Chapter Nine: Old Accquaintances
By the time Ryu, Ken, Guile, and Fei Long arrived at the auditoruim, various members of the audience were starting to arrive. Members from Shadowlaw, Interpol, Special Forces and MI-6 were starting to arrive. The four judges were ushered into a side door and were taken to the room where the judges were chatting amongst themselves...in two different areas, one for the good guys, the other for the bad guys.
Naturally, Ryu and company mingled with the heroes. While Ryu was drinking some punch, he noticed two of the judges quarrelling. Under any other circumstances, he would not interfere, but he was against the idea of a huge brawl before the pageant.
Ryu gupled down the last of his punch and moved in to intervene. He saw that one of the two men was the commando Rolento Schugerg. Like Guile, he was dressed in a khaki version of his military dress uniform. His trademark red beret was on his head.
The second man was taller, American, with dark brown hair which was neatly combed back and a trimmed moustache. His bulging muscular frame was prominent through his tuxedo, and he was prepared to pummel the commando into the ground.
It was apparent that Rolento and the big guy had a serious vendetta against one another.
Suddenly, the green baton that Rolento uses as his main weapon was out and he was drawing his hand back to smack the big man silly.
Ryu's hand caught Rolento's wrist, stopping the commando from attacking. Rolento turned around. "Hoshi."
"Schugerg," Ryu replied. "There will be no fighting here. Not tonight."
Rolento looked at Ryu, then at his nemesis. He then yanked his arm our of Ryu's grip and stalked out. Ryu and the big man watched him go. "I really didn't need your help," the other guy started, "but thanks." He looked at Ryu closely. "You're Ryu, aren't you? Guy told me about you."
Ryu nodded. "Yeah. I'm Ryu."
The man extended his hand. "Mike Haggar."
Ryu shook it. "Guy told me about you as well. You're the mayor of Metro City, aren't you? The mayor who took to the streets and cleaned up the town."
Haggar nodded. "Former mayor. Now, seeing as my two terms as mayor are over, I work as a motivational speaker now. I try to steer people clear of gangs."
"How noble," Ryu replied.
"Yeah, but it keeps the youth out of trouble," Haggar replied.
***
Meanwhile...
In another corridor of the auditorium, Eliza, now wearing a red slinky evening dress and high heels, was on her way back to the womens' dressing room when she once again ran into Vega.
"We meet again, kitten," the Spainard said.
"I remember you," Eliza replied. "From the other day."
"Yes."
The strange feeling that there was somnething wrong with this guy came back over Eliza. "What are you doing for this pageant?" she asked.
"I represent my employer, who is a sponsor," Vega replied smoothly. He then felt someone behind him. When the Spanigh ninja turned around, he found himself face-to-face with a VERY mad Ken Masters.
Eliza breathed a sigh of relief. "Ken."
Vega smiled cruelly. "Masters. It has been a while. You have a very lovely wife."
"And you have ten seconds to get away from my wife before I rearrange your face in ways Chun Li never thought possible," Ken said in a calm, yet dangerous tone.
Surprisingly, Vega backed off. "Of course, Masters. No harm, no foul." With a bow to Eliza, Vega left.
Eliza turned to her husband. "Ken, what was that all about?"
"Keep away from him," was Ken's reply.
Eliza smirked. "Aren't we jealous?"
Ken shook his head. "He works for Shadowlaw. He tried to kill Chun Li back in the tournament."
Eliza paled. She was right about Vega after all.
***
Not too far from where the Ken-Vega standoff was concluding, Ryu was walking down another corridor, looking for the restroom. As he rounded a corner, he ran into a young woman.
Ryu bowed slightly. "Sorry."
The woman shook her head. "No. It was my fault." She looked at Ryu closely. "Ryu?"
Ryu raised an eyebrow. "Juli?"
Juli beamed. She was wearing a purple dress. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders, rather than in her usual bun. "You remember me. You changed the last time I saw you back in the Alpha tournament."
"So did you," Ryu replied. He then caught himself. "Wait a minute. Don't you work for Shadowlaw?"
"Formerly of Shadowlaw," Juli explained. "I was thrown out when I couldn't defeat you."
"Oh. Sorry."
Juli shook her head. "No, no. It's okay, really. I hear that you are a judge in this pageant."
Ryu nodded. "Yes."
