Well, Street Fighter © Capcom.
"Funny, why I'm not surprised to see you here, Sakura?"
"M-master!" the head-band wearer fighting school girl turn her head. Her eyes picturing the shock she wears on her face. "W-what are you doing here—I-I mean, why didn't you tell me you're back to Japan?"
"I'm just happen to visit Japan—again." the girl let out a short chuckle as the man sit on the bench beside her. He rests his outworn bag on his side. "So, how's your training going?"
"So so. Nothing really good happening lately with my training. It's just . . . not bad." she blows the air to her bang, and stretches her arms high.
Ryu, fully knowing his pupil, he understands that she's (might be) boring as hell. Could be kicking bully's or thugs' ass are just not feel so good anymore for her? "Maybe it's time for you to watch another fighting style again. Who know you might learn one or two techniques, knowing your adaptability to possible new moves. Well, it's what you told me so many times before while on chat."
Sakura's smirking. "Your praise wouldn't flatter me, master." well, she's definitely happy with those encouraging words her sensei used to gave her on that summer vacation three years ago. Such a moment she had in live. "I knew, master. But," she let out a sigh. "Lately I'm thinking to stick to one fighting style. Like you—like Ken. Like E. Honda, El Fuerte, and Rainbow Mika! Sometimes I just knew that I have so many weaknesses—like, I had realized that I'm not too good with what I'm practicing. So many moves, but so little understanding on it . . ."
"I know you're not thinking like that." Ryu said. "I'm fully understood what you are capable off."
"I'm afraid you should've do by now, master . . ."
Tilting his head, Ryu asked. "Are you alright? What happened, you seems kind of . . . depressed. I believe boring days were not the issues here. Do you have any problems with your training, Sakura? Let me help you, then."
Sakura look at him, and only by hearing his speech, she can't help but feels moved. But, as quick as she looked at his eyes, now she dropped her face. "I-I don't know, master—have . . . have you-"
She stopped suddenly.
"Yes?" Ryu's voice broke the silent.
" . . . Have—have you ever thought to settled down, master?" blushing like a tomato, Sakura hid her face from him.
Ryu rest his back on the bench, and let his eyes savoring the familiar scenery of Tokyo. "To tell the truth, Sakura, that thought never hit me these times . . ." now her eyes are on his, which still seeking for a nice spot to see around the big bubbly clouds. "You know, back when I'm still training under master Gouken, living on that simple temple was more than enough from what I've wanted to."
Sakura lifted her head, interested to the topic. "Oh, oh, the big master of me, huh?" Ryu gives her a smile and a little nod.
He continues. "As far as I used to know, I'm living on my own. I don't know who my parents are and 'what' are those thing meant to me—or, where I came from. More importantly, for what and whose I live. Those thoughts always be a big questions to me, but not until I met him. Master Gouken. He gave me a place to live, a friend, a figure of father, and a little family with Ken as my brother. And what's I am worth dying for."
Sakura's eyes glittering with this mysterious past his master never told to anyone before. By that eyes as well, she's indirectly asked Ryu to go on with the story. "Well . . . how do I express it . . ." Ryu fold her arms in front of his chest. "I felt content. All of my doubts has gone, and by that time, I knew I finally had a purposes in this so called live. To be the best pupil my master ever had, and devote my life to him who have saved me from the loneliness. With him and Ken up there, on that hill: that's my home."
" . . . You are not tired, aren't you master?"
"Hm?"
"I mean, you would never rest until you get beat the crap out of that Akuma guy, wouldn't you?"
" . . . Well, Sakura, Ken and you have always reminded me of a thing." answered him. "What it is meant to have 'something'. Something to protect, and something you would like to look up for."
"I'm always looking up to you, master!" she's exclaimed. "You're my teacher; you're my idol; you-you're someone I want to-"
Ryu is smiling genuinely at her. "That's what I'm always thinking about master Gouken as well. Glad to hear one from you, Sakura." the girl blushes even redder. "But, I'm also having 'something' to do. Something that I must done sooner or later. Regardless what I'm doing now, it is also meant to protect. If I can't even face myself, I would endangers you, and Ken, and many other . . . Just like what that 'man' did to his own brother." he shut his eyes down, and let the streamy air circulating inside him.
" . . . You didn't make an excuse, did you?" Ryu opened his eyes slowly, and let Sakura speaking. "I-I don't know, master. To who you would like to avenge master Gouken's death: Akuma guy, or . . . even yourself? Master, are you—are you even blaming yourself?"
Ryu choose to not argue with that. Even for these a long time, he is still confused with the problem mentioned just now. These all were always twisting madly inside his head. "Look, master, I don't know about you—but, revenge wouldn't make anything better. Master Gouken would never like seeing you like this . . ."
"You don't know, Sakura. You just . . . don't know!" Ryu snapped, and that successfully scares the girl. "Gouken is everything I ever had. He's the only man who would like to adopt a stray dog like me. And he treated me like his OWN son! I-I don't know . . . I don't know what to do but avenge his death . . ." his head always turned hazy whenever this topic had been brought up. His lips trembled in agony, and his eyes burned in revenge. " . . . I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Sakura."
At this time, usually Ryu drenched his body in a waterfall to calm his inner-self. But today he can't afford to get the treat. Despite that, Sakura's smiling to him and slowly rest her hand on his shoulder. "No, it's okay. But master, I beg you, please don't blame yourself. It would sadden master Gouken up there, I'm sure of that." when Ryu look at her, he realizes a tears drop creating a thin line in her cheek.
Ryu let out his half-heartedly laugh while sweeping the girl's tear softly. "I'm so sorry. Just like Ken always stated to me that I'm always kind of sentimental about this. You okay, Sakura?"
"I said no harm done. Besides, I finally knew that you do really a human, master."
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
She's giggling. "Nothing, really." Sakura, standing on her feet, tighten her fighting gloves. "While you're here—and before you disappeared like a ghost, master, how about a little sparring?"
Ryu can't help but smile. "I'm always on for a challenge."
That day, Sakura has learned something more from her master: that we will always have 'something' on our shoulders. The thing which will be always burdening us, but in other way, will motivated us to keep walking on ahead. The thing that might be cannot be overthrown so easily.
Sakura got beaten up and got some 'healthy' swells on her arms and legs, before he's gone (again) with the wind. She cannot stop herself to keep looking at his back until he has totally disappeared from her sight.
She do believes that he would find a conclusion in his quest. She's only need to set up a new burden on her shoulders to keep watching him safe no matter what. It's pretty simple, really. As his student; as a woman as well, she's always wanted him to stay well wherever he goes. And that's why she needs to keep kicking some ass for good. By getting stronger and stronger, she could accompanying him on his journey someday. She hoped the next time she met him, he would allowed her to go with him around the globe. To face every challenge and pushes the limit of herself. And the most important, to watch his safety.
But, Sakura scratched her head in frustration. She forgot to ask what kind of girl Ryu like . . . The question that always made her dying to know.
Sakura is the straight forward kind of girl. She's even didn't know what she felt for him these times. One thing for sure, she never lied to herself. Why, because he is the only man she ever looked up to. The only man who worthy her attention.
Her goal in life.
|END|
Just my muse there. It was re-mastered at 25-5-2012. Hope you like it (especially the upgrade). I'm always welcome any kind of reviews for the sake of Sakura and Ryu :D