Love Hina Fan Fiction ❯ Fight Hina ❯ Chapter Nine ( Chapter 9 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: The Headcrook 
Anime/Manga: Love Hina Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Martial Arts / Drama / Action | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 04.20.2008 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.9K | Visits: 891 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Love Hina Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Martial Arts / Drama / Action | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 04.20.2008 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.9K | Visits: 891 | Status: Completed
Chapter Nine
Following her duel, Motoko, having been humiliated by Ryu and letting Naru and Kitsune down, had taken a spare tanto that was hanging in her room. Chun Li, worried that Motoko would commit suicide following her loss to Ryu, watched as Motoko instead tied her hair into a ponytail and sliced her hair clean off (i.e., her short hairstyle from the manga). She had decided that following her loss to the Ansatsuken fighter that she would live as a nun, but Chun Li talked her out of it.
"You can't win all your battles," Chun Li had told her. "Ryu once told me that you can gain more by learning from your defeats rather than gain an empty victory. So learn from this battle, Motoko, rather than make a choice you will regret for the rest of your life."
After Chun Li had left to tend to her husband's injuries (having suffered numerous bruises from Motoko's final attack, showing that he did not go through this battle unscathed), Motoko pondered Chun Li's words. They were the exact same thing that Tsuruko had told her shortly before she had gotten married.
===
Right now, Motoko was currently on the phone with her elder sister.
"So your sword was broken," Tsuruko Aoyama said from the other line. "You called me at a very bad time, Motoko, for Shin and I are about to leave for the Ryukyu Islands for our wedding anniversary. We won't be able to get a replacement sword until after I come back, which will be within the next month. So tell me something, Motoko...what happened?"
"Oneesan, do you remember Ryu Hoshi?" Motoko asked. "You fought against him when I was a young girl, remember?"
"I did. What does he have to do with anything?"
"It appears that Ryu has some history with Urashima," the now-shorthaired kendoist explained. "That weakling has hired on both Ryu and his wife to act as managers for the next two months." Motoko paused for a moment. "Oneesan, he is the current Shihan of Ansatsuken Shinjutsu. I thought that style was nothing but a myth."
"And knowing you, my dear sister," Tsuruko surmised, "the thought of having a male manager was too much for you to stand, so you challenged him to a duel, right?"
"Yes."
"And you lost to him. Am I right so far?" Tsuruko guessed. "Then, more than likely, since you don't take losing too well, you tried to get in a cheap shot and he used the Zantetsuken technique to destroy Shisui, correct?"
Motoko nearly dropped the phone. Tsuruko was correct on all counts.
"I'll take your silence as a yes," Tsuruko said. "I told you that your male complex would get you into trouble one day, Motoko. But Ryu was the last person I would expect for you to lose to. And you said that he is married now?"
"Yes. His wife is Chinese, and also a martial artist. Oneesan...how did you know about the Zantetsuken technique?"
"Along with the Kongou Kokuretsu Zan, the Zantetsuken is one of Ansatsuken's most deadliest techniques," Tsuruko replied. "I'm surprised to hear that Ryu had made it into a Shinjutsu technique. Motoko, the practitioners of both Ansatsuken and its kendo style are very powerful indeed."
"You sound like you admire him," Motoko noted dryly.
"I do, both as a fighter and as a practitioner of Kendo." Tsuruko paused for a moment. "He was the only person who managed a draw against me, and you know that I give my all whenever I fight. Yes...I think a duel against the Ansatsuken Shihan is in order."
Motoko gritted her teeth.
"And stop grinding you teeth," Tsuruko added. "That's very unbecoming of a Shihan."
Motoko 'eeped.'
"I have to go, Motoko," Tsuruko said. "I will visit in a couple of weeks."
===
As Motoko was on the phone with her sister, an all-girls' Karate club, thirty strong, had just arrived at Hinata City. All were dressed in their white karate gis, each with a level of mastery and experience. They were on a mission: find the man who had defeated Motoko and take their revenge.
Through Motoko's personal fan club, the Karate club received word that Motoko was defeated by a man. Almost immediately, the karate and kendo clubs were up in arms over this travesty.
Now the school that Motoko attended was a girls-only high school and was fiercely proud of its martial arts programs, particularly its kendo, judo and karate clubs. Its Karate club captain was a senior by the name of Kitami Shinoda, a friend of Motoko (and also suffering from the same male-hating tendencies as her kendo counterpart), and a second degree black belt in both Kyokushin and Gojû Ryû Karate.
However, when the Kendo clubs found out that Motoko was defeated by the same man who had KO'ed her back at the mountain temple, they immediately backed off, seeing as how they knew what he was capable of.
===
Shortly after the Motoko's defeat...
Inside the all-girls' gym, the karate club was practicing, with Captain Shinoda watching, arms folded, when a schoolgirl, dressed in a fuku ran into the gym. "Captain Shinoda! Captain Shinoda!"
