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Dead or Alive

Chapter 7: The Damsel in Distress?

Lei-Fang walked down the limestone pathway of the large university. She was as usual paying more attention to the trees and beautiful shrubbery of the campus than that of a female classmate who was walking beside her. The girl was going on and on about something to do with trigonometry. Lei-Fang could have really cared less.

"Look," Lei-Fang turned to face the girl. "I'm sorry you don't get it. I'm still not giving you the answers. If my schedule permits I will be more than happy to help you in anyway possible. Understand?" The girl simply nodded.

As Lei-Fang exited the campus gates she shook her head sighing. The girl hadn't been the first. Plenty of well intentioned, but slightly misguided students looked to her for help. Could she help it that she was just smarter than most people?

It wasn't even that she minded helping people. It was just tiring and most people only wanted answers. "It's too bad you can't teach people to be smart," she said to herself. Before long she was wandering down a shopping district, pausing every so often to window-shop some expensive Chinese dress or a new book she was interested in. It wasn't until the sky was orange and the sun was low that she took notice of the time.

"Oh no I did it again! Mother's going to kill me." It wasn't the first time Lei-Fang had whittled away the day window shopping and lost track of time. She was a girl after all, or at least that was her excuse. "I'd better hurry." Gripping the strap of her book-bag she took off at a run, cutting through a small alley in a desperate attempt to save time."Where ya goin little missy?" The man was huge and quick, as he nearly made Lei-Fang run right into him as he blocked her path in the alley. His shirt was barely able to contain his muscular form. He was covered in various tattoos none of which looked very pleasant or appealing to Lei-Fang.

"Oh I'm sorry. Please forgive me, I'm in a real hurry." Lei-Fang gave a quick bow and went to move around the man, but he put his hand out to block her path.

"Sorry but you've got to pay the fee."

"What?" she raised an eyebrow up at the man. He was licking his lip-ring.

"I said you gotta pay the fee."

"Oh I don't have time for this." Lei-Fang stepped back a few feet and sat her bag down against the cold brick wall of the alley. She put a leg straight out against the wall, and leaned forward touching her toes stretching. "Let me guess you want me to give you all my money or something or you plan on raping me, ew, pervert. Then you'd say you'll do such and such to my family and friends if I told blah blah blah. Et cetera et cetera." She switched legs. When she did so she could see two more men emerging behind her down the other side of the alley. "Oh great you brought friends. Gee, I suppose a big man like yourself couldn't handle one little girl on her own huh?"

"You little bitch." The man reached to the nearby wall and ripped a pipe from it. Water came gushing out of the open hole. "I was gonna let you off easy by just having some "fun" with ya, but when I'm done with ya now no one's gonna wanna look at your deformed body. Shame too such a cute little thing."

"Aww thanks. No really I mean it." Lei Fang pulled her foot down from the wall and faced the man. Planting her back foot firmly she began to sway her arms oddly. "Now I really am in a hurry so let's make this quick ok?"

It was at this point Lei-Fang became very confused very quickly. What she thought was going to be a man attacking her with a large steel pipe became a man who's face was having a very intimate moment with the nearby wall. This was most likely caused, she deduced, by the foot planted firmly in the back of it. What was even more peculiar was the high pitched wail that accompanied it, which sounded something like a cross between a scream and an injured animal.

She was so stunned that she couldn't turn to watch the figure dash past her into the alley. A few more injured animal sounds later the newly appeared man walked up behind her. Lei-Fang was still frozen, her arms up at an odd angle where they had been swaying.

"Are you ok?" The man was holding out her bag. Lei-Fang blinked a few times. "Hello? Are you alright?" Lei-Fang snapped back into reality and put her arms down. She looked the young man up and down, from his purple jumpsuit with its gold trim to his short spiked hair.

"What did you just do?" she asked.

"I uh...saved you?" the boy was slightly taken aback by her comment and it showed on his face.

