Chan: I have no idea which evil character you're referring to. I've included Bison, Akuma, and in this chapter, Zangief is introduced (think Mecha-Zangief). Sagat, Vega and Balrog will also make their appearances. Other than these people, I have no idea who you're referring to!
Way of Water: Yup, everything comes together in the chapters to follow. Pretty much every character that's made an appearance so far in the story will be there in the final battle. And no, I haven't forgotten about Guy. And for interest sakes, I've already got a sequel planned out.
Immortal: Haha, yeah I'm trying to pump out the chapters as fast as possible! Just don't lose interest!
Kikoken: Yup, Chun Li is now in the hands of Shadowlaw. Will they turn her into Shadow Lady, or will Ryu and the others get there in time? Stay tuned!
Vammy: Excellent job on your Cammy story. Very good emotional and physical portrayal. And how could I forget about Cammy in this story? She's an important member of the Shadowlaw organization. I am still trying to incorporate more elements from the Street Fighter storyline into this story. Just hope it doesn't get crowded.
Jami: Kenny's gonna be fighting a lot more in this story. I'm thinking that in the ending of the story, we can have him train to … okay I'm not gonna spoil it for you now. Just keep reading and find out.
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Guile looked on in horror as he witnessed first hand, Ryu under the power of the Satsui no Hadou. Ryu's tanned complexion had grown darker to an almost purple shade. His hair no longer rested on his head, standing up in wavy strands. Guile could feel a surge of powerful energy coming from Ryu's body, ripping at his T-shirt and jeans.
Surrounding him, the bodies of a few people lay broken and dead. Everyone who was left alive managed to escape the scene. Blood was splattered all over the cement and onto the wall of the building. In the distance, the high pitched shriek of sirens could be heard, but Ryu paid no attention.
"What the hell is going on with you, Ryu?" Guile demanded. The Shotokan warrior didn't reply. He just stood there, gazing angrily at Guile, as if attempting to scare the man into running away. But Guile didn't move. "You're working for Shadowlaw, aren't you?" he asked. "You let them take Chun Li."
The accusation was so absurd, so ridiculous, Ryu's consciousness snapped back to reality. The power emanating from his body subsided, his skin returned to its healthy light brown color and the aggression left his eyes. The Satsui no Hadou had been repressed once again. Ryu collapsed on all fours, his body exhausted from the previous burst of evil energy.
"Look at all these people!" Guile screamed. "You killed them all! How the hell were you able to convince Chun Li she could trust you?!"
"I'm not working for Shadowlaw," Ryu said, breathing heavily.
"Bullshit! You think I didn't see what you just did, running from the scene to escape with her?!"
"I was chasing them to get Chun Li back!" Ryu insisted.
"And that's why when all these people started to panic, you went berserk and killed them all?"
"NO!!" Ryu screamed a final time, frustrated with Guile's ignorance. It was the Satsui no Hadou. It was the power that forced him to do evil. And it's not like he ever wanted it. That demon, Akuma wanted him to have it but now … "You won't understand, Guile."
"Well then you better make me understand," Guile replied, "because I just saw you murder three, four, five people. And their bodies are lying at our feet as we speak. And I suggest you hurry up because the Japanese authorities are coming here and I'm not letting you get away."
But it was too late. Ryu had already turned and begun sprinting as fast as he could go. Guile took notice of his sudden movement and raced after him yelling, "Stop! Get back here!" Ryu wouldn't listen. Guile was a hard headed moron and he'd already known that within the five seconds of meeting him. There was no way he'd understand. But how was he supposed to shake Guile off his tail?
Ryu had been running for a few minutes now, Guile still chasing him a few meters behind. There! He spotted a taxi, waiting for a customer. There was his opportunity. Ryu dashed for the taxi, smashing in the driver's window as he reached it. He opened the door and grabbing the driver by his shirt, threw him onto the ground. "Please forgive me!" he said, deeply regretting his actions even before he performed them. Ryu jumped into the car and felt around for the keys. He'd never driven before, but he'd seen Ken do it many times. He glanced into the rearview mirror, seeing Guile leap onto the trunk of the car just as Ryu had pulled away from the curb. Guile hung on like an insect to the trunk of the car. Ryu floored the accelerator, hearing the engine of the taxi roar to life. The road began to fly by at high speeds. Surely Guile had let go of the car by now, but when Ryu shot a quick look behind him, Guile was still there, the wind whipping mercilessly at his face and hair.
