Story Mode: Leo

Chapter Four- Fight Four: Emily 'Lili' Rochefort vs. Leo

Leo sat down on top of one of the very old looking walls in the cemetery. Below him a few men were dragging the Japanese girl out of the newly made hole in the ground. He sniffled as the rain came down on his head, he knew he was getting sick but he couldn't help but feel happy. His cheeks were glowing pink making him look as though he was blushing. He wasn't, it was just the mixture of the cold and the thought that he had won the match making his face glow red. He still really couldn't believe how easy the tournament was going for him, it was almost too easy.

The men now carried Asuka towards the beating helicopter off past the cemetery walls. He watched them a minute before looking at the cell phones clock and sighing. His own chopper wouldn't be gracing him for another ten minutes. Ten minutes could feel like an hour in a place like this. His eyes began to narrow once again on every little sound made around him. He could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up as the feeling of fear began to fill his stomach, slowly pushing the non-existent contents into his throat.

Soon, the young man was on his toes throwing rocks and anything else he could get his hand on towards the ground, hitting invisible nothings and poor afraid something's.

---

The helicopter flight had been a long one having to deliver the German lad back to Japan. He couldn't believe how much flip-flopping he might have to go through. One moment he's in Japan, the next he's in England and the following he's back in the land of the rising sun. Oh well, it didn't matter so long as each trip somehow brought him closer to his revenge.

Leo tossed his duffle bag onto the twin bed in the small hotel room he'd been given. He was slightly happy that they hadn't just tossed him into one of those small traveling hotel pods. He'd seen one of those hotels a while back and knew that he'd feel claustrophobic in one. He yawned as he pulled out a white shirt and some underclothing before making his way to the bathroom. All he wanted was a shower so he could get all the undead remains and dirt from his body.

He turned the water on making sure that it was a luke temperature before tossing off his clothing and stepping into the shower, the spray starting to chip away at all the encrusted dirt on his bare body. He groaned as he muscles began to relax, his eyes closed as he washed away the dirt. After washing his hair furiously and getting the soap out of his eyes, he took a moment more to look over the bruises he'd been dealt with so far. He had a few, each one looking ugly with their array colours and shapes. He shuddered before turning the water off and taking a towel to his hair.

He dressed, brushed his teeth and set his alarm clock for two in the afternoon allowing him self five hours of sleep before his next match at three. It wasn't the best amount of sleep but he knew it'd probably be the best he'd get in the course of the tournament.

A moment later his head hit the pillow and the next he was smashing the snooze button on the alarm. He groaned as he kicked the covers off of him. It felt like he'd only gotten a second of sleep. He looked half-eyed at the time and groaned again. Practically falling out of the bed, he lazily pulled on his pants and boots before stuffing a few things back into his bag. He pulled on his jacket and gloves before leaving the hotel room in a mess. A black care was waiting for him out side of the hotel ready to take him to his next match. He knew his opponents name and unfortunately for him, he knew the face as well. When he'd read the name he'd almost fallen off the wall in the cemetery. He never knew that the little spoiled brat from back in the day had become a Tekken fighter. He hoped she didn't remember him.

It took them fifteen minutes for the driver to get Leo to the Noh Theatre. He'd never seen a place so grandly foreign in his life. The whole building roared Asian culture at his face. His blue eyes couldn't help but be blinded by the sheer beauty of the entire area. He walked in dropping his bag into one of the mats as he made his way to the stage. There was still a few minutes before his match was to begin and he wanted to take a good look at the place.

"So, you're the poor soul who has to fight me."

Leo flinched. That voice hadn't changed much in the years he'd last seen this girl. He slowly turned to find the lady Rochefort sizing him up, he faithful butler Winston just a few feet behind her as usual.

"Hmm, you don't look so tough." Lili commented after she felt she'd gotten a good look at Leo.

"I think it'd be easier if you just stop talking now." Leo muttered under his breath as he began to pull up his gloved, "So, you're Emily?" he asked, faking ignorance to her person.

Lili smiled behind her hand, "Yes, I am. Have you heard of me?"

"You could say that."

"Well, I suppose my performance in the last tournament has brought on a few fans like your self." she tossed her hair, "Last time I was beat by that Japanese girl, Asuka Kazama I think it was. Oh, my god, that made me so mad! I couldn't and still can't believe that she beat me." Lili crossed her arms, staring at Leo as if he was meant to reply.

