Chapter Two: The Arrival
Note: To honor the legacy of Bruce Lee--may he rest in peace--I've placed a reference from one of his movies into this chapter. May he rest in peace. Don't ask. I just came back from a blood drive and I'm fucked up. Ugh.
(falls down with a loud thud)
-A train, en route to Sora, several days later...-
Inside a rail car, a young girl was looking out the window and watched the Japanese countryside pass by. The girl looked to be about thirteen, and of Japanese and European ancestry. Her shoulder-length auburn hair was tied into a ponytail, several bangs framing her attractive face. A pair of stylish reading glasses was on her face as she continued to watch the passing landscape with a look of apprehension.
She was dressed in a black haltertop, which was partially concealed by her blue denim jacket. She wore a pair of matching pants and a pair of white tennis shoes. Resting near by was a small knapsack and a huge sportsbag at her feet.
Normally, she had came to Japan on several occasions to train with her aunt, who ran a kendoist school in Tokyo. But this time, she was following her mother's final request and came to Japan to find her father. Her aunt Marz was especially helpful in tracking down her estranged father.
'Mom,' the girl thought, 'I won't let you down.'
***
-Sora Village-
Her backpack over her shoulder and her sportsbag in one hand, the girl walked through the open air market section of Sora, taking in the sights. The place was full of various people from all over Southeast Asia who have made this place their home; Koreans, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Cambodians were selling their wares in the marketplace.
Fatigue setting in, the girl decided to step into a small Japanese restaurant for some food before continuing on her journey. A waitress approached her. "Can I help you?" she asked in Japanese.
In perfect Japanese, the girl replied, "Um...I'll have the teriyaki special, please. And a glass of iced tea."
The waitress scribbled down the girl's order. She then eyed the girl. "Haven't seen you around here before."
"I'm new here," the teen replied. "I'm looking for the Shotokan School of Karate. I was told that it was in this village."
The waitress nodded. "Yes, the school is here. In fact one of the school's disciples happen to come here on occasion. You wish to be trained by the school's master?"
"It's a little more complicated than that."
The conversation was interrupted when four tough-looking men and one woman entered the restaurant. The waitress paled. "Oh, no," she whispered. "I thought they were gone for good."
The woman, who was obviously the gang leader, approached the waitress and the girl. "Where's the old man?" she asked.
"My father is ill," she replied.
"I could really care less," the gang member replied. "We need that protection money, and we need it now."
"My father won't pay, and I won't either," the waitress replied defiantly.
The female gang member then attempted to backhand the waitress.
But the blow didn't connect, seeing as how the girl stopped the blow with her forearm. The gang leader glared at the girl. "You just signed your death warrant."
The girl turned to the waitress. "I think not."
The leader tried to strike the intruder with her other hand, but the girl was quicker. She decked the leader down with her other fist. She went down like a light.
The four men saw this and weren't too happy with what they saw. They moved in to attack. The teen smirked to herself. It has been a while since she had a good fight. Things were looking up already.
"All right! You want some? Come and get it!"
***
On her way to the Shotokan School, Sakura Kasugano heard the fight coming from her favorite restaurant. From the sound of the fight that was ensuing, it was a real serious one. The female Shotokan fighter rushed to the restaurant...
...just as the four male gang members were stumbling out of the restaurant, followed by the girl. Other than the fact that her ponytail had came apart, she was unscathed.
Sakura eyed the girl as the four men surrounded her. 'Who is she?' she thought. She watched as the newcomer casually removed her glasses and went into a combat stance.
Sakura gasped. The fighting stance was based on one she saw Cammy use. "Who is this person?" she muttered to herself.
***
As the girl shifted her stance, the men attacked. The first guy on her left came in. She ducked under the wild swing and nailed him with a hard shot to the kidneys. He went down. The other guy on her right attempted a spinning back kick, but she ducked and countered with a double foot sweep (the kind that Cammy uses), followed by a foot to the face.
Thug number three moved in, but the girl was already in the air. Her legs wrapped around the guy's neck, she flipped and slammed him headfirst into the ground in a Frankesteiner throw. She landed gracefully on her feet.
Sakura was impressed. "Whoa."
The last one was armed with a pair of kali sticks (the ones you see Sonya use in Deadly Alliance). Despite his advantage with the weapons, he wasn't getting a hit in, seeing as how the girl was faster than he was. One front snap kick, a left cross, which was followed by a leaping spinning back kick sent the guy down to the ground.
The girl landed and looked at the fallen members before her. Had it been her aunt Juni, she would have killed them and not give it a second thought. But she wasn't like her aunt.
