Blast to The Past Ch. 3
By Ryu Dragon

The young man grunted as he climbed up slowly. He had climbed up for about two days; this was the third day he climbed the huge snowy mountains. He grunted not because he was tired, no, he was very strong, it took more than climbing these mountains to make him tired. Nor he grunted because of cold, cold was his friend, his core character. He grunted because he was irritated. Irritated from having to waste a lot of time to find someone that he looking for, someone that he needed to increase his power.

He was hungry for power, but not just any power; he needed pure evil power to make him stronger. If he absorbed pure power from normal fighters, like some that he fought in his journey, he’ll be weakened. That’s why he came to these snowy mountains. He’d heard about a fighter that possesses the pure evil power. He needed to find him, fought him if necessary and then absorbed his power.

Suddenly he heard a loud rumbling sound from above. He looked up and swore. There was, about fifty feet above him, an avalanche coming toward him. It contained snow and big chunk of rocks and covered about seventy feet wide, and he was just right in the middle of its path.

***

Ryu was gutting the fishes that he caught this morning when he heard a rustling sound in the bushes behind him. He stood up and looked at the bushes. Sensing a familiar energy, he smiled. “Come on out, Chun. I know you’re there.”

From the bushes, a beautiful and young woman emerged. She wore a set of blue Chinese clothes. Her hair was tied in buns just like usual. Her skin looked so smooth that a fly might slipped if landed on her. Her appearance could fool anyone who doesn’t know that she was considered as the strongest woman fighter in the world. Although she was pouting at the moment, she still looked beautiful. “Bah, I can’t play surprise with you.” – Chun Li.

Ryu just smiled and walked toward her. He kissed her lips, the usual morning kiss. It’s been about a year since the Shadowloo/Umbrella case. They’ve developed a strong relation when they were on the case. After Bison was killed, Chun Li had decided to quit the Interpol and went with Ryu to Japan to open martial arts school. Having two most powerful fighters on earth as the teachers and sponsored by one of the richest man in the world, Ken Master, it’s not a wonder that the school had attracted a lot of potential students. The martial arts school had quickly became renowned around the world.

They broke the kiss quickly when they felt a presence among the bushes behind Chun Li. “Who’s there ? Come on out !” – Chun Li.

The stranger came out from the bushes. A ninja, wearing an all black outfit, only his gloves have different color, red. His red hair was short and spiky. He was tall, about six feet, almost as tall as Ryu. His body had the same muscular build like Ryu, indicating that he packed a great amount of raw power. From him, Ryu and Chun Li sensed a somewhat familiar magical power.

“Great, not embarrassing for two world renowned fighters to detect me that easy.” – Ninja.

“Who are you ? Have we ever met before ?” – Ryu.

The ninja shook his head. “I’m afraid not. We never met before, although I do know some things about you two.” – Ninja.

“What do you want ?” – Chun Li asked cautiously.

The ninja smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, I’m not looking for a fight. I need your help. Can we talk somewhere more comfortable ?”

Chun Li looked at Ryu. Ryu shrugged and picked up the fishes. He signaled the ninja to follow him. “Come with us.”

***

The man with the fiery-like hair stood silently with his arms crossed in front of his body. He smiled evilly as he watched the avalanche sweeping down the mountain. When he didn’t see the man that was climbing the mountain anymore, he turned around and smiled an evil smile that was able to scare anyone who saw it.

He was just walking about ten steps when he sensed an energy from behind, a similar type of energy as his but somewhat different. He turned his head to the side and grinned. “What do you seek, demon ?”

The young man, slightly bruised and cut here and there, smiled. His eyes turned red indicating that he is furious. He suppressed the anger and his eyes turned to normal again. “I seek for you, Akuma.”

“I take it that you’re ready to give up your life, little demon ?” – Akuma.

“The name is Dark Warrior, and it’s you who’ll die today, Akuma. Unless if you give up and let me absorb your power.” – Dark Warrior.

Akuma laughed. “You’re really funny, little demon. I let you live for making me laugh. Go away now.” He walked away and stopped straightaway after two steps. He felt the Dark Warrior raised his energy level, the energy was so huge and overwhelming. He turned around to face the Dark Warrior and set his fighting stance. “Very well, it’s been a long time since I had a good fight.”

***

The three warriors sat on the floor, Ryu and Chun Li sat side by side, and across them was the ninja. A short rectangle table separated the couple and the guest. On the table, there were three clay teacups, a clay teapot, and a plate of dry cookies. Ryu sat calmly watching the ninja. Chun Li sat silently although she was anxious waiting to found out what was the ninja wanted to talk about.

The ninja took a sip of the tea then set the cup slowly on the table. “Mr. Hoshi and Ms Xiang…”

Ryu raises his hand to interrupt. “Please, call us by our name.”

“Very well.” The ninja took a deep breath and began to speak again. “My name is Nathen Jones. I don’t think my name is recognizable to you two, since I’m still new in the fighters’ world. At the moment, I’m looking for someone, a friend. We were separated a long time ago, and I thought that you two might be able to help me.”

“What makes you think that, Nathen ?” – Ryu.

“Well, I don’t really know. Sara, my friend has a special ability to control the element of ice. I’m guessing that she might become a fighter too, like me. And considering that you two are experienced fighters and had a lot of knowledge in the fighters’ world, it’s just maybe that you two had heard about her or know something ?” – Nathen.

Ryu and Chun Li looked at each other and shook their head. “I’m sorry, Nathen, as far as I can remember, I never heard about your friend, and I don’t think Chun Li had either. I know some friends that are able to use elemental powers, but none of them matches your description nor the name.”

