Disclaimer: See previous chapters

Chap. 37

Japan, 1620

In the middle of a large, dimly room, Chun Li lay unconscious. Her breathing was slow; an indication that she was still alive. However, the way she was sprawled on the ground indicated that she didn't come willingly. Her breathing began to return to normal and soon the Chinese immortal opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry at first, but after blinking for a second, she soon saw a clearer view of her surroundings.

'What...? Where am I?'

All she remembered was searching the village in search of a legendary ninja master that went by the name of Ibuki. Judging by the tales and story she heard about her, Chun Li guessed that she was an immortal; either that or a truly a folk story. In any case, she sought her out, ultimately entering the village that there were claims that she was in the area of. She had entered an inn and asked a few people, but no one seemed to know anything past the stories she's heard.

Then she felt it...

An immortal presence came upon her just as she exited an inn. Her eyes moved around in search, but for some reason, she found herself growing weary. Her limbs began to weaken and before she knew it, all became black, with her vision returning to the room around her. Groggily, Chun Li rose up from the flat wooden floor, holding her head as it cleared itself of the drug. And just as it did, the presence of an immortal filled her mind.

The same immortal, she assumed...

"You should really watch what you drink, Ms. Li."

Chun Li looked around at the sound. The near empty room made the voice echo throughout, so she couldn't tell where it came from. All she could tell was that the voice was female. Standing up, Chun Li called out into the surrounding shadows.

"Who are you?"

"Such a silly question." the speaker returned. "After all, you came searching for me."

Of course. Ibuki. Despite that, Chu Li couldn't believe that she had been able to drug her drink without being sensed. How was she able to do that? It appears that the stories she had heard about her were true after all.

"What do you want from me?" Ibuki called out from the shadows once again. It was then followed by a light chuckle. "Or is it my head that you are after?"

Chun Li resisted the urge to frown as she stated her purpose. "I wish to learn from you."

"Do you now?" Ibuki questioned. "For what purpose?"

Chun Li became silent for a moment. "I seek... a way to deliver justice. To learn from the shadows how to fight shadows."

Now it was Ibuki's turn to be silent for a moment. "Hmm... Interesting… Well then, let's continue this discussion over tea."

A form soon emerged from the shadows to her left. A slender woman with braided hair came up to her, holding a plate with a kettle and two cups. But as she came near, Chun Li suddenly stepped back and started looking around once again.

"Ah. You can sense chakra too." the voice called again. "That's good."

Chun Li suddenly stiffened as she found a sharp kunai at her throat, coming from an arm from behind her. Again... Somehow, this immortal had been able to get the drop on her again. And Chun Li had sensed her, both through her immortality and her chi, yet she was able get behind her without being seen.

"But you'll need more than that." The kunai began to move away and the konochi continued speaking, in a younger voice than Chun Li expected. Much younger...

"Always be aware of you surroundings, whether it is a person, a place, or a thing. That is your first lesson."

Turning around fully, Chun Li was shocked to face a young girl, roughly about seventeen years of age, wearing brown garbs and her hair tied in a high ponytail. The shock was evident on the Chinese immortal's face and it soon came out in her words.

"You're...Ibuki?"

A smile came over the konochi's lips. "Don't let this body fool you. I'm much older than you think. And one of the reasons for that is because I trust my instincts first and foremost. It's one of the many secrets of survival." Ibuki then move around Chun Li and settled on the floor, where the previous woman had settled the plate of tea. Pouring tea into both cups, Ibuki then motioned to Chun Li while picking up her cup. When Chun Li didn't come at first, Ibuki smiled once again, inwardly pleased by her caution.

"Don't worry. It's not drugged this time."

Trust your instincts first and foremost... That was one of the many lessons Chun Li was taught by the konochi master, along with perception and additional fighting skills. Chun Li learned how to observe even the minutest of things. It was had she developed her detective skills and soon rise to the ranks of inspector in Interpol. That was also how she saw Vega outside her window before she left for dinner as well as the ring on Vega's hand when they first met; the same ring that Ibuki wore for emergency situations.