'I'm getting sloppy,' the girl thought. 'Mom wouldn't approve.'
In her reverie, she didn't notice the female gang leader sneak up on her from behind.
Sakura saw her coming. "Behind you!"
The girl ducked, just as the other girl swung. She then executed a move that Sakura recognized.
"Reverse Shaft Breaker!"
The girl went low into a break-dance type move, then propelled herself into the air, kicking the unfortunate gangster numerous before falling back to the ground, while the girl landed gracefully on her feet.
Sakura was impressed. She watched as the girl pulled out her glasses and slipped them back on. Sakura approached the girl. "Hey. You have some moves on you."
The girl looked up. She didn't see Sakura as a threat. "Thanks."
Sakura looked at the girl. "You're new in Sora, aren't you?"
The girl nodded. "I'm looking for the Shotokan School."
"You're in luck. I'm on my way there. Name's Sakura by the way. Sakura Kasugano."
"Kirina. most people call me Kiri."
Sakura nodded. "Kiri. Nice name. What business do you have at the Shotokan School anyway?"
"It's personal."
***
-Shotokan School/Hoshi Family Residence-
Inside the dojo, Chun Li, dressed in her blue tracksuit was training her children. Ryu, in his gray-blue karate gi, was in the far area of the dojo, meditating, but stoppe to watch Chun Li train the kids.
When Hanzou and Mei were born, Ryu and Chun Li came to an agreement. For one month, Ryu would train the children in Shotokan Karate, while the next month, Chun Li tutored them in Wushu and Kempo, in an effort for their children to be proud of their Chinese-Japanese heritage. So far, both Hanzou and Mei caught on to both training regimes.
Hanzou Dourai Hoshi was dressed in a pair of black baggy Chinese-style trousers and a white T-shirt, while Mei Lynn Hoshi was wearing the same color pair of pants, only her shirt was pink. The two students were kneeling in front of their mother while she was giving them words of wisdom.
"A good fight...is like a short play," the Chinese woman explained. "But it must be played seriously. You are not tense, but ready. Not thinking, but at the same time, not dreaming. When your opponent expands, you contract. When he contracts, you expand." She raises a fist. "And when the opportinuty comes, you do not strike." She then throws a punch. "It hits all by itself. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sifu," came the reply from her pupils.
Chun Li looked at her daughter. "Mei."
Mei stood up and faced her mother. "Sifu?"
Chun Li assumed a stance. "Let's see how well you learned this lesson. Attack me."
Mei went into a fighting stance. She then executed a forward snap kick. Immediately, Chun Li frowned and lowered her stance.
"What was that?" Chun Li asked. "This is not an exhibition match. We need emotional content. Now, try again."
Again, Mei kicked. Chun Li shook her head.
"You're not listening," Chun Li said. "More emotional content, less anger." She then heard Hanzou snickering at his sister's screwups. In an instant, Chun Li turned to Hanzou. "Mei, sit down. Hanzou, stand up."
Mei smirked as she passed her grumbling brother.
Chun Li faced her son. "Is there something funny? Do you think that you can do better? Okay, then. Attack me."
Like his sister, Hanzou ened up screwing up twice.
Again, Chun Li shook her head. "Like I told your sister: emotional content, not anger."
Rather than face the wrath of his mother, Hanzou finally got it right.
Chun Li nodded in approval. "Very good. How did that feel?"
"Um..." Hanzou began.
Chun Li raised her hand silencing him. "Don't think, Hanzou," she said sternly. "Just feel." She pointed towards the open shoji door. "It's like a finger, pointing towards the moon." When she saw that Hanzou was paying attention to her finger, she lightly rapped him across the back of his head. "If you focus on the finger," Chun Li warned, "you will miss out on all that heavenly glory. Understand?"
"Yse, sifu."
Chun Li bowed. When Hanzou bowed, Chun Li smacked him on the head again. "And one more thing: keep your eyes on your opponent, even when you bow."
"Ryu!"
Ryu opened his eyes and stood up. "It's Sakura."
***
Kirina watched in anticipation as the tall Japanese man came out of the dojo, followed closely by a slender Chinese female and two children her age. Kirina sized the man up. He stood about five feet ten, tanned, muscular, with undiciplined brown hair, and a crimson headband.
'So this is him, Mom,' she thought. 'You said I remind you of him. Now I see why.'
Sakura bowed to Ryu, who responded with a nod. "Sensei."
Ryu turned to Kirina. "And who is your friend, Sakura?"
"I found her in Sora. She said she was looking for the Shotokan School, so I brought her here."
While this exchange was going on, Chun Li eyes the girl closely. 'She looks a lot like Ryu,' she thought. Then the answer came to her like a ton of bricks. 'Wait a minute...that's Ryu's...!'
