Shotoken – Wushu Dojo
11 February 2000, a cool breezy morning
 

Pain. The only thing ChunLi felt was pain. More pain that she ever felt in a fight against any high level fighters. In her pain she cursed in the numerous dialects and languages she knew. She was amazed by her own vocabulary as well for she had pick up quite a few words from a few foul mouthed friends whose names she can’t recalled in this pain.

ChunLi wished she was out there fighting against anyone for that matter, at least she could dispense the pain to somebody else. How ironic that her day started out so fine, they were celebrating Iwa’s birthday, she was nice enough to come all the way here without complaining about having a major test on the following day though.
 

The poor little shrimp (Iwa’s a little on the short side) always seems to be cursed with a major test the day after her birthday. The other students had being given a day off for they wanted it to be private.

ChunLi had thought that she was due next week, even when she was nearing full term she didn’t seem all that bloated, at least that’s what Eliza and Jane told her. All hell had broken loose when her water broke. They didn’t have time to make it to hospital they say.

They try to get a midwife over they say. So apparently her kids are going to be born in the grounds of the dojo. Amidst her screams, Ryu had still managed to carry her to their room to wait for the birth while the others rushed around preparing the things that would be needed.
 

<  I hope I can get over this ASAP. If not I’ll go nuts without pounding somebody for a few months. One more month to go and I need not drink those tonics that Chef Jack makes. It’s so damn bitter!  > she thought.

She didn’t even know what she had grabbed,  when she realised that it was Ryu’s shirt that she had grabbed, she pulled him over until they were face to face.

<  Why didn’t I settle with Caesarian anyway? Oh yeah me and my stupid pride.  > she recalled.
“Promise me…” ChunLi gritted her teeth.

“Anything.” Ryu was holding onto her hands.
“If I ever get the chi sin (crazy) idea… to have kids again. Tell me that I said that….I would rather go pick a fight with Gouki and the Ten Grand Masters all at once.. uggghh! Damn! " she cursed again.
 
 

Ryu had never seen his wife so agitated before, except maybe that time when Dan decided to challenge her for Apprenticeship and didn’t even put up a good fight, ChunLi took that as an insult.

<  Poor fellow had the guts to taunt her though. Three months in hospital. His longest stay ever.   > Ryu thought. He noted that his right hand had lost all feeling, it took him a while but he managed to get his wife to hold on to his left hand.
<  Oww.. Strong grip.  > he thought while shaking his right hand.
 
 

Ryu tried to help by giving his wife some words of encouragement.

“That’s easy for you to say!” ChunLi nearly shouted, though she appreciated the encouragement as little help as it may have being. ChunLi had rejected the offer of anesthetic. She wanted to see what was her level of pain tolerance.
“No way am I going to rely on any drugs for this!!” she cursed again. Targeting her curses at only a selected few. She had lost track of how long she had being here, Ryu change hand again.
 

“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day. To the last syllable of recorded time! And all our yesterdays have lighted FOOLS!! The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more; it is a tale
Told by an IDIOT!! Full of sound and fury, Signifying NOTHING!!! URRGGH!!” She was in pain again.

<<  Where the hell did that come from?   >>  she asked herself.
<<  Macbeth. I think it was two years ago when Iwa kept mumbling quotes from Macbeth. A major exam in her life, her Cambridge O’levels I think.  >> Ryu explained taking her question literally. ChunLi wanted to berate him but thought against it. He didn’t know that she was asking that in a figure of speech.

<   Somehow I don’t think I can get mad at him. > she tried to smile but all she could managed was a grimace.
<<  Hubby!….These two little dragons are more trouble than they’re worth…uuurrgh ..  >> ChunLi sent. Ryu was a little surprised by her comments and had no answers to her remarks.

“WHAT THE HELL DO THEY THINK THEY’RE DOING??! TRYING TO FIGHT THEIR WAY OUT??!! AAARRGGH!!” ChunLi realised that she was a sucker for punishment.
 

“AIIIEEEE!!!!” ChunLi screamed again. A few moments later there was a little cry and the nurse brought the first child over.

“Congratulations Mr Hoshi. It’s a little princess.” The nurse said.
The first thing Ryu did was to check her limbs and made sure she’s okay. As he held his daughter, Ryu was hit by a series of emotions he couldn’t describe. Their first child, fruit of their love’s labour. The feeling was somewhat magical.
“Thanks the seven powers that are, she’s healthy.” He whispered a prayer. Returning her to the nurse.
 