Neither person noticed Chun Li and Cammy listening in from around the corner. At least, for Chun Li's sake, Ryu wasn't flirting with the former assassin.
"So what made you compete for Shadowlaw?"
"As I said earlier," Juli replied, "I've been out of Shadowlaw for several years now. I went straight, thanks to Cammy, and got a job at a security firm. Bison found me and asked me to compete. And we all know that Bison is not a person that you could say no to."
"I know the feeling," Ryu replied.
From their hiding place, Cammy nudged Chun Li. "She's not filrting with him," she whispered.
"Shut up," Chun Li whispered.
"Looks like your girlfriend is also competing," Juli said.
"Yes, that puts me in a tough spot," Ryu replied. "I can't just vote for Chun Li off the bat. I promised myself that I would be a fair and just judge."
"How noble of you."
"Juli."
Bison approached the Shotokan fighter and his former empolyee. The warlord was dressed in a black Shadowlaw dress uniform (think the Navy's officer uniform), complete with medals and his trademark black cape over one shoulder. His red hat was in the crook of his arm, his black hair neatly combed back.
At the sound of Bison's voice, Chun Li went ballistic. She tried to go after him, but was held back by Cammy.
Bison looked at Juli. "You have a pageant to prepare for."
Juli inclined her head. "Yes, General," she replied, saying the last word with sarcasm before taking her leave.
Bison watched Juli walked off before turning back to Ryu, his solid white eyes staring into Ryu's dark brown. "Never thought I'd see you again," he said.
Ryu never took his eyes off Bison. "Same here," he replied.
"I want you to do me a favor," Bison continued. "Vote for Juli."
Ryu scoffed. "Forget it. I'm voing for the person I choose."
Bison cracked his knuckles. "You would be wise to do what I request, Ryu Hoshi. Otherwise something bad might happen to you Chinese girlfriend."
Ryu wasn't abaited. "Touch her and you will get a real taste of Shotokan. The DARK kind."
"What's going on?"
Ryu and Bison turned around. Ken, Haggar, and Fei approached. Knowing he was outnumbered, Bison took a step back. "I will see you outside, Hoshi," Bison said as he walked off.
Ryu sighed as his friends approached. "This is going to be a VERY long night."
By the time Ryu, Ken, Guile, and Fei Long arrived at the auditoruim, various members of the audience were starting to arrive. Members from Shadowlaw, Interpol, Special Forces and MI-6 were starting to arrive. The four judges were ushered into a side door and were taken to the room where the judges were chatting amongst themselves...in two different areas, one for the good guys, the other for the bad guys.
Naturally, Ryu and company mingled with the heroes. While Ryu was drinking some punch, he noticed two of the judges quarrelling. Under any other circumstances, he would not interfere, but he was against the idea of a huge brawl before the pageant.
Ryu gupled down the last of his punch and moved in to intervene. He saw that one of the two men was the commando Rolento Schugerg. Like Guile, he was dressed in a khaki version of his military dress uniform. His trademark red beret was on his head.
The second man was taller, American, with dark brown hair which was neatly combed back and a trimmed moustache. His bulging muscular frame was prominent through his tuxedo, and he was prepared to pummel the commando into the ground.
It was apparent that Rolento and the big guy had a serious vendetta against one another.
Suddenly, the green baton that Rolento uses as his main weapon was out and he was drawing his hand back to smack the big man silly.
Ryu's hand caught Rolento's wrist, stopping the commando from attacking. Rolento turned around. "Hoshi."
"Schugerg," Ryu replied. "There will be no fighting here. Not tonight."
Rolento looked at Ryu, then at his nemesis. He then yanked his arm our of Ryu's grip and stalked out. Ryu and the big man watched him go. "I really didn't need your help," the other guy started, "but thanks." He looked at Ryu closely. "You're Ryu, aren't you? Guy told me about you."
Ryu nodded. "Yeah. I'm Ryu."
The man extended his hand. "Mike Haggar."
Ryu shook it. "Guy told me about you as well. You're the mayor of Metro City, aren't you? The mayor who took to the streets and cleaned up the town."
Haggar nodded. "Former mayor. Now, seeing as my two terms as mayor are over, I work as a motivational speaker now. I try to steer people clear of gangs."
"How noble," Ryu replied.
"Yeah, but it keeps the youth out of trouble," Haggar replied.
***
Meanwhile...
