At first, I had my doubts. Now, I'm sure of it, and I fear for my future. I do not like the direction Shadowloo is taking, ever since Bison allowed Akuma to join our ranks. Perhaps, I have felt it longer, but have never admitted it. This has become more than what I had thought, when I first joined Bison.

He promised me the power to defeat Ryu, and I thought, to reclaim my honor. Neither has happened. I came much closer this time, but Ryu still came out with a narrow victory. As for my honor--what honor is there from being associated with drug dealers?"

"Out of all the humans on Earth, I think you are one of the most pathetic, Sagat."

"You dare me!"

"You devote your life to trying to avenge one fight...one fight! So what if it ended a seemingly invincible streak? What if it was your first major loss? Fight, come back, and to be the best again."

"Shut up!"

"You entered a crime syndicate, hoping for a fast way to Ryu. Now, you begin to wonder about it! Now! What a waste!"

"DIE! Tiger...Canon!" bellowed Sagat, as he unleashed his infamous blast.

Noob Saibot merely warped past it, and slammed Sagat into the floor, of some sort of gym. Not waiting for an answer, Noob Saibot tossed a twin at Sagat, which was effortlessly blocked. He also blocked the follow up warp. Sagat followed in with a deep Tiger Knee, answered by all seven hits of his Tiger Blow. Sagat then tossed Noob Saibot to the ground.

Before he could crush the dark warrior's head, he rolled out of the way, and hit Sagat with four fast hitting kicks. He then hit Sagat with three hits, each striking across his great scar, with the final one launching him into the air, allowing Noob Saibot to grab him with a teleport, and slam him into the gym floor.

Sagat pulled himself up on the railing, and saw a vaguely familiar face looking out at him.

"Hideo?"

"Hmmn!" was the only reply.

Sagat bent over to pick up a cup, and hurled the burning coffee into Noob Saibot's eyes, blinding the silent ninja.

Sagat leapt in, and hit a hard kick to Noob Saibot's face, before nearly taking his head off with a Tiger Uppercut!

"Now! Tiger..!"

"Fool!" interrupted Noob Saibot, with his ghost ball.

It hit Sagat, stopping him in mid move. Noob threw a twin, which tossed Sagat into a waiting uppercut, followed by yet another slam into the ground, face first.

Noob Saibot took a moment to focus, and a stronger ghost ball hit Sagat, and began to lift him off his feet.

"This is how I eliminated Shang Tsung, human. Now, it is your turn."

Sagat could feel them, and was wondering why they weren't doing something. He felt like the power was going through him, and trying to rip his entire body apart. He had no idea how long he could keep his own mind together. Sweat and blood were intermixed, not that he cared. He was having trouble just staying conscious.

"Vega!" was the last thing he heard, before he crashed back down to the ground, for the final time.

"Fools! Why bother? The match, and then, the prize, will be mine!"

"Don't count on it! I'm still in this fight!"

Noob Saibot vanished in a blink.

All was silent, as Sagat painfully got up. Then, in absolute silence, they left the field of kombat.

"Winner of Round 4, Fight 3, Noob Saibot!"

On one side is Goro, "Prince Of Pain." Thus far, in this tournament, he has done everything he has said he would. He has ripped open XSkaura, and all other opponents that have opposed him in his quest to avenge Sheeva's death.

His win-loss record is unmatchable; his first loss in his 500 years on Earth is his only one, which happened earlier in the first MK. Then again, Goro was only fighting humans. Humans that were half his size, and with only two arms. Despite their best showing, they each had a fear for the monster, and with good reason. In time, as his reputations grew, the fear of facing him was almost feared even more--until it was learned that he could be defeated.

Raiden is a much more complex character, for where does one start with a god? His beginnings? He has been around since thunder first rolled across this realm. His family? He is a god, and has no family. The only love he knows is that for the people here, on Earth.

For the eons he has been, he has had the opportunity to observe, and to "feel" what the people of Earth feel. Our triumphs, and our terrors; our falling into darkness, and our rise into enlightenment; our almost total demise, and our narrow escape into salvation.

Now, it is time for another clash between the "forces of nature."

"AH! It feels good to be back in my Lair once more! To see the skeletons trapped along the wall; to see my little friends, and their demonic eyes, waiting for their next meal--it has been too long!"

"It matters not, Goro. I will give you credit, as you deserve it. Even recently, you have proved your might, by fighting four evil men, the men of Shadowloo. However, they lack the raw power of a god. Now, I bid you, farewell."

"Whatever!"

Goro leapt at Raiden, but he easily teleported behind Goro, and as he turned, Raiden's torpedo sent Goro into a wall. Goro launched a fireball, only for Raiden to leap over it, and do a second torpedo, driving Goro's head into the wall, with several stones crashing onto his skull.

