Well, this chapter took quite a while. Introducing original characters is never an easy concept if I say so myself. Some people might raise their eyebrow and be like "eh" and "what" but it's expected in doing so. Also, be assured I won't try to make a chapter long like this next time. It takes so much and it's even longer than the first one, that's kind of crazy if I do say so myself. I hope the people that do follow this story do stay with me and I'll try not to make it too crazy or anything like that. I'll get into the three girls in the next chapter but this is the best I can do for now.
"Without health life is not life; it is only a state of languor and suffering - an image of death."-Buddha
Chapter 2
It had been two days after Ryu decided to let Rose join him on his quest, the two fighters continued on their journey through Japan unsure of they were going to leave the country anytime soon. Rose still did see flashes of Bison while she slept and walked around but she tried her best to make sure that it didn't decay what humanity she had remaining inside her; it was the only thing she could genuinely call her own. The presence of Ryu helped her also. It was surprising to see how wise he was for his young age, it helped quell her worries and allowed her to look for the more positive side on their continuing journey.
After contemplating on where to go, they found themselves in the Niigata Prefecture close to the sea. After two days of traveling accompanied with some generous patrons, they found themselves in a new location wondering about what awaited them. To Ryu, it felt good to travel, it helped expand his horizons on life and understand more about the vast and different cultures of the people he met. Even though he's been in Japan many times as it was his birthplace, there were many things he had yet to encounter and with a traveling companion by his side, he was very eager to see how much of Japan had been unturned.
Rose had more of a positive outlook than she did two days ago. As she and Ryu traveled up north, she thought about her home country Italy and her neighbors. She had never been to Japan before, she heard the stories of the elegance of kimono-wearing women and numerous festivals that occurred yearly. Her fortunetelling prevented her from visiting, seeing that traveling all over Europe for people seeking her abilities to help with their own situations was very time-consuming. Now, she found herself in The Land of the Rising Sun, not alone though which she was excited for, for she was used to traveling alone. She could eat now and after staying at a hotel to cleanse herself figuratively and literally, she felt much better now than before.
Right now, they both were sitting down on a bench near a bridge and the sight they saw was very beautiful; the vivacious wildlife in the sky, sea and the earth, the atmosphere was peaceful and the environment was awe-inspiring as it reminded her of hometown and how close she was to the sea observing the fishermen traveling on their boats to catch fish to sell. Genoa was her home and she missed it greatly but she did not regret her trip to Thailand and the people she met. Now in this new part of the world, it was a new experience for her that she could shelf with her memories as she would look back and wonder if it ever really happened.
Ryu stood up along with Rose and walked to the bridge's barriers before speaking, "Welcome to Niigata. Well, I've never been here before so I guess that's applied to me also. How do you like Japan so far?"
"It has a pleasant feeling that is very reminiscent of my hometown. The fresh air calms me down and the beauty of Japan's serenity speaks to me." The crisp air mad her violet hair sail in the little gales of the town's breeze and she had to admit, it gave her a sense of freedom knowing that she was able to feel emotions and things as if she was her own person.
"It is a beautiful place, isn't it?" Ryu asked with a smile on his face. He enjoyed the outdoors as much as anybody. How could he not, he practically traveled for years by foot observing and learning more from the large amount of cultures he encountered. The sight of Niigata reminded him why he loved visiting Japan whenever the opportunity was present to him.
Even though he wanted to enjoy the pleasantries of where they were, Ryu thought it was best to keep moving. Besides, he never knew what they could possibly face if they stayed in one position for too long.
"I think its best we keep moving, wouldn't you agree?" He asked Rose.
"Yes," she responded with as she stood up. "Where should we go now?" She asked the road warrior.
"The town seems like a nice place. I believe we might encounter something in Niigata that could be interesting; I don't know why but something in my gut tells me that we'll see something exciting. Would you like to come?" He offered his hand to Rose as his way of seeing if she was okay in going with him into the center of the prefecture.
She took his hand and grasped it with a determined look on her face seeing that she was ready to proceed on their journey, "Yes, shall we continue walking?"
He nodded as his answer to her question. With a heave of his duffel bag, Rose and Ryu left the bridge's underpass and walked until they got to the bridge's entrance itself. Walking the bridge, they were able to get a better view of the massive river and were in awe by the sun's fluorescent rays bouncing off the surface and revealing the wildlife that inhabited it. It was scenes like that made them respect both the fury and allure of nature.
They walked past the bridge and continued walking for almost two hours further into the rural area of Niigata passing marketplaces, homes, and many family businesses which were the pride of this town's labor. Still walking to a destination, everything was okay until...
"Excuse me!" Yelled one man in Japanese as he zoomed right through them. They had no idea what he was in a rush for but they continued walking.
Just as they were walking, they could hear the earth tremble which could mean only one thing. They turned around and saw many people of various attributes coming towards their way: young to old, short to tall, big to small, there were just so many people coming towards them that they felt it was foolish for them to continue walking their path as their thundering footsteps continued to pave the way for wherever they were going. Ryu pulled Rose to the side to make sure that she wasn't caught in the discord of the people traveling along their way.
"Thank you, Ryu." He gave her a thumbs up as a show of his appreciation.
Wondering where this large amount of people were heading to, their curiosity eventually got the best of them. They questioned what could get the people rushing to one place; was there a crime scene, a corpse just discovered, someone getting assaulted? They proceeded to walk to whatever was causing so much commotion.
"I wonder what has these townspeople so excited." Ryu asked while rapidly walking to the location of whatever was happening.
Rose felt the same wondering what was happening at the moment. As she continued walking, her feet gradually slowed down until she completely stopped. She didn't know why but she had a strange feeling of what they were approaching.
Still a bit skeptical of what was ahead, she took out three tarot cards aided by her soul powers. The three consisted of following: The Seven of Wands, The Ace of Swords and The Fool. She didn't know why she drew these exact cards but her ability of premonition rarely failed her and she was sure that each card represented something of what this event held or if not at the present then in the near future.
As they finally reached upon the sight, they saw a group of people surrounding the front of a school. It was afternoon so the children most likely went home so what were they around for? Observing the swarming crowd of people, both fighters swerved through the crowd to find out what was going on. As they got to the front, what they saw wasn't a crime scene or any of their thoughts from earlier.
In front of them were schoolgirls, three as a matter of fact. Judging by the way they looked, they were just ordinary girls with no special abilities or strange powers.
It wasn't the sight of the girls, it was the fact that two men in karate gis were fighting them. Ryu made sure not to underestimate anything seeing that almost anything could happen in this world, but he did feel that these girls were outmatched seeing that the two men had black belts who looked like they had a lot of experience in combat and that their opponents were girls who looked like they hadn't graduated from high school yet.
Ryu being curious asked a random bystander about what was happening, "Excuse me? What's going on?"
"Huh, you must be a newcomer to Niigata if you don't know about the Three Battling Princesses." A man responded as his eyes stayed at the action of the moment.
"Battling Princesses?" Ryu asked wondering what the man was talking about.
"Yeah, these girls can kick ass even though they do cause a lot of trouble for some of the citizens. A rambunctious and reckless bunch if you asked me." A middle-aged woman said.
"Hmm..." Ryu's and Rose's eyes focused on the occurring fight and the abilities of these three young girls. Ryu was actually intrigued by the girls fighting capabilities seeing that they could counter the black belts' efforts. It was surprising to him that the black belts couldn't land a hit on any of the girls. His eyes widened at how these girls were sparring, they fought fluidly and concise as if they trained as intensely like he and Ken did when they were younger.