In another corridor of the auditorium, Eliza, now wearing a red slinky evening dress and high heels, was on her way back to the womens' dressing room when she once again ran into Vega.
"We meet again, kitten," the Spainard said.
"I remember you," Eliza replied. "From the other day."
"Yes."
The strange feeling that there was somnething wrong with this guy came back over Eliza. "What are you doing for this pageant?" she asked.
"I represent my employer, who is a sponsor," Vega replied smoothly. He then felt someone behind him. When the Spanigh ninja turned around, he found himself face-to-face with a VERY mad Ken Masters.
Eliza breathed a sigh of relief. "Ken."
Vega smiled cruelly. "Masters. It has been a while. You have a very lovely wife."
"And you have ten seconds to get away from my wife before I rearrange your face in ways Chun Li never thought possible," Ken said in a calm, yet dangerous tone.
Surprisingly, Vega backed off. "Of course, Masters. No harm, no foul." With a bow to Eliza, Vega left.
Eliza turned to her husband. "Ken, what was that all about?"
"Keep away from him," was Ken's reply.
Eliza smirked. "Aren't we jealous?"
Ken shook his head. "He works for Shadowlaw. He tried to kill Chun Li back in the tournament."
Eliza paled. She was right about Vega after all.
***
Not too far from where the Ken-Vega standoff was concluding, Ryu was walking down another corridor, looking for the restroom. As he rounded a corner, he ran into a young woman.
Ryu bowed slightly. "Sorry."
The woman shook her head. "No. It was my fault." She looked at Ryu closely. "Ryu?"
Ryu raised an eyebrow. "Juli?"
Juli beamed. She was wearing a purple dress. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders, rather than in her usual bun. "You remember me. You changed the last time I saw you back in the Alpha tournament."
"So did you," Ryu replied. He then caught himself. "Wait a minute. Don't you work for Shadowlaw?"
"Formerly of Shadowlaw," Juli explained. "I was thrown out when I couldn't defeat you."
"Oh. Sorry."
Juli shook her head. "No, no. It's okay, really. I hear that you are a judge in this pageant."
Ryu nodded. "Yes."
Neither person noticed Chun Li and Cammy listening in from around the corner. At least, for Chun Li's sake, Ryu wasn't flirting with the former assassin.
"So what made you compete for Shadowlaw?"
"As I said earlier," Juli replied, "I've been out of Shadowlaw for several years now. I went straight, thanks to Cammy, and got a job at a security firm. Bison found me and asked me to compete. And we all know that Bison is not a person that you could say no to."
"I know the feeling," Ryu replied.
From their hiding place, Cammy nudged Chun Li. "She's not filrting with him," she whispered.
"Shut up," Chun Li whispered.
"Looks like your girlfriend is also competing," Juli said.
"Yes, that puts me in a tough spot," Ryu replied. "I can't just vote for Chun Li off the bat. I promised myself that I would be a fair and just judge."
"How noble of you."
"Juli."
Bison approached the Shotokan fighter and his former empolyee. The warlord was dressed in a black Shadowlaw dress uniform (think the Navy's officer uniform), complete with medals and his trademark black cape over one shoulder. His red hat was in the crook of his arm, his black hair neatly combed back.
At the sound of Bison's voice, Chun Li went ballistic. She tried to go after him, but was held back by Cammy.
Bison looked at Juli. "You have a pageant to prepare for."
Juli inclined her head. "Yes, General," she replied, saying the last word with sarcasm before taking her leave.
Bison watched Juli walked off before turning back to Ryu, his solid white eyes staring into Ryu's dark brown. "Never thought I'd see you again," he said.
Ryu never took his eyes off Bison. "Same here," he replied.
"I want you to do me a favor," Bison continued. "Vote for Juli."
Ryu scoffed. "Forget it. I'm voing for the person I choose."
Bison cracked his knuckles. "You would be wise to do what I request, Ryu Hoshi. Otherwise something bad might happen to you Chinese girlfriend."
Ryu wasn't abaited. "Touch her and you will get a real taste of Shotokan. The DARK kind."
"What's going on?"
Ryu and Bison turned around. Ken, Haggar, and Fei approached. Knowing he was outnumbered, Bison took a step back. "I will see you outside, Hoshi," Bison said as he walked off.
Ryu sighed as his friends approached. "This is going to be a VERY long night."