Recalled to Life... Ch.3 (Part 1)- Emptiness
By Pearl/Bean

It has been three months since Chun-Li and Ryu have been back in Ryu's home in the deep woods of Japan. Daily, he teaches her chi hoping she would discover the power that she once had still lied within her. He knew her power now had to come from a different motivation because her earlier chi came from anger, hate, and obsession of killing Bison. Since Ryu has defeated Bison, Chun-Li needed those emotions no longer.

She was still unaware of Ryu's true feelings for her and her similar feelings for him that she suppressed because of her mental state she experienced at the moment. The Chinese warrior just wanted to recuperate her strength, power, and most of all her self dignity back. Chun-Li wanted to know she was the strongest woman in the world. She wanted to know that there were rare people that could beat her. She didn't want to be thought less than the best.

She knew she could never get to Ryu's level in the way of the fight. She didn't want to train for the rest of her life to know the meaning of the fight. There were many other important things to do in life. She would ask herself, *Then why am I here? It's obviously because I feel weak and vulnerable. -But… is it all the reason?*

Ryu, then, stepped out just as the sun rose over the lake. He was about to wake Chun-Li when he saw her. The woman sat relaxed and looked ever so peaceful, yet the Shotokan warrior knew better than to judge by looks. She was already dressed in her training uniform and sat on her knees awaiting the sunrise. The sunrise was special to her. It meant the start to a new day.

A new day meant new opportunities including more chances. She closed her eyes when the sun was completely over the lake. One because it was common sense not to look directly into the sun, two because she always would make a promise to herself to live every day to its' fullest. She would not only promise to do it for herself, but for her friends like Liz and Ken. Her family: her father and Master Gen. -And especially that one powerful warrior she didn't know where to classify.

Just then he slowly, using a silent walk, snuck up on her. He thought to himself *A true warrior would of suspected the presence of a stranger moments ago. Then again, I'm more than a stranger.* She turned around, seeing him so close made her gasp and jump back to the lake getting the bottom ends of her pants went.

She looked down at her feet in the water, bit her lip frustrated and looked at Ryu with a not so peaceful look she once had seconds earlier. Ryu, blushing from embarrassment, "I-I guess I should know better then to sneak up on you." Chun-Li looked down at the water pensively thinking, *A true warrior could detect anothers presence before he came within arms distance atleast.*

The day had already began and she felt like running off and crying, but she remembered crying did nothing, but make someone more depressed, so she didn't cry… or tried not to. She hung her head embarrassed. Ryu knew that approaching her and surprising her made her dignity feel even worse.

They trained for three months in the heart of nature's beauty, yet Chun-Li still couldn't regain her chi, improve her fighting moves, or even pick up on Ryu's lines he threw out to her every now and then. Ryu decided to say something to try to brighten up the new day, "Don't worry, I'm not a morning person myself either. You'll feel better after our 7 mile run."

Chun-Li shook her head no. She remembered trying to keep up with Ryu yesterday. She feel, cuts and scrapes all over her arms, if she wasn't immune to poison ivy she'd be itching all over… Ryu noticed yesterday too. *It seems she got worse the harder I tried to push her. -But this is Chun-Li. She's the strongest woman in the world.*

Just then Chun-Li turned around facing the lake and took off the top of her uniform. Ryu, just stood there shocked. It was too damn early to think like this… "Um, Chun-Li. What are you doing?" She turned around and lowered her pants too. Ryu closed his eyes in respect for this unpredictable woman. He felt her slowly approach him, but he kept his eyes closed. *Why is she doing this to me? She probably has picked up on my behavior and is going to see how long it'll take for me to completely submit to her.*

He gulped smelling her familiar scent. His pulse raced and his heart was about to explode out of his chest. He didn't trust his eyes, he covered them with one hand. "Ryu, it's ok. I'm not in my underwear. I thought we could go for a swim as a warm-up instead of a run. You know I don't like running with you. You saw how yesterday I fell more times than I did run."

