Chapter 19: Alliance
I
Round 1 has ended, and I must admit, I am impressed. While it is impressive to see several warriors return from the dead, as well as gods (or so they claim), the mortals are equally impressing. The have all proven their might. Some have shown how honorable they are; others show their love - for blood. These are the men and women that I, and others, must beware of. As some of us have seen, just a slight error can lead to a brutal demise. They may posses awesome power, but we have the heart, will, and the know-how. We can succeed!
"Er, Ryu, are you ready to start?"
"Yes, Dan. I was just thinking of what's happened in this journey so far. I'm impressed with them, and know that we'll have to work REAL HARD to make it to Round 3. I'm sure I can make it. It will be strange...to fight Ken's dark side, while he fights mine."
"Maybe yours will come. Maybe it will occur in Round 3...or maybe sooner. Whenever it happens, I'm sure you can win; I know it!"
"Thank you, Dan. I'm going to need all the support I can get, for both of the fights. You are right. I know it will happen, eventually. All good things come to those who wait. I just hope to have enough time to recover from my war with Marvel Ken to be able to face Evil Ryu."
As they got ready, a dark and shadowy figure looks on. This man's mind is bend toward not killing them, as that is what he doesn't want. What he is intent on is humiliating and leaving them broken for spare parts.
Soon, Ryu, soon. You will meet your dark-side, and you WILL FALL! Without leaving any trace that he was there, Evil Ryu teleported away, his dark and twisted mind set on the chaos that would be released on the horizon.
II
Well, I finally got Ryu to pay attention to me. The problem; he's treating me like a hurt kid! Well, I was hurt in my fight with Nightwolf; it ended in a DKO! What really upsets me is that XSakura knows it. She is, or will be, me. She has already tormented me, along with Ryu. Actually, Ryu came to show his concern for me, which is awesome. However, Evil Ryu and XSakura come in, and told what our futures will be. I don't care what they say...Ryu's an honorable man; even Logan thinks so. Now, for him to say that, you know it's good. Me; I'm just as much as he is.
"Mwa hah ha! You really are pathetic, Sakura! But you don't need me to tell you that. You couldn't even get through the first round. Your foe was nothing more than a Shaman...some man who is into stuff that goes..." and the voice stopped.
"Come out! I know you are there! Well?"
"BOO! Gotcha. Who says we don't have a sense of humor?" XSakura said coldly and sarcastically.
"What do you want, creep!"
"Ah, is that any way to talk to your better? Besides, we already know why I'm here: I'm here to torment you with the ugly truth as to why you lost; as well as make your life a living HELL! Now, before you ask something retarded, like `why are you doing this?' I'll tell you: you need to toughen up, baby! That is all you are, a big baby. You flaunt over Ryu like some pathetic, lovesick, school girl. Oh, wait! You are a pathetic, lovesick, school girl! My mistake! Anyway, that's why you lost. You need to focus more on the fight at hand, and burn thoughts of everything, especially Ryu, from your feeble mind. That's why you lost, and you know it!" finished XSakura as her gaze seemed to pass right through Sakura, deep into the very core of her soul. It gave a chill of death throughout her body.
"You leave her alone!" commanded Ryu.
"Or what? You are going to be busy yourself, Ryu," and Evil Ryu appeared, and stood to XSakura's left, across from Ryu.
"Not so fast, kiddies. You ain't going to have a party without THE MAN!"
"Don't make me laugh. You may be a `future' version of me, but I'm still #1! It seems we have a face-off. Now this looks interesting. `Ladies and gentlemen, place your bets!' Time to rock!"
All three of the dark-sides laughed maniacally and in unison. Their voices seemed to echo, filling the void, and turning blood to ice.
"I bet you have your hopes up. I know this is a fight that you would KILL to see," starts Evil Ryu.
"But sadly, it is all for naught. This will be at a time and place of our choosing, not yours," added XSakura, her vice colder than Evil Ryu's.
"You are a bunch of wimps!" retorted Ken, "You all know that we can kick you butts. That's why you aren't going to fight us now, or ever. You know that deep down, in your twisted beings, that you can't beat the real deal!"
