"So, this is the place," said Ryu with a sigh.

It was not what he had been expecting. It looked like a run-down dump that had been abandoned for years. He wondered why ANYONE in his right mind would want to host a tournament here. The lawsuits they could face would bankrupt them, if they even had anything. Then, a sudden question hit him like a wall falling on him.

"Why would Ken want to fight in this dump?"

"Actually, I was hoping you would tell me, Ryu, as to why you would even think about fighting in a Hell-hole like this?"

"Ken? What do you mean? You gave me an invitation to meet you here for a tournament. I come in and see this place. Ken, what gives?"

Ryu then takes his invitation out of his bag and shows it to the surprised Ken. Ken then takes out a nearly identical letter from his pocket and shows it to Ryu. Ryu looked at it in disbelief. Someone had went through a lot of trouble to get the two of them away from others. They also used the friends names' in calling them out. But who would go through such a painstaking ordeal, and for what reason?

Ryu and Ken started to speculate as to who it may be, and why. Were they trying to catch both of them, and control their minds again, as had been attempted in the past? If so, was it Bison, or was it someone else, carrying on his vile experiments?

"Ah! Both boys are here! It looks like I will have double my pleasure. RYU! For what you did, I will now kill you!"

"You are just a bit outnumbered, Sagat. You can't fight Ryu, and me, no matter what you say."

"So, Sagat, it was you who decided to send for us. You, in your petty quest for vengeance, have sought to bring both Ken and I to this deserted place to exact your pitiful vengeance. I didn't realize until just now how low you had sunk, Sagat."

"WHAT! You dare insult me? First you burn this scar into me, to constantly remind me and humiliate me, and now you insult me to my face! How dare you..."

"NO! How dare YOU, Sagat. You, who were at one time the greatest Thai Fighter in the world, let his overconfidence be the cause of his loss to a boy. Sagat, you are a disgrace to this tradition. You have spent everyday since you humiliating defeat doing nothing but train for your pitiful vengeance."

"Adon! How dare you address me in that manner. I am your superior. You will not take that tone with me, ever again! "

"You can no longer give orders, Sagat. At a time, you were superior. Now you are old and useless. That is why I will destroy you."

"Not so fast, my Thai friend. There is another crime to which Sagat must answer to. The crime of murder. You probably don't even recognize me, Sagat. How many others have you killed, not caring about the ones they left behind? Well, Sagat, now I'm going to finish what my father started all of those years ago, with your eye!"

"What?! So, the bastered had a son. Tsk! So young to be without a father, perhaps you should join him!"

"Um, Ryu, I think we should leave now, while the Three Stooges settle their differences. Come on, we can have a match  anytime."

"I'm way ahead of you, Ken. Come on, I'll get the door for... hey! Ken, the door...it's locked!"

"That's impossible! It was unlocked just a few minutes ago. Here let me try."

Just as he started for the door, Ryu tackled him.

"Hey, Ryu! What are you doing? Has this madness got you?"

"Shut up and duck!"

Just then, a large fireball exploded where Ken had just been standing. As he got up, Ken saw an enraged Sagat, glaring at them, with his hands still positioned from the release of his Tiger Cannon.

"I don't recall giving you boys permission to leave. Now, stay there so that I can kill you!"

As he set up for another fireball, Adon gave Sagat a knee to the back, downing him instantly. Instantly, Sagat was up, and threw the nearby Dan into Ryu and Ken, putting his attention on Adon.

As Ken went to help Dan up, Dan tripped Ken and was on him fists flying. Ryu gave Dan a quick roundhouse and sent him flying once again. Soon, all five were in a face-off, none of them were sure as to what was going to happen next. Already, the five had suffered injuries, much to the delight of the sole on-looker.

"Ah, yes. The fools all fight so diligently, though not fully aware as to the reason for their doing so. This makes it all the more amusing, some of the greatest fighters in the world, being so easily manipulated to a fight to their deaths. I wonder how the headlines would read," Akuma finished with his twisted laugh.

