Street Fighter 2

Chapter 18

Ryu woke up groggily as morning shone through the window. The blinds did little to stop the light shining into his face.
He laid a hand on his head and sighed. It was now his second night that he stayed in Chun Li's apartment, and he was already beginning to enjoy it. Having someone taking care of him was something he hadn't experienced since his Sensei died. The butlers at Ken's old home, the Masters Estate, were being paid to do it, so they didn't really care. Chun Li did it out of her own will.
His mind wandered about the previous home, the only home he ever had. Sensei Gouken's dojo was situated in the large forest area a few miles away from Osaka. Ryu had everything he needed there, someone to look after him, a friend to care for, and a place of peace and tranquility where he could train hard without any sense of disturbance.
That was then. Now, it was as if life had been destroyed or scared away from there, ever since Akuma came and killed his own brother, Gouken.
Ryu knew Akuma's true name, Goutetsu. Goutetsu trained with Gouken like Ken and Ryu did. However, unlike Gouken, who studied hard to use Shotokan as purely a means of defense for others as well as himself, Goutetsu wanted more. He wanted to use his art as a way of overpowering people, to prove he was the greatest by any means necessary. He ran away from the dojo one night, taking a book that taught the other side of Shotokan Karate, Satsui No Hado.
When Ken left the dojo and Ryu was about to leave, he had been told the story by Gouken personally. Then, as Ryu was about to leave, he saw his father figure arguing with another man near the crevice. He then saw the other man kill Gouken with the most forbidden technique in Shotokan, the Shun Goku Satsu.
Ryu watched with horror as Goutetsu attacked the seven chakra, the seven most vital parts of the body, according to Kudalini art; the crown of the head, the brow, the throat, the heart, the solar plexus, the spleen, and the base of the spinal column. After fourteen powerful blows to those areas, Goutetsu finally struck one final blow to the heart. Gouken collapsed, and died.
Goutetsu's soul had died for what he did. In it's place, the soul of Akuma, the devil, took shape.
Ryu's thoughts snapped back into the present as Chun Li called from behind the wall.
"Ryu! Are you decent?"
"Just a second." He hurriedly scrambled on his jeans, ready to put on some new ones as soon as he had a shower.
Chun Li came in wearing a simple red dress. "Geez, Ryu. Aren't you ready yet?"
"Ready?"
"We're going to Uncle Gen's Dojo, remember?"
"Uh…yeah. I'll get ready now."
Chun Li giggled as she left Ryu to his morning rituals.

