"Sensei! Sensei! There's a strange boy bullying the students by the bunks." The small, Japanese kid bowed to his karate teacher and awaited instructions. "Shall I take him here to be spoken to?" He couldn't have been more than thirteen years old but seemed much older by the way he held himself. Almost with a confidence of someone halfway through life.
"That won't be necessary." The old, gray bearded man briskly walked off in search of the described commotion. He exited the dojo and gazed out into the dusky night, in the direction of the bunking cabin. All of the buildings were made of flat, wooden boards that appeared to be greening with mildew. In the middle of a group of his students stood an odd, foreign boy who was speaking rapidly. He had the attention of everyone, wildly gesturing with his hands. Whether he was attempting to communicate or scare the other boys, Sensei Gouken had yet to determine.
"Hey! Old man!" Smiling wickedly at the sensei, the pale skinned boy pushed his way out from the crowd he had created. He stood toe-to-toe with the old man and triumphantly shook his hand. "My parents sent me here because I break things. I'm Ken Masters."
Sensei Gouken shook off Ken's hand and gave the boy a stern, reproachful stare. "Are you always this brash, young man?" How could one boy cause so much trouble? Gouken recalled his conversation with Mr. Masters from overseas. The boy was in need of some serious tutoring along the lines of self control. Already, Ken had begun to size up Gouken, wondering what kind of teacher he was.
Ken shrugged and cocked one eyebrow at Sensei Gouken. The old man had his eyes dead set on drilling some submission out of him. So far, it wasn't working. "Why do you make faces like that, old man? My mother said that if you do that, your face will stay that way. Ha! Ha!" He broke out giggling, pretending to shield his face from Gouken's powerful stare.
The other kids couldn't help but snicker but soon quieted when Sensei Gouken narrowed his eyes at them. Then, he looked down at Ken as if he were nothing more than a puny insect. One which would not stop buzzing around for attention. "Did your mother also teach you how to respect your elders?"
"Um...that's probably why I'm here," came Ken's meek reply. Guilt was evident on his face but for a boy, he sure hid it well. There would be plenty of time to go over what needed replaced at home, later. As for the here and now, Ken thought it best to key down his performance a few notches. Better get on the old man's good side before he got grounded in a different country under different rules.
"He threatened to beat me," a younger boy yelled out. When Ken gave him a bewildered look, the boy glared at him. He wasn't the only one who didn't like Ken upon meeting him. Their humble village was not accustomed to greeting visitors from the town or city which was miles and miles away. If that would be considered out of the norm, then having a white boy from another section of the world drop in was just too weird.
"Is this true?" Gouken was now demanding to know if Ken was a hellion that he would have to watch twenty-four hours a day. He couldn't have his students receiving beatings from an abrasive young man. The only place Ken would be going if he was a bully would be on a very long flight back to America.
Ken shook his head. "What I said was, 'I can beat you at video games'. Is it wrong to brag?" His grin was innocent but Sensei Gouken was not buying it. Maybe Ken was not the violent type - Gouken sensed that he wasn't a threat - but he didn't want a prankster in with his pupils either.
"Your father contacted me and warned me to be very strict with you. Something about a discipline problem? While you stay here, there will be no 'video games'. This is not a place of games." He glanced at the group of young boys and nodded for them to leave. Then, in front of the cabin where they all headed off to sleep, Gouken took hold of Ken's backpack and turned it upside down. "You are fortunate that my pupils understand English quite fluently. If they did not, your words may have aggravated them."
"HEY!" Ken made a grab for his backpack but was pushed away by Gouken.
All of the contents were emptied out. Some of the fancier items included a walkman, a couple of hand-held video games, one portable radio/TV set, and loads of cash. Gouken started to toss articles of clothing at Ken, separating the luxuries from the bare necessities.
"You will not be needing these while you reside here." He stuffed the junk back into Ken's bag and hauled it over his shoulder. "It is now eight o'clock, time for bed. Get some rest, tomorrow will be a big day."
"But...don't I get a tour? What about something to eat? I'm starving!!!" Ken's stomach growled but he promised it restitution after he dealt with this minor misunderstanding. Surely Sensei Gouken would be ever so kind as to give him some leftovers from the last meal. He hadn't had much to eat on the way over with all of the air pockets and turbulence putting him off of his airplane food.
"Good night, Ken Masters." It was customary to have meals as an entire group and only at the correct dining hours. Gouken would get no satisfaction out of seeing Ken go hungry but he couldn't bend the rules for one boy either. His orders were absolute and there were no exceptions to them.
Watching Sensei Gouken abandon him to the other boys made Ken homesick. He didn't want to make new friends. The only reason he had been shipped to Japan was to improve his manners. That, and to gain the ability to distinguish expensive furniture from the toys he played with. Having little choice, Ken silently entered the cabin, sulking.
"So, anyone wanna play cards?" A colorful deck of playing cards had been in his left pocket but was no longer there. "Where'd they go?" He patted down his pockets then scowled when he realized that Gouken wasn't the old moron he appeared to be. The room was dark but he could vaguely make out two lines of bunk beds on either side of the room and one at the far end. "So, who's the old man?" He flicked the light switch and got a dozen hisses for doing so.
"Lights are not allowed after bedtime."
"Oh no, I'm going to get grounded." Ken ignored the kid and scanned the room for an empty bunk. He headed for the first one he saw on the right side of the room.
A tall boy blocked him and gave him a light shove. "Don't badmouth Sensei Gouken, Outsider. We don't want you sleeping with us. Why don't you go back to where you came from."
Ken opened his mouth to say something but the boy insisted on shoving him again. "Now, you're gonna get it!" He raised his fists, mirroring the fighting stance he saw the taller youth take.
"Keiji, that is no way to treat our guest." Another boy came forward, this one had no facial expression at all. He stepped between Ken and Keiji, daring either one to throw a punch.
"Then you sleep with him! I don't want him anywhere near me." Keiji's feelings echoed amongst the other five boys who had been following the conversation. He went over to the light switch, flicked it and dropped off to bed.
"Come."