"Why?"

"What?"

"That's what I asked!" Lei-Fang looked flustered at this point.

"I'm confused. Oh you're one of those "special" girls? Where do you need to go?" The young man began talking as if to a child. "Can I help you walk somewhere? It is not safe here. We should go. Heh, thugs these days picking on the mentally challenged."

"I am not mentally challenged! I was just in a bit of shock because you come screaming in here like some kind of uh, bird, bird thing, a bird thing that sings, loudly and annoyingly!" Lei-Fang was fuming and began to ramble. How dare someone call her mentally challenged. How dare someone think she needed saving of all people. How dare someone who did these things look so darn cute. How dare she think that. "A squirrel. You make a sound like a squirrel."

"I was unaware squirrels made sounds like that...either way it is apparent you are fine so I'll be leaving now." The boy flicked his nose with his thumb and turned to walk away.

"Wait just one gosh darn minute will you!" She stormed after him. "Fight me!"

"What?"

"I don't need someone to rescue me. I can take care of myself. Let me show you. Fight me." Lei-Fang looked up at him sternly.

"First of all you're crazy. Secondly a "thank you" would have sufficed. And third I don't fight women."

"Fine. Thank you. Now don't worry just think of me as a man. Now fight me." Lei-Fang stepped back and put her bag down..

"A man with breast?"

Lei-Fang blushed heavily at this. "Yes...yes a man with breast."

"Go home would you?" The young man was becoming impatient. Lei-Fang looked at her watch.

"Oh shoot I do have to get home. Dammit!" She picked up her bag quickly. "Quick what is your name?"

"No."

"Tell me hurry. Please, please, please, please."

"Jann Lee."

"Good. Jann Lee I will beat you one day mark my words. But for now you've escaped as I am very late." Lei-Fang turned with this and sprinted away full speed down the street. Jann Lee watched her run until she was out of sight.

"Escaped?"

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The moonlight illuminated the two men standing atop the high plateau over looking the Mugen Tenshin village. Hayate now seventeen, stood the same height as his father. Shiden stared at his son with affection and pride.

"Hayate. Tonight you will inherit the final art I have left to teach you. It will be your last lesson. It is an art passed on only from father to son in the Mugen Tenshin clan. I will teach it to you now, as you will one day teach it to your children. Are you prepared?"

Hayate bowed slightly. "I have been preparing for months father. I am prepared."

"Good. When we have finished you will tear the sky asunder and bring lightning from the heavens. I have faith in you my son. Let us begin."

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"Victor I really don't know about this." Fame said wearily. His neck felt like lead from the late nights and the dimly lit hallways of the DOATEC headquarters was giving him a massive headache. Donovan walked beside him, collected as ever. Donovan grinned as they reached the elevator.

"The board has already approved-"

"I don't care about the board Victor. I don't think this is a good idea."

"Look at it like this. It's all for the people. We'll have an international headquarters in the United States. It will be the largest building ever constructed. It will be a shining beacon of hope for people. With the majority of our funds going into our new genetics research we'll reach new heights in genetic engineering and it will bring us that," he showed a space between his fingers for emphasis, "much closer to curing all those incurable diseases. That is what you want isn't it Fame?"

"Yes but...I don't know what Maria will say. And what is this about having a coliseum built at the base of the tower?"

"Don't you worry about that, just a little side venture I have going. Nothing to be concerned with. Now go home and make love to your wife and forget all about this."

"You mean go home to screaming and to stare at the back of a head for hours upon hours?" Fame sighed.

"Surely it's not that bad?" Donovan's voice was laced with insincerity.

"I just can't hide all the women from her. I don't mean to hurt her...she just...she doesn't understand, she won't reason. What's worse is she's gotten to Helena. My own daughter and wife against me in everything. It's unbearable."

"I understand. I'm sure it will all work out. It'll all work out..." Donovan trailed off and neither of them said another word to each other the rest of the night.