Pheonix Wings Ch. 4 - Of Fears Renewed
By Elaine

Sakura entered her room with a shuddering sigh. The exams must have been getting to her, she decided. That was why she constantly heard voices in the wind...yes, that was probably the reason. She breathed in deeply and turned on the light. Normally she got back to the dorm a LOT earlier, but it had been just her luck to get on her advisor's bad side today. So she had skipped a few important classes, no big deal...Her attention was suddenly focused on a movement from the window.

"Wh-who's there?" Sakura asked shakily. D*mn, if it was just the wind she'd kill herself.

It wasn't. She barely had time to block as a clawed fist came swinging at her head. She cried out as the claws ripped the skin on her arm. She ducked another punch and grunted as she felt a kick to her ribs. Chikusho, she had gotten slow in college...she barely rolled away as the foot dropped in for another kick. She flipped onto her hands, wincing as the shredded muscles of her left arm tensed in protest. Executing a wobbly scissor kick, Sakura managed to stun her opponent for the moment.

"Who are you?" She cried, clutching her wounded arm.

The person didn't answer. Instead, he swirled away into smoke...

"What the..." Her senses suddenly pricked up. Se could feel twenty or so auras surrounding her, closing in... "Oh d*mn..."

She ducked a swing from one of the auras and delivered a lash to the right, only to be kicked in the stomach. She gasped for air and recovered just in time to block a flurry of punches from the side. Rolling under the punches, she grabbed one of her opponent's legs with her uninjured arm and tripped him. She fell heavily on him, hearing a satisfactory urk as she broke a rib and quickly got back into fighting position. One of the aura's charged at her. She turned, using his momentum and a well-placed kick to imbed him into a wall. Another shadow lashed out and struck her in her thigh, bringing her to her knees. The shadows were materializing now, becoming clearer... stronger...she sufferered another well placed kick to her stomach. *I can't keep this up* she thought as she blocked hits from all sides. *My arm hurts like h*ll and I'm losing consciousness...* She closed her eyes in desperation and looked for that little well of chi inside of her...she imagined her heart pumping, focused on the steady beat and tuned out the pain from outside...

thump...thump...thump...time seemed to still as she felt a surge of adrenaline rising from the depths of her soul. She found her pool of stored energy, smiled as it flowed through her ribs, down her bleeding arms and into her palms, soothing the pain as much as it increased it, she pulled back the energy, focusing it with learned control...with a mighty yell, she let it go...

SHINRYUU HADOUKEN!

The qi blast ripped through the enclosed area, incinerating the curtains and severely burning everything. She panted for breath as the smoke cleared. Sighing, she fell to her knees in relief, that had taken a lot out of her...it had been so long since she had used any chi at all... close to her someone clapped slowly. She looked up to see a young man with gray hair and eyes smiling sardonically down at her.

"Very good, but fire can not burn the King of Ashes..." he chuckled. "Rather sad, actually... Such power wasted... I wish I didn't have to kill you just yet..." He summoned his qi to his fist and smiled mirthlessly. "SOUL EATER!"

"NO!" Sakura's tired body instinctively wrenched away and tried to defend itself. She wobbled back onto her feet in time to see his still glowing fist charging at her.

"TEPANYAKI!!!!!" She saw a small hurtling form knock the young man out of the way. Tepanyaki? "ola, senorita!" The new form said, smiling cheerfully down at her. "Looks like I got here just in time!" He quickly roundhoused the rising form of the other man. "Here," He offered her a hand. "Why don't I take you away from here before gray boy there gets up again?"

"Who...are...you...?" Sakura asked weakly, leaning on the offered hand.

He gently lifted her in his arms. "My name is Sean. I would take the introductions further but we've got a bull to outrun, no?" With practiced ease, he broke into a run and charged into whatever remained of the charred dorm room window. "Adios amigos!!!!!!"

