-Southtown International Airport-
Both Chun Li and Eliza's flights were scheduled to arrive at the same time, but at different gates, Eliza's from Seattle, Chun Li's from Hawaii.
Chun Li's plane has just landed and the passengers are disembarking. It didn't take Ryu long to see Chun Li. After all, who else wears their hair in a recognizable style such as those buns?
Chun Li was dressed down in a sundress. In one hand, was a sports bag. As soon as Ryu spotted her, she spotted him. A smile spread across her face she dropped her bag and rushed over to her husband. Ryu caught her in a tight embrace, hugging her tight as she pulled him in for a long, slow kiss.
"I missed you so much," she whispered.
Ryu kissed her on the forehead. "So did I," he replied softly. "How was Hawaii?"
"Boring," she replied as Ryu picked up her bag. "I don't see why they had to send me to Hawaii for some boring seminar. I was better off in Japan."
"Comes with being a top-notch field analyst, I suppose."
"So how's Miya?" Chun Li asked. "Is she behaving herself?"
"Maybe I should start from the beginning," Ryu replied.
-Karuta (Ryuhaku Todo's stage from AOF 1)-
A Japanese-style park, complete with several connecting shrines via bridges. Miya was walking across one of the aforementioned bridges. She knew that her sensei, a female kendoist who was married to a former Yakuza assassin and was also in the same profession in her younger days, now retired and living in Southtown. Miya had changed out of her fighting attire from earlier and into something more appropriate: a sleeveless navy blue dogi top and black hakama pants, with a black belt wrapped around her waist. Her Muramasa sword, in its scabbard, was in her right hand.
From somewhere within the garden, Miya heard a bamboo flute playing. Following the sounds of the music, Miya found the person that she was looking for.
Her former sensei and mentor, Reika Kobayashi.
The woman was kneeling on the floor, playing the flute with general ease. Like Miya, she was dressed in a dogi jacket and hakama, only hers was black and white. She was thiry-five, but could pass for someone much younger (think O-Ren Ishii from Kill Bill, only older). Her shiny black hair was done in a single braid and fell down her back. Like Miya, she was also armed, but instead of a sword, she had two wooden bokkens with her.
Reika stopped playing and turned around. When she saw that it was her favorite pupil, she broke into a smile. "Miya," she said.
Miya bowed. "Sensei." She then embraced the older woman, who returned the hug.
The two former assassins walked along the pathway. "I've heard about Junko," Reika said of Miya's late foster mother. "You have my sympathies. She was a good woman, and a good friend. I trust that you did what was necessary?"
Miya knew that she was talking about avenging her foster mother, which she did. "I have."
"That's good to hear," Reika replied. "I've also heard that Sakamura has challenged you to a duel, which is why you're here in Southtown."
Miya nodded. "Do you know anything about Eimi, sensei?"
"I should, since she was my husband's student. One of his best pupils. He taught her Iado, ninjitsu and bujitsu. He always said that it would be a matter of time before our pupils would meet in a match. Looks like he was right." She looked at Miya and grinned. "I also heard that you made quite the impression last night at the Pao Pao Cafe with Geese Howard. It's not everyday you thrash his bodyguard like that. Now everyone in the city with a martial arts background wants to fight the woman who defeated several of the city's top fighters."
Miya sighed. "Story of my life. I can't get a moment's peace. But it comes with the territory of being a fighter."
"That's what I always liked about you, Miya," Reika said. "You have an extraordinary gift with the sword, but you remain humble, not arrogant. You have a high degree of humility around your personality. So tell me, Miya...since Shadowlaw is gone, what do you plan on doing?"
"I've given some thought about becoming a freelance assassin," Miya replied, "but I've decided that I've had enough bloodshed and revenge for a lifetime. You can say that training under my brother has given me a new outlook in life."
Reika blinked. "Your brother?"
Miya nodded. "Yeah. I didn't find out until a while ago, shortly before Mom died. His name is Ryu Hoshi."
Reika nodded. "I know him by his reputation. It is said that he is one of the best fighters in the world. And he took you on as his student?"
"Yes. In Ansatsuken."
"The Assassin's Fist," Reika noted. "The style in which you can kill a person in a single strike. I've thought that it was just a rumor. I never knew that it actually existed. Interesting."
"Anyway," Miya continued, "I've decided that I was going to start over and open up a kendo school in Tokyo. The grand opening had to be pushed back because Eimi challenged me to a duel. That and some last-minute rennovations on the place."
"Are you sure that's what you want to do?" Reika asked.
Miya nodded. "I'm sure. I promised my mother before she died that I would do good with my life, rather than fall back into a life of crime."
