Replay

****Vega and Natalie's mansion in Salou, Spain****

The cloudless, starry, full Blood Moonlit final few minutes of Thursday, November 30 2000. The beautiful Princess Natalie strolls contentedly through the gardens of hers and Vega's beautiful mansion, itself now heavily decorated for Christmas - lights and all. She is wearing the same shirt, shorts and shoes she wore and carrying the same handbag she carried with her when she and Vega first met four months ago, and her hair is loose. There is still not yet a ring upon her finger, though - remember she and Vega are to be formally engaged, so it's obvious the engagement ring has not yet been crafted? But rest assured, they won't have to wait too long for this, and for their wedding attire and the wedding rings - just you wait and see!

Natalie finds herself near the center of the gardens -right where the magnificent fountain is- and is about to sit herself down on one of the benches surrounding it... when suddenly, beautiful orchestral music plays from within the mansion. She is very pleasantly surprised at this, and she swifty turns around and is about to pace toward the mansion... when suddenly her darling Vega -he too as content as she is- gracefully swan-dives off of the balcony in front of their own quarters, and he lands right in front of she. He is wearing a smart, Spanish-style evening suit with a red handkerchief in the chest pocket, long brown leather boots, and a stainless steel masquerade-style mask, and he is holding a blood-red rose in-between his teeth. He takes the rose out from in-between his teeth and holds it out to Natalie, and he bows to her.

Vega: May I have the honour of this dance, fair Princess?

Natalie very delicately takes the rose in hand, and lightly but very proudly curtseys before the handsome matador.

Natalie: The honour is mine...

Natalie rises from her curtsey only for Vega to take her in his arms, and the two of them dance to the beautiful music.

Vega: (smiles) Just thought I'd mark the last few minutes before our first Deadeye Month together...

Natalie: (blushes) Ha... how sweet -how beautiful- of you... I too thought about marking it, and then December 1 itself... by sharing another kiss with you... and making it last for hours, for as long as we can... until the wee hours of the morning, if not daylight or the crack of dawn...

As the lovers dance, Vega can feel his heart pound madly as Natalie kisses him on the cheek...

Natalie: ...But a romantic dance, with the Blood Moon as our fabulous spotlight... it be just as beautiful...

Vega: (still smiling; gently rubs his fingers up and down Natalie's back) ...We can do both, if you like...

Natalie: (blushes again) We'll see what happens as we go along - let our hearts guide us, if you will... but with regard to the kiss I planned to sneak up on you and leap into your arms... pressing my lips against yours the moment I fall into your gentle embrace...

Vega: (laughs) Your Spanish Ninja training truly paying off to its most beautiful cause, so to speak?

Natalie: Absolutely... my darling... I...

Almost without thinking, Natalie finds herself drawing her lips closer to Vega's - and he, in turn, cannot help but return the favour. As their lips draw closer they embrace one another, their embrace too deepening by the second.

And just as midnight strikes... the bells of a nearby church ring out, to hail the start of December 1 2000 - the start of the first beautiful Deadeye Month since Vega and Princess Natalie finally met. At the very second when the day begins, the very second when the first bell chimes, Natalie and Vega's lips are about to meet, when...

Guile: ...Deadeye Month is finally here!!

Natalie and Vega turn around only to see Guile here, and so they loosen from their embrace and salute him. The orchestra music heard from within the mansion slowly quietens down, until it ceases.

Natalie: Colonel Guile! What a... surprise!

Guile: (chuckles) I'm happy to see you both, too. I'm certain you were planning to celebrate the start of Deadeye Month together, before calling at the Castle de Maria Isabelle later on to see everybody - but we're all having a party there, we'd be really grateful if you could attend...

Vega: Oh we'd love to! And I assume you won the vote to fetch us?

Guile: Indeed I did, Vega! Oh yes, and there is good news from the jeweller's: they don't yet know when, but the engagement ring will be ready within the week!

Natalie and Vega are delighted at this!

Natalie: Oh how wonderful! Remember, as planned you are only to alert Vega when the ring is ready...

Guile: (salutes) As you wish, dear girl. Oh and don't worry about what to wear for the party... your current attire is suitable enough, considering you wore it when you and Vega first met four months ago!

Vega and Natalie smile in agreement with Guile's words.

Guile: (hand-gestures to Natalie and Vega) Now come on! Let's not keep your adoring fans waiting!

Natalie and Vega: (both salute) YES SIR!!

