Of Love, Honour and Revenge Ch. 32
By Matt Lawson

“Ryu, don’t you remember me? It’s me, Chun Li!” Chun Li shouted.

Her words were traded with a powerful kick into her stomach, pushing Chun Li back, and causing her to skid across the floor.

Chun Li picked herself up, coughing out as she tried to regain the wind that was knocked out of her.

“R..Ry…”

Evil Ryu picked her up by the throat and held her. Chun Li gasped as he choked her, squeezing hard on her throat. Then he threw her against the wall. Chun Li flew the entire length of the room, slammed into the wall, and fell down on her side.

She just about managed to pick herself up. As she leant on the wall, she saw Evil Ryu standing, showing no emotion in his face.

This isn’t Ryu. I’ve got to defend myself, she realized in her head, no matter how much she hated the idea. Managing to get on her feet, she made an unsuccessful roundhouse kick to Evil Ryu’s head, then followed it with a head punch on Evil Ryu’s right side, which was also blocked. However, she managed to raise her knee and kick Evil Ryu’s stomach, then punched him again in the chest.

Evil Ryu flinched, but showed no signs of pain. Chun Li brought her fist back to punch him again, but when she pushed it forward, Evil Ryu punched her fist, causing a surge of pain to spread in her hand. Chun Li cried out in pain, as Evil Ryu chopped her neck where her shoulders joined with hands, then punched her, causing to fall, banging her head on the stone floor. As she staggered on all fours, Evil Ryu kicked her in the stomach, and she was lifted back into the wall. However, she didn’t fall on her knees. Shaking her head to fight off the dizziness, she raised her arm to block a hammer punch from Evil Ryu. The punch was so powerful, it forced Chun Li down, but she managed to land with her hand, raised her feet and kicked Evil Ryu’s side twice. As Evil Ryu staggered back, Chun Li went back on her feet and followed with a punch to Evil Ryu’s face, but he countered by punching Chun Li back, first on her right side, then on the left side of her face.

Chun Li staggered back into the wall, barely sidestepping a straight punch to her head, which smashed into the wall and caused a small hole where her head had just been. She ducked to avoid another swinging punch, then raised her arm to block another. But she was too slow to block another punch to her ribs, which sent a torrent of pain down her left side.

Her back against the wall, she had no choice but to block the continuous punches Evil Ryu launched at her. But the force of Ryu’s punches had increased greatly, her arms hurt badly every time she tried to block. She brought her palm down to slap away a knee that Evil Ryu brought up to her stomach, and jumped into the air to perform an upward flying kick. Evil Ryu grabbed her outstretched leg, and with a cry hurled her over his shoulder, smashing her down to the floor.

Akuma watched as Evil Ryu continued to attack the girl with powerful attacks, showing no emotion in his face. Akuma found no greater pleasure than seeing two lovers fighting each other to the death. It was a sign as to how powerful the Evil Intent was.

A slow smile spread across his face. He knew, now, that he had won.

Chun Li tried desperately to find the strength to stand up again. Every time she tried, though, her legs buckled. I can’t fight him. Must…..try to make him remember me…

“Ryu……don’t you remember…that night we kissed?”

Evil Ryu paused for a second, as if some deep recess of his mind had suddenly awakened, but he quickly pushed the thought out of his head. He grabbed Chun Li’s hair and pulled her up. He suddenly noticed those eyes. He had seen those eyes before…..

He cried out in anger and jumped in the air, spinning his leg. A field of lightning surrounded his leg as he performed the Shippuu Jinrai Kyaku. He kicked Chun Li’s head three times, and she fell, spinning, to the floor.

Chun Li crawled away from Evil Ryu as he landed.

“You see, woman, you cannot stop Satsui No Hado, no-one can. It has entered the body of the man you love, and has darkened his soul. You cannot prevail.”

Chun Li heard Akuma’s toneless voice though she was tired. She gritted her teeth to fight off her agony. “No……I will prevail….I must call to him…”

“You cannot. You know the sign on his back. That is the kanji for ten, meaning heaven in the Japanese tongue. That is where all the victims who have ever fought the force of the Evil Intent ultimately go. It’s a shame, I would have preferred it to be the kanji for h*ll, but I guess such is the irony of Satsui No Hado.”