He realized it was going to be one hell of a car ride. Silently praying that the American soldier would be smart and experienced enough to let go of the car, Ryu shifted gears into D2 and held the accelerator down with his foot feeling the car go faster and faster.
* * *
"I'm getting discharged today," Maki said, entering the hospital ward. Cody, Ken and Sakura looked at her, the envy just radiating from their expressions. She shrugged. "I only suffered a fractured wrist and a broken arm. The doctors just said to keep the cast on and I'll be fine."
"The only reason you have such minor injuries is because I took most of the damage for you!" Cody said. "But I'm glad. At least you're gonna be fine."
"Thanks, Cody, I really appreciate what you've done for me." Maki bent down and kissed him on the forehead.
"I wonder when these babies are going to heal," Ken said, raising his arm and patting his ribs. "They haven't stopped hurting since I got here."
"I hear ribs take the longest to heal and the most painful too," Sakura said, looking upwards, pointing a finger to her chin.
"Be quiet, little lady," Ken said. "I don't need to know what I'm about to go through."
Sakura sighed out loud. "I wonder when Ryu and Chun Li are going to get back."
"You're right," Maki said. "They're going to be coming back with someone who'll help up get Kenny back, right?"
"Yeah, that's what Chun Li said last night," Cody replied, looking blankly out the window. "They've been gone since noon and it's almost dinner time."
"Well her friend probably wants to see the sight of Osaka," Sakura suggested.
"If he's a military guy here to help us get Kenny back," Ken began, "I doubt he'd waste any time touring, especially when there's a life at stake. I'm starting to get a little worried."
Maki waved a hand in the air. "I wouldn't worry about them. One is an expert Shotokan martial artist and the other is a well trained Interpol agent. What could possibly go wrong?"
"I don't like it," Ken said, shaking his head. "Ryu's not the kind to just leave people hanging. And Chun Li, she would probably keep in touch."
"Yeah, but what priority is it for them to keep us informed?" Sakura asked. "We're little handicaps resting in hospital beds. There's nothing we can do no matter how much we know. Whatever they find out, the information would be more useful in someone else's hands."
"Talking about it will solve nothing," a third voice said, coming from just outside the door. The four of them turned around to look, noticing a dark haired man wheeling himself into view in a wheelchair. Instead of wearing his traditional orange Bushin uniform, he donned a large looking hospital gown and a blue identity tag strapped to his wrist. Neither Maki nor Cody had ever seen anything so pathetic in their life and had trouble taking it in, especially since it was their longtime friend Guy sitting in that wheelchair. Guy took no notice of their reactions but continued speaking. "We may not be involved officially with this case but still, there is a powerful evil force out there inside Ryu, and he needs to be kept under constant supervision if we're going to make sure he doesn't let the power control him and end up killing everyone."
"But the authorities are there to make sure nothing happens," Sakura retorted, trying to convince herself, more so than Guy, that Ryu would be fine.
"Do you really think it's that simple," Guy asked, "that it would only take a few law enforcement officers to keep him under control?" Sakura remained silent. "Look at me, Sakura! I'm a Bushin master, heir to the family martial arts business, and I've been put in a wheelchair because of Ryu. A few policemen won't do anything. But a few of us street fighters, people who stand more of a chance against something like this working together … we just might have the upper hand."
"You really think so?" she asked. "You actually think we can stop Ryu working together?"
"Don't get your skirt in a knot," Ken interrupted. "Remember, you're way too young to be participating in this, not to mention a little too fragile."
"Oh, you're one to talk, Mr. Broken Ribs," Sakura teased. The comment slightly irritated Ken who almost pursued the argument, but he remembered once being a sixteen year old too. He just had to let that kind of stuff go.
"Ken's got a point," Guy said, backing Ken up. "Sakura, you're an amateur street fighter, one of the newer members fighting for the first time in the Alpha tournaments. We need someone who knows how to conduct themselves properly in battle, especially when Kenny's life is at stake here. We need people who are more experienced."
"Well suppose we have all the people we need right here," Maki began, "how the hell are we going to rescue Kenny? You really think they'll let us leave the ward? In our broken conditions, that short student nurse at the reception could take us all on with one hand behind her back."
