Chan: Haha. Kenny doesn't call Sagat "Uncle" though. I tried to make sure of that cause he doesn't really like Shadowlaw all that much.
Xardion: I'm glad you think it's interesting! There's a lot more to read from where you reviewed though … hope you can stand reading the rest of it, if it's interesting enough for you.
Way of Water: Not at all. I hope I haven't been THAT predictable throughout the entire story.
Immortal: Yeah, I'm also thinking about letting Ryu and Sagat
Kikoken: lol, pretty emotional, aren't you? I'm flattered that you like this story enough to put it on your favorites list!
Vammy: Thanks for your comments! Good to see that Kenny feels like a real kid to you. I'm just hoping and can keep up this kind of writing.
Jami: Yeah, I've already read your latest chapter of Metro City. I like that you added Belger. Now all you do is add Poison, Andore and Haggar and we've got ourselves a classic Final Fight story.
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Kenny felt his weak body get lifted effortlessly into the air. He choked on the tight hold that Charlie had around his neck, his little hands prying desperately at his attacker's death grip. Through a rapidly blackening vision, Kenny could see Charlie's eyes … no, he heard Bison talking. He wasn't Charlie anymore, he was Shadow. And Shadow was looking at him coldly, with no hint of emotion whatsoever.
Kenny's breath started to get shallower. His eyes rolled back into his head. The darkness that was beginning to envelop him was uncomfortably powerful. He felt his limbs drop, his eyes close, and then he began to lose feeling altogether. And it was at that exact moment that something inside of him took control of his body. It was immaculate, too perfect to be human. It made his body move even when Kenny himself couldn't move it.
Then, he could see again. The darkness had disappeared, only to be replaced by a new light. He could see that he was in the same room as he was before. Everything was so much clearer. His body no longer hurt despite the injuries sustained earlier and he could breathe perfectly fine.
Standing in front of him, Kenny could see Shadow. Whatever happened just now had certainly changed him. It was as is a shadow had consumed him, he was so dark. The clothes he wore remained the same, but their colors seemed to have changed palettes, become a much darker shade than the original. There was an evil glint in his eye, despite his expressionless face. It was much too obvious to ignore. Shadow hadn't succeeded in strangling Kenny to death, but whether or not he was disappointed with his performance didn't show at all. Under normal circumstances, Kenny would turn around and run in the opposite direction. In fact, his mind screamed at him to run. But for the first time, for at least he could remember, his mind had control over his instinct.
There was nowhere to go, nowhere to run. He was stuck in a room with some kind of demon human who was about to kill him. There was only one option left, and it was to fight. Fight?! Kenny couldn't believe what was going through his mind. He'd never been a fighter before. Sure, he was good at surviving on the streets, but fighting? That was something Cranky always took care of. Then again, Cranky wasn't here either, was he? The entire fiasco in his head seemed long enough, but he realized it had only been a second when Shadow lunged forth with inhuman speed, throwing his fist out towards Kenny's face.
The boy let his instincts take over as he dodged the punch effortlessly. He kicked out his leg, letting Shadow, who was still running on momentum, slam his body into it. Kenny's knee dug painfully into his knee section, knocking him backwards. Shadow caught himself with a back flip and landed gently on his feet a little ways away from Kenny.
To say that Kenny was surprised with what he was doing would be an understatement. These skills that he was performing didn't seem like him at all! He tried to think logically but the only conclusion he could come up with was that something inside him was driving him. What was that Bison was saying about having a chip inside his back? Was this was he was talking about.
SHIT!
He ducked down, narrowly missing a powerful right hook from Shadow. Kenny kicked his foot outwards as he crouched, smashing them into Shadow's knee. The warrior was taken down quickly as he fell to the ground. There was a deep, burning anger somewhere inside Kenny. The boy could feel it. The rage started in the back of his mind, and slowly spread into his chest and down into his legs. It was as if the intensity of the anger itself was powering his movements, kicking Shadow viciously while he was still on the ground.
Shadow threw his foot up and connected with Kenny's jaw. The boy was so light, he went sailing in the air in a wide arch, landing on his back on the cold floor. Shadow jumped to his feet and winded his arm back. Kenny could feel all the energy in the room draw to one point - Shadow's fist. Shadow swung his arms out multiple times in quick, graceful motions, throwing wave after wave of concentrated chi at him.
