One day, Ryu receives a letter from Thailand. It's from someone he considers an old friend (even though it took a lot of work to get to that point). The letter is concise, written mostly in simple English, and says this:

Greetings, リュウ

How has your training been going? And how does the world treat you? Come visit me and tell me in person. We haven't met in a long time. Recently I've become sick and I could use the company of someone who doesn't fuss. Consider it.

สกัด

Ryu was the one who taught this friend how to write his name in kana. He knows very little Japanese otherwise, because English and Thai already take a lot of brainpower to speak fluently at the same time. And yet these three characters are ones he's remembered perfectly. They're written on a few other letters that Ryu received over the years, becoming more accurate each time.

In turn, in the Thai language, " สกัด" is basically the only word that Ryu knows. And just like how he'd taught his friend how to read his name, his friend taught him how to read his: Sagat.

Receiving a letter from Sagat is already cause for intrigue because they rarely write to each other unless it's for something important. Sagat is also right. They haven't met in a long time. It might've even been a few years at this point. They generally meet whenever fate decides they should, usually in the context of a tournament.

Ryu hasn't encountered Sagat in awhile, even at the events he showed up to annually. People came and went, but his complete lack of presence was definitely noticeable to Ryu. Maybe the sickness Sagat mentioned has something to do with it. That's troubling, because Ryu can't even imagine what mutation of a cold Sagat would need to catch to become bedridden.

With curiosity and concern inside of him, Ryu books a flight to Thailand. Now that he and Sagat are on friendly terms it only seems right to check in on him, especially since he requested it. Things at Genbu Temple are quiet so visiting this particular man from his past will be a nice change of pace.


This isn't the first time Ryu has visited Sagat. He makes it a point to visit the fighters he's met over the years whether it's Guile, Honda, or Chun in the United States, Blanka in Brazil, Dhalsim in India, or Zangief in Russia.

Ryu loves to travel, and it's always exciting to see how the skill level of his friends have improved in his absence. He also appreciates the chance to catch up with their lives. Many of them have families now, and it's charming to hear stories about Datta or Li-Fen (or Mel and Eliza, when he and Ken were still on speaking terms).

Despite how different Sagat is from everyone else Ryu knows, the few trips he's taken to his home went basically the same. The last time he visited Sagat was four years ago. They fought for a few hours, and afterwards Sagat brought him to the center of his village to eat and spend time with the locals.

Ryu remembers enjoying the food and the atmosphere, even if he hadn't been able to understand most of the conversations around him (though Sagat readily translated). But Ryu was happy to mostly just sit and watch. Spending time with Sagat when he was laid-back was always an extraordinary experience.

Today he expects things to go a bit differently. He assumes Sagat won't be in any condition to fight. He has no idea how severe the sickness is, and while it must be fairly bad for people to be "fussing" over Sagat, the idea of the old warrior being benched by an illness is crazy to he won't know anything until he actually sees him. With that in mind, Ryu picks up the pace on the dirt path into Sagat's village.

Eventually he starts coming up on buildings. His first sign that he was in the right place were the fields around the village. There are people hard at work despite the sun beating down on them. Ryu takes on a lot of odd jobs to make money and the fields here remind him of some of the ones he's worked in over the years. He knows that the work is difficult but rewarding. In fact it's the exact kind of physical labor that keeps Ryu strong when he's not training.

Eventually he reaches the central part of the village. If he was traveling for any other reason, he might stop here to find something to eat or check out the local fighting scene.

As is, he continues up an incline to where a few more houses are. Some locals look at him curiously when Ryu passes by, but by now many recognize him as the old Muay Thai fighter's acquaintance.

Soon enough Ryu arrives at Sagat's house. Ryu thinks of the place as simultaneously humble and grand, perfectly fitting the man who lives in it. It's a little bigger than all the others in the area, but when you see the occupant you understand why he'd want high ceilings. The roof is tall and pointed in the traditional Thai style. There's a small courtyard outside where he and Sagat have fought and a porch where they've sat and talked.

