CHAPTER 11:

REUNIONS

Removing the brainwashing from the two Dolls and Dee Jay was a success. Aprile and Juli (whose real names were almost the same, with Aprile being the same(1) and Juli's true name being Julia) coped better with the influx of memories clashing with their original personalities, while Dee Jay merely looked pissed that he allowed it to happen, though he was bemused to find that Cammy, the woman who had captured him for Shadaloo in the first place, was now working for MI6. Still, the three would-be assailants of MI6 were more than willing to share what info they knew. Juli also looked glad to see Cammy alive and well: Juli, Juni and Cammy were 'friends', insomuch as brainwashed soldiers could be.

"The truth is," Julia said as she paced the conference room pensively, "the Psycho Drive's final components are being perfected at the Brazil base, but the actual location of the Psycho Drive's final destination is being kept from us. Only Vega knows for certain, as he is the one running Shadaloo in Bison's absence."

Cammy nodded. "As Balrog couldn't run Shadaloo, save into the ground. What about Sagat?"

"Sagat's thought to be in India, undergoing training from the yoga master known as Dhalsim," Julia said. "In addition, Xiayu and Jianyu are undertaking a consolidation of the Triad gangs in Hong Kong, though there is interference from a few sources. The Interpol agent Chun-li, for one, and Fei Long for another."

"Fei Long?" Harry asked.

"Fei Long is a fairly well-known martial artist who's big in the Hong Kong movie industry," Wolfman said. "Some people are calling him the second coming of Bruce Lee, and he certainly looks the part. Hell, he even has his own version of Lee's Jeet Kune Do, the Hitenryu. But he's also outspoken against Triads, and has been known to beat gangsters trying to conscript him or extort him into the dirt."

Julia nodded, before looking at Wolfman. "Colonel…do you have information about Thunder Hawk's whereabouts?"

"He's still in Mexico. We were going to see him to find out more about Shadaloo's operations in the area if little turned up. Yoko, that is, Satsuki, fell into our laps at the right time."

"Removing three of Bison's Dolls, plus Dee Jay, will hinder him, but it may get even more attention from Shadaloo towards us," Harry mused. "Julia, do you think we'll be able to find the whereabouts of the new base in the Brazil base?"

"Maybe. But after your defeat of Bison, less records are being made both electronically and physically." She looked over at Cammy. "But if I had to pick a place…Shadaloo Island."

"Shadaloo Island?" Wolfman asked.

"It's an isolated volcanic island in the Pacific, some considerable distance away from any mainland," Cammy said. "This was the island I mentioned during my own debriefing, guarded by the Psycho Drive prototype. I just didn't want to dignify it by the name Bison chose for it."

"Any chance of infiltrating the island?"

"No. If the Psycho Drive is as complete as it is, even a submarine would be blown out of the water if it was close enough to the surface. There's no vulnerable entry points for covert underwater insertions, either. Even before the Psycho Drive was completed, it had enough defences to discourage any attempt at military action, covert or otherwise, ranging from aerial bombing to wetworks. In any case, I thought that Vega might shift Shadaloo's HQ around, and Shadaloo Island isn't the only HQ."

"And an aerial bombing would just get shot down, right?" On Cammy and Julia's nod, Wolfman scowled. "Well, what about magical infiltration? Using a Portkey to get to the island?"

"That could work," Harry said, "unless they've put up countermeasures. Bison knows of magic, he may know how to counter Portkeys. But he was hosting the Street Fighter tournament to find fighters to take over or use as soldiers, right? That may be the best time to infiltrate, as he'll want you back."

Cammy scowled. "I am NOT his spare meatsuit. But in the meantime, should we continue to disrupt Shadaloo's operations until we are sure we can infiltrate the island?"

"Sounds good to me," Wolfman said.

Shortly after taking Julia, Yoko, Aprile and Dee Jay to the safehouse, namely 12 Grimmauld Place, Harry and Cammy were called back to MI6. Which was when they got an interesting surprise when they headed to the conference room again. Projected on the wall, as part of a videoconferencing set-up, was the image of Chun-Li. Wolfman and the head of Delta Red, Commander Watson, were both present. Another window showed the face of Charlie.

When she saw Harry and Cammy, she smiled. "Cammy, Harry, it's good to see you both." Then, her face fell. "I wish it were under better circumstances."

Watson nodded. "Agent Chun-Li was telling us of some information she found, which confirms what we found out from Yoko."

