Untitled Ch. 1
By Di



China (Chun Li's Apartment)

------------ He slipped into her home in darkness and then into where she lay sleeping. It was the flare of the match and the distinctive smell of sulfer that yanked her from her sleep. She was reaching for her gun when his hand closed around her wrist.

"It's me, Chun Li." His voice was rough with pain, his eyes sad and dark in the light of the newly lit candle. She released a breath of relief, sat upright, and pushed away errant strands of hair from her face.

"What are you doing here? What's wrong?"

"Shhh," he murmered, "I've come to say goodbye..."

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Japan (Somewhere in the Night)

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He ran.

Some part of him knew that the situation was bad. Really bad. Thank God for the darknes, or he'd be gone already. Maybe he couldn't see him. Oh, but he could. He was surrounded by the power of evil the being had seemed to imply.

He ran.

He knew that his effects couldn't faze the stunning and deceptive moves of the demon. Kairi grimmaced, recognizing immediately that Akuma was far more skilled than he was. But still, he had enough techniques not to be taken down so easily.

He ran.

He attempted to make his opponent flinch with his sprint, or at least get across the field in a hurry, perhaps that would buy him some extra time. This move turned out to be less useful than the one before. Seemingly, due to his slow start up, the demon was given a chance to strike twice in close. He stumbled back a few steps to recollect his senses.

"Bushin Goraikyaku!" he shouted, and seemed to dash an amazing distance across the demon, nearly blinding him with his array of attacks.

He ran.

He knew that his moves wouldn't advance him in the fight. Not like the moves of the demon.

He ran.

Kairi knew that Akuma was becoming extremely difficult to avoid. Unblockable. Invincable, even.

He ran.

Final corner. He couldn't run like this forever. He ran, in an attempt to cross the field, in hopes of escaping the shouts of the demon..."Shun Goku Satsu..."

The power of his blow traveled a great distance before the stunning effects caught up with him. It went right over him, and he felt the blood spill over him. He knew he'd been hit a thousand times over. And the world went dark.

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China (Interpol Headquarters)

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Chun Li reached for the door knob to the office she shared with Guile. She hesitated when she heard his curses followed by a loud crash. With a perplexed look, she opened the door and walked in.

"Good morning Guile," Chun Li said as she walked passed his desk. Looking up she saw a chair laying on the floor behind him. She was about to make a wise crack until she saw the thunderous look on his face.

"I had a meeting with the Chief this morning."

"Oh," Chun Li said, that explained his mood. She refrained from asking him more.

Guile moved off towards his desk and continued, "We're off the case. It's over."

"What's over?" she asked in her lazy voice.

"You. Me. Bison. The whole bid."

In an effort to seem nonchalant, Chun Li sat down at her desk and turned on her computer. She stared blindly at the monitor.

"Oh?" she asked, going over in her mind what had just happened.

"Yeah. We've been reassigned." He picked up the file laying on his desk and walked over to Chun Li. He placed the folder on her desk and then moved to stand behind her. He shrugged his shoulders to dismiss the ridiculous thought of changing cases, and started again, "Some town in Metro City."

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China (Chun Li's Apartment)

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What would she do? What would she do without her quest? Her father's death has become her life. Her destiny. Her purpose. Wasn't she destined to bring down the overlord of Shadoloo? Sure, crime rates have dropped more than sixty percent, but wasn't that her whole purpose? Gen has long since reminded her of her triumph, of her victory against the ancient crime ring. But what would she do if she could not rid the world of M.Bison for good? Turn in her quest for another crime empire? Start all over again? How could she?

She picked up the file Guile had given her earlier in the office. She began flipping through it, stopping to read, occasionally.

"What is a Madgear?....A gang?!" she answered herself explosively. Chun Li stood up next to her night stand with her hands on either hips, eyes blazing. Then in defeat she let her arms fall to her sides. She was getting sick of the cold, gray, dreary skies. It had been time for a change...

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Phone

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"Ok, I'll go," was all Chun Li said as she plopped on her mattress.

"Good, we catch a flight to Japan this afternoon," Guile said without looking away from the wheel.

"Japan? Why Japan? Most of the reports originate in Metro City."

"Because that's where the most 'recent' sightings have been..."