Hero of Heroes Ch. 8 - Dreams
By Night

"So Ryu," a long blond-haired young boy in a red gi said, facing Ryu in a fighting stance, "I heard there's some girlie you like haha!"

"Enough, Ken!" Ryu retorted, also in the same stance, "I... she... I just have to sort out my feelings with her that's all!" Both warriors were standing in a forest, the forest both had trained in from the beginning.

"So it's true Ryu! You got yourself a girlfriend hahahah!" Ken just stood there laughing at him.

"I've had it with your insolence!" Ryu charged at Ken with a punch, but Ken somehow quickly jumped over him and jumped on his back.

"Ryu and Chun-Liiiiiiiiii hahaha!" Ken put a fist on the back of Ryu's head and gave him a big noogie.

"How do you already know her name? How do you-" Ryu started to say.

"RYU!" a booming voice shouted from on top of a nearby mountain. Both students looked up, seeing a towering figure holding what appeared to be a body. Neither Ryu nor Ken could see his face, for the sun blinded their vision. The figure threw the bundle down to the rocky ground right in front of Ryu. Ryu was in complete horror.

"S-S-S-S-S-SENSEI!!!!!" he screamed. He did not want to believe what he was seeing in front of him. The body laid still, spraying blood. Ryu clenched his fists and looked back up at the mountain, but the towering figure that stood there was gone. Ryu turned his head in every direction. He noticed that Ken was gone as well. "WHERE ARE YOU DEMON?! WHERE IS KEN? SHOW YOURSELF!"

"RYU!" the voice said again, "IT IS YOUR DESTINY TO BECOME THE STRONGEST WARRIOR IN EXISTENCE. JUST UNLEASH... YOUR TRUE POWER!!!"

"No!!! I will not!" Ryu screamed into the air.

"YOU WILL! YOU WILL UNCOVER YOUR UNTAPPED ENERGY AND SHOW THIS WORLD THE TRUE MEANING OF POWER!"

"Don't listen to him, Ryu!" said another voice. It was a gentle female voice this time... and she was running towards him.

"Ch... Chun-Li!" Ryu turned his head, seeing her running towards him with her arms open...

"FOOL. YOU HAVE LET THIS YOUNG ONE MAKE YOU WEAK. THOSE WHO GET IN THE WAY SHALL BE DESTROYED!!!" As the voice concluded its sentence, the ground began to shake and break apart. Chun-Li lost her footing and fell on her knees... and the ground opened up beneath her!

"Ryuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!" she screamed as she plummeted down the dark abyss.

"Chun-Li!!!!!" Ryu ran and dived down the hole she fell into. He positioned his body straight so he would generate less friction and be able to reach her. "Chun-Li... I'm coming!" He finally reached her and took her into her arms... but still continued falling... and falling...

***

"Chun-Li!" Ryu screamed.

"Ryu! What's wrong?" the door opened and Chun-Li stormed inside in her pajamas and quickly sat at the side of the bed.

Ryu was breathing heavily and his body was sweating. "Ch... Chun-Li..."

"It's okay Ryu. It was only a dream. It's morning now," she said gently, wiping off a bead of sweat from his face. Chun-Li smiled to herself... wondering if she should try repeating what she did the night before. Oh come on, Chun... the guy had a bad dream! Well, at least give him SOME comfort... She reached behind his head and slowly untied his red bandanna. "Jeez, you're sweating like crazy!" She removed the bandanna and wiped his forehead clean of the sweat with it. When she was done, she reached over and kissed his forehead gently. Putting a hand on his shoulder, she finally said, "So tell me about your dream..."

"It... it was terrible..." Ryu started, "It was as if I was re-living the moment went my master was killed by Akuma..."

"Oh Ryu, that's so terrible..." Chun-Li continued to wipe sweat from his face as he continued explaining his dream.

"And... you... you were in it..."

Chun-Li's eyes widened. "Wow! I was? What happened to me...?"

"Well... the dream is starting to fade away from me but... all I remember is that Akuma summoned tremendous power and suddenly you were falling... and I... I jumped in after to try and save you... but we both just kept falling and falling... and that's when I woke up."

"So that's why you called out my name...! And you actually jumped down after me to catch me while I fell??? Oh, that's soooo romantic!" Chun-Li sighed.

Ryu blushed, "Heh..." He was still unsure of his true feelings for Chun-Li, but after having this dream... he knew his he was coming closer to knowing them.

"Well, now that we're both awake, I guess I'll just make some breakfast then!"

"Sure, that sounds perfect." Ryu regained his strength, and finally got up out of the bed, taking his bandanna with him. "I suppose I should take a shower then."

"Oh, okay, I'll show you where the bathroom is." Chun-Li led him out of her bedroom and pointed to where the bathroom was located. Ryu walked in while Chun-Li headed for the kitchen. Shortly after opening the refrigerator, she heard Ryu turn on the shower faucets and heard the jets of water running. Wow... Ryu... all to myself. And last night was something special... even though nothing happened... but it was still special... she thought to herself. She searched through the fridge to see what she should make for the morning meal. She took out some eggs, meats and butter. The reached up and opened a cabinet and pulled out a box of pancake mix. Hmmm... I guess I can make him a western style breakfast!

A few minutes later, she already had on the dining table two plates with two buttermilk pancakes each, complete with an omlette topped with salsa, bacon and sausage. There! Sure hope he likes it! Hmm... guess I should fix MYSELF up then... she headed back to her bedroom to go change.

After getting her clothes from her drawer, Chun-Li slowly pulled down her pajama bottoms down to the floor. She placed her hands at the bottom of her top she slowly pulled up her top off over her head. As she placed her top on the bed she realized something, Wait a second... I don't hear the water running anymore... Then she heard footsteps. Chun-Li gasped. The door opened and Ryu, dressed only in a towel walked into the bedroom and suddenly stopped as he saw the beautiful figure in front of him.

