Lin You

Dojo Master: Give me one thousand practice strikes. And...begin!
Trainees: One! Two! Three! Four!
Euden: This is the town of Val d'Or. Apparently martial arts are big here.
Ranzal: I believe it—hell, look at all the people trainin'! Plus, they got dojos everywhere.
Notte: What's a dojo?
Elisanne: A facility where people are taught all manner of combat practices. I myself went to one such place in order to learn the art of the lance.
Cleo: Well, they certainly look to be a bit overzealous about things. One might even call them frenzied.
Dojo Master: HEY! You think you can make it in the tournament if that's all it takes to wear you out?!
Ranzal: Hey, that's right! The tournament! ...Oh, yer all givin' me that look where I'm talkin' about stuff ya never heard of. Well, let 'ol Ranzal explain! Every few years, this town holds a kind of combat tournament. It's the biggest thing of its sort anywhere. The victor walks away with sweet piles of cash and all the honor they can handle— oh, and their dojo's name is celebrated throughout the land and whatnot. Some'a the power struggles between dojos get mighty fierce. Hooo-eee!
 ???: Aaaaack!
Euden: A scream?!
Notte: It came from this way!
Man: Aaaaugh!
Ruffians: C'mon, no need to be stubborn. Hurry up'n yield already.
Man: As if anyone would ever yield... to the likes of you...
Ruffians: Fine, then. Looks like we'll keep trainin' until ya get the picture!
Man: Gyaaaargh!
Elisanne: Ganging up on a lone man is the lowest form of cowardice!
Euden: Looks like it's time for us to step in.
 ???: STOP!
Euden: Huh? Who—?! Wait... Lin You?!
Lin You: Ha! Looks like we meet again, Euden.
Euden: I'd love to talk, but we need to help that poor man over—
Lin You: You can help him by sitting down and shutting up! This is between them.
Ranzal: Ah HA! I get it now!
Notte: Ranzal, remember that thing where you talk about stuff we don't understand? ...You're doing it again.
Ranzal: Right, sorry. So this here's one'a them dojo power struggles I mentioned earlier.
Lin You: If someone issues a challenge to the master of a dojo, it can't be refused.
Euden: But he's horribly outnumbered!
Lin You: Doesn't matter. If you don't fight and win, you lose the right to call yourself a master.
Elisanne: I understand this to be a harsh world, but even so...
Man: Unaaaaagh!
Ruffian: See here, friend? If ya woulda just yielded, we coulda skipped all this unpleasantness. Anyway, looks like your dojo's mine now.
Lin You: Stop right there!
Euden: Lin You!
Ruffian: What's YOUR deal, girlie?
Lin You: C'mon, big boy. Let's dance.
Ruffian: Aaaah ha ha ha! Go on, kid. Beat it. Unless ya want me to scar up that pretty little face of yours.
Lin You: You're the master of a dojo, which means you can't refuse my challenge. Unless you're just afraid that I'm going to beat you...which is understandable.
Ruffian: This kid don't know when to quit. ...Teach her some manners, boys!
Ruffians: Yes, Master!
Lin You: Heh... This is gonna be fun...
Ruffian: Sh-she just took out my two best guys!
Lin You: Hmm. Took a bit longer than I wanted, but I suppose it'll have to do. Now then, who do we have left...?
Ruffian: You ain't even from this town! What the hell do ya WANT?!
Lin You: I just want to fight strong opponents. The rest of it is... Eh, I don't really care. Still, you did challenge that guy to a totally unfair fight, which sort of made me mad. So I guess it's a LITTLE personal.
Ruffian: You little...
Lin You: Now then! You gonna flap your gums, or are we gonna go round and round?
Ruffian: Urk... I ain't gonna forget this!
Euden: At least that dojo master wasn't permanently injured...or worse.
Cleo: He's still severely wounded. I think we should have stepped in, traditions be damned.
Lin You: You can't help in the middle of a challenge! No matter what the outcome might be, once you've agreed to fight, you have to see it through to the bitter end. ALONE.
Cleo: That is a sentiment I will never share, nor even understand.
Ranzal: The kid's right—gotta put yer money where yer fists are in this old world.
Elisanne: At any rate, you seem to have grown even stronger, Lin You.
Lin You: Not strong enough. Not by a long shot.
Euden: Are you still continuing with your journey of training?
