Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Darkstalker characters, they're owned by Capcom…but the characters that make up the Demon Syndicate are characters I came up with and that I do have a bit of control over. And with this aside enjoy.

December 31st, 11:45 P.M.

A faint blanket of snow fell on the streets of New York, as many waited for the ball to drop, the ball that would signal the New Year. Raptor walked up behind her and looked at the ball, "I still don't see what the bloody fuss is all about." Raptor said coldly.

"You're joking…right?" Felicia asked, Raptor shook his head, "That ball is a symbol, it symbolizes the passing of the old year and the beginning of a new one." She told him.

Raptor looked at it and said, "Oh great…the end of one old year of crud, and a beginning of a whole new one."

"Heavens no, it's sort of gives a person hope that things will turn out of the better than they did before." She told him.

"Better…let's see, we both went into that bloody tournament together only to have neither of us win…and then we had to fight that blow hard Jedah, and your saying things 'turned out for the better'." Raptor argued, and then he grumbled, "If that's your idea of better, then what's the worst that could happen?"

Felicia looked back at him and thought, "He should've kept that to himself."

We now leave our present location to the New York City skyline, we stop at one building in particular…why you ask, well maybe because it has a mansion built on its roof, that's why. We go inside this building to see an old man in a tuxedo…most likely a butler, carrying a tray with a long-necked bottle and a wine glass. He brings into a room that looks much like a study or library, a fire is roaring in the fire-place behind a chair that's facing a window, which faces Times Square and the ball. The butler opens the wine bottle, as he places the cork screw down a slightly pale hand reaches out from the obscurity of the armchair and picks it up, by the sound the figure makes he's sniffing the cork, "Ah, Merlot…Fetzer Eagle Peak…1949, thank you very much Lachlan." Says a mellow male voice from the chair, "You're welcome Mr. Nightshade." Says Lachlan, while pouring the red wine into the glass, then the figure in the chair gives a stern growl and says, "Lachlan, remember that I just like to be called sir."

Lachlan bows and says, "I apologize sir, I did not mean to offend you."

"Apology not needed Lachlan, you've been at my side through every turmoil…and I expect you to keep on doing so until the end of our days." The voice told him. Lachlan then looked at him rather sadly and asked, "Then I suppose you'll be going through with your plan?"

"Lachlan, my followers and I have long been awaiting this…it took 5 years of planning, they're now all in position. It is go to happen Lachlan whether you like it or not, and no one…not Pyron, not Jedah, not anyone…will stop me." Said the voice in an angry tone, then it took its wine glass in hand, got up, and walked over to the window. "Look at it Lachlan, in but a few minutes…that sphere will ring in the new year, and not just any year…but a year of change, a change so horrific that'll make anything Jedah did look like a mere pre-game show compared to the event I shall soon harness."

"But sir, the Darkstalkers…you've never faced them before, you don't know how strong they are." Lachlan warned the man.

"True, I did not enter Maximov's tournament…but I did watch, and only that, but also studied them. Learned their techniques and weaknesses." The man answered.

"Yes sir, but what I'm asking…that information is it enough?" Lachlan asked.

"Information equals Power Lachlan, and if I'm to become not but the most powerful Darkstalker on Earth, then information is my key to it. Right now all of them are probably celebrating the New Year in their own way, but after that ball drops they'll forget the name Jedah and the fear it held in their hearts, and learn to fear the name Dominic," the man then turned to look at Lachlan and we now see his face, he has black hair slicked straight back but not straight-straight back, grey eyes, but the smile on his face would both make you trust him on face value and send a shiver up your spine at the same time, "…Dominic Nightshade." Suddenly the ball started its descent and outside he could hear the soft echo of the countdown "Ten…Nine…Eight…"

Back at the nightclub people started saying, "Seven…Six…Five…"

"Four…" said Felicia confidently.

"…Three…" said Raptor in a lame tone of voice.

"Two…" said Lachlan, sounding rather scared.

"One." Said Dominic, an evil smile crossing his face

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" The whole city seemed to cry out; in fact the whole world seemed in celebration.

"Happy New Year Lachlan," Dominic said grimly, "give the order to send the signal." Dominic then took one more sip of his wine glass, placed it down on the tray and exited the room while Lachlan got on the phone and dialed a number, when he heard someone pick up Lachlan said, "Keaton…it's Lachlan, he's given the order, send out the message to the others."

Lachlan then hung up the phone, hearing the click that told him, "No turning back now, Lord forgive me for what Dominic's about to do." He thought to himself.

Well there you go, a cliff-hanger (BUM, BUM, BUMMM!), again I wish to turn your attention to the disclaimer again. Oh and if any of you wish to send me a review on how I might be 'insulting' the Darkstalker fans with this fan-fic I'd like to mention before I get to far into this story that that's NOT MY DAMN INTENTION!