While the architecture and placement of the house fit the king persona of Sagat, inside the furniture is very sparse because the man isn't materialistic. If anything, Ryu sometimes wonders if Sagat gets lonely in this house all by himself.

After walking up the porch, Ryu announces his arrival with a knock. He can hear movement inside through the open windows. In just a few seconds, the door opens, revealing a tall, muscular figure. While once his huge stature might've intimidated Ryu, he now only feels pleasure at seeing his old friend once again.

Like many others he's known for a long time, Sagat has kept up fighting even though he's aging. You can't even tell that he's well into his 50s at this point due to his lifestyle. His body is still tough and strong-looking, his hands still bear the callouses and cuts of his training, and despite some weathering and wrinkles, he barely looks older than he did fifteen years ago. He's dressed in the belted pair of pants he wears to fight sometimes and a tank top, but is otherwise devoid of any Muay Thai accessories.

"Ryu. I hadn't expected you so soon," the Thai fighter greets him. His deep voice is tired and strained, but he's obviously cheered up by the arrival of the karateka.

"I took the earliest flight that I could. I was concerned when you said you were sick," Ryu responds.

"The worst of it has passed." Sagat shakes his head dismissively like he's embarrassed he made such a big fuss about the whole thing. "But I appreciate you visiting anyways. Come in. I'll make you something to drink."

Ryu smiles and follows the tall man inside. He kicks off his shoes and the cool wooden floors under his feet are soothing after being tightly constrained during his travels. In addition to convincing him to get more clothes, Chun-Li encouraged him to wear shoes more often. Even though Ryu has developed thick and calloused soles after a mostly-shoeless lifetime, the lady insisted that shoes were necessary to complete his new outfits. Ryu thinks of her as "fashionable" so despite his distaste for stifling his feet, he agreed to buy a pair of sneakers.

But now that he's off the road, he doesn't plan on touching the shoes again until he leaves. While Sagat doesn't have the same hang-ups as his Chinese friend, he does address Ryu's new appearance. Ryu has foregone his gi and kasaya for a more civilian look.

"And here I thought you lived in that gi," Sagat says with a rare bit of humor.

"People insisted I expand my wardrobe," Ryu explains.

Sagat grins slightly. He must agree with the assessment. "Change keeps life interesting. For example, the scruff."

Ryu brings a hand up to the "scruff" self-consciously. He forgot that the last time Sagat saw him, there was only a little stubble on his jaw. He's been pretty happy with his beard, letting it grow out not because of laziness but because he likes the way it looks. He'd even gone to his master to ask how to maintain it.

"Hmm. I think it suits you," Sagat continues.

Ryu relaxes. "Oh. Thank you."

It still feels a little weird to receive and give compliments to Sagat. Even when they were enemies, Ryu felt a large amount of respect towards him. But when he was a part of Shadaloo it had been hard to give much credit to him. He knows Sagat feels similarly. He's always paid a good deal of lip service to Ryu's skill, but he felt plenty of spite and hatred because of the scar.

They try to be more kind now. Sagat isn't a chatty guy (neither is Ryu, to be fair), so even though Ryu knows his praises are genuine, they can still come across as unexpected.

Sagat gestures for him to set down his bag and then follow him to his kitchen. He promised Ryu a drink after all. Ryu appreciates the chance to relax and cool off and when they enter he sits down at the table while Sagat gets to work. For a few moments he admires the picturesque landscape through the open doors, but a shuffling noise from behind gets his attention.

Into the kitchen stalks a large beast of lean muscles and sheer, striped kingly fur. Rather than act like a ferocious predator, it chuffs in recognition and paces over to nuzzle against Ryu's legs. Ryu smiles fondly. He's well acquainted with the big cat so he scratches his fingers through his scruffy fur.

"Leave him be, Willa Maiu," Sagat commands without even turning around.

"It's fine. You're just happy to see me, right Maiu?" Ryu insists, stroking the tiger between his ears.

He's not usually a big fan of pets but Sagat's tiger is a surprisingly gentle soul. When he was little Ryu was taught to revere the creatures. Willa Maiu seems perfectly happy planting his head across Ryu's lap to let himself be pet. If Ryu remembers correctly, Sagat wants the cat to get off of him because he dislikes when he's "spoiled" more than him being concerned that the beast is bothering his guest. The tiger has a heavy head and sharp teeth, but Ryu doesn't mind. The affection, even if it's from an animal, is nice.