Ken moved after the Japanese boy, studying his stoic features. Most of his reign of terror at home had been at night so he was pretty good at finding his way in the dark. Although the funny noises of little crickets and mosquitoes irritated him. This was to be his first night away from his parents. Away from civilization as he knew it. "My name is Ken." He offered his hand but the other boy would not shake it. *Don't these people know what a handshake is?*
But the boy had meant no offense and went on to return Ken's introduction. "I am Ryu. Next time, do not be so quick to raise your fists. You underestimated Keiji and that would have been your undoing." Ryu climbed to the top bunk at the end of the room, indicating that Ken take the bottom. "Sleep well, Ken."
"Ryu...I don't want to be here," Ken complained, battling with his pillow to flatten it out. "My dad is a real pain in the ass. He's never around and blames his crappy parenting on me. Here's another fine example of his love for me. Sending a ten year old halfway across the world to live with strangers. What a lousy way to spend the summer."
A pounding sounded from down below as Ken tried to get the lumps out of his mattress. "Is this a bed or oatmeal?"
Lying on his side, Ryu listened and rolled his eyes. He would never allow anyone to see him doing it in plain sight. "Sensei informed me that you would be remaining until next spring." At least now Ryu was not the youngest student under Gouken's tutelage. Anyone who relieved him of his role as the baby of the group deserved his gratitude.
"WHAT?" Ken gripped the blankets tightly and began to curse. "My dad told me that this would be like a summer camp. Nobody said anything about moving in as an exchange student. I should have let my dad take the damages out of my allowance."
For the next half hour, the list of complaints from Ken went on and on. Ryu just smiled, finding the newcomer to be mildly amusing. Then there was his appearance, Ryu had never seen anything so wild before. No one else in the villages had hair so long or light colored with blond streaks in it. And the way Ken dressed, it reminded him of the tax collector who wore a suit even on a rainy day. There was something good about Ken, he could sense it. Maybe he would be able to make a friend after all.
**
The next morning was filled with sour bitterness for Ken. He wondered what kind of idiot willingly got up at six a.m. But, one minute before six, each of the seven boys had made their beds, dressed in their white gis and taken up positions in front of their beds. It resembled a military academy more than any boarding school that Ken was aware of.
"Ken! Sensei will not be pleased to find you asleep." Ryu shook Ken, feeling sorry for him. He was sure that Ken didn't know about the rule of punishment for sleeping in.
"Go away! Sensei can kiss my ass. If I don't sleep, then I don't go to school." He rolled over and flung a pillow in Ryu's direction. What he wouldn't give to erase the red streaks stinging his tired eyes. *I should have gone to sleep instead of drawing on the wall. Just wait until Sensei sees that!*
"School?" *This isn't a school, it's a martial arts camp.* Now Ryu was certain that Ken had no idea of the consequences of his actions. Ken was taking everything so lightly because he thought that he would only have to sit at a desk and take notes. Was he ever in for a rude awakening.
Ryu sighed when Gouken marched into the cabin and instructed each boy to begin his practices in various locations throughout the village. The younger ones were given the task of collecting water from the river or rice from the fields. Since the older ones were more experienced, they were left unattended to spar and train.
"Ken! Do you know what time it is?"
As he was yanking on his brand new, red gi, Ken gave Gouken a winning smile. "Six o'clock?" He noticed that everyone else had been wearing white but didn't let it bother him. If they wanted him to wear a uniform, he would wear a uniform. But not in white, that color was for geeks. No, Ken favored the color red and there was nothing to debate after he made his decision.
"No. It is three minutes after six. Seeing as how it is your first day here, I am willing to overlook this...tardiness. Instead of one hundred push-ups, you will only be required to do fifty."
"Huh?" Ken's jaw dropped. "Fifty push-ups? Are you insane?"
"Sixty. Continue to debate it and I will make it two hundred."
Ken looked to Ryu for help but saw that his new friend was respectfully lowering his gaze from Gouken. "Fine." He got down on the floor and began to pathetically go halfway while on his knees. Ryu waited since he had not been given any orders. When Ken reached sixty, hardly out of breath and grinning like he had fooled Gouken, the old man smiled back.
"Okay then. Do another sixty, this time properly."
That was the beginning of a very unhappy teacher/student relationship between Ken and Sensei Gouken. He couldn't believe that he had to complete his studies with a tutor and train in the martial arts. Fighting came naturally to him, why did he have to practice it until his limbs fell off? He had been expecting a boarding school and not a camp of Bruce Lee wannabes.
Ken vowed to be extra polite and helpful to Sensei Gouken so that he could be paroled and sent home early. He didn't like the other kids badmouthing him in Japanese and making him look like a chump. The only exception seemed to be Ryu who became very fond of him. None of the others caught on because they didn't know Ryu well enough to see his true colors. To them, Ryu was just as bad as Ken but in a vaguely different way. He annoyed the older boys with his wisdom and quiet intelligence, choosing to avoid fighting whenever possible. His words fell on deaf ears though, the boys would rather view Ryu as Ken's idiot friend than anyone worth getting to know.
"I don't belong here," Ken commented at the dinner table one night. He was slumped over onto his elbows, trading stares with the slop they called a meal. And the wooden bench was giving him splinters. "The others hate me, the food sucks, Gouken is an old hag and I want my radio back. How did you get to be so popular, Ryu?" *Shit!* The chopsticks flew out of Ken's hand and clattered over the table. Several of the boys gave him a dirty look and whispered over how stupid and clumsy he was.
Ryu choked on his rice, giving Ken a peculiar look. "Popular?" He glanced over at the other boys, knowing what they were whispering about. His name was mixed in with others such as, 'geek', 'nerd', and 'teacher's pet.' He knew how Ken felt to be a loner but was better at burying it. "Just don't get in their way." *Who am I trying to fool? I'm in their way even when they're on the other side of the village.* He regarded Ken curiously. *Every day I find something new that I have in common with you.*
"Good advice," Ken said sarcastically. He picked up his bowl of rice and chopsticks, finding someplace to eat where he wouldn't be disturbed.
