-Hakone, Japan-

Hakone, the next morning. The elderly grandmaster of Chinese Kung Fu, Gen, was fast asleep on his futon in his hotel room. He had come to Japan to visit the hot springs, which were helping in his recovery from a severe case of tuberculosis. The light knocking aroused Gen from his sleep. Getting up, he walked over to the shoji door and slid it open. Standing in the hallway, was the hotel owner's teenage daughter. In one hand she was holding a small sheet of paper.

"What is it, child?" Gen asked in flawless Japanese.

"Are you Master Gen Lee?" the girl asked.

"I am."

The girl produced the sheet of paper to Gen, who took it. "Someone called for you last night, but you were already in the bed. I took down a message for you."

Gen took out a hundred yen note and placed it in the girl's hand and sent her on her way. Sliding the door closed, Gen looked at the message. It read:

Master Gen.

Urgent. Chun Li has the Dark Hadou. Come to Sora immediately.

- Ryu

The frown increased on Gen's face. 'So it begins,' he thought.

Gen knew that Ryu had taught Chun Li ki-manipulation by using Ansatsuken-based techniques, but the blame fell squarely on his shoulders. Along with the Japanese version of the Assassin's Fist, there was a Chinese version of the style. But where Japanese Ansatsuken looked more like Shotokan Karate, Chinese Ansatsuken was more like a hybrid combination of Chinese Kempo and Long Fist Kung Fu.

However, when Chun Li's father was killed at the hands of Bison, it triggered her own Dark Hadou, but layed dormant.

'Until now,' Gen thought darkly.

He had planned on returning to Hong Kong that afternoon. Now a trip to Sora to visit his top student and her husband are in order.

-Meanwhile, on a bullet train...-

The mysterious fortuneteller that was Rose sat in her cab. Placed neatly in a stack, were her Tarot cards. She took one off the top and placed it on the table.

'Hmm...so it begins,' she thought.

Originally, she had come to Japan to relax. Now, she was making a detour in her trip, after checking her cards.

'Seems that the Chinese woman has the Dark Hadou,' Rose thought.

Rose had met Chun Li back in Hong Kong when she and Ryu had gotten married. She had known Ryu even longer. She had met him though his friend Ken Masters. Before the Second Street Fighter Tournament, Rose had tracked down Ryu and told him that he would face his greatest challenge yet. It was not with an opponent, but with himself.

She was right. Ryu had triumphed over the Dark Hadou, and now, Chun Li was facing the same problem.

And Ryu needed her help.

-Sora Village, later on...-

The village market was as usual, busy as hell, with the vendors and sellers chatting in several different languages, the aroma of various dishes from the neighborhood restaurants filling the late afternoon air.

Gen, dressed in his usual robes and carrying a knapsack on one shoulder, took into the sights and smiled. Even after Gouken's death, he enjoyed coming to Sora. The people were always friendly and courteous and he knew a couple of them from back home.

As Gen reached the end of town, he spied someone familar. It was Ryu. Tagging along was his sister. Ryu, was dressed in a shirt and pants while Miya was clad in a simple sundress. The two siblings walked over to greet the elderly grandmaster.

"Master Gen," Ryu began, bowing. Miya followed suit. "Thank you for coming on such short notice."

Gen returned the gesture. "Anything for my finest student and her husband."

Ryu motioned to Miya. "You remember my sister, Miya."

"Welcome to Sora, Master Gen," Miya said politely. "Ryu and Chun Li speaks highly of you."

"As they should, with all their elders," Gen replied.

"Is it true about what they say about you?" Miya inquired. "About you being an assassin?"

"Yes," Gen replied. "But that was a long time ago. I heard that you were quite the assassin yourself back in Shadowlaw."

Miya puffed at that. "With all due respect, Master, I prefer the term 'operative.'"

Gen turned to Ryu. "So...how is Chun Li?" he asked as he, Ryu and Miya walked towards the dojo. From the village to Ryu's home walking took them out of the village, across the highway, and up the pathway leading to the dojo.

"She's doing good, under the curcumstances," Ryu replied. "But I'm still worried, so that's why I called you. You have more experience in dealing with Dark Hadou-related incidents than I do."

"And where's your other apprentice?" Gen asked of Ryu's student/ward.

"Sakura's gone on a field trip to Okinawa, so she'll be gone for several days," Ryu replied. "As long as she's out of the way, the better for me."

-Ansatsuken Dojo-

Inside the dojo, Chun Li - in her blue tights - was going through a more complex form of her Tai Chi routine, as she's always done ever since she was a child. Ryu had been admant in not letting Chun Li pratice too hard, since he didn't want her to pass out again.

She HAD to admit to herself that she wasn't feeling 100 percent. 'Maybe resting up would be good for me,' she thought as she continued her routine. 'I HAD been working too hard, and the higher-ups noticed.'

"You're still doing that form wrong."

Chun Li froze at the voice. She turned around and saw Gen, barefoot, standing in the doorway, his weathered face breaking into a smile.

Gen walked into the dojo, arms hidden inside his sleeves. "Obviously, you've forgotten how to do that form correctly. Has married life made you lose your focus?" he asked jokingly.

"Master Gen!" Chun Li rushed over and threw her arms around her master in a hug. Gen chuckled softly and returned the hug. "What are you doing here in Japan?"

"I was visiting the hot springs here. They are very theraputic and helpful in my recovery from my illness. Also, I wanted to see how you and Ryu were doing. He told me that you passed out several days ago. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Sifu," Chun Li replied. "To tell you the truth, I don't know what happened. One moment I was at work, then the next I was in the hospital."

