled out a small netbook, transcribing the entire interview. Already he's got plans on what to do with this interview and a mischivious smile dances across his face. Quickly pulling out a marker, he writes something down on a cue card. He stands up and moves to stand behind the cameras directly behind Adon, knowing full well this next part might make the chinese fighter question the Ansatsuken master's sanity.
He makes a quick motion towards Quon, only to hold up a cue card that reads 'Show sympathy. Throw him off even more.' Yep, Ken's going to really make this work in all the ways he wants.
As Quon listens to Adon go on and on he's already seeing two directions that he can go with it. His talk of his first championship in the Neo League gives him one direction he could go into with it questioning him about those tactics he used. Noting that Heavy D! didn't even know he was in a Neo League fight until he was on the receiving end of a knee attack. It was also the perfect lead in to bringing up the new contracts that some of the members of the Neo League were drafting up with modifications known among the fighting community as the 'Adon Clause.'
Quon then noted the fact that in the speech he also condescend to Alma for his femininity and yet said that losing to Chun-Li wasn't a complete embarassment. He could easily attack that track record of misogyny in his league fights shown in his fights with females and call him on his hypocrisy.
Quon was about to resolve them in order when a glance at the cue card behind Adon gives him a third direction. Quon oddly enough doesn't question the sanity, instead he figures Ken is on the track of letting Adon tie the noose around his neck while he's at it.
He lets his face take on a somber expression as he nods before shifting in his seat to take a pensive expression. "That's truly, unfortunate. I believe you would've shown the league some interesting things had you been able to compete to your full potential that season." If there was one thing Quon had learned in dealing with Cammy on a regular basis, it was that it was possible to deceive with carefully phrased truth. Not single lie was uttered however it let people interpret it based on their perceptions. Here, Quon was banking on Adon's own ego to interpret it favorably.
Adon was enjoying this interview, rolling in it. Naturally, it is fortunate that Quon doesn't quite jump on those tracks yet. The Heavy D! one likely drove the boxer out of the fighting league for good, and was very clearly an infamous cheap shot. The same was towards the sexism; Adon was infamous for his outright womanizing on the battlefield. But Quon plays the sympathy card, which in theory would give ADon the space he needed.
But then, the full potential question.
The Emperor has to stop himself from blaming Shadaloo. While it would be so easy to blame Sagat and Shadaloo... Adon wasn't stupid. He KNEW that if he talked about the organization in a public light, it would end up really biting him on the rear. Vega WOULD come back, WOULD be in his backyard, and would NOT be amused by the Emperor's arrogant mewling. On the other hand... Quon was right here. He had fought Shadaloo, he known.
The Emperor succumbs to his ego.
"Yes, yes. Outside of that Ibuki loss, I was well on towards another 6-1 victory over the league. I even had plans to fight your old companion, Ken. You remember Ryu, don't you? He is an infamous figure in Muay Thai; as you know, he is the reason why Sagat was driven out. In a way, I should be thanking him, as should you. If it wasn't for Ryu, why, we probably wouldn't even be having this interview."
ADon simply sneers.
"But, as you ask, why didn't I reach my full potential? It was due to Shadaloo. While I strive to remain neutral in affairs, Shadaloo had long tried to use me as a sort of... tool for Sagat. Shadaloo had always been keeping Sagat as their pet retainer, using his rage, his inability to let go of the past to control him. Shadaloo would lure Sagat out to fight me, and I would assume he would be trying to reclaim his crown. But every time, he would instead go back to Shadaloo. Why, he even had me kidnapped by Juri to be forced into their King of Fighters tournament. But, as you know Quon."
The Emperor gives the cruelest, snarkiest wink he could muster.
"That's all in the past, so I hear."
As Quon takes this in. He has to wonder how much of this is true, how much of it was colored by Adon's perceptions, and how much of it was an attempt to mislead. He definitely knew Sagat was part of Shadaloo. He all but admitted when he mentioned that he saved Quon's life but he also knew that when he met Sagat, he wasn't happy with being there. Why would he do insubordinate things like save someone who inadvertantly became a thorn in Shadaloo's side? Why would Sagat attempt to turn away Cammy in an ill-fated attempt to keep Quon off Shadaloo's radar? Why did Sagat and Howard Rust team up with him to take on Shadaloo in both Thailand and China? As much as Adon was privy to things as someone on the inside of Shadaloo, there must've been some pieces that Adon was missing and that Quon himself was missing.