"Well, in that case," Reika replied, "I wish you luck in your new endeavors, Miya. And also, you have my blessings for your new dojo."
"Thank you, sensei."
Reika then put on an evil smile. "Well then, since you're here, why don't you show me what you learned." She produced a bokken and handed it to Miya as she took the other one.
Miya accepted the challenge. "If you insist, sensei."
The two female combatants stepped out into the garden.
Meanwhile...
"First King, now Yuri," Mai said as she and Mary walked down the street, near Karuta. Apparently, Andy had told her about Yuri challenging Miya to a match...and losing earlier that day, and Mai told Mary as they walked in the direction of Karuta.
"If Miya doesn't be careful," Mai continued, "she'll have the entire Kyokugenryu school on her tail."
"Miya is a trained assassin," Mary rebuked. "You saw what happened last night at the cafe. She could most likely take down the Kuokugenryu school, and probably Geese Howard if she wanted to. And if she pulls that off that would most definitely save up on paperwork."
The ominous sounds of battle reached both women's ears. They both decided to check it out. Upon reaching Karuta, they saw Miya Hoshi fighting an older woman in an impromptu sword duel. Instead of bladed weapons, Mary and Mai saw that they were using bokkens. They knew that Miya was good, but the older woman was the epitome of Japanese swordfighting.
Reika saw that Miya wasn't making any mistakes, and that she wasn't rushing to attack, which was a fatal flaw in most kendoists. Instead, she was methodically advancing, attacking and deflecting Reika's blows.
Mary and Mai looked at the ongoing battle with interest. "Maybe Miya's bit off more than she could chew," Mary said.
"Maybe," Mai replied.
As the battle continued, both women paused for a moment.
"You've learned much," Reika said.
"I'm full of surprises, sensei," Miya replied as she attacked.
From the sidelines, both Mary and Mai looked at each other. "Sensei?" they both said.
"Funny. So am I," Reika replied. "There's one final technique I haven't taught you...until now."
Miya prepared herself. Whatever her sensei had up her sleeve was ususally...bad.
Reika held her bokken at the ready. "Consider this my final lesson to you, Miya...Chishio no Mai!"
The Chishio no Mai, or Blood Dance, was the single most deadliest move that Reika Kobayashi had ever devised. The move is simple. Reika charged at Miya, her psychomotor reflexes kicking in. Unlike Miya, whose reflexes were a family trait that was enhanced by Shadowlaw technology, Reika's reflexes were a natural talent. Reika's bokken lashed out with a speed to rival that of Chun Li's Hykaretsu Kyaku.
Mary and Mai watched in facination as Miya deflect the majority of the blows. But for Miya, it wasn't enough, since the last blow had knocked her bokken out of her hand.
Reika was the winner. Miya held her hands up in defeat. "I concede, sensei."
Reika smiled. "I know you do, Miya."
Teacher and student bowed, Miya being a good sport about losing to her former teacher.
"So there is a person that can beat you in this city after all."
Miya turned to the sound of the voice. Mary and Mai were approaching the two female kendoists. Miya gestured to Reika with a nod. "She should, after all, since she is my sensei," she replied. "About your friends..."
Mai cut her off. "It's okay. They've been hit with worse. It comes with being a fighter."
Mary looked at Reika, then back at Miya. "You do know who she is, right?"
Miya nodded. "She a retired Yakuza assassin. I know."
Mary folded her arms across her chest. "You should know, since you yourself was a Shadowlaw assassin."
Miya gave the Southtown cop a smug grin. "You've been doing your homework. To tell you the truth, I prefer a less provacative title. Something along the lines of 'operative.' Besides, I wasn't a high-profile assassin like my teammates. It's true I killed for Shadowlaw, but only minor members who offended the General. I just dealt with mostly recon and espionage."
"So why are you here?" Mary asked. "We were there last night at the cafe when Geese confronted you. What did he want?"
"He asked me to join him, and I refused. If you want, I can explain over lunch."
That caught Mary's attention. "You're buying?"
Miya nodded. "Of course"
On the way to the hotel, Ryu was finishing up all of the events that had transpired as Chun Li drove to the hotel. The Chinese Interpol agent let out a low whistle. "Wow...never knew that she had a run-in with Geese Howard and his men. And she refused his offer?"
Ryu nodded. "You think that's bad, there's more."
"Oh, I'm all ears"
Meanwhile, in Chinatown, inside a Chinese restaurant three women were seated at a table, having lunch at their hostess' expense.
