Chapter Eight: The Day of the Pageant
Morning. A warm tropical wind blew in from an open window into one of the Masters' beachside condo, stirring the light window curtains.
The room happened to be the bedroom in which Ryu Hoshi was in at the moment. He was in the bed, naked, and fast asleep. He mumbled something in Japanese, then opened his eyes. Hesaw that Chun Li was not in the bed with him. 'Hmm...she must have gotten up already,' he thought.
After taking a shower and changing into his usual karate gi--minus the gloves and headband--Ryu stepped out of the room. There he bumped into Eliza.
"Moning, Ryu," the blonde woman greeted.
Ryu nodded his head. "Good morning, Eliza."
Before Ryu could ask where Chun Li was, Eliza answered. "She's out back."
Ryu mumbled out a 'thank you' and headed to the backyard.
Sure enough, Chun Li was out in the backyard. She was simply watching the horizon, sipping a mug full of warm tea. She was dressed in a pair of pajama pants and a halter top, and her hair was done in here usual braided and bunned style.
Ryu snuck behind her and slipped his arms around her waist. "Good morning."
Chun Li smiled and craned her neck so that she could peck him on the lips. "Hey."
Ryu continued to hold her close. "Today is the big day."
Chun Li nodded. "Yeah. I'm so nervous."
"It's good to be nervous. Loosens you up, and keeps you sharp."
Again Chun Li looks at him. "Does every advice you give me has something to to with fighting?"
"I thought I was helping."
She smiled and leaned back into his embrace.
***
Later on, the two Shotokan fighters bid farewell to their respected women and they were gone, preparing for the pageant.
Ryu crossed his arms. "This is going to be a long night." He looked at Ken. "When do we have to show up at the pageant?"
"One hour in advance," Ken replied. Ryu then noticed that he was dressed in his crimson karate gi. "You wanna go a couple of rounds?"
Ryu shook his head. "Not this time, Ken. Eliza and Chun would disapprove of us fighting before the pageant."
Ken nodded. "Hmm. Point taken. How about meditating?"
Ryu was already on his way out to the backyard. "Fair enough."
***
-Honololu Auditorium, late afternoon-
Inside the dressing room, the contestants were preparing for the pageant. Chun Li and Eliza were helping each other with their makeup, while the other contestants were either getting dressed or trying to stay calm.
"You know," Eliza mused. "If I win, no hard feelings."
"Same goes to you," Chun Li replied.
"IF you win," a third voice interrupted.
Eliza and Chun Li turned to the newcomer. It was Juli. She was sitting in front of her mirror, undoing her bun. Her long brown hair cascaded down her back.
"And you are?" Eliza asked.
"My new name is Julia Reindhart." Juli looked at Chun Li. "But Detective Xiang knows who I am."
Chun Li nodded. "You're Juli. Commander of the elite Shadowlaw dolls."
Juli shook her head. "That was a long time ago. Up until several days ago, I had severed my ties with Shadowlaw when I was thrown out several years ago. General Bison tracked me down and asked me to compete." Before Chun Li could ask another question, Juli countered with one of her own. "Ryu hasn't told you about me?"
"He mentioned someone within Shadowlaw who was his equal as a warrior, other than Sagat," Chun Li replied. "Someone who was more disciplined, honorable and dignified than anyone working for the side of evil."
Juli nodded.
"What is your connection to Ryu?" Eliza asked.
Juli placed her brushed down and looked at the two women. "Back during the tournaments, I was ordered by Bison to find Ryu and bring him back to the headquarters. I found Ryu while he was travelling through Burma, and we fought. I lost the fight, and as a result of my failure, Bison threw me out of Shadowlaw."
A small smile crept across her lips. "I really should thank him the next time I see him again. He showed me another path in life in which I answer to no one but myself." She looked at Chun Li. "I know he is here in the city, and that he is a judge for the pageant." She picked up her brush and resumed brusing out her hair. "You're gonna need a lot of luck if you're planning on winning this pageant."
***
-Masters Beachside Condo, early evening-
"Come on, Ryu!" Ken Masters yelled. "We're gonna be late!"
Ken, along with Fei and Guile, were in the living room of the condo, waiting for Ryu to finish getting ready for the pageant. Ken was dressed in a sharp black business suit, his hair done in a neat ponytail. Fei was fress likewise, while Guile was dressed in his Air Force blue dress uniform, complete with medals.
The sound of footsteps gained the three fighters' attention.
It was Ryu. He was dressed in a formal navy blue men's yukata, the sleeves rolled up to his shoulders, revealing his arms. A pair of leather sandals (similar to the ones that Akuma would usually wear) were on his bare feet. His ever-present red headband was wrapped around his forehead.. By Japanese standards, Ryu Hoshi looked badass. However, Ken notived something white...and tattered poking though the ends of Ryu's outfit.
Ken let out a low whistle. "Nice outfit."
Ryu presented himself to his friends. "How do I look?"
Fei and Guile gave him a thumbs-up.
"You ready?" Ken asked.
Ryu nodded, and the four judges ventured off to the pageant.