But almost as soon as it started, he stopped, "Wait! Where is the little girl? Where is Sakura? I needed her to be a distraction for Ryu so that he would focus more on the kid's safety than on the fight."

Akuma's answer came almost immediately. He felt the rage come up from behind him faster than he could prepare himself. As he turned, Sakura had gained enough speed to leap high enough and far enough to connect with a kick that sent Akuma through the nearby window.

With a sickening shatter, Akuma went flying through the window. That will hurt. Akuma got up to face Sakura, and for the moment, he forgot the events around him.

"How dare you, you worthless little girl! You dare to attack me! I have defeated and killed better warriors than you. What chance do you thinks you have of beating me?"

"There is no need for me to beat you. I have done much more than that. I've exposed your vile plan and in doing so, have saved your victims from a needless death!"

Akuma then remembered what it was that she was talking about. He then saw the faces of the five men who were mere moments ago poised in a fight to the death, all starring at him.

Dan first spoke, "You are Akuma?! You told me that I could come here so that I can get my revenge on Sagat for what he did, but you don't care about that! You want me dead!"

"You worthless bunch of trash! You actually planned revenge on me? You are even dumber than your father!"

With that, Dan went for his Super Fireball, but Sagat easily dodged it and countered with his own.

"So, Sagat, now that you have taken care of him, you have no excuse for not fighting me. Now, prepare to meet your maker!"

""STOP! CAN'T YOU SEE? THIS IS WHAT HE WANTS; YOU TO KILL EACH OTHER, AND HE TAKES THE SPOILS!" cried Sakura with all her might.

She didn't like Sagat, or Adon for that matter, but when Ryu had visited her, he taught her to be understanding and to try and help everyone, including those that didn't want it or that were hard on you. Giving a try is all that can be asked of anyone. He also told her to be careful, because men like Sagat would rarely listen to reason in some circumstances, and thus you had to be ready to defend yourself, but only if there was a need for it.

"So, that's why you wanted us to come and compete in your 'tournament,' Akuma. You wanted us to be involved in a fight to the death, and you would pick up the parts," said Sagat, his blood boiling with rage at how easily Akuma had manipulated his hatred for Ryu to the point where he himself was to be killed.

Adon the inquired "If you set this all up, why? Would it not be easier for you to simply pick us off, one by one?"

Ryu answered instead, "That's not his style. Akuma loves watching two warriors fight it out. Like myself, in a twisted way, Akuma lives for the fight. However, Akuma will gladly let two fight it out, and then come in and take what's left over. It's the sense of seeing worthy opponents battle it out that makes Akuma's aura soar!"

Ken then added "It's like all those years ago. He knew that we were students of his brother. His brother was an exceptional fighter, so he decided to let us grow, and see just how good we could get."

"It makes no difference, the four of you have already done enough to each other. What chance do you have? Surrender now, and death will be quick!"

Before any could answer, a huge light appeared in the middle of the chaos. It then spread out faster than any could react, and took all of the warriors off to a place where mere mortals, and few others, had ever been.

" Well, my friend, what is your choice? Will I be entertained and honored in combat with you, or will you simply WIMP OUT?" Bison taunted Guile, knowing that there was little else for them to do.

With a nod form Guile's head, Bison laughed maniacally.

"It's as I knew, my dear Guile. Now, Sagat, Vega, and Balrog, attack!"

"Ah, boss, I've some, um, bad news for you."

"What is it Balrog? This had better be good, or it will be your end!"

"Sagat has yet to return, Lord Bison. So, um, Cammy is being used instead. Vega, as you requested, went to find him, and has yet to return, so Zangief was put in his place..."

That was all Balrog could finish before Bison roared in rage.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SAGAT AND VEGA AREN'T HERE!? You are telling me that only two of the four of Shadowloo Elite are here. You then selected a man with all muscle and a woman with amnesia as replacements! THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!"

"So, Bison, it looks like we have a sort of advantage now. It seems that your forces have been cut in half for my side's favor."