Kitami turned to the intruder. "What is it?" she asked, rather annoyed. "Can't you see that I am holding class here?"
"It's Motoko!" the girl replied. "She was defeated in a duel yesterday!"
At that comment, the entire karate club stopped what they were doing and turned to the girl, whispering amongst themselves.
Kitami, however, was in disbelief. "Motoko, defeated? Impossible. She is one of the top kendoists in the school. How can she be defeated?"
"She challenged a man to a duel, and lost! And he destroyed her sword!"
Gasps were heard throughout the ranks.
"And what is the kendo club going to do about this travesty?" Kitami asked.
"Nothing. They know this man from before and dare not to challenge him."
"Worthless spineless cowards," Kitami spat out. "Who is this man who dishonored Aoyama?"
"A Japanese master by the name of Ryu Hoshi. He is friends with Ken Masters."
Kitami snorted. "Regardless, the fact remains that he is friends with the school's sponsor, he has not only insulted Motoko, but had insulted this school! We must take our revenge!"
===
That's how it had started. From what Motoko's devotees had told them, Ryu was one of two interim managers that Keitaro Urashima had hired while Keitaro was on vacation. The other was his wife, a Chinese female who was also a martial artist. They also found out that Ryu had an apprentice in the martial arts.
Within several hours, Kitami had laid out her plan: arrive in Hinata City and find Ryu Hoshi. Once he was discovered, attack en masse. And should his wife or student try and interfere, then the worse for them.
===
Chun Li was at the markets with Shinobu, picking up some items for dinner. Sakura had decided to tag along at Ryu's request to bring him some herbal tea, which would help with the injuries he suffered from following Motoko's match.
On their way back to the dorm, they passed a boarded-up restaurant, which Shinobu stopped and regarded sadly. Chun Li caught the look in the young girl's eyes. "Are you okay, Shinobu?" she asked with concern.
Shinobu gestured to the closed-down restaurant. "This used to be my home, before my parents had gotten divorced," she replied sadly.
Chun Li was about to say something when several men - four in total - and not as much older than Kitsune appeared and surrounded the three. All of them reeked of alcohol and Chun Li suspected that they were armed. They were looking at her, mainly because she was wearing the blue-and-yellow trimmed jumpsuit which showed off her curvaceous frame, and matching sneakers. Instead of her vest, she wore a brown leather jacket. Her hair was done in her usual braided-and-bunned style.
"Hey there, cutie," the leader said. "Would you like to have a drink with us?"
Chun Li didn't respond. Instead, she pushed the leader aside and walked onward. However, that didn't deter the men as they surrounded the trio once again. Chun Li's suspicions were confirmed as two of them pulled out weapons; one a knife while the other a baseball bat.
"You shouldn't have done that," the leader said, eyeing her body. "I never had a Chinese girl before." He turned to the other three who were watching Sakura and Shinobu closely. "Make sure that no one sees us. You can have the other two."
At that moment, Chun Li attacked. She swatted the knife aside and landed two punches to the leader's face as Sakura pulled Shinobu to the side.
With the young girl being watched by Sakura, Chun Li let off some steam by using the would-be criminals as target practice. Quickly turning to the second man, Chun Li also landed several punches to the guy's face. Spinning around, she stretched out one leg and caught both of them with a powerful spinning back kick, sending them both to the ground.
Shinobu watched mesmerized as Chun Li continued to fight the four men.
Chun Li turned back to the other two, now that their friends were no longer any concern. She planted one foot into the other guy's solar plexus, sending him crashing through the restaurant's boarded doors, leaving only the leader. Still holding the knife in his hand, he lunged at the former Interpol agent, who simply punted the knife into the air and broke it with a well-aimed kick.
That was more than enough to tell the guy that running away was the best choice of action.
Unfortunately, he didn't get too far, since he skidded to a halt in front of a group of women dressed in white karate gis. Apparently, they had witnessed Chun Li's fighting abilities. The leader finished the guy off with a punch to the head.
"Male scum," the girl muttered, who didn't look that much older, probably around Motoko's age. She looked at Chun Li. "You're pretty good. You wouldn't have to know Motoko Aoyama by any chance, would you?"
"I am one of two acting landlords at the residence she is staying at," Chun Li replied. "What do you want with her? Who are you anyway?"
"I am Kitami Shinoda," Kitami introduced herself, "senior captain of the karate club. And we don't want her; we want the man who defeated her in a duel."
"I know him," Chun Li replied, not liking where this conversation is going. "He is my husband."
"And my sensei," Sakura added. "What do you want with him?"
"He has insulted the kendo club," Kitami replied, "and our school by defeating Aoyama in combat. He must pay for this injustice." She sized Chun Li up. "I have no quarrel with you. You seem like a rational woman and I will let you pass if you don't interfere."