Days came and went, each one ending with Ken sending a letter home, begging for a ticket back to America. His pleas went unanswered, leaving him stuck with a bunch of boring kids who did nothing but fight.
**
The following spring came and went as if it was attached to the winter before it. But, Ken didn't get an invitation home, not even an explanation as to why he was being kept in Japan. Fall moved by very slowly, dragging the summer behind its heels. More than a year passed before Ken received permission to return home. It was only a brief visit and a week afterwards, Ken was shipped back over to Japan. That puzzled him, especially since he had neither damaged anything nor spoken ill of his parents. Couldn't they see how he had changed?
Five years later:
"Ken. Your parents sent you a letter." Ryu passed his friend the envelope, leaning forward to read over Ken's shoulder. He spoke English fluently but could not read it in the same manner. "What does it say?"
"Big surprise." Ken tossed it into his soup bowl and emptied everything into the garbage bin at the end of the table. "They won't be home for the next month and I'm a minor so I have to stay here. Why couldn't they just hire a baby-sitter for me to harass?"
"What is the difference from you going back now as opposed to a month later?"
"This month I would have been celebrating Christmas, next month...no Christmas. It's like they don't want me back."
Ryu patted Ken on the back. "We can celebrate Christmas...together."
"You told me last year that Christmas was just another holiday. Never mind. I'd rather be alone." He brushed off Ryu's hand, not witnessing the sudden anguish which passed through Ryu's dark eyes.
Ryu let Ken go, preparing for another night by himself. Gouken had made him the one in charge of closing up the dojo and temple after dark. It was to ensure that no robbers vandalized the sacred temple or their treasured sparring grounds while they slept. He knew that it was wrong to get satisfaction out of the pain of another, however, Ryu was glad that Ken was not going home. The younger boy had become his best friend and he looked forward to spending time with him. If it meant being selfish just to get one more month out of Ken, so be it.
There was the fear of Ken's tuition which haunted Ryu every day. Ken was intelligent and owned his second degree black belt. He was ahead of even the boys in Japan with his perfect grades and advanced lessons. Soon, there would be no reason for him to be kept in Japan. Gouken would call Ken's parents, tell them that Ken had been reformed and they would never see each other again. Ryu dreaded that day in the future when their friendship would be broken by distance.
"What's this?" Ryu picked up a shiny, black box from Gouken's meditation mat and turned it over in his hands.
"I thought that Ken might appreciate a reminder of his homeland." Sensei appeared behind Ryu and smiled. "It's some contraption that plays music. Will you give it to him?"
"Yes, Sensei!" Ryu bounded off, unable to hide his excitement. He now had the chance to brighten Ken up with this offering.
Ken was by the river, going over his katas when Ryu showed him the walkman. "Look at what I have for you." He passed it to Ken, beaming from the inside-out.
"Are you sick?" Ken inspected Ryu, looking for an unseen illness.
"No. Why?"
"I made a bet with Keiji that if you ever smiled, your face would crack."
The color abruptly left Ryu's face, he backed up, crestfallen. Ken was making fun of him behind his back? *Traitor!* He winced when that word shattered his heart. "I...I have to go." He started to head for the cabin when Ken suddenly flung the walkman into the river. "Ken! Why did you do that?"
"You wouldn't understand." Why should he want to keep it intact when it had come from his parents? They didn't care about him so he was not going to cry over tossing any bindings to them up the creek. Ken sat in the sand, watching the walkman sink into the water, listening to Ryu's quiet footfalls escaping from him. *It's better this way.* His mind raced ahead of his emotions, stopping whatever outburst he wished to have.
**
Another day passed with Ryu and Ken now avoiding each other. Ryu didn't know why Ken was being so cruel to him but there were rumors spreading that he was some stiff jerk. He suspected that Ken was the one making them up but couldn't prove it. He had considered Ken to be his best friend. The only friend he had but his repayment was a quick and ugly betrayal.
"Ken. May I speak with you?" Ryu found Ken again by the river. His new habit was to sit there for hours, either meditating or contemplating something sinister. For example, when Ken's bad mood had begun, so had the increase of sugar in the morning porridge.
"Not really."
Ryu sat down anyway and tried to make eye contact with his friend. "Why are you saying those mean things about me? Have I offended you in some way?" Listening to rumors concerning him was not an interesting way for Ryu to spend his days. But when he suspected that they were originating from Ken, his best friend, then he chose to get involved.
"I said that I don't want to talk to you!" Ken glowered at him, gnashing his teeth together. "Leave me alone!" He refused to meet Ryu's gaze, glaring off into thin air.
"I want an answer." Ryu refused to budge, still staring at Ken. "You said before that I wouldn't understand. Why don't you explain it to me. Tell me why you've suddenly decided that being friends with me is like giving to a charity!" Those were nearly the exact same words that he had overheard Keiji muttering.
"Are you too stupid to figure it out on your own?"
"That was not necessary!" Ryu grabbed Ken's wrist, dragging him forward. He flinched when Ken knocked him into the river with a splash. There he sat, the tiny currents washing over him, drenching his gi. "I never expected you to be so unkind." Ryu waded out of the river and looked down at Ken. "This is not at all like you."
"I'm sorry. We can't be friends anymore." Ken seemed to be honestly regretting what he had done.
"Why not?" Even though Ryu had taken more than enough abuse from Ken in the past few days, he still demanded to know the reason why. This was one friend that he couldn't afford to lose. He had to keep trying until Ken saw that behaving so cruelly was wrong.
"When I leave, it will only be harder. This way, we won't be as attached so it won't be as bad."
*You did all this to break up our friendship? Just to make it easier for you? Selfish brat!* "That's what you think?" Ryu's laugh was harsh and brittle. "So, by hurting me this way, you make it easier on yourself. You are a very selfish person, Ken Masters." He was about to escape from the situation when Ken stood up to him. Their eyes were searching, confusion evident in both of their hearts. Finally, Ken hugged Ryu, his anger evaporating into thin air.