Ken shrugged. "Good point. And we don't even know how Ryu and Chun Li are progressing."
* * *
When Chun Li came to, the first thing she could feel was how dark and cold it was. She couldn't tell if she was lying down, standing up, or hanging upside down. The darkness was so enveloping, so thick. The entire front of her body was pressed up against cold, wet stone. She could feel its rough texture puncturing small indentations into the skin of her forearms and face.
She groaned, voicing out against her discomfort, but it didn't help. Where was she? Chun Li was thankful she wasn't afraid of the dark. The situation she was in right now could've easily made a mentally unstable person go insane. Chun Li forced herself to think rationally. The first logical thing to do would be to find which way was up. It would normally sound like a simple task, but in this consuming darkness where the only thing visible was pitch black, it was hard to tell. She raised her arm and let it fall, feeling it slam painfully into the cold floor beside her body. Okay then, she was lying down on her stomach.
She slowly rose to her feet, her arms feeling the walls for support and balance. It had taken long enough to simply get up. The thought of working in the dark frightened her. Chun Li cleared her throat.
"Is anyone there?" she called out, trying to stop herself from sounding too afraid.
"You're finally awake," a deep, growling voice said.
The room was suddenly illuminated with heavy fluorescent lights, temporarily blinding her. She could see that the floor was made from cobblestone, dripping wet from … ground water leaking from the cracks in the room. The walls of the room were made up of the same material as the floor was, except one side was made up of reflective glass, like a giant mirror. It was a one way mirror. Chun Li knew it instantly. Somewhere, from behind that glass, someone was looking back at her. The part that scared her was that she had no idea what they were planning for her. She felt so helpless and scared, and she didn't like it.
"Who are you?" Chun Li asked. "Why have you brought me here?"
"I'm sure you remember the lovely ladies that fought you before you were brought here," the voice said. Chun Li nodded in acknowledgement. "They were my dolls - beautiful women I've collected from all over the world that possess incredible fighting skills. They're all trained in the same art of assassination created by Shadowlaw. My initial idea was to turn you into one of them, but I've discovered something far greater, much more powerful."
"And it's inside Kenny, isn't it?"
"Very clever, girl! How were you able to guess?"
"I've got my ways," Chun Li replied.
"I'm impressed. You must be very good at your job."
"Forget the pleasantries. If you're going to kill me, at least show me your face."
"I'm not going to kill you, my dear. You're just going to start working for me from now on."
What the hell is this maniac thinking? First he kidnaps her, brings her to this dark, dank dungeon and tells her she's gonna be working for him? Chun Li had no idea what was running through this guy's mind, but she was gonna need some convincing before she decided to work for him. "And what makes you think I'll be stupid enough to do that?"
"I think this will." A portion of the stone wall slid open to reveal a hidden room. It looked just as dark and cold as the present room Chun Li was in. In the center of the floor, sitting unconscious and tied up on a wooden chair way the body of a boy that looked strangely familiar. The recognition was instant. She'd seen his face on her mission papers - it was Kenneth Feng. It was the boy she was supposed to retrieve. But how could Chun Li do that successfully, especially when she was a captive of Shadowlaw? At least she was where Kenny was. All she had to do is hold onto him until Guile and the others come for help. But she couldn't depend completely on them. She had to be self sufficient and find a way out somehow. But how?
"What have you done to Kenny?" Chun Li demanded. He didn't look healthy. He looked worn out, starved, tired … hell, the kid was unconscious!
"Nothing for you to worry your little head over," the voice replied. "We would have disposed of him, but he seemed so insistent on staying alive. He was even able to defeat Shadow." Chun Li's face crumpled slightly into an expression of confusion. It was obvious that whoever was speaking was also watching her because he seemed to notice her confusion. "Oh, I'm sorry. You probably wouldn't know him as Shadow. What's his name? Ah yes, Charlie Nash."
"What have you done to Charlie?!" Chun Li demanded again, her voice getting much louder this time. "I swear, if you've done anything to hurt him, I'm going to -"
"Silence, you infidel! There is nothing you can do. Haven't you assessed your situation yet? You're not the one to call the orders around here. I suggest keeping your mouth shut and cooperating and perhaps none your loved ones will get hurt."
The anger boiled within Chun Li, roasting her insides. But she kept a lid on her emotions and let her head hang in defeat. "What do you want with me?"