Chun Li shook her head. "I can't. If you have any quarrel with my husband, then you have a problem with me."
"And me," Sakura butted in, gently pushing Shinobu to the side. "Find Ryu and get him over here as fast as you can."
Shinobu nodded and ran off.
Kitami sighed. "Too bad. I was hoping you would see reason. But you decided to side with the male. And you will be made an example before we go after your dear husband."
"Does Motoko know about this?" Chun Li asked.
"She will soon enough," Kitami replied matter-of-factly. "Get them!"
===
As the fight began, one of the female karate members made it to Haruka's teashop and was starting up the stairs when she saw Motoko coming down the stairs, dressed in casual clothes, since it was her day off from training. "Miss Aoyama!"
"What is it?" Motoko asked, obviously annoyed.
The female karateka bowed. "Aoyama-sempai, I have good news! Captain Shinoda will avenge your loss to the male."
Motoko blinked. "What do you mean?"
"She is currently fighting the male's wife and student," the woman replied.
Motoko visibly paled. Shinobu was there with Chun Li and Sakura and is she had gotten hurt...
"Motoko!"
The Shinmei Ryu kendoist's chain of thought was interrupted when a breathless Shinobu came running around the corner before skidding to a halt. "Chun Li and Sakura are being attacked by a group of girls!" the young girl panted.
It was at that moment, Ryu, who was at the cafe, overheard Shinobu as he exited Haruka's shop. "What about my wife?" he asked, not sure he heard right.
The female karate fighter turned and faced Ryu. "You! Prepare to face justice!" She leapt at Ryu...
...only to have the Ansatsuken master grab her out of the air and pin her against the wall. Turning to Motoko he asked, "Did you know anything about this?" he demanded.
Motoko shook her head. "No! I would never put Chun Li and Sakura in danger like this."
Ryu tossed the girl to the ground. "Where are they?" Ryu demanded.
"Near the old restaurant," Shinobu replied. "It's not too far from here."
"Go inside the shop and wait for me there," Ryu ordered. He turned to Motoko. "I'll deal with you later," he said before he turned and ran off.
Motoko looked at the fallen karate fighter. "You dishonor yourself by doing this," she said before turning and running back up the stairs to Hinata House.
The Karate Club had swarmed the Chinese martial artist and the Japanese apprentice en masse. However, despite being one of the school's top martial arts teams, they had never faced the likes of Chun Li and Sakura.
Three of the girls were sent flying back from the impact of Chun Li's powerful kicks, knocking several of the charging girls over. One of them leapt into the air, foot outstretched in a jumping kick. However, Chun Li leapt into the air, grabbed the girl and flung her back to the ground.
Sakura, being Ryu's apprentice in Ansatsuken, showed that all of her training was not in vain. Her version of Ansatsuken was more eccentric than her master's traditional style, but still effective. Spinning low to the ground, foot outstretched, Sakura swept one girl to the ground and kicked her hard in the torso, propelling her to several of the other girls, knocking some of them over while a couple jumped over the sliding body.
The assault continued.
Motoko ran into her room. Rushing over to her sword rack, she quickly remembered that her sword was destroyed following her match with Ryu. Racing out of her room, she ran to the second floor and into the empty landlord's room. Ryu's sword was resting nearby, laid out on a sword rack which Ryu had recently crafted.
Without thinking twice, Motoko grabbed the sword and ran out of the landlord's room, praying to whatever gods listening, hoping that she wasn't too late.
===
Several minutes had passes since the assault had begun. A battered and bruised Chun Li and Sakura faced off, back-to-back against an equally battered Kitami and the karate club.
"What the hell is going on here?!" a familiar voice bellowed.
The karate club, Kitami, Chun Li and Sakura turned to the sight of a very furious Ryu storming down the street. "Who the hell are you?" he barked at Kitami, "and why are you attacking my wife and student?"
"It's you," Kitami said. "You're the one that defeated Aoyama!" She smiled coldly. "You came just in time to see your pathetic apprentice and your Chinese bitch pay for your transgressions."
She turned back to Chun Li...only to receive a solid punch to the face by the aforementioned former Interpol agent.
"Stay out of this, Ryu," Chun Li said in a cold tone. "I will handle this one myself." She turned to the others. "Anyone who interferes will deal with me."
The tone of her voice was dead serious and given the extensive injuries that the majority of the karate club had suffered, they knew damn well that the former Interpol agent can back up that threat.
Kitami nodded in approval. "Do as she says. This one is mine," she ordered her subordinates before turning to Ryu. "You get to watch as I take your wife apart. No one has beaten me."
"Just wait," Ryu retorted. "My wife is full of surprises."
The two females faced off. Both Chun Li and Kitami went into their stances. Kitami saw that Chun Li had lowered her stance so that her hands were nearly at the same level as her waist. Kitami smirked to herself, taking it as a sign of weakness and moved in.