"So, my shell, here is the question: Are you trying to convince us, or you and your fellow losers? We've more power now than you can EVER hope to obtain. You can kiss you sorry asses good bye. Oh, and FYI: this is but the first round of the first tournament. There will be another in the distant future. I think you will get along fine with another from this group. He's a bit like you - name's Ukyo! And don't worry about being dead...you just won't exist!" and the three dark-sides left the three with the thoughts of the future, the deaths of warriors they respected, and wondered what would happen when they inevitably confront their demon.
III
"I want to thank you, Charlie. This has been one hell of a tournament! We've fought mutants, super heroes and villains, and even aliens. Now, there are even more: more demons, beings from other realms, cyborgs, and a lot more. I still can't believe half the stuff that's went down."
"I know what you mean, Chun Li. I thought Bison was bad. The trio with four arms, the one with four legs, Shao Khan, and Shinnok: it's real bad! All of that power, each with a desire for total domination...and we still don't know what this so-called prize is for the winner. Thank goodness AO's enforcing these `Rules of Mortal Kombat.' Otherwise, we'd be six feet under - if we are lucky."
"...I know it ain't an easy subject," Chun Li said after a few minutes, "...I was wondering if you had heard anything new about Shadow."
After what felt like an eternity of silence kept only by the dead, he replied.
"Yes, I have learned much, from Dhalsim," and he began to fill her in on what he, Guile, and Blanka had learned from Dhalsim. When he finished, Chun Li was totally blank.
"It is a shock, especially learning that I didn't die! But I still don't really know anything about Shadow. He's a total mystery to me...I actually saw him. He took off before I could find out a thing."
"I had...something similar. I finally saw this Shadow Lady. It was freaky! It's like seeing a combination of my shadow coming to life, my corpse in front of me, and it was a real nightmare! What I want to know is how she came into being! When did Bison get the chance for such a thing?"
"Maybe it happened after that one cheap-shot you were out cold. You wound up in a hospital, yet nobody knows anything about it. Maybe Dhalsim has something about it," Charlie suggested, and they went to seek out the Yoga Master.
IV
"Hey, hey Rose! How're ya doing? Woah! You look - serious - about something. Bison have anything to do with it?"
"No, Cammy, not this time. I suppose that is good, for a change that I don't have to fret with the likes of him and Shadowloo. He's still there, but he's not the only problem around here. Luckily, I'm not the only one having to make sure the forces are kept in harmony and in working order. Thinking of working order, how is your arm? After your war with Sonya, and getting knocked into one of those hooks in the Dead Pool; I'm sure it must hurt!"
"Well, whatever power this Alpha-Omega has, it's as good as they say, that being a huge understatement. It's still kinda stiff, but look, there isn't even a scar! Now that's a killer! From what I heard from Sonya, it was gruesome, especially when she hit me with that king-sized pinwheel of hers. Then again, I guess that when I was under Bison's control, and nearly tossed her into the Dead Pool - makes us even."
"So many of us, from both sides, have already been killed. Some were by accident, like when Blanka fought Reptile...IN the Pit. Others, like Motaro and Honda...was simply cold-blooded. How can any - supreme being - allow for such things to happen? People enslave others, within their own worlds, or from others. They kill for greed, in all shapes and sizes. Others are being possessed by some form of madness, leading to a total apocalypse. When is it enough for it to finally reach a point to end it?"
"It ain't going to be easy, Rose. It will take a lot of work, pain, and more to even begin to see the light of that dream. We must never, ever give up! We will continue to fight to reach this, and our other goals! Only then, in full force, can we end this plague that is rotting in our cores!"
"Well, put, Guy!" exclaimed Fei Long, "It's going to take all of our fire, spirit, and will to beat this foe. This is an internal killer, one that cannot be seen until it is too late. We can, and shall, work to make sure that we can keep our world free, and safe, from any that would harm it."