With a sigh Sagat steps away from the countertop and joins Ryu at the table. He sits heavily and places two glasses of iced coffee between them. Maiu purrs at his owner and slides his head off Ryu's lap to go to him instead. When it becomes clear Sagat isn't as willing to pet him, he growls a little and slips back under the table to Ryu's waiting palm. Sagat clicks his tongue at the display.

"What a spoiled cat you are," he tuts. "If you continue to laze about and mooch attention all day, you'll become feeble like your master."

"You like you're in good shape to me," Ryu says.

Sagat smirks slightly. "Hmph. Well, Willa Maiu is an old boy now. He likes to sleep more than he likes to hunt."

Ryu looks down at the tiger's fur beneath his fingers. He realizes that it's a lot paler than it was during his last visit. The cat looks like he's lost a significant amount of weight, as well as his slower gait, not unlike Sagat himself. He frowns and looks back at his host but Sagat seems unbothered. He simply takes a drink of his coffee while watching Ryu rub Maiu's fur.

Feeling suddenly gloomy, Ryu sips his coffee too in hopes that it'll perk him up. Thankfully, the chilled drink spiced nicely with cardamom and sesame tastes great.

"How old is he now?" he asks.

"I'd guess about twelve," Sagat answers.

"Wow. It feels like just yesterday that you started raising him," Ryu says nostalgically.

"That was about the same time as the Black Moons," Sagat recalls. "A lot has happened since then. For the better, I'd say."

Ryu nods in agreement. There's actually something he's always wanted to ask Sagat about in regards to the Black Moons. He isn't sure if it's his place to ask but it's always nagged at him in a way that's only gotten stronger with time. But he decides he may as well, because if he doesn't now he may never work up the courage again.

"Sagat, may I ask you something? If you think it's rude of me, you don't need to answer."

Sagat raises an eyebrow. "Go ahead."

Ryu pauses, making sure he formulates this in the most non-confrontational way possible. "After the Black Moons fell, were you ever contacted by anyone from Shadaloo ever again? All the high ranking members completely disappeared, and…I thought you might know what happened to some of them."

Sagat's expression hardens. He doesn't look angry or anything, but clearly the question brought up some bad memories for him. In general, Ryu avoids talking about Shadaloo with Sagat. Despite the many crimes against humanity committed by the syndicate, he never had as much beef with Shadaloo as someone like Chun or Guile. Shadaloo took important people from them and they both spent a large part of their lives seeking vengeance.

Ryu's only real connection to Shadaloo was through Sagat. He knows Sagat regrets his involvement and has tried really hard to move on from his past. Ryu feels like he's redeemed himself over the years but he also knows that regret and self-condemnation can be hard shackles to break free from. He doesn't get any pleasure from making Sagat feel the weight of those bonds.

But curiosity remains in Ryu. He often wonders what happened to the Heavenly Kings who's fates were never confirmed. He wonders how Sagat feels about the organization and man he did dirty work for going up in flames.

Sagat has been quiet for a while. As if sensing his master's distress, Willa Maiu purrs against Ryu's legs and trots over to the opposing bench. This time, Sagat allows the tiger to burrow his head under his hand.

Feeling ashamed, Ryu speaks up. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."

Sagat sighs. Finally he talks again. "It's alright, Ryu. But no. As soon as I left Shadaloo, I was completely cut off. You probably know more than I do."

Ryu's face softens responsively. "Do you want me to tell you what happened when the Black Moons fell?"

He's never given Sagat the option before. The old fighter considers it for a moment. There's something tense in his expression but also clearly temptation, but eventually he sighs again and shakes his head resolutely.

"No. You don't need to."

After this he stands up, pushing his weight off the table. Willa Maiu growls softly up at him and Sagat scratches his ears before stepping away. He looks down at Ryu with a closed-off look, clearly trying to be amiable but having to force it.