Big mistake.
It was a trick that she had learned from Fei Long. Lower your stance, and the opponent will attack. Only Ryu was smart enough not to fall for something that. Kitami was anything but, as she attacked with a roundhouse kick to Chun Li's face. The former Interpol agent swatted the blow aside, and landed a punch into Kitami's abdomen, which was followed by an elbow to the torso, forcing Kitami back.
She then caught Chun Li with a blow to the face and swept her to the ground. Chun Li rolled out of the way to avoid the incoming foot to the face. When Kitami lunged at the Chinese woman, Chun Li somersaulted over her and planted both feet into the back of Kitami's head, knocking her facedown on the ground, Kitami letting out a small cry as she landed hard on her knee.
"Seneshu!" Chun Li cried, flipping into a handstand before springing forward, leg first, aimed for Kitami's head. Out of reflex, Kitami rolled out of the way and Chun Li's foot made a small impact crater on the ground.
The fight between Chun Li Xiang and Kitami Shinoda continued as Motoko came onto the scene.
Even with an injured knee, Kitami fought on, landing several powerful shots on Chun Li, but the Wushu mistress had the upper hand, Kitami's head rocking left to right from her repeated kicks. Then Chun Li grabbed her, punched her in the gut and landed a right cross on her face, causing Kitami to spin a complete 360 degrees.
As Kitami stood stunned, Chun Li, even though her body was sore decided to finish this match. What she did next shocked even Motoko.
Chun Li lunged forward, kicking at Kitami with near-blinding speed, with her left leg, the rapid KRACK-KRACK-KRACK of foot meeting face and chest was evident. Then she switched to her right, also kicking at the same speed. Then she punted Kitami into the air with a perfect split kick, completing the Hoyoukusen.
Kitami landed on the ground, at Motoko's feet. Even though she was defeated, Kitami was defiant. She looked up and saw Motoko looking down at her, unsheathed sword in hand. Kitami laughed, even though her ribs were sore beyond belief. "Motoko...you're here. I thought I tried to get revenge for you...for losing to the male, but the woman was too strong."
Motoko's grip on the sword tightened. "You have no right to interfere with my personal affairs, Shinoda," she replied coldly. "And you attacked two innocent women. My quarrel is with the male, not them."
"But...but..." Kitami sputtered.
"You attacked two innocent women," Motoko said in a cold tone. "And one of the residents of Hinata House was with them! Now what would have happened if Shinobu was attacked?! I've had enough of you, Shinoda. Hiken Zankuuzen!"
WHAM!
Motoko's ki attack met its mark, lifting Kitami cleanly off the ground and sending her crashing to the other battered Karate Club members. They knew when Motoko gets angry; her sword skills really come to light. They immediately took their wounded and retreated.
===
Back at Hinata House, Chun Li was getting her injuries treated by Ryu, while Suu and Shinobu were tending to Sakura. Upon finding out that the Karate Club had attacked both Chun Li and Sakura, Ken had demanded that the Karate Club apologize for this slight against his friends, or else the Masters Foundation would stop sponsoring the Karate Club.
"So they were looking for me?" Ryu asked as he applied some rubbing alcohol on Chun Li's busted lip. Both she and Ryu were in the landlord's room. Chun Li was on the futon, Ryu facing her as he worked on her injuries.
Chun Li winced slightly. "Ow. Yeah. They must have heard about your match with Motoko and came to take revenge."
There was a knock on the door. When Chun Li allowed the person to enter, it was Motoko, holding the sheathed sword in her hand. She kneeled down in front of the two landlords, placing the sword at her side.
"I did not know about this," Motoko said, bowing low. "Shinoda acted on her own. I am sorry that this had to happen and I hope you can forgive me for this."
After a long moment, Ryu spoke. "I believe you, Aoyama."
Motoko looked up. "What?"
"You are a warrior of honor, despite where your thoughts lie on the male gender," Ryu surmised. He looked at the sword beside her. "I see you found the Hina Blade to your liking."
Motoko blinked. "Hina Blade? This is the cursed blade of the Urashima family?"
"Was cursed. I had Master Gouken purify it." He pointed to his own weapon, which was leaning at the far corner of the desk. "I had the Hina Blade purified at Keitaro's request."
Motoko slowly picked up the blade. In her rush to aid Chun Li and Sakura, she failed to see the differences between Ryu's sword and the one she was holding in her hand. The sword was perfect in every way, not unlike her old sword. "I think I will hold on to this sword, for the time being," Motoko said, bowing one more time before leaving.
As she closed the door, she stopped for a moment and sighed. She was certain that Ryu was going to evict her, but this change of events had made her look at herself. 'Maybe Chun Li talked to him,' she thought. 'Or maybe not all men are not as evil as I once thought.'
