"All of mankind holds a power within: The Power of Life. This force is fragile but eternal. Life begets more life, and the cycle continues. This force, this power is what drives it all. But what is Power? The answer lies in the heart of battle." – Ryu – Street Fighter IV Promo
Kim Possible
Street Fighter
THE WORLD'S WARRIORS
Round 1: Broken Hearts
Hong Kong
"This better be good…" a tall, heavily built African-American growled, repeatedly pounding his fist into his palm.
"Patience is a virtue," said an even taller, tanned man with an eye patch and a long, discolored scar across his chest as he sat down near the first man. His remaining eye glanced around the warehouse, where several other thugs kept themselves occupied. "Whoever is our host, he or she seems to be quite the equal opportunist."
"Good evening, gentlemen!" a crisp, Spanish accented voice filled the room. All eyes turned to see a rather tall, pale-skinned man with long, braided hair bouncing behind him. He sat the small briefcase on the table in the center of the room. "Mike Balrog, Sagat, my employer will be most pleased you have came."
"We have agreed to nothing yet, Vega," Sagat said narrowing his eye.
"Your facial injury was nothing personal, Sagat," Vega nodded, "We were in a street fight."
"Only a coward wears a mask and bears a weapon in a fist to fist competition," Sagat replied, "I will not be employed by a coward."
"Luckily, I am not the employer," Vega chuckled, "I am merely his representative. The mighty Bison offers you all an excellent package for signing a contract of employment with Shadowloo." He held out a stack of papers, "Please… take one and pass it around."
Balrog read the paper and whistled. "Damn."
"You would sell your soul for money?" Sagat glanced to the boxer.
"Actually, he could have had it for half," Balrog smirked.
"The mighty Bison is very aware that you do not care for financial gain," Vega said to Sagat. "That's why he is offering you what you truly want."
"And what is this so-called 'mighty' individual believe that I truly want?" Sagat scoffed.
"Ryu," Vega said simply. "You want a rematch, you want revenge, you can face him yourself or have one of The mighty Bison's trained assassins end his life for you. The choice will be yours and yours alone."
Vega's eyes widened behind his mask as Sagat grabbed him by his tie. "You are truly without honor," He growled before throwing the masked assassin across the room.
Vega groaned as he laid flat on his back across the room. His eyes focused and looked up to follow two long, red pantyhose-clad legs up a modified Chinese qipao. "You really need to work on your people skills…" the Chinese woman smiled down at the masked man before lifting her white boot.
Vega rolled out of the way and stared up at the woman with her hair tied up into double buns on either side of her head. "Hello, Flower, wasn't expecting you so soon."
"I hope you don't mind us crashing your little party," a redhead at the only entrance of the room smirked and leaned against the door. She her gloved hand reached into her cargo pocket and pulled out a badge. "Interpol, you're all under arrest."
"Kim Possible! We haven't done anything yet!" Balrog shouted to the redhead.
"I'm sure we can find something on you, Mikey," Kim flipped through the air to land on the table.
"Your friend is almost as lovely as you, my Flower, my Chun-Li," Vega glanced to Kim, who was gracefully dodging Balrog's punches. "She has great spirit, as fiery as her lovely locks… perhaps we can bring her into our relationship? I have a large bed that would fit the three of us…"
"Oh, you sick son of a…" Chun-Li snarled, snapping her leg out to kick Vega in the chest.
"You're slick, Possible," Balrog grinned, "But not slick enough. Word on the street is you won't spread your legs. Is that why your little, blond sidekick got gone back in your illegal-aged days?"
Kim's eyes flashed before she spun into the air, locking Balrog's neck in between her strong knees. She pulled her body up to punch him twice in the face before flipping him forward to crash through the table.
"Don't ever, ever, EVER go there again," Kim growled before spinning into the air and landing fists forward into Balrog's chest, rolling down and forcing her feet into his crotch, continuing the motion into a cartwheel off the man.
"Let's get the heck out of here!" one of the thugs cried out, and they all made a dash for the door.
Chun-Li glanced to Vega before shaking her head. "I don't think so; SPINNING BIRD KICK!" She yelled as she ran toward the door, flipping upside down and splitting her legs while twirling her body through the air with hands holding her off the ground.
Her feet collided with the panicking thugs, sending them across the floor. Chun-Li righted herself and took a fighting stance for the remaining thugs. "Hey, Kimmie, partner requesting back up."
"Coming!" Kim said before scowling down at the dazed Balrog, "And lastly, Ron wasn't my 'little, blond sidekick', he was my partner, my boyfriend and five times the man you'll ever be!" Kim snarled, kicking him in the side of the head before running to Chun-Li's aid.