"You must be hungry. I'll make something to eat. Will you take Willa Maiu out for a walk to the village? Lazy thing needs to exercise."

Ryu nods bashfully. "Of course."

Sagat turns back to the countertop wordlessly and begins working again. Ryu calls for Willa Maiu who looks slowly between him and his master before padding over to Ryu's side. He chuffs contentedly when Ryu strokes him as he walks out of the kitchen, but Ryu just feels regretful, wishing he'd kept his mouth shut so that he and Sagat could've sat over coffee for a little longer.


Message History with "Chun-Li"

Chun-Li: [Sent a picture of a Bao Bao Bun lunch with Li-Fen in the background.] I'm sure you miss these! Come and see us again soon. (12:47 pm)

Ryu: Hello. I am in Thailand. I will visit again soon but not right away. Sincerely, Ryu. (3:13 pm)

Chun-Li: Are you there for a tournament? Good luck (3:32 pm)

Ryu: no. Visiting someone. Sincerely, Ryu. (3:40 pm)

Ryu: Tell Li-Fen I said hello and work hard in your training. Sincerely, Ryu. (6:43 pm)

Chun-Li: Li-Fen says hello to you too. Anything from Ken? (7:14 pm)

Ryu: no. (7:17 pm)

Chun-Li: Ok. Keep trying. Let him know you're thinking about him. (7:21 pm)

Chun-Li: And stay safe out there please. (7:22 pm)

Ryu: I will do both. Sincerely, Ryu. (7:25 pm) Read

Message History with "Ken"

Ryu: Good morning Ken. If you are feeling up to it, please call me. Have a good day. Sincerely, Ryu. (7:31 am)

Ryu: I just landed in Thailand. I forgot how hot and humid it is here. You probably wouldn't look forward to the hike I have ahead of me. Sincerely, Ryu. (10:47 am)

Ryu: [Sent a picture of the jungle with the village peeking out from the corner.] (9:26 pm) Unread

With a heavy sigh, Ryu forces himself to turn off his phone. When he first got it he essentially neglected it (to the annoyance of everyone who tried to get into contact with him.) Now it's like he's developed some stupid addiction to the thing. As frustrating as it is trying to figure out all the buttons and menus, he finds himself checking it every half hour in hopes of finding new messages from Ken.

His best friend has barely spoken to him for weeks. He's still dealing with the protracted fallout of the terrorist accusations in Nayshall, and while he's been cleared of those accusations for about a month now, it's harder to get in contact with him than ever before. In the past month he's sent exactly one text and called Ryu exactly once. Both communications had been short and unfriendly in tone. Ryu is trying to give him time to recoup, but he's also starting to wish Ken would just let him help out.

At the moment there's not much he can do though. Ryu puts his phone into his bag and rolls onto his back. He's been trying to fall asleep for an hour now. His solo walk with Willa Maiu had given him and Sagat some time to recenter, so dinner had been a quiet but peaceful affair. But there's still some tension in the air from earlier.

He and Sagat have come to an understanding over the years that they don't need to talk a lot when they meet. They communicate best when they fight. But that means that when they aren't fighting, communication gets a lot tougher.

Slowly, Ryu pushes himself up. He feels restless. His inability to talk to Ken and now Sagat are putting him on edge. Slipping out of bed and digging through his bag for his gi pants and jacket, he figures he can run through his katas to work out some stress.

When he makes it out onto the porch, the night air is a lot warmer than he anticipated and he slides off his jacket, tying it around his waist. But he doesn't make it down the stairs to the courtyard before realizing he isn't alone out here.

Sitting at the bottom of the stairs is Sagat. He's lit up a few of the lanterns around the courtyard for himself and honestly Ryu is embarrassed he didn't notice sooner. He's wearing the pants he probably sleeps in, but next to him is a rolled-up wrap. He stopped at one hand,though. The other rests against his wrist idly.

"Trouble sleeping?" Sagat calls out without turning around.

Slowly, Ryu walks down the steps to join him. He sits two steps higher than Sagat to put them at more-or-less equal height.

"Yeah. You too?" he asks.

Sagat nods. "I came out here to get some air."