"I'm pleased that you've finally accepted your current situation. Keep at it and your suffering will be limited. Charlie fought the Shadow technology, thus increasing the level of his torture. You on the other hand, are the smart one, I can sense. Don't fight the discomfort you're about to feel."
Chun Li could feel the air in the room charge up with some kind of energy. It made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. What she was feeling wasn't the power of chi, rather, it was some artificial energy generated by some kind of a machine, like electricity. The only part of the puzzle that didn't quite fit was the fact that this energy was radiating off of Kenny's unconscious body. How was it that an organic body could be giving off artificial energy?
And then, Chun Li could start feeling it affect her. She could feel her skin react to the negative energy, as if it were rotting off. But when she touched herself on the arm, it felt more solid, like some kind of metallic or rocky substance. She also noticed that her complexion was steadily darkening, as were the shades of her clothes themselves. Her vision began to cloud, her mind couldn't concentrate anymore. It was as if another person, someone much more powerful and evil, were trying to invade her mind. The last coherent thing she could remember was seeing Kenny's body jerk and wake up with a start.
* * *
The door to the hospital room opened with a start, sending a cold gust of wind through the air inside, not to mention making everyone jump. Ryu stood in the doorway gasping for air, looking more drained than anyone had ever seen him before. There were brown smudges on his white T-shirt and blue jeans, which were ripped in some areas. His face glistened underneath the fluorescent lights with a thin layer of sweat.
"You look like hell," Ken said bluntly, his long blond hair hanging around his face in tangled locks.
"You're not looking much better yourself," Ryu said weakly. "But there's a serious emergency. It's Chun Li. She's been kidnapped." The news brought a gasp from everyone's mouths.
"By who?" Maki asked. "Who would want her?"
"She's an Interpol Agent, the only person belonging to the agency that is even remotely close to Shadowlaw," Ken explained. "I'd say it was them who took her." He looked at Ryu, asking his friend to confirm his suspicions. Ryu nodded.
"The kidnappers were a trio of women," he said. "They were similarly dressed, but unlike any other Shadowlaw soldier I've encountered before."
"They were dolls," spoke a stranger's voice, deep and slightly disgruntled.
"Guile!" Ryu exclaimed, surprised that the military man had somehow managed to follow him to the hospital. "I … I saw you fall from the car."
"I've got experience as a Navy Seal," the man replied. "Don't underestimate my abilities."
"Listen, I don't want any trouble, but you have to believe me …"
"I've just overheard the conversation you've had with your friends here. I don't sense any bad intentions in you, but you have to also understand that I've been on many missions. I can't just go by on first impressions. All I want at this point, is to get Charlie and Chun Li back here and in one piece."
"And who would you be?" asked a clean cut golden haired man in the far right bed.
"Colonel William Guile of the United States Air Force," Guile replied. "And who might you be?" As he posed the question, he had a kind of look of disgust on his face.
"Just call me Cody."
Guile spotted the teenage girl in the bed right beside Cody's. "You're not with these people, are you, young lady?"
"Actually," the girl announced proudly, "I am. The name's Sakura Kasugano! I'm a first time street fighter, but I hope to learn all the tricks of the trade by asking Ryu -"
"You're not with us!" Ken interrupted. "How many times do I have to say that?" Sakura drooped her head and looked away from the others in shame. Ken noticed her reaction and instantly felt the cold stab of guilt. "Hey, come on … I didn't mean it like we don't want you along, it's just that …"
Maki put a hand on Ken's shoulder. "Enough," she said.
"We need to save the bickering for later," Guile said. "As Ryu has mentioned earlier, Chun Li is now in the hands of Shadowlaw with Kenny and Charlie. It is imperative that we get them back. Chun Li has mentioned to me before about you street fighters, and how talented you are at what you do. If you're as good at fighting and as familiar with Bison as she says you are, then I will definitely be needing your help."
* * *
High above the skyscrapers, dressed in uncomfortably tight clothes, a large man stood on the balcony of his hotel suite overseeing the ocean of artificial lights that illuminated the night sky. The cold temperature bit mercilessly into his nose and ears, but he stood still nonetheless, enjoying the view. His thickly muscled arms folded across an equally muscular chest were supported by tree trunk legs, his size stretching the seams of his clothes.
