Chapter 8

"Good morning Ryu." "Hello Hank I hope my scream last night didn't wake you up." "No I am a very heavy sleeper. The Professor said you needed to talk to me." "Well I've been having the same nightmare every night." "In my nightmare my father my mother and I were walking in Tokyo when a armed robber cornered us in an alley he wanted all the money my parents had then he shot my father in the head when he was trying to stop him. I was only seven at the time I thought over time I would forget the whole thing but I was only kidding myself." "Oh my stars I am so sorry Ryu no one should ever have to go through that."

"I always wondered what my life would be like if we never were in Tokyo that day. I sometimes have that nightmare with my mother getting shot in the place of my father. If anything ever happened to my mother I don't know what I would do ?" "The death of a loved one at any age is hard to take Ryu." "I know hank I'm just afraid of that happening again to anyone I love or care about."

"Oh Ryu, Hank I didn't know you two were up ?" "Good morning Kitty I hope my scream didn't wake you up earlier ?" "No I was getting up anyway. What happened anyway you look awful ?" "I had a nightmare about when my father died. The Professor thought I should talk to Hank about it you know just following your advice." "That's good to hear hopefully it helps I can't stand it when you look so upset like that." "Well I can't wait until you meet my parents. I just hope my dad doesn't give you the third degree ?"

"I still wonder what my mom would think of you ?"

"Welcome Mr. and Mrs. Pride." "It's good to see you too Professor Xavier it's been a long time since we've been here. Where's our daughter anyway ?" "Kitty was helping Ororo in the kitchen." "There you are Kitty." "Mom, dad I was wondering when you would get here." "We wouldn't miss this for the world Kitty." "Darling would you mind if you would go talk to the other parents I have to talk to Kitty alone you know girl talk." "I'll just go see Mr. Wagner I haven't seen him in years." "So Kitty now that your father is busy who's this boy your seeing ?"

"His name is Ryu he is a very nice guy. He helped me out when Lance wouldn't take no for an answer."

"Wow how chivalrous of him I hope you'll introduce me and your father to him ?" "Sure mom I hope dad doesn't go off on him ?" "You let me handle your father dear." "Oh there he is Ryu over here. Ryu allow me to introduce you to my mother Susan pride. Mom this is Ryu my boyfriend." "Glad to finally meet you Ryu. Kitty has told us so much about you." "Kitty told me about you too I see where she gets her looks from." "Why thank you Ryu. Oh my you don't have to bow to me."

"Oh I'm sorry I'm just used to the traditional Japanese way of saying hello." "Oh that's no problem Ryu I'm just not use to being around people of different cultures. Oh John I would like you to meet someone. John this is Ryu Kitty's boyfriend we heard so much about. Ryu this is my husband John."

"It's nice to finally meet you I hope you aren't trying anything funny with my daughter." "No way Mr. Pride I wouldn't do anything of the sort it would be dishonorable too do so." "So is it true that you're a samurai ?" "Yes it's true my father trained me." "I was wondering where are your parents I would like to meet them." "Well my mom is over there talking with Mr. Logan." "She seems like a nice lady I'll go introduce myself while you and Ryu talk with his father he has to be here somewhere ?" "Well are you going to introduce me to your old man ?" "My father is not here Mr. pride." "Oh I guess he couldn't get off of work to be here." "Actually my father has been dead since I was seven years old." "Oh I am sorry I brought that up." "It's ok you didn't know." "Well if he was anything like you he must have been a perfect gentleman. It was nice talking to you Ryu." "Hope we can talk again sometime Mr. Pride."

"Hello I'm Susan Pride Kitty's mother you must be Ryu's mother." "Yes I am my name is Sakura Son it's nice to meet the mother of the girl who stole my son's heart." "Well hopefully you don't follow the Japanese tradition of arranged marriage." "Oh heavens no I want my son to decide for himself to whom he gets married to or when he gets married." "Well that's good to hear. Your son seems to be the perfect gentleman you and your husband must be proud of him." "I am proud of the way Ryu turned out." "Oh is your husband here I would like for John and I to meet him." "Well that's kind of impossible." "Oh my don't tell me you two got divorced no wonder you don't like to talk about him." "Actually my husband died nine years ago."

"Oh my I am so sorry I shouldn't have brought it up."

"It's alright we get that all the time." "So what do you do for a living ?" "I am a lawyer for the stratus firm." "Wow you must have gone to school for years. How on earth were you able to juggle raising Ryu, working, and going to school ?" "It wasn't easy but I would always say to myself what in this world is."

"Oh hi Kitty." "Ryu I was wondering where you were." "Sorry I was just talking to your father." "I hope dad didn't give you the third degree. Where's your mom anyway ?" "Last I saw she was talking to your mom." "Oh Ryu there you are. Ryu aren't going to introduce me to your friend here." "Oh sorry about that this is my girlfriend Kitty Pride.

Kitty allow me to introduce you to my mother Sakura Son."

"Nice to meet you Mrs. Son." "It's nice to finally meet you too Kitty. Ryu has told me so much about you." "Really what did Ryu tell you about me?" "He said that you're a smart, beautiful, witty, and brave girl."

"I don't know how but he somehow has a thing for saying the right thing at the right time." "He gets that from his father. It's too bad he wasn't here to meet you." "I always wondered what his father was like ?" "Well with the exception of looks they both acted like copies of each other. Well it's getting late I have a big case tomorrow. It was nice meeting you Kitty." "It was nice meeting you to Mrs. Son I hope I see you again soon."