"Come on, beat 'em down already!" Yelled someone from the crowd.
"Yeah, stop playing around, finish them already!" Someone else yelled.
As if they heard the crowd on cue, one girl had thrown one of them to the ground with a judo throw and the other two girls had performed a combination of kicks and punches to the other one. The two combatants were knocked out and one of the girls had desired more, so she went to one of the men and kicked him to the side making Ryu's and Rose's eyes widen at the ruthless action by one of the young women. Another one of the girls had picked the other up and repeatedly punched him in the face as he was knocked out making the crowd cheer. As a fellow martial artist, he was appalled at the girls' lack of mercy and the crowd's cheering of such barbaric behavior so he dropped his duffel bag ready to make his way to the girls.
"Come on, is there anyone else who wants a fucking beatdown?!" Yelled one of the girls asking for another opponent.
"Ryu, are you going to challenge them?" Rose asked as soon as she saw him drop his duffel bag.
"Yeah." He moved the spectators out of the way as he managed to squeeze his way out of the crowd onto the front of the school where the girls had finally finished the beating of the man's face.
"Enough! I won't let you taint the name of martial arts any further! I challenge you!" Breathing, he got into his signature fighting pose ready to take on the young women in front of him.
"Hey newcomer, you sure you want to do that? They're not gonna hold back, ya know?" One of the random spectators yelled out.
Murmurings were spread throughout the crowd wondering who this man was challenging this dangerous group of girls. They thought he was insane as some of them cheered Ryu on while some were skeptical at his coming forth.
One of the girls had come to the front ready to accept the wandering warrior's challenge. She had lustrous raven hair in one pigtail as she wore running sneakers, she was slim and of average female height and wore a pink and white yuku schoolgirl outfit. For some reason, Ryu could feel this commanding aura emanating from her. Judging by the intensity in her eyes and as she cracked her knuckles, he could tell she was ready for another fight herself.
"My name is Misora Sugiyama. State your name and school as you will be just another warrior who has succumbed to our strength." Getting into a battle pose, she breathed and let the wind surrounding her show off her tumultuous aura signifying she was ready to face off against her newest challenger.
"My name is Ryu and I represent the school of Ansatsuken." Somehow he was able to pick up this formidable Ki from her, he could feel there was more to this young woman than just a mere schoolgirl.
As his muscles tensed, he let his own energy flow throughout every path of his body. The surging energy channeled its way into his core preparing him for what could be a test to his own abilities, he could sense the same spirit as Sakura albeit a little different from the jovial and exuberant spirit she possessed; this girl had a much hardened spirit which made her more in control of her movements and her senses.
Seeing Ryu getting ready to battle, Rose could feel the girl's soul which held a very confident and cryptic aura to it. She moved quickly to the front past the bystanders until she got to Ryu's location. "Ryu, are you sure you want to fight her? She seems like she knows more than what she lets on."
"Rose, I'm sure. I've faced off against worse than this girl and to be honest, I feel like she'll offer me a challenge and for me to test my true capabilities." She figured Ryu was right, he was a man of many things and coward was not one of them. She took some steps back trusting Ryu's judgment and to let him continue on with his challenge.
The gaze of the sun's ultraviolet rays intensified their stance. The gale winds breezed past them while taking their respective stances. The energy flowed throughout their bodies as they got ready to do battle.
"No way, if you fight Misora, then you fight all of us!" One of the two girls in the back screamed out as she and the other one got to the front going into their own stances next to Misora.
The crowd muttered amongst themselves how they couldn't see Ryu winning against all three of them. They knew the girls capabilities and if they went by what they saw, then Ryu was going to have trouble. What he said though actually surprised the crowd.
"Fine by me. It wouldn't be the first time I've faced off against multiple people at once. Bring it on!" The crowd and the girls' reactions had a reaction of surprise stunned by his proclamation at the new event taking place.
"Wait." Misora told the girls. "I don't know why but I think he's a bit different from the others. Let me face off against him first then we'll see."
"Misora-san, are you sure?" One of the girls asked.
"Yeah, I'll handle it first. Fall back for now." The two girls had no reason to question her decision so they stepped back to let her proceed with her upcoming fight.
"Just to let you know, I don't plan to go easy and I suggest you don't either. It would be insulting to me as a martial artist plus I want to beat you knowing that I fought you at full strength." She went into her battle stance anticipating whatever move Ryu was going to make.
"Really? Since you said not to, I'll respect your resolve." He then began go into his battle stance ready for the girl's first move.
'Do not let your guard down, Ryu.' Rose thought.
"Ready? Fight!" The two combatants screamed out.
Misora was the first one to dash at Ryu with a frightening speed surprising Ryu and everyone else around him. Seeing that his legs were unguarded, she decided to go for a sweep which would leave him open for some time.
Luckily, Ryu was able to use his honed reflexes to jump looking down at the young woman whose leg was extended ready to take him down. He then descended back to the ground with a forming a fist for a punch so that he could graze her or get some room so he could measure her abilities. As his hand was about to come into contact with her side, Misora jumped and came down with an ax kick above him hitting him square on the back of his head, the crowd along with Rose gasped at the force of her foot. Ryu fell down to the ground, a bit rattled at what just happened.
The young woman then landed on her feet a few feet from where Ryu was laying down. She then walked over to him and clenched her hands together ready to take him out. Could he go down just like those black belts from earlier?
"I expected more from you seeing as I thought you were different. Oh well, thanks for handing me another victory." As her leg was above his head, she brought it down to kick him on his head again. As her heel was a few centimeters from knocking him out, Ryu caught her foot surprising everyone around him including Misora herself. Having a clenching grip on her foot, Ryu then began to lift himself up from the earth as he was still holding onto her foot. He then used the opportunity to judo toss her whole body but she was able to flip out of the toss to lessen the impact of the throw.
"Okay, I knew I said I wouldn't hold back but I was kind of bluffing before. Now it's time to be serious!" He got back into his pose ready to continue their battle. He knew that this girl could not be underestimated anymore. 'That kick actually stung, this kid has more potential than I thought.'
Now regaining her footing, Misora stood up surprised at what she saw. Her ax kicks had finished people off many times before so how was this man able to maintain his consciousness? 'Okay, maybe this guy isn't such a pushover after all. He actually should have been knocked out from that kick. I'm surprised that he knew I was gonna sweep him, most people wouldn't even see that coming.'
"So that wasn't enough, huh?" Misora then got back into her pose ready for another strike.
"I can see that you are more than the eye can see. I'm ready now, challenge me!" He stood fortified for whatever attack she was going to initiate.
She dashed like the first time except that she wasn't aiming for a sweep but a full on barrage of punches and kicks. She went for a chop to his neck only for Ryu to block it this time pushing her off, he then went for a straight jab with her dodging out of the way as she went for another attack. She then tried kicking him from behind to catch him off guard. He turned around quickly and stopped her leg from touching him. As a counter, he punched her in her stomach causing the breath to leave from her body. She was sent back a few yards back trying to recover from the impact to her abdomen.
"Alright, not bad. It seems that you can fight," she acknowledged his strength and went for another attempt again. Somehow, he was able to defend himself from her most relentless attacks and it actually irked her in how he was able to predict her own movements before she even executed an action. Realizing that her current attempts were for naught, she switched it up. She would let him come to her so she could find an opening.
Realizing that she stayed still, he ran to her ready to hit her until she wrapped one of his arms around her legs and brought him down to the floor, putting his arms in an armbar. If direct contact didn't work, maybe submissions would be better.
