Into the Light - Prologue
By Ayame

I never imagined what it would be like after killing Bison. I just wanted him to be dead, so badly, trapping myself into an illusional world thinking of how sweet revenge was. At times, it got so painful that I wanted it to be over, but now, I realized that I was enjoying this feeling, this pain ... I was a slave to my desires. Killing Bison had become my sole goal in life. I dug a hole in my heart, and filled it with hatred ... but that hatred is gone now ... I can finally feel free and at ease, yet at the same time, I am so alone. The hole is empty, my purpose is lost. It has been empty for a long time now. The people around me are filled with an abundance of emotions, goals that they continue to pursue along side other goals ... and ... I see myself as a foreigner to them ... I feel so alone right now, no one is able to help me ... but still, please ... anybody, help me!

June 25th

Fireworks whistled upward from the fields, exploding in showers of red, orange, yellow, white, green, blue, purple, and pink sparks against the dark, indigo sky. Sounds of laughter and celebration were heard through the whole park, and the smell of barbecue chicken and hot-dogs mingled in the air.

Chun Li Xiang knew her memories were coming back the moment she started seeing the sparks fly. It was not something that came over her all of a sudden, but slowly, the way the colors of the fireworks exploded in the sky, she watched this from the balcony. Gradually the sparks became more intense, adding a new color here, a new color there, until the sky was awash with all the colors of the rainbow. And slowly begin to fade ...

Ken Masters frowned as he saw a lone Chun Li standing upon the balcony of his uncle's mansion, gazing absently towards the fireworks exploding upon the night sky.

"You having a good time?" he walked in and stood beside her, amazed at the brilliance of the fireworks himself. The pyrotechnicians were definitely worth the money his uncle had paid.

Chun Li didn't take her eyes off the sky. In the week of staying over in America, Ryu and Cammy have not arrived yet like Chun Li.

"I'm fine, the fireworks are really great, and the weather's been perfect."

"Yeah … it'll be even better when Independence Day comes around. Today, we're just celebrating the grand opening of my uncle's new company."

"When is Independence Day? Two weeks from now?"

Ken nodded. "Hopefully by then, the others will arrive. They're two days late, I wonder what's happened."

"Hrmm…" She sighed. She started thinking about home. How Yun, Yang, Sifu, and even Fei-Long was doing. At this time, Yun and Yang were probably training right now. Sifu, managing his martial arts business ... as usual. And Fei-Long still probably having the time of his life being the star of a movie that is yet to become another one of the 'greatest action' movies ever made. And Chun Li? She's in America watching the fireworks. Sounds like a typical summer. Just like last year when nothing happened, it looked like this year was going to be the same as well ...