Chapter 14: On The Town
The limo pulled up to the Emerald Dragon, and the group was let out. There was a huge line at the door as people waited to enter.
"Look at the size of this crowd!! We'll never gonna get into here for days!" Dan said looking dismayed.
Ken walked ahead to the usher who was letting the people in. "Excuse me sir! But you will have to wait at the back of the line to be seated. It's about a three hour wait." the usher told Ken.
"That's okay, I just want you to deliver a message to the floor manager. Tell him that Ken Masters is here." Ken said moving back to the end of the line.
The usher tapped his radio headset and relayed the message inside. About a minute later a man dressed in a rather fashionable suit walked up to Ken.
"Mr. Masters!! It is so good of you to drop by. We have your usual table ready for you. How many will be joining you tonight?" the man asked.
"Four people including myself." Ken replied.
"Very good sir, if you and your party will just follow me inside."
The man turned and walked back towards the front of the line. Ken walked after the man and the rest followed. Ken was getting rude stares and comments from most of the people in line, until someone recognized him and soon the rest of the line hushed up.
The inside of the Emerald Dragon, was if anything spectacular. There was a huge bar they were led past that had a sculpture of a dragon that sat behind the many vast bottles of liquor. There were many patrons at the bar as they walked by. Dan's eyes immediately lit up. Finally they were seated at a spacious table. Ryu held out the chair for Chun li to sit, (Ken had given him a few pointers while at the tailor shop).
After they all sat down, a waiter came up with menus and a bottle of wine. He showed the bottle to Ken so he could inspect it, then opened it and let Ken have a taste of it.
"Ahhh..Excellent." Ken commented on the wine. The waiter then poured a glass for each of them. When he finished pouring the last glass, Dan held out his for more, since he chugged it down. Ken just shook his head. They ordered their meals and engaged in light conversation about the day?s events.
"I can't believe you learned it that fast!" Ken said in between sips of wine. "It took me a full week just to learn the philosophies of chi. Ryu here picked it up instantly the moment Sensei told us the philosophies about it."
"I have a great teacher." she said smiling at Ryu.
Dan was getting rather bored listening to them talk about Chi and started to nod off. "I'm gonna head up to the bar, I?ll be back later." He said as he got up to leave.
As soon as Dan was out of sight, Ken snickered. "I'm telling you guys! You should have seen it! They had him doing all his own stunts! He took a lot of punishment today, and kept coming back for more! I've never laughed so hard in my entire life!"
Dan walked up to a barstool and ordered himself a drink. "Bill it to Ken Masters over there. I'm with him." Dan looked around at all the different people sitting around the bar.
'Ah! There's one." Dan thinks to himself as he looks at a rather attractive brunette sitting by herself. Dan picked up his drink and walked over and sits next to the woman.
"Hi beautiful!, Can I buy you a drink?" He asked with a sly smile.
"Sure, why not." She replied.
'The old' Hibiki charm just can?t be resisted.' He smiled to himself.
Back at the table....
The waiter brought out a huge tray of plates sat the orders out in front of them, and refilled their glasses with fresh wine.
"Does Dan know that his food is here now?" Ryu asked Ken.
"Let me look.." Ken slightly raised out of his chair to look at the bar. "Ahhh ....nope. Looks like he has found some company. I just hope he does not make a scene here."
After they had their meal, the waiter had the table immediately cleared and dessert orders were taken.
"OOOOOH!! I think I?ll have the chocolate sundae brownie." Chun li said as she eyed the picture on the desert menu. "I just love chocolate!"
Ken gave out a chuckle and ordered bowl of strawberries with ice cream.
"Nothing for me." Ryu said waving the menu away.
"YOU? You do not want any dessert?" Ken asked rather shocked. "Are you sure you are feeling okay?"
"I am fine." Ryu replied.
"You can have some of my dessert. I'm sure I will not be able to eat it all." she replied.