Miya had changed out of the hakama and into a sleevless white shirt, a dark gray pair of pants and her favorite pair of Shadowlaw boots. She was entertaining Mary Ryan and Mai Shiranui about her numerous marriage proposals to various men, because of the fact that she was a former Shadowlaw member and an expert with the sword.
"You get marriage proposals from all kinds of men?" Mai asked.
Miya nodded. "Yeah. Businessmen looking for bodyguards, various Japanese Yakuza clans and Chinese Triad organizations. I even got one from a North Korean officer."
"Someone in North Korea was interested in you?" Mary asked.
The former doll nodded. "Yeah. But when I said no, he sent a squad of North Korean Special Forces to try and kidnap me. Unfortunately, it ended real bad for them."
"I remember hearing about that," Mary said. "I didn't know that was your handiwork."
Miya smiled evilly. "It was when Ryu and Chun Li were gone on their honeymoon when they came. They came at the dead of night. Three, four in the morning, I think. I think there were about six, seven of them at the most. Fortunately the call of nature had woke me up and I heard them in my room. So I picked up my sword and rushed them. They didn't stand a chance. After a few moments, they retreated and I haven't heard from them since."
"I also recognized some of your moves," Mary noted. "You never said that you knew Muay Thai."
Miya shook her head. "Not Muay Thai. Lethwei, or Burmese Boxing. I use a variant called Kachin Lethwei. I've learned Lethwei when I was about twelve, and when I was in Shadowlaw, Sagat took me on as his student when I was fifteen."
Mai blinked. "Victor Sagat? THE Sagat? The Muay Thai Emperor?"
Miya nodded. "One in the same. Both Muay Thai and Lethwei are similar in both style and technique, so he took me on as his pupil."
"Is he REALLY that tall?" Mai asked. "And did your brother scar him for life?"
"Seven-feet-four," Miya replied. "As for that incident, it was an accident. About four, five years ago, Sagat was the Street Fighter champion. Ryu and his friend Ken competed in the tournament, but Ryu had the chance to fight Sagat. Ryu was a novice and Sagat was overconfident in his position as champion. Ryu ended up going into the Dark Hadou to defeat Sagat, hence the scar on his chest. They fought again in the second tournament, and Ryu defeated him again, this time without the Dark Hadou."
"You always carry that sword with you?" Mary asked, gesturing to Miya's Muramasa, which was perched next to her.
Miya nodded. "You never know who you're going to meet next who wants to challenge you to a duel."
As the three female martial artists chatted with each other, several men were seated at the far end of the restaurant. They were South Korean, and all were looking at Miya with loathing.
Kim Kaphwan remembered Miya all too well. Two years ago, Miya was in South Korea with Xiayu and Yanyu on a recon mission. Then someone from Kaphwan's Taekwondo school challenged Miya to a match while Kim was away. Needless to say, Miya defeated the challenger with ease. Then the entire school was on her and her two friends. But the trio's Shadowlaw training made certain that they emerged victorious...eventhough she had inadvertantly trashed Kaphwan's dojo in the process.
When Kim returned, he saw that his dojo was trashed and nearly all of his students were hospitalized for minor injuries. Not only that, but his dojo's reputation was insulted. Kim also heard rumors that Shadowlaw operatives were behind the 'attack' on his school.
And one of them was seated not too far from one of the women responsible for trashing his dojo. Kim had encountered her when she was her other two friends...and lost, mianly because his mind was too caught up with the idea of vengeance. However, Xianyu and Yanyu were prepared to kill him when Miya, having more authority over them, allowed Kim to leave with his life.
Kim had never forgotten that day. It was also one of the reasons why he decided to, as he called it, 'walk the path of justice.'
Mai noticed Kim and the other three men looking at them. "What's Kaphwan and the others doing here?" she asked.
"Because of me," Miya replied matter-of-factly. "Is he alone?"
"Nope," Mary replied. "Choi, Chang and Jhun are with him. Just what exactly did you do?"
"When I was sixteen, I was on a recon mission with two other dolls, Xiayu and Yanyu in Seoul. One of Kaphwan's top students had challenged me to a battle inside his school."
"And you won," Mai surmised.
Miya nodded. "Then his entire school was on me. But Xiayu and Yanyu were with me and we fought them all. Unfortunately, his dojo was trashed in the process."
"You didn't kill anybody, didn't you?" Mary asked, eyebrow raised.
"I do have a set of morals," Miya replied. "I dont kill without provacation or cause. I basically stopped being an operative when Shadowlaw was destroyed. Unfortunately," she paused as she noticed Kim and his men walking over to her table, "some people won't let some things die."