Charlie grinned. "Yeah, good on you two for capturing and undoing the brainwashing on those Dolls, and that Dee Jay guy. Shadaloo must be running around like headless chickens."

"I encountered two of them here in Hong Kong, but they slipped away," Chun-Li said.

"Xiayu and Jianyu," Cammy supplied. "They used a bo staff and nunchaku, right?"

Chun-Li nodded. "We found information confirming what you found out. Interpol and MI6 are pooling our resources to investigate and dismantle the Brazilian base of Shadaloo. If we can destroy the last components of the Psycho Drive being manufactured there…"

"It'd only slow Bison down. Most of the components are ready, and the Psycho Drive can be used. But interfering with his plans would help, and I can rescue more of the Dolls. There's also another possible prisoner there, Blanka."

"Blanka?" Chun-Li asked.

"A feral man who lived in the wilds of Brazil after a plane crash when he was a child," Cammy explained. "He grew up there, and thanks to…well, I don't know exactly what, he's become a savage beast, but a powerful fighter. He can even electrify his body like an electric eel. He may have been moved from the Brazilian base, but if he hasn't, he's one to watch out for. He'll probably not be happy to see me: as Killer Bee, I often used him as fighting practise."

Charlie grimaced. "Yeah, I remember him. I fought against him too as practise while Bison had me as his pet little soldier. Poor bastard. Anyway, Guile and I would come to help, but Ken's getting married soon, and Guile's been invited, so I'm tagging along as moral support. Plus, with Ken and Ryu on Shadaloo's radar, they might try something. Certainly Balrog's been making a few suspicious phone calls, though he's got a bloody good lawyer preventing us from making too many moves. Incidentally, has anyone found that Rose chick? You know, the one who helped you guys get over to Japan from San Francisco?"

"Actually, I have been trying to get a hold of her," Harry said. "Rose is known to the Ministry in Italy. She poses as a Romani fortune teller, but she's not known for having a fixed abode, so contacting her is hard. She even uses wards against owl mail. That being said, we did find out a few interesting things: the Romani group she originally belonged to were almost entirely wiped out two decades ago, with Rose being one of the few survivors. The cause was later considered to be a dark curse. But the Italians didn't look too closely into it, because they considered the teachings of one of the leaders to be heresy."

"Well, we'd better keep trying," Chun-Li said. "In any case, we'd better get ready to head to Brazil…"

Later that evening, Harry and Cammy headed back to their apartment. But as they turned on the lights, they realised they had an intruder, sitting on the couch, toying with a crystal ball.

"Forgive the intrusion," the purple-haired woman said, not even looking up from her crystal ball. "But I believe you were looking for me."

Harry recognised her from photos the Italian Ministry had sent over, photos Cammy confirmed were identical to the woman who claimed to her she was Rose. He didn't quite let his guard down, though. "And you came around because of that? Convenient."

"I disdain official channels," Rose said. "My family and the group they travelled as part of were feared by the Ministry because of their abilities. Something like magic, and yet unlike it. Soul Power, and its counterpart, Psycho Power." She then finally looked at Harry and Cammy. "As a Seer, to try and affect the future one has seen is to risk a price one shouldn't have to pay. And yet, I was going to risk it to change Cammy from the Killer Bee she once was, into her own person. Your intervention was serendipitous, and I only needed to intervene in a smaller fashion. Between the two of you, the future is in more flux than ever. An irony, considering that you, Harry, were once ensnared in the trap of a prophecy, thanks to Voldemort."

"Why me? Why help me?" Cammy asked.

"Because you and I are similar in many regards, legacies of Bison."

"What? You're a clone of him too?" Harry asked incredulously.

With that, Rose actually laughed. There was a bitter undertone to her mirth, but it was laughter all the same. "No, not physically. But like you were by Voldemort, Harry, I was marked by Bison's darkness by a sign of lightning, though my mark faded long before yours did. Perhaps I should start at the beginning, twenty years ago. I know you have been asking the Italian Ministry of Magic for information about me. You have heard about what befell my family?"

"Yeah. They were wiped out. So what happened?"

