Street Fighter 2

Chapter 11

Ryu picked up his bag and walked out of the dock. Handing his passport to the customs officer, he stepped outside into the streets of Hong Kong, which was now darkening from the dusky sunset. He hailed a taxi down. Looking out of the window, Ryu saw the sun setting behind the sea.
"Beautiful, eh?" the driver started. "You will never see a more beautiful sunset in the world than here."
"I know, I've seen it before." Ryu was always amazed by the sunset in Hong Kong. Chun Li showed him the site, and every time he came here, he always tried to arrive before the sun was setting, so that he could see this site and remind himself of the beauty of Hong Kong as soon as possible.
"Ah, so you've come here before. You make good choice to return here. Why did you come back?"
"I wanted to pay my respects to an old friend."
"Old friend? By your dress sense, I see you are a fighter. Is the man you want a fighter too?"
"Yes. He runs a Kung Fu dojo on the outskirts of the city."
"Ah, you mean Grand Master Gen."
Ryu was stunned. "Yes. How did you know?"
"He taught me Kung Fu when I was about nineteen. I did pretty well too. Si Gung Gen is a master in teaching."
That's not all he is a master at, though Ryu. He kept quiet about Gen's past as an assassin.
"Believe me, I am grateful to him for it. I have had to use it many times to fend of drunks and dissidents."
"Is there any chance you could take me to his dojo?"
"Sorry, but his dojo would be closed by now. But I tell you what. I drop you off at hotel, I pick you up the next morning, I take you there. What do you say?"
"Thank you. I'll take you up on that offer."
The driver's radio suddenly picked up a news report. The woman, speaking in Chinese, was rambling on about something when Ryu heard the lady say 'Interpol'. He quickly leaned to the driver, asked him to turn the volume up, and translate for him. Maybe it would say something about Chun Li.
"They say something about at breakout at the Hong Kong prison. Uh…Shadowloo members."
Ryu's eyebrow was raised when 'Shadowloo' was mentioned.
"A number of guards were killed. A few Shadowloo agents were rescued…especially one who was rescued when a small bomb blasted the cell wall. The prisoner's name was…..Sagat."
Ryu was shocked at the mention of Sagat's name.
Sagat….so he is free now. Ryu heard that Sagat had been arrested and jailed sometime after the fight he had with Bison. Now that he had been freed, Ryu felt that Sagat would return to Shadowloo in order to try and find Ryu. Still, Ryu wasn't afraid. Shadowloo had no idea where Ryu was, and they had never come into contact with him. After all, Ryu was the man who had killed their master, so they just ran when they saw him.
"Why are you so interested?" the driver interrupted Ryu's thinking.
"I have a friend who works for Interpol."
"Ah." The driver spoke no more as he arrived at Ryu's chosen hotel.