Quon for his part, can sympathize with Adon on the bitterness at them upsetting the balance of his life, Quon didn't need to feign his dislike of the name Shadaloo. He had enough hatred of the organization for two or three people.
"Did Sagat ever attempt to take back the crown? And if not, why do you believe he didn't?"
Quon took the bait.
"Let me tell you, BOY. Sagat used to be the greatest Muay Thai warrior in the world." Those were Adon's opening words on the answer to Quon's question. Leaning over, Adon seemed to be losing his malice, and replacing it a terse confession. "The Emperor of Muay Thai. Do you ever wonder why I use that title? Sagat had earned the title when he was but 15, Quon. A mere child had struck down Nuah Khan, the Emperor of the time, defeating him in a fight for the title of Emperor. A mere child, Quon! Younger than you! Sagat remained the champion of Muay Thai for nearly 30 years! He turned Muay Thai into a martial art worthy of a World Warrior! You have seen how Sagat fights; he has earned that title, and I respected him deeply when I was chosen as his successor. He WAS power, and once I achieved his level of strength, I would have become a worthy successor of Muay Thai!"
The Emperor pauses, feeling himself growing more naked. He shouldn't say these things. This was weakness. This was exposing himself. And yet, the words continue to flow.
"When Ryu came to the World Warrior Tournament, Sagat was struck down in combat. He had failed Muay Thai. My honor... and the honor of all of Muay Thai demanded that I challenge him. That I test his strength. And he lost." The Emperor just throws away that last line. No screaming, just a cold statement of fact. "Sagat lost the crown of Emperor, and it was bestowed to me. And then Sagat left the empire he had built. He abandoned us, and drifted to Shadaloo. For revenge against Ryu. For years he pursued Ryu; that is why he was part of Shadaloo for so long."
Adon was becoming unnaturally calm now.
"I don't know if you know, Quon, but Sagat is a proud, proud man, the most arrogant person I had ever seen. Did he ever tell you about Go Hibiki, the father of the famous Dan Hibiki?" Adon leans back, recollecting the dusty old memories. "Ah yes... Go Hibiki. He was good. Better than me at the time, probably would have been on par with me now. He was a rising star in Muay Thai, much like myself, much like Sagat. He had challenged Sagat for the crown of Muay Thai, Dan's own father! For 10 minutes, they had fought to a standstill, it was an incredible battle. Inhuman, actually. Sagat was underestimating the man though; he wasn't of Thai blood, you see." Adon covered his eye, leaning over to Quon, grinning wickedly. "That's how he lost his eye, you know. Go Hibiki struck it out. Sagat was enraged, just like when Ryu tore into him. So Sagat went berserk. He broke his limbs. He splintered his face. He wrecked every bone in the poor man's body. I can still remember Dan's face." The Emperor smiles wistfully, the memory coming back to him. "He was young then; a teenager. Clutching his father's broken body, tears running from his eyes. Begging him to speak. Go Hibiki had no last words for his son."
Adon stares directly at Quon now. "Sagat had killed him, out of sheer spite."
This is where the story starts to get a bit more personal for Ken, moving to sit down once more at the control area. He's already adjusting the lighting, and making notations on where to put faint cues of dramatic music in order to make the setting just that much more heart wrenching. If Adon wants to bear his soul..
Only a couple of questions have been asked, and Ken's not quite sure on how to proceed from here. Adon's lost the ego, and is showing what truly lies beneath. Overall, there was a faint inkling that this idea would work, and the proof is in the current Emperor of Muay Thai's actions.
Once more he motions to Quon, signaling that the young chinese fighter should put on a little heat since Adon's opening up.
Quon himself watched footage of the World Warrior when he first left the isolation of the temple and he got reintroduced to civilization and so he saw the defeat of Sagat at the hands of Ryu. He on the other hand didn't know the particulars of what happened after nor did he have the story of Sagat's past. As he tells the story he notes the comfort level, he notes the absence of screaming, the absence of ego, the absence of posturing. It's as if Adon performed a transformation on live TV. If not for seeing it live himself and knowing that it had been recorded on multiple cameras at multiple angles, he would not have believed it.
While Quon does see the signal from Ken to turn up the heat but truth be told, he didn't need that signal, it was as if he instinctively knew he had to. He places the cards he had in his hand off to the side and steeples his hands for a moment, not taking his eye off of Adon for a single moment. "You would think that as someone who you described as arrogant, prideful, and spiteful, would be trying to re-take the Emperor Title at the first moment he got whether or not he was capable of it or not. What are your thoughts on that?