*~*~*~

Syren glanced at the crowded streets, wondering what to do. The d*mned Ones of Ash had failed her yet again and now yet another member of the Seven was undoubtly informed on her destiny. Things were not going well for her, infact, the only highlight of the day was that small-brained Birdie's phone call. Ah, the integration of her left and right hands was close, she could feel it...

She yawned loudly, trying to disguise the sharp pang of an unfulfilled appetite. How long had it been since she last fed...a week? Maybe two? Well, tonight, after the meeting...she licked her lips salaciously...tonight she would indulge herself.

"Oh citizens of Osaka," she mumbled out the window, "What horrors you will soon face..."

*~*~*~

There they were, the dreams that had haunted her for so long. Playing before her eyes yet again as she tried to sleep. No, please not tonight...all she wanted was just one night...one night to embrace the quiet rest denied to her. Just one night...but no, the dreams were calling, and their pull was strong. The need to know what was in the dreams was so much sharper than the want of rest. She had always followed her curiosity and that wasn't about to change the habit now...

"Lan Yun, what are you doing?" her father asked...or was it her father? The face seemed so familiar...yet she was sure she didn't know it.

"Do you feel it father? There is something wrong with the air," she replied in a voice that wasn't hers.

"Something wrong with the air? What nonsense are you talking about now?"

"It's not nonsense!" She protested, frowning sullenly, "Look, all the birds have suddenly stopped chirping, something bad is about to happen...I just know it," she sighed as she looked at her father's incredulous face.

"That's very funny, now go inside and do your work," her father replied sternly.

"You don't believe me do you? You think that I'm just being strange again. You never believe me..."

"Lan Yun, you know how I feel about your imagination. Besides, should anything bad come, the shamans should be the first to know,"

"I swear by the moon! It is NOT my imagination! The shamans are wrong this time, baba!" she cried, a desperate look in her eye. "We must get out of here before misfortune comes! Please! Just for a few days, let us wait in the hills and you shall see!"

"Enough of this!" her father roared. "It is about time you learned your place in life. I am your father, head of our family. How dare you yell at me?" He slapped her hard. "The silk dealer is coming tomorrow," He said coldly. "And you haven't even finished your work yet! Go do your chores right now."

"To h*ll with my chores! Something evil is coming and I want us to get away while we can!" She screamed back. There was yet another stunning slap to her cheek and Chun Li bolted awake...

"Are you alright?" Gen asked. They were on a public transport bus, bound for a stop somewhere near...too tell the truth, she wasn't sure.

"Can't seem to sleep properly, but otherwise I guess I'm fine." She yawned and smiled at Gen, suddenly an idea struck her." Can you interpret dreams?"

Gen laughed and shook his head. "I have never done anything like that before...but I suppose I can try..."

Chun Li sighed. "Well lately, I've been having dreams that seem like...fragments of other lives...I dunno, lately I've been living it out as a silk weaver...called..." She tried to remember the wisps of information she had gotten in the visions. "Lan...Lan something...Wun I think..." She watched as a look of recognition passed through his face.

"Lan Yun?"

"Yeah, that's probably it."

"Are you sure the name is Lan Yun?"

"More or less, why?"

"Lan Yun was one of the seven...Lady of the Waters. She was incredibly brave and was prone to premonitions, as most Restorers were. She... she died a very gruesome and unfortunate death."

"Oh," Chun Li said, gulping slightly. "Um... And I take it you knew her..."

"Of course I knew her," Gen replied, a shade of grief overcoming his normally serene profile. "She was...she was my sister,"

*~*~

There is a small creek in Japan that seems just perfect. Beautiful cherry trees interspaced with artistically shorn bushes surround a winding, crystal clear stream of mountain water. It flows into a small koi pond. Little ornaments, statues of Buddha and Guan Yin guard the sides zealously with faces that lovingly stare at the occasional flashes of sun erupting off the backs of large yet placid goldfish. It was in the middle of this koi pond that Sakura found herself, supported by a girl in white robes on one side and the energetic yet completely controlled form of a young boy on her right.

