CHAPTER 8: From Bad to Better to Worse
"Hmm. . . This can't be the Ryu that left this scar on my chest," Sagat mouthed out while staring at me. "Explain yourself! You aren't supposed to be this weak and relaxed!"
"Sagat. . . I should tell you. . ." I started but Ken cut me off while stepping forward.
"Ryu can't be bothered with you right now, Sagat. He's retired, so I suggest you leave unless you're really looking to fight someone. Someone by the name of Ken Masters!"
Sagat stared at Ken hard and then looked at me. "Ryu? Retired? From fighting?? That's pretty hard to believe. As far as I know, the Ryu that I know will always be fighting no matter what. That's the way a true warrior's life is SUPPOSED to be! Have you forgotten that, Ryu?!"
Although I just stared back, part of me knew that Sagat was right. It was the 'code' of the warrior, sort to speak. However, I'm way too deep to head back to my martial arts. I told myself that I'll stay on this no matter what. Not even Sagat will change that vow.
"What? No response? So it's true. . ." Sagat gave a 'humph' then, "That's pathetic. . ."
I raised an eyebrow in curiosity at Sagat's tone of voice. It was pretty upset, but it was a sort of disappointed upset sort of thing.
"Ryu! I cannot allow you to go the other way until I get revenge for what you did to me! I won't rest UNTIL I've defeated you in a meaningful battle!"
Ken shook his head. "You are so stubborn! What part of 'he's retired' don't you understand??" He then looked at me and said, "Let's go, Ryu. He's not worth it."
"Don't expect that to be so easy. . . He's not leaving here until he fights me," Sagat declared. This got Ken riled up.
"Listen, Sagat. If you don't leave right now, then I'LL fight you and beat you down. Ryu is no longer a warrior but a working man, unlike you, who spends his entire time training for something that is only fueled by your taste for revenge. Ryu beat you! Settle for that!"
I could have sworn that I saw a vein pop out of Sagat's forehead after that.
"You are beginning to be a pest, Mr. Masters. . ." he grumbled. "I don't care if you are the Pan American Champion. Don't get into matters that don't concern you! This is your last warning!"
"Warning for what!? You just come storming in and expect a man who defeated you years ago to drop his normal life just to satisfy you?? You are a true idiot!"
Right then and there I saw Sagat charge up his Tiger Shot and throw it, Ken narrowly dodging it.
"So that's how it's like, huh?" Ken yelled while rushing towards Sagat. "Well, let's go."
As the battle between my friend and rival started I just shook my head and walked away from the fight. Neither of them noticed it either and I was lucky about that. It was just pathetic that everything makes it more obvious that I'm supposed to be fighting and not working and living a normal life. I felt so irritated that all these things were being thrown at me and I can't deal with them. I'm just not accustomed to all this. . . I needed to be somewhere where I can think. . . Then an idea popped into my mind.
{Maybe. . . }
---- ----
"Ryu? You again, huh? I sure am seeing you a lot more than I used to, huh?"
"Yeah, Sakura. . . I just thought that when I'm with you I feel more relaxed. A lot of pressure is on me lately and I just felt like seeing your face, that's all. . ."
Sakura blushed as we stood in front of her house. She wasn't busy so she didn't have any trouble talking to me. She sat down on her front steps and I sat next to her. Honestly, I still felt weird that Sakura was the one I'm asking for guidance in this life. . .
"So, Ryu. . . What's up? I see things aren't going so well. . ."
"Yeah, well. . ."
Afterwards I left her know everything that was bothering me. While this happened, Sakura made some friendly comments. . .
"Chun-Li, huh? Hmm. . . I'm not a big thing on romance, but I think you should follow Ken's idea and take her out. Make her feel special. That's what us girls like. . ."
"Sagat?? Here? I sure hope Ken's okay fighting him. . ."
"How does Makoto feel about you? Uh. . . I'll tell you this much; she deep down respects your decision. She's just not into letting you know that."
