Topic: Blue
Genre: Action
Canon: Yes
Rating: PG-13
Length: Um, 2,970.  That 1,000 cap was just a loose guideline, right?
Special Requirements: Your choice.

1)Write about a character feeling blue.

2)Write a scene that mentions at least six blue items.

In any case, you may not use the word blue.

Tease:  The wolf is generally a docile animal with a strong aversion to fighting.  If cornered or threatened, however, it will attack.  Savagely.

'attack'

The brief rain that afternoon had dropped off, but the sky was still veiled in clouds and the air cool and damp, the streets quiet.  There would be no proper sunset that evening, no chance for the new cherry blossom petals to bathe in its mellow gold light.  Many of them had been stripped from their branches by the short downpour anyway, and lay plastered to the concrete or floating sadly on the puddles of rainwater.  Every droplet that shook loose from the flowered boughs landed soft as a whisper, carrying easily through the still park to Li's ears.

Does anything, he wondered, ever good happen to me in this park?

He wasn't moving, no one was.  Not the two men blocking his path, or the one lurking just out of range somewhere behind him.  Older than he was but not very, indeterminate race, and a very predatory glitter in their eyes as they looked him over.  Alert but unafraid, Li met them stare for stare and spoke first.

"You're in my way," he said evenly.  "Do you mind?"  A whisper of sound behind him told him the third man was getting closer, and he fingered the tiny object in his hand. 

"Not at all," the one on the right answered.  Something clicked loudly behind Li and he stiffened in recognition, and the first man smiled. 

"I'll take that sword now," he prompted, extending his hand and looking right at the amulet in Li's.  So he knew.  And with a gun pointed at the back of his head, Li wasn't in any position to argue.

Reluctantly he tossed his precious weapon to the waiting hand, and at a gesture dropped his things.  His umbrella he let fall just on top of his left foot, with the bookbag dumped on the ground in front of it to conceal that. 

"So did you come for my sword, or me?"

The man fondled his sword amulet and then slipped it in his pocket, before he flashed him a mirthless smile. 

"One thing at a time, Li Syaoran.  Right now, why don't you just get down on your knees?  And keep your hands on your head."

Li nodded compliantly, eyes flicking to the flat sheen of the puddle to his right.  He could just see the other one's hand against the evening sky. 

"Okay.  Just… don't hurt me."

The one on the left snorted, and Li slid his right foot back and bent his knees, as if to follow his instructions.  Then he shifted his weight and whipped around, the umbrella handle neatly hooked around his shoe, catching the gun and knocking it cleanly out of the third man's grip.  Both gun and umbrella clattered to the wet pavement, and Li spun around with the force of his momentum and threw a back kick at his solar plexus.  But his attacker was too quick for him and dodged it, then jumped in with a cruel jab to the face before Li had a chance to block it.  The sharp blow almost knocked him over, in his moment of imbalance, but he recovered and stayed upright.  When the stronger follow-through punch came he was ready, and snatched the wrist and yanked.  His attacker hit the ground hard, a little stunned but not out for the count.  Too late Li realized he'd landed within reach of his dropped gun.  Before he could put a hand on it Li threw himself across the sidewalk and dropped into a skid, kicking his umbrella straight into the gun and shooting the gun right off the edge of the walk.  It landed with a satisfying splash in the flowing creek.

Li rolled over the walk in a graceful somersault, picking up his umbrella along the way, and rose warily to his feet. 

"I'll take my sword back now."

"Come and get it," the first man challenged.

Grinning broadly, his friend stepped forward and shrugged off his big coat, letting it fall to the sidewalk.  Underneath he was wearing a long chain looped twice over his shoulder, kama dangling from one end. 

Li swallowed a groan and took a step back, watching as the man started swinging his blade around in small and lazy circles. 

"You really don't want to do this," he promised.

"You really shouldn't have thrown away the gun." 

He advanced and Li took another cautious step back, the orbiting kama's range growing longer as the man let out more chain.  He shot a contemptuous look at the navy umbrella in Li's hands, his only defense, and Li gripped it more tightly.