The next morning, Ryu paid the hotel for his night. He had planned to leave to find somewhere else to fight after he had seen and paid his respects to Gen. As he walked out of the door, the cab driver arrived as scheduled.
After an hours worth of driving in rush hour traffic, Ryu arrived at Gen's dojo. Handing the money to the driver, he turned towards the door. He had been here a couple of times before, but it still amazed him when he saw the size of the place. Gen's dojo was one of the largest dojos in Hong Kong, its ancient Chinese structure towering over Ryu. The dojo was about the same size as a Buddhist temple, surrounded by a concrete wall. A flight of stairs ascended into the entrance of the dojo.
Ryu walked up the stairs into the entrance. He found his way to the entrance of the dojo's hall, and walked inside. He found several students sparring against each other. Two of them he recognised. They were Yun and Yang, Gen's nephews.
"Ryu! Hi!"
Yun broke the spar with Yang and ran up to Ryu, Yang following behind. He courteously bowed at Ryu, who bowed back.
"Hello Yun, Yang. It is nice to see you two again."
"Yeah. Chun Li told us how you fought against Bison. Man, you must have been amazing."
"It was a lucky shot, nothing more." Ryu was always modest about his fights.
"Yeah, right." Yang replied sarcastically. "You want to see Uncle Gen?"
"Yes. I haven't been here for a while, and I'd like to see him."
"Sure, I'll just get him." Yang walked off to Gen's room, while Yun kept telling everyone who Ryu was. Ryu smiled. He wasn't very fond of the fame he had received when he destroyed Bison, but the way that the two teenagers looked up to him made him feel like he was needed. Living alone on the road tended to make you feel not only lonely but left feeling that he wasn't really needed. But t was Ryu's choice as to what he did.
Yang walked out of Gen's room and strode up to Ryu. "He's ready to see you, Ryu."
Ryu entered the room and saw the familiar smiling face of Grand Master Gen, welcoming him with opening arms. "Welcome, Ryu. It is an honour to see you come to my humble dojo."
Ryu embraced Gen in friendship and bowed. "Well, it is hardly humble, Grand Master Gen. It is indeed the greatest honour for me to see you after being away for so long."
Gen laughed and placed a hand onto Ryu's shoulder. "Ryu, please do not call me 'Grand Master'. I find it pretty boring to be reminded of my old age."
Ryu smiled. "But you are a Grand Master. It would be dishonorable to call you by anything else."
Gen laughed even more. Ryu felt happy when Gen showed how old age had not changed him in the slightest. He still remained in perfect physical and mental condition, no doubt a result from his years of training and meditation.
Ryu and Gen sat down, Gen on the chair behind his desk. Ryu surveyed the room. It was filled with trophies that Gen and his students had won over the years. On one shelf, there were numerous photographs of people Gen had known, including Fei Long, Yun and Yang, group photographs of other students, and Chun Li.
"So, Ryu, what brings you here?"
"I had arrived in Hong Kong yesterday. I'm probably going to leave sometime tomorrow, but I thought I'd see you before I left. I had not been here for a long time, after all."
"Is that the only reason you came here? To see me?"
"Well, I had hoped to see Chun Li as well, but I presumed she was too busy."
Gen smiled. "Well, Chun Li does manage to find some spare time. I'm sure that you'll see her sooner than you realize."
They suddenly heard voices outside Gen's office.
"Hi there Chun!"
"Hello Yun. Is Gen in?"
Ryu immediately stood up when he heard her voice. He recognised it immediately, but couldn't believe it himself.
At that moment, Chun Li entered the door, wearing a casual red dress. "Hello Si G…." She stopped short as she saw the Japanese man in a white T-shirt and Jeans and realised who he was.
"R…Ryu?"
For about 5 seconds there was silence as the two friends stared at each other in amazement. Finally, Gen broke the silence.
"Well, Ryu? Aren't you going to say anything?"
Ryu stuttered. This was something he wasn't expecting. "Ch…Chu.."
Chun Li ran and embraced him, laughing. "Ryu! I haven't seen you for so long, how are you doing?"
Ryu returned the embrace, happy to see his friend again.
Gen saw the two embrace. "Well, this is a turnout. I knew you were friends, but I didn't expect the relationship to be that close."
Chun Li drew herself from Ryu, embarrassed by what Gen had just said. "Oh, Uncle Gen. It's not like that at all."
Gen raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

Meanwhile, in a military depot outside San Francisco, a battle was waging, and the Marines were losing.
A Shadowloo stealth squad that had been a member of Bison's army before was storming the Weapons Facility. Their target, the VX gas chamber that was down in the basement.
The Marines were caught completely by surprise, and they were killed instantly. The Shadowloo killers recovered the VX gas quickly, but carefully. Soon, they retreated with the stolen gas in their hands. They left nothing but an empty VX holding chamber and a number of dead marines.