Lin You: Of course! Although honestly, the "warriors" I've met lately leave a lot to be desired. I was hoping I'd find a bigger challenge here on account of the tournament.
Ranzal: But that tournament ain't happenin' for a little while yet, yeah?
Lin You: Oh, I know. I just figured I'd stay in town and train until it rolled around again. But folks here are all flabby and weak— and fighting weaklings makes YOU one! Hey, I got an idea! Maybe I can come crash at your guys' castle for a while!
Euden: What?!
Lin You: I mean, you've got a bunch of strong folks there, right? Like Ranzal and Elisanne? I could train as much as I want!
Euden: Well, I suppose it would benefit us all to train against a strong opponent...
Lin You: Then let's get to it already!

Lin You: HIYAAAAAAAH!
Euden: Urk! ...Heh. Oh, I'm not done yet. Let's see what you think of THIS! Haaaah!
Lin You: Muh?! Aaargh! ...Ow.
Euden: Are you okay?
Lin You: Y-yeah, I'm fine. Just twisted my ankle. But I lost again, which is SO annoying!
Euden: But you've won ten and lost ten, so we're actually tied.
Lin You: Unacceptable! Today was going to be the day I finally had more wins than losses! We can't stop like this. C'mon, let's go! Again!
Euden: But your foot is—
Lin You: I SAID AGAIN! Gya! Aaaargh! Owww...
Euden: I told you this was going to happen. You need to take a break.
Lin You: Yeah, okay. Maybe you're right. But once I'm better, we're going again!
Euden: You're on.
Lin You: I'm bummed I didn't win, but I'm also really happy.
Euden: How so?
Lin You: When I don't win every single time, it means I'm fighting someone strong. And fighting strong people makes ME strong, which in turns makes me happy.
Euden: ......
Lin You: What, do I have something on my face? ...Is it blood? That happens a lot.
Euden: I was just wondering why you're so fixated on getting stronger.
Lin You: Er, is that even a real question?
Euden: I mean, what's your endgame? Why is this so important to you?
Lin You: Why? Because I want to get stronger so I can BE stronger! You don't need more reason than that.
Euden: But you must have something DRIVING you toward that goal.
Lin You: Not really, no. Well, okay, that's not TOTALLY true. I guess I'm trying to do this because I want to be more like my master.
Euden: He's a member of the Qilin tribe, right?
Lin You: Yep. He and the rest of the tribe raised me from the time I was a small child.
Euden: The Qilin are said to be a mysterious people who possess mystic powers and knowledge.
Lin You: Oh, they're the bee's knees, all right! They're the successors to an ancient civilization, and they know things no one else does ANYWHERE. Yet they live in harsh environments, without concern for wealth or fame. In truth, it's their strong HEARTS that are the most impressive thing.
Euden: That's interesting.
Lin You: Anyways, I guess I'm aiming to have a heart like theirs someday.
Euden: You clearly have a lot of respect for them.
Lin You: I guess you could say they're role models. I mean, my master is, of course, but so is everyone else from the tribe. Anyway, you wanted to know why I'm doing all this, so now you do.
Euden: I see...
Lin You: My master always used to say, "Just keep striving for greater heights." That's why I need to grow stronger.
Euden: Hmm... (I'm trying to be stronger so I can protect what is important to me. But I'm not sure Lin You's reason is actually reason enough...)

Euden: Hah!
Man: Gyaaargh!
Referee: We have a winner!
Notte: Nice job, Euden!
Elisanne: Splendid work on making it through the preliminaries, Your Highness.
Euden: It seems like all our daily training paid off. Lin You may have forced me to enter the tournament, but now that I'm here, I want to give it everything I've got.
Notte: Heck yeah! That's the spirit! Keep thrashing fools, and there's no limit to how far you can go! Er, but what IS the deal with this tournament, anyway? I thought it was going to be held in town, but instead we're out here in the total boonies.
Elisanne: With so many people both participating and spectating, there likely isn't an arena in town that can hold them all.
Euden: I prefer it out here, actually; I can just fight without worrying about accidentally damaging anything.
Notte: Yeah, I guess.
Cleo: You're just upset there are no food carts out here.
Notte: What? No! How dare you, madam!
Everyone: Ha ha ha!
Ranzal: Hey, Euden. Got a sec?