As she continued to wrestle with herself, she walked back to her room. Changing out of her clothes and into her hakama, the Shinmei Ryu heiress walked to the rooftop, sword in hand and after a week without training with a blade, resumed her thousand-strike training.
Following her duel, Motoko, having been humiliated by Ryu and letting Naru and Kitsune down, had taken a spare tanto that was hanging in her room. Chun Li, worried that Motoko would commit suicide following her loss to Ryu, watched as Motoko instead tied her hair into a ponytail and sliced her hair clean off (i.e., her short hairstyle from the manga). She had decided that following her loss to the Ansatsuken fighter that she would live as a nun, but Chun Li talked her out of it.
"You can't win all your battles," Chun Li had told her. "Ryu once told me that you can gain more by learning from your defeats rather than gain an empty victory. So learn from this battle, Motoko, rather than make a choice you will regret for the rest of your life."
After Chun Li had left to tend to her husband's injuries (having suffered numerous bruises from Motoko's final attack, showing that he did not go through this battle unscathed), Motoko pondered Chun Li's words. They were the exact same thing that Tsuruko had told her shortly before she had gotten married.
===
Right now, Motoko was currently on the phone with her elder sister.
"So your sword was broken," Tsuruko Aoyama said from the other line. "You called me at a very bad time, Motoko, for Shin and I are about to leave for the Ryukyu Islands for our wedding anniversary. We won't be able to get a replacement sword until after I come back, which will be within the next month. So tell me something, Motoko...what happened?"
"Oneesan, do you remember Ryu Hoshi?" Motoko asked. "You fought against him when I was a young girl, remember?"
"I did. What does he have to do with anything?"
"It appears that Ryu has some history with Urashima," the now-shorthaired kendoist explained. "That weakling has hired on both Ryu and his wife to act as managers for the next two months." Motoko paused for a moment. "Oneesan, he is the current Shihan of Ansatsuken Shinjutsu. I thought that style was nothing but a myth."
"And knowing you, my dear sister," Tsuruko surmised, "the thought of having a male manager was too much for you to stand, so you challenged him to a duel, right?"
"Yes."
"And you lost to him. Am I right so far?" Tsuruko guessed. "Then, more than likely, since you don't take losing too well, you tried to get in a cheap shot and he used the Zantetsuken technique to destroy Shisui, correct?"
Motoko nearly dropped the phone. Tsuruko was correct on all counts.
"I'll take your silence as a yes," Tsuruko said. "I told you that your male complex would get you into trouble one day, Motoko. But Ryu was the last person I would expect for you to lose to. And you said that he is married now?"
"Yes. His wife is Chinese, and also a martial artist. Oneesan...how did you know about the Zantetsuken technique?"
"Along with the Kongou Kokuretsu Zan, the Zantetsuken is one of Ansatsuken's most deadliest techniques," Tsuruko replied. "I'm surprised to hear that Ryu had made it into a Shinjutsu technique. Motoko, the practitioners of both Ansatsuken and its kendo style are very powerful indeed."
"You sound like you admire him," Motoko noted dryly.
"I do, both as a fighter and as a practitioner of Kendo." Tsuruko paused for a moment. "He was the only person who managed a draw against me, and you know that I give my all whenever I fight. Yes...I think a duel against the Ansatsuken Shihan is in order."
Motoko gritted her teeth.
"And stop grinding you teeth," Tsuruko added. "That's very unbecoming of a Shihan."
Motoko 'eeped.'
"I have to go, Motoko," Tsuruko said. "I will visit in a couple of weeks."
===
As Motoko was on the phone with her sister, an all-girls' Karate club, thirty strong, had just arrived at Hinata City. All were dressed in their white karate gis, each with a level of mastery and experience. They were on a mission: find the man who had defeated Motoko and take their revenge.
Through Motoko's personal fan club, the Karate club received word that Motoko was defeated by a man. Almost immediately, the karate and kendo clubs were up in arms over this travesty.
Now the school that Motoko attended was a girls-only high school and was fiercely proud of its martial arts programs, particularly its kendo, judo and karate clubs. Its Karate club captain was a senior by the name of Kitami Shinoda, a friend of Motoko (and also suffering from the same male-hating tendencies as her kendo counterpart), and a second degree black belt in both Kyokushin and Gojû Ryû Karate.
However, when the Kendo clubs found out that Motoko was defeated by the same man who had KO'ed her back at the mountain temple, they immediately backed off, seeing as how they knew what he was capable of.
===
Shortly after the Motoko's defeat...
Inside the all-girls' gym, the karate club was practicing, with Captain Shinoda watching, arms folded, when a schoolgirl, dressed in a fuku ran into the gym. "Captain Shinoda! Captain Shinoda!"
Kitami turned to the intruder. "What is it?" she asked, rather annoyed. "Can't you see that I am holding class here?"