Back to Kirina and Ryu...
Kirina swallowed. "Are you Ryu Hoshi?"
"Yes I am. And you are?"
Kirina leveled her gaze. "My name is Kirina. I came to Japan to find my father."
"Okay," Ryu replied. "That's pretty noble, Kirina, but I really don't see how much I can be of help."
In a low voice, Kirina said, "You don't have to be. My father is standing in front of me."
That shot Ryu down. "Huh?"
Kirina found her voice. "It is you. You're my father. My given name is Kirina Juli Houshi. Juli was my mother."
The result was that of a bomb being dropped, centered mainly on Ryu himself. Ryu looked at the teenager closely. He did see Juli in her...as well as himself. Realizing that this was his long-lost daughter, he pulled the mother of all facefaults. The world started to spin, but Ryu forced himself to remain conscious. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he said, "I...I think we need to talk inside."
As the group headed into the house, Hanzou asked Chun Li, "Mom, what does this mean?"
It means," was the reply, "That she is you and Mei's half-sister."
***
Inside the cottage's dining room, Sakura, Kirina, and Hoshi family sat around the dining room table. Chun Li had made some tea, which had somewhat helped in soothing the Shotokan fighter's frazzled nerves. Chun Li sat by her husband, lending her support to him.
"Mom used to tell me stories about you when I was younger," Kirina said. "She always told me about what a good fighter you were, how honorable you are and stuff like that. The way she talked about you, she made it like you were some kind of saint."
Ryu sipped at his tea. "I'm not a saint. Just a Japanese guy who likes to fight."
"I figured as much," Kirina replied. "That's where I got that trait from."
"So where is Juli?" Chun Li asked.
"She died a week ago from leukemia," Kirina replied sadly.
"I'm sorry." Chun Li said.
Kirina opened her bag and pilled out a folded envelope. "Mom left me some instructions before she died." She handed it to Ryu. "She wanted you to have this."
Ryu looked at the envelope. He then opened it and pulled out a neatly folded sheet of paper. A letter, in Juli's handwriting. He began to read.
'Ryu,
'If you are reading this then the worst had happened and Kirina is with you. Ryu...that night in Hong Kong thirteen years ago...thank you. You didn't see me as an assassin, but a fighter, a woman...and lover. I know I should have told you about Kirina when she was born, but I didn't want you involved. I know it sounds callous, but I was doing what I think was best at the time, seeing as how I was pursued by Shadowlaw.
'I was hiding in Hawaii when Kirina was born. Even after Shadowlaw was destroyed, I couldn't tell you about our daughter. I was scared. I know it sounds strange, coming from the former commmander of the Shadowlaw dolls, but it is the truth. Ryu, I want you to take Kirina in and raise her. I know that you are married and have a family of your own, but Kirina is better off with you instead of her other aunts, seeing as how some of them--especially Juni--are not suitable for raising her. She has everything you need; birth certificate, school records, everything.
'Ryu, please honor my final request and raise Kirina. She needs her father now.
--Juli'
Ryu placed the letter on the table and clasped his hands together, eyes closed in thought. Kirina held her breath, waiting for Ryu's final decision. If he refused her, the she had no other place to go.
Ryu then made his decision. He opened his eyes and turned to Sakura. "Sakura, show Kirina to her room."
Kirina sighed in relief. He was going to let her stay. Getting her things together, she followed Sakura out of the dining room. Chun Li looked relieved that Ryu had did the right thing in letting Kirina stay, but he was still troubled. She turned to Hanzou and Mei and ordered them to go pratice in the dojo. As soon as they were gone, Chun Li turned to Ryu.
"You really didn't know about Kirina, didin't you?"
Ryu shook his head. Chun Li then knew from her experience at Interpol that Ryu was telling the truth. Chun Li sighed. "So what are you going to do?"
Ryu leaned back in his seat and folded his arms across his chest. "This is unexpected. Why did Juli didn't tell me? I feel so...so..." He sighed.
Chun Li placed her hand on his bare arm. "Hey. It's not your fault. You didn't know, so you have nothing to be shamed of. Juli had her reasons. So what are you going to do about Kirina?"
"I will honor Juli's final request and raise her." He looked at his wife. "Besides, I always wanted another daughter."
***
"He hates me, doesn't he?" Kirina asked as she follwed Sakura down the second-floor hall.
Sakura shook her head. "I don't think so," she replied. "You just caught him off guard, that's all. It's not everyday that the kid you never knew existed appear on your doorstep out of the blue." She stopped in front of a door and opened it, moving out of the way, allowing Kirina to step inside first.