"Ryu, you gotta make some time to just let loose and relax. I strongly suggest not going into or near places that remind you of your fighting ways. It'll only depress you more. . . I should know."
I was pretty surprised that Sakura could hold so much wisdom inside her 16- year-old mind. It was mind-boggling. . . Scary in a Gen type of way. . . Near the end of the conversation I was smiling and I thing Sakura was happy that she could help me in my time of need. . .
"So are you okay?" Sakura asked me. I nodded.
"Yes. It's quite generous of you to do this for me. . ." I answered back. Sakura smiled as she started to turn away from me and head back inside.
"Okay, glad I could help. Now, I suppose you're about to leave. . .?"
"Wait, Sakura," I said abruptly after her. She gave a surprised look as I gathered what I was about to say. What I was about to say wasn't exactly like me, but. . .
"Well. . . if you aren't busy right now, Sakura, would you mind. . . if I treated you out along with Chun-Li? Think of it as my payment to the doctor."
Sakura's face was extremely surprised, not expecting such an offer from me. She held her heart, which must have been beating rapidly, and answered, "Well. . . yeah! I'd love to go with you! That's. . . so nice of you, Ryu!"
I smirked, noticing that she reverted back to the old Sakura that I'm used to. It felt pretty good to do this for her. For once during this miserable weekend, I smiled and felt glad. As I allowed Sakura to step down to the sidewalk and prepared to take off with her, a yell from behind me totally startled me.
"RYU!!!"
I cringed, noticing who that was. Both Sakura and I spun around and met Chun-Li, who didn't seem all that pleased to see us. . . or rather, me. . . Or was she looking at Sakura? I couldn't make it out. All I knew that she was pretty upset by seeing. . . Wait. . . SHE DOESN'T!?!
"Hi. . . Chun-Li," Sakura's now feeble voice let out. "We were just planning on looking for you. . ."
Chun-Li scoffed. "Yeah, and do what? Tell me that he's now with you??"
She does. . . At that moment me heart dropped. Chun-Li thinks. . . that Sakura and I are a couple. . . What a day this came out to be. . .
End of Chapter 8
"Hmm. . . This can't be the Ryu that left this scar on my chest," Sagat mouthed out while staring at me. "Explain yourself! You aren't supposed to be this weak and relaxed!"
"Sagat. . . I should tell you. . ." I started but Ken cut me off while stepping forward.
"Ryu can't be bothered with you right now, Sagat. He's retired, so I suggest you leave unless you're really looking to fight someone. Someone by the name of Ken Masters!"
Sagat stared at Ken hard and then looked at me. "Ryu? Retired? From fighting?? That's pretty hard to believe. As far as I know, the Ryu that I know will always be fighting no matter what. That's the way a true warrior's life is SUPPOSED to be! Have you forgotten that, Ryu?!"
Although I just stared back, part of me knew that Sagat was right. It was the 'code' of the warrior, sort to speak. However, I'm way too deep to head back to my martial arts. I told myself that I'll stay on this no matter what. Not even Sagat will change that vow.
"What? No response? So it's true. . ." Sagat gave a 'humph' then, "That's pathetic. . ."
I raised an eyebrow in curiosity at Sagat's tone of voice. It was pretty upset, but it was a sort of disappointed upset sort of thing.
"Ryu! I cannot allow you to go the other way until I get revenge for what you did to me! I won't rest UNTIL I've defeated you in a meaningful battle!"
Ken shook his head. "You are so stubborn! What part of 'he's retired' don't you understand??" He then looked at me and said, "Let's go, Ryu. He's not worth it."
"Don't expect that to be so easy. . . He's not leaving here until he fights me," Sagat declared. This got Ken riled up.
"Listen, Sagat. If you don't leave right now, then I'LL fight you and beat you down. Ryu is no longer a warrior but a working man, unlike you, who spends his entire time training for something that is only fueled by your taste for revenge. Ryu beat you! Settle for that!"
I could have sworn that I saw a vein pop out of Sagat's forehead after that.