He's turning the heat up but deep down Quon isn't exactly certain that he's turning it up where he needs it to be.
Adon felt calm. He felt the mirror of his soul, staring at everything that has happened in Muay Thai. Sagat's strengths. Sagat was truly the strongest fighter of Muay Thai. But why did Adon need to keep proving himself. To prove himself better?
And then, the temper surges back.
"Why indeed has Sagat not taken back the crown. He has challenged me several times now, behind the scenes. If he so wished, he could publically throw down the gauntlet. He could challenge me for the crown, and take back his own, a renewed man. Muay Thai was at its strongest when Sagat was at the helm. Sagat could truly be the Emperor of Muay Thai again. And all of Muay Thai would accept him. He would be strong! He would be like the old Saga, my old mentor! He was like a father to us, to all of Muay Thai. And when he was finally defeated in public... he abandoned us."
The Emperor grips the arms of his cushion, the rage returning.
"And that is why I believe he doesn't care about Muay Thai anymore. He has truly abandon us. He... he doesn't wish to be a leader of the movement he crafted. He left Muay Thai when it was at its weakest, and entrusted me to pick up the pieces. He refuses to fight me unless he has to. He has grown SOFT. He uses Muay Thai, yes, but has turned his back to us. To ME! To ALL we STOOD FOR! ALL HE STOOD FOR!"
The screaming surges back, and Adon rises up from the chair, pointing a finger at Quon."And now stands for PEOPLE like YOU!"
"SAGAT has proven through YOU, Quon, that he has TRULY turned his back on the very family of Muay Thai he has raised. He has abandoned us! He has abandoned me! And in his arrogance, he has YOU be his mouthpiece. YOU! Who has disavowed his own country... over a disagreement over some laws?" The Emperor cackles wickedly. "You and Sagat are very much alike; ready to abandon your own countrymen, your own brothers over petty squabbles. Every good that your country has done for you, every good that your family has done for you... does not matter the moment when YOU feel insulted. And that's what you and Sagat share.
"In the end, it is all about you."
Adon slowly lowers back down into his chair, the rage subsiding. "It is all about him. For all his so called nobility, his so called strength, he has abandoned the principles of Muay Thai he created. He doesn't see himself as too weak as to lead Muay Thai; he has done too much for that. He has had enough strength to break away from Shadaloo. No. I believe he is so arrogant, so prideful, so spiteful... that he would betray us all. Betray me. And now the former Emperor has claimed that he now is the high road, to disavow the ideals of the Sagat of Old, the greatest Warrior of Muay Thai, and replace it with what you see now."
Adon grows silent, staring at the carpeted floor of the beach house.
"And to that, the public sees this shameful traitor as the ideals of Muay Thai."
This is truly a stunning turn of events, and all Ken can do is just watch. He never once expected this sort of outcome, already pulling up company archives to start doing further research. He allows a few moments to pass before signaling to Quon that he's about to pause the tapes.
Once the tapes are paused, Ken stands up and moves towards the kitchen area. Three bottles of water are pulled out from a cooler, only for them to be passed out amongst the three men that currently occupy the private beach house. "We'll continue in a bit. Take some time to regain your composure."
In that moment. In that outburst Quon sees what drove Adon. It intrigued him, and disgusted him because in that moment, Quon realized that he and Adon were more alike than he cared to admit. More alike than Adon would've wanted to admit. And he was pretty sure that if Adon was privy to that line of thought he would be just as upset. He fought down the urge to shudder after all, the cameras were still rolling and he still had a job to do.
Perhaps it was for the best that Ken had taken it the direction that he did though or else the outburst would've happened sooner and they wouldn't have gotten as much as they did. Quon is just about to open his mouth to express the fact that they are indeed more similar but before he can do so, Ken gives the signal to pause the interview for a bit. It gave him a chance to get his own thoughts. Thoughts about his feelings of China's betrayal of it's fighting community as a whole, turning their backs on the Chinese that would call themselves fighters. His feelings of betrayal at seeing his kin so willing to kill themselves to remove him from the face of the earth. And the insult at how the country that he once called home only called him back after essentially kicking him out because they found it convenient to have living weapons combatting other living weapons rising up to stop them.
At the heart of the matter Quon could understand where Adon was coming from but he needed to find a way to carefully express his point of view without making it about him. This was still about Adon, regardless of whether he liked the person.
