Chapter Five
Ryu opens his eyes as the sun begins to shine through the windows of his room. He rubs his eyes a little with his hands then he looks up at the cream colored ceiling. He began to think about last night; the anger in Jasmine's eyes as he tried to help her up, the sorrow that overcame her, and a dark secret that proved to him that even a person who seems to have everything going for her can have a dark past. Last night before resting for the night, Ryu thought through a lot. Although he and Jasmine got along pretty well before the events of last night, he wanted to make sure that Jasmine could trust him, especially after what he saw after he and his companions found Jasmine.......
(Flashback to last night)
Ryu, Veronica, Fei-Long, and Wagner ran down the streets searching for Jasmine. They searched through alleys, various stores, wherever they could look.
Then, Veronica stopped and snapped her fingers. "There's only one other place where Jasmine could go.....back to our hotel."
"All right, then let's go," said Fei-Long.
"I better go back to the club to let Guile, Chun-Li, and Ken know what's going on," said Wagner.
"Good idea," Fei-Long replied. Wagner ran back while the others ran towards the hotel.
After a ten-minute run, they finally make it to the hotel where Veronica and Jasmine were staying. They ran up the stairs until they got to the seventh floor and towards the second door to the left. Veronica got out a key and unlocked the door. When she opened it, they indeed found Jasmine laying on her bed sobbing.
Jasmine heard the door open and figured Veronica was back. She was right, except Ryu and Fei-Long were with her.
Jasmine sat up. "I'm guessing you told them."
"Like I was going to leave them wondering why Ryu was backhanded like that," replied Veronica. She walked up to her little sister and sat by her. She went into a whisper making sure the guys didn't hear her. "Jasmine, listen to me. You can't let it bother you anymore. Damn it, it's been five years already......."
"I don't give a shit, Veronica. Except for our family and Fei-Long since I knew him before what happened, I don't trust any men at all. That bastard took everything away from me, but I still have my virginity thank goodness."
"He didn't take everything away," Veronica said. "Just your sense of self and your trust towards men. If he took everything away from you, Stepfather and I wouldn't be here right now."
Jasmine only nodded.
Fei-Long had come in front of the sisters. "Is everything all right?" he asked.
Jasmine nodded. "Yeah, I guess so." She turned to Ryu. "I didn't mean to backhand you like that, I'm sorry." The tears welled up in her green eyes.
"It's all right," Ryu replied. "It's my fault, I should've asked if you needed help first."
Jasmine turned back to Veronica and Fei-Long. "Why can't I get over it?" she said, not caring if anyone would answer.
Fei-Long sighed and got down on his knees in front of Jasmine. "It's a type of pain that takes a long time to get over."
Jasmine nodded. "It is, I know."
Fei-Long sighed again. "When Seifu (a/n: I think that's how you spell it) was killed, I couldn't bare the pain. I felt like I lost my father. I loved him more than my own father. Honestly, I'm still not over the pain."
Jasmine looked into his dark eyes. "You mean, you're still not over it?"
Fei-Long shook his head. "Like how you never found who hurt you, I never found out who killed him. People go through pain that takes forever to heal."
Jasmine began to think about that awful night. She remembered the painful needle that was pumped into her arm. The tears started to fall from her eyes and down her cheek.
Fei-Long attempted to wip the tears, but stopped himself, remembering Veronica's words. Jasmine saw the attempt and since she knew him since Veronica trained in Hong Kong, she took his hand and help him wip her tears.
Ryu stood there by the door stunned. "(She's actually letting Fei-Long do that? Is it my imagination or am I actually seeing this?)"
What made Ryu more stunned is when Jasmine suddenly threw her arms around Fei-Long and began sobbing in his muscular chest. She did nothing when he wrapped his arm around her. He too began to tear up, more than likely thinking about his master Dorai.
Veronica immediately turned to Ryu, knowing exactly what he was thinking. She got up and walked towards him. She went into a whisper like she did with he sister. "I'm a bit confused myself about this, but I think it's because she knows Fei-Long. He's like a big brother she never had. I think Jasmine will only trust a man if he works hard enough to earn her trust. You're a nice guy, Ryu, I know you like her." She smiled evilly.
Ryu raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think that?"