"It's Motoko!" the girl replied. "She was defeated in a duel yesterday!"
At that comment, the entire karate club stopped what they were doing and turned to the girl, whispering amongst themselves.
Kitami, however, was in disbelief. "Motoko, defeated? Impossible. She is one of the top kendoists in the school. How can she be defeated?"
"She challenged a man to a duel, and lost! And he destroyed her sword!"
Gasps were heard throughout the ranks.
"And what is the kendo club going to do about this travesty?" Kitami asked.
"Nothing. They know this man from before and dare not to challenge him."
"Worthless spineless cowards," Kitami spat out. "Who is this man who dishonored Aoyama?"
"A Japanese master by the name of Ryu Hoshi. He is friends with Ken Masters."
Kitami snorted. "Regardless, the fact remains that he is friends with the school's sponsor, he has not only insulted Motoko, but had insulted this school! We must take our revenge!"
===
That's how it had started. From what Motoko's devotees had told them, Ryu was one of two interim managers that Keitaro Urashima had hired while Keitaro was on vacation. The other was his wife, a Chinese female who was also a martial artist. They also found out that Ryu had an apprentice in the martial arts.
Within several hours, Kitami had laid out her plan: arrive in Hinata City and find Ryu Hoshi. Once he was discovered, attack en masse. And should his wife or student try and interfere, then the worse for them.
===
Chun Li was at the markets with Shinobu, picking up some items for dinner. Sakura had decided to tag along at Ryu's request to bring him some herbal tea, which would help with the injuries he suffered from following Motoko's match.
On their way back to the dorm, they passed a boarded-up restaurant, which Shinobu stopped and regarded sadly. Chun Li caught the look in the young girl's eyes. "Are you okay, Shinobu?" she asked with concern.
Shinobu gestured to the closed-down restaurant. "This used to be my home, before my parents had gotten divorced," she replied sadly.
Chun Li was about to say something when several men - four in total - and not as much older than Kitsune appeared and surrounded the three. All of them reeked of alcohol and Chun Li suspected that they were armed. They were looking at her, mainly because she was wearing the blue-and-yellow trimmed jumpsuit which showed off her curvaceous frame, and matching sneakers. Instead of her vest, she wore a brown leather jacket. Her hair was done in her usual braided-and-bunned style.
"Hey there, cutie," the leader said. "Would you like to have a drink with us?"
Chun Li didn't respond. Instead, she pushed the leader aside and walked onward. However, that didn't deter the men as they surrounded the trio once again. Chun Li's suspicions were confirmed as two of them pulled out weapons; one a knife while the other a baseball bat.
"You shouldn't have done that," the leader said, eyeing her body. "I never had a Chinese girl before." He turned to the other three who were watching Sakura and Shinobu closely. "Make sure that no one sees us. You can have the other two."
At that moment, Chun Li attacked. She swatted the knife aside and landed two punches to the leader's face as Sakura pulled Shinobu to the side.
With the young girl being watched by Sakura, Chun Li let off some steam by using the would-be criminals as target practice. Quickly turning to the second man, Chun Li also landed several punches to the guy's face. Spinning around, she stretched out one leg and caught both of them with a powerful spinning back kick, sending them both to the ground.
Shinobu watched mesmerized as Chun Li continued to fight the four men.
Chun Li turned back to the other two, now that their friends were no longer any concern. She planted one foot into the other guy's solar plexus, sending him crashing through the restaurant's boarded doors, leaving only the leader. Still holding the knife in his hand, he lunged at the former Interpol agent, who simply punted the knife into the air and broke it with a well-aimed kick.
That was more than enough to tell the guy that running away was the best choice of action.
Unfortunately, he didn't get too far, since he skidded to a halt in front of a group of women dressed in white karate gis. Apparently, they had witnessed Chun Li's fighting abilities. The leader finished the guy off with a punch to the head.
"Male scum," the girl muttered, who didn't look that much older, probably around Motoko's age. She looked at Chun Li. "You're pretty good. You wouldn't have to know Motoko Aoyama by any chance, would you?"
"I am one of two acting landlords at the residence she is staying at," Chun Li replied. "What do you want with her? Who are you anyway?"
"I am Kitami Shinoda," Kitami introduced herself, "senior captain of the karate club. And we don't want her; we want the man who defeated her in a duel."
"I know him," Chun Li replied, not liking where this conversation is going. "He is my husband."
"And my sensei," Sakura added. "What do you want with him?"
"He has insulted the kendo club," Kitami replied, "and our school by defeating Aoyama in combat. He must pay for this injustice." She sized Chun Li up. "I have no quarrel with you. You seem like a rational woman and I will let you pass if you don't interfere."
Chun Li shook her head. "I can't. If you have any quarrel with my husband, then you have a problem with me."
"And me," Sakura butted in, gently pushing Shinobu to the side. "Find Ryu and get him over here as fast as you can."