"Bison happened, bluntly. My own mentor was a woman who taught the nature of Soul Power. Soul magic, as you may know, is heavily regulated if not outright banned by almost every member of the ICW. However, Soul Power itself is relatively benign. It allows you to use your own soul as a weapon, to empower your body far beyond normal limits. Even Muggles can potentially learn it. While I don't know all of Bison's origins, he either was once part of our group, or else joined it to learn about Soul Power. Either way, my mentor expelled him from the group…only for him to return, showing that he had mastered Psycho Power. In order to reach his pinnacle of power, he divested himself of everything that was pure and good left in his soul." A faint, sardonic smile touched her lips. "Not that there was much left. The resulting cataclysm killed everyone in our band…save for myself and a few others. For, you see, Bison caused the pure parts of his soul to be expelled and joined to me. Not unlike a Horcrux, but my continued existence is not needed for his own, and vice versa. We are linked, but we do not anchor each other to the world, unless voluntarily. I can use Bison as an anchor to this world, should I die. Unlike Bison, or Voldemort, I have no particular overwhelming fear of death or desire for immortality, only a need to find a way to stop Bison for good."

"…Well, at least you're more upfront than Dumbledore when you can be bothered to talk to us," Harry conceded grudgingly.

"Dumbledore was wise in many regards, but an utter fool in others," Rose said. "That being said, while there may yet come a time for me to intervene somewhat more substantially, today is not that day. But I can offer you information."

"Like why we need Akuma?" Harry asked.

"Ah, yes. Akuma. A soul of purity in his own dark way, a man devoted to conflict. Unlike Bison, Akuma's goal is to perfect himself. While he seeks power and domination over others, it is purely for his own satisfaction, rather than to rule the world. The Satsui no Hadou, however, has a technique that is the darkest of all, one that may yet prove to be Bison's downfall. It was what Akuma used on Gouken. The Shun Goku Satsu. In Japanese, it literally means 'Instant Hell Murder', but most practitioners of the Ansatsuken call it colloquially the Raging Demon. It annihilates the soul of the victim, turning their own sins against them."

Harry and Cammy, understandably, gaped. "You what?" Harry asked, feeling a chill run down his spine. Akuma knew a move like that?! That sounded like the martial arts equivalent of the Killing Curse mixed up with a Dementor's Kiss.

"Your reactions are understandable. But such a move may yet prevent Bison from being able to come back from the dead using Psycho Power."

"And what about you?" Harry asked. "If the Raging Demon kills Bison's soul, and takes you along with it…"

"It is a sacrifice I am willing to make," Rose said. "I have resigned myself to my death if it meant stopping Bison for good long ago, Harry. And believe me, I have looked for other ways. Even the Goblins' much-vaunted cursebreakers cannot guarantee a result to remove my link with Bison. I know of your mission to Brazil. I will travel soon to the Americas, to Mexico, to assist Thunder Hawk. Beware, Harry and Cammy. Bison's awakening will come sooner than any of us would like. And as you free his pawns from his control, he will consider you even more of a threat than before."

"I knew that already," Cammy said. "But I refuse to be his pawn, his spare body, anything he can use ever again. This, I swear…"

CHAPTER 11 ANNOTATIONS:

Sorry about the wait, but inspiration was lacking a little, and it might be a while before the next chapter comes out as well. Since this last chapter came out, I finished reading the Udon comic adaptation of Street Fighter II (though I haven't gone further than that). I've also read the Udon adaptation of Darkstalkers, though those who follow my Potterverse story compilation The Cauldron will know this. If I'm lucky, and manage to get the motivation together, I'll have a Darkstalkers crossover ready by Christmas at the latest. No promises, though.

Also, last month, I bought the mini-SNES console, the one that comes with 21 SNES games on it, including one of the versions of Street Fighter II. And after playing it…I suck balls at fighting games like that. Gimme something like Dragonball Z Budokai anyday. I can barely do a bloody Hadouken on the SNES version of Street Fighter II! ;_; Still, playing Earthbound for the first time (the only other official release in Australia was through the Wii U Virtual Console, which I didn't have) is great, and it's good to play a bunch of classic games, some for the first time.

Review-answering time! EroSlackerMicha: You'd be surprised at what you can find on Wikipedia, Wiktionary, or the various Wikias, so the research is done fairly quickly.

God-King Ghidora: Okay, firstly, remember, I do NOT take unsolicited story ideas. Please try to remember that in future. That being said, I actually liked the idea (which is unusual), and considered doing it. But I thought that it might be an also-ran of this story in some ways, only with a Harry/Chun-Li pairing. I'm not wholly ruling out the idea of doing a Harry/Chun-Li story, but as it will be based on the Udon comics by necessity (simply because I haven't played any of the games that much to know much of the story), I need to be sure it won't be retreading the same ground too much.

1. Deciding on the real name of Aprile was a bit difficult, but I decided to keep Aprile's name, as her brother is also named for a month.