"Start talking." Sitting around a table on the patio were Guile, Ryu, Chun-Li, Sakura, and Bison. How Chun-Li brought herself to be calm enough to sit across from the wretched man was a mystery to everyone present. Each had their own vendettas against him-and with good reason-but both Guile and Ryu were good at keeping their cool, and Sakura only really knew him as the man who brainwashed Ryu. Chun-Li, however, just couldn't understand their strange acceptance of him. He didn't belong here.

"I don't feel right divulging anything in the presence of that man," Chun-Li said simply.

Bison smirked. "Don't worry, anything you know, I've already known for months. None of it is news to me, and I likely know more about all of this than any of you."

"Well then explain it," Guile snapped, still looking groggy. He was, as all present were learning, not much of a morning person. "Because I don't want to have to explain to my wife and child when they get back why there are two giant lizard...dinosaur...things in the backyard, along with one of the most hated men on the planet."

"They're dragons," Sakura said quietly. She wasn't used to seeing Guile get angry, and felt like she was walking on eggshells just by being around him. It was unsettling, but she still tried to help out any way she could. In this case, that would mean explaining to him the bizarre situation as best as one could.

"Dragons," the man echoed, staring at the two creatures from his porch. He found the notion blatantly ridiculous, and it was clear in his tone.

"And they have to save the world," she continued. "And Ryu and Chun-Li are helping, because thousands of years ago, they pledged their souls to the dragons, and they have superpowers."

Guile exhaled loudly, closing his eyes for a brief few seconds. Bison chuckled quietly. Ryu and Chun-Li exchanged awkward glances. It really did sound ridiculous, especially in the manner in which Sakura had explained everything. "Well, it's true," Ryu said, willing himself to turn to stone as he had before during the shoot outs. He poked Guile's shoulder with a rocky finger, and his eyes opened slowly. He glanced at Ryu, wondering why the man had poked him, and then, he did a double-take, nearly falling out of his chair as he backed up suddenly.

"What-?"

"I don't really know," Ryu responded with a shake of his head.

"Each of the dragons' companions were given gifts in return for their services. You serve Earth, and in return, he gave you this power," Bison explained. He nodded in Chun-Li's direction. "She's liable to have one too, she simply hasn't discovered it yet."

"It's not really your business," Chun-Li muttered.

"How did you find these things, uh, these dragons?" Guile asked. He felt like an idiot for asking such a bizarre question. But the circumstances required some explanation. There was a living statue sitting right next to him, after all.

"I found Earth in a cave in the woods, not too far from my home," Ryu responded. "The weird weather woke him up. And then these men attacked."

"Who were they?"

"We're still not sure. They said they worked for a Korean lady," Ryu said.

"It started with a J," Sakura added.

"Juri Han," Bison said coldly.

"You know who it is?" Guile asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Juri Han is the daughter of a prestigious Korean lawyer, who also happened to be an obstacle for Shadaloo."

"Christ," Guile muttered, hand coming away from his head to rest on the table. "You killed her dad, didn't you?"

"Not me, personally, of course," Bison responded indifferently. "But I ordered it to be done."

"That's pretty terrible," Sakura said quietly, giving a sidelong glance to the large man beside her. She knew he was a bad person. But it seemed like every time he spoke, he became more and more cruel. It was almost hopeless, it seemed. She wanted to think there was some good in him. There had to be a bit in everyone, she thought. But it was getting more difficult to think that way the more she learned about him.

"Just how many people's lives do you have to ruin before you're done?" Chun-Li asked.

"As many as it takes," Bison replied.

"Why is Juri after us?" Ryu said. He knew Bison deserved any of the number of harsh words everyone was ready to say to him, but it was all useless in the end. Just words. And none of them would have an impact on a man like Bison. And none of them would fix what had already happened. It was a senseless expulsion of energy, getting worked up over that man like this. He had information they needed to hear right now. They might possibly be able to understand the motives of their assailant, to find out how to stop her, and to find the location of the last two dragons. If Bison was anything, he was resourceful. And they could use someone like that right now.