"Who? Wha-?" Sakura asked fuzzily.

"Welcome back to the world, senorita," the boy replied. "I can't say I know what we're doing but..." he tightened his grip on her waist as her knees weakened. "keep awake for this, it might be cool..."

The girl to the left of her smiled and nodded. Lifting her eyes to the sky, she started to chant an unidentifiable mantra. Slowly, her words, rendered high and musical by the wind, flowed through the air. She lifted her one free hand, singing the same words over and over again with rising intensity. The water of the koi pond, with an almost painstaking lethargy, swirled in response to the song. Sakura gasped as a tugging sensation suddenly creeped up her legs. Judging by the expression on the boy next to her's face, she wasn't the only one who was feeling surprised. Slowly, the water inched up her being, and yet the feeling was not uncomfortable. It was as if the liquid was inviting her, carefully embracing her, trying to send her to an even better place than the one she was in at the moment...with a small plop and a sudden flurry of motion, the three figures were sucked into the hidden abyss of the koi pond.

And as everything returned to normal, the fish swam on and the statues continued their eternal unblinking gaze...

*~*~

"Here ye are 'mam," Birdie said in his strange drawling tone. "'ere are some of the persons Oi wuz tawlkin' about,"

"Perfect," she smiled politely at the room full of assassins. "I believe I have read up on some of you," She glanced at the group of six, mentally taking account of who was here. Birdie, Vega, Sagat, Adon and the two quiet and seemingly inanimate figures of Juli and Juni.

"Of course a woman such as beautiful as yourself would know to do her homework," the masked one known as Vega commented, bowing low to her. She smiled winningly back.

"Hmmmph," Sagat growled. "What do you want from us? I heard there was a chance to get stronger here,"

"Oh there is," Syrena replied smile ever intact. "There is, Sagat." Her eyes glinted with a cold joy, as if she had anticipated the question and held so much power in knowing the answer. "There is a chance for all of you to fulfill your wildest dreams, your greatest fantasies. I have enough power, and am willing to imbue you with enough power to conquer and destroy whatever you wish. Vega, how would you like to repay one certain woman for her transgressions? She disfigured something most important to you, I believe..."

The Spanish Assassin grimly clutched the white porcelain mask on his face, his clawed hand trembling terribly. "My...poor...beautiful... face..."

"Or you, Birdie..." she motioned to the loud, giant punk who had brought her such wonderful killers to add to her side. "Do you happen to remember one arrogant young Japanese schoolgirl who shamed you in combat?"

"Oi! The bloody b!tch cheated!" Birdie responded in annoyance, stomping his foot and making various chains rattle.

"Of course she did, and that is why you must teach her a lesson." Birdie grumbled and nodded in affirmative. "And Sagat, we can not forget Ryu, can we? It is as clear as the scar on your-"

"Get to the point," Sagat interrupted. "I believe none of us has forgotten our pasts, but what does it have to do with you?"

Syrena nodded. "Alright then, this is what I offer. Power, riches, the location of your enemies and anything else you wish..."

"And in return, we become your loyal slaves and automatons, your cronies, the ones who do your dirty work for you," responded Juli, cold gray eyes emotionless.

"Ah Juli, Juli...slaves is such a harsh word," Syrena crooned back. "You will become my affiliates in Battle. I need your help and am willing to provide anything you want in return..."

"Bring Bison back," Juli gently brushed her long dark bangs from her eyes.

Syrena chuckled for a moment and stared at the brown haired clone. "Follow me, and you will see more of your former Lord than you could ever dream of...and all you have to do is pledge allegiance to me. Till I make HIM rise again..."

"Then...it is done," The two twin soldiers offered their hands to her. She grasped each one firmly and grinned.

"It is done..."

And thus did the terror that had laid dormant for five centuries begin anew.