Kenny sprung into the air, jumping over the deadly assault of fireballs, and threw his legs forward, dropkick style. While Shadow finished off the final wave of fireballs, it was too late for him to realize what was coming for him. Kenny's feet slammed into his face, leaving deep shoe marks. The boy bounced off of Shadow's face and landed on the ground, while Shadow himself was thrown into the wall on the opposite end of the room and fell onto the floor.
* * *
"So this is the power of the Shadow technology," Bison said from the observation room, rubbing his chin in thought. "It can even turn a harmless child into a skilled fighting machine."
"I don't understand," Sagat said, "Shadow is a grown man whereas Kenny is just a child. Even with the technology inside them, the boy should be no match for him."
"Yes, but Kenny's had it inside of him for a longer period of time," Bison explained. "His brain has had the time to accommodate the technology. Shadow, on the other hand, has just been through the cybernation process. He still needs time to adapt. In time, he will be able to crush Kenny effortlessly."
The pair of them shifted their gazes to the cybernation room, watching Shadow and Kenny go at it, striking each other viciously, blocking each other's attacks and countering. They were moving so quickly, their figures were just a big mess of movement.
"It will be interesting to see how the technology will affect Ryu."
* * *
"Now who exactly am I supposed to be looking for?" Ryu asked, dodging an immensely thick crowd of people. He was still having trouble adjusting to the crowds of the city, but here, in Japan's Kansai International Airport, the crowd was far greater than any city could accommodate.
"You're looking for a tall man," Chun Li replied, moving past the people expertly, as if they were trying to avoid her. Ryu couldn't understand how she did it. Then again, there were many things he didn't understand about the Chinese Interpol Agent. For one, why did she seem to be so bubbly today? She was acting like a school girl, almost like Sakura, that girl Ryu met yesterday. But Chun Li was slightly more attractive and full figured. Sakura was cute, Ryu had to admit. The way she seemed to idolize him… well he'd never quite felt it before. And it made him proud, even happy. But it sure as hell wasn't what he was feeling right now with Chun Li. He tried analyzing his feelings. Yes, Chun Li was pretty and very driven. She looked good today with her hair done up in two buns at the sides of her head. She had nice black dress pants on, high heeled shoes, and a silk blouse. The pearls around her neck were pretty, but not too attention craving. She was nice and modest, strong hearted … Ryu shook his head.
"So I'm looking for a tall man," he said, giving Chun Li some time to pick up on his lack of information.
"He's got trademark hair," she explained, "You can't miss it. It's blond and all combed up until it forms an upside down lampshade type shape."
Ryu rolled his eyes. "We should've just made a huge sign with his name on it."
"Yeah right, and risk someone from Shadowlaw seeing that? The Shadowlaw officials are familiar with the big boys in their enemy associations, and that includes Interpol, the FBI and the United States military. We can't risk it. We must be discreet!"
"Lampshade hair, huh?" Ryu said, looking around the airport. "About how tall is this guy?"
Chun Li shrugged. "He's about six feet or something. Taller than you, anyway."
"And does he kinda walk like he's sticking out his chest real far? And his footsteps are heavy and quick?"
"Yeah, he's a loud walker."
"And does he wear dog tags around his neck, and … rub them a lot?"
"Uh huh. How the hell do you know all this?" Chun Li asked, turning to Ryu.
"Cause I think that's him over there," Ryu said, pointing to the familiar figure standing just a few feet away.
"Oh my gosh, it's him, Ryu!" Chun Li declared. She waved her hand in the air. "Guile! Over here! It's me, Chun Li!"
"So much for being discreet," Ryu mumbled under his breath.
Guile strode confidently over, and his personality was accurately represented in the way he walked. He spoke with a confident voice, very stern in tone, and had a deep bass. The way he carried himself made him seem taller and much more massive than he really was. Not that Guile wasn't a threatening looking guy. He wore army pants, the camouflaged kind with patches of different shades of green. He was pretty proud of his body too, wearing a green wife beater that revealed a strong chest and arms, one of which was carrying a deep brown duffel bag. And his hair … it was exactly like how Chun Li had described it. It was a wonder how he managed to elude Shadowlaw spies with a trademark like that.