Ryu then slowly opened one eye. He saw Chun-Li wearing a swim-suit. He opened both of them and sighed, "O-Of course!" He heard one voice inside his head think, *Dammit…*. He blushed again, for a true gentlemen, wouldn't stare at a woman's body for longer than he did.

Chun-Li turned toward the lake and felt the water. It was cool, but she knew once she dove in her body got adjusted to the water she'd be fine. She turned around, "Well, Ryu? Are you going to join me in a swim. I may not be a swift runner, but I for sure oppose a challenge in the free stroke." She grinned innocently as she unwound her odangos (odangos = meatballs referring to her hair style) and dove in. Ryu blinked his eyes somewhat in shock, *Unpredictable…*

He's never seen a woman act the way she did and yet still ended up mesmerizing him with, of all things, a one piece. Ryu picked up her clothes and shook the dirt off putting them on a branch. He looked down the path he usually ran seeing there was rarely any light to guide a decent run and looked back at the lake seeing the sun shone on the rippling waters like it held a treasure underneath its endless aqua depths.

He decided to go swimming, but he never bought a swim-suit. He would always just swim in boxers if anything because he also thought of the lake a huge bathtub. Master Gouken didn't appreciate any technology. That included warm water and showers. Ryu had that installed after Gouken died. It was weird to actually have a fairly warm shower every once in a while.

He dove in. When he did, Chun-Li was already in the middle of the lake treading water. *Like a fish to an ocean,* He thought as he saw Chun-Li diving up and down swimming quickly from one place to another. Chun-Li decided that it was her turn to surprise him. When he was only two meters away she winked at him, waved with one hand and dove under water. Ryu, last seeing her small feet, treaded water looking around him.

The lake was a Mediterranean blue and crystal clear near the surface, but he looked down and saw nothing but dark blue permeating into a black gorge. *-And Chun-Li's swimsuit was dark too!* He thought. He knew she was getting him back. Therefore he decided to swim away from the area. A true warrior can defend himself in any environment from anyone. Even if the environment wasn't your average fighting ground… it didn't have a ground. -And his challenger was someone close to his heart. He decided to have fun with this warm-up.

He knew Chun-Li swam faster than him no matter how much muscle he had to push himself with. She was just a natural when it came to water… definitely seeing her as someone who could live on a boat and travel around the world using the oceans as roads and stars as directions. Now he thought of it, he would like to be on that boat with her too. Suddenly, interrupting his thoughts, something strong and sturdy touched his foot.

He quickly dove under water and grabbed it bring it back up. "Haha… um…ha?" He saw it was a stick. A thick stick used as a decoy. The Japanese fighter knew he was already to late. Chun-Li swam up directly behind him and grabbed him quickly in a back choke hold. It was a weak hold, Ryu found out obviously, because she only used one arm. He grabbed that arm with both of his, knowing two of his arms could beat one of hers any day, and quickly pulled her around facing him.

Just then, Chun-Li grabbed the back of his neck and pushed his head into the water as a playful come back. Ryu, shocked, quickly rose back up coughing accidentally inhaling some water.

By that time Chun-Li was in the middle of the lake again waving to him. *She moves just as fast as she did on land as she does on water.* He took his time swimming over to her. He knew she wasn't done playing. At times like this, he hated being right. She was just getting a warmed up.

The Wushu master dove under him and grabbed both his feet yanking him down farther into the lake. Ryu hated being under water for a long time. Chun-Li sensed that as she saw the panic on his face and quickly went back up toward the surface. He was breathing hard and rubbed his eyes. He quickly turned around. *Where was she? Should he tell her that he wasn't used to this kind of environment to train in nor even warm up in? No, she thought she was weak enough and she didn't need a weak teacher.*

Too late, Chun-Li noticed his fear and slowly and quietly raised up right infront of him. Ryu jumped back shocked for a second slightly gasping. She saw his face alert and even still having some lingering hydrophobia.

She smiled and reached her hand out, "Truce." Ryu, sighed, he hoped she got all that immaturity and playfulness out of her… he shook her hand, *For now it was his turn.* He grabbed her arm, twisted it behind her back and brought her in a full nelson. Chun-Li saw his grip was loose, especially for Ryu. Either he went purposely easy on her because he knew she was weaker than what she used to be or he was afraid of fighting in a groundless arena.

