Notes: As usual, I do not own these characters, Capcom and Toei do.

Warrior’s Journey Chapter Three

Outside of Kyoto

Yamato turned the wheel on his car as he drove out of his driveway and on to the road. He was listening to a CD his wife, Mimi Takichawa, had given him a month ago. It was some American rock group called Incubus. He had only one CD, but he liked the hard rock music. One song got to him though. The third song on the track, ‘Wish You Were Here’, (Not a redo of the classic Pink Floyd song) always remind him of his brother, ‘cause he had gone on to an emotional roller coaster when his brother died, he kept on muttering to himself, “Wish you were here.” Over and over again. Sora, always the loving one, tried her best to get him out of it, but it was Mimi that got him out of it. She came to him on night and talked to him and was in tears about halfway through the talk. It was then when she told him that she loved him, but then cried her self to sleep on Yamato’s shoulder. The wake up call that someone actually loved him more than a friend woke him out of the depression. He now worked at an office building in Kyoto, stuck in middle management, but they made more than enough money thanks to Mimi’s carrier as a fashion designer. However, he was not on his way to work today. He was going to see his good friend Eiji Honda. The two had meet shortly before Takura’s death. Eiji supported one of the concerts heavily back when he had a band. When the two meet, they went together like PB and J. Eiji also helped Yamoto out at his wedding, being the official head chef. Aside of being a master sumo, Honda was also a spectacular chef. Yamoto looked up as the CD slide on to the last song, Aqueous Transmission, to find he was a few minutes from the dojo Honda ran in order to train the next generation of sumo. As he let the samurai like sounds fill his head he thought to Hikari. She was mostly affected by the death of his brother. They were best friends and she saw him sacrifice himself to protect the group. He soon shut off the engine and got out of the car. He sighed as he brushed his long hair back. It was still the same shape and length it was ten years earlier, his blond hair just above his shoulders. His deep blue eyes scanned the dojo has he entered and his mouth cracked into his famous grin as stared at the sight before him. Honda was laughing with his back to Yamoto staring at a pile of about 40,000 pound. There were about fifteen sumos piled on one another, all defeated by the man in front of Yamoto. He coughed to get his old friends attention. Eiji smiled as turned around and embraced (ouch) Yamoto in a bear huge. “Honda, yyyour crushing my ribs.” Honda just smiled and dropped Yamoto on the floor. “Sorry, don’t know my own strength.” Yamoto got up and smiled as he dusted himself off. He looked at his watch and saw it was lunchtime. “Hey, why don’t you go make us lunch?” asked a slightly hungry Yamoto. Honda nodded, still smiling, and lead him to the back of the dojo.

In New York, New York

Ken Masters smiled as he spun in the air performing the Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, hitting his opponent five times before dropping to the ground on his feet. He heard the referee signal that the match was over to look at his opponent. He then just shook his head and left to change out of his red dogi. He had to hurry; he had a date with his fiancée, Eliza. The two met about two years ago at the Street Fighter tournament were his best friend, Ryu, bested the champion, Sagat. He purposed to her about two months ago and had the wedding set in June. Since it was late April, they had little time left. He ran to his Mustang, gunned the engine and head to the restaurant were Eliza was waiting. About half an hour later, Ken pulled up to the restaurant and hoped out. As he made his way through the tables, he spotted Eliza at the back table. “Hey, honey.” Said a grinning as kissed his betrothed on the cheek. She smiled back, but remained silent. “Hey, what wrong?” She just looked at him and sighed. “Ken, something came, I got to go to Japan to report on some martial arts tournament that begins in three days.” Ken just smiled back. “It’s okay, I was planning on visiting an old friend in that area soon anyway.”

Back at Gouken’s old dojo

A warrior sat out side the dojo watching the sakura (cherry blossoms) float down to the ground. Takura sighed as he though of Hikari, a girl he loved a lifetime ago. He was now a different man, still tall, but now well built and training in a form of karate. He heard the door open and saw Ryu come out with a sake bottle and two sake cups to drink out of. As Ryu pored the drink into the small, bowl like cups, Takura spoke up. “The sakura blossoms are lovely this time of year, just like someone I know.” Ryu raised his head and stared at the other man with a confused look one his face. “I was in love with a girl about ten years ago, how ever we were separated by the satsu no hado.” Ryu nodded and raised his cup. “Let us drink to our pasts, to our deceased masters, and to what tomorrow will bring.” Takura nodded and both drank from their cups. As Ryu pored some sake, Takera asked a question. “How did Sensei Gouken die?” “He was murdered, by his brother Gouki, who then became Akuma, the dark shotoken master.” Takera nodded and bowed his head and was silent for about a minute. He looked up and looked at the sakura trees again before he spoke. “Do you have a katana?” Ryu, slightly puzzled by the question, simply nodded. Takura then smiled and spoke up again. “Good, I need to practice with mine, would mind to train with me in the morning?” Ryu smiled too and nodded before looking back at the trees also.