They arrived at Gen's dojo several minutes later. They entered an empty room, the students had yet to turn up. All they saw was Gen sweeping the dojo with a straw brush.
Gen looked up and saw the couple arrive. He put his brush down and came to meet them.
"Ah! Chun Li and Ryu. It is nice to see you again."
Chun Li embraced Gen in a loving hug. Ryu shook his hand.
"Si Gung Gen," said Ryu with a bow, "It is nice to see you again."
"I'm amazed you stayed here. I thought you were leaving yesterday."
"I had originally intended to, but Chun Li convinced me to stay."
Gen raised an eyebrow and turned to face a blushing Chun Li, a smile gleaming on his face. "Well, well, Chun Li. I suppose your charms had a large part to play in Ryu's staying here, as I had not doubted."
Chun Li's face went red with embarrassment. Ryu cocked his head sideways, not understanding what Gen had meant.
"But I thought you were only allowed a couple of days leave." Gen continued to Chun Li.
"I had been entitled to a holiday, Si Gung. I did not want to leave Ryu alone while he was here."
Gen said nothing more, but Chun Li could sense that he would have made her even more embarrassed than she already was.
"Anyway," Gen spoke, changing the subject, "How about some tea while we wait for the To-Dais (students) to arrive? They won't be here for another half-an-hour."
Gen guided them to his office. When they entered, he poured three cups of the strong smelling Chinese herb tea.
"So," Gen said as he sat down behind his desk, sipping his tea. "What brings you here to my humble training hall?"
"I felt that I did not see you for long enough the last time I was here, and I thought we could talk more, and discuss about our different martial arts."
"I would be happy to, but why couldn't you have asked Chun Li?"
"Uh…well…."
Chun Li laughed when Gen caught Ryu out. Ryu didn't actually just want to discuss the differences between Kung Fu and Karate. The reason he came here was so that he could see Chun Li practice her fighting styles, and learn from them the next time they faced each other in a Street Fighting tournament.
"I didn't want to impose on Chun Li and busy her with such talk. She has done a lot for me, and with her work, I didn't want to……uh……" They could see he was getting nowhere.
"Ryu. I know that you enjoy the fight, and you want to see how others fight with different styles. But as I've always said, never become so brash that you don't pass up any experience. If you want to learn, why don't you do a sparring session with Chun Li."
Chun Li beamed at the idea. Ryu was not so sure. "Well, I couldn't….I mean, I couldn't fight a friend like Chun Li."
"Why not. You're always willing to fight Ken?" Gen asked.
"It's just that….."
"Oh Ryu," Chun Li interrupted Ryu before he could give any reason, the fact of course being that he had none. "Don't play the slippery eel. I don't mind fighting you at all. I mean, we have done it before remember, just think of it as coming back to old times. Besides, I would like to fight against a master in Karate in case any Karate-fighting criminals show up."
"But I don't have my gi. I left it behind in your apartment."
"I had anticipated this would happen, so I took it with me. It's in the car with my Kung Fu dress. See, unlike you, I plan ahead." she said with a smile.
Gen had to laugh at this remark. Ryu had to admit defeat.
"Alright then," Ryu said, "I will."

The two warriors faced each other, Ryu wearing his white gi and red head band, Chun Li in her Kung Fu dress. Gen stood at the side, ready to watch the two battle.
It was the first time Ryu managed to get a good look at the dojo he was fighting in. It was a traditional Kung Fu dojo, with a couple of wooden support beams holding up the platform above them. On the far wall from the entrance, a ornate shelf holding several trophies and Chinese ornaments stood in the center. In the corner, a stand held the various weapons used in Kung Fu, such as a broadsword, butterfly knives, a straight sword and several three-pronged metal sais, while several 6 ½ point poles lay on supporting nails on the wall. In the other corner, a mook yan jong, or a wooden training dummy, aloud students to practice their blocking techniques.
"Jeun Bai!" barked Gen, signaling the fighters to get ready.
Ryu tightened his red head band and pulled his gloves while Chun Li put her hand and fist in the etiquette position, and put his fists to the side of his body. Then, at the same time, they bowed, their eyes always facing forward.
"You better watch it, Ryu," warned Gen, "Chun Li has mastered the arts of wing chun, mok-gar, wushu and is an expert in Tai chi chuan."
"I'll bear that in mind." Ryu replied.
"Jeun Geung! (attack)" Gen barked as he sat down.
Immediately Chun Li stepped back, and twirled her arms until they were by her side, her body turned to the left. She pushed her right hand out and stood ready, while her other hand was raised behind her head.
Ryu raised his left forearm in front of his head, then brought it down into a lower block as he stepped forward into a leaning stance.
For a while, no-one moved. Then, suddenly, Chun Li launched into the attack.
Chun Li launched several punches towards Ryu's head, forcing to block with over head blocks and his forearms without managing to launch into a counter attack. Ryu ducked under several backhand punches and launched attacks of his own, Chun Li managing to block several of them and avoiding the rest. Finally, Ryu managed to push himself out of harms way.
Chun Li, making herself light on her feet, formed another fighting stance, raising her hands and forming them with her thumb and little finger outwards. Ryu moved his feet accordingly and stuck his left foot out, the ball of his foot touching the ground, and his hands raised.
This time, Ryu moved, jumping into the air and launching three aerial front-kicks, which Chun Li pushed down with her hands. As he landed, Chun Li used kicks of her own, using a high roundhouse kick which circled over Ryu's head as he ducked, then used several kicks to Ryu's side, which he managed to block with his knees as well as his hands. Finally, Chun Li stepped back and put her hands in her crane stance. Ryu launched a mid kick at her ribs, but Chun Li grabbed his foot, and pulled her arms away in opposite directions, causing Ryu's body to spin in the air and crash onto his side.
Gen smiled as his favourite student made the first blow. "Good! Now continue."
Ryu managed to pick himself up and nodded, then spun his leg round into a perfect roundhouse, which Chun Li unfortunately managed to duck. Ryu had to duck as soon as he completed his spin to avoid Chun Li's own roundhouse. They both kicked each other's side, and managed to block each other in mid-kick…..