Each of these four have different backgrounds, beliefs, and ways to get things done. Sometimes it's right, sometimes it's wrong. After all, they are only human, and we all make our mistakes, as well as do our good deeds. Putting aside what we've done wrong, and focusing in on an overall common good should be a primary goal. Wars have NEVER been the answer. We fight one: people die; history is lost; and the world itself trembles under the force of the only beings that live on it that can destroy it. Even after the war ends, sooner or later, another is fought, and the desolation cycle repeats itself once more.
As it has been for as long as most can remember, (or care to remember) wars have been fought as "a last resort."
"When all else fails, an ultimatum is given. If the demands aren't met, then war is declared." Some who understand this wish to not be involved, and feel that they have the right to be able to refuse to fight. Cowardly; hardly. There is enough chaos in our very lives...we don't need to have a war to add to it. Some struggle just to be able to see the sun again, while others struggle for their basics. Some welcome a war as the ends to their suffering, yet the horrors of it are anything but welcome. Each of these warriors have seen one of the faces of Death in a war, and his name is Bison. His, or any other face, is one that they would rather be without.
V
Hmm...what else shall we cover in this part of the story? I know; how about a little "meeting" with Vega, Sagat, Bison, and Akuma (if you don't already know what happened to Balrog, read his match against Shang Tsung)!
"I knew Balrog was nothing more than a muscle-bound fool! He is a loser. The so-called easy life has softened him up so much, that he didn't deserve to be associated with us. He made the rest of us look bad!" Vega boasted, vain as ever.
"While the `easy-life' had made him weaker, he has more physical strength than any of us. That is why Bison recruited him. Before we arrived here, he gave that sumo a Hell of a fight. Now, I guess they are having a rematch. Considering his...limitations, and the fact that Shang Tsung could change into ANY of our opponents, including a four-armed monster, he did rather well."
"Perhaps, Sagat. Still, he has lost much since the day I had him join my elite. He had resorted to fighting with his gloves loaded, which could be seen when Blanka had shocked him. Recently, he was little more than a tool, used until it was old and dull. Sadly, he still had a lot of use left in him. To assure Shadowloo's victory in this fight, I needed all four of us to work together. Now, short a man, it will prove more difficult for a victory to be scored..." Bison was cut off by a familiar, and equally sinister laugh. The three turned, and they say Akuma, eyes flashing a bright red, lighting the area around him.
"Akuma! What do you want? Don't think you can make a fool of me again!" shouted Sagat.
"Nor will you take advantage of me. You may be a powerful fighter, but my psycho powers will be up to the fight."
"My, my, aren't you all in a mood. You are so ready to fight, you have no interest in what I have to say."
"We don't need to, Akuma," responded Vega, "Whatever you want, it will be for your gain, not ours!"
"True, but that is the nature for men such as ourselves, is it not? We take whatever we can, and use it to our advantage. Each of you would do the same, as we all know so."
"Ok, so tell us what you can do for us Akuma," Sagat inquired.
"Very simple: allow me to take the place of Balrog."
"WHAT!? Why should I allow you to join MY organization? What have you to gain from this - merger?"
"Let us say that I wish to take care of old business. With both my brother and master back, I wish to catch up on old times. While they themselves may not be of much concern, the dark sides of Ryu, Sakura, and Ken will prove to be an obstacle. I shall be able to handle my brother, while my other will handle our Master. The three I just mentioned may be busy with their others, or they may not. Think of that, if you will. Some of the top warriors who would oppose you, locked in a fight to survive. It would be mere child's play to eliminate the rest of them."
"Why would you trust us to do this for you?"
"Simple, Bison, if we do intend to do such a thing, then any attempts at a double-cross will result in immediate failure. It would prove virtually impossible for any of us to come out of it alive if we do not work as one."
After a few moments to consider it, Bison took Akuma's hand, along with Vega's and Sagat's, and the dark aura engulfed any light existing. Now, a new, fatal alliance has been formed. These lives will never be the same again! (I'm NOT kidding! This won't just be something to add hype and last for a few chapters...it's going to last a long while...at least until their plan comes to bloom...)
©1999