"I was doing it to save you, not me, from getting hurt. Besides, it's not like you'd really miss me." But Ken could not back out of what he had started. Ryu's arms clamped around his body, squeezing him tightly. "When I leave you, you'll be all alone. I don't want you to be alone."
"I have never met such a hotheaded, spoiled brat like you before, Ken. And there will never be another best friend for me. Nobody could ever take your place. Our time together shouldn't be temporary. As long as you are with me, I won't be alone." He held Ken away from him, looking him over. The first thing he noticed was that Ken was breathing faster and harder. Ryu moved in closer until he could feel Ken's hot breath against his throat. *Why do I feel this strongly towards Ken?* He studied Ken, seeing the distress in his expression. "I would miss you more than you can imagine." Then, one of Ken's hands had loosened his black belt, sliding underneath his gi to press firmly to his smooth back.
"You sure have a lot of muscles," Ken admired.
"I guess so." Ryu allowed Ken to trace the shape of his muscular back with fingers so soft, he almost lost himself in their touch. Suddenly, Ryu was not too sure of himself. He couldn't tell what Ken's intentions were but he knew his own well enough. "You should be careful with your actions," he whispered as his hand moved down Ken's back. Almost lower than he considered being safe within the constraints of their friendship. But it was too much too soon. "I have to practice." He released Ken and hurried off to the safety of the dojo. Halfway to the dojo, he made a turn and went to the temple instead. There, he prayed to Buddha to forgive his behavior and guide him away from the temptation of his best friend.
**
A week passed, filled with more intensive training to make up for the amount of time which would be lost when the students went home to their families. The holidays were fast approaching, Ryu noting that only he and Ken had nowhere better to be for Christmas. Gouken was training them the fiercest, determined to bring them up a level in their skills before the festive season drained them of their enthusiasm.
"This sucks," Ken complained, two buckets of water suspended on his shoulders by a thick, bamboo staff. He stumbled along the trail leading back to the temple to receive Gouken's assessment of his strength.
Beside Ken, Ryu was dragging a sack of rocks over the ground. "You're telling me." They had both forgotten their 'friendly' encounter from a week ago and were back on speaking terms. There were no more rumors going around about Ryu, maybe because no one was there to spread them.
"One more week and then we get to eat gruel for Christmas. Sensei doesn't have a clue when it comes to cooking." He dumped the buckets of water on the ground and groaned when they spilled half of the contents out. "There goes my black belt."
"Ken! Ryu!"
Ryu dropped his sack of rocks and joined Ken inside of the dojo. Sensei Gouken was kneeling on his meditation mat, his back turned to them.
"Yes Sensei?," they answered in unison.
As Ryu and Ken were respectively kneeling down to Sensei Gouken, even though he couldn't see them, he began to speak. "Our friends in the village west of here have requested assistance in the rebuilding of their dam. Many of the houses have been flooded, they need young, strong men to help them. I have volunteered the two of you to go to them immediately."
"But Sensei!" Ken forgot himself and stood up. "It's almost Christmas and we can't get there in time on foot. The other students left with our only jeep."
"KEN! It is not your place to argue. You will go there, this is the end of our discussion." He got to his feet, picked up a heavy bag and dropped it into Ryu's lap. "Take this to them and only open it as you are entering the village. Not a day sooner or a day later. Is that understood?"
"Yes Sensei!"
"Now go!"
"We don't even get to eat?," grumbled Ken.
Ryu nudged him to remain silent and went to gather up his stuff. While Ryu was packing away blankets, matches and food, Ken had revealed a hiding spot under his bed. He had his hands full of his mother's homemade bread, cookies, and pastries. "Very clever," Ryu commented. "Sensei never looks under the beds." When Ken went to get some fresh water, Ryu stuffed several of the cookies into his mouth.
"Let's go then, it's getting dark." Ken slung his deerskin bag over his shoulder and trudged outside. They left without saying goodbye to Gouken because he couldn't be found.
The weather had become inhospitable, cold and dreary but Ryu set a pace and Ken followed it. Their thick jackets kept out most of the wind but some snowflakes settled onto the back of their necks. "Maybe we should have waited until the morning." Ryu watched the light disappearing as the tall trees rose up to trap them inside of the forest. It had only been two hours but they could no longer see where they were headed.
"I don't even remember Sensei mentioning a village west of here," Ken muttered.
"We have to help those people."
"I didn't say that I wasn't going to. That old man doesn't let us know anything until the last minute."
"We might as well set up camp here." Ryu unrolled his sleeping bag and flattened it out where there was more grass than mud. Instead of doing the same, Ken sat on Ryu's sleeping bag and made himself comfortable. "Will you gather some wood for a fire?"
"I just sat down."
"Ken! In a few minutes, you won't be able to see in front of your face."
"Alright already! Sheesh!" He placed his bag under a tree and wandered a few feet away to pick up scrappy looking branches. "Here." Ryu accepted them and put them under close scrutiny.
"These are damp. I can't light up wet wood. Get some dry branches from higher ground."
"Why do I have to do it? Why can't you do it?" His brown eyes narrowed on Ryu, then lost their anger when Ryu gave him an exasperated look.
"I'm going down to the river to get us dinner. Try to stay close and not lose your bearings." Then he was off into the trees, a pointed branch in one hand and a knife in the other. When he came back, there were two flopping fish in his hand which he carefully cut open. He was pleased to find dry firewood waiting for him to build into a fire, which he did.
"This is much better than Sensei's slop." Ken smiled and slowly savored his meal. He had never seen anything cook so fast over an open flame. And Ryu's ability to make a plain fish so tasty with only salt and spices was extraordinary. "Why don't you cook more often?"
"Because I'm a martial artist, not a chef." Ryu grinned at Ken. "I'm glad that you like it. Your mother's pastries were also delicious."
"Glutton!" He tackled Ryu for hogging all of the dessert. They had a short play-fight to warm themselves up. In the end, Ken wound up lying on top of Ryu, his long hair a strangled mess.