Kirina looked around the room. It was slightly bigger than her old room back in Hawaii, but effeicient. There was a bed, a dresser, a nightstand and a closet. The outside window had a nice view of the mountains. She began to unpack her things.
"So how do you like the room?" Sakura asked.
Kirina nodded. "It's nice. A lot bigger than my old room." She looked at the Shotokan fighter. "How do you know Ryu?"
"He's my sensei," Sakura explained. "I look up to him a lot. He took me in after my parents died several years ago and trained me in Shotokan Karate."
"Oh. And the Chinese woman?"
"That's Chun Li, his wife. She may not look like it, but she's also a martial artist. She tough at times, but she's a nice person once you get to know her. She used to be a detective in Interpol until she quit some years back and opened up a restaurant in town. You met Hanzou and Mei. Ryu and Chun Li are training them both in Shotokan Karate and Kung Fu."
"You think Ryu's gonna teach me his fighting style?" Kirina asked. "Mom taught me her fighting style, plus I learned some kendo from one of my aunts."
"Impressive," Sakura replied. "Knowing Ryu, I think he will teach you."
***
Later on, at dinner, Hanzou and Mei bombarded Kirina with question after question, trying to get to know their half-sister better. It was pretty obvious that they liked the prospect of having an older half sibling.
Chun Li turned to Ryu. "Ryu, can I have a word with you outside?"
Ryu nodded. "Of course." He stood up and followed Chun Li out of the house and into the dojo. "What is it?" he asked.
Chun Li turned to face him. "Ryu...about what had happened fifteen years ago..."
Ryu knew what she was talking about. "Oh. That. It's okay, Chun Li."
Chun Li shook her head. "No it's not. I should have been honest with you about what had happened to my father, and I didn't want to hurt you in the process, but I didn't know what I was doing and I fucked up and--"
Ryu noticed the tears starting to fall down her face. He stepped in and stopped her with an index finger to her lips. "Chun Li, listen to me. I don't care about what had happened all those years ago, okay? I don't care how angey you get. I don't care how stubborn you get. I don't even care on how many times you screw up, cause believe me when I say this, I'm no better. The only thing I care about is that you are here...with me. I love you, no matter what you say or do and nothing will ever change that."
Tears running down her face, Chun Li buried her head into Ryu's chest and cried. She had cried before, when her father died, when she had left Ryu at the airport, even when he had beaten her in the tournament. No, this time, it was different. Chun Li felt like an enourmous weight was lifted from her shoulders as she continued to cry into Ryu's chest.
Ryu held her close in one hand and stroked her hair gently. He then realized at some point, he and Chun Li had sank to their knees. Chun Li was holding him with all of her strength, not wanting to let him go.
"Chun Li?"
She looked up. "Huh?"
"Can you let me go? You're starting to hurt my ribs."
She laughed through her tears and relinquished her hold on him. "Sorry," she sniffed.
***
Later on, while everyone else was in bed, Ryu was in the study, going over some more notes in Shotokan when he heard a knock on the closed door.
He looked at the clock. It read 11:19 p.m. He turned to the door. "Come in."
The door opened and in walked Kirina, wearing a tanktop and pajama bottoms. "Am I disturbing you?" she asked.
Ryu shook his head. "Not really. So what's on your mind?"
"I couldn't sleep." Kirina looked around the study, at the litterally hundreds of books and various scrolls that lines the various shelves and tables. "Wow. How many books you got?"
Ryu thought about it for a moment. "Around five hundred. Most of them have been in our family for countless generations. Some go back to the feudal period. Couldn't sleep?"
Kirina took a seat in a chair. "No."
"Don't feel bad," Ryu said. "When I first came here, I had trouble sleeping. That was thirty years ago. So why you come to see me?"
Kirina shrugged her shoulders. "Well I decided that I wanted to get to know my dad better."
Ryu smiled. He would definitely like that.
For the next hour and a half, father and daughter talked. Ryu discovered that Kirina also hated spiders, and that she was trained in martial arts when she was four. Kirina learned more about her father. He told her about his travels, his fights and his close calls.
After a while, Ryu turned to the clock. It was 12:50 a.m. "It's late. You should get to bed."
Kirina stood up. "Okay." She turned to the door and started to walk out.
"Kirina."
Kirina turned around. "Yes?"
Ryu clasped his hands together. "Would you like me to teach you Shotokan Karate?"
Kirina smiled. "I'd like that."
"Good night, Kirina."
"Good night...Dad."
Ryu smiled. That was the first time she had ever called him 'Dad.' Maybe having a third daughter wasn' so bad after all.