He rises from his seat and takes a deep breath as he takes the bottle of water into his hand looking at it for a moment before speaking up again. "Thanks Ken."
Adon looks forlornly at the ground. He was exposing himself. The Emperor had no clothes. He was exposed. And yet, when Ken offers the bottle of water, he takes it willingly. Popping the cap, he throws the bottle back, guzzling the water wildly.
The interview was still within his control.
Finishing the water, he tosses the empty bottle well past the cameras, out of sight. "What else is there? Are the cameras rolling still? What do you want to know?" The emperor growls, sullenly. "If you don't have any other questions, I can leave, right?"
"Not yet, Adon. I figured we'd take a break so everyone can regain their composure, and take a bit of a breather." Ken moves to sit back down at the control area, typing some notes out on his netbook, nodding his head slightly. "Adon, Quon. I want to ask you two something off camera, and then we'll get right back into it for a bit longer and then break once more for lunch."
A couple more keystrokes can be heard before Ken starts to speak once more. "After you two are done here... I'd like there to be an exibition match in the near future. It doesn't mean beat each other until the other one can't move.. It just means test yourselves against someone who is on the otherside I suppose."
Once more Ken makes a motion to the two men, quickly pressing a few buttons on the control panel. "Cameras are rolling once again you two. I hope you both enjoyed the slight break."
With that momentary pause, Quon has figured out a way to phrase his question now he just needs to maintain his own poise for it. Keeping calm in the face of accusations of being selfish but now it's time for Quon to expose himself but he has to do it with subtlety so that it keeps the focus on Adon.
"I can see it in your eyes that you are passionate about your art of Muay Thai. And I hope that those watching can see it too." He takes a deep breath. Last chance to turn back. "And it's also clear that you want your art to thrive. How would you feel if your native land were to tell you that practicing Muay Thai, Muay Boran, and the various traditional arts of your country were illegal to be practiced? That you'd be arrested or killed on sight for simply practicing it and that if you wanted to continue to see your skills flourish and your art's community to grow, you would have to leave the country."
Now, that he has said it, there's no turning back for him. Deep inside, he was hoping that his willingness to leave himself exposed would not backfire.
Sighing loudly, Adon growled. He was BORED with this, and moody. But rolling his shoulders, he fixes his posture in time for the camera. Waiting impatiently for the next question, the Emperor begins to smirk as Quon forces out the question. By the time he finishes, Adon is even laughing, grinning wildly before looking at Quon with deadpan violence.
"Break them."
"Destroy them from the very foundations. Muay Thai is not some cowardly art, like what you might have in China. Thailand has long been at a nexus of many wars, and many empires. But Muay Thai is tradition, and Muay Thai has endured. It too is many things. A tradition. An art. But above all, it is a tool for war. A martial art. If they wish to ban Muay Thai in Thailand? Then let them take it. Let them try and take away our honor, our tradition. Our community. We are not some batch of mewling nursemaids, or disenfranchised puritans. We are Muay Thai! An army of Muay Thai warriors could destroy any armed force. Muay Thai -is- life. And if they make it a crime, I dare for them to enforce it."
Adon pauses, a mischievious erupting on his face. Leaning over, he holds his hand up, whispering conspiracy with the chinese man. "If you haven't noticed, I tend to only obey the rules as I see fit!" Chuckling to himself, he shakes his head. "But I am a leader of Muay Thai. My duty is that if I must destroy the very foundations of the kingdom of Thailand to further the art of Muay Thai, then I must! THough it would be much easier to simply pay people off, to allow the art to florish. Wouldn't you do that in China? I mean, it can't be any harder to work around than that child policy!"
The Emperor sneers, seeing if he can prickle the boy.
That's what Quon gets for attempting to form a bridge of understanding between the two and while he may inwardly bristle at this attempt to provoke him, he doesn't show it. He can't afford to lose his composure now. He has too much riding on it. But once again Quon realizes that when Adon is allowed to talk he has a tendency to say too much.
He lets his lips curl into a smile. "Oh... So you're saying that you would abandon your own countrymen who would make those laws? Abandon your own brothers who would attempt to enforce those laws? And not only that, stand up and fight them after everything that Thailand has done for you?"
And then Quon leans back for a moment. Internally he's shaking his head. Not much different than what Quon has done. Only difference that Quon himself can see right now is that he doesn't have the resources Adon does to pay people off, nor the connections required to raise an army Chinese martial arts practitioners. But if anything it served to show that he truly is similar to Adon and even more repulsed by that fact.