Leo paused a moment before catching on and stuttering a bit, "O-oh, yeah, Asuka? Yeah, she was kinda annoying, I guess…?" he smiled sheepishly before placing his hands behind his head. For some reason he felt like this was going to be an interesting fight. It was obvious that Lili didn't recognize him which meant he could act himself around her and not get into a fight like they had in the past.

"Annoying? That's an understatement!" Lili crossed her arms before looking back at Winston, "It's time, Winston, so if you would please leave."

"Of course, Miss Rochefort." the old man bowed before walking briskly out of the theatre.

Leo heard the match start in his ear and he pulled into his stance watching Lili do the same. He furrowed a brow, he'd never seen anyone stand like that before. He didn't have time to analyze Lili in the short seconds that passed when the match started. The blonde girl was on Leo so fast and so erratic that he had hardly anytime to dodge and block her strange attacks.

Stepping to the side to avoid a kick, so he'd guessed, Leo brought his left fist into Lili's side, making her yelp before back flipping away from him, her boot catching his chin, knocking him back some. It was impossible to keep avoiding her but he couldn't lose to her, not now.

He rubbed his chin as he tried to think quickly what to do about her strange and new fighting style. He'd figured out that her style was almost like ballet mixed with an art he'd never seen before. He knew she moved quickly and fluidly, years of practice. It was an odd style to put him self up against but he needed to get her down.

"Are you just going to stare at me all day or are you going to fight?" Lili asked, beckoning for him to advance.

"Don't flatter your self." Leo answered back before taking her request and advancing on her.

The next thing Leo remembered was ducking back and a loud crack before he sitting up, trying to stop his nose from bleeding, pleading that he could continue the second round. He didn't know how flexible Lili was and knew that it was a problem. She could get a hit in where other's couldn't possible maneuver to.

Leo sat for a moment, stopping the blood running out of his nose. He watched as Lili argued with the man watching their match that Leo couldn't possibly fight and that'd she'd won already. The spoiled little girl was there inside that teenage body. He never thought that Emily Rochefort would become a fighter. Was this still the girl who used to all him an idiot whenever he played rough in the park? The little girl who'd cry when someone would get her dirty? He had to admit, he was impressed and confused by how much she'd grown.

"Well, if you're going to fight, get up and fight." Lili said after she gave up arguing with the man.

Leo slowly stood, tossing the napkins aside, his nose still running full stream. He knew it was probably broken but he couldn't let that get in his way. "I'm impressed." was all he said before sliding into his stance.

"Well of course you ar-Ah!" Lili yelped when Leo punched her in the stomach, the match starting. She toppled backwards, pulling her arms up just in time to attempt blocking his next strong hits.

Leo brought his knee up to her blocking arms from the under part, pushing them up just enough for him to bring the flat of his right hand into her rib cage, knocking the air out of her. Lili wasn't the only flexible one in the room.

All Leo saw was blond hair flying backwards when Lili stepped back from the blow, falling off of the stage and down into the pit. He suddenly felt guilty, not wanting to win another match by accident. He peered over the edge at the girl, laying on his belly, "Lili?" she didn't move, "Are you alrigh-OW!"

Lili suddenly rolled forward kicking Leo in the face, sending him backward on the stage. She hopped back onto the stage and glared down at Leo, "That's what you get for interrupting a lady when she's speak-ah!"

Leo slid up just enough to bring his leg against Lili's ankles, sweeping her off her feet and onto her back. He stood up and brought hid heel down onto her chest, Lili gasping greatly before knocking her self out, her head bouncing off the wooden floor.

Round Two was over but he hadn't won it yet. The stubborn blonde pulled exactly what the once again bleeding Leo had. She could still fight.

Leo had another huge wab of paper napkins against his nose. Lili must really want to break his nose if she hadn't already because she kept kicking him there. He wanted to punch her face in but he couldn't get that close to her. Why hadn't he just finished her off when she'd fallen off the stage? So what if he knew her? So what if he knew why she was trying to win? So what if her dad had lost his job? His parents were dead. His revenge was more greater than her's. He wasn't going to lose to her.