Sagat, who remained in his seat, calmly watching the chaos, finally stood to his feet and stood over the gasping Balrog. "Idiot."
"While the lovely ladies are distracted, I believe this is our cue to leave," Vega said, returning for his case, opening it to remove a thrice-bladed claw weapon. "That is unless you would rather go into Interpol custody?"
"Let's go…" Balrog tenderly got back to his feet. "But the only way out is through those two and Possible kicks… really hard…" he noted, holding his head tenderly.
"Always have a backup plan," Vega said as he pushed his claw into a large floor vent, pulling open a hidden passage. "Shall we depart, my friends?"
When the last thug stumbled and fell, Chun Li settled her feet back to the ground and pushed her fist into the air. "YA-TA!" She cheered her victory.
"Don't celebrate yet, Partner," Kim narrowed her eyes, "Sagat, Balrog, and your 'boyfriend' got away."
"Damn," Chun Li pouted before glancing around at the bodies. "Did we bring enough handcuffs?"
---
Rocky Mountains, USA
"Can you believe it…" Shego asked for the umpteenth time as Drakken's hover jet approached their current 'lair'. Truth be told, Drakken and Shego hadn't done any villainous acts since the Lowardian Invasion nine years ago. But they continued to be faux villains for Global Justice and for Kim to train Hana Stoppable and her little friend Sean to eventually follow Kim and her former partner in their footsteps. GJ gave them a good paycheck to do this, and it kept them both sharp at the same time, a win/win situation.
"Yes, we eloped," Drakken said from the driver's seat, "I'm quite happy too, Mrs. Drakken."
"Mrs. Lipsky," Shego corrected with a gentle jab to his arm. "I really thought Kimmie and Stoppable would have beaten us to the altar actually…"
"It's the buffoon's own fault," Drakken said with a frown. "He couldn't stand the heat, so he ran. I can't win 'em all, but still wish I wasn't right about Don's buffoonery."
"Ron," Shego corrected again as the hovercraft lowered into the lair.
"Whatever," Drakken shrugged, "Possible was making herself better, and he couldn't keep up, so he turned tail and ran."
"I think there's more to it than that," Shego shook her head as Drakken powered down the landed craft.
"Let's worry about Kimmie's love life after we get back from the honeymoon, ok, Mrs. Drakken?" Drakken smiled as he patted her knee.
"Mrs. Lipsky," She corrected again as she climbed from the hovercraft and hit the remote for the lights, but blinked when nothing happened. "What gives? Drew, did you install the lights by yourself?"
"Welcome home, Mr. and Mrs. Lipsky," a booming voice spoke from the shadows. "Congratulations on your marriage," a tall, massively built man in a blood red and black military uniform with metallic gloves, boots, shoulder pads, and matching military cap stepped from the shadows. He had a strong, square jaw line, and eerie, white eyes with no pupil. "I hope you don't mind my interruption."
"You look quite radiant, Ms. Go, or would you prefer Mrs. Lipsky now?" He asked, eyeing her white gown. "White, deceitful for you, but traditional. Yet you make a beautiful, blushing bride."
"Who are you and what do you want?" Drakken asked, stepping up beside his new wife.
"I am Bison, and I simply would like to speak to you two on an event that took place nine years ago," Bison gave a shallow smile. "An event you two witnessed about which I am most curious."
Drakken and Shego shared a glance before glaring back at the intruder. "I'm sure you remember the Lowardian Invasion. My scientists have been reviewing that battle with the distant scans for some time, but no clear video has ever been discovered. Energy scans, however, showed that the two aliens were dispatched by something of immense power. I would like to… study this power."
"I didn't see anything," Drakken shook his head, crossing his arms.
"And even if we knew anything, we wouldn't tell a complete stranger," Shego said, gritting her teeth. "Now, get out of here before bad things happen to you."
"Oh, so unwise…" Bison tisked before holding out a hand to her, and a moment later, she was thrown across the room into Drakken's computer console. She tried to get up but her eyes widened when the panels and screens ripped open and wires and metal stretched out, wrapping around her. "You know what or who holds that great power. Tell me or 'bad things will happen to you' instead."
Drakken growled as his flower petals opened around his neck and vines shot from his wrists toward the stranger who just stood there grinning at him. A split second later, Bison was standing before him, still grinning. "I don't know how you moved that fast, Buffalo, but you won't…" Drakken was cut off by Bison grabbing him by the throat and throwing him across the room hard into the wall.
"PSYCHO CRUSHER!!" Bison bellowed before being engulfed in blue energy and flying across the room, slamming into Drakken's chest.