"Idiot boy!"
Adon nearly boxes Quon's ears, raising an arm back. Only the restraining bolt of Ken stops him, and tensing up, he lowers his hand. Taking a deep, strained breath, the Emperor growls menacingly before shifting himself into position. "As I was saying...."
"While it is commendable you would resort to SOPHISTRY, Muay Thai is the heart of Thailand! If it was to ban the martial arts, it would be traitorous to the very nation! The way of Muay Thai and the nation of Thailand are intermingled, bound together by fate. Thailand would be nothing without Muay Thai, and if the leaders of Thailand sought to undermine Muay Thai, then they clearly do not have Thailand's interests at heart."
The Emperor leans back again, staring far off. "Sagat is a prime example of betrayal. He is a countryman, yes, but he has turned his back on Muay Thai. Why, you have declared yourself to have no loyality to your nation anymore in protest. Were you a student of Muay Thai, and you declared yourself having 'broken free' of the art, I would see it fit that you have doomed yourself as an outcast. A traitor of Muay Thai." The Emperor does mull, however. "Would you then see yourself fit to challenge the very foundations of Muay Thai? Would you simply bow your head, and let yourself turn into the woodwork? Or would you run away, while hurling epitaths like some kind of jilted lover?"
Adon's smirk showed just how much he enjoyed this game with the Chinese fighter.
Quon smile continues to remain on his face as Adon loses his temper and as far as he's concerned gets a black eye before the camera and eventually the public if that part gets caught on film. He knows that he came out of Adon's attempt to goad him pretty well. In a calm tone of voice, Quon responds "Sophistry? No such thing. It's just that one could see parallels between the behavior you would so condemn and your reaction to what would happen if Thailand would ban Muay Thai. I was only seeking clarification."
Quon brings a finger to his chin as he attempts to figure out where he's going to take the conversation now and at this point he's cursing himself for a miss opportunity to ask a question while Adon was still exposed. It would take a lot to manuever the questions back into that direction but the attack probably cost him the chance to get the best possible answer out of Adon. "You cite Sagat as a betrayer to Muay Thai but has he been made into an outcast? And I'd like to know why or why not he is viewed that way by the public at large."
Deep in his mind, Quon is hoping to bring some neutrality to the questioning now. If only to at least give him a small, infinitesmal chance to ask the question that he should've asked earlier.
"Why is SAGAT so beloved by the public eye?"
Adon responds to the question as if Quon had asked him if pedophiles should be allowed in schools. "Sagat has been shunned by the world of Muay Thai, there is no doubt about that. Certainly, there are a few within the world that still IDEALIZE him, just like the good old days of Muay Thai. As for the people now? Bah, they do not CARE if Sagat is Muay Thai, or Kung Fu, or Shootfighting, whatever it is called. No, they only see a great performing ape, well-suited to perform in their fighting ring. Sagat merely needs to show up to a fight, and he is beloved as a World Warrior. A former champ! Bah! The world at large simply do not share Muay Thai's principles in many ways. Like fighting in the ring. Legal strikes and blows. Even our training regime is considered too brutal for their tastes. I can name a thousand and one ways why outsiders misjudge myself and Muay Thai."
"Take women for example."
Adon seems to be incapable of doing anything but screw up his face into the snidest example of humankind. "In Muay Thai, women are disavowed from fighting within the ring, and for good reason! It is bad luck for women to fight, and it disrupts the warrior spirit! Your average Muay Thai fighter is unnvered to fight a woman in the ring, and it is disgraceful for women to fight! They lack... a certain competitive spirit, a certain edge. On the whole, of course. Naturally, there are exceptions, but almost ALL the exceptions show serious signs of trauma in their past! Why, that is a great way to explain how women fighters are. The most successful ones are often the most dysfunctional, and are closer to hysterical, raving maniacs than true fighters, either inwardly or outwardly!" Adon leans over slightly.
"Unless, of course, you want to challenge me on that, Quon."
Quon can only look on as Adon seems bound and determined to paint his questions as Sagat sympathetic when he had been going out of his way to make it neutral as possible. He lets him talk because he knows he not going to get a word in edgewise until he finishes. That and given a chance to talk, Adon will continue to make himself look like a complete idiot. When Adon finishes his rant on Sagat and then his rant on women fighters, Quon finally says, "I never asked why he was so beloved, Adon. I only asked what was your view of Muay Thai's opinion on him and why you felt Muay Thai had that opinion. Nothing more, nothing less."
