GILL'S REVENGE

A fanfic by neomage

(DISCLAIMER: Street Fighter and all characters therein are trademarks of Nintendo and Capcom.)

PROLOGUE

SOMEWHERE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN

Urien could not help but wonder. Ever since the defeat of his brother Gill in the third Street Fighter tournament, things had taken a very strange turn. The elders, instead of punishing Gill for his failure, gave him a much higher rank - that of Emperor of the organization. He himself had, in turn, been given Gill's old spot, the presidency of the syndicate; running the major business affairs as he saw fit, ordering slaves and henchmen about; but ultimately, just as before, Urien still had to answer to Gill.

To be sure, Urien had sickened at the idea of always being subservient to his older brother. He could not help it, after all, that Gill was much more powerful and much more experienced than he could ever hope to be. Urien resented always being in Gill's shadow, but he swore that, one day, things would certainly be different.

Now, as he observed the two men standing before the Emperor's throne, Urien wondered just what Gill had in mind for them. He knew well who they were, all right. Both were known criminals in the underworld; one was a former operative of the fallen Shadowloo empire, and the other was allegedly the leader of the up-and-coming Mad Gear syndicate. One was clothed in military apparel; the other had long, blond hair, and his face was hidden behind a metal mask. Both had their reputations, of course; but for what reason would Gill waste his time to see them? As far as Urien was concerned, they were trash that didn't deserve to see great men like himself or Gill.

Gill was seated on the throne, looking at the two men with a critical eye. He was shrouded in shadow, and the room was rather poorly lit, anyway, so neither of the two could see him very well. It was well that they didn't, for the first sight of him would have given them leeway to label him as a freak. He had blond hair, and one half of his entire body was as red as the skin of a boiled lobster, while the other half looked extremely frostbitten. But appearances, for him, didn't matter. His appearance only marked the extent of his true powers, as far as he was concerned.

"Gentlemen, I thank you for coming on such short notice," he began, speaking in a majestic voice that demanded attention. "Now, then, to the business at hand."

The two men said nothing. Urien said nothing.

"You have both been defeated before. You have both experienced failure and weakness. However, both of you have the potential to overcome that weakness. You both possess extraordinary skills that would be of great assistance to our great order."

He turned to the first man, the Mad Gear leader. "You who are called Rolento, once served as a mere lackey to the Mad Gear gang. Ever since its disintegration by the authorities, you have been working in secret to revive the organization. Allow me to help you, and your group will become a force that not even all the world's governments can stop. All I ask in return is that you pledge your allegiance to me."

Then he turned to the other man, the former Shadowloo operative. "You, Vega, were once one of the 'Four Lords of Shadowloo,' ranking only below Sagat and your former master, Bison. You were a great assassin whose skill as a warrior knew no equal. Join me, and I will give you all the glory you possessed as a Shadowloo enforcer...and even more."

Neither of the men said anything. Gill continued, "We need both of you...I need both of you. Together, we can take this world by storm. You will have anything you desire: unlimited riches, a country to rule as your own - even revenge, if you so desire."

The military man, Rolento, spoke for the first time. "Hmmm…well, your offer sounds very intriguing," he admitted. "And if what you say is true, then the Mad Gear would truly become a great army...but how can I be sure that what you say is true?"

Gill leaned forward in his chair. "I hold incredible influence in every government across the globe. I control presidents, kings, senators, military generals, and even customs officials. On your own power, you would not be able to capture any country, in spite of your great skill as a military leader. With my help, though, nobody, not even the Special Forces, would be able to stand in your way."

Rolento mused over the prospect. Then he grinned. "All right, then, Mr. Gill. You can count me in."

Gill nodded his approval. "And you, Vega? What will you do?"

Hidden behind the mask, it would be difficult to tell just what emotion Vega's face held. But his voice told the whole story, bitterly. "Señor, I have given up on revenge. Chun Li defeated me twelve years ago, in Bison's tournament, and took the only thing that meant anything away from me. I have had to hide my face behind this mask ever since. Sí, your offer sounds like a good one, but even if I attain revenge, what will be the point if I can never retrieve what she stole?"

Gill chuckled softly. "You need not underestimate my power, Vega. As well as being an influential political mastermind and a great military leader, I also control various top medical figures across the world. At the snap of a finger, I can summon any one of them here. Some of them are the greatest reconstruction surgeons the world has ever known. Any one of them can relieve you of your problem...and make your face as flawless as if it had never been scarred."

Slowly, Vega removed his mask. It was hard to see in the poor light, but Urien could make out the form of a grisly scar running down the entire length of the left side of Vega's face. Vega himself was fingering the scar gingerly. "You...you can do that...for me?" he whispered.

"That I can...and more," Gill replied. "And for your interest, I also have access to the legendary Fountain of Youth. Drink from that spring, and you will never age a minute older. You will be young and handsome forever."

Rolento looked skeptical, but Vega was very much up for it. "Then, if that is the case," he said, "I accept your offer, Señor Gill."

Gill nodded his approval again. "Well done," he said. "Both of you have chosen wisely." He then looked over at Urien, and chuckled as he nodded.