"Don't deceive yourself. Your friend Hawk will now be fighting the famous bear wrestler from the frozen wastelands of Russia, the strongest man alive, Zangief. As for poor Chun Li, while she may be fighting a person with amnesia, how will Chun Li feel when she finds out that the one she must fight is her old friend, Cammy? Cammy will have no memory of her friendship. The only thing she will know to do is to fight until one or the other is dead!"

Bison finished with another laugh, twice as dark and twice as pleased with how things were emerging.

"I see you there. Come on out and fight. No Shadow trooper can defeat me!"

"You have guts for an Indian. Zangeif likes that in a foe. Much better fight than stupid bears of Mother Russia. Ah! You are, what's the word, bewildered, to see the world's infamous bear wrestler and the strongest man alive before you. Is good to have fear, it makes one stronger."

"Well, I guess that must mean that you are rather strong."

Elsewhere, Chun Li had met her opponent, a woman covered in a sort of cloak, covering her entire body.

"I don't know who you are, but you won't stop me from my mission. Well...can't you talk? You're the silent type. Fine, prepare to defend yourself, bitch!"

With that, Chun Li leapt for her cloaked foe. Waiting until the last second, the figure side-stepped, and followed up with a suplex on Chun Li, causing her to go out for a few moments. For how long she was out, she wasn't sure, but she felt something on her. She opened her eyes to see the figure poking at her with her boot. Chun Li, in a fit of rage, kicked the figure away, staggering it. She then leaped up and ripped the cloak off of her assailant.

"My God! Cammy, that's you! What's happened to you? What have they done to you? Where have you been..."

Chun Li was cut off as Cammy yelled "Cannon Spike!" and sent Chun Li flying across the room. Cammy was in quick pursuit.

"So, this is what the 'world's greatest sumo' has to offer me. You are pathetic," spat a venomous Balrog.

The fact that as soon as he finished talking to Bison, he jumped Honda, who was still talking to Guile, played a large part in why E. Honda was laying on the floor, blood covering his face and blurring his vision. Balrog's first shot was his famous Turn Punch, a move that had won him numerous titles in the NBA, as well as helped him to successfully defend them. He then followed it up with a series of lunges, uppercuts, and elbows. Finally, to split open the mighty sumo's head, he used a skull-shattering headbutt. He now stood looking at the struggling Honda, and began to laugh, amused.

Damn, Honda thought. I was the greatest sumo in the world, but I get suckered by a psycho boxer, of all the men in the world. I made the greenest of rookie mistakes; I let my guard down against an unfamiliar foe. Well, luckily for me, he's cocky! With that, Honda took a sweep at Balorg's legs, causing him to fall into a supply of bricks and wood. Too bad there weren't any nails in there, he thought, too weak to speak.

Guile attempted a series of flash kicks, then a series of sonic booms. Each time, Bison simply warped out of the way. For the flash kicks, Bison returned with scissors. For the sonic booms, he gave Guile psycho shots. Guile only landed a few stray 'booms by sheer luck, whereas each of Bison's hits were dead on. Guile was weakening and taking the worse end of the fight.

"Come now, Guile. Is that you best? You have but scratched me. Don't tell me you are out-classed, as usual," Bison finished his insults by warping away from a boom and hitting Guile with his Psycho Crusher. This was not the full forced one. That, he wanted to save.

How would this all turn out? Would they succeed, free the hostages, and retrieve the subs, or would Bison rule supreme? Bison was dominating Guile, slowly toying with him, waiting to deal the death blow.

Chun Li was dodging and blocking Cammy's onslaught, trying to reason with her dear friend to stop. It seemed that Bison was right and that this would be a fight to the death, and Chun Li wasn't sure if she could kill Cammy.

Zangief's overconfidence had caused him to totally underestimate his larger foe and he was clearly losing.

After the trip, the fight turned in Honda's favor. He did not dare let up the fight, for he didn't want Balrog to get a breather.

Then, as it had happened before, and as it will happen again and again, a bright aura appeared in the center of each room of each of the combatants.

In a matter of seconds it spread, and then there was nothing.

©2001

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