Veronica laughed. "I saw that look on you whenever you look at Jasmine. Your pupils were so big I thought I could be able to see inside your head. Don't worry, I kind of have a thing for Fei-Long, but let's keep that between us. You don't tell, I don't tell."
Ryu nodded making that promise to Veronica.
Veronica sighed. "Anyway, Jasmine's pretty sensitive, but she's very good at hiding her feelings, but give her a few men to beat up and she'll be happy."
"I'll say," Ryu said.
"Yeah." Veronica gave Ryu a serious look. "If you want to earn Jasmine's trust, you must be as nice to her as possible, but I think on your case, it won't be a problem, just don't touch her, not even to help her up, not even to get her attention."
Ryu nodded. He looked back at Jasmine and Fei-Long. Fei-Long wipped the tears from her eyes....
(End of Flashback)
Ryu sighed as he got up from bed. "How did Fei-Long do it?" he asked himself, but the answer was too obvious. "They've know each other since their teenage years."
Then, a knock was heard at his door. "(Probably Ken)" he thought. He walked over to the door and opened it. Indeed it was Ken. With him were Guile and Wagner.
"Nice pajamas," said Wagner.
Ryu looked down at his black t-shirt and white boxers. "What's wrong with them?" he asked.
Wagner laughed and slapped his back. "I'm just messin' with ya."
"Oh, ha ha."
"So Ryu," said Ken holding up a letter. "We got a letter today from a mystery person."
"A mystery person?" Ryu asked.
"Yeah, they want us to meet us at the Paris International Airport. Guile and Wagner are coming with us."
"Paris?" Ryu asked. "Isn't that where Jasmine and Veronica wanted to go?"
"Yup," said Guile. "They're meeting us here any minute. Unfortunately, Chun-Li won't be able to make it since she was called down to that mission in Taiwan last night when we got home."
"At least she'll be with Liang," said Wagner.
"What about Fei-Long?" asked Ryu.
"He's coming too," replied Ken. "So it'll be seven of us instead of eight. So pack your bags, our next flight to Paris is in three hours."
***
During the plane ride, Jasmine slept on the plane the whole time. Veronica mentioned to Ryu before that she couldn't sleep last night. She slumped over her seat next to Veronica and Fei-Long in the middle row. On the window side, Guile and Wagner sat side by side and so does Ryu and Ken behind the Air Force trainer and trainee. Ryu stared out the window and couldn't stop thinking about last night.
"(Why does it bother me so much)" he thought.
Before Ryu knew it, the plane landed in Paris, France. Everyone gathered their belongings and got off the first class section of the plane.
They went into the airport and collected their bigger bags. "So, exactly where is this 'mystery person?'" asked Guile.
"Beats me," said Ken. He got out his passport. "We all have different lines for out passports. Northern Americans to the right, Asians to the left." Guile, Wagner, Veronica and Jasmine followed Ken to their line. Ryu and Fei-Long walked over to their line.
As they waited, Ryu turned to Fei-Long. "So, how long have you known the Brewers?"
Fei-Long smirked. "Since I was fourteen. Veronica was thirteen and Jasmine was eleven. Veronica came here to train for two years and occasionally, Jasmine would come by and join us. I became pretty good friends with both of them and we kept in contact though email."
"Email?" Ryu asked.
"Nevermind. Veronica and Jasmine are like sisters I never had and we're pretty close and tell each other everything. Well, except for what Veronica told me last night, but then again, I guess it's none of my business." Fei-Long sighed. "Then again, I wish that Veronica told me in the first place."
Ryu only nodded.
When all of their passports were checked, the seven friends meet in front of the security station. They walked outside.
"Well, we didn't meet that mystery person yet," said Wagner.
That's when about fifteen men jumped in front of them. All of them wore black wool hats and ski masks over their faces.
"Well, there's your answer," said Veronica. All seven of them stood in their fighting stances.
One of them, who seems to be the leader, said, "We're glad you came, Mr. Masters and Mr. Hoshi. We're even more glad that you brought a few friends with you."
"Who are you?!" Ken asked.
"Why would I tell you that?" the man said. "That's why I'm called 'the mystery person.'" He pointed his stick-like weapon at Ken and his friends.
"ATTACK!!!!!!!!!"
The men began to run towards them.