This gave both Chun Li and Guile enough time to plan out a way of using Vega to learn more about Shadowloo. Since he would be using the drug in the ring, Chun Li made a counteragent against it beforehand so the drug would not affect her, yet she would fake them in order to fool Vega. Guile would also be ready for any surprises Vega might send his way. Of course, this still presented a risk for Chun Li as well as a chance of failure. But after their near failure in Hong Kong, she wasn't about to miss this chance.

Even if it came behind the face of such a handsome man...

Fortunately, the plan worked out perfectly. Vega brought her right to his own home, under the impression that the drug would keep her knocked out for three hours, all the while sending agents to Guile's room to deal with him. He wouldn't be expecting for Guile to have already defeated the agents that he had sent and he wouldn't be expecting for Chun Li to be fully conscious.

So you can guess the surprise he had when she smashed a vase on the back of his head...

Blam! Krsshhh!

Vega fell to the ground hard as the vase crumbled to pieces upon impact. Now holding a broken vase, Chun Li brought it back, ready to hit him again. But Vega didn't move after the first one and Chun Li lowered the vase. Her guard remained high however and she kept a trained eye on him as she reached into a concealed pocket in her dress and pulled out a communicator. Placing it in her ear, she pressed the little bud and began speaking.

"Guile. Come in."

-"Guile here. What's your situation?"-

"Okay for the moment. It looks like he brought me to his place." Her eyes wavered around briefly. "I'm going to check about and see what I can find. Do you have my signal?"

-"I'm already on my way."-

"Take your time." the Chinese immortal replied solemnly, all the while gazing at the ring on Vega's finger.

"I have something else to take care of here."

Sahara Desert, Africa

The sands of the Sahara desert perfectly matched the golden sun in the sky, both in color and in temperature. Not a single living creature was seen in the harsh, dry climate and at such a time, it would take some time before any of the usual animal wildlife would emerge. However, for one creature, the desert meant little aside from an opportunity to grow stronger.

For that creature...was a man... An immortal...

For hours, Ryu trekked through the sands of the desert. After his visit to Mokame in Kenya, Ryu decided to continue on early in his travelling/training. He started in the late afternoon and walked on through the night. He had originally planned on resting some time ago, but he found that he just couldn't stop walking and so he continued onward throughout the day.

'Perhaps I should have taken a break.'

Not for the first time was Ryu glad to have a pair of sandals to walk with. As tough as he was, the hot sand would have left his feet a blistering mess. And he wouldn't be able to train if he had to wait for his feet to heal. He wouldn't even be able to make it this far being wracked with so much pain.

He learned that the first time he ventured into the Sahara...

It was an unpleasant experience and he had even 'died' several times for being ill prepared. But it was something he learned from and afterward, it became a new challenge for him to undertake. And he just wouldn't be Ryu if he didn't accept any challenge that came to him. So here he was, walking across one of the harshest terrain on the planet.

'It should be around here.'

Stopping for a moment, he reached to his side and opened his canteen of water. Taking a large gulp of water and wiping his forehead, he looked around in search. He had memorized the map of the Sahara and knew there was an oasis around this area. It would be a good place to continue his training for a while before moving on.

'There.'

A good mile or so away was the sought for oasis. The palm leaves of the trees bristled lightly in the dry wind. Without delay, Ryu set out for it, taking his time in the event that what he was seeing may be a mirage. If it were, he would know soon enough. The heat waves flickered through the air, but Ryu had managed to reach the watered area. Resting his things beside one of the trees, he bent down, cupped his hands, and splashed some water on his face, refreshing the Japanese immortal.

He then began to rise up, but found his body was greatly fatigued. He couldn't train this way, despite his desire to do so. Rest took priority now and Ryu slowly moved over to the tree where his belongs were and settled his back on it. Grabbing his sword and crossing it over his body, he finally allowed himself to close his eyes and rest under the shade of the tree.

'Perhaps...I...overdid it...a little...Zzzzzz.'

He was ticked...

Reviving after Chun Li's attack on the back of his head, Vega rose up enraged at her action. How did she revive from the drug so quickly? Pulling himself up, he grabbed hold of the rapier that was still on the desk. Still on his desk...? It was then that one vital fact had come to mind.

