Hero of Heroes Ch. 4 - Journeys
By Night

San Francisco

Ryu woke up, stretching and fully rested. It's been a while since I've slept that peacefully. I'm so glad I came. He jumped out of his sheets and immediately places his two feet on the edge of the bed. He placed his thumbs on the floor and started doing thumb push-ups for his morning exercises. As he did each push up he observed his surroundings. Such a nice room. This room alone is a mansion compared to what I have back at home. After he was done doing his one hundred thumb push-ups, he began to make the bed. Even guests must be hospitable to their hosts. Before he finished, he was interrupted by his door suddenly opening, revealing his best friend and rival, Ken.

"Good mornin' pal! HEY! You're making the bed? We got maids to do that! Just forget about it and let's have some breakfast!"

"Breakfast?" Ryu's ears sprung, "That sounds quite nice." It's been a long time since Ryu ate a first course meal, and he immediately dropped the bed sheets and followed Ken to the dining room.

The dining table was already filled with steaming pancakes, sizzling meats, fresh baked pastries, condiments, and everything else that made a breakfast complete. Ryu still remembered the last time he ate at the Masters Estate and he his mouth watered to the memories of all the delicious meals.

Ken and Eliza sat together along with Mel sitting right next to his mother. Ryu sat at the other end of the long table. "Go ahead and eat all you want, buddy!" Ken offered.

"Oh I will Ken! I will!" And eat he did. Ryu may have been a polite gentleman and honorable warrior in almost every way, but at the dining table, his cleanliness was at the level of the average pig. Pancake after pancake was consumed, sausages and bacon were swallowed down in seconds, and pastry after pastry was gone one after another. The plates kept piling up and Ryu just kept eating to his heart's content.

"Wow Mommy," Mel said as he tugged at Eliza's shirt, "Uncle Ryu is a machine!"

Eliza giggled in response, "It's so nice to see you still so healthy, Ryu!"

"I still don't understand," Ryu said between bites, "why..." *chew* "...with so much good food like this..." *chew* "...you don't pig out every day!" *gulp*

"Well, not every meal is like this," Eliza smiled, "we always have a big feast like this for very special guests, especially you!"

"I will forever be in your debt for such a meal!" Ryu mumbled again while eating.

"So Ryu," Eliza continued, "what are you planning to do now?"

"I suppose I'll just settle down for a little bit here. The last battle I had was huge and even warriors must take long rests from battle. I was hoping to catch up on old times with Ken and maybe see more of this beautiful city."

Ken put an arm around the chair of his wife, "Heh heh, sure! I'll take you out right after breakfast, if it ever ENDS that is! OH! And by the way, you never did tell me the details of your fight with that guy Gill yet! Tell us all now!"

Ryu put down his fork and swallowed his last bite, "It was indeed an intense battle. Gill was indeed the half-red half-blue being you claimed he was, and I discovered those colors represented his abilities to control the powers of fire and ice!"

"Interesting!" Ken laughed

"He was very powerful... one of the most powerful warriors I've ever fought... but the challenge was what made it so exhilarating!"

***

Ryu stood a few feet from where a tall golden haired being stood. The being was only known as "Gill" with no clothes on except for a pair of underwear. He stretched his arms, calling up both the power of fire and ice at each hand and clenched his hands into fists. Waves of lava crashed in the background, and Ryu observed the surroundings of the stone arena. The sky was lit beautifully with stars and the Mediterranian Sea was seen out in a distance. At this least battle will have beautiful scenery.

"So you are the one everyone talks about... you are Ryu eh? Let's see if you are as powerful as they say you are!" Gill smirked.

Ryu said nothing in response. He simply got into his fighting stance and stood, ready for battle.

"Nothing to say? You must be the strong silent type. Then I shall end your silence by filling the air with screams of your suffering!" Gill started first by leaning backward and putting his hands together. He called forth a ball made of fire and hurled it in Ryu's direction.

Already channeling his own energy, Ryu immediately retaliated with his own attack. "HADOKEN!" The ball of pure energy nullified Gill's fireball and Ryu once again stood, taunting Gill to fight more.