Nathen closed his eyes, looked down and let go a deep breath. He then raised his head and smiled, but from his eyes, there were hints of sadness. “I see. It’s okay. I… it’s just… that we were separated so long… and…” He made a dismissive wave with his right hand. “Thank you for your time. I shall leave now.” He bowed and stood up.

“Hold on Nathen.” – Chun Li.

He stopped at halfway turning around.

“Please sit down.” – Chun Li.

He looked at Chun Li, then sat down again.

“Listen Nathen, we never heard about your friend before, but we might be able to help you to find your friend. We have a lot of contacts and networks. I myself was an Interpol agent, and I might be able to contact some friends from Interpol to find where your friend is. We also have a friend who has a vast network around the world, and I’m sure that he can help you to find your friend. Heck, he can even find Ryu when he was still wandering around the world.” – Chun Li.

Ryu smiled. “It’s true Nathen. If you have her detail description, we might try to contact some of our friends and see what we come up.”

Nathen felt shocked and didn’t know what to say, here he was, a stranger who just met with two renowned world warriors, a stranger that might meant nothing to them, yet they were willing to help him. “I… I… Thank you… Thank you.” – His eyes were wet from tears of joy.

The two warriors smiled reassuringly. “It’s all right Nathen, we only want to help.” – Ryu. He stood up and walked across the table. “In the mean time, why don’t you stay with us. C’mon, let me show you around.”

***

Ryu Dragon sat on a small restaurant, happily gorging the foods served on the table. Now that his clothes were clean (there is actually a Laundromat that is willing to risk their washing machine to washed his clothes ! ^-^), he looked much better now. He also had gone to the public bathroom to clean up himself.

After finish eating, he went around the city to spend some time until the time to meet Claude again. He walked past a kindergarten and watched the children play happily. He stopped and observed the children playing, running, and screaming happily. He felt so much calm and joy watching the children. Then he saw a woman that apparently was the children’s teacher. He felt shocked, but then he smiled ‘Is it her ?’ – he thought.

She was a beautiful young woman, about thirty years old. Her figure was small compared to Ryu Dragon, and slender. There were streaks of brown hair among her raven black hair. Her face was long, almost shaped like a heart, but the composition of her small eyes, nose, lips, and her smooth skin were balance, making her beauty so shiny and refreshing. She was wearing a blue long sleeve shirt, a black skirt, and a pair of dark brown high-heel shoes. She was playing with three children now. She was smiling and laughing, making her looked more beautiful.

“Yuki !!!” – Ryu Dragon called. His first attempt to call the woman was not successful, so he tried again, and it happens.

The young woman turned her attention from the children to Ryu Dragon. She looked puzzled, but after a brief of thinking, her expression was changed, shocked and disbelief. She looked more intensely at Ryu Dragon, making sure that she remembered correctly.

He didn’t wait for her response. He jumped over the kindergarten fence and run toward her. He stopped about three meters from her. “Yuki, It’s me !”

She trembled, her voice comes out as a whisper as she tried to say his name “Ryu… Ryu Dragon ?”

Ryu Dragon smiled. “Why ? didn’t recognize your old friend ?”

They run and hugged each other, and laughed in happiness.

He let go of his hug and looked at her. “Yuki, you just like when we met at the first time.”

She looked at him and smiled. “And you, you have changed a lot. Look at you, you’re so… so huge… oh my God, I couldn’t believe it. Ryu, it is you !” – she said excitedly.

“I’m always bigger than you are, lady.” – Ryu Dragon smiled back.

She jabbed him playfully “You know what I meant. So how have you been now ? And what are you doing here ?”

“Whoa, slow down, lady, one at a time please. I’m terrific, like you can see now.” – Ryu Dragon.

She was about to ask the next question when she felt a slight tug on her skirt. She looked down and saw one of her student looking up at her. “What is it, Hana ?”

“Sensei, who is he ?” – the student pointing at Ryu Dragon.

Yuki smiled. “He is a friend, his name is Ryu Dragon. Come and shake hand with him.”

Ryu Dragon smiled softly toward the student and bent down. “Hi, my name is Ryu Dragon, I’m Sensei Yuki’s friend. What’s your name ?”

The student hide behind Yuki, shyly peeking from behind her. Seeing Ryu Dragon smiled, she came out and bowed slightly. “My name is Hana Kisarai.”

“Hana Kisarai. Nice to meet you, Hana.” – Ryu Dragon. He closed his hand. “Hana, do you want to see something beautiful ?”

She nodded.

“Okay, give me your hand.” – Ryu Dragon. He held his closed hand on her small hand and opened it like giving something to her. When he removed his hand, there was a small blue and white sphere hovering above Hana’s hand.

Her eyes grew wide from amazement. She looked at Ryu Dragon. “Wow, how did you do that ?”

“It’s a secret.” Ryu Dragon winked at her. He watched her running to her friends showing what he just gave to her.

Yuki smiled at her students. “How did you do that ? And what is that thing ?”

“It’s a ball of energy, called ki in Japanese, its harmless, don’t worry.” – Ryu Dragon.

“I see.” – Yuki. “Hey, you haven’t answer my question, what are you doing here ?”

“Can’t I come here ?” – Ryu Dragon smiled naughtily.

“It’s not what I meant.” – Yuki.

“I know, I know. Tell you what, why don’t we go for lunch after you finish work today ?” – Ryu Dragon.

“Okay, I finish at one, where will you wait ?” – Yuki.

“I’ll wait outside there.” – Ryu Dragon pointed at a tree outside the fence.

“Okay, I’ll see you then.” – Yuki.

“Hai, Yuki-san (Yes, Yuki).” – Ryu Dragon grinned.

She smiled and went back to the children as Ryu Dragon walked outside and waited for her under the tree near the fence.