Euden: Ranzal? Lin You? What's wrong?
Ranzal: I was watchin' her match earlier, and...
Euden: Did something happen?!
Lin You: No, I advanced to the next round. But something's going on in the ring that has me concerned.
Euden: What is it?
Ranzal: Probably easier to just show ya. C'mon.
Referee: Time has expired! And as the opponent did not show up, the competitor Wu Wei is the victor by default!
Wu Wei: ......
Cleo: I take it you have concerns about this Wu Wei person?
Lin You: He's yet to fight a single battle.
Euden: What?!
Elisanne: Are you saying he has won ALL of his matches by default? That is unusual to say the least.
Ranzal: Yeah, but that ain't all. Check over there.
Wu Wei: ......
Ruffian: You're killin' it out there, sir. One more win, and you'll move on through the preliminaries.
Cleo: It's the people from before! The ones who seized control of that poor man's dojo!
Elisanne: If these people are involved, I retract my use of the word "unusual" and replace it with "terrifically suspicious."
Ruffians: Oy, boss! I just found out where his next opponent is!
Ruffian: Nice work. ...Ya want us to go pay 'em a little visit, sir?
Wu Wei: ......
Notte: Okay, that was SUPER shady.
Ranzal: Sure don't seem normal.
Euden: It could be some kind of misunderstanding, but we should follow them and make sure.
Warrior: ...Come again, friend? You are demanding that I WITHDRAW from the tournament?
Ruffian: No, no! No one's demandin' nothin'! I'm just sayin' it might be best if you were to drop out for your own good, like.
Warrior: And if I refuse?
Ruffian: Oh, we got ways to deal with that. ...Don't we, boys?!
Ruffians: Sure do, boss!
Warrior: Urk!
Euden: Stop right there!
Ruffian: Aw, hell. YOU people!
Lin You: You just can't stop with the cowardice, can you? Especially you, Wu Wei!
Wu Wei: ......
Lin You: How dare you refuse to fight through the tournament on your own merits! That's lower than low! But since you only seem willing to fight outside the ring, I'll take you on right here. NOW GET READY TO GET BEAT! YAAAAH!
Wu Wei: ...Is that all?
Elisanne: He dodged Lin You's attack effortlessly!
Wu Wei: My turn. ...PERISH IN BLOOD!
Lin You: Ah! Gyaaaaaargh! He's...so strong... And those moves... Wait, are you—
Wu Wei: Tsk. I had hoped for more from you.
Euden: You're of the Qilin tribe!
Elisanne: If you possessed such prodigious skill, to what end did you engage in such underhanded chicanery?
Wu Wei: I merely have no desire to grow weaker fighting a pack of pathetic nothings.
Lin You: So instead you CHEAT? There's no way a member of the Qilin tribe would do that!
Wu Wei: I've no idea what you think you know about the Qilin tribe, but this is who we are.
Lin You: No... That's impossible!
Wu Wei: We care not for society's notions of good or evil, nor the value systems of others. We strive only to reach greater heights.
Lin You: That's...exactly what my master said... But he wouldn't... No...
Wu Wei: Your master? If you were apprenticed to one of the tribe, I am shocked you do not already understand this lesson.
Lin You: Sh-shut up! You're wrong! The Qilin aren't like that! Don't you dare say such things! AAAAAAAAARGH!
Wu Wei: Sloppy skills, muddied by emotion! They are useless against one such as I!
Lin You: Urgh... Hah...
Euden: Lin You, stop!
Wu Wei: This is poor comedy. I'm leaving now.
Ruffian: But your preliminary opponent's still—
Wu Wei: I care not.
Ruffian: Er, but sir...
Wu Wei: Where I fight...I win.
Ruffian: H-hey! Wait up!
Lin You: It can't be true... It just can't... *sob*
Euden: This is terrible...

Lin You: (The Qilin I know are all fine, noble people. They're nothing like Wu Wei. But...the way they follow their own path, not caring what others think...is kind of the same? Could it be they're really all like him?)
 ???: ...Lin You!
Lin You: Huh?
Ranzal: Don't just stand there! The match is startin'!
Opponent: Bwa ha ha! Too late!
Lin You: Wha?! Whoa! Yaaaaah!
Opponent: Graaaagh...
Notte: Phew! I was worried there for a sec.
Euden: I think she's thinking about Wu Wei and having a hard time concentrating.