"This is Ryu," Chun Li said to Guile, motioning towards the Shotokan warrior. Ryu extended his hand and shook Guile's hand firmly. "He's helping us in the case."
"I appreciate your kindness," Guile said, "but this mission is for certified personnel only. We can't let you be involved in this operation."
"He's a friend of Kenny's," Chun Li said, trying to justify Ryu's presence. The threesome began to head towards the exit leading to the taxi stands, where they hoped to catch one back to the hotel. "And not to mention, he's an excellent fighter. He's got experience with Shadowlaw. Bison's after him, which might lure him to us."
Guile had to take a moment to absorb all this information. At a loss of words, he finally settled with, "Impressive."
"So do you have anything new information regarding Shadowlaw?" Chun Li asked.
Guile nodded. "They've got a base somewhere near the foothills of Mount Fuji. That's when we heard from Charlie last."
Chun Li sighed. "How in the world are we going to penetrate that base?"
"We've already got plans in the works," Guile replied. "Charlie was sent out on a scouting mission to gather information about the base. Unfortunately, he was lost in duty, but it wasn't for nothing. He and the other platoon members have provided us with everything they've learned about the base, and we're just starting to plan an attack strategy. Oh yeah, I've also been instructed to deliver your new orders."
"New orders?!"
"Yes. You are now working alongside the military officials as a representative of Interpol. You're no longer on a solo mission, so you're going to have to return with me to headquarters."
Chun Li looked at Ryu. She seemed worried. "What about Ryu?" she asked. "I'm telling you, he will be a major asset if he fights alongside us."
Guile rubbed his chin for a moment. "I suppose I can make some arrangements to accommodate him."
"There are others," Ryu said. "We all feel responsible for Kenny's kidnapping. The military is strong, but few people understand Bison as well as the Street Fighters do. After all, most of the tournaments have been financed by Shadowlaw."
"I knew the rumors were true," Guile spat.
"And that's why I've been participating in the Street Fighter tournaments as well," Chun Li explained to Guile. "I do it in order to get closer to Bison."
The automatic glass doors opened for the three of them, allowing a cold gust of wind to blow at them. Chun Li waved her hand, hailing a taxi that arrived within ten seconds. It happened suddenly, a little too suddenly for anyone to catch what was going on. Chun Li grabbed the handle of the taxi door and was about to open it, when a foot kicked it shut again.
Chun Li looked to see who it was, but didn't recognize the girl. She was short with a round, young looking face. There was a scar on the left side of her face, reaching from her jaw to her cheek. Her hair was a beautiful blonde, done up in two, long braided pigtails hanging by the sides of her head. Her large, blue eyes stared intensely at the three of them. She stood motionless in the huge sheepskin coat that protected her from the biting cold wind.
Without warning, the mysterious girl spun around and threw her foot upwards, catching Chun Li in the jaw. The Interpol agent yelped in pain and was thrown backwards, falling into Ryu's arms. Guile covered the two of them, throwing his duffel bag with all his strength at the girl. The heavy bag collided with her chest, smashed into her face and dropped to the floor. By now, the girl's nose was dripping blood but Guile didn't care. He closed in on her, grabbing her right arm with his own, and spinning around, getting behind the girl, twisted her arm behind her back. With his other arm, Guile threw it across her neck and held her close to his body, both of them with pounding chests, breathing out steam in the winter air.
The girl struggled against Guile's hold, but was unable to break it. "Let me go!" she demanded. But he wouldn't comply.
"Who are you?!" Guile demanded. "Why did you attack us?!"
"I must kill!" the girl replied. "Lord Bison's orders!" She then glared at Chun Li. "Target located."
Chun Li and Ryu stood shocked, staring wide eyed at the girl. What the hell was she talking about? Before anyone could figure anything out, the mysterious girl snapped her head back, bashing Guile in the neck with the back of her head. Guile released her, grasping at his neck, trying to take in some air, but the girl back flipped over and wrapped her thighs around his head and threw him painfully to the ground. She ripped off her heavy winter coat to reveal a strange blue uniform that covered her upper torso and groin. Her legs were bare, but had matching blue markings all over them.