Zangief didn't like civilian clothes. It was difficult to find them in a good size, especially for a man of his stature and build. He preferred the comfortable material of a wrestling singlet, or just a pair of trunks, allowing maximum movement. But tonight was different. He was expecting a visitor. He had no idea who this person was, actually.
Earlier that afternoon, Zangief had been working out in the hotel gym. He snickered as he remembered how easy the weights were to lift, even down to the heaviest setting. He had been checking out a petite Japanese woman with slim shoulders and an attractively shapely figure. Then, a hotel worker approached him, obviously intimidated by Zangief's aggressive aura.
"T…there's a phone c…call for you, s…sir," the little bellboy stuttered.
Zangief puzzled for a moment. Who would call him, especially when he was all the way in Japan competing in the Street Fighter tournament? This was his first time ever participating in an event like this and already he was already getting phone calls? He hoped it was from fans, although his rational side told him it was unlikely. The idea that his mother was calling him made him turn red with embarrassment.
"Who is it?" he asked.
"It's a man," the bellboy replied apologetically. "I … I didn't get a name from him."
"It's alright," Zangief said. The bellboy held out an outstretched arm, a small black cell phone lying in his palm. Just underneath the speaker, a green light blinked. The phone was on. Zangief took the phone. "Hello?"
"And here comes the Red Cyclone from mother Russia," a man's deep voice said on the other line, in an almost mocking manner.
"Who is this?" Zangief asked.
"I have a proposition for you," the voice replied. "I've seen you wrestle before in Russia. You're quite a well known character there, but the world has yet to recognize you for your talent."
"Get straight to the point."
"Good, you're a get down to business type person. I like that. We have a new technology we'd like to test out. It's designed to enhance human performance. And you, being the well known Russian wrestler you are, are a perfect candidate for this test."
"Not interested." Zangief was quick with his reply.
"I'm afraid that choice isn't yours to make, sir."
"We're sending a representative at eight o'clock to your room tonight." He hadn't even had the time to respond when a click sounded on the other line and Zangief was left with a dead phone in hand.
He shrugged the memory from his mind and glanced at his watch, reading seven fifty-five in the evening. He didn't know who it was that had called him, but he was prepared to give the 'representative' a piece of his mind. Whoever the hell they were, they obviously had no sense of manners whatsoever, something that was valued in mother Russia.
As if on cue with this thoughts, the door flung open. There hadn't been any sign of anyone approaching, not even a knock. The door just opened by itself, giving even the Russian wrestler the scare of his life. Standing in the doorway was a tall form, dressed in a red suit with shoulder and knee armor. A large black cape wrapped around the man's body. Zangief recognized the form. It was M. Bison. He'd seen pictures of the man who was rumored to be the head honcho of the crime syndicate Shadowlaw. But Zangief was never a politics buff anyway. Still, the sight of M. Bison himself stunned the man.
"What is it you have for me?" Zangief asked.
"Something special," Bison replied with a smug grin on his face. "I've heard stories about the Red Cyclone multiple times in the past when I visited Russia. I've heard about your heroic persona with a body of iron. But let's face it - we both know you're a mere human."
"Yes."
"But what if I told you I had something that could give you power beyond your wildest dreams? Hardly anyone in this world knows the name of the Red Cyclone, do they? And isn't that why you joined the Street Fighter tournament, to get recognition?"
Zangief rubbed his chin. "Yes."
"My company has been working on some cutting edge technology meant to enhance human performance. I would like for you to join me for lunch tomorrow, where we can set up a meeting for you to come to our headquarters and look at this technology. Like I said, we're still in need of a beta tester. If after you learn about it, and you still refuse to accept, that is fine. Your wishes will be respected. But if you do accept, keep in mind that you will be handsomely rewarded."
"So it's meant to enhance human performance, huh? What are the side effects?"
"In theory, there aren't any. But we need a subject to test it on before we can determine anything. Then again, what will you do to be the best wrestler in the world? The choice is up to you. Meet me tomorrow in the hotel lobby at noon. I will discuss this further then." Without even saying goodbye, Bison spun on his heels and sort of … disappeared through the door. Zangief didn't quite know what the man did, but he sure didn't open the door and walk through like most people. The thought of working with this man didn't rub him the right way, but the benefits seemed to outweigh the consequences … in his mind, anyway.