His rant on women however turned the interview in a direction of where he was hoping it wouldn't go but it still gave him an opening to turn it into the direction needed so he could get that question off that he should've asked a while ago. "It's interesting that you say that but there was a female Muay Thai kickboxer who has had notable success and in addition, there's the Muay Thai Institute which was established near Bangkok that trains women as well. It would seem as though there is a faction seeking to change the views of women in the ring."
He still had control.
Adon, conniving as he is, had some schemes, as hair brained as he was. Quon wanted to take jabs at him? Adon would let them come, and respond with greater force back. The Emperor was proud, yes. But an idiot? Only when he is uterrly consumed by his pride.
"Ah, yes. -Them-"
Adon crosses his leg, turning his nose up in the air. "I really don't know who you are talking about. ANY Muay Thai boxer with notable success will of course reach my ears. Naturally, the Muay Thai core does not recognize any 'female' performance art centers. I suppose some find kicboxing to be suitable for building buns and abs. Perhaps that is how your 'notable' kickboxer has come to fame; producing work out tapes to show off a very, oh, provincial style of Muay Thai." The Emperor sneers, flashing his teeth with the utmost arrogance.
"Of course, I don't expect fitness instructors to be any real challenge in the ring."
"Ahh. You never heard of King who had gone to the finals of Muay Thai tournament and was denied a chance at the title when her gender was revealed?" Quon gives a shrug. While he knew Adon was conniving and cunning he also knew that the man had a habit of saying things that made him look bad in the public eye overall. He knew that the anger he showed earlier in the interview was one of those cases. The fact that his opinions expressed about female fighters made him look bad especially in the face of his losses to Chun-Li and Ibuki in Neo League fights. "In addition, I find it interesting your one loss in both season 6 and 8 of the Neo League came at the hands of females, one notable example of which was to Ibuki if only because you went on during the fight about the inferiority of women only to lose to her."
He moves on though. He couldn't resist the jab especially since it was one of the things he had pondered touching on earlier before Ken had diverted his path. He figures now is as good a time as any to launch the question even though it was far from ideal. "I'm curious though. You've said that Muay Thai was at its weakest after Sagat's loss to Ryu. What do you believe it would take to regain, or better yet, surpass its previous strength?"
Adon's teeth begins to grit tightly.
Oh, naturally he thought women were best suited for carnal pleasures and cooking, menial service to men. They weren't meant to fight. But when he calls out King by name... he turns bright red. He had heard of King, yes. And the woman was an insult to all of Muay Thai. He would beat her into a coma, and make her his servent. No, run barbed wire across her face. Make her WORTHLESS to any man. The dark, sexist thoughts that were dancing in his head would certainly bring out the worst of Adon. But fortunately, FORTUNATELY for the Emperor...
Quon moves on.
"To move Muay Thai further..." Adon pauses, mulling for a moment. He had espoused how Sagat had abandoned them all. He had espoused why he had become king. But... the truth was, Adon felt that it would be the greatest challenge to return back to the old glory of Muay Thai. He had been abandoned before he had truly blossomed into a replacement for Sagat. And now... and now, he was weaker than DUDLEY. Even Kim proved a hearty fight. For all his power, it was not, and may never be, his full potential. Seething, his mind whirled. The darkness was coming. Adon had to defend the whole of Muay Thai now, he had to give it vision. He had to give it direction.
And then, the light revealed itself.
"Why, naturally, beating Ryu, and reclaiming the World Warrior title."
Adon's composure becomes fiercely intense, his eyes burning wildly. "As you may know, I am part of the Devil's Tournament, which will be beginning soon. As I understand, Ryu will also be competing. So clearly, the greatest honor for Muay Thai, to TRULY bring it back to its glory, is to do what Sagat could never do. Defeat Ryu. Then, I will TRULY prove that not only I am The GREATEST MUAY THAI warrior, but that MUAY THAI is NO LONGER in the shadows! MUAY THAI will be the greatest! All I need to do is get this Aranha out of the way, and then soon I will be facing off Ryu!" The Emperor wringes his hands. "Yes.... Aranha..."
"Hopefully, he won't be TOO frightened to face me."
That punch was telling and though Adon didn't verbally respond to it, he sincerely hoped that Adon's facial reaction to him mentioning King was caught on television. It laid naked the anger at the female fighter and the dark thoughts in his head that will remain unvoiced. In fact he hoped Ken got a nice close up on it. It was truly evidence that he was landing telling punches on the kickboxer. Sure Adon was striking back at him but as far as what he knew it would look like even if the interview remained completely unedited, like Adon was taking shots at Quon, and the interviewer was keeping cool through it all. It's as though he took the lesson he learned at the physical beating at Adon's hands quite well.