Ryu pushed Ken's hair away from his face and became lost to his thoughts. But Ken had better things to do than fantasize. He was sliding his hands inside of Ryu's jacket and over his powerful chest. The hardness of Ryu's abs caused Ken to press down to experiment with Ryu's body. They were both caught up in the moment, looking at each other. Ken slipped Ryu's jacket off of his shoulders and stroked his hands down the muscular arms which were holding his waist.
"Get off!" Ryu attempted to knock Ken away but couldn't. His move was effortless, marred by confusion. Yet, he still growled when Ken wouldn't comply. With one shove, Ryu had Ken below him. "What do you think you are doing?"
"Um...n...nothing." Ken tried to get up but Ryu wouldn't let him.
"It was not nothing." He noticed that Ken was now shaking, afraid of what Ryu was going to do to him. "Don't ever touch me again!" He picked Ken up and pushed him back onto the ground. "I don't like you that way!" Without glancing at Ken again, he curled up in his sleeping bag and shut his eyes. Ten minutes later, after hearing no noise, he peeked through his lowered eyelids. Ken was still on the ground, his head bowed and seeming to be very unhappy. "Go to bed."
But Ken stayed where he was, braving the cold winds which were now picking up into gusts of snow. Off somewhere else, wolves howled and owls alerted others of their prey. Still, Ken remained there, now looking straight at Ryu.
"I will forget what you did," Ryu offered as a token of forgiveness.
"No." Ken covered his cold ears with his hands, occasionally blowing on them to warm them up. The fire had died down to embers. Now, the only warmth was the sanctity of Ryu's sleeping bag.
"What do you mean, 'no'?"
"I don't care if you think there's something wrong with me."
"Where is your sleeping bag?" Ryu fretted when Ken only shrugged. "You didn't bring one?"
"Sensei wouldn't let me borrow his. Keiji stole mine."
"Why did you not tell Sensei?"
"Because I can solve problems on my own. I can think for myself and don't need Sensei doing everything for me. Some people...," he gave Ryu a dirty look, "...can't think for themselves."
"You and I are friends, nothing more. There are plenty of nice girls that would appreciate your flirtatious behavior. I do not. I have normal interests...but, I don't want you freezing. You can share my sleeping bag."
"Never mind. I can sleep in the bushes." Ken was baiting Ryu, trying to see if he really did care for him as more than a friend. If all else failed, his sleeping bag was hidden under a layer of leaves underneath some bushes. But, he was sure that Ryu had feelings for him. There were times when he knew that Ryu was finding more interest in his body than listening to what he was saying. Other times, Ryu appeared to be hanging off of his every word. Ken wasn't sure of many things in his life but his attraction to Ryu was not wrong.
Ryu unzipped his sleeping bag, reached over and grabbed onto Ken's arm. Then he dragged Ken inside it, zipping it back up. "Don't come any closer," he warned. He would not be swayed by his desires. His training came before everything, even Ken. And that would not be permitted in the life he was forging for himself.
The wind kept its steady groaning making Ken long for the extra sleeping bag in the bushes. He had the thick material up to his chin and was still trembling from the cold. Even his fingers were going numb because of the gap between Ryu and himself. All of the cold air was sneaking in through that space.
When the wind blew down Ken's shirt, causing him to shiver harder, Ryu couldn't contain his concern. He bit back his warrior ways and wrapped one arm around Ken. But Ken presumed Ryu to be doing it in his sleep and brushed the arm off. "First you want me to hold you and now you don't. Make up your mind," he teased.
"Don't do it on account of me."
Ryu did just that, forcing Ken to turn towards him and then hugging him tight. "Is this better?"
"My hands are cold." Ryu gave Ken a stern glare, silently telling him not to push his luck. "Really!" Those cold hands grazed Ryu's arms but were clasped by warmer ones.
"This doesn't mean anything." His thumbs caressed Ken's knuckles, heating up his frozen fingers. "You are cold," he admitted. When his own hands couldn't restore Ken's heat, he pressed Ken's hands to his cheek. The sudden chill made him shiver so he went back to stroking them inside the sleeping bag. At one point, he gazed over at Ken to see that he was enjoying the attention. But he was content in a tired sort of way, lying there quietly. "Don't lie to me, you hid your sleeping bag, didn't you?"
A shameful nod caused Ryu to growl. "You wouldn't have asked me to sleep with you if I hadn't done it."
"Where is it?"
The demand shook Ken into telling him. "I didn't want you to be angry with me." But, Ryu was already going after the other sleeping bag, shaking his head in annoyance when he found it. Ken was prepared to vacate the one he was in, not looking forward to sleeping by himself. He couldn't have been more shocked when Ryu crawled back in with him and wrapped the other bag around the both of them.
"You said you were cold." Ryu pulled Ken close to him again and sighed. "This is not how I wanted to spend my Christmas."
"I'm sorry," Ken said sadly.
However, Ryu nuzzled his cheek to Ken's, breathing heavily into his ear. "I was speaking of this weather, not you. This strange connection between us confuses me. One minute, I have to honor our friendship and the next, I find you so ... I don't know. It is not my way to act on my emotions. Please forgive what I said to you earlier. This is as much my fault as it is yours."
"And there's nothing wrong with me?"
"No. Everything about you is 'right'." Ryu settled himself behind Ken and held onto him, keeping him warm throughout the night. In return, he relished whatever pleasure Ken gave by staying with him.
**
Three days went by and still there was no sign of the village that Sensei Gouken had spoken of. In another two, they would be roasting fish for Christmas and eating the crumbs left over in Ken's cookie tin. Frost and snow covered the ground, sealing the bushes, flowers and even some animals beneath it.
"I'm....f...f...freezing." Ken's teeth were chattering, his hands furiously rubbing up and down his arms. Even his eyebrows were white with snow and his throat filled with air as cold as ice. "Can we stop here?" He pleaded with Ryu who gave in, making a small campfire next to a tiny clearing in the forest.
"Sensei should have given us a map." All the hours of walking and having his limbs go numb had made Ryu resentful. He did respect Sensei Gouken but questioned his motives for sending two inexperienced boys into the wilderness. They hadn't been given a map, a compass or anything besides a very general suggestion to go west. Their food supplies were running low, fresh water was hard to find. Ryu was afraid that they might die of pneumonia or starvation.