"You are beginning to be a pest, Mr. Masters. . ." he grumbled. "I don't care if you are the Pan American Champion. Don't get into matters that don't concern you! This is your last warning!"
"Warning for what!? You just come storming in and expect a man who defeated you years ago to drop his normal life just to satisfy you?? You are a true idiot!"
Right then and there I saw Sagat charge up his Tiger Shot and throw it, Ken narrowly dodging it.
"So that's how it's like, huh?" Ken yelled while rushing towards Sagat. "Well, let's go."
As the battle between my friend and rival started I just shook my head and walked away from the fight. Neither of them noticed it either and I was lucky about that. It was just pathetic that everything makes it more obvious that I'm supposed to be fighting and not working and living a normal life. I felt so irritated that all these things were being thrown at me and I can't deal with them. I'm just not accustomed to all this. . . I needed to be somewhere where I can think. . . Then an idea popped into my mind.
{Maybe. . . }
---- ----
"Ryu? You again, huh? I sure am seeing you a lot more than I used to, huh?"
"Yeah, Sakura. . . I just thought that when I'm with you I feel more relaxed. A lot of pressure is on me lately and I just felt like seeing your face, that's all. . ."
Sakura blushed as we stood in front of her house. She wasn't busy so she didn't have any trouble talking to me. She sat down on her front steps and I sat next to her. Honestly, I still felt weird that Sakura was the one I'm asking for guidance in this life. . .
"So, Ryu. . . What's up? I see things aren't going so well. . ."
"Yeah, well. . ."
Afterwards I left her know everything that was bothering me. While this happened, Sakura made some friendly comments. . .
"Chun-Li, huh? Hmm. . . I'm not a big thing on romance, but I think you should follow Ken's idea and take her out. Make her feel special. That's what us girls like. . ."
"Sagat?? Here? I sure hope Ken's okay fighting him. . ."
"How does Makoto feel about you? Uh. . . I'll tell you this much; she deep down respects your decision. She's just not into letting you know that."
"Ryu, you gotta make some time to just let loose and relax. I strongly suggest not going into or near places that remind you of your fighting ways. It'll only depress you more. . . I should know."
I was pretty surprised that Sakura could hold so much wisdom inside her 16- year-old mind. It was mind-boggling. . . Scary in a Gen type of way. . . Near the end of the conversation I was smiling and I thing Sakura was happy that she could help me in my time of need. . .
"So are you okay?" Sakura asked me. I nodded.
"Yes. It's quite generous of you to do this for me. . ." I answered back. Sakura smiled as she started to turn away from me and head back inside.
"Okay, glad I could help. Now, I suppose you're about to leave. . .?"
"Wait, Sakura," I said abruptly after her. She gave a surprised look as I gathered what I was about to say. What I was about to say wasn't exactly like me, but. . .
"Well. . . if you aren't busy right now, Sakura, would you mind. . . if I treated you out along with Chun-Li? Think of it as my payment to the doctor."
Sakura's face was extremely surprised, not expecting such an offer from me. She held her heart, which must have been beating rapidly, and answered, "Well. . . yeah! I'd love to go with you! That's. . . so nice of you, Ryu!"
I smirked, noticing that she reverted back to the old Sakura that I'm used to. It felt pretty good to do this for her. For once during this miserable weekend, I smiled and felt glad. As I allowed Sakura to step down to the sidewalk and prepared to take off with her, a yell from behind me totally startled me.
"RYU!!!"
I cringed, noticing who that was. Both Sakura and I spun around and met Chun-Li, who didn't seem all that pleased to see us. . . or rather, me. . . Or was she looking at Sakura? I couldn't make it out. All I knew that she was pretty upset by seeing. . . Wait. . . SHE DOESN'T!?!
"Hi. . . Chun-Li," Sakura's now feeble voice let out. "We were just planning on looking for you. . ."
Chun-Li scoffed. "Yeah, and do what? Tell me that he's now with you??"
She does. . . At that moment me heart dropped. Chun-Li thinks. . . that Sakura and I are a couple. . . What a day this came out to be. . .
End of Chapter 8