Chun Li awoke, with start at the strange surroundings. It looked so familiar, and yet, it seemed like it never existed. Why was that?
"You're finally awake! I's...hey!"
Chun Li shot up, nearly taking Ryu's head off! He looked at her, shocked. Chun Li had never felt so embarrassed in her entire life! She couldn't believe she had just did that!
"Ryu! I'm sorry! I, I thought you were, some one else. I thought we were in Shadowloo; where are we, anyway?"
"Remember the new place of ours? You must have had a real disturbing dream, to forget all of this, Chun Li. Want to talk about it?"
Chun Li pulled up a seat, while Ryu got them some cups and orange juice. Then, after pouring their drinks, Ryu sat across from her at their little table.
She began with when she went to see the show in Paris. She met Rose, and almost right after that, they met Cammy. There, they found Ibuki and Elena, who were models. They were then paged over the PA system, and were greeted by Vega.
They received an invitation to fight at a new, special tournament. They gals boarded a special jet, and met the guys. They also learned that Shadowloo had taken Jessica and Rena--the main reasons for Guy and Cody coming. Chun Li could only imagine how that must have felt.
As they got to their rooms, they started to talk about what the true purpose of the tournament may be. Then, they were sealed in their rooms, as gas poured out, taking them all out.
"The next thing I know, is that I see you here, and I nearly rip you're head off. What's been going on? Who's messing with my head?"
"I don't know, but I have a similar feeling, Li."
"That's good to hear Ryu. I didn't want you to think that you had forgotten about me."
"Sakura!"
They were both surprised to see her. Then, they realized something deftly wrong; she had the dark aura surrounding her. Her skin was also a darker shade than usual, proving her darkness had awakened once more. How it happened, and what would come next?
"You remember what we said that one time, don't you? You can't escape your true destiny, Ryu. Try as you may, you will become the man you are meant to be, the man that I am meant to be with. Together, we'll take out all of them, from Ken and Guile, all the way to Bison and Guile! But first, there's a certain tramp that needs to be spaded."
Sakura entered her Shensoku-Satsu, after teleporting right in front of Chun Li. There was just barely time for Ryu to shove her out of the way, and to take the attack himself.
Without thinking, Chun Li turned on the possessed Sakura. She grabbed her, and hit her all over, before turning, and sending the young girl spinning. No sooner had Sakura arisen, then she was hit by a Demon Blade Kick!
Sakura was on her back, with Chun Li just a few steps from her. However, Sakura was laughing maniacally. It was enough to turn one's blood cold.
"You did just what I wanted you to do, Chun Li. Thank you."
"You don't scare me, Sakura. I know that if Ryu stops the final blow, then all of the rest are useless. He's still standing, so you didn't do anything."
"Shin..!"
Chun Li turned around, and a look of fear spread across her face, as Ryu's eyes were now blood red, down to his pupils.
"Sho-Ryu-Ken!"
The three devastating punches hit Chun Li on each side of her chest, with the third striking in the middle of her heart. Driven by the Demon, such an attack could be fatal.
As Chun Li hit the ground, Sakura arose, slowly.
"You see? His dark-side wanted him to be hit by the Demon, so that he could regain control. Your Demon Kick hurt, but it has sealed your death. You have lost Ryu. He is mine, and you will never see him again! Now, it's time to eliminate the competition!"
Suddenly, all three felt sharp, stabbing pains. Ryu and Sakura fell to their knees, and then fell upon the ground. All her clenching their heads, which seemed to be on fire. It felt like their very minds were about to explode from their skulls.
They opened their eyes when the pain passed, and each found themselves strapped tightly to tables in some sort of lab. Each of them were dripping with sweat, breathing heavily.
"Ah, you're awake. I thought you'd be the first set."
"Bison! IF I get free, I'll waste you!"
"If is the key word, Chun Li."
"Why aren't you here, Bison? You gotta hide behind that camera?"
"Cute, Sakura. However, I have other guests to entertain."
"Where are Rose and Cammy?"
"The ladies of my life and I have personal business to catch up on."
Just as suddenly, the monitor went dead, and they were alone, with the thoughts of what had just happened. Was that how they really felt? Or was it Bison, warping things, as he had done so often in the past? Their attention then turned to the sound of two guys groans, and saw Charlie and Guile. What were their nightmares?
"Damn! I feel worse than when I have hangovers!" Guile complained.
"Interesting, Guile. I had always thought of you as being too stubborn to get drunk."
"Glad you can still keep your sense of humor, Charlie. Let's see about getting out of this reject!"
"I'm with you, my friend. Any ideas?"
"I...hold up. Some one's coming. It's him. I know his signature anywhere."
"I missed you to, Guile. So, after getting your ass kicked last time, would you like to try you're luck again. To be fair, I'll let you're friend help you out."
"You're crazy! Why would you go and do that?"
"I am bored. I hope that you will prove to be more of a challenge than the others. They are all dead--such wastes."
"Don't believe him, Guile. He's lying."
Bison laughed coldly, and then used his Psycho Powers, to switch on a monitor, to show all the others were dead. Then, as the monitor went off, their cell opened. Without waiting, Guile went for Bison.
"How utterly pathetic! Predictable to your demise, Guile."
Bison warped, and caught Guile from behind, as he landed from his attack. However, Charlie pulled Bison from Guile, and suplexed him to the ground.
As Bison got up, they each fired a Sonic Boom, which Bison just barely neutralized with a Spark. Guile leapt in, but was caught from a high kick by Bison. The instant Bison was about to follow up, Charlie slammed a back-fist into him, and followed it with another Boom. He then went for a Flash Kick, only for Bison to warp past it, and nail him with a Torpedo.
