Meeting Ryu of Street Fighter II

This story is based on a dream that I had when I was 11 years old. I am 28 now. This story involves Capcom Street Fighter Ryu Hoshi. It also involves mention of SNK's Joe Higashi.

I was playing with my sister, in whom I shall not name. We were in the backyard of my mom and dad's place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Yes, Edmonton is a real place. But, this version of Edmonton is only a parallel version of the real Edmonton.

As we were playing, my sister had successfully done one of famous Thailand Kick Boxer Joe Higashi's moves. The tiger kick had landed right into the place where I do number two in the bathroom. It really, really hurt! Now I know first hand what Joe Higashi's opponents go through when he lands one of those kicks. Do not try them for yourself, unless you want to go through the agony that I did. As a result of the kick, I got a bruised tailbone.

That night, this was July 21st, 1990, the very day that Ryu Hoshi was born on in 1964, I was visited by my enchanted mirror at, I think 3 in the morning Edmonton time. (He is getting to be really old.) My enchanted mirror spoke to me in a male voice, and glowed like it was anime. It said to me, "Where would you like to go?"

What a strange question, I thought, but replied, "Japan." It was the first place that came to mind, besides I wanted to play along.

The mirror then said to me, "Please, climb onto my back, but hang on tight."

I thought, "Okay, this is weird, but I am still game."

I crawled onto the mirror in obvious pain, but I managed to do what the mirror had requested of me. It then slowly elevated very slowly to reach the height of my bedroom window facing the evening sun. (Western direction) Then, at an even pace, it began to approach the window. I had to fold my arms in a cross so that I wouldn't hurt myself from the shattering glass.

If anyone has felt the heat of busting glass, it is an experience like no other. I have experienced that twice in my lifetime, well actually three, but, it is thrilling each and every time. Again, that is something you should never attempt to do unless you want to get hurt.

I happened to notice the time of day as I was leaving, it was still dark out. I was unaware that I had been sleeping at this moment. But, I still ponder if it was a dream.

When I was descending upon the Mikunai forest, the very forest that Ryu and his grandfather cut down trees for their lumber mill, I wondered if we didn't just go a couple of blocks, for it took the mirror and I like less than five minutes to arrive at the forest. However, what did clue me in that we weren't like 2 blocks away was the sound of the waterfall that was right behind the cedar tree that Ryu likes to practice on.

As I jumped down, the mirror glowed again, and then spat out a nifty looking watch. It then instructed me to put this on. So, I did. It fused with my skin and my interior body so; this watch is now a part of me. It still is today in that dream world, if I can call it that at this point.

The mirror then told me to be back in like 15 minutes with Ryu in tow.

Shrugging, I went over to a cherry blossom bush that was situated just before this huge cliff. The waterfall was in plain view now. I ducked behind the bushes for I heard a man shout, "Shoryuken!"

The man startled me, but I recognized the man to be Ryu and he was just inches away from the Cedar tree. I watched Ryu perform dragon punch after dragon punch over and over. It fascinated me to no end as Ryu reached the top of the Cedar tree, knocking down a few loose branches with the force that he made with his fist. He turned 360 degrees counter clockwise as he reached the top of the tree only to land on his feet once again for another rotation. He was completely unaware that I was watching him.

About 5 minutes had passed when I felt the electric spiral of pain ride from tailbone to my neck causing me to scream. I must have sounded like Ryu's best friend Ken when I did howl in agony because Ryu was threatening Ken with his fireball the Hadouken. He never actually fired the energy ball at me, which I am very grateful, but he did stare in my direction for a few minutes before continuing with his training.

At this point, when I was re-hiding, I had hit my head on something as hard as a stone. I had covered my mouth so I wouldn't scream again. I did whisper to myself, "Ow," though.

I peeked over the bushes again to soon hear an angry bee coming my way. That did it! I was more terrified of bees than getting hit in the chin by Ryu's raging dragon punch. He noticed me soon enough. I was running right at him! I soon collided with my face into his broad chest, as he tried to slow me down with his strong, muscular arms.

The bee that was chasing me for knocking its new hive down had stung Ryu in the neck. It saved us both from falling over the edge. When I saw how close I had pushed Ryu to the edge, I had to step back. I was so embarrassed that my face must have been beet red in a blush. Ryu, however, rubbing his sore, swollen neck began to curse and yell at me for what I did. In the process of that, he demanded my name and what I was doing there.

I told him of course, which gave Ryu the laugh of his life. He thought that I was just pulling his leg. However, I proved my words true when I showed Ryu the mirror and after Ryu had a second good laugh. When Ryu laughs directly from the gut, it can be contagious under the correct circumstances.

Ryu abided by my request only after I told him that in order to really prove that I wasn't fooling that he must come home with me on the mirror.

Arriving back home, once again I looked at the sky and noticed that dawn had broken and therefore, soon, after we crash through the glass again, there was no preventing injury. My power was drained. When I awoke, a few minutes later, I looked out my bedroom window and saw the same lighting that I had when arriving back home with Ryu.

Was it a dream? I may never know the answer to that, but all I know is that was one great adventure.