Note: To honor the legacy of Bruce Lee--may he rest in peace--I've placed a reference from one of his movies into this chapter. May he rest in peace. Don't ask. I just came back from a blood drive and I'm fucked up. Ugh.
(falls down with a loud thud)
-A train, en route to Sora, several days later...-
Inside a rail car, a young girl was looking out the window and watched the Japanese countryside pass by. The girl looked to be about thirteen, and of Japanese and European ancestry. Her shoulder-length auburn hair was tied into a ponytail, several bangs framing her attractive face. A pair of stylish reading glasses was on her face as she continued to watch the passing landscape with a look of apprehension.
She was dressed in a black haltertop, which was partially concealed by her blue denim jacket. She wore a pair of matching pants and a pair of white tennis shoes. Resting near by was a small knapsack and a huge sportsbag at her feet.
Normally, she had came to Japan on several occasions to train with her aunt, who ran a kendoist school in Tokyo. But this time, she was following her mother's final request and came to Japan to find her father. Her aunt Marz was especially helpful in tracking down her estranged father.
'Mom,' the girl thought, 'I won't let you down.'
***
-Sora Village-
Her backpack over her shoulder and her sportsbag in one hand, the girl walked through the open air market section of Sora, taking in the sights. The place was full of various people from all over Southeast Asia who have made this place their home; Koreans, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Cambodians were selling their wares in the marketplace.
Fatigue setting in, the girl decided to step into a small Japanese restaurant for some food before continuing on her journey. A waitress approached her. "Can I help you?" she asked in Japanese.
In perfect Japanese, the girl replied, "Um...I'll have the teriyaki special, please. And a glass of iced tea."
The waitress scribbled down the girl's order. She then eyed the girl. "Haven't seen you around here before."
"I'm new here," the teen replied. "I'm looking for the Shotokan School of Karate. I was told that it was in this village."
The waitress nodded. "Yes, the school is here. In fact one of the school's disciples happen to come here on occasion. You wish to be trained by the school's master?"
"It's a little more complicated than that."
The conversation was interrupted when four tough-looking men and one woman entered the restaurant. The waitress paled. "Oh, no," she whispered. "I thought they were gone for good."
The woman, who was obviously the gang leader, approached the waitress and the girl. "Where's the old man?" she asked.
"My father is ill," she replied.
"I could really care less," the gang member replied. "We need that protection money, and we need it now."
"My father won't pay, and I won't either," the waitress replied defiantly.
The female gang member then attempted to backhand the waitress.
But the blow didn't connect, seeing as how the girl stopped the blow with her forearm. The gang leader glared at the girl. "You just signed your death warrant."
The girl turned to the waitress. "I think not."
The leader tried to strike the intruder with her other hand, but the girl was quicker. She decked the leader down with her other fist. She went down like a light.
The four men saw this and weren't too happy with what they saw. They moved in to attack. The teen smirked to herself. It has been a while since she had a good fight. Things were looking up already.
"All right! You want some? Come and get it!"
***
On her way to the Shotokan School, Sakura Kasugano heard the fight coming from her favorite restaurant. From the sound of the fight that was ensuing, it was a real serious one. The female Shotokan fighter rushed to the restaurant...
...just as the four male gang members were stumbling out of the restaurant, followed by the girl. Other than the fact that her ponytail had came apart, she was unscathed.
Sakura eyed the girl as the four men surrounded her. 'Who is she?' she thought. She watched as the newcomer casually removed her glasses and went into a combat stance.
Sakura gasped. The fighting stance was based on one she saw Cammy use. "Who is this person?" she muttered to herself.
***
As the girl shifted her stance, the men attacked. The first guy on her left came in. She ducked under the wild swing and nailed him with a hard shot to the kidneys. He went down. The other guy on her right attempted a spinning back kick, but she ducked and countered with a double foot sweep (the kind that Cammy uses), followed by a foot to the face.
Thug number three moved in, but the girl was already in the air. Her legs wrapped around the guy's neck, she flipped and slammed him headfirst into the ground in a Frankesteiner throw. She landed gracefully on her feet.
Sakura was impressed. "Whoa."
The last one was armed with a pair of kali sticks (the ones you see Sonya use in Deadly Alliance). Despite his advantage with the weapons, he wasn't getting a hit in, seeing as how the girl was faster than he was. One front snap kick, a left cross, which was followed by a leaping spinning back kick sent the guy down to the ground.
The girl landed and looked at the fallen members before her. Had it been her aunt Juni, she would have killed them and not give it a second thought. But she wasn't like her aunt.
'I'm getting sloppy,' the girl thought. 'Mom wouldn't approve.'