Chun-Li fumed silently, clenching her fists as Bison spoke. "I haven't the slightest clue. Shadaloo's in pieces, she's gotten what she wanted."

"Is it possible she also knows about the dragons?" Ryu asked, wondering if there was any chance at a connection.

"It's highly unlikely."

Ryu sighed, leaning his elbows on the table now. "So not only do we have to fix the planet and find the two other dragons, but there's also this Juri woman to deal with?"

"So it would appear."

"There are two other dragons?" Guile asked.

"One for fire, one for air," Bison responded. "And in turn they will have partners, like Ryu and Chun-Li."

"Well, who are they?"

"I've been hoping to find out myself. The only one who knows won't reveal them to me."

"Why do you need to know?" Chun-Li asked. He had an ulterior motive. There was no way he was helping them out of the goodness of his heart. To trust him with any of this valuable information felt like walking into a trap.

Bison sighed and rolled his eyes. "I don't have any desire to die any time soon, do you? I want these four found, the problem fixed, as soon as possible. I'll do all that's necessary to make it happen."

"How could you expect any of us to trust you?" Guile asked. Siding with Chun-Li on this one was an obvious decision. "You've only tried to kill us, to brainwash us, to kidnap us, killed our friends and family." He ticked the points off on his fingers as he spoke. "Do you really expect us to believe anything you have to say means any gain for anyone but yourself?"

"I'd call continuing to exist a big gain for myself, but I suppose that's just me," Bison answered.

"Fine," Chun-Li said, crossing her arms. "Let's say we go along with your little charade. Where is it we're supposed to go to find these others?"

"I don't, personally, have this information," he responded. "I know a woman who does."

"Would you have happened to have killed her parents, too?" Chun-Li asked sweetly, with mock charm.

Suddenly, Earth's head shot up. It was the first time the dragon had moved since he'd come here. Ryu and Chun-Li strained to hear any sounds as Guile studied the dragon. "Hey, he moved."

"He heard something," Ryu said quietly.

Bison stood up immediately, looking through the glass doors into Guile's home. "Expecting any visitors, Major?"

"No," Guile said in a low voice as he turned to look into his house. It was empty, with his wife and child having been away visiting relatives for the week. He was enjoying his peace and quiet, until all of this came along. The distinct sound of car doors being shut reached their ears, and everyone watched the quiet house.

"Maybe it's your neighbors," Sakura whispered, afraid to speak too loud. She didn't want to miss another sound.

"Well, isn't this a pretty sight." All eyes turned from the interior of the home to the slim figure of a young girl in the backyard behind them. She raised an eyebrow as she surveyed the area, only slightly startled as she focused on the two dragons in the yard. Instead of reacting with shock or fear, she seemed to become increasingly interested in them. Earth looked afraid of her, backing away, while Water looked over her with cold eyes.

"You realize this is private property?" Guile said, standing up.

"And you realize I couldn't really care less?" she sneered.

"Get outta my yard, kid," Guile said, pointing back towards the road.

"This is Juri," Bison said.

"The person sending all of those men after us is a kid?" Chun-Li asked, raising an eyebrow as she watched the girl approach. She had to be in her early twenties, if that.

"Kid? Excuse me? What's that supposed to mean? If I had the time, I would've come for you and Ryu and any of the others myself." She sighed, and rolled her eyes as she spoke. "But I guess I put too much faith in a bunch of idiots with guns."

"Others?" Ryu asked. "What others?"

"Just a handful of the most elite fighters in the world, as far as I know, anyhow," she said. "You two-well, three-happen to be a few of them."

"A girl after my own heart," Bison muttered.

"You're severely outnumbered here," Guile warned. "Don't think we'll go easy on you if you intend to do any of us harm."

"True, I didn't expect to find all of you here. But, I can think of a few ways to even the odds," she said with a sadistic grin.