"If I may correct you." Quon holds up a finger as he continues, "Ryu's no longer the reigning World Warrior. That belongs to Kyo Kusanagi when he obtained the title after beating Mr. Big who got to the finals by upset victory over Ryu. But even still, I do have to admit that a victory over Ryu would bring Muay Thai back into the limelight."
However the mention of Aranha allows Quon to segue into the other topic that he wanted cover. "I've noticed in news papers and fighter blogs that your critics say you tend to have a bit of a double standard when it comes to fights. In one of your matches against Heavy D!, you started the bout by attacking before he was clearly ready. When the fighter that you had mentioned, Aranha had struck you in similar fashion, you cried foul, calling it a dirty attack. They've often called you hypocritical. How would you like to respond to your critics?"
Adon may look back on this interview, and find himself regreting every moment. But for now, he was comfortable. Unusually so, in fact. As Quon corrects him, though, Adon doesn't even seem offended. Just... annoyed. "Kyo Kusanagi? Bah! Who cares about him. He isn't even taken part of any of the major tournaments. As far as I am concerned, he isn't even around!" Adon seemed sincere about his lack of care to Kyo. "What is he good at? Making fire? Bah! Isn't his father the one that wears the mask? I don't even care."
But then, the critics.
"My critics?" Adon states, grinning fiercely. "MY CRITICS?! KYA HA HA!" The emperor throws back his head, cackling loudly. "My -critics- are a bunch of soft-hearted fools. Besides! Isn't it fair for THEM to complain about an effective martial art? Why shouldn't I voice my concerns about cheap tricks. Really, you forget CONTEXT, Quon. I think it may be important to point out that Aranha is a dance fighter, who is about as competant of a RAPPER as he is a FIGHTER. I do not know what I am more OFFENDED by: his LACK of SKILL, or his limp-wristed RHYMES!" Adon rolls his eyes, sneering as he stares at the camera, standing up. "If my critics TRULY have an issue, than I will take a card from MY favorite director, Uwe Boll. FACE ME OFF IN THE RING! Then we will see WHO TRULY is right, and who is TRULY nothing MORE than an IDIOT CRITIC!"
Adon turns his head back to Quon, smiling.
"Next question, Quon."
"I'M READY."
"Major Tournaments?" Quon's lips curl into an amused smile as he wonders if Adon is actually listening to the words coming out of his own mouth. "It's almost as if you're belittling both your aspirations and your accomplishments. You're interested in claiming the title of World Warrior but you then say that the World Warrior tournament isn't a major tournament. Your team recently won the King of Fighters tournament and yet you say that the King of Fighters isn't a major tournament either? And Kyo Kusanagi has won both of them as has Ryu, the man you have your eye on defeating in the Devil's Tournament."
"It's funny that you should mention offense at Aranha's lack of skill since you used your ambush challenges to go after him and many others. Using them to pad your Neo League scores with people clearly below your caliber. Why aren't there as many fights where you sought out people of a similar skill level as you? It's as if you went into that fight with the intent to get yourself offended at his skill level."
Adon doesn't like where the interview was going.
"BAH! Then why isn't Kyo in the Neo-League? Why hasn't he CHALLENGE ME!?" Adon is now raising his arms, growing more intense. "If he hasn't bothered to face me, then he is clearly NOT WORTH MY TIME. If Ryu lost to him? Then CLEARLY he is on the decline. Perhaps if he didn't tuck in so many cream puffs, he might fit in his Gi still! Really, it is as if Kyo is another universe away from me. Ryu is MY only concern, Quon!"
And then, Quon brings up his ambush tactics.
The emperor pauses, considering. His track records DID show a number of fighting below his belt. Adon's temper was growing wild now, and Ken, at the moment, seemed distracted with his smartphone. The EMperor decides to take this opportunity. Walking towards Quon, he doesn't lay a hand on him... but lets his presence roll over the younger man.
"And you INSULT my challenges?"
