The following fanfic is just that. A fanfic. The following characters used in this fanfic (except Toshi) are the property of CAPCOM, and do not belong to me. If I did, then life would be just as cool as "Chocolate Raaaaaaaain…" (If you don't know about that reference, then you haven't been surfing the internet hard enough.)

--The Darkness Comes: Chapter 3--

"Attention all passengers, the 12 o'clock flight for Tokyo is now boarding. Please make sure all your carry-on luggage is with you while you board the plane," came a female voice over the intercom. Sean snapped himself awake, and woke up Ken, who was snoring loud enough to fill the entire terminal.

"Master, wake up! The flight's here!" Sean tried his best to wake Ken up without being rude to his master, but found it only made him snore even louder. Feeling the stares of all the people in the terminal upon him, Sean decided to take drastic measures. "Master, your hair dye has washed out! It's turning back to its original color!"

Ken jumped up and shouted, "No, not now! I thought they said this was permanent! … Oh… the flight's here." Sean sighed, and the two boarded their flight. Sean, still feeling everyone stare at them as they boarded, apologized to everyone they walked by. Ken stared at his pupil in confusion, but paid no heed to Sean's constant apologizing.

The flight to Japan was a relatively pleasant one. Ken, not being one to settle for less than the best, had gotten them first-class tickets. Ah, first-class. Such a wonderful experience that came fully-equipped with unlimited supplies of free drinks, blockbuster movies, and beautiful geishas. Sean especially liked the geishas… Geishas…. "Sean! A martial artist must not stare!" Ken suddenly shouted as he notice Sean's eyes glaze over as he found himself lost in the doll-like beauty that was one of the geisha. Sean snapped back to reality, said "Yes, sir.", wiped the drool off of his mouth, and resumed his game of NBA Jam T. E. with a young Japanese boy named Toshi. Toshi was winning. While Sean was getting "pwned", Ken was staring outside of the window, lost in his own thoughts.

Over the course of his life, he had encountered the Satsui no Hadou on a few occasions, occasions he didn't want to relive, and never dreamed he would have to face this horror again. Just trying to make sure Akuma wouldn't go berserk and try to destroy the world, make sure Ryu doesn't become homicidal, and forcing himself to not reach that level was hard enough; but now they had to worry about anyone and everyone who trained in this martial art, for apparently all who practice Shotokan-ryuu was subject to the Satsui no Hadou, no matter what their level of training was. Even Sakura, who only began by copying their style, was subject to it. It only took a small amount of formal training to make her completely susceptible. Since that was the case, how much in danger was Sean and Mel? Would it only take one fight for them to go out of control? The thought that Ken would have to kill his own student and his only son in order to keep them from killing anyone else was a thought he never wanted to cross his mind ever again. It was going to be a long flight. Maybe some sleep would help Ken clear out his mind…or so he thought.

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Ken eyes burst open to the flash of red lights, the sound of emergency alarms, and the screams of people in total fear for their lives. The plane was loosing altitude, people were dead or dying, and there was a gaping hole in the rear of the cabin. Chaos was aboard the flight, and the source of it was soon made clear. On the further end of the plane, Sean stood on top of a pile of dead bodies, his body aglow with a dark aura. Ken undid his seatbelt and slowly approached him. Sean was completely under the influence of the Satsui no Hadou, and his body twitched as it overflowed with the utmost desire to kill. As Ken made his way towards the carnage and wreckage that lay before him, Sean sensed Ken's ki approach him and turned to face him.

"Sean? What's… what's happened to you…!?"

"Master… I've nearly perfected the hadouken now…" Sean's now soulless eyes had locked onto Ken's position as his hands had assumed the tell-tale position when a Shotokan-ryu user prepared himself for one of their strongest attacks. Ken had to think fast, or risk being disintegrated by his own pupil. He resorts to logic to try and reason with the possessed Sean.

"Sean… listen to me. If you unleash an attack that powerful on this plane, we'll both die in the explosion!"

"Die…?"

"Yeah… It'd be kinda hard to continue your training if your dead, right?" he chuckled slightly in an attempt to try to reach Sean. It didn't work.

"… Death… is a natural part in the path of a warrior, Master…" Sean had made up his mind, and began channeling his energy into his palms. "Now… let's meet each other as warriors in the next world, Master…!"

"Sean, wait!!" Ken wanted to stop him, but found that he couldn't move despite the urgency of his situation. His legs were frozen in place, but he found that his arms could still move. He had only one choice. "Sean, don't make me do this!" His palms assumed the same position that Sean's were in.

"Messatsu…!" The dark aura swirls around and begins to form between Sean's palms.

"… Shinkuu…!" Ken's palms were illuminated with a bright-blue light as he charged up for counter-attack. The combined surges of energy were more than enough to destroy the plane; but since death was assured no matter what was to happen, it seemed better to go down fighting.

"Gou Hadouken!!"

"Hadouken!!"

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"…ster! Master! Master, wake up! We've arrived!" Ken's eyes shot open to find that the plane had landed in the Tokyo airport. Looking around, he saw that the plane was still intact, and the passengers were still alive.