He was still alive...

That didn't make sense to him at all. After what he had done and tried to do, she would leave him alive? Not only that, they were both immortals. She could have taken his Quickening and his power easily. Whatever the reason, it didn't matter to him. He could still sense her presence, so she still was around somewhere.

Her mistake...

Grabbing both his sword and his mask, he exited the room in a heated rage. It took him a second to calm down enough so that he wouldn't give up his element of surprise. But that option was nonexistent as he entered the main hall. There, in the middle of the hall, stood his prey. Except...she had in her grasp one of his rapiers. And her eyes where focused directly on him... He stood corrected; she was not prey. That look in her eyes, he knew it well, for it was the same as his.

A predator's eyes...

"Well, well, well." Vega smirked as he approached. "It would appear that beneath that beauty, there is a tigress to match. But you weren't too smart to leave me alive."

Her eyes narrowed. "I'd rather do this the traditional way, as opposed to killing someone who's unconscious."

The Spanish immortal chuckled. "Well, to each his own. But I have no problem facing you this way, Inspector. In fact..." Lifting his hand, he slipped on the pale mask and then pointed his rapier at her. "This suits me much better."

Chun Li lifted her own sword, allowing the two blades to silently touch and cross. Though this wasn't her usual weapon, Chun Li was proficient enough with a rapier to deal with a foe. Of course, seeing as how this was Vega's signature weapon, he would have an advantage in regards to skill. But she had an even stronger weapon on her side

Determination...

Shiring!

Vega made the first move, dashing in with a short thrust forward in order to surprise her. Though she backed away, she wasn't surprised by it. And this was shown when she returned the thrust as soon as he pulled back for another one. Vega wasn't pleased by the abrupt change. Not only was he not able to press his attack, but he was forced into an awkward defense right off.

And now she was pressing her attack...

Pulling back her sword, Chun Li came at him with a sideswipe, at which Vega swiftly blocked. The blades continued to remain on each other as Chun Li backed away, leaving the Spanish immortal frowning beneath his mask. Even in a short exchange such as this, he was usually the one to be the aggressor. To be countered so early in the fight...

'Hm...This might be more interesting than I thought...'

Vega came in with another thrust, this time with more force and power behind it. Chun Li defended and Vega sped up, stepping forward and attacking with three more thrusts, all of which pushed Chun Li back. However, on the third one she dodged to the side and swung, aiming straight for his head. He chuckled mentally at this, well prepared for such a move as he brought his sword to the side to follow up for defense.

With a hidden smirk, Vega hopped back, keeping the blade pointed forward. Chun Li began to pursue, but then Vega shot forward and rolled on the ground. Surprised by this, Chun Li backed away as Vega, upon reaching his feet, stabbed forward. The swiftness of the maneuver and the surprise of it allowed Vega to stab right into her side.

"Ghh!"

Chun Li stumbled back, fighting the urge to move her hand to the side to hold in the wound. It would heal soon enough and from the feel of it, the wound was shallow. Vega meanwhile stood up straight and raised his sword up, revealing the light stain of blood on the silver blade.

"First blood."

Without response, Chun Li returned to stance, readying to continue the fight. Vega chuckled, this time out loud. Again, the Chinese immortal didn't seem affected by this. Resuming the fight, Vega rotated his wrist and stabbed in low. Chun Li lifted her foot just enough for him to miss, but Vega moved in closer and with a flick of his wrist, slashed upward. Chun Li managed to duck her head to the side just as Vega rotated his wrist again for a sideswipe. Circling around, Chun Li swung back at the masked immortal, but he easily met her blow with his rapier and the blades locked once again.

"My, aren't you the agile one. Just like a little bunny."

Vega continued the assault, attacking Chun Li with various stabs and swipes; all very quick. Chun Li's speed was the only thing keeping her in the match. Vega's skill with the rapier was greater than she thought. But she did see a weakness. It wasn't in his skill, but rather his mindset. He had been toying with her, poking at her and deflecting her attacks without trying to press for a more serious blow.