"Well if you will both excuse me, I?m going to head for the powder room to freshen up." She then got up and walked towards the powder room.
After she disappeared, Ken started to laugh and cradled his head in his hands.
"What is it, Ken?" Ryu asked confused.
"Man, are you in for it!" He said in between giggles.
"When a woman that likes you offers to share her dessert with you, and a chocolate dessert for that matter, you might as well kiss bachelor life away."
Ryu was confused with that comment, which made Ken laugh even harder. He was turning red from laughing so hard.
Ken got his laughing under control, and looked serious at his best friend. "Ryu, I was only playing with you. But you got to admit, she does seem to have a crush on you."
"I know." Ryu replied. "My thoughts are confused on this unfamiliar subject. The Demon said that she would make me weak. It is distracting me from seeking out the true meaning of the fight."
Ken gave him a sympathetic look. "Look Ryu, I have known you throughout my childhood, and there hasn't been anything that has ever turned your head or has given you pause as that girl does."
"You have always been so focused on the fight, that I always wondered if you would ever see anything else beyond that. Love is not a weakness Ryu, if anything it makes us stronger. It can make you aspire to heights you never thought possible."
"I do not understand this emotion. My feelings for her are unclear. Ryu replied.
"Okay, let me put it to you this way. As soon as she learns the *HaDoKen* and sets off to go after this Vega character, are you going to sit back and watch her go off to face him alone?" Ken asked.
"Of course not! Ryu replied, his pride wounded.
"I knew you would not stand by, neither will I for that matter. But, my point is this.... Are you going to do this because honor tells you it is the right thing to do, or is it be because you have deep feelings for her?" Ken said.
"......" Ryu could not answer.
Just then, Dan walked up to the table with the brunette from the bar. "I'm sorry boys, I can't stay and baby-sit you two tonight. Michelle here asked me to give her a tour of the night life around town." Dan said with a smug look on his face.
"That's okay Dan, we'll be fine. You go out and have a wonderful time tonight." Ken replied, bowing his head towards the girl.
Dan, with his arm slung around the girl's back turned and walked towards the exit. His hands sliding down her back ever so slowly to rest on her 'rump'. Dan turned and shot back an evil grin from the table he just departed.
"You know, he'll find some way to botch this up tonight." Ken said chuckling again.
The waiter had just brought out the desserts and placed them on the table, when Chun li returned. The desserts were, if anything, a work of art. Ken's bowl of ice cream and strawberries was enough to feed a small family. While Chun li's was about the size of a sheet cake. Try as they might, they could not finish even half of what was there.
Ken paid the bill, and they started to leave when Chun li asked where Dan had gone.
"Oh, he was asked by some woman to show her around town. " Ken replied snickering.
They left the Emerald Dragon and headed back to the hotel in the limo. Once they hit the top floor, Ken bid them good night.
"I got to go call Eliza. I'll see you all tomorrow morning." Ken said as he walked in to his room.
Ryu walked Chun li to her door. She looked up at him with her bright brown eyes. "Thank you for escorting me to dinner tonight." She spoke softly.
"It was my pleasure to do so." Ryu replied in a soft voice.
They stood there for a few minutes reading each other?s eyes, not saying anything. Finally Ryu broke the silence. "Good night, Chun li. You had best get some rest for tomorrow's lesson." Ryu turned on his heels and started to walk away.
"Ryu..."He felt her hand on his arm. He looked back, when her arms went around his neck pulling him down closer to her face. She kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for everything!" she smiled at him, and kissed him on the lips.
She finally broke off her passionate kiss with him and slowly left his embrace. She opened her door and silently disappeared inside. Ryu stood there for a minute stunned, then turned around and headed back to his room.
Behind her door, Chun li stood leaning with her back against the door, listening to his footsteps as he silent left. Letting out a deep sigh, she walked to her bed. 'I never would have though I would have feelings for anyone else in the world.' she thought to herself.