Ranzal: Guess so—although looks like you and her both advance to the semifinals.
Euden: But that means...
Referee: Let the bout begin!
Wu Wei: ......
Opponent: Prepare yourself! What?! H-he disappeared! GYAAAAGH!
Wu Wei: Hmph. A trifle.
Referee: W-we have a victor!
Ranzal: I figured he'd win, but boy, did he EVER!
Elisanne: Which means he'll be fighting Euden in the semifinals.
Wu Wei: Finally, a combatant of quality.
Euden: Wu Wei!
Wu Wei: Don't disappoint me.
Euden: I know how remarkable your skills are. But now that I've come this far, I don't intend to lose!
Wu Wei: Oh, I would expect nothing less. I have high hopes for you.
Lin You: Euden...
Euden: Tomorrow is the day I take on Wu Wei.
Elisanne: You seem tense, Your Highness.
Euden: Huh? Do I?
Elisanne: If you keep stressing about the upcoming battle, you shall wear yourself out before it can even commence.
Cleo: She's right. Leave things here in the castle to us—you turn in early and get some rest.
Euden: I guess that makes sense. Tha—
Ranzal: Bad news, everyone! Elma Village is bein' attacked by fiends!
Euden: We need to head there right away!
Lin You: Wait a second. Is that really a good idea?!
Euden: Good or not, the village is being attacked, which means we have to help.
Lin You: But Elma Village is an age from here! If you go, you'll never make it back in time for your tournament match. And even if you WERE on time, you'll be in no condition to fight Wu Wei.
Euden: Lin You, listen to me. I know we both seek the same thing: to become strong. But I want to be strong so I can protect everyone who lives in the kingdom. So right now, all that matters is the safety of that village and its people.
Lin You: That's...all that matters?
Euden: Come on, everyone. Let's move out.
Everyone: Yeah!
Wu Wei: ......
Referee: With his opponent absent, competitor Wu Wei is the victor by default!
Wu Wei: The boy ran away, did he? Pathetic.
Ranzal: ...So it's all well and good we pushed through our fatigue and got here, but there ain't nobody around.
Euden: I suppose that's to be expected. It's long past dark, after all.
Notte: If you knew that, why did we haul tail all the way here? I'm freakin' EXHAUSTED!
Euden: But if someone really had been waiting for us, it would've been rude not to show up.
Ranzal: Yeah, but who would even—
Wu Wei: Why are you showing your face here now?
Euden: Wu Wei!
Wu Wei: I expected the rest of those cowards to flee from a fight, but not you.
Notte: He's no coward, bro!
Wu Wei: Then why did he miss our bout?
Ranzal: How 'bout you shut yer pie hole for once and have yer little match right now?
Wu Wei: What?
Ranzal: If all ya want is a fight, it don't have to be part of some organized tournament.
Wu Wei: I will not deign to field a challenge from a weakling. There is no value in it. Nor will I sully my hands tangling with a coward. There is even less value in that than fighting a weakling.
Euden: Fair enough. Sorry to disappoint.
Wu Wei: ...Hmph.
Lin You: How can you stand there while he says those things, Euden?!
Euden: He's right. Well, maybe not RIGHT, but it's true that I missed the match.
Lin You: But the way he talked about you!
Euden: Words are trivial compared to how we protected the people of Elma Village. Even if I didn't beat Wu Wei, my strength still had meaning.
Lin You: But...!
Euden: And that's enough for me.
Lin You: Then what is the meaning of MY strength...?

Referee: And now, the final match of the Val d'Or tournament begins!
Spectators: YEAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
Wu Wei: To think you are my foe in the deciding battle. What a bore this has become.
Lin You: Well, I'll try to make it more interesting than it was last time!
Wu Wei: Something seems...different about you.
Lin You: Really? Don't know what that might be, but hey—let's both enjoy this!
Euden: I'm not sure I'd say something's different so much as I'd say she's back to the way she originally was.
Elisanne: She has been greatly troubled of late, but now seems to have put it behind her.
Notte: Good luck, Lin You! Thump that dude around till he don't know up from down!
Referee: Let the battle begin!
Lin You: Let's do this, Wu Wei! Yaaaaah!
Wu Wei: ...Hmph.
Lin You: Uh oh. He disappeared... Wait, there he is!