Ryu could feel his arm being squeezed; this girl surprised him as she was knowledgeable of different fighting techniques from karate to wushu to submissions. Luckily, due to the constant battling against grapplers, he knew how to counter them although she did weigh much less than the ones he normally went up against. He lifted his body while she was still clenched around his arm. Now fully standing up, he put his free arm on her back and slammed her to the ground causing her to groan out in pain. Seeing that she didn't let go, he stood up again and slammed her again causing her to finally let go. Anybody would think that it was cruel seeing a grown man slamming a young girl to the ground but this was by no means, an ordinary girl. She had fight in her and it was primarily the reason why Ryu didn't hold back.
To him, it was a form of respect to the young lady acknowledging her abilities.
After the struggle, Ryu could feel this bizarre and stinging feeling in his left arm. This girl did quite a number on him. Right now, looking at Misora on the ground, he could pin her down to prevent her from moving but looking at the feeling of his arm, he thought the best decision would be to tend to his arm before he risked her finding another way to a way to break it.
Misora could feel her body aching from the two slams and it felt like her body was being pulled down as she was getting up. Finally standing once more, she saw that Ryu was trying to get his arm together. Seeing this, she ran towards him with this ferocity that she never possessed fighting someone else before. Forming a basic karate chop, she decided that maybe he was too weakened to move any part of his body.
Ryu felt his arm gain some mobility back so he was able to sense the young woman's movements before she struck him. He blocked her chops trying to counter with his own. Her moves were very brisk and wild which made it easier to find out which direction she was coming from. That focus that she had before wasn't found in these new attacks so it became easier to target her exposed parts. As a chop went towards his ribcage, he blocked it with his fist and as his response, he performed a roundhouse kick to her side sending her back a few meters towards the school entrance.
Even though he was known as an honorable fighter, he couldn't underestimate his opponent and stood while she was on the ground trying to lessen the impact of the kick. 'That kick was...hard.' She thought while trying to clean up the blood from her mouth. Trying to figure out what was happening right now, she looked towards Ryu and saw him walking towards her direction. 'This guy is ridiculous, he survives an armbar and an ax kick and he barely looks like he has a scratch on him. Can I even do anything anymore?' She was ready for Ryu to land the finishing blow.
Now standing in front of her, he saw her breathing and even though she could endure a hit, she was still a teenage girl. He offered his hand to her, as an act of sportsmanship. "You did well, kid."
What she did not only surprised him and the crowd, but the two female accomplices behind her.
She smacked his hand away.
"I don't need your pity. I just need to defeat you and that's what I'll do!" She roared as she quickly stood up and went to hit him only to have him simply block her attempt with his hand.
She jumped trying to recover; needing time to recuperate, she decided it was best for the two girls behind her to continue on her behalf. "Tsubaki, Kanae. Take care of this guy."
The two women jumped in front of Misora taking her place, finally happy that they could get some action after just staying on the sidelines watching their friend battle with the Ansatsuken practitioner.
"So, you ready? Don't hold this against us. We just have a reputation to protect around these parts." One of the new challengers said.
"Yeah, it would sound real bad if one of the Battling Princesses were taken down by some average guy we've never really heard about." The other one said.
"Let's get him, Tsubaki!" Kanae yelled while circling around Ryu trying to confuse him with their movements.
"I had a feeling this would happen." Ryu stated while reverting back to his regular battle stance ready to take on his new opponents.
"Yeah, I got him. Can you keep up with us?" Tsubaki yelled while moving quickly making Ryu having to switch every now and then to one or the other. He felt a kick hit his back and turned around to see Tsubaki had disappeared while Kanae hit him with a palm thrust from the front making him lower his defense.
"Got him, now to finish him off! Kanae, let's go!" Tsubaki screamed to her partner. As the two got nearer to land a finishing blow, Ryu heard a malevolent and ominous voice speak in his head.
"What are you doing boy, finish them off!" The voice yelled into his head.
Ryu felt a surge of energy throughout his body as he could feel this new power course through him. He knew it was not wise to use this power but these girls were leaving him little of a choice.
When the two girls finally clashed with him, Ryu blocked both of their attacks and used the mass of his body to push them off. He looked at Tsubaki first who was smirking confidently ready for his attack, he rushed to her so fast that she couldn't even react at time surprised at how fast he was.
Rose could see that Ryu's whole demeanor changed and she didn't like the feeling that it gave off. "Ryu, there's something off with your character; don't let that power take over you. I know you're stronger than that."
As he was near her, his body was turned into a vortex as he screamed out, "Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!" The girl was sent back as she never saw an attack like that before and the force with it felt like he was trying to maim her or possibly, kill her.
Ryu then looked at Kanae, who was now on her guard for whatever attack he might send out at her. With the same speed he used against Tsubaki, he rushed to the young girl and raised his fist up hitting her square in her midsection, "Shoryuken!" The girl was sent flying just like her friend and she could feel her stomach going haywire like she was about to throw up.
"What the hell was that? It's like being hit by a sledgehammer!" She muttered while clutching her stomach. She looked towards Tsubaki and nodded her head.
"Time to finish this motherfucker off!" Kanae yelled towards Tsubaki. They both tried circling around Ryu again. When they finally got into position, they both went for high jumping kicks hoping it would be enough to finally finish him.
Just as they were about to finish him off, a scarf imbued with energy stopped them in their tracks. "That's enough from you young ladies. I think you know when you are outmatched." Rose was now using her soul powers to stop the fight, she felt that it went on long enough already.
Struggling to get free from the hold of the scarf, they couldn't understand how this woman was able to hold them with just a scarf.
"Hey, let us go you bitch! Matter of fact, how are you able to do this in the first place, you some kind of witch or something?" Kanae asked still trying to wriggle out of the soul energy imbued scarf.
Rose grinned at that statement, it was not the first time people were perplexed by the exhibition of her powers. "I wouldn't say witch but these are very unique powers." Even the crowd were murmuring in amazement by the glowing scarf and how it levitated.
"Whatever, can you let us down now?" Kanae asked once more.
"How do I know you won't try to attack him?" Rose had every right to be suspicious. These girls were too dangerous to leave by themselves; she had to make sure that they wouldn't try to be underhanded and execute a sneak attack on Ryu.
"Okay, we won't do anything." Tsubaki answered for both of them.
Rose was again suspicious but she asked, "Am I positive you won't harm him?"
Tsubaki sighed at her question but still answered, "We swear on our pride as martial artists, we won't do anything to him. Also, it's starting to feel really uncomfortable hanging in the air like this."
To Rose, it was a good enough answer. She calmly brought down her scarf and released the two young ladies. The both of them were exhausted from the fight and they didn't even fight as long as Misora did. Unbeknownst to them, Rose drained a little of their energy from them seeing as they were still capable of struggling during the hold.
"Who are you?" Kanae asked.
"My name is Rose. You're very powerful for girls your age. You remind me of a young girl who I met not too long ago."
They looked at her, they could tell she was not a native citizen of the country but she was somehow able to speak fluent Japanese. This women was very cryptic whenever she introduced herself. The two young women looked to see Ryu still standing, he looked a bit different than usual. Rose could sense this malicious energy being emitted from him. Was this the Satsui no Hadō that Ryu informed her about?
She went to his location only to touch him and he felt...empty. He turned around and he had this menacing look in his eyes. His presence felt heavy as he walked towards Rose staring her down.