'A dream…? More like a nightmare…' The death and destruction he witnessed was all a really horrific dream… Ken hoped that it would stay that way… As they exited the terminal, and Sean and Toshi said their goodbyes, they were greeted by none other than Ryu at the baggage claim. Despite Ryu being in the same outfit Ken had seen him in since they first became friends, his face was a face Ken was more than welcome to see. "Yo, Ryu!"

"Ken, Sean! It's good to see you two again. I'm… sorry we had to meet up under these circumstances…" There was a brief silence until Ryu spoke up. "So, Sean, I hear you've been impressing Ken with your training lately..."

"Yeah. I've been busting my butt to try and surpass Master, but I've still got a way to go."

Ken sighed, "Sean, I've told you a thousand times already, while we're out in public just call me Ken, would ya?" Sean flashed Ken a confused look.

"But why, Master?

"Sean… take a look at our skin colors, and take a guess…"

"Skin color…?" This time, it was Ryu who was the confused one. Sean thought for a second, realized what Ken was talking about, and nodded his head.

"Ok, I get it… K-k-ken." He spat out Ken's name like it was painful for him to say his master's real name. Ryu, still confused about the matter, decided it was best to not dwell on it, and they left the terminal. As they left, Ryu filled them in on what had happened and what their current plan was. He told them about how Sakura had built up a reputation in underground fighting rings all over Tokyo in only a matter of days, only to leave just days before Sean and Ken had arrived. Meaning, they just missed her.

Despite their rotten luck, and the short argument as to why Ryu didn't try to stop her, they headed to Ryu's dojo, which he was able to rebuild with some financial help from Chun-li, who was providing intell from Interpol. From the looks of things, it was like it wasn't destroyed at all.

"So, Thunder-thighs herself provided the funds to rebuild this place, huh?" Ken grinned.

"Yes… Chun-li was kind enough to help me out in more ways than one."

"'More ways than one'!? Heheheh… Ryu, old buddy, don't tell me you and her finally decided to--"

"OUR RELATIONSHIP is purely professional, Ken…" Ryu interjected. Ken could only laugh at how much his friend was blushing, which only made Ryu blush even more, making his face as red as his headband. After a few laughs, they decided on their game plan.

"So based on what you've told us, Sakura's built up some cash to travel around to meet up with Akuma. You really think he's calling out to her?"

"Yes… It was the same with me when I was first influenced by the Satsui no Hadou. If she's going through what I went through, she'll want answers; and the only one who can give her the answers she wants, is him.

"The man who mastered our fighting style… What will happen when we catch up with her, you guys?" Sean asked, but was answered with complete silence. Both Ken and Ryu knew what might happen, but neither hoped it would come true. Ken was the first to speak up.

"Well, either one of two things will definitely happen: 1) Sakura comes to her senses, realizes that the Satsui no Hadou is nothing to mess with, and she'll come home with us. She might even stop practicing Shotokan-ryu once she realizes the gravity of her situation. Or 2) She becomes tempted by the raw power generated by the Satsui no Hadou, and we'll have to silence her… or die trying."

"Oh…"

Ryu was next to speak. "The Satsui no Hadou always ensures death if embraced fully. Sakura had been able to avoid killing her opponents thus far because she wasn't fully under its influence. If we can somehow get to her before she gets to Akuma and is completely overtaken by its power, we might be able to avoid killing her to prevent her from killing others."

"I've… I've never killed anyone, you guys… I always thought the martial arts were supposed to be edifying for the body, mind and soul… This is just… too heavy…" Sean had never once stained his hands with the blood of others. Never did he once think that death would be involved in any way in his life, and now here he was planning with his comrades in combat on how to kill someone if the situation called for it. Ken sensed the faltering convictions in his student and turned towards him.

"Sean, listen up, because I'm only going to say this once." Ken's face was as stern as when they first received the phone call from Ryu. "What we're about to do, we were prepared to do years ago when Ryu was first drawn into this dark power. If one of us had faltered in ANY way, neither one of us would be standing here today. If the time comes for one of us to take out Sakura, despite all we've been through, we have to do what must be done. If you're not prepared to do that, you're better off staying home. Now if you are willing to go through with this, then you gotta be willing to go all the way. If not, not only will you have to be sent back home, but when I get back, I'll be dealing out some SEVERE punishment for you wasting a plane ticket to Japan!" Sean winced at the thought of the first time Ken dealt out punishment of the severe fashion. "Now… are you willing to go through with this, despite what we've just told you…?"

Sean thought long and hard about how he'd respond. This situation was to be dealt with the utmost delicacy, and he was sure that they'd need all the help they can get.

"Didn't you hear me before in Seattle, Master? Sakura's a comrade, and I won't abandon her in her time of need… I'm with you guys."

Ryu and Ken nodded towards each other, and the duo became an assured trio. Before they turned in for the night, Ryu and Ken made their way to their master's gravesite to pay their respects and pray for a safe journey. Sean went along with them, and prayed also. Come morning, their journey for Sakura's salvation would truly begin.

-End-

A/N: Sorry about my late submission, but when you're doing construction work, you tend to be too tired to focus on other things… I ran in a bit of a writer's block when it came to the dream sequence, so I apologize if it sounds a little half-baked. Well, don't feel like saying much, so I hope you enjoy this entry. As always, comments are welcome, and I'll see you… when I get the idea to start the next chapter…