In her reverie, she didn't notice the female gang leader sneak up on her from behind.
Sakura saw her coming. "Behind you!"
The girl ducked, just as the other girl swung. She then executed a move that Sakura recognized.
"Reverse Shaft Breaker!"
The girl went low into a break-dance type move, then propelled herself into the air, kicking the unfortunate gangster numerous before falling back to the ground, while the girl landed gracefully on her feet.
Sakura was impressed. She watched as the girl pulled out her glasses and slipped them back on. Sakura approached the girl. "Hey. You have some moves on you."
The girl looked up. She didn't see Sakura as a threat. "Thanks."
Sakura looked at the girl. "You're new in Sora, aren't you?"
The girl nodded. "I'm looking for the Shotokan School."
"You're in luck. I'm on my way there. Name's Sakura by the way. Sakura Kasugano."
"Kirina. most people call me Kiri."
Sakura nodded. "Kiri. Nice name. What business do you have at the Shotokan School anyway?"
"It's personal."
***
-Shotokan School/Hoshi Family Residence-
Inside the dojo, Chun Li, dressed in her blue tracksuit was training her children. Ryu, in his gray-blue karate gi, was in the far area of the dojo, meditating, but stoppe to watch Chun Li train the kids.
When Hanzou and Mei were born, Ryu and Chun Li came to an agreement. For one month, Ryu would train the children in Shotokan Karate, while the next month, Chun Li tutored them in Wushu and Kempo, in an effort for their children to be proud of their Chinese-Japanese heritage. So far, both Hanzou and Mei caught on to both training regimes.
Hanzou Dourai Hoshi was dressed in a pair of black baggy Chinese-style trousers and a white T-shirt, while Mei Lynn Hoshi was wearing the same color pair of pants, only her shirt was pink. The two students were kneeling in front of their mother while she was giving them words of wisdom.
"A good fight...is like a short play," the Chinese woman explained. "But it must be played seriously. You are not tense, but ready. Not thinking, but at the same time, not dreaming. When your opponent expands, you contract. When he contracts, you expand." She raises a fist. "And when the opportinuty comes, you do not strike." She then throws a punch. "It hits all by itself. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sifu," came the reply from her pupils.
Chun Li looked at her daughter. "Mei."
Mei stood up and faced her mother. "Sifu?"
Chun Li assumed a stance. "Let's see how well you learned this lesson. Attack me."
Mei went into a fighting stance. She then executed a forward snap kick. Immediately, Chun Li frowned and lowered her stance.
"What was that?" Chun Li asked. "This is not an exhibition match. We need emotional content. Now, try again."
Again, Mei kicked. Chun Li shook her head.
"You're not listening," Chun Li said. "More emotional content, less anger." She then heard Hanzou snickering at his sister's screwups. In an instant, Chun Li turned to Hanzou. "Mei, sit down. Hanzou, stand up."
Mei smirked as she passed her grumbling brother.
Chun Li faced her son. "Is there something funny? Do you think that you can do better? Okay, then. Attack me."
Like his sister, Hanzou ened up screwing up twice.
Again, Chun Li shook her head. "Like I told your sister: emotional content, not anger."
Rather than face the wrath of his mother, Hanzou finally got it right.
Chun Li nodded in approval. "Very good. How did that feel?"
"Um..." Hanzou began.
Chun Li raised her hand silencing him. "Don't think, Hanzou," she said sternly. "Just feel." She pointed towards the open shoji door. "It's like a finger, pointing towards the moon." When she saw that Hanzou was paying attention to her finger, she lightly rapped him across the back of his head. "If you focus on the finger," Chun Li warned, "you will miss out on all that heavenly glory. Understand?"
"Yse, sifu."
Chun Li bowed. When Hanzou bowed, Chun Li smacked him on the head again. "And one more thing: keep your eyes on your opponent, even when you bow."
"Ryu!"
Ryu opened his eyes and stood up. "It's Sakura."
***
Kirina watched in anticipation as the tall Japanese man came out of the dojo, followed closely by a slender Chinese female and two children her age. Kirina sized the man up. He stood about five feet ten, tanned, muscular, with undiciplined brown hair, and a crimson headband.
'So this is him, Mom,' she thought. 'You said I remind you of him. Now I see why.'
Sakura bowed to Ryu, who responded with a nod. "Sensei."
Ryu turned to Kirina. "And who is your friend, Sakura?"
"I found her in Sora. She said she was looking for the Shotokan School, so I brought her here."
While this exchange was going on, Chun Li eyes the girl closely. 'She looks a lot like Ryu,' she thought. Then the answer came to her like a ton of bricks. 'Wait a minute...that's Ryu's...!'