Chun Li turned her head back to see Evil Ryu leap into the air and push down a ball of energy. It slammed into her back, causing a great pain to surge through her body. She screamed in agony as her body spasmed in pain. But she was not dead yet. She started to crawl again towards the center of the room. Evil Ryu walked around her to face her. “R……Ry….” Chun Li stuttered.

“Ryu is not here. He cannot help you, Chun Li Xiang.”

Evil Ryu stopped. “Chun Li?”

He knew that name. His master had just called her that name. What was the meaning of that name?

Chun Li knew that Ryu was trying to remember. She stopped crawling and looked up.

“Yes, it’s me, Chun Li. Remember me, Ryu?”

Evil Ryu placed his hands to his head as he tried to fight away the memories. Chun Li…she was….she was. Chun Li’s body suddenly went limp as Akuma psychically grabbed her, raised her, and left her floating centimeters from the ground. She was helpless.

“Kill her, Ryu.”

Evil Ryu’s anger surged through him and he charged his energy for the killing blow.

“SHUN GOKU SATSU!”

But Chun Li didn’t flinch as he sped towards her. Despite the physical and emotional pain, she stood in defiance, closing her eyes as she prepared herself for the attack. As Evil Ryu came closer, his fist drawn back, she whispered three words.

“I love you…”

The room was filled with a white light as Evil Ryu drew ever closer.

The light dimmed. Akuma’s eyes were closed to protect himself from the light. When he opened them, he saw a startling sight.

Ryu’s fist was outstretched towards the girl’s head, but it wasn’t touching. Chun Li’s eyes opened. She gasped as she saw Ryu’s fist, a mere three centimeters from her face.

Then she saw his face. He was still wearing the same black gi, but there was something different. His eyes had changed. No longer were they blood red. They were brown. The same brown eyes she had fallen in love with. His face was shaking as he started to remember his real identity.

“I…..I can’t…kill you. I can’t…” Ryu stuttered.

“Why? Why can’t you kill me?” Chun Li replied in expectance for the answer she wanted.

“What are you doing? KILL HER!” Akuma ordered Ryu. But he didn’t move.

“Please……tell me why?” Chun Li asked again, tears in her eyes.

“Because….”

“Why?”

A long silence. Then Ryu finally gave his answer.

“……because I love you.”

Chun Li cried tears of joy as she placed her arms around Ryu’s neck and kissed him. Ryu returned the kiss.

Akuma glanced away from the sight of Ryu and Chun Li kissing. But it was not the kissing he was concerned about. It was its result.

“No. He’s remembering…” He snarled.

A great aura surrounded Ryu and Chun Li as the Evil Intent was blasted away from Ryu. They continued kissing as the final remnants of Satsui No Hado was lifted from Ryu’s soul, and disappeared.

The aura faded, and the room was normal. The two lovers finished their kiss, and looked at each other. Chun Li smiled. Ryu’s gi had returned back to white, and his face, once unemotional, now displayed kindness and joy. Ryu smiled back in return as Chun Li hugged Ryu. Ryu hugged her tight, not wanting to let her go.

He then noticed the evil behind him, and turned his head. He saw Akuma, his arms crossed, and his face showing great rage.

“AKUMMAAA!!” Ryu cried out as he turned to face his enemy.

Akuma had failed. He could not turn Ryu back into Evil Ryu. All trace of Satsui No Hado had disappeared from Ryu. There was only one thing to do now.

“Kill them.”

Akuma teleported away as several Shadowloo agents suddenly appeared, some carrying close combat weapons. One of them ran towards Ryu with a great cry.

Ryu charged up the energy in his hands and pushed them forward.

“HADOKEN!”

But instead of a fireball, Ryu fired a great blast of energy, which slammed into the agent and sent him flying into the wall. He fell down and remained motionless.

Chun Li found new strength as she placed her back against Ryu’s. She was ready now, she had found and brought back her boyfriend, and now she felt ready to destroy Shadowloo once and for all. With Ryu at her side, she knew that nothing would stop them.

“Shall we fight?” asked Ryu.

“Let’s dance.” Chun Li replied with a smile.

They both took fighting positions as they prepared to face the might of the Shadowloo army.