In the changing rooms, the students prepared for the day's lessons, each one putting on their own Kung Fu uniform. They then heard a commotion going on in the main hall.
Yun walked up to the entrance of the dojo to see Ryu and Chun Li attacking each other in a sparring match. Yun ran back to the boy's changing room and hurriedly opened the door.
"Chun Li's fighting Ryu!"
Immediately, the boys belted for the door, pushing Yun out of the way. The girls must have heard Yun in the other changing room, because as soon as the boys came running out, they stormed out of their door and forced their way past Yun.
Yun, dazed, followed them. "Hey! Wait for me!"

The fifteen students ran to the door, then entered quietly, not wishing to disturb the two street fighters as they attacked and defended.
"Looks like we have some spectators," said Ryu.
"Let's not disappoint them." Chun Li responded.
Immediately after saying that, she lashed out with a side kick that made Ryu block to the side, then spin his body to block the second kick to his other side. He counterattacked with a kick to the ribs, which did connect, pushing Chun Li backwards. However, this did not faze her as she threw several punches, Ryu ducking the swinging punch to his left cheek, then blocking several other punches, attacking with his own punch where necessary. Chun Li ran a spinning back-hand punch to Ryu's face, but Ryu blocked it and put his arm in front of her own, and deftly flicked his fist into it. As Chun Li staggered back, he tried a two-fisted punch, but that proved to be an error, as Chun Li immediately used Chi Sau, or the sticky hands technique. She twirled her arms to stop Ryu from making another punch, then she sensed an overlap in the arms and used the lapse to her advantage by withdrawing her right palm and smashing it into Ryu's chest, sending him flying, his legs going higher behind him until he crashed onto his front. He picked himself up, and Chun Li developed a frontal guard position.
Ryu sidestepped around the arena, as if he was performing a dance, then placed his two feet onto the ground, his fists at his side in a side-horse position. He dummied two attacks, causing Chun Li to move nervously to block, then kicked at Chun Li's midriff. She withstood the pain and threw a fist at Ryu's head, which he grabbed and turned. Chun Li's body spun in the air as he tried to throw her, but she landed on her feet and managed to withdraw her arm from Ryu's grip. She then attacked with several low kicks to his shins, but using the ball of his feet, Ryu managed to kick down every one of them. The last kick he blocked with his knee, then he spun around with his foot and pushed his raised leg into Chun Li's side, causing her to stagger backwards. Ryu tried to elbow her in the neck, but Chun Li blocked it with her palm, then grabbed Ryu's gi behind his back and flung him away, sending him sliding on the straw mats, stopping just short of the support beam in front of him. Chun Li launched herself into the air to attack Ryu on the ground, her arms raised like a hawk.
Ryu turned his head to see Chun Li bearing down on him. He rolled to the side, Chun Li crashing her knee down onto the mat. As she got up, there was a large dent in the straw mat. Gen grimaced at the fact that the fight would cost him, but it was still a fight worth watching.
Ryu pulled his body up, and forward rolled till he flipped his body from his shoulders onto his feet, turning his body to face his opponent. He ran towards her and launched a foot sweep. Chun Li jumped over to avoid it, somersaulting in the air, then ran to one of the other support beams. The students watched in amazement as she then lifted herself up and ran several steps up the support beam. After the fourth step, she pushed herself into the air, hoping to catch Ryu out from behind. Ryu walked under her flying form, looking up and waiting for the right moment, as soon as Chun Li landed, he performed a Joudan Sokutou Geri, sending a powerful kick into Chun Li's chest, and sent her flying backwards until she crashed into the support beam where the dent in the floor was, breaking the beam in half.
Some of the students grimaced as she landed. "Man, I felt that from here." Yang remarked, and the others had to agree.
Ryu, realizing what he had done, ran to Chun Li's aid. "Chun Li! Are you alright!"
To his surprise, Chun Li was actually laughing. "Ha ha ha! Wow! That was just like real flying except I didn't get a cup of tea and a safety belt."
Ryu smiled as he helped her up. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Let's keep going."
Ryu turned his head to face Gen. Gen nodded in approval. "Continue on."