Shinobu nodded and ran off.
Kitami sighed. "Too bad. I was hoping you would see reason. But you decided to side with the male. And you will be made an example before we go after your dear husband."
"Does Motoko know about this?" Chun Li asked.
"She will soon enough," Kitami replied matter-of-factly. "Get them!"
===
As the fight began, one of the female karate members made it to Haruka's teashop and was starting up the stairs when she saw Motoko coming down the stairs, dressed in casual clothes, since it was her day off from training. "Miss Aoyama!"
"What is it?" Motoko asked, obviously annoyed.
The female karateka bowed. "Aoyama-sempai, I have good news! Captain Shinoda will avenge your loss to the male."
Motoko blinked. "What do you mean?"
"She is currently fighting the male's wife and student," the woman replied.
Motoko visibly paled. Shinobu was there with Chun Li and Sakura and is she had gotten hurt...
"Motoko!"
The Shinmei Ryu kendoist's chain of thought was interrupted when a breathless Shinobu came running around the corner before skidding to a halt. "Chun Li and Sakura are being attacked by a group of girls!" the young girl panted.
It was at that moment, Ryu, who was at the cafe, overheard Shinobu as he exited Haruka's shop. "What about my wife?" he asked, not sure he heard right.
The female karate fighter turned and faced Ryu. "You! Prepare to face justice!" She leapt at Ryu...
...only to have the Ansatsuken master grab her out of the air and pin her against the wall. Turning to Motoko he asked, "Did you know anything about this?" he demanded.
Motoko shook her head. "No! I would never put Chun Li and Sakura in danger like this."
Ryu tossed the girl to the ground. "Where are they?" Ryu demanded.
"Near the old restaurant," Shinobu replied. "It's not too far from here."
"Go inside the shop and wait for me there," Ryu ordered. He turned to Motoko. "I'll deal with you later," he said before he turned and ran off.
Motoko looked at the fallen karate fighter. "You dishonor yourself by doing this," she said before turning and running back up the stairs to Hinata House.
The Karate Club had swarmed the Chinese martial artist and the Japanese apprentice en masse. However, despite being one of the school's top martial arts teams, they had never faced the likes of Chun Li and Sakura.
Three of the girls were sent flying back from the impact of Chun Li's powerful kicks, knocking several of the charging girls over. One of them leapt into the air, foot outstretched in a jumping kick. However, Chun Li leapt into the air, grabbed the girl and flung her back to the ground.
Sakura, being Ryu's apprentice in Ansatsuken, showed that all of her training was not in vain. Her version of Ansatsuken was more eccentric than her master's traditional style, but still effective. Spinning low to the ground, foot outstretched, Sakura swept one girl to the ground and kicked her hard in the torso, propelling her to several of the other girls, knocking some of them over while a couple jumped over the sliding body.
The assault continued.
Motoko ran into her room. Rushing over to her sword rack, she quickly remembered that her sword was destroyed following her match with Ryu. Racing out of her room, she ran to the second floor and into the empty landlord's room. Ryu's sword was resting nearby, laid out on a sword rack which Ryu had recently crafted.
Without thinking twice, Motoko grabbed the sword and ran out of the landlord's room, praying to whatever gods listening, hoping that she wasn't too late.
===
Several minutes had passes since the assault had begun. A battered and bruised Chun Li and Sakura faced off, back-to-back against an equally battered Kitami and the karate club.
"What the hell is going on here?!" a familiar voice bellowed.
The karate club, Kitami, Chun Li and Sakura turned to the sight of a very furious Ryu storming down the street. "Who the hell are you?" he barked at Kitami, "and why are you attacking my wife and student?"
"It's you," Kitami said. "You're the one that defeated Aoyama!" She smiled coldly. "You came just in time to see your pathetic apprentice and your Chinese bitch pay for your transgressions."
She turned back to Chun Li...only to receive a solid punch to the face by the aforementioned former Interpol agent.
"Stay out of this, Ryu," Chun Li said in a cold tone. "I will handle this one myself." She turned to the others. "Anyone who interferes will deal with me."
The tone of her voice was dead serious and given the extensive injuries that the majority of the karate club had suffered, they knew damn well that the former Interpol agent can back up that threat.
Kitami nodded in approval. "Do as she says. This one is mine," she ordered her subordinates before turning to Ryu. "You get to watch as I take your wife apart. No one has beaten me."
"Just wait," Ryu retorted. "My wife is full of surprises."
The two females faced off. Both Chun Li and Kitami went into their stances. Kitami saw that Chun Li had lowered her stance so that her hands were nearly at the same level as her waist. Kitami smirked to herself, taking it as a sign of weakness and moved in.
Big mistake.