Gill simply laughed. He approached Ryu with a punch with his blue arm. Ryu blocked the attack with his forearm, but immediately felt the cold sting of ice burn his skin. Ryu cringed in pain, and Gill followed up his attack with a punch with his red arm hitting Ryu's upper right arm. His skin felt a new searing pain of burning flames, and Ryu jumped backwards to avoid anymore contact. Smiling, Gill lunged forward with his shoulder to ram Ryu, but Ryu crossed his arms to block the impact. Gill hit Ryu's crossed arms with his shoulder, and the force was so strong it knocked Ryu to the floor. Gill smiled again. "Feh. Loser." Gill leaped up in the air to stomped on a downed Ryu's head.

Ryu looked up seeing Gill's legs headed straight for his head. "I'm going to give you a taste of what I gave Sagat! SHORYUKEN!!!" Ryu leaped in the air, performing his trademark shoryuken, knocking his opponent out of the sky. Gill landed on his back with a thud and stood up immediately.

"I'm almost impressed." He simply said as he dusted himself off. Gill charged forward again with his shoulder, and Ryu counterattacked with a punch. As Gill slid foward, he ducked Ryu's punch and grabbed his neck! "I did say almost. Loser."

Holding Ryu up with his hand, Gill used he knee to slam into his abdomen and used his other fist to punch him in the face. Ryu raised his arm and brang his elbow down as hard as he could against Gill's forearm, but Gill didn't even feel it. In response, Gill crunched Ryu's neck harder and Ryu gasped for air. "The battle is over already. It appears you are obviously not as strong as everyone says. Now receive your death."

Gill squeezed Ryu's neck tighter and grinned. Ryu used every last breath of air he could find and used it to channel energy in one of his hands. When just enough energy was accumulated, he opened his hand right in front of Gill's face and a small ball of energy launched out, exploding right in his eyes.

Reeling back, Gill released Ryu and rubbed his face at the pain of the explosion. Ryu dropped to the ground and he used this opportunity to attack! "TATSUMAKISENPUUKYAKU!" One hit from Ryu's powerful hurricane kick to the head knocked Gill backwards and slammed him into the wall. "Underestimating your opponent will always lead to your defeat, monster!" Ryu said as he caught his breath.

"Heh heh," Gill laughed as he wiped the blood off his mouth, "it appears now you are showing your true abilities. This will be a battle we will both enjoy!" Gill stood up and charged ar Ryu with a barrage of punches. Ryu knew that blocking them would be an unwise maneuver, and he simply dodged each punch. When he saw an opening he delivered a elbow smash to the gut, and pushed him back with a side kick.

Angered, Gill raised his foot high above Ryu's head and came down with a powerful axe kick. "DIE!"

Ryu timed, and caught the leg coming down upon him, and said, "I'm afraid it will not be today!" Ryu jumped up as high in the air as he could with Gill's leg still in his grasp and flipped him over his head and slammed Gill's head right into the concrete with a sickening crack sound.

Exhausted, Ryu lowered his hands and stood in front of the body. It's over now. Ryu turned around and started to walk away when suddenly he looked over his shoulder and saw Gill's body float into the air. Gill stood upright in midair and spread his body in an X formation channeling energy all thoughout himself.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!" Gill laughed evilly, "YOU THINK YOU CAN DEFEAT ME??? I AM UNSTOPPABLE!!!" Ryu stood back into his fighting stance, waiting to see what Gill would attack with.

"NOW FEEL THE WRATH OF MY TRUE POWER!!!" Gill raised his hands in the air, and the earth shook beneath Ryu's feet. Ryu maintained balance, and began to see small rocks hit the ground. The rocks became larger and larger and eventually small meteors came crashing down! Ryu dodged and swatted as many as he could, but the laws of averages were against him and he was hit by multiple meteors. When the meteor shower was over, Ryu staggered, almost out of energy. Gill laughed once again. "YOU ARE A FOOL IF YOU THINK A PATHETIC PERSON WHO CALLS HIMSELF A WARRIOR CAN EVEN HURT ME!"

"This... battle... is... still... not finished!" Ryu responded.

"IT ENDS NOW PATHETIC HUMAN!" Gill rushed forward with another mighty shoulder charge hoping to finish a wounded Ryu... FOR GOOD!