Ryu notices that his voice sounds rough, even more than it did earlier. "Are you okay?"

"I'll live."

"What are you sick with again?"

Sagat shrugs a single shoulder. "They weren't sure. I've been feverish, slow, disoriented. I haven't been sick like this since I was a child. It was humiliating, but I spent a few days unable to leave my bed."

Ryu frowns. "That's terrible! Have you been here all by yourself?"

Sagat doesn't answer at first, choosing to huff grumpily instead. He looks sideways at Ryu. "I thought I told you I wanted the company of someone who wouldn't fuss."

Instead of taking that, Ryu stands his ground. "And I came here because I wanted to make sure you were ok."

Sagat just blinks at that. Seems he finds it just as difficult to receive genuine kindness from Ryu. The Japanese man really means it though, and he bores into Sagat's surprised stare with his own resolute one.

"You've had someone to take care of you right?" Ryu presses.

Sagat sighs, giving in to the wall of stubbornness. "Yes. I had ten people at my door every day last week demanding to know how I was. Even the lazy cat fretted over me."

"Good."

"I could barely sleep," Sagat complains.

"But you're better now?"

"I won't repeat myself. Yes."

Sagat may sound annoyed, but he sounds more like a tired father than an angry villain. It's definitely unusual for Ryu to needle him so much, but apparently in the time they've been apart he's become more pushy. Or concerned.

"You asked me to come visit you," Ryu reminds him. "Obviously you know I…Well, I wouldn't have come if I didn't care about you."

Sagat sighs heavily. "You're right."

Ryu studies Sagat, taking in just how tired he looks. He can't remember ever seeing Sagat look so exhausted. He's always held himself with so much strength and pride. Even after Ryu scarred him, his anger was so vicious. When he was with Shadaloo, every word he said and every step he took had been imposing. After he left he remained striking, a man that was larger-than-life but noble at his core.

Right now he looks so worn out. Still big, but slumped in on himself with his hands half wrapped. He looks his age and Ryu is surprised by how much that stings to see.

"Why did you ask me to come?" Ryu asks. It's kinda been bugging him the whole time. He's never been invited here before. He tends to just show up from time to time.

Sagat's mouth twists in a messy half-smile/half-grimace."For exactly the reasons I said. And to be honest, Ryu…" Momentarily he trails off and then he shrugs. "Outside of the people here, I don't really have anyone else who wants to see me but you."

Ryu opens his mouth to protest. All that comes out is a flat "That can't be true."

Sagat laughs dryly. "There's no need to spare my feelings. I appreciate the people of the village, truly. But I'm not going to pretend like I've spent my life making friends. I've fallen in with bad men, I've hurt people, and I've been abandoned. Those are the consequences of my own actions. I don't like it, but I have to accept that it's my own fault."

It's hard to argue with Sagat when he's speaking the truth.

"You've forgiven me for the past whether I deserve it or not. You truly know what I'm like at my worst. The fact that you're here anyways means a lot."

Ryu doesn't know what to say. He's taken aback by Sagat's honesty. It's not like the man is unemotional, but he doesn't express himself very brazenly. This is a pretty deep admission, even if he isn't saying all the words out loud.

But Ryu can read between the lines. Sagat regrets that he hasn't made any long lasting relationships in his life. It's ironic that the one person who stuck around was the guy he used to hate the most. The two of them have a lot in common, which might be why they've become friends despite the bad blood that used to exist between them. Ryu doesn't know every detail of Sagat's past, but he knows that being a Heavenly King isn't Sagat's only regret.

Maybe above all else he regrets his self-imposed loneliness. Ryu wants to say that if they can become friends, two fighters who despised and feared each other for years, reconciliation with anyone is possible. But he also knows that the only fighter who can seem to see Sagat as anything other than a corrupt criminal is himself.

With all the compassion he can muster, Ryu says, "I'll be here for you for as long as you need me. I promise."

Sagat sighs and with it his body appears to deflate. Now the tiredness seems more physical, not caused by weariness but actual lethargy. He's taken on the slightest smile. "Thank you, Ryu."

