Of Love, Honour and Revenge Ch. 24
By Matt Lawson

The dinner was exquisite. Shadowloo obviously spared no expense on it.

The whole dining room was a new room built near the top of the Aztec temple. Bison's slaves had been working so hard to make this room as lavish as he wanted it to be. Around the three warriors, ornate Aztec carvings and pottery decorated the Aztec brickwork. The huge pine table was covered with silver cutlery and crystal glasses. On gold plates (obviously stolen) there were such delicacies from around the world. A large red lobster lay in the center of the table, both of its claws broken off. Several Chinese and Japanese dishes surrounded the lobster. A roast beef lay near one end of the table, a large salmon on the other end.

Vegetable dishes lay in various places. A chicken-dish cooked quietly in a giant silver salver. Red and white wines, as well as a bottle of champagne, chilled themselves in ice-buckets.

In the background, classical music played quietly out of the four speakers in each corner at the top of the room. It was Au fond du temple saint, the duet from Georges Bizet's Les P鹹heurs de Perles; The Pearl Fishers, one of the most popular duets in classical history. As the baritone and tenor singers sang the song of friendship between the two fishermen, Bison sat eating the food before him on the china plate, showing no hint of bad table manners, and listened to the beautiful music at the same time. He wore his traditional red uniform and hat, this time with decorations and robes, to show his true authority. He looked up and noticed that Ryu and Chun Li, his two captives, had not even touched the food that was set out in front of them. They simply sat at the table side by side, Ryu in his dinner jacket, Chun Li in her ball gown, two guards standing beside them both.

"Are you not eating, Ryu?" Bison asked with a smile, "Your passion for eating is as legendary as your passion for fighting. Surely, even you would not turn down a meal like this?"

Ryu said nothing, but just picked up the plate and dropped it on the floor, anger apparent in his face. The plate shattered, spreading food across the floor. Bison simply shrugged his shoulders and continued eating.

For a minute, they sat in silence while Bison ate. Then Bison spoke again.

"Perhaps it is my taste in music, then? You probably find it confusing that you would listen to such calming music in a place such as this?"

This time Ryu answered, "I just find it ironic that a man who causes so much destruction and pain in his own anger, would find such delight in such peaceful music."

"Well, Ryu, a man must find his peace somewhere. I listen to this when I want to feel relaxed. It is said that a civilized man seeks out good and intelligent company in pleasant surroundings so that through learned discourse he may rise above the savage and be closer to God."

"God?" Chun Li asked with a laugh, "How can you want to be closer to a God you obviously don't believe in?"

"Well, personally, my dear, I prefer to sit myself with a couple of captives to remind myself that I'm best."

Bison chuckled at this remark. Ryu and Chun Li just sat in silence.

"You must find yourself amusing, Bison." Ryu said.

"Unlike you, I try not to fly in the face of public opinion. You know, I've been wanting to have you captured for a very long time, Ryu. I'm amazed that I even have you in my grasp."

"I suppose it's not because I would have killed you again were it not for the fact that I didn't know you were still alive? How is it that you're still alive anyway?"

"All in good time. I wouldn't try a war of words with me if I were you Ryu. You'd only lose."

Typical master criminal, thought Chun Li, so sure of himself.

The sat again in silence. The music changed to another duet, this time it was Che suave zefritto from Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro; the Marriage of Figaro.

"Ahhh." Bison rose from the table to listen. "This is one of my favourite pieces. Have you ever listened to the Marriage of Figaro, Ryu?"

Ryu shook his head, not willing to verbally give an answer.

"This is the scene where Suzanna and Contessa, or the countess, wishes to punish the Count's profligate behavior by writing a note, inviting the Count to meet Susanna in the garden in the evening of Figaro and Susanna's wedding ceremony. Later on, Figaro believes that because of this, his beloved Susanna has betrayed him on their first night. But this is so beautiful, is it not?"

Ryu had to agree, even though it was coming from Bison. He didn't know what exactly the two Italian lady singers were singing about. Truth is, he didn't want to know. Some things are best kept unsaid. He would have liked to believe that they were singing about something so beautiful it couldn't be expressed in words, and it made your heart ache because of it. He turned his head and smiled, because as he looked into her eyes, he knew that Chun Li was thinking exactly the same.

Bison continued. "You know, in the film, 'The Shawshank Redemption' there is a scene where this tune is played to the entire prison from the speaker system. The whole prison is set to a standstill as they stand there watching the speaker, listening to the music. That's the beauty and power of music, is it not. To be able to stop a prison because you realize it is something they can't take away from you."

After another minute and a half, the final notes were sung by the two ladies, and Bison sat down. The music was now Samuel Barber's Adagio for strings, in its orchestral form.

Bison returned to the matter at hand. "Ryu, I brought you here because you have a power in you. A power that I have very much liked to acquire. Satsui no Hado?"