"Gouken can kiss...my..."
"Ken!"
Ken casually pushed against Ryu, unbuttoning his thick jacket.
"I don't have the patience for this!" Ryu tried to push Ken away but stopped when he heard Ken moan. He pulled his jacket around Ken, trying to catch him as the younger boy's knees buckled. But, Ryu was in no shape to accept what mother nature was throwing at them. He sank to the ground, desperately bundling the two sleeping bags around himself. In an attempt to protect Ken from the rough winds, he kept him inside of his jacket, shivering convulsively.
A couple of hours passed and the winds let up for the night. By then, Ryu didn't have the strength to go searching for fish or small animals to cook for dinner. He could barely manage to keep the fire going and Ken talkative. His friend had become pessimistic, doubting that they'd ever reach the village at all. "Ryu, I'm hungry." Ken crouched by the fire, holding his hands over it.
"I am too." Ryu dropped more branches into his fire and gazed over at the bag Gouken had warned them not to open until they reached the village. "What if there's food in there?"
Glancing at the bag and its shape made Ken's stomach upset. "I don't think I could stand anymore of Sensei's surprise dinners. But, it has to be better than eating snow. Can you open it?"
"What if the contents are for the hungry families in the village? We can't take their food."
"You're right. If it even is food. We should listen to him and not open it." Then, Ken blinked a couple of times to clear his head. He didn't feel so good.
Ryu was having the same problem. He couldn't keep his eyes open and his stomach had the most terrible cramps. "Ken...your watch!"
"Huh?" Ken glanced at his watch, the only thing he had been able to keep when Gouken took all of his belongings. "What about it?"
"There are three hours until Christmas day."
"Oh..." That only served to depress Ken and add to his misery. "We won't make it. I can't walk any further. I don't even think I can get up."
A soft hand grazed Ken's face, making him look over at Ryu. "I didn't get you anything. It's still early but...," he made Ken look the other way while he rummaged through his bag. "I did make you something." One very big, clumsy looking sweater was pushed into Ken's chest. "I should have given it to you before it started to snow." The art of knitting had been taught to Ryu by Sensei Gouken himself. Ryu still didn't know if it had been a joke, punishment or a lesson in patience and dedication.
"Wow! You made this for me?" Ken hugged Ryu tightly, not able to contain his enthusiasm. "I love it! Thank-you." His heart warmed up even more when Ryu embraced him close. "I have something for you too."
"Uh...I kind of peeked. Your wrapping was so neat that I...opened it and put back on the tape." He stroked Ken's long hair and smiled. "Thanks for the video games."
"Oh, that present. No, that's your Christmas present. Back home, my parents always got me something extra to open on Christmas Eve. It feels more magical than Christmas itself." He retrieved a very small box, wrapped with ribbons and handed it to Ryu. "I hope you like it."
Ryu slowly unwrapped the box, acting somewhat cautious. Inside was another box resembling a jewelry case. "This had better not be something expensive, Ken Masters. I'll make you take it back." When he saw what it was, he nearly choked. "Oh...Ken..." He looked at his friend to see that he was upset. Ken feared that Ryu would reject his present and in doing so, hurt him badly. Ryu picked up the golden locket and fastened it around his neck. "I wouldn't want anyone to see me wearing this but..."
"It's okay if you don't like it," Ken said softly. "I'll get you something else."
"No. This is the most thoughtful present anyone has ever given to me. An unnecessary use of money but...maybe that's because no one has ever given me a present before." He kept staring at Ken, trying to figure out what he should do. "Um...this is going to come out wrong but...can I kiss you?"
Ken stared back at him, overloaded with emotions. "You want to kiss me?" Disbelief was in his voice.
"Yes." Ryu leaned over and hurriedly brushed his lips over Ken's. When he pulled back, Ken was blushing. "Okay...that wasn't too hard." Then he found Ken's waist with his arms and lifted him to sit on his lap. "This might just be a good Christmas after all." He kissed Ken again, searching for a way to part Ken's lips with his tongue. For a second, Ken felt like electricity was running rampant in his veins. Here Ryu was, kissing him, doing it because he wanted to. So, Ken allowed Ryu to push his tongue in and gently experiment with the new sensations.
Kissing Ken was like tasting a new, sweet candy for Ryu. He knew that candy was bad for his teeth but he still had to have it, needing the sweet affect to linger on his tongue. There was a big difference between sugar candy and Ken. Ken wasn't bad for him in any way. "Am I supposed to do something?," Ken asked when Ryu hesitated.
"I don't know. Was it alright...what I was doing?"
"I liked it." Ken grinned.
"Well then, problem solved." They went back to kissing, trying to determine what the other liked and how to make it better. It was fun and beat the weather so they continued. The next time Ryu broke free for air, he could see the blinking lights on Ken's watch. "Five minutes to midnight," Ryu announced. "Sensei would not approve of this." He gave Ken another quick kiss before untangling the drawstring of the heavy bag. "And he would definitely not want us opening this bag. But, I'm hungry. You're hungry. And we shouldn't have to go hungry on Christmas day."
The bag opened and Ryu couldn't help but be dazzled by what sat inside of it. "There's a note in here...it's for us."
Ken ignored the note and pulled out one really big turkey. "Who cares about the note. This is for us! Mmm...I can taste it now. Although you taste better."
"You're right about that, Ken. It is for us." Ryu was in the middle of reading the note. "You aren't going to believe this."
"What?"
"This was all a setup." Ryu crumpled the note into a ball and threw it into the fire. "That old...creep!"
"That was smart." The paper burnt to nothing while Ken prepared to put the turkey over the flames. "What did it say?"
"He told us that there is no village. He knew all along about our attraction and made us come out here to admit it. The stupid turkey is for us and all these stupid ...yummy...cakes..." He lost his train of thought and went to work taking the plastic off of the dessert.
"Do you regret coming out here with me?"
