The sky looked as if it were on fire, a burning shade of orange that signaled the approaching dawn. Maki wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep out the biting cold that formed mountainous goose bumps on her forearms. She rubbed her arms for warmth, watching her breath escape from her mouth in a rising column of steam. She looked ahead of her, squinting in the darkness, just able to make out the forms of the three broad shouldered men standing before her.
Guile stood the farthest ahead crouched behind a clump of dense undergrowth. He held something to his face, glinting in the dull light. They were binoculars perhaps, trying to spy in on the events going on at the Shadowlaw base, that now stood a few hundred meters away below them from the cliff edge they were standing on.
It had an interesting structure, one that wouldn't suggest criminal activities going on within the interior. Hell, it was a huge rock structure that looked like a bunch of boulders were piled on top of each other. Nobody would've even known it was a building. But sure enough, it was. Maki watched as the military infantry swarmed the structure, breaking down the "stone" doors, firing with the automatic guns at whatever and whoever was inside.
The distant sounds of gunfire, explosions and screams filled the air. Unconsciously, Maki took a hold of Cody's hand, and was surprised his returning of the gesture. She understood then that they were both afraid. Saving Metro City from the wrath of the Mad Gear gang was one thing. They were a bunch of rag tag lowlifes who thought they could scare the mayor into thinking they could run a city with their drug addict ways.
But compared to Shadowlaw, Mad Gear was just a bug waiting to be crushed. Shadowlaw was an elaborate organization with their own corrupt team of scientists, military personnel, and one psychotic dictator of a man. Not to mention, they were all formally trained in their field and were bent on world domination, something they could actually pull off successfully. They were more organized than Mad Gear, more powerful, and definitely more deadly.
Ryu turned to Maki noticing her fear. It was as if it was radiating off of her. "About what I said earlier," Ryu began, in an apologetic tone, "I'm sorry. It's not your fault that Kenny got taken."
Maki shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I understand."
"I was angry," Ryu continued, his gaze unwavering. "Everything that's been going on lately has just … I'm having a hard time with it. I shouldn't have blown up at you like that."
"Thank you. I … I appreciate that."
"We're on the same side after all. Now let's just find a way to work together and get our friends out of that place."
"Quiet people," Guile interrupted. "We're about to strike. The military has cleared a path for us right into the base. We're about to get the signal anytime from headquarters to strike. Get ready."
Ryu, Cody and Maki each clenched their fists, trying to resist the surge of adrenaline in their bodies. This was it. The final battle was about to begin. Or had it already begun?
Ryu's ears pricked up, his skin suddenly becoming ultra sensitive. Something wasn't right. He felt the presence of evil lurking around in the shadows but each way he turned, he couldn't see anything. It was pitch as night here.
"Satsui no Hadou mou tsukatteru?"
"Akuma!" Ryu cried. Cody, Guile and Maki turned around to face Ryu.
"What are you talking about?" Guile asked.
"He's here," Ryu replied, his voice getting dry with fear. "He's lurking around somewhere."
"I'm right here," a demonic voice said. Akuma's devilish, lumbering form stepped out of the shadows and approached the four street fighters. "Don't forget about what's inside you," he said to Ryu, ignoring the others. "This is your chance to embrace it – in battle!"
"I will never embrace it," the Shotokan warrior replied defiantly. "I plan to dispose of Shadowlaw without resorting to your evil ways."
"Then you have yourself in a rut," Akuma said. "How do you ever except to defeat such a powerful organization?"
"It's just as important to you that I embrace the Satsui no Hadou. After all, Bison is a threat to you too, as much as you hate to admit it."
Akuma was obviously displeased with Ryu's comment, but tried to hide it nonetheless. "If victory means nothing to you, then you will carry on living your pathetic life the way you do right now – and you will fall. There is only one option left for you now if you want to emerge victorious today."
"It'll never happen."
"Very well, then, Ryu. Then I will have to take matters into my own hands when it comes to the downfall of Shadowlaw. I'm not going to let -"
Akuma was cut off suddenly when a pair of giant, muscular arms wrapped themselves around his body and lifted him high into the air, catching everyone by surprise. The form of a huge man with a rough brown beard and a giant body adorned with scars lifted the demon high into the air above his head.