Ryu opens his eyes as the sun begins to shine through the windows of his room. He rubs his eyes a little with his hands then he looks up at the cream colored ceiling. He began to think about last night; the anger in Jasmine's eyes as he tried to help her up, the sorrow that overcame her, and a dark secret that proved to him that even a person who seems to have everything going for her can have a dark past. Last night before resting for the night, Ryu thought through a lot. Although he and Jasmine got along pretty well before the events of last night, he wanted to make sure that Jasmine could trust him, especially after what he saw after he and his companions found Jasmine.......
(Flashback to last night)
Ryu, Veronica, Fei-Long, and Wagner ran down the streets searching for Jasmine. They searched through alleys, various stores, wherever they could look.
Then, Veronica stopped and snapped her fingers. "There's only one other place where Jasmine could go.....back to our hotel."
"All right, then let's go," said Fei-Long.
"I better go back to the club to let Guile, Chun-Li, and Ken know what's going on," said Wagner.
"Good idea," Fei-Long replied. Wagner ran back while the others ran towards the hotel.
After a ten-minute run, they finally make it to the hotel where Veronica and Jasmine were staying. They ran up the stairs until they got to the seventh floor and towards the second door to the left. Veronica got out a key and unlocked the door. When she opened it, they indeed found Jasmine laying on her bed sobbing.
Jasmine heard the door open and figured Veronica was back. She was right, except Ryu and Fei-Long were with her.
Jasmine sat up. "I'm guessing you told them."
"Like I was going to leave them wondering why Ryu was backhanded like that," replied Veronica. She walked up to her little sister and sat by her. She went into a whisper making sure the guys didn't hear her. "Jasmine, listen to me. You can't let it bother you anymore. Damn it, it's been five years already......."
"I don't give a shit, Veronica. Except for our family and Fei-Long since I knew him before what happened, I don't trust any men at all. That bastard took everything away from me, but I still have my virginity thank goodness."
"He didn't take everything away," Veronica said. "Just your sense of self and your trust towards men. If he took everything away from you, Stepfather and I wouldn't be here right now."
Jasmine only nodded.
Fei-Long had come in front of the sisters. "Is everything all right?" he asked.
Jasmine nodded. "Yeah, I guess so." She turned to Ryu. "I didn't mean to backhand you like that, I'm sorry." The tears welled up in her green eyes.
"It's all right," Ryu replied. "It's my fault, I should've asked if you needed help first."
Jasmine turned back to Veronica and Fei-Long. "Why can't I get over it?" she said, not caring if anyone would answer.
Fei-Long sighed and got down on his knees in front of Jasmine. "It's a type of pain that takes a long time to get over."
Jasmine nodded. "It is, I know."
Fei-Long sighed again. "When Seifu (a/n: I think that's how you spell it) was killed, I couldn't bare the pain. I felt like I lost my father. I loved him more than my own father. Honestly, I'm still not over the pain."
Jasmine looked into his dark eyes. "You mean, you're still not over it?"
Fei-Long shook his head. "Like how you never found who hurt you, I never found out who killed him. People go through pain that takes forever to heal."
Jasmine began to think about that awful night. She remembered the painful needle that was pumped into her arm. The tears started to fall from her eyes and down her cheek.
Fei-Long attempted to wip the tears, but stopped himself, remembering Veronica's words. Jasmine saw the attempt and since she knew him since Veronica trained in Hong Kong, she took his hand and help him wip her tears.
Ryu stood there by the door stunned. "(She's actually letting Fei-Long do that? Is it my imagination or am I actually seeing this?)"
What made Ryu more stunned is when Jasmine suddenly threw her arms around Fei-Long and began sobbing in his muscular chest. She did nothing when he wrapped his arm around her. He too began to tear up, more than likely thinking about his master Dorai.
Veronica immediately turned to Ryu, knowing exactly what he was thinking. She got up and walked towards him. She went into a whisper like she did with he sister. "I'm a bit confused myself about this, but I think it's because she knows Fei-Long. He's like a big brother she never had. I think Jasmine will only trust a man if he works hard enough to earn her trust. You're a nice guy, Ryu, I know you like her." She smiled evilly.
Ryu raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think that?"