"So, Ryu. Where have you been? Why have you come here? And why the hell didn't you come and see me?" Chun Li asked with a smile.
"Well…." Ryu stammered at Chun Li's questions, unable to reply.
Gen interrupted to finish for him. "Chun Li, he has merely come here to pay my respects. Seeing as you're always so busy with your job, he didn't want to impose on you."
"Oh Ryu. You wouldn't have been imposing. You were actually fortunate that I've got a couple of days off."
Ryu turned towards Gen. "You never told me."
"Ryu." A large smile drew upon Gen. "You should know that half the fun is forcing the other man to find out for himself."
"So, Chun Li. How have things been?"
Chun Li told Ryu all about life as an Interpol detective. She told him about the drug busts, the murders, and how close she was of wiping Shadowloo out altogether. Ryu listened intently. He always liked hearing about what was going on in the world he walked on.
After she had finished, she asked Ryu a question.
"So, Ryu. What are you going to do now that you've visited Gen."
"Well…..I guess I could return to my hotel. I'll probably be leaving tomorrow."
"What?!" Chun Li couldn't believe it. She had only just seen her friend after one whole year, and already he was leaving. But she wanted to see for so long. How could he do this?
"I don't know where I will be going, but I will go where my senses guide me."
"But why do you have to go tomorrow? Why can't you stay here?"
"Chun Li's right Ryu." Gen broke into the conversation. "You haven't seen her for a while. Maybe you should have a talk about what has happened since you last met."
"But I…." Ryu didn't know what to say. He actually did want to stay and talk with Chun Li, but he knew that he would have to leave to continue his journey.
"Listen, Ryu." Gen walked up to Ryu. "Instead of just going back to your hotel, why don't you have dinner with Chun Li. I'm sure she'd be more than willing, after all you've done for her."
"But….I wouldn't want to impose."
"Oh, Ryu you wouldn't be imposing!" Chun Li beamed at Gen's suggestion. To Ryu it seemed she was being more cheerful than the last time he had seen him, like a child who was far too serious from the age of twelve and wanted to catch up on lost time. He decided that he would actually join her for dinner. Not only would he be able to catch up with the latest news, he also would be able to eat some of Chun Li's cooking. He enjoyed it that much.
"…….Alright then. I'll join you for dinner."
A smile sawed Chun Li's face in half.

The door opened, and Chun Li and her new guest walked in.
"I'll start cooking. Just make yourself comfortable."
As Chun Li ran to the kitchen, Ryu surveyed Chun Li's apartment. It was actually a lot better than some of the inns he had stayed in. He walked towards the living room. It was neatly organized, complete with a high quality entertainment center, sofas and other miscellaneous furniture. It was comfortable, if somewhat alien to him. He had been sleeping on the road and in cheap inns since he left the dojo after Sensei Gouken died. The only times he experienced comfort was when he visited the Masters' Estate to see Ken.
He sat down on one of the sofas. His hand brushed the surface – cotton.
He took in a series of little breaths. All he could smell was the fragrance of Pot Pourri, which suddenly was replaced by the smell of Chun Li's cooking. He was looking forward to it.
He walked up to the photographs on a mantelpiece. They were mostly pictures of Chun Li with a variety of people. She was with her father, Colonel Guile, some friends of hers he never met. There was even a couple with himself. Ryu smiled when he saw them. They were photos of Chun Li and Ryu when he visited her a couple of years ago.
His eyes then turned to several pictures of Chun Li and another young woman. She had blond hair, with long pigtails round the back. She also had a scar on the left cheek.
"Hey, Chun Li?"
"Yeah Ryu."
"Who's this girl here?"
Chun Li walked out of the kitchen to see Ryu holding up a picture of herself and the blond girl.
"Oh, that's Cammy. I took care of her when she had been brainwashed by Shadowloo."
"No kidding. What happened to her?"
"Well, Cammy didn't remember her past as an assassin for Shadowloo, but remembered her fighting ability. Vega attacked us to recapture her, but she saved my life. Now, she's an agent for MI6."
Ryu looked with respect at the picture of Cammy in her traditional MI6 uniform, her hand raised to her head in a salute.
Chun Li had returned to the kitchen while he was looking around. After several minutes, Chun Li reappeared from the kitchen.
"Dinner is ready."

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