One Week Later,
Hong Kong

Chun Li silently looked over to Ryu as he sat near the doorway of her home, staring upwards at the sky with a look befitting on a corpse. It had been almost a week since the battle with that monster of a man Akuma, almost a week since Ken went into his coma and showed no signs of improving, almost a week since Ken's father had asked Ryu to leave his son, almost one week since she had insisted Ryu come stay with her for a while, only one week since the once proud warrior was reduced to the empty shell.

After the battle, Akuma was gone almost as if he were never there. He had left without so much as another word, though it was obvious that he was pleased when Ryu had become that... that... Chun Li shook her head slowly, it wouldn't help for her to remember Ryu in such a state.

A medical helicopter had arrived despite the stormy sky, air lifting Ken to the nearest medical facilities available. Ken had survived but barely. Two broken ribs, a fractured arm and torn tendons in the elbow, a cracked collarbone, fractures running in his right femur, not to mention the damage to his internal organs. The internal bleeding was something that had led doctors to proclaim him a goner early on, but Ken had proven stronger than expected.

Never the less, Ken had slipped into a coma and had shown no signs of improving. For the first two days Ryu had sat had his friend's side, almost looking as if he were in a coma as well. He had barely ate or slept since arriving at the hospital, shrugging off Chun Li insitance that doctors look at him as well.

On the third day Ken's father arrived, having heard the story already from various sources he less than politely requested that Ryu leave. More accurately described was threatened to kill Ryu himself. That in itself must have been a strong blow to the young Shotaken warrior, having been so close to Ken and his family.

It hurt to watch the man who had fought so strongly and fiercly everytime she had seen him, fighting for his own sense of honor and way of the warrior, reduced to such wraith-like state.

In past tournaments, Chun Li found herself with the misfortune, or fortune, of being paired up against Ryu. Staring at Ryu, she begin to think back to the past, almost three years ago at the first tournament she had fought the young Shotaken warrior.

***********

Three Years Ago,
Somewhere in Japan

Chun Li was feeling less than amused at the moment. It had taken almost two hours for her to find the agreed point for her next match, which had turned out to be little more than an open field. To make matters even more annoying, her opponent was a former Street Fighter champion by the name of Ryu Hoshi. He was rumored to be something of a fighting genius, using Shotaken like her last opponent. He was also late.

Not many people took her seriously at the tournament because of her young age and the fact that she was a girl. Ooooh! If this Ryu tried to give her the whole beautiful girl and taking it easy speech like that American Shotaken fighter... Chun Li was fairly confident that the Ken Masters she had won over would be able to speak in a deep voice in a few more days.

A young Japanese man wearing a tattered white fighting gi with a weathered duffel bag slung over his right shoulder and a rice ball in hand slowly began to approach her. He didn't appear to be all that much older than herself, much like her last Shotaken opponent. His apperance however was far worse for wear though. His gi looked old and worn, and his face appeared to be covered in dirt. It almost looked as if he had already taken quite the beating. This is the legendary Ryu?

Ryu took another bite from his rice ball as he approached the location he had specified. It appeared his opponent for the day was already there. His sparring match with Ken had taken a little longer than expected but judging from the position of the sun, he wasn't too late. The Chinese girl did not appear to be of the same opinion however.

"Just where the hell have you been? You said noon and it's almost one!" Chun Li glared at Ryu as he set his duffel bag down and dug around it briefly until he pulled a wrapped bundle and looked up at her slowly. Chun Li noted that his eyes lacked any look of superiority and met her own gaze firmly rather than drifting over her form.

"Actually... I said meet here mid day after lunch.... rice ball?" Ryu spoke in a calm tone as he extended the bundle towards Wushu fighter, surprising her once more as he offered a small smile and took another bite from his own rice ball.

Shaking off her initial shock, Chun Li's cheeks flushed red as anger built. 'He's making fun of me! Look how casually he's treating me even though it's the semi-finals!'

Ryu noticed her cheeks turning red as well however, frowning just a little bit in concern,
"Are you alright? Perhaps you've been out in the sun a bit too long... maybe you should rest before our match." he spoke softly still, his voice clear however.

That was the straw that broke the camel's back.
"Stop mocking me and fight me!" Chun Li shouted as she stomped a foot then took up a fighting stance.
"I've got a better reason than you to be here!" she shouted, growing annoyed at being treated like a dainty girl or some sort of attraction at the tournament. Most of the fighters were simply fighting for their own good.

"I see..." Ryu said calmly as he slowly sat his half-eaten riceball down with the rest of his food by his duffel bag then turned back to Chun Li slowly, adjusting his gloves for a brief moment before tightening his headband and taking up his fighting stance.
"But understand your not the only person with a good reason to be here."

"Shut up! What do you know?" The Chinese girl rushed forward with surprising speed and grace, Ryu prepared himself for a defense and counter but was surprised when Chun Li flipped over his head gracefully and landed behind him before delivering a fierce kick to his back.

Ryu fell foward then rolled into the attack and into a low crouch, standing back up slowly as he watched his opponent with cautious eyes. She's faster and more agile than me... and that kick is any indication she's got power to back it up. "You've got good legs." Ryu complemented his opponent on her kicking abilities as he brought his guard back up, truely impressed at her skill level from the one attack.