Ryu could've sworn he'd seen this man somewhere before. The scars on his body, the psychotic face of a wrestler in power … it was Zangief, one of the participants in the street fighter tournaments. Ryu had fought this man before in the ring. He was a very good fighter possessing powerful strength and a good fighting spirit, although he was somewhat lacking in speed. But now, he had a different aura emanating from him. His face was blank, expressionless and cold. He held Akuma in a crushing bear hug without a hint of effort showing.
He didn't know why, but Ryu felt there was something he should do. Letting Akuma die like this … it wasn't in his nature, even though the demon had murdered his master. Ryu let loose a kick, his body flying swiftly through the air. His shoed heel connected perfectly with Zangief's forearm. Ryu had expected to feel the giant wrester's bone crunch beneath his foot but instead he felt a sharp pain explode up and down his leg. Ryu collapsed to the ground in a heap cradling his foot. It felt like he'd just kicked a hunk of steel.
Maki and Cody ran to his aid. "What's wrong, Ryu? Are you okay?" Cody asked. Zangief noticed Ryu's state of weakness. He threw Akuma's limp body to one side and started heading towards Ryu slowly, but he was like a machine trampling over anything that got in his way.
"I'm gonna hold him off," Maki said.
"No! Don't be stupid, girl!" Cody cried after her, but she didn't listen.
Maki lunged forward to Zangief with a punch that connected with his chest. She instantly felt the pain Ryu felt. Was what this guy made of, some kind of metallic element? But she didn't care, and followed up with another punch with her other fist, an crushing elbow blow to Zangief's head, enhanced by her rock hard cast, a backfist to the shoulder, and finished up with a jumping axe kick, the bottom of her foot smashing his jaw as her body climbed into the air. But as she descended to the ground, Zangief outstretched both his arms and started spinning, performing his deadly lariat move. His fists pounded mercilessly at Maki's body, pummeling her to a pulp. She landed on the ground with a dull thud, nearly having all the fight and wind out of her.
"Maki!" Guile cried, running to her aid. "Don't move! You're hurt!"
She looked at him with horrified eyes, her beautiful blonde hair ragged on her head. "That … shouldn't have happened," she said, speaking through a suffering voice. "That was the Bushin Gouraiha … a deadly move …"
"It didn't even phase him, Maki," Guile said regretfully. "Bison's done something to him, and I intend to find out what."
"Messatsu!!" A blinding light flashed, causing everyone to temporarily lose their vision. As the light began to fade, Guile could make out a form crouching beside Zangief. It looked weak, defeated in battle, but still having enough fight left to cause the final blow.
"That can't be!" Ryu cried. It was Akuma, bent down on one knee, gasping for air. Beside him, Zangief was standing, the same blank expression on his face. But one thing was different - the monster Russian wrestler wasn't moving. "That was the Shun Goku Satsu!"
"The - say what?" Cody asked in confusion.
"It's the deadliest move in the Shotokan arts," Ryu explained. "It's a fifteen hit move, each one aimed at a vital part of the body. Akuma just performed it on Zangief … he should be dead."
"Like I said," Guile repeated, standing up from attending to Maki on the ground, "Bison has done something to him. No doubt our friends haven't escaped the same fate."
"We have to get in there now, Guile," Ryu said, pointing to the Shadowlaw base.
"And what should we do about devil boy over there?" Cody asked. "Huh? Wait a second. Where did he go?" Akuma had vanished into thin air, but Zangief remained, standing motionless, staring blankly at the four of them. He opened his mouth slowly, a bluish light could be seen coming from inside.
"I'm getting a bad feeling about this," Guile said, picking up Maki in his arms. A blue flame started to flicker inside of Zangief's mouth, licking the edge of his lips.
"Let's get the hell outta here!" Cody declared, helping Ryu to his feet. Just as the four of them started running, a huge tongue of flame, at least twelve feet in length, blew out of the Russian wrestler's mouth, narrowly missing the warriors.
Together with Maki in Guile's arms and Cody helping a limping Ryu, the quartet hobbled down the grassy overgrown cliff. Thin branches of flimsy trees slapped painfully against their bodies as they ran. The soil underfoot began to feel looser, almost like it had eroded. Zangief pursued, crushing the undergrowth and small trees in his way but was far too slow to keep up with them. As they continued running, putting some distance between them and him, they stopped hearing his thunderous footsteps behind them, and it was only then that they paused to rest, collapsing in a sweaty heap on the ground.