"WHY NOT LET THEM AMBUSH ME! Why not let them JUMP ME? I will accept ANY JUMPS! ANY CHALLENGE! If they are TOO WEAK to fight at their best AT ANY TIME, then so be it? YOU, Quon, seem to believe that the STRONG should NEVER fight the WEAK! As if you TINY BABY warriors will TRULY LEARN how to be STRONG by squabbling with each other like PUPPIES! Do you think you would be HALF the FIGHTER you are today if you didn't face down armies? If you did not challenge the STRONGEST FIGHTERS in the world? I have defeated SOME OF THE STRONGEST WARRIORS IN THE WORLD! And you choose to focus on a few whelps that were stomped by me? You are no better than Aranha! Perhaps I should borrow a PHRASE from my so-called CRITICS." And with that, Adon turns to the camera, thrusting a finger to it as he practically screams.
"LEARN TO FIGHT, NEWB!"
And Quon continues to smile feeling quite satisfied with his ability to get Adon's goat in this forum. The fact that the Emperor felt as though he had to get up from his seat in Quon's face during the interview and on camera too, yet another feather in his cap and yet another black eye for Adon. He knows that people will talk about this moment for awhile. About how much of an idiot Adon made himself out to be. With the /appearance/ of a calm demeanor, Quon continues to just hand Adon more rope to hang himself with.
When Adon practically screams and screaches his response, Quon remains quiet. He's not going stop the guy as he talks himself blue in the face. It would be a losing battle anyway. As far as Quon was concerned Adon bringing up the fact that Quon had faced down armies and challenged some of the strongest fighters in the world. Armies part was public record as far as his activities in Thailand, Indonesia, and especially Russia were concerned. The strongest fighters part... Other than fighting Vega and Cammy... Those weren't quite as public except maybe his fight against Gen. But still it was something not many people knew about. Either way, Quon had to wonder how much Adon actually did know about him.
"No I'm insulting the fact that you were insulted by Aranha's lack of skill when you were obviously the one who hand picked him as an opponent. I'm sorry. You don't get to eat a cupcake and then get mad that the cupcake is no longer there without acknowledging that it's your fault for eating the cupcake." He doesn't give the Muay Thai Jaguar time to respond to that before he jumps on the main gist of the rant. "You heard it here first folks. Open season on Adon for the Neo League. He will take any challengers!"
Adon had just enough rope now. Taking the final step, Adon was finally ready to hang himself, to end any respect the outside world might have. Quon questions his very grounds for being insulted. And with that, comes the line that will most likely be the most quoted line from the interview, whether Adon likes it or not. Purple in the face, Adon screams at Quon, eyes burning.
"I WILL HAVE MY CUPCAKE, QUON!"
"AND I WILL EAT IT!"
"AND I WILL HAVE ANOTHER CUPCAKE!"
Adon is now ranting and raving, swinging his arms madly. "ALL THE CUPCAKES WILL BE MINE! FOR I! ADON! THE EMPEROR OF MUAY THAI! WILL NOT BE DENIED MY CUPCAKE!"
Adon stamps his foot, shaking his fists at Quon. "I will TAKE THE ALL! FIRST I WILL HIT RYU! THEN I WILL HIT KYO! THEN SAGAT! THEN EVEN AKUMA HIMSELF! AND I WILL PROVE! THAT I AM THE STRONGEST WARRIOR THERE EVER, EVER, WAS!"
"JAGGA!!!!"
If Quon had a bucket of popcorn on hand, he would be munching on it in amusement as Adon has his face losing, reputation shattering, media bait melt down right before his eyes. Adon may have the physical strength and fighting prowess advantage over him. But psychologically, it was as if Quon himself ambushed a weaker opponent. The exact same thing he pretty much called Adon out on which lead to what will be forever known on the web as the Cupcake Rant.
The nausea Quon had felt at the realization that two of them were more similar than either of them cared to admit, would be so much worse if he had stopped to contemplate the fact that he pretty much did the same thing to Adon verbally on camera. Quon is fortunate in that he didn't follow that line of thought and the public thinks of Adon as so much of a douchebag that probably no one will ever call Quon on basically pulling off one Adon's infamous Neo League Ambushes on Adon only using words instead of fists and chi.
For a few moments, Quon is silent. It's hard to figure out what questions to ask after getting that type of reaction out of the one some call the false Emperor. In the end he figures the last image they see is Adon completely flipping his wig on TV.
Resolving to end the interview right there, he calmly says, "Thank you Adon for your time today. This has been Quon Chen, signing off." The young ex-Chinese fighter gives the camera a winning smile and then the camera gets a parting shot before the cameras stop rolling.
Log created on 13:57:20 04/19/2012 by Quon, and last modified on 00:23:46 05/01/2012.