Was he going take out his aggression on her? Could this be what the cards foretold her? Rose knew that Ryu wouldn't allow himself to be easily taken over like that but she did make sure that she was prepared to retaliate if he did decide to fight her. As he got closer to her, Rose armed herself with her scarf and fearing for the worst. When he finally got closer to her, the aura around him was dissipating. Now in front of her, he looked to her and to her surprise, his eyes reverted back to his original brown ones.
Rose sighed thankful that he was in control of himself once again. She could feel herself calming down as she put her scarf back to its original position. She pulled Ryu's body up seeing that he was a bit fatigued and did have a few bruises on his body.
"Ryu, are you okay?"
He questioned it, was he okay? He couldn't remember what happened in the past few minutes but he was sure that it was the power inside him that made him feel like that. Taking in the present at the moment right now, he looked around to see the spectators, the girls and Rose in front of him.
"My head's a bit hazy. Rose, what happened?" He asked still trying to piece whatever he possibly could.
"That power inside you almost made you become a different person. Are you okay now?"
"Now I'm fine," he then remembered that he was fighting those two girls. Looking around, he saw them near Misora helping her up. He saw their bruises which were definitely caused by him. He felt bad that he succumbed so easily to the tempting power inside him and that...voice. He knew that voice from anywhere from his multiple encounters with him.
'I will not let you win, Demon. I will prevail against all the obstacles before me, including you.' He thought to himself.
Out of concern, he went to the girls making the crowd wonder what he was doing. Was he going to fight them again? Or even finish them off?
When he got to the girls, he smiled and helped the girls pick up Misora seeing that out of the three, she was the one who was the most tired. They wondered who this guy was and why he was helping them. Both Tsubaki and Kanae realized that Misora was right about this man; he was different from all their previous challengers. If it was someone else, they most likely would've bragged about their victory over the Battling Princesses.
"Why are you helping us? We almost tried to demolish the crap out of you." Tsubaki stated.
"It's my fault you two are in the state that you are in now and I apologize for that. I figured it's best to offer my help to prominent young people like yourselves so that you can achieve your full potential."
Ryu could see that these young girls reminded him of Sakura and the first time that she asked him to train her. They possessed the same tenacity, ambition and strength which added to their skills would take them very far in life if they were persistent enough to keep going.
Kanae made sure Misora was taken care of before she responded to him, "Whatever makes you sleep at night. Also, you're not bad; much better than the other jerkoffs we've went up against."
"You're not bad yourself nor are you two. Keep training and I'm sure one day, you'll create a reputation for yourselves." He held his hand out hoping that they could reach some sort of agreement. "How about we call this a draw?"
"Really?" Tsubaki asked surprised at his question. Did the match not really mean that much to him? It was a good idea and maybe they could still protect their undefeated reputation.
"No, we lost fair and square." Misora rose her head to look Ryu in the face and stood up out of the care of the two teenagers beside her. "We lost and that's that, even if I want to deny it, it's the truth, no matter what. I never really met someone like you but it's a loss."
Ryu smiled at the girl. Even if the girl was a vicious fighter as she displayed earlier, she still had some humility left inside her. He held his hand out to her to signify that it was a pleasing fight for both of them. "Good fight?"
At first she thought about it and that if it was her in the past, she'd smack their hand away without a second glance but Ryu had a different spirit to him. He had this look of strength, confidence and persistence which she admired in people.
"Yeah, good fight." She shook his hand and also bowed her head in regards to her defeat. Tsubaki and Kanae also went to shake his hand and bowed just like Misora.
Seeing that she still felt weak, Misora almost fell and luckily had Tsubaki catch one side of her body. Kanae came quickly and held her other side to make sure that she was okay.
'Wow, that fight really took it out of me.' Misora could feel her body giving out to the fatigue. She never fought somebody to this extent before and even though it was a first she felt this tired, she was actually very content with herself that she could fight with somebody at that level.
The three girls then decided to walk back to their homes, even though they did cause their own sort of chaos in the neighborhood, they were still seniors and they made sure not to mess up their chances of graduation. As they walked, they stopped for a second for Misora to look back at Ryu and Rose.
"Next time when I run into you, I'll be sure that I win next time. Also to the pretty foreign onee-san, take care of your boyfriend until the next time I run into him." Misora smirked when she said that and continued walking down the road.
Rose blushed a color similar to the blouse that she was wearing when she heard that. Did she really think of her and Ryu as a couple? Did the spectators think of them like that when they first saw them? She shook her heads at those thoughts and just looked at it as a misunderstanding from their part.
When the three girls were gone from sight, the crowd behind them let out a big cheer at the first loss of the Battling Princesses of Niigata. They had gathered around the two amazed that they were the first ones to hand the girls their first loss. They were being bombarded by questions coming from different directions, they found it a bit overwhelming to be honest; Rose was especially asked if she was a magician or performer of some sort, they thought it was common seeing that many westerners were entertainers for the public. As Ryu said, he never did this for monetary value, recognition or such materialism.
Once the townspeople had finished celebrating, they gave both Rose and Ryu many things of value. Ryu being the person who he was declined them countless times but they insisted that he and Rose take their offerings as a show of thanks for finally being the ones to bring some tranquility back to the town of Niigata. The spectators slowly dispersed while some of them stayed to talk to Rose and Ryu for a bit.
One of the spectators went up to Ryu and patted Ryu on the shoulder for a job well done. "Well youngsters, it seems that you've done a great thing for Niigata. I don't know how we could let this go for so long without anyone calling the police or any of the authorities."
"As I said, it was no problem at all. I'm actually glad I had the chance to face them, they put up a great fight." replied Ryu.
"Well, even though those girls had to fall to someone one day. We just never expected it to be today or even anytime soon. By the way, the name's Takahiro Oba but just call me Takahiro." He introduced himself while holding his hand out towards Ryu.
Takahiro was a man that looked like he ranged from his mid-40s to early-50s. The man had a pepper-and-salt coloring in his hair which reflected not only his age and experience, a smooth ponytail reaching down to the base of his neck. He stood a bit taller than Ryu and Rose, his body was built like a natural laborer and judging by the muscles he had, he had encountered a few fights back in his younger days. His face was broad with shoulders and even if he was and older man, he could deceive some people and shed some years off which would be believable. The grin on his face exuded confidence and respect which he gave to Ryu after his show of skills today.
"My name is Ryu and this is my companion, Rose," he shook Takahiro's hand and introduced Rose. Rose shook the man's hand happy that she could meet someone new from this experience. "Nice to meet you, Takahiro-san." Rose said with a smile.
Takahiro looked at Rose and was amazed at how beautiful and stunning she was. Did all foreign woman look like her? He knew that Japan had many women others would deem exotic but her level of beauty to him was bar-none. "Wow, you're one of the most beautiful women I've ever come across. It's a pleasure to meet you." He blushed while looking at her, how could a woman he had never met in his life make him feel like a teenage child again? He would never know.
Rose smiled at that statement, it was the second time that somebody made a reference to her looks again, and she was flattered by it. "Thank you, Takahiro-san."
When he heard Rose speak fluent Japanese, he was taken aback by how articulate and well-spoken she was. Getting his composure together, he stood up straight and complimented her on her Japanese pronunciation. "You can speak Japanese very well for a foreigner. Ryu-san, this girl might be a keeper if I've ever seen one."
"Thank you. I try my best to study about cultures and its people." Rose stated.
Ryu laughed at the man's words. "Well, I think she's a very knowledgeable person and I wouldn't go so far to say that."