Shego's eyes widened in terror when Drakken screamed as his chest exploded in blue flame. The front of Drakken's tux was destroyed, and the sight and smell of charred flesh filled Shego's senses. "Drew!" Shego called out when she watched her husband drop to his knees before falling face first to the floor. "Stop it! Pick on someone who knows how to fight!" Shego called out, her hands blazing as she struggled with her restraints. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!!"
"You always wanted to be a world conqueror, Dr. Drakken." Bison said as he picked Drakken up by the hair. "If you truly want something, you must be strong; you must show no mercy. You are weak, too weak to conquer anything. How you convinced such a strong warrior as Shego to be your wife is beyond me.
"Let me show you the power it takes to conquer the world." Bison said before forcing his fist into the injured man's wounded chest. Drakken's watery gasp and the sound of bones shattering filled the room.
"STOP IT!!" Shego cried out, tears forming in her eyes as she struggled to get free while Bison continued to repeatedly hit and kick Drakken's battered body, puddles of blood forming at Drakken's feet.
"STOP HURTING HIM! P-Please!" Shego begged out of desperation. Bison froze his attack and glanced over his shoulder at the woman before throwing Drakken's broken body toward her, landing just a few feet before her.
"Tell me what you know about the power that defeated the aliens," Bison said, stomping toward them. "Tell me, and I will grant him mercy."
Shego stared at the inhuman monster before her then down at the battered and bloody remains of her husband. "Shelly…" Drakken gasped through the blood that was freely flowing from his mouth. "Don't…"
"Ron Stoppable," Shego said, closing her eyes.
"Kim Possible's former sidekick…" Bison asked with narrowed eyes.
"He's always been a goofball but apparently he's been her secret weapon," Shego silently begged Kim and Ron's forgiveness. "When it got to be an actual "end of the world" situation, he started glowing blue and went all Bruce Lee on the aliens that kicked mine and Kim's butts. He did it with ease," She then opened her eyes and glared at the man. "But understand this… if you fight him… he will break you."
"I look forward to it," Bison said with a smile. "I thank you for your cooperation," He said, going down to one knee, grabbing Drakken by his head with both hands and twisting it quickly, making a sickening crack. Shego's breath caught in her throat, and she felt her heart stop when Drakken stiffened only for a moment before going limp on the floor.
"You said you'd show mercy…" Shego forced through her tightened throat as the metal and wires released her.
"I had damaged his body beyond repair," Bison said, turning his back to her. "IF he would have survived the injuries he would have been a cripple. I did show mercy."
A part of her screamed to attack, but her mind and heart was focused on the broken remains on the floor before her. "Drew…" She whimpered as she crawled over to him, rolled him over so he'd rest in her lap."Drew?" She whispered as the blood he'd been shedding stained her white gown. Salty tears dropped from her cheeks to his still face as she stroked his bruised bloody cheeks.
"I've got you…" She breathed as she cradled him to her chest. "I, Shelly Go, swear… to love, honor, cherish, and obey, through good times and bad… sickness and health… riches and poor… till death… till death…" Shego broke, folding over him, releasing cries of anguish as she clung to her husband's body.
---
Hong Kong
Chun Li hummed along with the familiar Chinese melody playing through the radio as she felt the steamy water cascading down her body. She lathered liquid soap on her hands and ran them over the curves of her body as she moved her hips to the beat of the music.
She rinsed herself before cutting off the shower, then carefully padded out of the shower, still swaying with the music. She toweled off her body before scrubbing her long, dark hair. She cut off her music and pulled on an oversized tee shirt, stepping out of the hotel bathroom, brushing her hair. "So, the hunt continues?" She asked, finding her partner dressing in a pair of pale cargo pants and a small, green tank-top.
"He might be here," Kim said, checking her hair in the large mirror beside the room's small TV set. "Best cooks and toughest fighters. Ron's bound to be here."
"You've been saying that in every major city we've seen," Chun Li smiled sadly at her friend.
"He has to be somewhere," Kim said defiantly, but frowned sadly. "But I'm beginning to wonder…"
Chun Li smiled at her redheaded partner and best friend as she braided her long, dark hair, twisting and folding it into small buns on either side of her head. "You'll find him," Chun Li stated knowingly as she placed a cloth cap over each of her buns and fastened them with a blue string.
"But the question is 'what will you do when you finally do find him?'," she asked as she glanced to Kim.
"I… don't know…" Kim said as she pulled her fingerless gloves tightly over her hand, tightening the Velcro straps. "I'll either kill him... or kiss him… probably both."
"Good luck then," Chun Li said, lying back on her bed, crossing her long legs and wiggling her toes as she flipped through the channels on the TV.