Gen reached over and felt Chun Li's forehead and the sides of her face. 'Hmm...she still feels hot,' he thought. "Are you certain that you are okay?" he asked.

Chun Li nodded. "I'm fine, Sifu. You shouldn't worry about me."

"It's my job to worry about you, aside from your husband's" Gen replied. "I made a promise to your father that I would always look after you. And when I'm not doing it, then Ryu is. From what I see, he's doing a good job."

"More like overreacting, if you ask me," Chun Li said, tossing a look at Ryu.

"Well, maybe you should go back to bed and rest up," Gen suggested. When it looked like that Chun Li would object, Gen added, "Please do this for my sake."

Chun Li sighed in defeat. "Okay." With that, she exited the dojo and walked back to the house. When she was gone, Gen turned to the two younger people and addressed Ryu. "I see you have your work cut out for you."

Ryu grinned. "You have no idea, Master Gen."

"While I'm here," Gen started, "how about a friendly little spar..." Before Ryu could say anything, Gen turned to Miya. "...little one? I am quite curious as to what 'The Woman Without Fear' has to offer."

"I accept the offer, Master Gen," Miya replied firmly.

"Uh...Master Gen," Ryu intervened, "you're still recovering from your sickness. Maybe you should relax."

Gen waved him off. "I'm fine, Ryu. It will take a lot more than a case of tuberculosis to kill this old man." He gave the younger man a evil grin. "Besides, there's still life in these old bones yet."

"Well, if you insist, Master," Miya replied, "then let me change clothes."

Ten minutes later, Miya, in a tanktop, black belt and hakama pants and Gen, in his usual robes, faced off in a sparring match. Ryu watched from the sidelines as Miya fought Gen. Miya soon learned that for an old man, Gen was spry, not to mention strong...and incredibly skilled. Eventhough Miya was using several different styles, Gen soon matched her with his Crane and Praying Mantis styles.

As Miya was getting schooled (not to mentioned royally owned), Ryu turned to the courtyard. Someone else was there. Gen and Miya noticed the expression on Ryu's face.

"What is it?" Miya asked.

"More company," Ryu replied as he exited the dojo, Miya and Gen following him. Standing in the courtyard, was Rose. She was dressed in casual attire, but had her scarf wrapped around her shoulders.

Rose advanced on the trio and stopped withing arm's length. "It has been a while, Ryu," she said in flawless Japanese.

"It has, Rose," Ryu replied in his native tongue.

"A friend of yours, Ryu?" Gen asked.

Ryu nodded. "You can say that, Master."
***
Later on, Ryu and Rose were at the dining room table, sipping tea. Gen and Miya were back in the dojo, sparring.

"So what brings you to Japan?" Ryu asked, this time in English.

Rose sipped her tea. "I came to Japan to the hot springs in Hokkaido. I heard that they are a good place for resting and recuperating."

"That they are. I've been up there. You've come for something else."

"You posess a sharp mind, Ryu," Rose complimented. "I've come here to help you with Chun Li."

Ryu set his cup down. "So you know about the Dark Hadou."

Rose nodded. "I see you managed to control your dark side. But it is a different matter with Chun Li. She has been through so much pain and suffering with her father's murder and the Shadowlaw investigation that she may actually embrace the Dark Hadou."

"That will not happen," Ryu replied. "I will see to that."

"For her sake, I am hoping for the same thing," Rose said.
***
In the bedroom, Chun Li was moaning softly as her head rocked from side to side. In her mind's eye, she was reliving some key moments that had deeply affected her life. Her father's murder...chasing down Bison's goons...training...the Second Street Fighter Tournament...her match with Ryu to decide who was going to face Bison...

Then she found herself in a bamboo field. It was nightime, but there was an air of evil about.

"Where am I?" she muttered to herself.

'We're inside your mind,' someone replied.

Chun Li tuened to the source of the voice...

...and found herself face-to-face with herself...only darker.

Her dark half was in every espect her, with a few differences. Her skin tone was slightly darker, the chesogam battle dress was black with yellow, and her eyes held a malicious look in them.

"Who...are you?" Chun Li whispered.

'I'm you,' the twin replied. 'I am your anger, your rage, your hate, your pain. All of the emotions that you had locked away.'

"Why have you come to me?"

The twin smiled. 'To liberate you, Chun Li. You are weak.'

That struck a nerve. "I am not weak!"

'Whatever you say,' the twin replied, playing on Chun Li's weakness and emotions. 'You weren't strong enough to save your father.'

"I...I was in Japan," Chun Li defended.

The twin pointed an accusing finger at her other. 'That's no excuse! You should have been there to protect your father in his time of need. Then he would be alive today. You weren't strong enough to save him, and you're still not strong enough to defeat Ryu!'

"What does Ryu have to do with this?!"

'He is keeping you from reaching your true potential,' the twin replied in a motherly tone. 'You could have beaten him in the tournament, but he won because he knew of your weakness. He took your rightful vengeance away from you!'

The twin knew that Chun Li was weakening from her verbal onslaught, so she continued. 'But no more. I can take the pain away, Chun Li, if you open yourself to me. Call upon the true nature of your power...and you will be unstoppable! Even your husband or your sister-in-law will not be able to stop you!'

***

Chun Li's eyes snapped open. She sat up and looked around the bedroom, as if she was looking at it for the first time. Dressed in her blue silk pajama top and a pair of cotton shorts, she swung her legs over the bed and placed her feet on the floor. Standing up, she turned and walked out of the room.