A series of heavy thuds drew all eyes to the wooden fence. Juri seemed to have brought some company. There were six men in all, each carrying a weapon and wearing thick body armor. As the men righted themselves after vaulting over the fence, they quickly surrounded the group at the table, guns leveled as they did so. Ryu began to feel an overwhelming sense of panic emanating from the dragon. It really didn't like the guns, and Ryu didn't blame it. "We're in a bit of a bind here," he whispered to Guile over his left shoulder.

"We're not going to let a couple of guys with guns take us down," Guile responded. "I think we've seen worse."

The dragon groaned loudly, and all eyes went to it. Juri was approaching it, that malicious grin on her face. "Now, just what might you two be?" she asked. Earth withdrew as she approached, plainly terrified. But Water, apparently, was brave enough for both of them. She slammed her tail full force into Juri's stomach. The girl stumbled back, and turned it into a graceful backflip to gain her footing again.

"Feisty!" She crossed her arms and cocked her head, glancing up at the group on the patio. "Kill Bison and the little girl. The rest have to stay alive for the project. But these things, I want to know more about them."

"You three, on the wall," one of the men said, indicating Guile, Chun-Li, and Ryu. Sakura's eyes went wide as she watched them walk towards the house. She should've left for the airport like Ryu said. Her heart began to race as she watched the men raise their guns. This couldn't be happening to her. She glanced over at Bison beside her, who seemed completely disinterested in the fact that these men were about to pour several rounds into them. In fact, he looked bored. Her eyes then went to Ryu, and she sent him a pleading look.

He was quickly trying to figure out how to save Sakura. The girl in charge, Juri, obviously wanted the three against the wall alive. She'd said so herself. So if the three of them were to not comply with the orders given to them, what was the worst she could do? Then men could possibly incapacitate them, but how? He glanced to Chun-Li, then Guile, who both stared contemptuously at the men lining up in front of Sakura and Bison. This couldn't be allowed to happen. Ryu let out a wordless cry as he charged the man in front of him with every ounce of strength he had. Chun-Li and Guile did the same almost instantly, but the men seemed prepared, shoving back roughly.

And then there was the terrible sound of muffled gunfire. Panic rolled over him in waves as Earth began to cry out at the sound. Ryu growled angrily, grabbing one of the black clad men and throwing him to the ground hard. He watched helplessly, tears in his eyes as the men fired again and again on his friend, who he had dragged into all of this. More sudden panic mingled with his grief and didn't the dragon understand what had just happened? Sakura was dying!

A dramatic sigh reached Ryu's ears, and he looked up again. "Are you finished now?" Bison asked the stunned men in black, tilting his head to the side. The men holding the guns exchanged glances. Each bullet which had been fired hovered harmlessly inches away from Bison and Sakura. The two were completely unharmed. The men fired again and again, and each bullet came to rest at the same spot in midair. "We can do this all morning, really, but I have more important matters to attend to."

"You bastard!" Juri screamed. She ran towards Bison, who spun around quickly, electric sparks dancing at his fingertips. Guile and Chun-Li were now engaged in battling the men nearest them, having varying degrees of success landing blows and avoiding taking any hits. Sakura, still shaking and wide-eyed, stood completely still, trying to absorb everything that was going on around her. Ryu began to feel like he was on overdrive as the panic became overwhelming.

"We're going now." It was Earth's voice, low and slow and frightened.

"Going where?" Chun-Li shouted over the chaos.

Juri reached Bison, leaping into the air, eye glowing purple as she prepared to attack him. He smirked, challenging, mocking her with a simple look.

"Fire burned the world," Water replied sorrowfully.

And then, they disappeared.

Rose tucked violet strands behind her ear as she stood hesitantly before the door. It was now or never, she supposed. And she hadn't flown all of this way just to retreat from her mission at the last second. This woman, however, would be difficult. She could feel the cynicism already, the air of superiority. She didn't need to even look at her for any indication of such an attitude. But this had to be done. Inhaling deeply, calming her nerves, she lifted a loosely clenched fist, and rapped on the door. There was a noise inside, and then, the click of heels against the tile floor. The door was opened, and a red-haired woman looked back at her with a critical eye. "Can I help you?"