Wu Wei: Nnngh! You read my movements. It seems this will not go as it did before. In that case...
Lin You: Urk! Oh, I'm not done yet! Heavenly Lotus!
Wu Wei: Aaaah ha ha ha! Yes! Excellent! Show me even more of your strength!
Ranzal: That kid's got some real fight in her.
Euden: She's following Wu Wei's movements well. If she keeps this up, she might—
 ???: EEEEEK!
Euden: Where did that scream come from?!
Cleo: The spectators. Look!
Fiend: GRAAAAAGH!
Elisanne: What are fiends doing here?!
Ranzal: Maybe all the excitement drew 'em in?
Euden: Whatever the case, we need to protect everyone here. Come on!
Fiend: GRAAAAGH!
Spectators: S-somebody help meeee!
Lin You: If we don't take care of these fiends, people are going to be hurt!
Wu Wei: Leave them. All that matters is our fight.
Lin You: What?! No! I can't do that!
Wu Wei: Strength means isolation! The very instant you cross paths with others, it begins to decay—thus do we Qilin live apart from society and aim for ever greater heights! Helping others is naught but base sentimentality when compared to the sublimity—the utter PERFECTION—of looking inward to face oneself!
Lin You: You're wrong! You don't understand the Qilin's strength! Yes, they live in isolation and reject normal society, but that's not JUST so they can reach greater heights!
Wu Wei: Do you seriously claim that I fail to understand the Qilin?
Lin You: That's right. And even if I'm wrong and what you say is correct, that only means I have no need for what they offer!
Wu Wei: You...
Lin You: Wait up, everyone! I'm coming!
Wu Wei: ......
Lin You: I'm ending this now! ...HEAVENSTRIKE!
Fiend: GRAAARRGH!
Ranzal: *pant* *pant* Hoo-boy! I'll be glad not to do that again anytime soon.
Euden: Well, I'm glad the people are okay.
Lin You: *huff* *pant*
Elisanne: But Lin You's not going to be able to continue her match in that condition.
Lin You: No, I'm...I'm fine. I have to do this. ...Hang on, Wu Wei! I'm coming!
Wu Wei: Do you truly think to triumph against me, as worn down as you are?
Lin You: Oh, I may not be able to win... But that's no reason not to fight!
Wu Wei: And here I thought you and I were close to understanding each other. Victory is the result of one's strength—to renounce victory is to renounce strength itself!
Lin You: Wrong. What's important is how you use what strength you've gained. My new friends taught me that. I'm not renouncing strength, and I know the way I'm using it isn't wrong. And now I'm going to take what's left of my power and use it to beat the everliving daylights out of you!
Spectators: Give him hell, Lin You! Yeah! Don't lose to someone like him! Lin You! Lin You! Lin You!
Wu Wei: ......
Lin You: All right, Wu Wei. You ready?
Wu Wei: I am going to crush your very soul. Haaaaaaah!
Lin You: I'm giving this all I have! Hiyaaaaaaa! ......
Wu Wei: AAARGH!
Referee: My goodness... Th-the winner is Lin You! Lin You is the champion!
Spectators: WOOOOOO!
Notte: Yesss! You go, girl!
Euden: You did it, Lin You!
Lin You: I...won? I really won? Wu Wei! Did you lose on purpose?
Wu Wei: Such an insulting question ill befits you. I lost because I am still weak. I was shaken by your words and the voices of those supporting you. THAT was the cause of my defeat. ...And your strength.
Lin You: Oh...
Wu Wei: You claimed that I failed to understand the strength of the Qilin tribe. Should I take from your statement that you do?
Lin You: No. Not really, anyway. But I believe that true strength isn't something you seek out just for personal gain or glory. I don't think even my master or his people completely understood it. That's why they were strictly disciplined with themselves and spent all that time honing their minds.
Wu Wei: In my hometown, it is often said that "the road one travels is without end."
Lin You: Yeah, but that's what makes it fun! It means we still have lots of training left ahead of us!
Wu Wei: Such mentality is proof of your strength. I long ago ceased to concern myself with enjoyment, resolving instead to surrender all in the name of mere power. But perhaps now I will learn from you and attempt to enjoy the endless road. Farewell, Lin You. May we meet anon.
Lin You: Let's get stronger and do this again! And with that, it's time to hurry home and get right back to training. Let's go!