Goro roared, in pain and anger, as he powered out, sending stones flying. One stone from the volley caught Raiden in the gut, grounding him. This allowed Goro to pick him up with his lower arms, and pound Raiden's head and chest with his clubbing limbs.

No sooner had Goro dropped Raiden, then Raiden was up, and grabbed Goro for an electro-shock. Raiden was about to start a kombo, only for Goro to swat him with his left arms, sending Raiden sliding all the way across the dungeon.

Goro leapt, again, at the staggering god. Raiden shot a bolt behind him, which then hit Goro out of his jump, knocking Goro into the other bolt.

Reeling, Goro fell right into Raiden's grasp. He began to send countless volts through the warrior, in nearly the same manner he had with Akuma. Then, for some strange reason, he stopped, and Goro fell to the floor.

"Goro, like Reptile, you have lost much to the monster, Shao Khan. Your people need your leadership. That is all I have to say about that."

"Winner of Round 4, Fight 3, Raiden!"

"Where are we?" Guile demanded.

"Do not tell me your memory is going on you, Guile. This is the exact spot I brought you and Bison from, when you two were fighting, in response to Bison's challenge. Now, you may finish out your fight."

"Who are you, miss? Or rather, who are you supposed to be, Alpha-Omega?"

"To you, Guile, I'm your worst nightmare, come alive. To you, Bison, your luv come true."

"I have never met this woman in my life."

"You won't, yet. Perhaps, in another fight, in another story, you shall. Remember the name: Isis!"

"Great, as if one of them here wasn't enough. Now, to pick up where we left off, Bison!"

"It shall be most enjoyable. I shall kick your ass again!"

"You got lucky, Bison! Now, it's one-on-one..."

"...If you dare to say `With The Great One!' I'm going to have to kill you, right now!"

"What's the matter, not a wrestling fan? I would think that that sort of mindless violence would appeal to your twisted mind."

"No. It's because the one thing you are great at is getting your butt whooped!"

"SONIC BOOM!" yelled Guile, as he unleashed a super-intensified boom.

"Guile, really," Bison mocked, as he warped past it, as one would yawn at the wind blowing.

No sooner had Bison come out of the warp, behind Guile, the Guile caught him with a back-kick to the face. Guile then suplexed Bison into the ground.

"See? I'm thinking straight, this time. You won't cause me to lose it this time! For everything you have done, I'm going to make sure you pay for it--in full!"

"Cute speech. Do you think you can repeat it?"

Guile merely replied by grabbing...the air. Bison warped right past it, and threw Guile into the ground. He then slid, ripping up the floor, as he knocked Guile off his knees. He then shot into the air, ready to stomp Guile's skull.

Guile went for a long Flash Kick, but Bison stopped his momentum in mid air, and glided just out of reach. Then he dove in with his fist into Guile, flooring him.

Guile summoned another Boom. Not only did he neutralize the Sonic Boom with a Psycho Spark, but tagged Guile with a piece as it dispersed.

Bison shot in with a Flaming Torpedo, still believing Guile to be dazed from the spark. He was in for a rude awakening, as Guile blocked it! As soon as it ended, Guile went with his own `Barrage, ending by knocking Bison across the hall.

Guile fumbled around for a couple of seconds, until he found the light--switch?

Bison unleashed a series of images of himself, smashing into Guile with his Knee Press Nightmare! Then, for the last set, Bison smashed into Guile, bringing him to the ground, as bloody as when he had had "resurrected" Nash.

"Game is over, Guile. Unlike your friend, there will be no chance to continue, nor are there any `1-ups!' Sad, but true! You've reached the end."

"You've won, drug-lord! Now, get away from him!"

"Hello, Ken! So, are you here to `avenge' my controlling of Ryu, my controlling of you on the island, or the one where you two both fought me?"

"Any, and all the above, scum bag! This time, you're going down, and will stay down!"

"No such luck, this time. It took both of you to beat me! Now, if you are lucky enough to advance next time, we may meet. If we do, Ryu won't be there to hold your hand. Think you can do it, alone?"

"Ready, and able. I've got something you could only hope for!"

"Pathetic. If we meet, it will be your last fight."

"Oh, boys. Don't you know, you're up to the finals! It will be a SUDDEN DEATH match! All five remaining fighters go at it, with only one coming out the winner!"

So, it's almost come to a close (can you believe it ^_^?). Next up, the SUDDEN DEATH, or I might throw in a brief--intermission.

The fighters are: Rose, Ken, Noob Saibot, Raiden, and Bison--not bad, I think I listed them in the order they fought in this round! ~_^

All five go at it, with a lot of zany action, but no cheese. Then, when that match is settled, we will have the Grand Fight!

Hey, if you happen to be a Bison fan, then you'll want to know that the above ref to Isis does occur! Check my main url http://gfd.4ever.cc and check out Shadowloo!

©2001

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