Veronica laughed. "I saw that look on you whenever you look at Jasmine. Your pupils were so big I thought I could be able to see inside your head. Don't worry, I kind of have a thing for Fei-Long, but let's keep that between us. You don't tell, I don't tell."
Ryu nodded making that promise to Veronica.
Veronica sighed. "Anyway, Jasmine's pretty sensitive, but she's very good at hiding her feelings, but give her a few men to beat up and she'll be happy."
"I'll say," Ryu said.
"Yeah." Veronica gave Ryu a serious look. "If you want to earn Jasmine's trust, you must be as nice to her as possible, but I think on your case, it won't be a problem, just don't touch her, not even to help her up, not even to get her attention."
Ryu nodded. He looked back at Jasmine and Fei-Long. Fei-Long wipped the tears from her eyes....
(End of Flashback)
Ryu sighed as he got up from bed. "How did Fei-Long do it?" he asked himself, but the answer was too obvious. "They've know each other since their teenage years."
Then, a knock was heard at his door. "(Probably Ken)" he thought. He walked over to the door and opened it. Indeed it was Ken. With him were Guile and Wagner.
"Nice pajamas," said Wagner.
Ryu looked down at his black t-shirt and white boxers. "What's wrong with them?" he asked.
Wagner laughed and slapped his back. "I'm just messin' with ya."
"Oh, ha ha."
"So Ryu," said Ken holding up a letter. "We got a letter today from a mystery person."
"A mystery person?" Ryu asked.
"Yeah, they want us to meet us at the Paris International Airport. Guile and Wagner are coming with us."
"Paris?" Ryu asked. "Isn't that where Jasmine and Veronica wanted to go?"
"Yup," said Guile. "They're meeting us here any minute. Unfortunately, Chun-Li won't be able to make it since she was called down to that mission in Taiwan last night when we got home."
"At least she'll be with Liang," said Wagner.
"What about Fei-Long?" asked Ryu.
"He's coming too," replied Ken. "So it'll be seven of us instead of eight. So pack your bags, our next flight to Paris is in three hours."
***
During the plane ride, Jasmine slept on the plane the whole time. Veronica mentioned to Ryu before that she couldn't sleep last night. She slumped over her seat next to Veronica and Fei-Long in the middle row. On the window side, Guile and Wagner sat side by side and so does Ryu and Ken behind the Air Force trainer and trainee. Ryu stared out the window and couldn't stop thinking about last night.
"(Why does it bother me so much)" he thought.
Before Ryu knew it, the plane landed in Paris, France. Everyone gathered their belongings and got off the first class section of the plane.
They went into the airport and collected their bigger bags. "So, exactly where is this 'mystery person?'" asked Guile.
"Beats me," said Ken. He got out his passport. "We all have different lines for out passports. Northern Americans to the right, Asians to the left." Guile, Wagner, Veronica and Jasmine followed Ken to their line. Ryu and Fei-Long walked over to their line.
As they waited, Ryu turned to Fei-Long. "So, how long have you known the Brewers?"
Fei-Long smirked. "Since I was fourteen. Veronica was thirteen and Jasmine was eleven. Veronica came here to train for two years and occasionally, Jasmine would come by and join us. I became pretty good friends with both of them and we kept in contact though email."
"Email?" Ryu asked.
"Nevermind. Veronica and Jasmine are like sisters I never had and we're pretty close and tell each other everything. Well, except for what Veronica told me last night, but then again, I guess it's none of my business." Fei-Long sighed. "Then again, I wish that Veronica told me in the first place."
Ryu only nodded.
When all of their passports were checked, the seven friends meet in front of the security station. They walked outside.
"Well, we didn't meet that mystery person yet," said Wagner.
That's when about fifteen men jumped in front of them. All of them wore black wool hats and ski masks over their faces.
"Well, there's your answer," said Veronica. All seven of them stood in their fighting stances.
One of them, who seems to be the leader, said, "We're glad you came, Mr. Masters and Mr. Hoshi. We're even more glad that you brought a few friends with you."
"Who are you?!" Ken asked.
"Why would I tell you that?" the man said. "That's why I'm called 'the mystery person.'" He pointed his stick-like weapon at Ken and his friends.
"ATTACK!!!!!!!!!"
The men began to run towards them.