"Absolutely not." Ryu messed up Ken's hair, becoming very proud when Ken wore his hand-knit sweater. It was a bit big but Ken would grow into it. "If Sensei hadn't done this, I don't think that I ever would have told you how I felt."
"You still haven't. I think that my locket says it all. Jewelry means a lot in the western culture. So, you should know how I feel."
"What do you mean? I'm not going to say anything if you aren't going to." He took another look at the locket and frowned. "Oh...it does say something. Are you serious? Do you really love me? We're only kids, Ken. There will be others."
"I don't think that there will ever be anyone like you."
"And this is your way of telling me that we were fated to be with each other? I don't know if it's wise to be planning your entire future with me as your lifelong partner. I'm not denying that I feel for you just as strongly but I'd rather not rush into anything." He could tell that he had alienated Ken with his maturity.
"I guess that knowing you for all these years, spending every day with you is 'rushing' it," he said sarcastically. "Or perhaps I'm just too emotional."
Ryu regarded Ken with his crossed arms and pouting expression, hoping that no one would ever see how cute Ken really was. If that ever happened, he would surely lose Ken to more competition than he could possibly stand. "Okay, if I admit that I love you, will you stay with me? Not here and now, that's only temporary. After our training, will you be with me and not return to America?"
It was as if Ken had won the greatest prize of all existence, the spiritual ecstasy that all people thrived to achieve. Some of them never found it during their entire lifetime. But, Ken felt it around Ryu, an unexplainable state of contentment and fulfillment, something he would not be able to match with any other person. He was not going to let Ryu go, not as long as he continued to be devoted to his love for his friend. A love which went beyond that friendship but failed to tamper with it. "I'll stay with you...but...you have to say you love me." Ken grinned and waited until Ryu pounced on him.
"Let me show you how much I love you!" He grabbed onto Ken and began to tickle him, laughing as his actions caused his friend to collapse in hysterics.
"Quit it!" Then, Ken was rolling on the ground with Ryu, fighting to get the upper hand. It was unfortunate that Ryu was not easy prey and could contain his reaction to Ken's attacks. They kept at it, playing in the barren, snow covered ground for what seemed to be hours. In the end, both of them were warm enough and in high spirits to begin the trek back to their Sensei.
**
2 years later:
When Ryu and Ken began their training for what would be their last year, something had changed in them. They were more focused and stronger in terms of physical and emotional strength. Sensei Gouken failed to question Ryu's lack of initiative when his sparring partner was Ken. The old man already knew what had become of their friendship and was proud of them for overcoming any prejudice which they may have had. Now, an entirely new season was drawing them nearer to a destiny which he was sad to see but knew it was unavoidable.
That destiny involved only Ryu and Ken, Sensei Gouken could have no part in it. He lit some incense in his sparse temple and tried to see into the future. It had been all too clear before but now it was empty. He hardly noticed when his best and favorite pupils entered and awaited instructions. Ryu and Ken were the last of his disciples, the rest hadn't been worthy. All of the other boys had returned to their families that winter, forgetting their oaths and katas. Yet, he was not upset over losing all of his loyal subjects. If they had not sought to heighten their spiritual awareness with his aid, then he would not run after them, begging them to reconsider. Only two of his students had ever possessed the right attitude and abilities to be his successors.
"Sensei, you asked to see us?" Ryu stood a few inches in front of Ken, his face impassive. The young boy had become a very handsome man, growing out of his youthful features. Other than his white gi, the only accessory on his body was a red sash fastened around his forehead. Its first home had been in Ken's hair, tying back the long strands which now reached Ken's waist. During one of their play fights, Ken had accidentally cut Ryu's forehead with his toe. The red sash had closed the wound but months later, it remained above Ryu's brow as a token of that day.
As for Ken, he hung back from the center of the temple, seeming to be visibly nervous. Ken walked a different path than Ryu, embraced his emotional side more than the spiritual one. It explained why he was sensitive to the feelings and auras of the people around him. He felt sick to his stomach, sensing that his unsettlement was coming from a bad premonition. Unlike Ryu, Ken still looked young, refused to give up the almost cute playfulness that had attracted Ryu in the first place.
"Your training has ended." Gouken turned to greet them, his voice solid with his position as their master. His long, gray-white beard hung as low as his paper thin hair on his shoulders. And any posture he attested to was lost with the brittle construct of his old bones. The man was judged to be in his seventies but that wasn't even close to his actual, decaying age.
"What?" Ken looked confused, not realizing the implications of that statement.
"There is nothing more that I can teach you. As of this day, you are free to go and seek out a higher education, one I can't give. All I know is now a part of you, Ryu...Ken..., what you do with that knowledge will determine how you proceed in life. Go now."
Bowing respectfully to Gouken, Ryu started to leave. "What do you mean, 'go'?" Ken pulled on Ryu's sleeve to stop him. "Go as in leave the temple?"
"No, Ken. You must go out into the world and be able to function as a part of it. Your seclusion in this facility is over. That is all I have to say." Then, Gouken was kneeling before Buddha and offering incense to appease the storm he sensed on the horizon.
"Ken...come." Ryu reversed Ken's grip until he had securely locked Ken's arm in his hand. He motioned for Ken to allow Gouken his privacy. "We've been dismissed."
Ken followed but only to the steps of the temple. "How can he do this to us? Whenever he decides to do something, we're always the last to know." The truth was that neither Ryu nor Ken wanted to leave their master. The old man represented a father figure, had won their friendship and taught them every little detail about life and how it should be lived. Without him, neither of them would ever have met and fallen in love. "And now he tells us to go?"
"Ken...he is right. It is time for us to move on and become independent of him. We can't rely on Sensei for our futures."
"So, where are we going to live now? I guess my parents won't mind you moving in, they don't pay attention to me anyway. You could have the room next to mine and..." Ken was going on and on about how they would get on in America when he was interrupted.
"I'm not going with you to America," came Ryu's sudden, unemotional response.
"Huh? Where do you want to live?" The sickening coldness in Ken's stomach intensified when Ryu wouldn't look at him. He reached for Ryu's hand but it was pulled back.
"The time has come for us to go our own separate ways."
