Kindred Spirits Ch.7
By Troy

"We hope you enjoy you stay with us. The bell-hop will help you with your baggage." The desk attention said cheerfully.

It was a long and tiring flight. Chun-Li felt she was carrying the whole world on her shoulders and she wasn't in the mood for any small talk with the receptionist. "Uh...no thanks. Me and my...uh...(ahem) husband can carry our luggage by ourselves."

"Oh, don't be silly miss. You don't have to impose on us. We're here to serve you. Besides, you have quite a bit of baggage and it's your honeymoon, you don't have to lift a finger. Leave, everything to us. Bellboy!" the cheerful clerk insisted as she called for assistance.

"uh, no please. I can take care of this....really, it's no big deal. My husband's really strong. It's ok, really..." said Chun-Li. Of course, it would be nice for them to carry it, but Chun-Li thought it wouldn't be a good idea to to let some snot nose little twirp handle thousands of dollars worth of surveillance equipment up to their suite. Ryu wasn't being much help. He was waiting in the lounge sitting perfectly still while Chun-Li was confirming the room. Ryu just sat there silent on the verge of falling asleep. The plane trip wasn't any picnic for him either. Ryu was used to getting around places by either foot, boat or hitch-hiking. He felt extremely uncomfortable sitting in a plane for five hours straight. Ryu liked to move around to stay alert.

"Please, I don't want you to wait on us hand 'n foot. I'll just get my husband to get it......RYU!!!" Chun-Li yelled back turning her head.

Ryu's head snapped up, and exhaustingly stood up and headed towards the desk.

"Miss, is alright, we want to make our guest feel comfortable...now where's the bellboy?" The clerk extended her hand out to tap on the service bell to call for the bellboy.

With lightning fast reflexes, Chun-Li grabbed the clerk's wrist just inches before tapping it. "Hehe, maybe I didn't make myself clear. I said my husband will get our bags....right honey bunch ^_^" Chun-Li said as Ryu arrived.

"Well, I dunno Chun-Li, I'm feeling kinda sleepy, why don't we let them take it upstair while we go out and ea...OOUFF!!!!" Chun-Li cut Ryu off and shoved her left elbow deep into Ryu's stomach briefly stopping his air-supply.

"Hahaha, my husband's just kidding. We'll take our key now. ^_^" Chun-Li said as she let go of the clerk's wrist.

With a confused look on her face, the clerk handed over the key. "Uh, ok. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call us."

Chun-Li ignored the the clerk and headed straight for the elevator with Ryu sluggishly following behind carrying the bags and coughing from the hit he took to the stomach. They reached the top of the the floor and headed towards their room. "Hey wait up, slow-down!" Ryu called.

"Watch it with that equipment will you! It was tough enough for Interpol to smuggle that stuff through customs. I'll be d*mned if you damage anything." Chun-Li whispered stressfully. Chun-Li inserted the key into the door's locked but she had a hard time turning the key. "D*mmit, what's wrong with this thing?! Geez, don't these people use card readers like the rest of the modern world!" Chun-Li complained as she slapped the doorknob.

Out of nowhere, a bellboy emerged with a polaroid camera strapped around his neck. "Here ma'am, let me help you with that." the young man offered.

Chun-Li rested her forehead against the door, annoyed with the bellboy's presence. "I thought I made it clear we didn't need any help. We're fine, really!"

"I know but.......well, here. You just need to jiggle the key in the socket a bit..." the bellboy grabbed the key and did just that and opened the door.

"Thank you and good-day. Let's go dear." Chun-Li ordered. Ryu and her began to enter the room

"Uhhh, (ahem) wait a second!" The young man called. "Aren't you forgetting something? I mean, the threshold? You know.....I'd like to make a picture for you and your hubby for you to keep. It's like this for all our newly married guests."

Chun-Li can't believe how annoyingly persistent these hotel people were. Chun-Li realized that their undercover persona would make people suspicious so she reluctantly agreed. "(Sigh) Ok....(ahem) honey....." Chun-Li said to Ryu clasping her hands and looking at him adoringly.

"What?" Ryu asked.

"C'mon...you know....put down the bags." Chun-Li put on a fake smile and wrapped her arms around Ryu's neck. "C'mon carry me to our room."

"Uh...ok" Ryu put down the bags and hoisted Chun-Li over his shoulder.

"HEY!! Not like that you idi.....I mean sweetie..." Chun-Li yelled as she struggled to get off Ryu's shoulder. "Heh, you'll have to excuse him, he's Japanese you see, so he doesn't know these kinds of traditions." she explained to the bellboy who had the most puzzled look on his face.

"Chun-Li, you said carry you and I did." Ryu said.

"No silly. Like...THIS!" Chun-Li leaped with her legs lifting up and Ryu catches her with his hands supporting Chun-Li's waist and legs. A small crackling sound originated from Ryu's back.

"HRRMPHH!" Ryu grunted.

"That's great! Hold it right there!" The bellboy took a quick snapshot as Chun-Li pressed her cheek against Ryu's. Ryu's eyes widened as it tried to make sense of the situation he was in. The bellboy then gave the photo to Chun-Li while she was still being held. "There ya go, just give it time to develope. Here, now that you have your hands full, I'll help you take your bags inside." The bellboy did just that and placed the luggages in the bedroom of the suite. Ryu followed carrying Chun-Li in. "There you go, no need for a tip, it's on me. Enjoy your stay." said the young man as he exited the room.

Ryu and Chun-Li looked around the room. They couldn't believe how big the suite was. The room was nicely decorated, it looked like something the president of the United States would stay in. Chun-Li was in a short trance, she once dreamed of living in a place like this after she'd retire from Interpol. She then came to her senses, "Um, ok. Let's set up......Um, Ryu..."

"Yeah."

"You can put me down now." Chun-Li said. They both stared at each other for a brief second. Ryu shakes his head.

"Oh...sorry." Ryu placed Chun-Li back on her feet. For a second, he forgot he was holding her, almost as if....it felt natural to his rough hands. Unfortunately his back didn't feel so natural. "D*mn, she weighs more than she looks..." He muttered.

"What was that?!" Chun-Li turned her head lifting her eyebrow.

"Duh-um...uh...I said...Look, how much more do we have to wait." Ryu recovered.

"Let's get changed, and survey the whole area. We got to get in contact with Reily A.S.A.P." Chun-Li said.