Hero of Heroes Ch. 5 - Illusions
By Night

Hong Kong

Chun-Li walked throughout the large city of HK with a shopping bag held in one arm. Gen let her have the day off and she decided to take full advantage of it. Looking across the street, she saw the airport and in the distance saw many planes landing. "Must be tourist season," she thought to herself. Walking by a window, she then noticed a complete blue and black sport outfit at a very good price. Chun-Li jumped up and smiled with glee. Oh! It looks so cute! I GOTTA have that!

Some time later, Chun-Li walked out of the store, now with two bags in her arms. Such a cute outfit! she thought as she smiled to herself. A small breeze passed by, blowing through her hair, causing her short bangs to slightly flow. She closed her eyes, turning her head aside and clung her to bags in response to the sudden chill. Her eyes reopened, and her view was looking across the street. Everything then began to happen in slow motion. She saw something she didn't think she'd ever see again. It was him. The white gi. The red bandanna. The duffel bag. It had to be him. Across the street, Chun-Li saw Ryu was walking in the opposite direction. Is he really here? Did he... come for me...? Chun-Li's heartbeat increased and she held her bags closer to her, almost crushing the contents inside.

"Chun? Is that you?" said a voice. Time suddenly came back to normal as Chun-Li turned her head to the person now talking to her. She had long hair, almost similar to Linn's, and was dressed in a casual t-shirt and jeans. "Oh, Maki, is that you?" she responded.

"That's me!" Maki smiled.

Chun-Li jerked her head back to see if Ryu was still there, but he was gone. Where... how... was it just an illusion? Chun-Li thought to herself.

"Chun? You all right?" Maki continued.

"Oh... yes. I just thought I saw something. Must've been my imagination. So what are you doing all the way here in HK?"

"Well, Guy and Rina wanted to go on like some 'international shopping vacation' and these were one of the hot spots. So we just stopped here and next stop is Singapore! I just wanted to tag along, being Guy's best friend and all!"

"So why are you here all by yourself? Where are Guy and Rina?"

Mika rolled her eyes. "They had to spend some 'time alone', leaving poor me to walk out here all by myself. But it's a good thing I bumped into you eh?"

"Alone huh? I know that feeling..." Chun-Li sighed. She turned her head to look back across the street one more time. Nothing.

"Aw, it's ok! At least I bumped into you and now we can hang out together! So how about lunch?"

"S-Sure! I wasn't doing much later anyway!"

"Okay, let's go then!"

***

"Ohhhhhhh... so THAT'S why you looked so weird and kept looking back there! I thought I saw a karate guy before I saw you!" Maki laughed as she sipped her iced tea.

"Yeah... when I thought I saw him... my heart missed a beat and then it just kept beating faster and faster," Chun-Li sighed, digging through her noodles with her chopsticks.

"Why didn't you just call out to him or run after him? I would've understood!"

"I... I just froze up... I didn't know what to do... I wasn't even sure it was him!"

"Well, I KNOW I saw some guy dressed in a white gi and red bandanna holding a duffel bag! Who else COULD it be? And if you're not completely sure, go ask Master Gen! He'd probably know if the greatest fighter in the world is here in HK!"

"I suppose you're right. Maybe I'll ask him right after lunch, but then I'd be leaving you all alone!"

"Oh, don't worry! I'll probably return to the hotel in a couple o' hours anyway! We can hang out 'till then!"

"Hehe! Ok!" Both Chun-Li and Maki finished up their lunches, paid the bill and headed out back to the street.

***

The two women walked down the sidewalk, their arms filled with bags full of clothes. Many young men passing by them gave them more-than-long-enough looks. Maki smiled back at them while Chun-Li tried her best to ignore them.

"Hehe what's wrong Chun? It's all part of the fun getting looks from guys!" Maki laughed.

Chun-Li looked down at the ground, "I don't know. I just don't like it when a guy just 'checks me out'. I want a guy to look at me for who I am, not just how I look..."

Maki smiled, "You're hoping that Ryu can look at you like that don't you?"

Chun-Li's heart missed another beat. "Y-Yes. But I don't know if he even THINKS about... love."

"Well, you're just gonna have to MAKE him think about it! You've got charm, Chun. If you use that charm, there's no way he can resist you!"

"That is... if I can ever find him..."

"You will find him! I know you will! Believe in fate, Chun! Fate will bring you two together and keep you together forever!"

"You're always so positive, Maki," Chun-Li smiled, "but I never believed in fate... but I guess a woman can still hope."

"Don't worry. One way or another, I just know you'll end up with him. You love him so much that I can't see how he couldn't accept you! But one thing I gotta tell you... once you find him... don't ever let him outta your sight. Grab hold of him and never let him go! The more you're in contact with him, the more he'll feel comfortable being with you. Then the two of you can freely exchange your feelings with one another!"

"But... when will I know when I can tell him how I feel?"

"You will know. Your heart will tell you."

Chun-Li closed her eyes and held her bags close against her chest. "I sure hope so..."

"Hey... I'm just wondering... what do you really see in that guy anyway?" Maki asked.

"Ryu... he... he's so nice... with calm eyes... very gentle... single-minded... and sooo naive and shy. I guess it's his shyness mainly that attracts me. I know there's a heart beneath that hardened fighter shell that wants to touch someone. And I want to be that person that helps him discover his own heart... and be the person that he touches with it," Chun-Li answered, holding her items close to her heart.

Maki sighed, "Wow... what a guy... well, we still got about a half-hour before I should be going back to Guy and Rina, so let's not waste time! Let's clean out whatever's left to be cleaned!" Maki speeded up her pace as she began to quickly run down the street completely swamped with stores.

"Okay, but wait for me!" Chun-Li called out, following close behind.