"You aren't coming with me?" Ken couldn't handle the way Ryu had grown hollow as his skills progressed. He no longer felt any love from the boy that had kissed him two years ago. After that day, the affection and the kisses had been too infrequent, slowly trailing off. Ryu's lips had only brushed Ken's in an attempt to quiet his restlessness the night before. The boy who had loved him once was now a man, one that denied Ken any affection whatsoever. "What about our promise?"
Then, the moment of heartbreak arose. The hand that Ken had wanted to hold so desperately opened up. In between those callused fingers was a necklace which shone under the temple lights. As Ken stared at it, Ryu took Ken's hand and placed the locket into his palm. "You will find someone else."
"Ryu..."
"Farewell Ken." Not bothering to do much more than knock Ken's closed fist with his own, Ryu started off on his journey. His bare feet kicked up dirt on his way out of the village and into the outside world.
Fighting back tears, the locket now buried deep within one of his pockets, Ken went to say one last goodbye to Gouken. He pushed away memories of Ryu, already fading into someplace distant. It occurred to him that Ryu had been aware of their parting in advance. His bag was ready and sitting on the steps, filled with all of his belongings which weren't many. Ryu had forgotten his bag! *You didn't even give me a chance to convince you to stay. That won't happen twice.* Ken smiled with determination. He would not let go of Ryu so readily.
"Sensei!" Ken rushed into the temple, skidding to a stop so fast that he slipped and fell. What a sight sat in front of his eyes. Gouken, his sensei and mentor lay on the wooden floor boards, his neck twisted at an impossible angle. A puddle of blood seeped into the wood, permanently staining it. Another man stood over Gouken's body, flames covering him in a protective coat. His eyes were blazing an inhuman hatred, almost like that of a demon's. "SENSEI!!!"
The man twitched upon hearing Ken's scream, seeing him running blindly towards the old one. The blood in his veins bubbled fiercely, beckoning him to slide forward, knocking Ken away with one punch. He laughed when Ken went flying over a bench and didn't get up again.
"So, this is the product of my brother's teachings." He watched Ken struggling to find his footing. "Pathetic!," he spat. In an instant, he was behind Ken, grabbing him in a headlock. "You want revenge on me, boy?" Ken began to grasp at the stranger's hair, instead going for the neck. Thick beads around the man's throat were seized by Ken and yanked on hard, even as he began to lose consciousness.
Ken was released suddenly to fall down, gasping for air. But, he wasn't out of the game for good and came at the killer with surprising viciousness. "You murderer!!! Why did you kill Sensei? What kind of animal are you?"
"You will address me as, Akuma. I am far more advanced than your weak attacks. You are nothing more than a toy to amuse me." Another whack of his arm and Ken had difficulty getting up. "Why haven't you landed a punch or kick on me yet? Are you so weak and primitive that to hit me is so hard to do?"
"BASTARD!" Ken kicked Akuma's ankles from where he lay. When he went for an uppercut, Akuma had disappeared. He reappeared in front of Ken's face, caught both of Ken's fists in his hands and kicked his legs out from under him.
"This encounter bores me. If you want your revenge, wait until you are a real man before challenging me again. At that time, I will break you...kill you just like I did to my stupid brother. Gouken knew nothing about the full attacks of the Shotokan school of karate. He was weak and couldn't kill me because he lacked the murderous soul that I embraced. Only a man like myself can comprehend what the Shotokan masters intended their special moves to be used for."
"You aren't a man....you're a monster!" Ken was getting up for what felt like the hundredth time but Akuma stepped on his back, pushing his face into the floor.
"Stay defeated or I will kill you. If you want to die without avenging your precious Sensei, so be it. But, if you wish to fight me another day, I suggest you play dead." Akuma moved away from Ken, his movement similar to gliding over a skating rink. Did his feet actually walk across the ground or was he floating? Akuma actually seemed pleased when Ken remained on the ground, admitting defeat. "You learn quickly but you will always be an amateur, a boy, in comparison to me."
"I will have my revenge, Akuma. You'll wish you had never let me live." Ken glared up at the man with searing, red eyes. "I'll make you pay!"
**
When Ryu found the nerve to retrace his steps back to the temple to retrieve his bag, he was too late to save Gouken. He found Gouken's body several feet away from where he had been ruthlessly murdered. A white sheet was shielding the old man's body from prying eyes. It was also a sign of respect from Ken who acknowledged Gouken's impact on his life.
Ryu frantically searched the perimeter, fearful that Ken had also been killed or injured. All he found was a piece of paper beside Gouken's body, a sketch of a demonic man on it. And a note which said,
Dearest Ryu,
I wasn't strong enough to defeat Akuma this time. But, I am returning home and I will train every day until I find him. When I do, I will kill him. He won't get away with what he has done. I tried to draw him as accurately as I could but I'm no artist. Don't ever forget what he looks like or how he murdered Sensei in cold blood.
I'm sorry that you don't love me anymore. However, remember that I will never stop loving you. I will wait for you, as long as it takes...until you give up your quest to become the ultimate fighter. Fighting isn't everything...I thought that Sensei told you that as well as me. For once, you were the one that wasn't listening.
Love,
Ken
Folding the two pieces of paper into his pocket gave Ryu more time to think about things he had thought were behind him. *I never stopped loving you.* He tried to picture Ken in his mind and all that came up was a blank. Had he really destroyed his chances with the one person he truly loved? He did want to be the best fighter and conquer every opponent who might challenge him. But, in the end, he would find Ken and rekindle their love. It was out of the question to take Ken with him on such a perilous course of action. If he had told Ken that straight out, the only understanding he would get from Ken would be a mouthful of angry words.
And now, he had a new task set out for him. To find Akuma before Ken did and kill him. Any man more powerful than Gouken was not one which Ken could possibly stand a chance of defeating. Ryu owed that to Ken, to protect him above all else if he had to keep his love secret.
"I will find you Akuma, and when I do, I will be the man who ends your life." Ryu tossed his drawstring bag over his shoulder and abandoned Sensei's body to start his search for the man who had just made his life a lot more complicated.