The complement was taken the wrong way by Chun Li however. "You... you pig! Your just like every other guy in this tournament!" Chun Li rushed forward again and delivered a high crescent kick with her left leg before following through with a powerfull kick with her right and quickly moving into a Hyakuretsu-Kyaku and striking at her enemy rapidly.

The Shotaken warrior managed to bring his arm up to block the first kick and shifted his body so the second kick connected with his shoulder rather than his head, but was unable to avoid the hundred leg kick. Every blow hit accurately on his body in the chest area and every blow had power behind it, forcing Ryu back a couple of feet as he fought to remain standing.

Chun Li however was ready for this and forced her chi into her palms, "Kikoken!" The fireball rushing forward towards her stunned opponent. Ryu cupped his own hands together quickly and reacted on instinct, "Hadoken!" negating Chun Li's fireball with his own before grunting. He had been wanting to save his special techniques for later in the fight.

Seeing the smallest of openings, the young Japanese man lunged foward at Chun Li and brought his fist up at her chest as he lept into the air with a cry of "Shoryuken!" The Rising Dragon Punch connected with a stunned Chun Li and sent her skyward then onto her back in the grassy field.

Landing easily, Ryu was surprised as the Chinese girl slowly pushed her way up to her knees and back onto her feet. Her eyes shone with a determination that Ryu had only seen with Ken before.
"I'm impressed... even Sagat was down after a clean hit from my Shoryuken."

"I've... got to avenge... my father..." Chun Li spoke in a harsh tone as she assumed her fighting stance again, obviously feeling the effects of Ryu's powerfull blow as she steadied herself.
"You don't know what it's like to lose a father to a murderer!"

The words hit Ryu like a punch to the solar plexus. He knew all too well what it was like to lose a father, or more accurately, a father-like figure to a murderer. Ryu quickly brought up his right arm to block another powerfull kick before he dropped low into a sweep, knock Chun Li's supporting leg out from under her.

The Wushu fighter countered by kicking upwards into his midsection before flipping back onto her feet and performing a gracefull spin backwards to put some distance between her and the young Shotaken warrior.

Not one for speaking during a serious fight, Ryu still felt compelled to share his own agenda with what appeared to be a kindred spirit. "I know... all too well what it's like." Ryu said quietly as he lunged forward and brought his fist down at Chun Li's collarbone in a powerfull downward strike.

The Chinese girl flinched as the powerfull blow made her knees go weak before she steadied herself and lept upward over Ryu, stomping down on the young man's head and shoulder once before flipping around behind him,
"Then you know why I must win! That murderer is here!" then brought her leg around in a fierce circle kick that knocked the young man to the ground.

Reacting quickly, Ryu barely managed to roll to the side as Chun Li flipped into the air and brought down her heel where his head had been laying. Quickly rolling back onto his feet, the Shotaken fighter attacked with a fast Joudan Sokutou Geri that send the young girl sliding across the grass.
"I know... The man who killed my master is connected to this tournament... by fighting my way though the ranks... I may be able to fight him as well."

Chun Li flipped back onto her feet and lunged forward at Ryu, attempting to deliver a fierce punch to the face. Ryu caught her fist in his own and held steady, looking straight into her eyes as he spoke softly,
"I want to avenge my master too... I know what it's like..." Chun Li's eyes widened as she stared into his deep eyes, the strength draining from her arm.

Leaping back away from Ryu quickly she fell to one knee, tears beginning to form in her eyes.
"Damnitt! It's not fair! Why does it have to be someone like you... why can't you just be another jerk without anything to fight for..."

Ryu said nothing for a long moment as he let his head hang a little.
"Sorry..." he finally said quietly. Taking a step back he assumed a fighting stance.
"Come... let's finish this round... so that one of us can be one step closer to our goal..."

Chun Li slowly looked up at Ryu with her watery eyes then quickly put on a stern face, nodding once quickly as she assumed her own fighting stance as the two began to circle each other. Carefully watching every pattern the other made as they circled, the two almost acted in the same instance.

"Spinning bird kick!"

"Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku!"

Both fighters lunged at each other with their powerfull kicking techniques. Chun Li's strike hit Ryu high in the face almost the same time as Ryu's kick knocked her from the air as well, sending both warriors rolling across the grassy field in opposite directions. For a long moment neither of the two moved, simply laying their breathing heavily.

***********

In the end, it had been Ryu who managed to stand first. Still, Chun Li felt no ill grudges for the match. It had been a good fight for the both of them and afterwards, she had a chance to talk with the young Shotaken warrior. In so many ways they were similar. Both being brought up as fighters by strict but caring masters, both of them having a tragic seperation from the one they held so important, and both of them seeking revenge in the tournament against a murderer.

Staring at where Ryu sat presently, looking up into the sky with that blank look of his, Chun Li felt as if she had lost someone else important to her. Slowly approaching him, she sat down next to him with a cup in her hands and offered it to him, "Tea Ryu?"

Ryu slowly turned his gaze to her then inclined his head just a little as he accepted the cup, "Thank you...." he replied in a dull tone before taking one sip and setting the cup down next to him. For the rest of that day, neither said another word and simply sat there under the dusk sky. Ryu staring out at nothing while Chun Li watched over him.