A few moments later another scream from ChunLi this time she was gripping both of Ryu’s hands and cursing even louder.
This time it was a boy. Seems like both their kids are healthy. ChunLi’s grip seems to relaxed.
“Li.” Ryu called softly. He smiled seeing that his wife had drifted to sleep with a somewhat blissful look as soon as the pain ended.
<  I am thankful that both mother and children are okay.  > He said a prayer of thanks.
 

Some time in the afternoon. ChunLi awoke to see Ryu smiling at her, his right hand was bandaged.
“I’m sorry.” She apologised with a sheepish smile.
“there is no need to be sorry. What is a little pain compared to that which you have felt. You feel better?” kissing her on the lips.
“Yeah. I want to see the two little monsters that were causing the pain. Ryu…I love you.”
“I love you too Li.” Ryu got up headed outside to speak to the nurse and came back in.
 

The nurse headed to the room where the two kids were. Only to see a shadowy figure putting something around their necks. Before the nurse could even scream, the shadow look at her and wave and in a quick movement it was out of the window. Moving closer she saw they the twins weren’t frighten at all.

She saw what it was the shadow had left behind. A thin gold chain each and a small greyish blue reptilian scale the size of a penny as a pendent. She attempted to remove it but the twins held onto it protectively. The hapless nurse could only carry them to their parents.
 

“It is okay I guess.” Ryu said as the nurse told them what they saw. Ryu gently put their daughter into ChunLi’s arms and then their son.
“So what do you intend to name her?” the nurse asked

“Haruryu.” Ryu said
“ChunLong” ChunLi translated
“Haruryu ChunLong Hoshi.” The nurse repeated when she wrote it down on the birth certificate.
“And your boy?”

“Kageryu.” Ryu said
“YingLong.” ChunLi translated again.
“Kageryu YingLong Hoshi.” The nurse wrote it down and signs on both before handing it to them and left.
 

“You do realise that she didn’t know I was translating.”
“Yeah. I kinda like both names. Spring Dragon and Shadow Dragon.” Ryu said, he whispered each child’s name into their ears and sat down beside ChunLi. Both of them were cooing at their children.

“She’s going to be a real heartbreaker when she grows up.”
“Yes, beautiful like her mother. A bone breaker too, when she reaches her full potential. She has the same sparkle in her eyes like you, Aisai.”
“Umm She has your seriousness.”

The twins allow them to touch their precious little pendants.
“Well she sure was anxious enough to give them this.” ChunLi could feel qi flowing within the pendant.
“What does she means by this?”
“I’m not sure. I think I check later, she has a reason for doing the things she does.”
 

There was a knock on the door.
“Can I come in?” A young voice asked
“Sure.”
“Hey! I have that too.” Mel said pointing at the pendant. “Dad said I should never take it off until I’m a certain age. I guess the same thing applies to them as well. Huh.”
It dawned to ChunLi as she realised what Mel said. She knew that their children would be walking the same path with Mel as well. ChunLi knew that she might not like the answers that she’ll be getting

“What’s her name?”
“Haruryu ChunLong.”
“Heh..Haru…she’s kinda cute.” Mel said as Haru was playing with his hair.”
“And this is her little brother Kageryu YingLong.” Kage reached up and Mel allowed him to stroke his face.
“Kage…Owww! You watch out. I’m gonna pay you back when you’re older. ” Mel winced as Kageryu suddenly slap him.

“Ga Goo Gen. Gi Goo Gen.” The twins managed.
“That sounds awfully familiar.” Mel said. “So which discipline would they be studying?”
“Both styles.” The couple answered together.
“Goody! At least they won’t be stuck in the age old ‘the girl follows her mother’s discipline and the boy in the discipline of his father’. They’re gonna get the combination of two coolest disciplines around. Sure made me wish I was your kid.” Mel said excitedly as he headed out.

“So we trained them in both styles at the same time?” ChunLi asked.
“Yeah, maybe then they would pick out their own preference on how to adapt. I think that they might be able to blend both styles as well. Since Volume 7 mentioned that it was possible to if One is trained in more than one art since young. I believe that our disciple had proven that point.” Ryu said.

“So who are you going to give it to?” ChunLi said when she saw both twins tugging on the tails of Ryu’s headband.
“I do not want to be accuse of favouritism. I think these two would rather have a fair fight over it.”
“I think they’re hungry. Help me close the door Ryu. I bet they have your appetite.” ChunLi put the twins on the bed before she could unbutton her blouse.
“Sure.” He smiled as he got up to close the door, the little family of four was left to their privacy. Today a new chapter of their lives have begun.