The Grand Master and his students waited with intent as Ryu and Chun Li stood, Ryu in a frontal guard stance, and Chun Li in a Tai Chi forwards stance with her left palm pushed forwards and her right hand behind her with the fingers in the hook position, her weight on her front leg. Ryu launched a low kick and Chun Li brought the palm down, shifting her weight to her back leg and forming the hsia shih ('snake creeps down') position, bringing her palms up to attack Ryu's chin. Ryu pulled his head back to avoid the attack and pushed his right foot into Chun Li's body.
Ryu punched at Chun Li upwards, and she had a hard time trying to keep up with her blocking. The speed at which they fought stunned all of the students. They turned and switched places, Ryu continuing the relentless blocking until he sensed a lapse, then he punched her mid-section, causing her to stagger back. Ryu launched a fist at her head and stopped just short. Chun Li's head jerked upwards as she saw the fist in front of her and she pushed herself backwards, her arms flailing as she tried to regain her balance. She did so and brought her left fist up in front of her face and the right fist behind her head.
Chun Li gasped, "You're too fast."
"What do you mean?" asked Ryu, "What are you waiting for? You're faster than this."
He brought his hands to his face in a diamond stance. "Don't think you are, you know you are."
He lowered his arm, opened up his palm, and pulled his fingers up, motioning her to attack.
Chun Li, with fierce determination, attack Ryu with fast attacks. Ryu blocked each one successively. After the last attack, Ryu pulled his arms around hers and they were locked together. They faced each other even closer than they had done before.
"Come on! Stop trying to hit me and just hit me!" Ryu taunted.
Chun Li broke herself out of the armlock and attacked even faster than before. Even Gen was surprised at the speed with which Chun Li attacked. To Ryu, it seemed to him that her arms were blurred.
Chun Li brought her forearms to Ryu's left side, which he blocked, but couldn't hold up. Then Chun Li leaned her body back and started to attack Ryu's right side, swinging her arms upward towards Ryu's face.
Ryu brought his arms down every time to block, but could find nowhere that he could counterattack, her attacks were too fast. He was pushed back along the dojo floor as he kept she kept the fierceness of her attacks going. Finally, after an unblocked punch that just missed Ryu's head, Chun Li locked her left arm around Ryu's right arm, then with great speed, brought her right arm and punched Ryu in the stomach, sending him stumbling back into the support beam. Finally, Chun Li threw a straight punch and stopped just short of Ryu's face.
Ryu's eyes widened and his head jerked back into the beam as the fist stayed a mere inch away from his nose.
"Cease!" shouted Gen. Chun Li brought her fist back at Gen's command, and stepped away. They were both gasping from the intense battle.
"You have improved a hell of a lot more since I last fought you, Chun Li." Ryu told her with pride, holding the spot where Chun Li had hit him.
"……..Thank you," was the only thing Chun Li could say.
The students sitting at the side of the dojo clapped their hands, amazed that they were able to witness such a spectacular fight.
Ryu and Chun Li bowed at each other in gratitude for the fight, and smiled.

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