Natalie and Vega follow Guile out of the mansion grounds. His tank is waiting there for them, and he opens the hatch and slides inside, shutting the hatch behind him, while Natalie and Vega climb atop of the tank and seat themselves there! The lovers hold each other very close, Natalie nestling her head against Vega's shoulder, as the tank starts to roll...

****Shadaloo Palace, Shadaloo****

However... Vega, Natalie and their many friends are blissfully unaware of the dark truth behind what merely seems to be a newfound peace. Shadaloo Palace is now fully prepared... for... well, you know! In-between enjoying such leisures as videogames and the odd brawl here and there, his forces regularly check the palace and its grounds to see the decorations are still in place and to reposition or readjust them if necessary. Not one of them dares to leave the grounds of the palace, not even to cause any slight mischief across the island, enjoy themselves and/or trade at the Black Market, or perhaps to enjoy races and/or survival courses along the river - they are all too preoccupied in readying themselves for... to put it politely, Bison's one final assault!

Albert Wesker and Jenny (nee Jenny de Cerna) are now married - with a cloned daughter, named Kristin. Kristin serves as the appointed leader of the harem girls - and so she too cannot wait to oversee preparing Natalie!

Ryu and Crystal Hoshi are married too, and are too considering talking with Bison about having a cloned offspring before they... try for one.

And the many other evil folks who too were brought back to life? They too are settled in, and preparing for Bison's one final assault. Even Natalie's birth parents the Farrells and her pesky birth brother Tom are settled well, and constantly praising Bison for it all and saying how honoured they are for him to soon join the family!

As for Bison himself, he is relaxing in his quarters. He is wearing his robe and a red hat, and painting an undeniably beautiful picture of Natalie dressed in a long-sleeved red medieval gown complete with her hair styled up. He knows this is only a painting, but he sighs in awe at it, at his subject. Beautiful romantic mood music plays out from his stereo system, too.

Bison: (sighs in awe at his painting of Natalie) ...Hmmmm... so beautiful...

He begins to paint in a beautiful sparkling ruby circlet, bang on Natalie's forehead... when there is a knock on his door...

Bison: (turns his head to face the door; to whomever is behind it) ...Enter!

The door opens, and in enters Sagat.

Sagat: (salutes Bison) Greetings, Your Excellency!

Bison: Oh hello Sagat! What brings you here?

Sagat: Just to let you know, all preparations are complete - but if necessary we'll reposition the decorations... (smiles evilly) ...all we're missing now is... the bride...

Bison shares Sagat's evil smile, in response to... well, what Sagat stated is the only thing missing...

Bison: And oh how I cannot wait for the next five days to pass!

Bison gestures to his painting of Natalie, and Sagat admires it and is impressed...

Bison: So what better way to pass the time than to paint yet another picture of she?

Sagat: Ahhh, how beautiful! I assume it too will only be hung up next Wednesday?

Bison: Absolutely! I just need to put a few finishing touches and sign my name, then it will be ready!

Sagat: Have you chosen a frame colour?

Bison: Yes I have - when you can, instruct the harem girls to bring me a ruby frame!

Sagat: (salutes) As you wish, Your Excellency!

Bison: Oh, and since you're here, you're welcome to use my computer! See what the beautiful Princess Natalie is currently up to, as well as check your Email and the like! And don't forget to print off any necessary information and photos!

Sagat: Sure thing - in fact you'd laugh if I told you what Sephiroth said to Natalie in his latest RP as you...

Recognising Sagat wants to tell him something which would be of interest to he, Bison smiles in this interest.

Bison: Go on...

Sagat: He said... (puts on Bison's voice; smiles evilly) "...It matters not how Dhalsim reprogrammed and saved Blanka... I know another way to... create the perfect genetic soldier..."

Bison bursts into hysterics at this!

Bison: Oh my God that's a good one, I'll have to use it! But as for exactly when I shall say so to Natalie, hmmm I shall have to play it by ear...

Sagat: (speaking in his own voice again; chuckles slightly) I thought you might want to use it. Now let me use the computer, and keep... well, my one remaining eye, on Princess Natalie!

Bison: You get to it, Sagat! I shall finish this beautiful painting!

Sagat approaches and switches on Bison's computer, and waits for it to load. As soon as it loads he begins surfing the net, printing off several photographs and web pages as necessary to Bison, and in-between he enjoys a few rounds of Solitaire.

Bison, of course, continues to work on his beautiful painting of Natalie... and smiles evilly. The sinister aura of his Superconductor Electromagnetism glows, and his eyes crackle wildly.

Bison: (while admiring the painting; as if to Natalie herself) I hope you're still enjoying your... apparent freedom, cara mia... next week, you'll be mine...