Back to Kirina and Ryu...
Kirina swallowed. "Are you Ryu Hoshi?"
"Yes I am. And you are?"
Kirina leveled her gaze. "My name is Kirina. I came to Japan to find my father."
"Okay," Ryu replied. "That's pretty noble, Kirina, but I really don't see how much I can be of help."
In a low voice, Kirina said, "You don't have to be. My father is standing in front of me."
That shot Ryu down. "Huh?"
Kirina found her voice. "It is you. You're my father. My given name is Kirina Juli Houshi. Juli was my mother."
The result was that of a bomb being dropped, centered mainly on Ryu himself. Ryu looked at the teenager closely. He did see Juli in her...as well as himself. Realizing that this was his long-lost daughter, he pulled the mother of all facefaults. The world started to spin, but Ryu forced himself to remain conscious. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he said, "I...I think we need to talk inside."
As the group headed into the house, Hanzou asked Chun Li, "Mom, what does this mean?"
It means," was the reply, "That she is you and Mei's half-sister."
***
Inside the cottage's dining room, Sakura, Kirina, and Hoshi family sat around the dining room table. Chun Li had made some tea, which had somewhat helped in soothing the Shotokan fighter's frazzled nerves. Chun Li sat by her husband, lending her support to him.
"Mom used to tell me stories about you when I was younger," Kirina said. "She always told me about what a good fighter you were, how honorable you are and stuff like that. The way she talked about you, she made it like you were some kind of saint."
Ryu sipped at his tea. "I'm not a saint. Just a Japanese guy who likes to fight."
"I figured as much," Kirina replied. "That's where I got that trait from."
"So where is Juli?" Chun Li asked.
"She died a week ago from leukemia," Kirina replied sadly.
"I'm sorry." Chun Li said.
Kirina opened her bag and pilled out a folded envelope. "Mom left me some instructions before she died." She handed it to Ryu. "She wanted you to have this."
Ryu looked at the envelope. He then opened it and pulled out a neatly folded sheet of paper. A letter, in Juli's handwriting. He began to read.
'Ryu,
'If you are reading this then the worst had happened and Kirina is with you. Ryu...that night in Hong Kong thirteen years ago...thank you. You didn't see me as an assassin, but a fighter, a woman...and lover. I know I should have told you about Kirina when she was born, but I didn't want you involved. I know it sounds callous, but I was doing what I think was best at the time, seeing as how I was pursued by Shadowlaw.
'I was hiding in Hawaii when Kirina was born. Even after Shadowlaw was destroyed, I couldn't tell you about our daughter. I was scared. I know it sounds strange, coming from the former commmander of the Shadowlaw dolls, but it is the truth. Ryu, I want you to take Kirina in and raise her. I know that you are married and have a family of your own, but Kirina is better off with you instead of her other aunts, seeing as how some of them--especially Juni--are not suitable for raising her. She has everything you need; birth certificate, school records, everything.
'Ryu, please honor my final request and raise Kirina. She needs her father now.
--Juli'
Ryu placed the letter on the table and clasped his hands together, eyes closed in thought. Kirina held her breath, waiting for Ryu's final decision. If he refused her, the she had no other place to go.
Ryu then made his decision. He opened his eyes and turned to Sakura. "Sakura, show Kirina to her room."
Kirina sighed in relief. He was going to let her stay. Getting her things together, she followed Sakura out of the dining room. Chun Li looked relieved that Ryu had did the right thing in letting Kirina stay, but he was still troubled. She turned to Hanzou and Mei and ordered them to go pratice in the dojo. As soon as they were gone, Chun Li turned to Ryu.
"You really didn't know about Kirina, didin't you?"
Ryu shook his head. Chun Li then knew from her experience at Interpol that Ryu was telling the truth. Chun Li sighed. "So what are you going to do?"
Ryu leaned back in his seat and folded his arms across his chest. "This is unexpected. Why did Juli didn't tell me? I feel so...so..." He sighed.
Chun Li placed her hand on his bare arm. "Hey. It's not your fault. You didn't know, so you have nothing to be shamed of. Juli had her reasons. So what are you going to do about Kirina?"
"I will honor Juli's final request and raise her." He looked at his wife. "Besides, I always wanted another daughter."
***
"He hates me, doesn't he?" Kirina asked as she follwed Sakura down the second-floor hall.
Sakura shook her head. "I don't think so," she replied. "You just caught him off guard, that's all. It's not everyday that the kid you never knew existed appear on your doorstep out of the blue." She stopped in front of a door and opened it, moving out of the way, allowing Kirina to step inside first.