"Regardless, keep her around. You never know what might happen." Takahiro lightly elbowed Ryu on the chest. "Anyways, enough about that. Where are you two going? I know that you're not natives of Niigata so where do you plan to stay for the night?"
"Well, we were hoping you could inform us of a hotel where we could reside tonight. We're not really familiar with this part of Japan." Ryu chuckled a bit.
The middle-aged man looked at them flabbergasted by what he said. The two fighters looked at Takahiro in confusion wondering why his face looked like that. It was like he was offended by what Ryu said.
"What?! Nonsense, there's no way I'll let you sleep at a hotel tonight. Especially not some of the dingy ones around here. Follow me, you can sleep at my place tonight." It was more of a command than a request judging by his intonation.
"Are you sure? We wouldn't want to impose on you, Takahiro-san." Rose stated.
He let out a hearty laugh at what she said. "Of course you wouldn't be imposing, it's the least I can do for what you did for us regular folks today. Now then, I suggest we get a move on, it's starting to get dark."
Looking up into the sky, Rose and Ryu realized Takahiro was right. They saw the blue sky fused with the orange luminescence which indicated the transition of afternoon into evening. Who knew time would have gone by that quickly. The crowd of citizens had dissipated long ago and the only ones left near the school were the three of them.
After analyzing his own body, the most Ryu could say was that he was left with a cut near his mouth from the ax kick. He was used to bruises so he could shrug that off as he went to pick up his duffel bag as he and Rose prepared to follow Takahiro to his home.
"Alright. We're ready to go now and thank you for your generosity, Takahiro-san." He and Rose bowed to the man as a show of his gratitude. Respect was the one thing that Ryu always had and his master emphasized during his earlier years training.
"No need to bow and I said it before, it's okay. Sometimes the little acts of kindness make this world a bit better to live in." The group began walking and as they crossed their town, multiple cheers were heard from various people. They gave compliments to Ryu for being the first victor against the Battling Princesses.
After about 30 minutes of walking, they finally stopped in front of the place perceived as Takahiro's home. "Well, this is my home! Don't be shy, come in." The two fighters stepped in and what they saw drew a lot of confusion to them. What they saw wasn't a home but it was restaurant, a ramen restaurant judging by all the postings of noodle-based dishes around the restaurant.
The size of the restaurant was very spacious, there was a moderately sized pathway between the stools and some tables, which surprising to them still had many customers there enjoying their own food. The interior had a decoration of green and yellow all over the place: the walls, floor and even the seats all had some shade of yellow or green to accommodate the place. They looked at the wall and it had a few cracks which indicated that it was an old place but it was very hygienic judging by the polished floors and clean dishes being served at the moment. They looked at one of the walls and spotted several photos and miscellaneous items adding to their perceived fact that this was a very old place but it still possessed its livelihood even during this time. Rose got closer and examined the pictures, she was surprised by what she saw. Takahiro had pictures of celebrities, local politicians, he had many recognized people on the wall which indicated that this restaurant was pretty well-known outside of Niigata.
Takahiro saw the way Rose looked at the wall's pictures and he smiled smugly in fact knowing that he had gotten another person entranced by his extraordinary wall.
"I see that you know some of these people, huh?" Takahiro said to Rose as he walked to her position. "I take pride in this restaurant and all that it's seen over the years."
"I can see that. You have a very distinct feeling about your restaurant. What it is, that I don't have the answer to. Your restaurant is very delightful, Takahiro-san." Rose then looked at the wall once more with her eyes going up to something that looked like a quote. It was written in Japanese language as she could tell; seeing that she studied the Japanese in its entirety, including the phonetics and kanji, she read the quote out loud:
"If you do not enter the tiger's cave, you will not catch its cub."
"Yeah, it's a quote I live by. I've had it here ever since I opened the restaurant over 20 years ago. I went through a lot to realize what I was going to do in life, a good amount of trial-and-errors if I say so myself." Rose looked at Takahiro and she could see the smile on his face as he said those words. It reminded her of the time in the forest with Ryu, the message sounded very similar which made her think about her position. She had to risk her life and existence if she was ever going to live her own life without the shadow of Bison looming over her. It plagued her whenever she thought about him and the hold he had on her. Her thoughts were interrupted when Ryu put his hand on her shoulder releasing her from her thoughts.
"Rose, you've been looking at the wall for a while. Are you alright?"
Not wanting to worry him, she answered, "I'm alright Ryu. Just looking at all these pictures here."
He decided to take her word even though deep down he knew something was on her mind, he then turned to Takahiro. "Um, Takahiro-san, I thought we were on the way to your home? Why are we in a restaurant?"
He then smacked his hand at his stupidity, maybe his years were getting to him. "Damn it, you're right! I forgot to tell you, this is my restaurant and my home! That's my mistake. Welcome to Hokuro Ramen Restaurant! Hahaha!"
"Wow? This is really your home?!" Ryu was perplexed at how such a restaurant was also a place of residence at the same time.
"Yup, this place is my baby but don't let my wife hear that, she'll skin me alive and leave the bones for the dogs."
Rose laughed at his joke but made assured him that his secret was safe. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with us. Where is your wife anyway, Takahiro-san? It would be nice to meet her if possible."
"Right now, she's not even here. She's in Fukuoka gathering some ingredients and trying to negotiate for cheaper prices. Economy's taken a hit over the years so we have to be careful with spending. My kids are also down in the city doing university so it's pretty much me and my wife now. So Ryu, what do you think of this wall? Pretty impressive, huh?" Takahiro asked the normally gi-wearing man.
He looked at the wall before responding, "I'm sorry Takahiro-san but I don't really know anybody on this wall."
The restaurant owner eyes widened out when he heard Ryu say that. "Wait, what do you mean? You don't know Keiko Kitagawa or Yū Aoi? Don't you watch TV or go to the movies or something?"
"Not really, I do watch TV but normally at my friend's house when I visit him. He's kind of a big deal where he lives. I do know some of the corrupt politicians up here though." Ryu responded with.
That caught Takahiro's ear a bit, "big deal'? He asked Ryu to elaborate. "Ryu-san, who's your friend?"
"Oh, his name is Ken, Ken Masters." Ryu answered his question looking at the while himself.
"Ken Masters, the champion in the western world?" He then turned Ryu and held him by his shoulders. "Ryu-san, if you can, please get him to come here so he can take a picture, please."
Ryu smiled at his request, "Sure, Takahiro-san. I'll be sure to tell him the next time to come here the next time he visits Japan."
"Thank you Ryu-san, it's nice to see that there are still some good-natured people in the world." He then walked towards the kitchen and yelled to his staff, "Hey guys, two ramen bowls on the house for my two guests!"
When he said this, both Ryu and Rose had to intervene, it was nice that he let them stay in his house but to have food for free when they were capable of paying for it was a bit too much for them.
"Takahiro-san, we have money. Just you letting us stay here for the night is enough." Rose told Takahiro.
"I have to agree with Rose, Takahiro-san." Ryu then stated.
"Ha! Trust me, two free bowls won't kill me and you impressed me today with how you fought those girls. Don't worry about it, it's on me." Takahiro smiled once more showing how much he was really impressed by their abilities today. "Anyways, I should take you upstairs to your room before you start eating. Time should go by quickly when you're putting your stuff away. Follow me."
They followed him upstairs to a place that was a completely different area from the restaurant on the bottom. It was a normal furnished home which looked like a decent place to raise a family. He led them to a guest room which he had to admit, he didn't really use often. Maybe his two guests would be able to utilize them more than he did. It was a medium-sized room with a closet and a queen-sized bed next to the window.