Ryu glances at Sagat's half wrapped hands. Seems he's not the only one who needs to work himself to exhaustion to sleep sometimes. "Are you up for a spar?"

"That would be nice. But I don't know if I'll be very formidable."

"That's okay." Ryu stands up and stretches out his back with a loud pop. He cringes, feeling embarrassed by the conveniently timed evidence of his body's own age. "Huff. We'll just go until one of our knees goes out."

Sagat chuckles, grabbing the wrap at his side to finish up. Ryu hadn't meant it as a joke but it's nice it made Sagat laugh. As disheartening as the effects of time on his body can be, he feels lucky. Maybe he and Sagat are slower, creakier, and more susceptible to illness now, but they're still kicking and there's something reassuring about that. It proves that they were strong enough to make it.

Plus, Sagat knocks him on his ass a couple times during the fight that follows anyways, so Ryu is reassured that his fighting spirit still has years of oil left to burn.


Message History with "Ken"

Ryu: I know that things have been very difficult for you recently. I apologize if I didn't do enough for you while you were in Nayshall. Please know that I wish that things would improve for you, and that I could help. But if you are unable to speak to me right now I understand. Take as much time as you need. But please don't make things worse for yourself by hiding away from everyone. (11:31 pm)

Ryu: You are still my best friend Ken. I will always be here for you. Sincerely, Ryu. (11:32 pm) Read

A force bumping into his hand nearly makes Ryu drop his phone. Thankfully, he catches it before it can smash into the ground. Maiu growls at him insistently, hustling Ryu to direct his attention away from his phone and to him. Ryu stuffs his phone into his pocket and humors the cat with a pet.

"Where did you learn such horrendous manners?" Sagat scolds from behind him. Willa Maiu willfully ignores him. Sagat clicks his tongue and shakes his head.

"Spoiled cat," he mumbles to himself, crossing his arms.

"Be good for your master," Ryu says, giving Willa Maiu one final scratch. He looks up at Sagat with amusement. "Surely he learned his manners from you."

Sagat scoffs. "I'm appalled you think so. No, ever since they named him he's become the village kids's pet more than mine. That's why he acts like a child when he's nearly thirteen."

Yet Sagat doesn't shove the tiger away when he comes over to rub against his legs. The beast is clearly pleased to see him after spending the morning with Ryu on the porch.

In the early morning light, the village and jungle still seem deep asleep. It's like Ryu and Sagat are the only two people awake in the world right now. The wandering warrior had a great night of sleep after their spar. He's slightly sore, but any aching from a fight always feels nice in a weird way.

"How are you feeling this morning?" he asks Sagat.

"I feel good," the Thai fighter answers. "The best I've felt in weeks. You really wore me out."

Ryu chuckles. "I could say the same thing. Do you think you'll fight in any tournaments soon? I noticed you've been absent."

Sagat hums thoughtfully. "Well, I've been busy helping out around here. My tournament days may be behind me."

"I disagree." And so do the bruises and aches all over Ryu's entire body.

Sagat smiles with a hint of his classic pride. But his gaze belongs to an older, more contemplative man. "Our path isn't totally linear, Ryu. I think I've found a more meaningful use for strength than achieving victory."

He definitely has,Ryu thinks. He feels a deep sense of fulfillment and happiness on Sagat's behalf. "Whatever you decide, let me know where you'll be."

"Of course." Sagat nods his head towards the house. "Now come eat. I'd still like to hear about where else in the world your travels have taken you recently."

Ryu pushes off the porch railing with a smile. He follows Sagat and the tiger into the house and soon they're enjoying breakfast. Sagat gives Ryu his full attention while he shares stories about Metro City, Hong Kong, and all sorts of other places from the past four years.

It's strange to casually spend time in the house of a man he used to consider an enemy, but a lot of time has passed and they've both changed a lot. As unlikely as it is, Ryu is grateful for the Thai's company. After all, he makes it a point to visit the fighters he's met over the years. The ones he considers friends are the ones he treasures time with the most.

While once he and Sagat might've been amicable because the enemy of your enemy was your friend, Ryu can now say that they're truly friends. It's as simple as that.