It was a trick that she had learned from Fei Long. Lower your stance, and the opponent will attack. Only Ryu was smart enough not to fall for something that. Kitami was anything but, as she attacked with a roundhouse kick to Chun Li's face. The former Interpol agent swatted the blow aside, and landed a punch into Kitami's abdomen, which was followed by an elbow to the torso, forcing Kitami back.
She then caught Chun Li with a blow to the face and swept her to the ground. Chun Li rolled out of the way to avoid the incoming foot to the face. When Kitami lunged at the Chinese woman, Chun Li somersaulted over her and planted both feet into the back of Kitami's head, knocking her facedown on the ground, Kitami letting out a small cry as she landed hard on her knee.
"Seneshu!" Chun Li cried, flipping into a handstand before springing forward, leg first, aimed for Kitami's head. Out of reflex, Kitami rolled out of the way and Chun Li's foot made a small impact crater on the ground.
The fight between Chun Li Xiang and Kitami Shinoda continued as Motoko came onto the scene.
Even with an injured knee, Kitami fought on, landing several powerful shots on Chun Li, but the Wushu mistress had the upper hand, Kitami's head rocking left to right from her repeated kicks. Then Chun Li grabbed her, punched her in the gut and landed a right cross on her face, causing Kitami to spin a complete 360 degrees.
As Kitami stood stunned, Chun Li, even though her body was sore decided to finish this match. What she did next shocked even Motoko.
Chun Li lunged forward, kicking at Kitami with near-blinding speed, with her left leg, the rapid KRACK-KRACK-KRACK of foot meeting face and chest was evident. Then she switched to her right, also kicking at the same speed. Then she punted Kitami into the air with a perfect split kick, completing the Hoyoukusen.
Kitami landed on the ground, at Motoko's feet. Even though she was defeated, Kitami was defiant. She looked up and saw Motoko looking down at her, unsheathed sword in hand. Kitami laughed, even though her ribs were sore beyond belief. "Motoko...you're here. I thought I tried to get revenge for you...for losing to the male, but the woman was too strong."
Motoko's grip on the sword tightened. "You have no right to interfere with my personal affairs, Shinoda," she replied coldly. "And you attacked two innocent women. My quarrel is with the male, not them."
"But...but..." Kitami sputtered.
"You attacked two innocent women," Motoko said in a cold tone. "And one of the residents of Hinata House was with them! Now what would have happened if Shinobu was attacked?! I've had enough of you, Shinoda. Hiken Zankuuzen!"
WHAM!
Motoko's ki attack met its mark, lifting Kitami cleanly off the ground and sending her crashing to the other battered Karate Club members. They knew when Motoko gets angry; her sword skills really come to light. They immediately took their wounded and retreated.
===
Back at Hinata House, Chun Li was getting her injuries treated by Ryu, while Suu and Shinobu were tending to Sakura. Upon finding out that the Karate Club had attacked both Chun Li and Sakura, Ken had demanded that the Karate Club apologize for this slight against his friends, or else the Masters Foundation would stop sponsoring the Karate Club.
"So they were looking for me?" Ryu asked as he applied some rubbing alcohol on Chun Li's busted lip. Both she and Ryu were in the landlord's room. Chun Li was on the futon, Ryu facing her as he worked on her injuries.
Chun Li winced slightly. "Ow. Yeah. They must have heard about your match with Motoko and came to take revenge."
There was a knock on the door. When Chun Li allowed the person to enter, it was Motoko, holding the sheathed sword in her hand. She kneeled down in front of the two landlords, placing the sword at her side.
"I did not know about this," Motoko said, bowing low. "Shinoda acted on her own. I am sorry that this had to happen and I hope you can forgive me for this."
After a long moment, Ryu spoke. "I believe you, Aoyama."
Motoko looked up. "What?"
"You are a warrior of honor, despite where your thoughts lie on the male gender," Ryu surmised. He looked at the sword beside her. "I see you found the Hina Blade to your liking."
Motoko blinked. "Hina Blade? This is the cursed blade of the Urashima family?"
"Was cursed. I had Master Gouken purify it." He pointed to his own weapon, which was leaning at the far corner of the desk. "I had the Hina Blade purified at Keitaro's request."
Motoko slowly picked up the blade. In her rush to aid Chun Li and Sakura, she failed to see the differences between Ryu's sword and the one she was holding in her hand. The sword was perfect in every way, not unlike her old sword. "I think I will hold on to this sword, for the time being," Motoko said, bowing one more time before leaving.
As she closed the door, she stopped for a moment and sighed. She was certain that Ryu was going to evict her, but this change of events had made her look at herself. 'Maybe Chun Li talked to him,' she thought. 'Or maybe not all men are not as evil as I once thought.'
As she continued to wrestle with herself, she walked back to her room. Changing out of her clothes and into her hakama, the Shinmei Ryu heiress walked to the rooftop, sword in hand and after a week without training with a blade, resumed her thousand-strike training.