"Well, here's the guest room. We can leave your stuff here while you guys eat. I'm sure by now, you must be hungry especially after you told me how you guys got here. Hitchhiking, huh? That must be fun, traveling all over enjoying new experiences and meeting new people. I wish I could do that but I'm kind of old."
"Do not let your age determine that Takahiro-san. If you will it, then it will eventually come true. Let fate decide your outcome." Rose spoke up.
"I guess you're right Rose-san. I feel like my wife would complain if I left the restaurant to her and my kids would never let me live it down. Be right back," he left the room and came back with some fresh sheets and pillows ready to prepare the bed for his guests. He laid them down on the bed for them to decide on what to do with them. "Well, I think preparing the sheets can wait after you've eaten. Come on, let's go." Takahiro gestured with his hand for them to follow him. Ryu put down his duffel bag and seeing that Rose didn't have much on her person, she only put away her wallet and the tarot cards that she normally traveled with. They went to the bathroom and cleaned themselves seeing that they had just came from outside, they then went back downstairs."
Back downstairs, they found that their bowls were ready and it was quite a sight. The ramen was soaked in a chicken-based broth surrounded by slices of chicken, vegetables, an egg, and numerous other ingredients which added to the already marvelous bowl of food laid before them.
The food looked so well-prepared and exquisite that they were so entranced by how delectable the food looked. "Well then, don't just stare at the food! Come on, dig in!" Takahiro said to them with a smile on his face. Not wanting to prolong their hunger any longer, they each took a pair of chopsticks and said the custom phrase before eating:
"Itadakimasu!"
They both ate their food thankful that they were able to have a meal seeing as they were able to finally eat something not from a vendor but actually prepared. The food was really nice and it made them feel a whole lot better, especially after the madness of the tournament that took quite a toll on them. After finally eating, they bowed to Takahiro for his generosity once more.
"Thank you for the meal, Takahiro-san. It was very pleasant." Rose said.
"Yes, and it was able to stick to my diet plan which I really needed after not really eating the best of food for some time." Ryu followed after expressing his thanks.
"Not a problem, I'm glad to have made you this food. Don't forget to tell others once you leave Niigata about this place." Takahiro responded to them.
As much as they wanted to rest, there were some things that they wondered about; in particular, those girls and why they were so powerful to begin with. The damage though minor done to Ryu made them question about who else was strong out there. Maybe Takahiro could shed some light on the situation.
"Takahiro-san? These Battling Princesses, who are they?" Ryu asked. As a fighter, he wanted to know more about these girls and see if there was more like them in other parts of not only Japan, but the rest of the world.
"Hmm, it shouldn't surprise me that you would ask who they are and try to find out who they are. Well, it started two years ago when word was that these black belts in a school karate club were easily beaten by a group of people who also attended the same school. Come to find out, it's a group of girls who pretty much decimated them with hardly no problem."
"So how did they get their name here in Niigata?" Rose wondered.
"Well, it all started one say when other schools started hearing of these girls and their clubs wanted to challenge them to see if they could back up their skills by fighting them. Believe me, so many schools came from around the region that it eventually became crazy talk to not hear of these three girls. When they fought their opponents, they came with an intensity of the sun and pretty much destroyed all their competition if you can even call some of these guys competition in the first place. Hence the name, The Battling Sunfire Princesses."
They were surprised by how these young girls had already created a reputation for themselves and their names were known to people outside of regional area. Ryu knew the world of martial arts was vast and that there would always be someone out there with skills beyond comprehension. It was things like that which drove him to be better and find himself. Those girls he fought today only reminded him of that whenever he traveled over the globe looking for more opponents.
"If they're fighting only clubs, then why did they fight those men today?" Rose wondered about the sight she saw today. Those men had been brutally beat up without a care in the world and it surprised her by how young they were to do something like that.
"Well, some kids from those clubs had connections to some other guys and many people came over trying to challenge them, it was ridiculous and useless. These girls kept taking them down one after another after another and they just became undefeatable to everyone who stepped up to them. Next thing you know, thugs, grown men. Hell, even some Yakuza who were experts came and challenged them only to get tossed by them. It was like these girls were demons or something which made everyone around here fear them, nobody stood up to them and people didn't really try to defend their stuff. They got stuff for free from all the local shops and whatever. Eventually, it became a normal thing to just see them fight. Surprising part was, they never really beat up any of the citizens around here, mainly their opponents. Even helped some old folks one time in beating the living crap out of some thief that robbed them one time. They're kind of hot and cold judging from what I've seen."
"So they're not entirely troublemakers, are they?" Rose inquired. Judging by what she heard, it seems that they had some kindness inside their hearts.
"Troublemakers, who knows? All I know is that I didn't want any trouble with them so me and my wife kept to ourselves but that didn't mean we wouldn't have done anything, it's all so crazy how just three young girls makes people behave differently. I know those girls could be much better but that doesn't matter because they have their first loss thanks to you, Ryu-san. The people of Niigata and I are thankful to you."
"Well, I do appreciate the praise but I don't do it mainly for wins. I do it because I enjoy facing new people and taking on whatever they have to offer. Prizes and materials don't really mean much to me because it turns people into things that I don't like seeing." Ryu's words surprised Takahiro. It wasn't often that he encountered someone like this on a daily basis. If only more people had his mindset is what he thought.
"You know, I don't really encounter people like you every day Ryu-san. It feels a bit refreshing if I do say so myself to meet people like you and Rose-san." Takahiro said this as he was cleaning a glass cup, he realized it was pretty late and announced that he was closing for the night much to the patrons' chagrin, "It's pretty late if I do say so myself, I know you guys have to be on the way tomorrow so I'm sure you're tired."
"Actually, Takahiro-san, we were wondering if you could tell us about yourself and your restaurant. I'm sure there's some story on why your restaurant is revered through Japan." Rose asked due mainly to the wall of pictures with famous people; she wondered how he was able to meet so many people.
"Really? Well, I don't wanna toot my own horn." Takahiro modestly spoke not trying to bore his guests with his own life story.
"Please, Takahiro-san. Besides, isn't life meant to meet new people and create connections with them?" Ryu asked also trying to hear about the success of his restaurant.
"Huh, seeing that you asked, why not? Well, I started in the early 90's when I got out of college. I graduated from Keio University with a bachelors in Business Management, didn't get a job for half a year so I stayed at my family's home while holding little jobs just trying to make sure I was useful in some way. My parents wanted me to do graduate school seeing that education was the best thing I could do to become a contributing member to society. After some time, I got a job as a salary man, nothing too special, basic 9-5 and I eventually got my own apartment. As I worked, I realized one thing: I wasn't happy with myself. I worked and I made money but it didn't satisfy me, I made my parents proud with my accomplishments but it would always come back to me and what I wanted to do with my life," he turned to the quote that Rose had seen earlier and pointed to it making both Ryu and Rose turn towards his finger's direction, "you see that quote up there? It help changed my life for the better."
"How exactly?" Ryu questioned.
"During my job, I was tired of waking up and just going to work day after day after day, it got so goddamn repetitive doing the same crap every day but I wasn't satisfied. I remembered that I brought homemade noodles to work almost every day, brought some for some of my coworkers. I was like the noodle man at work and that's what people knew me as. Next thing you know, I'm having people pay me to bring noodles to work for them. I did some research on opening a cart and it took a while but I eventually found something that made me happy. I quit my job and worked in some restaurants for a while learning about the restaurant industry. Mind you, my parents weren't really happy with my decision but they supported me nonetheless. Some years later, I had the capital to open up a restaurant and I based it on noodles so it became the ramen restaurant you're sitting in now. It started slow at first but it came up eventually. Next thing you know, I met my wife who was a customer here and two kids later, I'm right here."