Ryu and Chun Li could feel the concentrating chi in the air as the girl wound up and yelled, "Spin Drive Smasher!!" She threw her body at them, parallel the ground, diving at them feet first traveling with magnificent speed.
She was quick, but Ryu was quicker. He gathered his energy in his palms, preparing for the devastating "Shinkuu Hadouken" fireball move. As the girl rapidly approached, Ryu pushed his arms forward and threw a powerful beam of concentrated blue chi at her, knocking her to the ground. She remained on the cold cement for a moment, but rose weakly, her limbs struggling to support her weight.
"Back … up," she said. "Juni, Juli …"
And almost instantly, two girls, dressed from head to toe in black body suits, appeared out of nowhere and attacked Ryu and Chun Li. Ryu took on the one with short blonde hair. There was a small piece of brass jewelry or something that she wore just under her neck, in the collarbone area. Engraved on it was the name Juni. That must've been her codename. But Ryu didn't have time to consider because Juni had thrown a punch at his face that he'd manage to dodge at the last second. Ryu seized her outstretched arm and threw a back fist to her head with his other arm. She didn't even yelp, even wince in pain. She was like … like a robot. And come to think of it, so was that mysterious blonde girl and the other girl in black. What was going on here? Was Bison creating robots?
"Cannon Spike!" Juni cried out, catching Ryu in the chin and knocking his body upwards into the air. Ryu somersaulted in the air, catching his body before he could come crashing head first into the ground. He threw his foot outwards on his way down and started spinning around faster and faster. He caught Juni once in the side of the head and that's all it took from Ryu's powerful Hurricane Kick to knock her down.
"Tensho Kyaku!" Chun Li cried, launching herself off the ground, kicking as she climbed higher into the air. The initial kick knocked Juli, the other girl in a black body suit, upwards. But the following kicks from Chun Li knocked her flailing body higher and higher. When Chun Li had reached the peak of her jump, she brought her leg up and over Juli's body, and kicked it downwards with a swift powerful motion, sending Juli crashing back down to mother earth.
But the Shadowlaw girl refused to go down that easily. Just as Chun Li was landing, Juli cried out "Reverse Shaft Breaker!" and threw her feet upwards, launching her body vertically, spinning around as she went. Chun Li cried out as she was battered with countless painful hits from Juli's move. Chun Li was unconscious before she even touched the ground.
"Target Acquired!" Juli declared in victory. And in the most robot-like manner, Juni stopped attacking Ryu and jumped away from the Shotokan warrior to safety. She took a hold of Cammy's unconscious body and threw it over her shoulder. Juli carried Chun Li under one arm, suggesting that these petite, fragile looking female warriors possessed a lot of strength.
Guile was just coming to, wiping at his face with his hand, groaning and coughing. "Son of a bitch," he said, "the girl got me right in the neck. I couldn't breathe."
"Chun Li!" Ryu cried, ignoring Guile's comment. The three girls began dashing away but Ryu chased after them. His feet pounded mercilessly at the pavement as he gave chase, crying out madly for Chun Li. The crowd was unbelievably thick and choking with people but Ryu didn't care. He pushed and shoved with all the strength he had in him, knowing that Chun Li's life was at stake. The girls had it much easier as they used people's heads and shoulders as support, running above the crowd while Ryu lagged helplessly behind.
By the time Ryu had fought his way out of the crowd, he emerged just in time to see the girls jump into a waiting limousine that zoomed away into the distance, leaving him choking behind in a cloud of exhaust. He looked onwards, watching the car get farther and farther away. He slammed his fist into a nearby cement pillar in frustration, ignoring the pain that ran up and down his arm, as tears of defeat formed in his eyes. He hung his head down, letting his bangs cover his eyes. His insides started to hurt. It burned really badly but he fought the sensation nonetheless. Shadowlaw had Kenny, and now they had Chun Li too. He might have been unable to prevent Kenny's kidnapping, but now, Chun Li was also in danger and he could have done something about it. The feeling of failure was more than he could take. And it was that failure, the guilt, and the frustration that caused the burning inside, the burning that moved slowly from his chest, into his head and into his limbs that signified the coming forth of the Satsui no Hadou.