It would be an advantage she would take...

With a wide swipe, Vega managed to back Chun Li against a bookshelf on the wall. Chun Li held her blade forward, but was panting lightly from fending off the attacks. Another chuckle escaped his lips as he kept his weapon trained on her.

"Shall we bring this game to an end now?"

Chun Li glared back, but in truth, she was taking in the surrounding area, searching for another advantage. 'Always be aware of you surroundings...' Her back was against the bookshelf, a visible weapon of terrain. But it would only be a brief distraction at best just to get her out of the corner. Vega had her pinned and any direction she would have gone in would cut her off. It would better to see his reaction, but the mask was blocking view of his...

'Wait...Why was he wearing a mask...?'

At this point, Vega pulled his sword back and stabbed forward with a sharp thrust, meaning to impale her. Again, her quickness saved her as her body jerked off to the side. But as she did, her hand drew back on the books behind and in one deft motion, she threw them forward. Vega blinked in surprise as the books flew into him, causing him to back away in defense. His surprise quickly flared into anger as he turned to his target with intent to kill.

She lunged at him first, with similar intent...

Vega deflected the stabbing blow from the Chinese immortal, but she pulled back quickly and attacked with an outside swipe. Vega had to duck this blow, but then she came again with a wide reverse sweep, causing him to lose his balance in his attempt to avoid it. He didn't expect her to come at him so...fast. And that's when her true attack came.

An upward slash to the face...

Because he was busy avoiding her first couple attacks, he had a moment where he was open in that area. A moment she didn't miss as her blade tore right up toward the mask, cutting it away. The Spanish immortal practically shrieked as Chun Li came in with another attack in the same direction and in that moment of panic, he lifted his sword arm to defend...

Sllllllkkkkkkkk!

The blade of Chun Li hit, but instead of the mask, it went straight across the exposed wrist. Due to his panic, Vega had lifted his arm too high and the result of that was his hand being severed from his arm.

"Guaaahhhhhh!"

Vega stumbled away completely; hold his now-stump of an arm and his face in twisted agony. Chun Li held her place, keeping watch in case he tried something. But at this point, the victor was clear. In a foolish attempt to preserve his vanity, he made a mistake and now it cost him his sword hand. Through the pain, Vega managed to glare up at the woman, knowing that he was at her mercy. The sensation of an immortal hit them soon and Chun Li briefly looked over at the door.

'Guile.'

However, this brief glance gave Vega a second to act. He sprung up to his feet and launched himself backward, straight out of the window of his house. Chun Li growled under her breath as he followed, but upon looking down, she saw he was gone. 'Damn.' She had hoped to get some information from him through his Quickening, but now that chance was lost. Just then, Guile burst through the doorway, ready for whatever he had to face. But all he saw was a semi-destroyed formerly lavish room and Chun Li standing near the window.

"He got away?"

"Yes." Her gaze then lowered to the hand and she added. "Well, mostly anyway."

Guile looked down to see the hand and then grunted. "Hm. We better secure this place. There might be something here to work with." Moving to the side, he picked up his cell phone and began to dial, but stopped on seeing Chun Li's still form.

"Chun Li?"

Her teeth clenched and she released the rapier she was still holding. "I was so close and I let myself be distracted."

It had taken a great deal of risk and danger just to get her where she was. She fought him and would have lost if she had not been able to prey on his vanity. And to top it off, just when she could have covered a major step, it slipped away from her. She felt like she had once again been shoved back to square one. But then, she felt a large hand on her shoulder. Guile's...

"Well, at least you sent those bastards a message. And we still have that cargo ship to work with." Then, he smiled. It was a thin smile, but she clearly saw it. "Looks like partnering up with you won't be as bad as I thought."

"Thank you." she replied returning the gesture. Guile nodded and went ahead with his phone call. While he did, Chun Li look down once again at the lifeless hand on the ground. Bending down and pulling the rapier away, she then slipped off the ring. The darkened ring that her master Ibuki once wore…

'Lady Ibuki... I made a promise to deliver justice...and I will.'

To learn from the shadows how to fight shadows