Ryu, seeing the charge coming right for him, closed his eyes and concentrated all his remaining energy on one final blow. Gill's body still charged forward at Ryu and with closed eyes, Ryu ducked low and uppercutted Gill right in the stomach. Another uppercut to the stomach with the other fist was followed, and Ryu shouted, "SHIN..." Ryu completed his move by rising up with his fist with all his energy, "SHORYUKEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Both Gill and Ryu soared sky high, and Ryu's most powerful punch took Gill's body flying right into the waves of crashing lava as Ryu landed safely on his legs. Gill's screams died out as his entire body was incinerated by the lake of intense liquid fire. Ryu knew the battle was truly over now, feeling Gill's energy die along with him. Ryu bowed to the lake of lava, and turned and walked away.

***

"Whoa Ryu, you used your shin shoryuken on him eh?" Ken said, amused.

"Indeed. Never have I performed a more powerful move in my whole life," Ryu replied.

Eliza, wide eyed, said, "I'm just glad you made it back alive! You fought a monster!"

"And Uncle Ryu wasted him! He's way more powerful than Daddy! Uncle Ryu must be the best fighter... in the UNIVERSE!" Mel added.

Ken slapped the back of his head, a little insulted, "Hey now, Son! That's not for certain!"

Both Ryu and Eliza chuckled, and Ken gave his son a noogie. "Ok ok kiddo, why don't you go out and play with the dogs!"

"Ok Daddy!" Mel eagerly grabbed a baseball and ran outside.

"Kids... aren't they just something, honey?" Ken laughingly asked his wife as he kissed her on the forehead.

"Yes dear, he is the best thing that could have happened to us," she answered.

Ryu smiled, seeing his best friend so happy.

"So Ryu," Ken started, "Fei Long made a Hong Kong new movie, and it starts tonight in the US! It's called 'Flying Dragon II' the eagerly awaited sequel to his first movie ever made! Wanna catch it? I got reserved seating just for us!"

"Would I ever!" Ryu answered gleefully.

***

"WOW DADDY! Remember the part when Uncle Fei Long punched that guy like a million times in like one minute? That was so cool!!!" Mel exclaimed as the group walked out the movie theater.

"Yep. That's Fei Long for you!" Ken replied as his put his hand on his son's shoulder and another hand around his wife's shoulder. Ryu walked by himself behind the Masters family, looking at the stars. "Hong Kong flicks never cease to amaze me, ha ha!" Ken continued.

"Hong Kong..." Ryu said aloud, "I... I haven't been there for the longest time."

Eliza looked over her shoulder. "Hong Kong? You want to go there Ryu?"

"I'd love to. It is such a nice place, and I could pay my respects to Grand Master Gen as well. He was a good friend of Master Gouken." Ryu replied.

"But you've only been here in SF for one day! Please stay longer at least!"

"Oh, of course my lady!" Ryu smiled, "Then I shall leave in about a week I suppose. Until then you two can show me more beautiful sights in this wonderful city!"

Ken smiled, "Anything for you good buddy."

***

A week later...

At the gate of SFO airport, Ryu hugged Eliza. "Goodbye Ryu, have a safe trip!"

"Farewell Eliza. I will miss you." Ryu reached over and gave Eliza a kiss on the cheek.

Ryu bent down and gave Mel a hug, too. "I'll miss ya Uncle Ryu!"

"I'll miss you too Mel! Oh, and here!" Ryu opened up his duffel bag and handed the boy a small carving of a dragon. "I carved it just for you!"

"Oh THANK YOU Uncle Ryu!" Mel screamed happily.

Ryu smiled and looked up at Ken who was smiling as well. "Just remember Ryu, one more round!" Ryu and Ken gave each other a huge best friend hug.

"Farewell my good friend. May our paths cross again very soon."

Ryu waved to Ken, Eliza and Mel, and walked down the ramp that led to the plane that would take him on his next journey.

"I'm surprised you talked him into flying this time, dear!" Eliza said as she watched Ryu leave.

"Well, I just told him that if he flew I'd give him an even bigger feast next time he came!" Ken and Eliza laughed together and the Masters family walked back to their home arm in arm.