Kirina looked around the room. It was slightly bigger than her old room back in Hawaii, but effeicient. There was a bed, a dresser, a nightstand and a closet. The outside window had a nice view of the mountains. She began to unpack her things.
"So how do you like the room?" Sakura asked.
Kirina nodded. "It's nice. A lot bigger than my old room." She looked at the Shotokan fighter. "How do you know Ryu?"
"He's my sensei," Sakura explained. "I look up to him a lot. He took me in after my parents died several years ago and trained me in Shotokan Karate."
"Oh. And the Chinese woman?"
"That's Chun Li, his wife. She may not look like it, but she's also a martial artist. She tough at times, but she's a nice person once you get to know her. She used to be a detective in Interpol until she quit some years back and opened up a restaurant in town. You met Hanzou and Mei. Ryu and Chun Li are training them both in Shotokan Karate and Kung Fu."
"You think Ryu's gonna teach me his fighting style?" Kirina asked. "Mom taught me her fighting style, plus I learned some kendo from one of my aunts."
"Impressive," Sakura replied. "Knowing Ryu, I think he will teach you."
***
Later on, at dinner, Hanzou and Mei bombarded Kirina with question after question, trying to get to know their half-sister better. It was pretty obvious that they liked the prospect of having an older half sibling.
Chun Li turned to Ryu. "Ryu, can I have a word with you outside?"
Ryu nodded. "Of course." He stood up and followed Chun Li out of the house and into the dojo. "What is it?" he asked.
Chun Li turned to face him. "Ryu...about what had happened fifteen years ago..."
Ryu knew what she was talking about. "Oh. That. It's okay, Chun Li."
Chun Li shook her head. "No it's not. I should have been honest with you about what had happened to my father, and I didn't want to hurt you in the process, but I didn't know what I was doing and I fucked up and--"
Ryu noticed the tears starting to fall down her face. He stepped in and stopped her with an index finger to her lips. "Chun Li, listen to me. I don't care about what had happened all those years ago, okay? I don't care how angey you get. I don't care how stubborn you get. I don't even care on how many times you screw up, cause believe me when I say this, I'm no better. The only thing I care about is that you are here...with me. I love you, no matter what you say or do and nothing will ever change that."
Tears running down her face, Chun Li buried her head into Ryu's chest and cried. She had cried before, when her father died, when she had left Ryu at the airport, even when he had beaten her in the tournament. No, this time, it was different. Chun Li felt like an enourmous weight was lifted from her shoulders as she continued to cry into Ryu's chest.
Ryu held her close in one hand and stroked her hair gently. He then realized at some point, he and Chun Li had sank to their knees. Chun Li was holding him with all of her strength, not wanting to let him go.
"Chun Li?"
She looked up. "Huh?"
"Can you let me go? You're starting to hurt my ribs."
She laughed through her tears and relinquished her hold on him. "Sorry," she sniffed.
***
Later on, while everyone else was in bed, Ryu was in the study, going over some more notes in Shotokan when he heard a knock on the closed door.
He looked at the clock. It read 11:19 p.m. He turned to the door. "Come in."
The door opened and in walked Kirina, wearing a tanktop and pajama bottoms. "Am I disturbing you?" she asked.
Ryu shook his head. "Not really. So what's on your mind?"
"I couldn't sleep." Kirina looked around the study, at the litterally hundreds of books and various scrolls that lines the various shelves and tables. "Wow. How many books you got?"
Ryu thought about it for a moment. "Around five hundred. Most of them have been in our family for countless generations. Some go back to the feudal period. Couldn't sleep?"
Kirina took a seat in a chair. "No."
"Don't feel bad," Ryu said. "When I first came here, I had trouble sleeping. That was thirty years ago. So why you come to see me?"
Kirina shrugged her shoulders. "Well I decided that I wanted to get to know my dad better."
Ryu smiled. He would definitely like that.
For the next hour and a half, father and daughter talked. Ryu discovered that Kirina also hated spiders, and that she was trained in martial arts when she was four. Kirina learned more about her father. He told her about his travels, his fights and his close calls.
After a while, Ryu turned to the clock. It was 12:50 a.m. "It's late. You should get to bed."
Kirina stood up. "Okay." She turned to the door and started to walk out.
"Kirina."
Kirina turned around. "Yes?"
Ryu clasped his hands together. "Would you like me to teach you Shotokan Karate?"
Kirina smiled. "I'd like that."
"Good night, Kirina."
"Good night...Dad."
Ryu smiled. That was the first time she had ever called him 'Dad.' Maybe having a third daughter wasn' so bad after all.