She quickly slipped out of it and turned around. Ryu saw how quick she was and was still impressed. The Ex-Interpol officer looked at him seriously w/ her wet hair flattened at the top of her head and the end of the strands floating aimlessly in the water, "Why do you go easy on me, Ryu? I remember our first match when you released your chi out on me. I knew from the beginning you were an expert fighter. What happened, now?"

Ryu didn't respond. Chun-Li's concerned face became worse, "Is it because you don't like fighting in water because of it's consequences or is it because you know I am no longer what I used to be?" Ryu didn't want to look weak. He was human and he was allowed to have faults. -But when it came to the fight, he was supposed to have none, or atleast trick people into thinking he had none. He didn't want to say he was going easy on Chun-Li because of her lack in power.

He wanted to tell her that her lack in power had nothing to do with her. She still had it, she just didn't need the previous emotions of vengeance that obviously fed the kikoken the energy it needed. He looked off. He was a terrible liar, "Both," he said. Damn, was he a terrible liar.

He wanted to tell her the truth without hurting her... Too late. When he looked up at her again she was already half way back to shore. The Shotokan warrior sighed; He decided to do his run after all. When Chun-Li got out of the lake, Ryu got out shortly after and hoped he didn't hurt her too much, "Chun-Li, it's nothing to do with you. I truly wasn't comfortable and-"

"What-ever, Master Ryu," his technical student interrupted before he could finish. Ryu appeared surprised, *Master? Is that all that I am to her? A teacher?* He sighed wanting to get off the subject, "I'm going running… do you want to-" "No!" She quickly said. "I'm going to train by myself today on the cliff." Ryu was such an idiot when it came to admitting faults… especially his own. Chun-Li, remaining soaking wet, put on her martial arts uniform and went over to the path leading up to the mountain where the sun shone everyday.

"By the way. I'd dry off if I were you and actually get into some decent training clothes. "Na ne?" He asked. Chun-Li looked back deep into his eyes and quickly glanced down as she walked away. He looked down and froze turning more red than his bandanna. He was so busy racing back to shore that his boxers must of fell off in the lake somewhere.

Chun-Li walked to the cliff not looking back. Her main thoughts where concentrating on making Ryu believe in her again. *If Ryu, a true warrior, can see I am not worthy fighting material then the world will soon find out and that black void will do nothing but increase.* She marched up the cliff.

Of all people to tell her she wasn't a worthy opponent anymore… Ryu was the first one? *After he offered to train me and all? If Ryu can't cure my void then for sure no one will.* She later found out that she was completely right. Only Ryu could make her emptiness go away, but not the old warrior way. She looked down at the area where she last saw Ryu. She smiled softly though, *Poor guy, he's probably just as embarrassed as I am.* She knew he was embarrassed ten time more than she was because she knew, hopefully, time could cure her void. -But Ryu could never go back in time and remember to check himself before he stepped out on dry land when he came out of the lake. She started her training… she knew it was going to take her all day, but atleast she started it blushing and with a smile.

At sun set, Chun-Li's smile and blushing had vanished as if she had experienced years w/out a trace of happiness. She had practiced for the past six hours on her chi. It didn't help a single bit. "Kikoken!" She yelled for over the 500th time that day. Nothing. "Kikoken!" She yelled again… nothing.

She gulped and closed her eyes trying to reach down deeper than her soul into the core of the earth, "KIKOKEN!" She opened her eyes… "N-Nothing?" Ryu was watching her from the camp area. He decided to run an equivalent of 10 miles that day. To burn off the extra embarrassment. He came back. He heard those words from Chun-Li when he left and he was glad to hear her voice when he came back, but some-what shocked when they were the same words heard hours ago. Chun-Li decided to try it on her knees reaching deep down from the ground into the air… "Kikoken!" She opened her eyes hoping… nothing.

