Street Fighter: The Legend Continued... In a Burger Joint

Preface: I wrote this short fan fiction based on the classic game Street Fighter in an attempt to light-heartedly highlight 2 of my favourite characters persona and backgrounds. By placing them in a typical fast food restaurant (a potentially humorous and unlikely scenario) I hoped to illustrate that these world class super fighters are nevertheless just mortal men.

5 years it has been now since Ken’s retire from the Street Fighter world tournaments and return to western life, but not for his best friend Ryu who yet continues to roam the world in search for worthy opponents to prove himself the ultimate warrior. After settling in to western civilization again, Ken had lately been thinking he should reunite with his old friend. He would try to show his friend this beautiful, peaceful side of life in the hope to put an end to Ryu’s violent, unhappy and lonely path to what would become his own destruction. This time there would be no fighting, no training, no tournament- just the two spending some simple time together in Ken’s homeland, the USA.

At the busy airport arrivals lounge it was no needle in a haystack for Ken picking out Ryu looking truly lost, still clad with his white Keikogi martial arts robes. He looked just like he had been the moment the two parted 5 years ago. Still, no surprise there Ken thought to himself. The two warriors met with rock like grips and Ken noticed upon close inspection that Ryu was in phenomenal shape. It brought him to attention just what a different world his friend was coming into right now.

"Brother, it’s been so long!" Said Ryu in his native Japanese tongue, their firsts still bound together, clamping more forcefully with excitement.

"I know what they give out up there on those planes, you must be almost dead by now! Come, we gotta get you some real American food to eat right away. Come on!" Ken knew how large Ryu’s appetite was and that there always with a true warrior comes enormous requirements for fuelling his body. Indeed, Ryu inside was weak with hunger, though he immediately felt more comfortable with Ken who still knew him like nobody else.

It wasn't in Ryu's nature to be so self- aware, but he was unsure about this. Surely Ken knew what he was doing; they were in his homeland and after all... but Ryu still felt incredibly uncomfortable. All eyes seemed to be on the two. His ravenous hunger that had occupied his every thought just moments ago was suddenly and completely replaced by nauseous swelling in the pit of his stomach.

"Ah, Ken..." he started, but hesitated after noticing heads around him perking up.

Ken turned around, "Huh? What's up dude?"

"... It's... nothing..." Ryu felt his face heating up. He hoped it wasn't noticeable and looked down to make sure no one could see. His feet clad in ratty red high-tops came into view, dirty and well traveled, as was his dingy, no longer white gi. Ryu became more and more embarrassed. The sound of Ken's voice snapped him back to reality.It was their turn to order, Ken did the talking of course. Ryu could only pick out few key words. "Burger" was one of them, something which he recalled Ken passionately describing to him long, long ago in the midst of Japanese forests where the two had given their lives to their training.

"You can grab some seats, Ryu, I'll get the food when it comes up."

"Nnh," Ryu nodded and made a hurried dash for the corner booth he had been eyeing. Secluded at the back of the burger joint, away from curious eyes, there, he thought, he could calm down enough to eat.

The red leather seats squeaked as Ryu sat down. He scratched his head, wiggled his toes inside their unfamiliar surroundings: shoes. As he looked around, he felt restless. Curious gazes and long stares still came at him from all around. He was a novelty; Ryu rationalized to himself, a Japanese in a traditional gi inside an American fast food restaurant must have been an unusual sight. The atmosphere became more and more awkward and uncomfortable for Ryu as the moments ticked away. Maybe it was all in his imagination, he started to think. To relieve his stress he started to play with his hands, cracking his knuckles, stretching his muscles and tendons, trying to block out everything else.

A few minutes later, as promised, Ken finally came with a tray piled with deliciousness. Ryu could smell the seared meat and grease radiating from the mountain of food, the scent alone made his knees feel week and his stomach jump for joy. Ken placed it on their table with a wide grin and sat down.

"Well, eat up!" he declared as he ripped open and tore into a cheeseburger. Ryu looked at the feast laid before him. He took up a warm mass bundled in thin greasy paper and unfolded it.

"Itadakimasu," he bit into the soft, sweet bread, the crunchy lettuce and tomatoes, into the juicy, tender meat. Ryu could have cried from sheer happiness. Ken observed him seemingly absorbed in his own paradise; he was already sure his friend would enjoy this new land.