"It would be in your best interest to do so," Rose said.

The woman in the office quirked an eyebrow, and answered, "Really now? And why's that?"

And this is where Rose felt that things would become difficult. The situation with the dragons and their partners was just the tip of the cosmological iceberg that the planet was headed straight for, if something wasn't going to be done soon. The cards she'd read last had revealed that much. She was still in the dark, for the most part. What she did know was that Bison had found Earth and Water, and was on track to find Fire soon. And this filled her with the worst possible sort of dread. The dragon and his counterpart had been tainted, and with Bison's malicious intentions, there was no telling what would become of the two. Bison could not be allowed to influence the course of these events, or the world would head towards dark directions. But what this red-headed woman had to do with all of this was still being kept a mystery to Rose. Why this was necessary, when so much was at stake, was unknown to her still. She had to put her faith in what the world was trying to tell her. So Rose picked her words carefully when she spoke. "You know of a man, M. Bison." It wasn't really a question, because she already knew the answer.

"Anybody with eyes or ears knows the name Bison," the woman said. She crossed her arms and leaned into the door frame.

"You know of his dealings in the supernatural, then?" Rose said, driving straight to the point. She didn't much care for this woman's brand of condescending discourse.

Now the red-head seemed more interested. She nodded towards her office, and Rose followed the woman inside, taking a seat. The agent sat at her desk. "Who are you, and what do you know about the extent of Bison's capabilities?"

"My name is Rose. I'm a...relative of his," she replied, unsure of how to explain to an average person how one soul can split into two halves and inhabit completely separate bodies. She figured she could save this bit of information for later, if the woman ended up trusting her at all. And if not, what could it hurt for her to not know?

"Can't say I see the resemblance," the woman said, tilting her head and raising an eyebrow. She sat back in her chair. "So you know where he is right now?"

"I have a vague idea."

"Good. You can help lure the bastard out and we can put him away for good. He's wanted all over the world. I'd tell you why, but it's quite a mouthful." The woman paused, then looked back over at Rose, waiting for a response.

"I know just how terrible he is, believe me," Rose said quietly. "But I'm not here to help you arrest him. You can't. It's simply not within your power to do so."

"Oh yeah? How's that?"

"He's too powerful. His 'capabilities', as you said, are simply too great. No cell could hold him. He'd quiet easily walk through any walls you try to keep him in. Armed guards mean nothing to him. Bullets are like flies, waiting to be swatted away."

"Well, if you aren't going to help, then you're only going to be in the way," the woman said with a shrug. "You're wasting my time."

"If you would listen to what I have to tell you-"

"Unless those words are 'Bison', 'is', 'in', and a location, then I couldn't care less about what you have to tell me." She stood up, walking towards the door.

"The entire planet is in danger," Rose said quickly, hoping this would get the woman's attention.

But instead, she laughed. "All right, sweetheart. Sure thing. I should've known you were just a nutjob from the get-go. Bison's sibling, that's a good one." The red-head nodded and laughed again, opening the door to her office.

Irritated, Rose got up, and said, "You may find it hard to believe now. And I understand. You aren't used to this sort of thing. Few are, really." The other woman sighed, shifting her weight. "But the time is coming when you'll be needed. I can only hope that you'll realize it sooner rather than later."

"Right, okay, bye," she said, nodding and all but pushing Rose out into the hallway. And then the door was closed. Rose closed her eyes, unsure of what to do next. She thought over the spread which had caused her to come to this office in America to begin with. This was the face which matched the Hierophant-authority and order. It made sense that she was a CIA agent. And that she wouldn't give Rose a chance to explain anything. It was all too strange, too unfamiliar. It didn't fit with what she knew, and so, she would reject it. Rose couldn't quite understand how this woman fit into the rest of the puzzle. She was not one of the four, and she had been led to believe that these were the only ones that mattered right now. The thought that there was more to all of it than she'd initially been led to believe was one which hadn't crossed her mind.