"This time, there won't be a resurrection, Charlie. You're time is up!"
"Bison...bite me!"
Guile uppercutted Bison into the air, leapt up, and brought him back down with a back breaker. Then, the two soldiers stood together, and nailed Bison with a double Somersault Justice!
"This is the end of the line, Bison!"
"Sadly, Guile, you are right. However, it won't be without some satisfaction. With my final breath, I say--AWAKE!"
Bison was then attacked by a fit of coughing, and died.
"Good. May you burn in Hell tonight! What was he talking..?"
Nash was no longer there. All that was there was Shadow! Shadow tackled Guile, and they went through a window, glass flying all around, and digging into their flesh. They plummeted towards their death below, neither understanding what was going on, or why.
Suddenly, Shadow released his grip on Guile, and clapped his hands to his head, cringing in pain. Guile barely had time to wonder what was happening, before he felt the same pain his friend was feeling. Some one was taking his mind, and driving a red-hot spike through it.
Each of them awoke, also covered in sweat, and saw the others. They had been suckered.
"That was insane; Guile?"
"I prefer hang-overs. They don't leave you with such bad memories."
"I think Bison's tapping into our deepest fears, to see how we'd react. The question is, why?"
"Why? That bastard's crazy! That's why!"
"Yes, Chun Li," said Ryu, "But there is a means to his ways. We'll find out, soon enough...I wonder what's happening with Ken."
"Damn! I feel as bad as when we were warped across creation, and were ripped open! I need to get in contact with my travel agency! Oh, wait...Shadowloo. What's next?"
Ken drops against the door, only to fall flat on his back with a crash.
Great, the idiots forgot to lock the door. I just wish I didn't have to find out the hard way. Now, to find the others, and kick some major butt!
"KEN! HELP!"
"ELIZA? HERE? HOW?"
Ken runs towards the direction he heard his wife's voice, his mind replaying what happened the last time she was in danger. Last time, it was just a bunch of punks. This time, it was Shadowloo, and these guys don't play.
"Eliza?! Vega!? Get away from her!"
Vega stood, and stepped away from her, a vile look in his eyes. His claws her lightly stained red, and Ken saw the streak's across Eilza's belly, and knew what had happened. At least he had arrived before the bastard had...
Just the thought drove him berserk. He jumped at Vega, but Vega caught him in mid-air, and drove him to the ground. Vega then clawed him across the back, before he dropped a knee into the base of his spine.
"That was pathetically easy! You've grown too soft, Ken. Now, you are paralyzed, with a near broken spine! Now, before you die, you will suffer. And what better way than to hear the screams of anguish from your beloved wife? Then, when it's over, she'll die, and you shall join her."
Vega kneeled beside Eliza, who was still bonded, so that she could do little to resist. He removed his mask, the possessed evil in his eyes tore into Eliza's soul.
"No. Please. Don't," she whispered, her voice dying from fear.
Vega was lifted from his feet, and rolled across the room, and slammed into a wall. He turned, and saw Ken; yet he had changed. His eyes were now consumed in blackness. His skin also seemed slightly darker. For a reason she couldn't understand, Eliza felt terrified of him.
"You are full of surprises, Ken. Just as you surprised me from our first fight as my guest in Spain a few years back, in that cage. Now, in Shadowloo, you have done more than most men can. Come."
Surprised that Ken hadn't bothered to reply, Vega flipped back. He then bounded off a wall, and dove for Ken. He grabbed him, and flipped him into and through a nearby table. Vega removed his mask in triumph, and laughed his high-pitched laugh.
The victory was cut short, as Ken slammed him with a Sho-Ryu-Reppa. No sooner had Vega bounced from the impact, then Ken drove him into the wall with a Shin-Ryu-Ken!
Vega's mask and claw shattered. He looked at Ken, through a blood-hazed vision, and realized that he had awakened Ken's dark-side. As he tried to get back to his feet, Vega coughed out blood, and fell back down.
Ken lifted him up and began kneeing Vega repeatedly in the gut.
"Ken! Stop!"
Eliza finally freed herself, and was running to stop Ken, before he killed Vega.
To her horror, Ken executed his Shippi-Jinrai-Kyaku! The force was too strong, and to both their horror, Eliza got sucked in, along with Vega.
"NO! ELIZA!"
"K, Ken. That is what you couldn't tell me."
He picked her blood-stained head up, tears falling from his face. He...it couldn't happen! All he could do was kiss her, and feel her life slip away, and his grip tightened, as if trying to hold her with him a little while longer.
"I lost the fight. I still won, Ken. Now, you shall suffer for the rest of your life. How will you ever tell Mel?"
Vega was then seized by a fit of coughing, and died.
"God! Nooooo!"
Ken awoke at the sound of his own voice, and saw his friends, all of whom were strapped like him.
"That could only mean you're nightmare involved you're dark-side, Ken."
"More than that, Ryu. Bison manipulated that dream so that he somehow killed Eliza."
Ken turned toward Chun Li. He then shut his eyes, and shuttered.
"Well, this is most interesting. I think, I shall wait before I announce myself. This could prove to be of value, the next time we meet. You're doing some interesting work, Bison."
In a lone monitoring, sat Akuma, after just 'relieving' the guard. He had seen each of the nightmares play out, and had even read some of the notes taken. He had also heard Bison blasting orders, to find him. Even Bison was wary of 'Power Made Flesh.'
Of course, Akuma also had to be careful. Bison did have Sagat with him. In time, he could defeat them. However, if time worked against him, they could possibly break Ryu. Then, with Ryu under his control, he could take out Akuma, with Sagat being the final part. If Ryu succumbed, what would happen to the other Street Fighters?
©1999