"That was an interesting story, Takahiro-san. How did you meet all these people on this wall?" Rose asked seeing that she watched a lot of Japanese media back in Italy and knew a good amount of people posted up there.
"One day, I see this guy surrounded by bodyguards. I go up to him all nervous and whatnot, just to find out this guy is the Minister of Education. He ordered something simple and I just gave it to him; mind you, I'm nervous about what he thinks of my food but surprising to me, he really likes it. Next thing you know, celebrities and other people who normally wouldn't be around these parts are coming here in secret or just have someone to protect them in case they get swarmed for pictures and whatever. Hence the pictures of all the people I've met. So what about you two?" Takahiro asked seeing as he told them about his restaurant.
"We're currently traveling the world at the moment." Ryu answered for both of them.
"Really?"
"Yes, we actually started a few days ago seeing that we met up at a tournament one time." Rose stated.
"Tournament, I guess you guys are some pretty powerful folks, huh? So how is it traveling so far?"
"It's interesting, you meet new people and experience something new every day. It brings out the good side of humanity instead, people like you Takahiro-san." Rose said.
Takahiro laughed at that, it wasn't every day you got complimented by a beautiful foreign woman every day. "Why thanks, but I just do it because it's in my nature. I'm sure you two are tired right now. Why don't you get some sleep? I'll take care of everything down here."
"Are you sure, Takahiro-san? I mean you've done a lot for us today, the least we can do is help you clean up." Ryu and Rose wanted to repay Takahiro for providing them with food and shelter for the night.
"Really?" He asked and they both nodded as a response.
"Well, you can help straighten up and sweep up for me. I don't really need health inspectors here, they're ruthless when it comes to hygiene in restaurants." He joked. "Ah, Rose-san, where are you from exactly?" Takahiro asked. He had to know where in the world a stunning woman like her came from.
"Genoa, Italy. It's a beautiful place, you should visit one day." She answered.
"If I ever get the chance for a vacation, I'll add it to my list of places to go to." He said.
Proud to help him for his kindness, they began helping him tidy up the restaurant by cleaning up anything they possibly could. To them, it felt nice to use their hands that didn't involve striking someone or forming energy in their hands. As they finally finished, they bid Takahiro good night as they went to the guest room.
Seeing that they were a bit dirty from the evens of today, they decided it was best to take shower first. Ryu being a gentleman decided to let Rose take a shower first. As she entered the bathroom, many thoughts went through his head, especially during that fight today. Why was that voice speaking in his head? Another thing was why did he let his restraint on the Satsui no Hadō slip, especially on young girls like that? That desire to win was a double-edged sword, his match years back with Sagat was proof of that. He saw the Demon talking to him, he knew that they would encounter once more in the future. He didn't need the plague of Akuma clouding his better judgment. There were so many questions he had, but he had no way to approach them. As his and Rose's journey continued, he hoped that there would be some answers to the many questions he had.
"Ryu, you can take a shower now." Ryu was knocked out of his trance as he stared upon Rose who had just got out of the bathroom. She was wearing a lavender nightgown that she materialized using her soul powers.
"Y-yeah, sorry about that. Just thinking about some things. I'll be sure to finish quickly." Ryu moved to the bathroom only to have Rose stop him by gently holding his shoulder.
"Ryu, if there is something wrong, talk to me. Confide in me as I have confided in you such as that time in the forest. We are all human and we all have problems that we feel are too much for us to burden, we need people to help us in our darkest and bleakest moments. Remember that." Rose knew that Ryu was struggling with that darkness within him. She wouldn't ask of him to speak of it now but whenever he was ready.
"Yeah, Rose. I'll be sure to do that." Ryu spoke softly. As he entered the shower, he let the drops of water cleanse away not only the grime on his body but the aura of destruction that clouded his thinking. He remembered Rose's presence when he was being controlled by his desire; she was going to clash with him if need be to make sure that he didn't fatally injure the girls or any of the innocent people around him, Shadaloo and S.I.N. had done enough of that already. It was a gesture he really appreciated and she did say he didn't have to speak about it unless he was comfortable enough to do so.
Done with his shower, Ryu changed into his clothes. He entered the bedroom only to discover Rose was asleep. He did have some thoughts seeing as they were a man and woman sleeping in a bed together. He slid himself into the bed while looking at Rose's sleeping face; he had to admit that she was very beautiful, her looks were the farthest thing from his thoughts at the moment though.
His mind went back to earlier, he remembered the loss of reasoning, control, and sanity from the fight. He couldn't go to sleep seeing that the darkness had found a way to pierce through his mental shell once more, this time it had taken over him without a warning though. It frustrated him, how could he have allowed that power to take over him again? During his recollection trying to piece up everything that happened, he saw Rose standing next to him which made him remember what happened. Everything was starting to come back to him now, he remembered Rose trying to prevent him from causing unnecessary bloodshed and to protect the innocent spectators, Takahiro included from getting hurt. She was actually willing to go against him even though she knew she was risking her life. He knew that her powers were still on the path of recovery so to him; her actions impressed him and made him think of how powerful of a person the fortuneteller really was.
Eventually finding out he couldn't sleep, Ryu went out to do the one thing that normally calmed the tensions of his mind: meditate. If slumber didn't help, then finding a peace of mind surely would, he took a look at Rose before getting off the bed and sitting down next to the bed and closed his eyes. He decided that this would occupy him until daybreak. Maybe everything would make sense to him in the morning as he closed his eyes and melded his mind, body and soul.
The morning had come by rather abruptly. The chirps of wagtails and swallows had disrupted the silence of the morning semblance. The radiating rays shone through the windowpane thanks to its transparent appearance. Rustling in the sheets, Rose had come to rising up with a yawn and thankful for a peaceful sleep, something that she was normally trying to get used to again. Her lithe body stretched out feeling the crick in her joints dissipate as she was still recovering from usage of her powers. She still felt groggy even after waking up but she was still mobile and aware of her surroundings. The last thing she remembered before going to sleep was Ryu taking a shower last night. She then realized that she and Ryu was to share a bed last night thanks to their new friend. She turned to the side of where Ryu was only to find out that he wasn't there, she looked from the bed and what she saw stunned her: Ryu was currently sitting in a full lotus position, could he have really meditated for all of last night? This actually surprised her because she had expected Ryu to share the same bed. Realizing that it was morning, Rose stepped out the bed with disheveled hair heading to the bathroom to prepare herself to get ready.
She had to stop at where Ryu was still in a meditation pose trying to find out what happened. "Ryu, are you awake right now?" She asked, not receiving an answer, she figured he must have went to sleep at some point during the night. She figured not to disturb him as he needed rest as much as she did.
"Yes, Rose. I'm awake." Ryu responded making her stop in her tracks and causing her to let out a gasp at how he was able to answer her.
Finally recovering from her shock, she went back to him to find out what happened, "Ryu, have you really been awake all night?" She asked him.
"Yes, and Rose?"
"Hmm?"
"Thank you for stopping me yesterday. I should not have allowed myself to fall victim to the Satsui no Hadō like that, I put many people's lives in danger and I thank you for protecting them before anything destructive happened." He had a smile on his face as he said that.
Rose had a small smile on her face and nodded, "Of course, I'm glad you were able to confide in me, but seriously Ryu, you should get some rest, remember you do still have injuries from the fight yesterday." She assured him. Even though she knew of his extensive and intense training, he was still as much a human being as anyone else was.