"Are we almost there yet?" Cody asked Guile, hardly able to contain his exhaustion.
"What? Where?"
"The Shadowlaw base, army guy."
"Oh right. The entrance should be less than a hundred meters from here."
"Listen Guile, if you're tired, you can put me down," Maki offered. "I'm here to help defeat Bison, not to be babysat." Guile agreed without hesitation as a disappointed look crossed Maki's face. Upon seeing that, Cody snickered. He knew she was just trying to play it nice but then again, never say something you don't mean.
Time seemed to freeze for a second, just like it did back at the Osaka Dome before it collapsed. Ryu and Maki could feel the chi in the area concentrate to one focused point. In a split second, their trained eyes focused on the area where the chi energy gathered and saw a shadow, darker than Akuma's own heart, more evil than the depths of hell.
"Big…"
Ryu dashed for Guile, pulling the larger man to the ground. Maki jumped towards Cody, doing the same with him, hoping to push both of their bodies down low just in time before the shadow struck.
"Bang…"
The four of them hit the ground for the millionth time today, and it was hardly dawn yet, feeling a super hot beam of plasma shoot above the crouching heads, to where their torso's had been just a second before.
"LASER!!"
What the hell was that thing attacking them? All Ryu could make out was that it looked like a shadow. It was hard to tell because the light from the energy beam outshone the shadow. Suddenly, as quickly as it had come, the beam of light disappeared, leaving the four street fighters blinking, adjusting their vision to the darkness once again, leaving them vulnerable to attack.
"Ikimasu…" An explosion was heard. Maki screamed.
"Maki! Are you alright?" Cody asked, leaping to her aid. Guile and Ryu stood between the shadow and their fallen comrades, defending them against their newest enemy.
"Who are you?" Guile asked in his usual, gruff voice.
But Ryu didn't need to do that. In the rapidly approaching light of dawn, he could make out the shape of the figure. It had a well curved upper body and hips, long, slender legs … and it wore a traditional Chinese fighting outfit decorated with golden trimmings along the edges. And with the two buns on the sides of the figure's head, Ryu didn't need to be told.
"Chun Li …" he said, a lot quieter than he'd intended. But the shock of realizing who it was crushed any source of strength he had in him for the moment.
Guile stared at him with wide eyes. "What are you talking about? Are you saying that thing …" He looked back at the shadow.
"It's Chun Li," Ryu finished Guile's sentence. "No doubt about it."
Just as he said that, the sun rose above the mountain peaks, spreading the first light of day across the land. Even still, the shadow's form failed to be illuminated. It remained dark as ever, bearing the barely visible resemblances it had to Chun Li.
"I am Shadow Lady," she said in a half female, half mechanical voice. "State your business here or you will be terminated."
Guile's radio, which was fastened tightly to his belt buckle, crackled to life. A voice half blocked out by static yelled excitedly from the radio. "We've broken … in … Come … as soon … possible! Hurry! We … as many … as we can get!! Hurry … Major Guile!!"
"We've gotta get out of here," Guile announced to the others, but he noticed Chun Li … no Shadow Lady standing defiantly in their way.
Maki rose to her feet clutching her arm that looked badly bruised and burnt. "You guys go ahead," she said, slightly wincing in pain. "I'll take this bitch."
"No," Cody said, taking a hold of her shoulder. "You're gonna need some help. You're hurt."
"Don't be stubborn, Cody. They need you in the base. I'll hold her off." Maki looked at him, her eyes burning with determination. "Please don't try and stop me."
"Good luck, Maki," Ryu said. "We'll go on ahead. You take care of yourself, and we'll see you when this is all over."
"Of course," she nodded. Ryu and Guile headed for the Shadowlaw base, dragging behind them a hesitant Cody. They headed around Shadow Lady, who didn't even try to stop them. Maki was surprised. Despite how robot like she was, Shadow Lady seemed to understand human sentiment, letting them run by while she finished the fight with Maki. Well, she used to be human after all. "Don't worry," Maki said, "I'll bring you back, Chun Li."