A true warrior would never get frustrated… *Screw that theory!* She thought. "Kikoken! Kikoken! Kikoken! KIKOKEN!" She yelled repeatedly. Tears were falling from her eyes… her emotions were finally getting to her… Ryu couldn't see her tears, but her grieving face was like an invitation to help her, whether she wanted his help or not.

He climbed the path quickly, slipping on the gravel every now and then because of it's steep and narrow walk ways. He kept on hearing Chun-Li's words, "Kikoken! Kikoken! Kikoken!" She was crying as she said yelled it, she was crying as she closed her eyes reaching for it inside of her, she cried as she tried again and failed to see results.

She started screaming, which startled Ryu… She screamed as loud as she could and in the middle of the scream, "KIKOKEN!!!" She jumped near the edge of cliff w/ closed eyes. When she opened them to spot her landing, she realized she had no place to land. Ryu gasped, "Chun-Li! Watch out!"

Ryu quickly ran and grabbed her around her waist with his one arm. Chun-Li knew she her results were just like the before. She dangled over the edge of the precipice knowing Ryu was holding her, but she didn't care. She looked down the ravine into the woods. She saw through the trees to an exact patch of dirt on the ground.

She thought maybe she could land there. Ryu noticed Chun-Li was looking down the ravine for quite some time and quickly pulled her to look at him, "Chun-Li!" Chun-Li was still looking at the tree tops, wondering if she took the quick way down to see them… she wondered what they would look like from the ground up. Ryu was scared she didn't answer him. He saw her eyes… they were so black. As if a person even occupied that body he was holding up vanished. "Chun-Li…" he said softly slowly putting his hands on her shoulders.

Chun-Li closed her eyes and whispered, "Kikoken…" She opened them seeing nothing. She had hit bottom, again. She had fell to the bottom of the chasm and even Ryu's calls provided no comfort. Suddenly a wave of emotion over-ran her entire self-being and seemed as a plausible explanation to deal with the fact she is a lost cause.

She decided she must see the trees from the bottom ground, but her energy was all used up and wasted on her attempts to use her chi. She decided that she was trying to discover a new power… she was going to use the last of her energy to fly off this cliff. She slowly put her foot near the edge… "Let go," she softly said. "No!" Ryu said boldly.

"Let go of me, Ryu. I must learn to fly… so I can fly away from this wretched place… this wretched Earth… to a place where being the strongest woman in the world doesn't matter because it isn't necessary to fight." Ryu, shocked by her words, knew this wasn't the Chun-Li he had fallen known the past years. "Chun…" he said. "Chun???" She looked shocked at him slapping his hands away, "Why do you address me so informal? Not only am I un worthy to fight you, but now I am unworthy to be called by my true name?"

"No! It's not that! Chun-Li, you must listen to me!" Ryu exclaimed approaching her closer and placing his nearest on her shoulder. She felt his touch, but it no longer challenged her mind to think she, a lost warrior, had a reason to live on this wretched earth. "Your going through hard times. Just because you can't produce a kikoken doesn't mean you are no longer a-" "No!" She yelled and flew in the air performing her helicopter kick to get Ryu's hands off her. After all, he was holding her back from flying.

She must fly… she needed to fly. Ryu, didn't defend. If he defended he would naturally counter attack and he didn't want to hurt Chun-Li. He fell against the cliff's edge almost falling over, himself. He, not caring how close his death was, yelled for Chun-Li, "Chun-Li! Don't you dare jump off! Don't!" Chun-Li let her final tears escape her eyes… her tears of grief, frustration, fear, and now insanity. She had lost all hope.

Ryu, quickly came back over. He had saw her outstretch her arms as if she were planning to be some easy target waiting to be hit. "No!!!" He yelled, knowing he couldn't run fast enough to get to her. "Father, I'm coming to see you. We won't be parted much longer," she spoke looking up toward the peaceful heavens.

She was getting in her stance to do one of her hurricane kicks knowing she was just going to fight the air and die falling toward the earth that had been so cruel to her. *Gawed dammit! Your the only one that can stop her!* Ryu's inner voice yelled at him. Instead he decided to tell her words she already knew, hoping she would understand them the way he intended, "Chun-Li! I…I love you!" She could barely hear his voice… but she did.