"I know Rose and I will, I may not have gotten rest last night but I'm sure I know the capabilities and limitations of my body. Rest assured, I'll be okay." He told her.
She worried for his health but he had proven people wrong before, she could only trust his word for now. "I trust you but tonight please rest, you need it much more than I do. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be getting ready for us to leave." She went into the bathroom leaving Ryu to get himself ready to leave also.
Ryu looked at the hypnotism that the sun's rising did to him, he opened the window to get a better look at it. He loved the smear of colors that painted the sky every time a new day began, no matter how many times he saw it, the tantalizing site of the beginning of a new day never ceased to maze him. The air gave off this invigorant and stimulating feeling he couldn't put into words. It was the reason why he liked secluding himself in the sorest instead of being in the city in contrast to his blonde-haired friend.
The morning was still early so he went downstairs to check the restaurant. He saw Takahiro cleaning and reading a newspaper at the same time. "Good morning, Takahiro-san!" Ryu greeted the man.
Takahiro turned around to see Ryu near the entrance to the stairs. "Ah, well good morning to you as well, Ryu-san. I'm sure you and Rose-san had a good night's sleep, I presume?"
"Well, I didn't exactly go to sleep last night." Ryu said in a nervous tone.
"Really? You young people have more stamina than I thought. Anyways, what's up? How's Rose-san, still sleeping?"
"No, she's actually getting ready to be on the way right now. Takahiro-san, I have a lot of things on my mind right now and I have no idea how to confront them," he then looked up to Takahiro. "What would you suggest in making peace with yourself?"
He was baffled by Ryu's question but did answer him. "Well, I would figure out what the problem is and how it's affecting my life and the people around me. Attacking it head on first would seem like the best thing to do but that just might make it worse. Learn to control whatever's making your mind uneasy and everything else will follow. Try not to think about it too much, Ryu-san; it might drive you crazy or make you do things you wouldn't normally do."
"Thank you, Takahiro-san." He expected much from a man who had a lot of experience with life. The man nodded happy that he could give someone young some life advice.
Rose then eventually came down the stairs dressed in her usual clothes, she looked at Ryu and Takahiro at the table. "Good morning, Takahiro-san and to you as well, Ryu." She greeted the two men.
"Morning, Rose-san! I'm sure you want some breakfast before you get on the road. Where do you plan to go afterwards?"
Now that they thought about it, they really didn't have an idea on where exactly they were going next. Their traveling was more spontaneous at the moment so it did leave them wondering what their next destination would be.
"We don't know yet, Takahiro-san. We go wherever life has destined for us to go." Rose said with her mystic persona.
"So it's just you going wherever you're going, huh? That sounds exciting. Well, I have some breakfast for you for your trip. Be right back." He then brought out two trays consisting of different plates of food from his kitchen and placed it on top of the table ready for them to eat; it consisted of some Tamagoyaki (rolled omelette), steamed rice, miso soup and dried mackerel. It was the best he could do seeing that he had met two very kind people.
"Eat up and please enjoy the food." He bowed to them as he said this.
They bowed in respect to him as they enjoyed the food prepared for them. The quiet ambience of the restaurant also contributed in helping them enjoy the food seeing as they were eating before open hours. Done with their food, they went back to the guest room and got their belongings. Going outside and looking at the streets with people opening their stores, they observed the difference from when they first entered Niigata yesterday.
Takahiro stood outside. He was actually a bit disheartened that Rose and Ryu were leaving but they had their own lives to tend to and he understood that.
"Ryu-san, Rose-san. I thank you for giving me the chance for me to meet you. Good luck on your journey and I hope you come back to Niigata one day. Too bad my wife couldn't meet you, maybe another day."
"One day we'll be back, Takahiro-san. Thank you for your generous hospitality." Ryu put his hand on his shoulder solidifying the respect between the two men.
"Yes, thank you, Takahiro-san." Rose shook his head and hugged him which he gladly returned.
"Oh yeah, hold on before you leave. I have something for you," he went into the restaurant for a few minutes and returned with a few bags. "Some food for your trip. Save you some money, you know."
"Thank you, Takahiro-san." Ryu took the food and put it in his duffel bag.
"I think it's time we be on our way. Wouldn't you say, Ryu?" Rose inquired trying to get an early start on their journey.
"Yes, until next time my friend." Ryu and Rose bid the man goodbye as he waved back.
"Oh yes, Ryu-san! I still would like that picture if you can ever get it!" Takahiro yelled.
"I'll be sure to do so, goodbye Takahiro-san!" He said back.
It was still fairly early in the morning so the two had many hours to themselves before they decided where to go next. That question about where to go to next repeated itself in their heads.
Where exactly would they go next?
Ryu then knew of where to go, he asked one of the locals about a place where they sold travel tickets. Thankful for the assistance, he went to the place the local had directed him to, he knew exactly where to go. He bought two tickets for China by boat. Unfortunately, the boat was in Osaka and wasn't due to leave for another week. So until then, the two fighters had to find a way for time to go by before their trip was ready to leave.
They found themselves still in Niigata so the best way for them was to see what the town was like. The experience was something that they found quite amusing and interesting. Seeing that it was Rose's first time ever visiting Japan, she was entranced by the cultural atmosphere.
Night had come rather quickly, Rose thanked Ryu for showing her Niigata even though he had never been there before. Even though they could have returned to Takahiro's for the remaining time, they decided to seclude themselves in a forest not too far from a shrine they visited in the day.
The marvel of nature seduced them and so they decided to stay in a cave they came upon. Rose was never one to make a deal out of places like that; she was prepared to see how Ryu lived his life and if it meant residing in a cave, then she would do the same. Tired, she went to sleep and advised Ryu to do the same seeing that he didn't sleep the night before. Maybe for the week, something interesting would happen again.
It would seem fate would play its role once more as three familiar pairs of eyes gazed upon them from the bushes.
Feather Drop: Chapter length
As you can see, this is a fairly long chapter while reading. I was actually looking up things regarding this topic and I ran across some good pages informing me of what people perceive as too much and how people can be content at the same time. It made me think and I don't want to bore any readers with chapters being too long so it makes me think of how I can write information without going too into detail. Then again, some writers and readers say it depends on the writer and what they're trying to convey to the reader no matter how long it is and as long as it has a beginning, middle and end, there shouldn't be anything to worry about. But for future reference, I'll try to make it shorter for you guys next time and for future stories.
Also for the tarot cards, seeing as Rose is a fortuneteller, they'll make an appearance every now and then. The only challenge is that there's so many cards and it's hard to choose which one goes right with the chapter. I'll also explain the meaning for each tarot card used starting with this one.
The Seven of Wands: This card represents challenges, competition and perseverance through obstacles standing upright so it's pretty much a card for obstacles and defeating them; standing reverse, it represents taking on many responsibilities and challenges which weighs down on you and low self-esteem (kind of the right card to describe Rose in the first chapter)
The Ace of Swords: This card is basically for anyone in real life who's succeeded: represents power, victories and mental stability standing upright; standing reverse stands for confusion, disorder and lack of clarity
The Fool: Should be used in the first chapter but it does have some prominence here as Ryu begins his new journey with Rose and meeting Takahiro. This card represents beginnings, free-spirited and spontaneity; standing reverse represents foolishness, being reckless and taking risks
I hope you have a good read and please be sure to leave a review as it will surely help me on what to do next. Peace out for now!