No words were exchanged between the two when they were called to get ready for the final round. He could see it in her eyes, she'd been thinking exactly the same thing he had. She wasn't going to lose to him. Who ever won, the other wouldn't likely see their goal completed. They both knew that the first match lost was followed by a harder opponent in their following match. Almost no one ever won their run-up match after they lost their first. Leo did not want to be put in that situation.

The tension was deep between the two fighters. It was an air of pure determination. Neither wanted to lose and neither wanted to go home empty handed. Their dreams and their goals were riding on this final round. Leo knew all this but why was it that he didn't feel right?

The match started and all Leo could do was block Lili's attacks. He could only see her eyes, the pain in them. He remembered her father, how nice he was. He'd raised Lili by himself, an impressive feat in anyone's eyes. He was a good man.

Damn It.

Leo couldn't believe what he'd done. It seemed to make sense at the moment he did it but now as he sat looking at the name of his next match, his run-up round, he cursed him self. Why the hell did he throw the match for a stupid spoiled brat who was jumping up and down rubbing it in his face? No, he had motive.

"Lili, you better win. And if you don't and I somehow beat the monster I'm up against next, I'll get your fathers job back for you."

Lili stopped celebrating. She looked confusedly at Leo before looking back at Winston who merely shrugged, "How do you know about that?"

Leo froze. That's right, technically he wasn't supposed to know anything about her if he'd never met her before. He began to stutter before finally getting out, "I read your file!" What a terrible excuse.

"You read my file?" she raised a brow, "Right, thanks, I guess." She shrugged it off before walking towards the German who was getting his nose tapped down. Thankfully, it wasn't broken, "Where are you headed?"

Leo opened his phone again, "Two days from now...America."

Lili smiled, "Oh yeah? If I win my next match, that's where I'll be headed!"

Leo blinked, "How do you know?"

Lili smirked, "Don't tell me that you didn't know you could look at the roster by pushing star seven? Oh, Leo, you're silly!" she winked before tossing her hair back, "I plan to see you there. Bye-bye." she flicked a wave before walking out of the theatre, Winston following her nodding to Leo as he passed.

Leo couldn't help but smile. Lili wasn't as bad as she had been in the past, he could even befriend her if she hadn't tried to break his face. Leo turned back towards the paramedic who was scolding him in rapid tuned him out as he thought of the name in his phone; Bryan Furry. It sent chills down his neck.

On his way back to his apartment, Leo's curiosity got the best of him. He pulled his cell phone out and pressed star seven. Just as Lili had said, the roster popped up, showing who was fighting who and who would fight who if they won their fights. Lili was going to fight someone named Ganryu, afterwards she'd fight Anna Williams who'd fight her if she lost or won against Brian Furry. He nodded at that name; Anna Williams was Kazuya's bodyguard. She'd know where he was.

Bored by the drive, Leo also looked at other fighters names. Asuka was currently fighting someone named Craig Marduk. That American Paul Phoenix was fighting a Roger Jr. while his friend Marshall Law would be meeting a Yoshimitsu in the morning. The man from before, Steve Fox would be fighting Nina Williams. She was Jin's bodyguard. Lili would love to meet her.

Leo yawned some and curiously wondered who he'd fight if he actually beat Bryan. He scanned the roster and furrowed his brows at the name he came to. He couldn't even pronounce it. He clicked the name and his file came up. In the back of his head he realized his excuse of reading Lili's file might not have been so far fetched after all. Looking at this man's file, he noted that he was a Taekwondo fighter. He shrugged and closed his eyes as the car drove on towards the hotel next to the airport. All the while he tried to pronounce the name, each time failing.

Hwoarang.

-Chapter Five - Fight Five: Leo Vs. Bryan Furry-

Leo and Lili sat next to each other on a large piece of highway as they watched their future opponents fight each other. They didn't do much, Anna more dodging Bryan than actually attacking him.

Just then, out of no where they turned to their right as a yell echoed, "STOP RUNNING!"

Leo saw Nina Williams hop down from a cliff and land easily on her feet. On the cliff above her stood that man, Steve Fox.

"You've got to be kidding me."

Leo turned and saw Anna and Bryan both staring at Nina. Anna's arms were crossed as if she was annoyed but the look on Bryan's face scared Leo. He was...smiling.