This made her thoughts slowly sink back into her. She closed her eyes letting her last tear of hopelessness fall and opened her eyes again shocked at Ryu's words. She looked at him running towards her and she looked back at the ravine. Her thoughts immediently yelled at her, *No! No!! No!!!* "NO!!!" She yelled for her sudden reality check made her realize the situation she was in and she lost her balance.

She gasped falling forward awaiting to her the forest branches scrapping her body and the floor halting her fall and permanently removing the title that she was the strongest woman on earth for the strongest woman on earth wouldn't be so stupid to commit suicide because of a subconscious void that could be filled in with love that this man… Ryu had yelled at her at the last moment of her life and she had realized she had something to worth live for. She knew it was too late… Ryu, though, refused to accept it was too late.

He grabbed her around the waist like he did before. He didn't know how he got so quickly to her in less than seconds. He didn't care about speed. He pulled Chun-Li and himself back away from the edge. In shock, she fell taking Ryu down with her.

She was shocked at what she was just about to do. The Wushu master breathed hard trying to re-collect what all happened in less than 30 seconds. Ryu breathed hard because he had just told Chun-Li his biggest weakness a warrior could have. -But he didn't care.

He was a human and if Chun-Li made him weak, so be it. Chun-Li, finally gathering up her thoughts looked toward Ryu still out of breath. Ryu, exhaled a huge sigh and relaxed somewhat. He looked at her, "What the hell were you thinking?!"

Chun-Li looked at him ignoring his words knowing the true meaning behind his bold yells. Continuing and angry Ryu stood up wanting to use a shoryuken on this woman… for the past months he had worried about her, comforted her, been there for her… and she had ignored him, pushed him away, and now… even attempted to commit suicide.

Until… he said he finally had loved her. Chun-Li, whom sat on her knees both looked and felt like a whole new person, looked at Ryu's angry self and said nothing for he had a every right to be angry. Ryu yelled even louder, "Chun-Li! I have been helping you ever since Christmas! Everyday, I have been there for you! Comforted you! Treated you better than me! -And this is how you repay me!?" He didn't know what to do. Chun-Li didn't answer.

After all, she was raised to respect and be submissive to her man as long as he loved her. -And she knew Ryu did love her. Ryu couldn't say anything more. He had just admitted every hidden emotion he has kept to her since they last reunited and he couldn't say more. His heart was broken, he felt used, and most of all… he knew Chun-Li still didn't get it.

That was where he was wrong. He turned around and walked away angry. Chun-Li slowly stood up. She met a warm breeze and quickly approached him. Ryu felt the same warm breeze and turn around feeling a presence behind him. It was Chun-Li. His love of his life. Everything he thought he would never feel, he felt through her.

He was about to yell again until he saw Chun-Li look at him… this time with eyes that had energy, warmth and Chun-Li's old, familiar self in them. He saw this and was in awe for the longest time.

She decided to take advantage of this opportunity and lightly kissed Ryu's cheek. Ryu almost fell back from shock. Chun-Li grabbed a hold of his arm. Ryu felt her powerful grip. It had returned. He looked at her surprised. Who was this woman that he had just rescued? Where had she come from? Why did she decide to show herself now at Ryu's worst mood? His anger quickly disappeared when Chun-Li decided to speak. It was soft, close to his heart… too close.

He could feel her warm breath as she said, "I love you, Ryu." At this, Ryu was even more in shock then before. These were the words he wanted to hear from his Chun-Li… and he had just heard them. They meant more than words to him. How could one place so much emotion into three little words?

He felt another breeze again, this one made them both get goose bumps. Chun-Li was cold on the outside, but her insides were a fire burning brightly. Ryu sensed it. They both knew what eachother thought at the time and they both held eachother as it only got more windy.

It was a cold wind that blew on that cliff for ages. -But they didn't notice the wind. Only their souls staring deep down past themselves into the depths of love, itself. At that moment, their lips met. For the first time in life both of their emptiness had finally been filled.