Kim nodded, pulled a photo from her luggage, and left the hotel room with a look of determination on her face.
She traveled to every fine restaurant and small diner in the city, showing cooks, servers, and patrons the photo of her long lost love. Most shook their head no, while one or two actually had seen Ron, even employed him for a short time, but he had long since moved on years earlier, much the same as every place else in the world she went.
Then, she moved on to the street fighting circuits and martial arts dojos. No recent sightings, but a few had identified him, saying he was traveling with another blond-haired American and a Japanese fighter. As the night moved on, hopelessness yet again began to overpower her optimism.
Dragging her feet through the busy streets of Hong Kong, she finally discovered a neon-lit, American-style bar and made her way inside, only to be greeted with the smell of alcohol, smoke, and loud music.
Settling at the bar, she forced a smile to the barkeep. "Straight Tequila, no ice, and leave the bottle…" Kim answered his unasked question.
She took a shot and made a slight face before refilling her own glass. She still remembered what it was like to really be happy. Her first two years at Oxford were happy. She spoke to Ron daily, for hours. The time difference made it hard, but they were making it work, or so she thought. She never went out or partied like the other girls in her dorm. She was focused on finishing her schooling, so she could go back to having her Ron-shine whenever she wanted it. Then, after not being able to contact Ron for over a week, she received that damned letter…
You made up your mind it was time it was over
After we had come so far.
I think there's enough pieces of forgiveness
Somewhere in my broken heart.
She smiled when she heard the familiar American tune come on the bar's speakers. She didn't think anyone in Hong Kong was a fan of Billy Dean. "Who knew?" Kim shrugged, taking another shot of Tequila and listening to the song that fit her feelings to the 'T'.
I would not have chose the road you have taken,
It has left us miles apart.
I think I can still find the will to keep going
Somewhere in my broken heart.
She sighed and pulled an old ragged note from her pocket and stared at it. "It's not working, KP. We're better off not together… forget about me. –Ron" She read the short note and tried to stop a sob from escaping her throat, but failed to keep a tear from sliding down her cheek.
So fly. Go ahead and fly,
Till you find out who you are.
And I, I will keep my love unspoken
Somewhere in my broken heart.
And then he disappeared. He didn't just leave her behind; he cut ties with everyone, Hana and his parents included. At least they got a call from a payphone every so often, though. He even convinced Wade to deactivate the tracking chip that he 'didn't know about'. "Where are you, Ron?"
I hope that in time you will find what you long for.
Love that's written in the stars
When you finally do, I think you will see
It's somewhere in my broken heart.
She took another shot and felt the familiar buzz start to take a hold of her. Years ago, if someone told her that she'd be alone, drinking herself stupid while wondering what she did or didn't do to make Ron run away from her, she'd have laughed them across town. Now, there wasn't much to do, except do her job and in her off time look for him. And when that failed… she'd make herself forget. She glanced up at the mirror, and her eyes widened when she saw a familiar youth sitting beside her, smiling face with freckles across his nose and messy blond hair on his head. She turned quickly but found the stool empty.
And I, I will keep my love unspoken
Somewhere in my broken heart.
"Maybe I need to give this a rest…" She said, staring at the shot glass before downing it again.
I hope that in time you will find what you long for.
Love that's written in the stars.
"Perhaps you should," a crisp, Russian accent spoke beside her. She turned to see a young woman standing beside her. "Is this seat taken?"
Kim shook her head, and the woman seated herself and stared at her. Kim took another shot before glancing over the woman. She was dressed in a red trenchcoat over a black cocktail dress, with a long yellow scarf around her neck, her long, dark hair flowing down her back. "Lost love is often more painful than any lost battle," she said, pulling out a small deck of tarot cards and laying them out on the bar absentmindedly.
"You can say that again…" Kim said bringing her shot glass up for another hit.
"Do not despair, Kim Possible," the woman said, looking at her cards. "Your destiny has not come to an end, and your paths are not as disparate as they might seem. You and he are written in the cards…"
"How did you…" Kim sat her glass down and turned to find the stool empty, with the Lovers tarot card alone on the bar.
When you finally do, I think you will see
It's somewhere in my broken heart
To Be Continued …
Kim Possible and all related characters © Walt Disney Productions
Street Fighter and all related characters © CAPCOM
Song credits: "Somewhere in my Broken Heart" by Billy Dean
A/N: Wasn't planning on posting this till the launch date of Street Fighter IV, but thought I'd give you guys a nice little Valentines present… (D/S fans, I so sorry …) But to help to understand a bit better, this fic takes during and taking the place of Street Fighter II: The World's Warriors. Hope you Enjoyed! More to come. Round 1... REVIEW!