Disclaimer: I do not own "Street Fighter". "Street Fighter" was created by Takashi Nishiyama and Hiroshi Matsumoto and copyrighted by CAPCOM.
"Love Conquers All"
CHAPTER 1
You are on a flight to Tokyo, filled with mixed emotions. It was only yesterday that you were told of your arranged marriage to a woman named Karin, the only daughter and child of Japan's wealthiest family, the Kanzukis. How did it happen? Well, your and her father were best friends in college when they attended Yale. So close was their friendship, they and your mothers agreed that their first born son and daughter should be betrothed to one another.
You were born first, her a few months later. Shortly afterwards, the marriage contract was drawn up and signed. When your parents told you about it, you were completely dumbfounded, but then understood this was why your parents' forbade you from dating.
Your parents tell you with this marriage, both of your families will become the most powerful one in the world, with both of your families' business dealings, both public and private.
Your parents show you pictures of her, and you couldn't believe it. She looked very familiar to you for some reason. Then, it occurs to you that you two met before when you were children. The earliest recollection you have is when you both were seven. Your mothers introduced you to one another when they visited your family's estate in the Hamptons.
"Sweetie, this young lady is Karin. One day she will be your wife." Your mother tells you.
You didn't know the meaning of the word wife, so you quietly nodded, fixated on how beautiful this girl you just met looked. She had long, blonde, elaborately curled hair with bright blue bows and she wore a bright, red dress. She stared at you intensely with her brown eyes.
Karin's mother introduced you to her in the same way. Karin responded by quietly giving a curt nod, then turning away from you. You walk towards her and try to talk to her.
"Hi, wanna go play outside?" You ask.
She turns and looks at you, then turns away with her nose in the air.
"I think that sounds like a wonderful idea. Karin, be a good girl and go play." Her mother says.
Karin quickly gives you a look of disgust, turns her nose up again, and walks outside. You follow behind. Your nanny follows after you. Your nanny takes you both to the treehouse your parents had put in for you. She sits on a bench a few feet away and watches over you both. You try to get Karin to climb up into your treehouse, but she wasn't showing any intrest whatsoever.
Karin walks around a bush next to the tree your treehouse is in, and picks up a stick the gardeners left behind while doing some yardwork. She walks up to you, and whacks you on the head with it.
"Ow!" You say.
Then she does it again.
And again.
And yet again.
"MISS KANZUKI! PLEASE STOP THAT!" Your nanny yells out, starting to rush over to stop the assualt.
As you try in vain to block the blows, you notice her expression has changed. It went from a look of contempt to one of sheer glee. Then, she speaks. Not talking, but a laugh. A loud, irritating laugh.
"OH, HAHAHAHA!"
You quickly turn and run, and Karin gives chase, with your nanny running behind, pleading for both of you to stop.
As you both run, you turn your head to see Karin still chasing after you with the stick, laughing. Then suddenly, she trips and falls. She begins to cry. You turn around and go back to check on her.
She sits up, and you notice her knee has a small cut, bleeding just a little bit. Remembering what you were taught in Cub Scouts, you quickly take out a handkerchief in your pocket and dip it in a nearby fountain to tend to her wound. You rush back and begin to clean it.
"Does it hurt?" You ask her.
She lets out a few sniffles and shakes her head.
Your nanny finally manages to catch up to you two as you were tying the handkerchief around her knee as a makeshift bandage.
"What happened here?" Your nanny asked with great concern.
"Karin tripped and fell." You respond.
Karin stands up, her dress now showing grass and dirt stains all over it.
"Oh, Miss Kanzuki, you've ruined your pretty dress! Well, let's head back and get you cleaned-" your nanny says before noticing the bandage.
"WHAT'S THAT?!"
You explain what happened. Your nanny lets out an exasperated sigh.
"Your mothers will have my head for this. Well, let's head back."
You three head back inside your family's manor. Nothing bad came of it. You were complemented on your quick thinking, and Karin's mother took her upstairs to get cleaned up and change clothes. Your nanny took a bottle of scotch out of the liquor cabinet and went to her quarters.
The rest of the visit was very pleasant. Karin played with you in your playroom, but still remained quiet. When she and her parents left, she gave you a kiss on the cheek. Later that year, you and your parents fly to Japan to attend her birthday party. During the party, a pinata is brought out and tied to a tree.
You and the other children take turns, then it's Karin's turn. As with you and the others, they put a blindfold on her, hand her a stick, turn her around a few times, and then she takes a few swings, missing. Suddenly, she takes off the blindfold and begins chasing you with the stick, swinging it. Then came the laughter. Not just hers, but from the other guests, as well as your and her parents.
You only started to learn Japanese, so you only could understand little of what was being said by everyone. What you could make out was:
"So adorable!"
"Well, we now know who'll be wearing the pants!"
"Be brave, little man!"
Your mind returns back in hearing the rest of what your parents told you. When you turned eighteen, you were to fly to Japan and spend three months with Karin before your wedding to get to know each other better. You wonder if that will be enough time, after all, the birthday party was the last time you saw her, and it seemed she didn't like you at all. You were quietly concerned about your predicament, and wondered how she was taking the news about your marriage to one another, as well.
Your parents hand you a plane ticket and tell you your bags have been packed and the limo will take you to the airport. The Kanzukis will have you picked up as soon as you arrive in Japan.
Your mind returns to the present as you hear the pilot make an announcement.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We'll be landing in Tokyo within ten minutes. It is 10:00 A.M. with clear skies. Please return your seats to their upright positions, and thank you for choosing Air Japan."
The plane lands. After picking up your luggage and going through customs, you enter the waiting area and see a man holding a sign with your name on it. You walk over, bow, and introduce yourself.
The man returns the bow and speaks.
"Greetings, sir. My name is Shibazaki, the family butler. I trust your flight was a pleasant one?"
"Yes, thank you. How is the Kanzuki family?"
"They're doing well, thank you for asking. Please follow me."
You follow behind Shibazaki to a limo. He opens the door.
"Please get in. I'll tend to your luggage."
"Thank you." you reply as you get in and he shuts the door.
After a few moments, the limo starts to drive. The phone inside rings. The light sensor from it says it's from the driver. You pick it up the reciever.
"Hello, sir. This is Shibazaki. Miss Karin sends her regrets not meeting you at the airport in person. She had some business dealings that needed her attention."
"That's okay. I understand." You reply.
"We should arrive at the Kanzuki estate in twenty minutes."
"That sounds wonderful. Thank you."
Shibazaki hangs up, and you put the reciever down.
Twenty minutes later, you arrive at the estate. It looks a lot bigger since the last time you were here. The limo pulls up to the front, and a servant opens the door, and you get out. Shibazaki gets out of the driver's side and another servant gets in, driving the limo away.
"Please follow me. Your luggage will be taken to your room shortly." Shibazaki says.
You follow Shibazaki to a large study and enter.
"Miss Karin asks that you wait here until she arrives. Would you like anything to drink?"
"No, I'm fine, thank you." You reply.
Shibazaki bows and closes the door.
You sit down in a chair and begin to wait. After about fifteen minutes you hear voices coming outside the door. The doorknob turns, and you immediately stand to meet Karin for the first time after all these years.