Morning. A warm tropical wind blew in from an open window into one of the Masters' beachside condo, stirring the light window curtains.
The room happened to be the bedroom in which Ryu Hoshi was in at the moment. He was in the bed, naked, and fast asleep. He mumbled something in Japanese, then opened his eyes. Hesaw that Chun Li was not in the bed with him. 'Hmm...she must have gotten up already,' he thought.
After taking a shower and changing into his usual karate gi--minus the gloves and headband--Ryu stepped out of the room. There he bumped into Eliza.
"Moning, Ryu," the blonde woman greeted.
Ryu nodded his head. "Good morning, Eliza."
Before Ryu could ask where Chun Li was, Eliza answered. "She's out back."
Ryu mumbled out a 'thank you' and headed to the backyard.
Sure enough, Chun Li was out in the backyard. She was simply watching the horizon, sipping a mug full of warm tea. She was dressed in a pair of pajama pants and a halter top, and her hair was done in here usual braided and bunned style.
Ryu snuck behind her and slipped his arms around her waist. "Good morning."
Chun Li smiled and craned her neck so that she could peck him on the lips. "Hey."
Ryu continued to hold her close. "Today is the big day."
Chun Li nodded. "Yeah. I'm so nervous."
"It's good to be nervous. Loosens you up, and keeps you sharp."
Again Chun Li looks at him. "Does every advice you give me has something to to with fighting?"
"I thought I was helping."
She smiled and leaned back into his embrace.
***
Later on, the two Shotokan fighters bid farewell to their respected women and they were gone, preparing for the pageant.
Ryu crossed his arms. "This is going to be a long night." He looked at Ken. "When do we have to show up at the pageant?"
"One hour in advance," Ken replied. Ryu then noticed that he was dressed in his crimson karate gi. "You wanna go a couple of rounds?"
Ryu shook his head. "Not this time, Ken. Eliza and Chun would disapprove of us fighting before the pageant."
Ken nodded. "Hmm. Point taken. How about meditating?"
Ryu was already on his way out to the backyard. "Fair enough."
***
-Honololu Auditorium, late afternoon-
Inside the dressing room, the contestants were preparing for the pageant. Chun Li and Eliza were helping each other with their makeup, while the other contestants were either getting dressed or trying to stay calm.
"You know," Eliza mused. "If I win, no hard feelings."
"Same goes to you," Chun Li replied.
"IF you win," a third voice interrupted.
Eliza and Chun Li turned to the newcomer. It was Juli. She was sitting in front of her mirror, undoing her bun. Her long brown hair cascaded down her back.
"And you are?" Eliza asked.
"My new name is Julia Reindhart." Juli looked at Chun Li. "But Detective Xiang knows who I am."
Chun Li nodded. "You're Juli. Commander of the elite Shadowlaw dolls."
Juli shook her head. "That was a long time ago. Up until several days ago, I had severed my ties with Shadowlaw when I was thrown out several years ago. General Bison tracked me down and asked me to compete." Before Chun Li could ask another question, Juli countered with one of her own. "Ryu hasn't told you about me?"
"He mentioned someone within Shadowlaw who was his equal as a warrior, other than Sagat," Chun Li replied. "Someone who was more disciplined, honorable and dignified than anyone working for the side of evil."
Juli nodded.
"What is your connection to Ryu?" Eliza asked.
Juli placed her brushed down and looked at the two women. "Back during the tournaments, I was ordered by Bison to find Ryu and bring him back to the headquarters. I found Ryu while he was travelling through Burma, and we fought. I lost the fight, and as a result of my failure, Bison threw me out of Shadowlaw."
A small smile crept across her lips. "I really should thank him the next time I see him again. He showed me another path in life in which I answer to no one but myself." She looked at Chun Li. "I know he is here in the city, and that he is a judge for the pageant." She picked up her brush and resumed brusing out her hair. "You're gonna need a lot of luck if you're planning on winning this pageant."
***
-Masters Beachside Condo, early evening-
"Come on, Ryu!" Ken Masters yelled. "We're gonna be late!"
Ken, along with Fei and Guile, were in the living room of the condo, waiting for Ryu to finish getting ready for the pageant. Ken was dressed in a sharp black business suit, his hair done in a neat ponytail. Fei was fress likewise, while Guile was dressed in his Air Force blue dress uniform, complete with medals.
The sound of footsteps gained the three fighters' attention.
It was Ryu. He was dressed in a formal navy blue men's yukata, the sleeves rolled up to his shoulders, revealing his arms. A pair of leather sandals (similar to the ones that Akuma would usually wear) were on his bare feet. His ever-present red headband was wrapped around his forehead.. By Japanese standards, Ryu Hoshi looked badass. However, Ken notived something white...and tattered poking though the ends of Ryu's outfit.
Ken let out a low whistle. "Nice outfit."
Ryu presented himself to his friends. "How do I look?"
Fei and Guile gave him a thumbs-up.
"You ready?" Ken asked.
Ryu nodded, and the four judges ventured off to the pageant.