Ryu gasped as he saw Chun-Li, only in her white bra and panties... and Chun-Li shrieked and grabbed her top to try to protect her modesty. Ryu awoke from his daze by her scream, and he immediately turned away. "I-I-I'm so sorry Chun-Li! I d-didn't know you were in here getting dressed! I-"

"It's okay, it's okay!" she quickly returned, "Just get out so I can finish changing!"

Ryu left the room at the speed of a lightning bolt hitting the earth. He went back into the bathroom to catch his breath, and agonized over what he just saw. That... that was... n... nice...! Ryu lightly blushed, but quickly shook his head No... you mustn't think of such things!

Chun-Li finished putting on her shirt and untied her hair buns and combed out any knots in her hair. I-I can't believe he saw me! But... he did look real cute just in a towel and that bandanna... She blushed as well not aware Ryu was doing the same in the other room. And I guess I shouldn't be mad at him for seeing me... that was probably the most skin he's seen a woman ever in his life so far! Maybe I should've... taken it all off! She giggled at the thought but quickly shook her head. Now THAT'S going a little too far, Chun!

Leaving her bedroom Chun-Li called out to Ryu who was still in the bathroom. "It's okay Ryu! I'm done! Just get dressed and meet me at the table!"

"Okay," he responded as he marched out the bathroom still just in his towel and bandanna. Chun-Li blushed at the sight of his well-built body and watched him until he closed her door to her room.

Some time later...

"Wow Chun-Li! That was... just as good as what I had at Ken's!" Ryu commented as he finished the last bit of food on his plate.

Chun-Li smiled, "Hey! Glad you liked it! I'd be glad to make it again tomorrow morning too!"

Ryu leaned back in his chair and put his hands on his tummy. "So... do you have anything planned today?"

"Well, actually by an amazing coincidence Guy and his wife Rina are here visiting along with Maki!"

"Guy?!" Ryu said as his ears sprang up, "Are you serious? I have not seen him for the longest time!"

"Yep! It's the truth! They're going on an international shopping spree and this is one of their locations! I ran into Maki before I ran into you back at the dojo and she left me the number to her hotel! I can call them up right now and ask if we can go hang out with them!"

Ryu smiled, "Guy... at last I get to see you once again. Well, let's get going then!"

Chun-Li went over to the front door where her purse hanged and dug out the piece of paper where she wrote down the hotel number. Picked up the phone and quickly dialed up the number that Maki had left her. She held the phone between her ear and her shoulder and while awaiting an answer, Ryu looked up at her, smiling. She smiled back, knowing Ryu was anxious to see his old friend again. "Oh... hello? Maki? Yeah it's me Chun! I'm fine! Yep, you were definitely right, it WAS him! He's at my place right now! Yup! For real!"

Wow... women sure change when they talk on the phone... Ryu thought to himself.

"...well anyway," Chun-Li continued while on the phone, "I was wondering if like Ryu and I could like tag along with the three of you! I wanted to show him around the city and going shopping with you three would be perfect! And Ryu could finally see Guy again! Really? It's okay? All right! Okay! We'll leave right now! All right, bye bye!" Chun-Li pressed the button to shut off her cordless and smiled to Ryu. "Well, they said to meet in front of their hotel right now! We'll take a cab!"

"Okay! I can't wait! Just let me get my stuff..." Ryu went back into Chun-Li's room to get his duffel bag, but Chun-Li ran in after him.

"No no no, you'll need a free hand! You're gonna be carrying a LOT of stuff by the end of today, big guy! I'm gonna get you a whole new wardrobe!" Chun-Li teased as she squeezed his muscles.

"Well, at least let me take some cash..." Ryu reached in his duffel bag and took out many Hong Kong currency bills.

Chun-Li grew wide eyed and could see that the money in Ryu's hand added up to a very high four digit number. "Wow! Where'd you get that kinda cash? And in HK currency?"

Ryu chuckled, "Well, I've fought here many times in the past and kept the earnings from winning. And since I never have to pay rent and only buy suffient rations, it adds up pretty nicely."

Laughing, Chun-Li punched Ryu in the arm, "Well, put that in a safe place... hey! You don't even have any pockets in that uniform! At least for once wear something CASUAL! You DO have something casual in that bag of yours, right?"

"Hmmm... I'm pretty sure I do have one set of casual clothing items in here... Ken told me to buy something when I was in San Fransico... ah, here they are," Ryu said as he pulled out a Banana Republic white shirt, jacket and pants.

"Good taste, Ryu!" Chun-Li stated, "and those are the NICE BR things too! Unlike some people who buy the t-shirts with JUST the LOGO on it to try and show it off!"

"I... was not aware of that," Ryu said bluntly.

"Well, lots of real stupid guys always buy those logo t-shirts with the logo clear on the front to try and look cool. I think they look like idiots! But you picked out real good items!" Chun-Li commented.

A few minutes later, Ryu came out of the bedroom dressed in his casual clothes looking at himself in a mirror. "Hmmm... rarely have I seen myself outside of my gi..."

Chun-Li looked at Ryu and noticed he wasn't wearing his bandanna either. "Oh don't worry Ryu! You look cute!!!" She reached up and ran her fingers across Ryu's cheek.

Running his hand through the back of his hair, Ryu blushed. "Th-thank you...!"

"Well they'll be waiting for us! Let's go!" Chun-Li took her purse and opened the door and walked out, Ryu following close behind.

Having completely forgotten about the dream he had during the night, Ryu smiled to himself as he walked down the halls of the building. I'm so glad I came.