Ryu was shocked, but kept his composure. "How do you know about・"

"I've been watching you for a long time, Ryu. You know, the only reason I wanted you at first was because I wanted your body to house my soul, my current body was too weak to hold my increasing psycho power. But now, I realize what is the use of having a body when the soul that it originally holds is that much more powerful?"

"What are you talking about, Bison?" Chun Li asked, confused but concerned.

"I have been told that Ryu has an untapped power deep within himself that was drawn into him when he learned his art from his master Gouken. It can only be released when Ryu invokes the forbidden art of the Shotokan, the Shun Goku Satsu. I captured him so that we can push him into using it."

"You're only kidding yourself, Bison. Your using your imagination. I know that Ryu does not have any evil power in him whatsoever."

"Albert Einstein once said that 'Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited, imagination encircles the world.' My empire will increase in power once we bring the power of Satsui no Hado from Ryu's soul. We will tap that power and use it for our own needs."

"We? Who else is there? How do you know all this?" Ryu asked.

"With that in mind, I would like to introduce your friend Miss Li to an old friend of yours."

With that the door opened. Ryu's eyes widened as he stared into the eyes of his most hated enemy. Akuma walked into the room, a grim smile on his face.

Ryu pushed the seat back, ready to charge at Akuma, when the two guards behind him grabbed him and pulled him away. Akuma simply walked up to Ryu and studied him.

"Who do you think had the power to bring me back to life, Ryu?" Bison said, laughing.

Chun Li watched as Ryu was held back, a gun aimed at her from one of the guards so that she couldn't do anything. Ryu had told her about Akuma before, but she never expected to actually see him. Indeed, he was as Ryu had described him. Evil.

He ruined Ryu's life by taking away his father figure, just like Bison had done with me! she thought with fear.

Akuma continued to study Ryu, but didn't say anything about him. "Take him away and give him his gi. Then throw him into the chamber."

The guards dragged Ryu away. Chun Li stood up to try and help him, but she was suddenly pushed away by unseen hands. Bison forced a surprised Chun Li away with a psychic push, even though she was several feet away from him.

"CHUN LI!" Ryu cried out as she hit the far wall. He managed to release himself from the guards and ran to Chun Li. She groaned as he knelt down, holding her in his arms.

"Are you alright?" Ryu asked, a scared look of concern and worry in his eyes.

Chun Li managed to make one brief smile, then her head slumped down, unconscious.

Ryu tried to shake her back to consciousness, but the butt of a FAMAS assault rifle hit the back of his head, and he fell. He was only a step away from unconsciousness when he saw himself being pulled farther and farther away from the woman he loved, and the man he hated.

Then, he blacked out.

Bison and Akuma watched as Ryu was dragged out towards the chamber. A few seconds later, two more guards arrived to take Chun Li's unconscious form back to her cell.

"Do you think this will work?" Bison asked Akuma.

"It will. I will be able to draw out Ryu's inner strength. And he will be mine."

"Not until after I've used that power to recharge the generator for my Psycho beam device, like we discussed."

"You shall have your power. Do not be so impatient, Bison. Your chance will come."

Akuma walked out. Bison stood inside the dining room as the music played. He laughed.

Dan was walking down the corridor as he saw the two guards dragging Ryu behind them.

"Where are you taking him?" Dan asked the two guards.

"We're taking him to the chamber, sir. Akuma wants to confront him directly tomorrow."

Dan watched as Ryu was picked up and slung over one of the guard's shoulder.

He'll be slaughtered・Dan thought with concern as he walked towards the cell.

Chun Li was pushed back into her cell, still unconscious. Sagat immediately rushed to her aid and laid her down on the stone bed while she still slept.

In the cell next door, Sakura wondered what was going on. "Mr. Sagat. What's happening?"

"It's Chun Li. She's unconscious."

Sakura ran to the small hole and saw Sagat taking care of the sleeping Chinese lady. She then noticed that Ryu was still missing.

"Where's Ryu?" she asked

"I don't know. She was the only one who came in."

At that moment, Dan entered the cell. Sagat stood up.

"You come here to torture me again, Hibiki?"

"Not today. I just came here to give you some news."

Sakura's voice could be heard from next door. "Where's Ryu? Is he okay?"

"Ryu's been taken away. He's going to fight Akuma tomorrow in the chamber where he resurrected Bison."

"Why the h*ll does he want to fight Ryu?" Sagat asked, confused.

"I've no idea. I think Chun Li knows, but we can't ask her now. We'll just have to wait the outcome."

As Dan turned to walk away, Sagat called out. "I'm surprised, Hibiki. You're not going to punish me."

"Let's just say I'm not in the mood for such an act. I'll see you tomorrow."

Dan disappeared, leaving Sagat with an unconscious girl. Sakura walked away with a heavy heart. She was afraid the Ryu would lose the upcoming fight.

Ryu, please don't die・