"What do you want?"

"We'll get to that."

He attacked. 

The hooked blade hurtled toward his face at incredible speed and Li barely evaded it, feeling the breeze lift his bangs as it shot past.  At a yank on the chain it swung back in a tight arc and Li just managed to brace his umbrella across its path, shielding his face.  Before he could do anything more a sharp tug snatched the umbrella from his grasp.  It flew across the sidewalk and hit the railing, landing not far from the waking gunman.  His opponent twisted sharply and brought the chain around in one large loop, aiming expertly for Li's head.

Li didn't have time to do anything more than glance longingly at his only weapon before he dropped to the ground and rolled underneath the swooping kama.  Instinctively he sprinted for the nearest cover and disappeared behind the great penguin slide, right before the sharp hook slashed at the fiberglass material.

"You're hiding?" Kama laughed, chain clinking slightly as he gathered it up again.  "So much for the vaunted Li family."

The lamps flickered on, brightening the dusky park and signaling twilight.  Li had long since ceased to feel the chill; panting, he eyed the shadows made from the pale yellow light and edged closer to the center of the big slide. 

Knowing perfectly well that his target was unarmed, the older man circled around to the back of the penguin, kama swinging ready in one hand.  But there was no one there.  Li could hear his surprised and thoughtful grunt and plastered himself against the interior of the penguin.  Bent over double and ignoring his cramping muscles, he crept noiselessly to the opposite archway and sprang to attack.

"Behind you!"

Kama whirled around and just managed to evade Li's kick to the base of his spine, taking it on his waist as he turned.  Li ducked to avoid his swinging blade and then shot his left leg out in the opposite direction, nailing Gun right in the solar plexus.  He barely turned his head in time to avoid a heavy blow, but he didn't have enough time to dodge Kama's reverse swing completely.  As it was, the blunt end smacked him painfully just above the ear and he stumbled.

The world swam a bit, and desperately he blinked to clear his vision.  Sensing the next attack, he whipped around with his arm raised to block Gun's next jab, then slammed his shin just behind Gun's knee.  The man buckled, and then the lethal point of the kama was almost on him.  Li barely twisted out of its path and tried to step away, only to realize that this time Kama had not been aiming for his face.  An expert flick of the wrist brought the chain around Li's neck and the heavy blade swung back, stabbing deep into the penguin's side and holding fast.

"Gotcha," Kama declared, and gave a casual tug on the chain that tightened Li's noose cruelly, forcing him to gasp for air.  Reflexively he clutched at the chain holding him prisoner, but this only prompted Kama to pull harder and Li could see a dark fog creeping into his vision.

He couldn't engage in a tug-of-war with the one holding the weapon; in this position he'd never win.  Before he could black out completely, Li's hands slid lightly up the chain and past his neck, turning as much as he could in spite of the corresponding pressure at his throat.  He could no longer breathe, it had to be now.  Closing his fists around the chain in preparation, he swung his right leg up in a straight-legged rising kick, knocking the little scythe right out of the penguin.  He whipped around in a sharp circle at the same time, gratefully gulping a lungful of air as the chain unwound from his neck but not letting go of it.  Instead he swung the kama right at Gun's temple, blunt end, and achieved a satisfying dull smack.  He dropped to the earth, unconscious.

Aghast, Kama pulled hard to reclaim his weapon, but Li neither let go nor dug his heels in to resist.  Instead he closed the distance between them in one light skipping motion and threw his right arm out, draping a length of the chain around Kama's head.  His attacker reacted too late and tried to untangle himself, but Li jerked both arms back and pulled his head forward and down.  There his knee met Kama's chin, and he too fell to the ground.

Head throbbing, Li took a moment to drag his sleeve across his forehead and mop up as much sweat as he could.  He ignored the tangled weapon at his feet and stepped slowly and carefully back out onto the sidewalk, eyeing the last of the three.  If bearing was anything to go by he was team leader, and there was nothing fearful about his expression as he watched Li approach.  If anything, his look was calculating.

"Not bad," he appraised.  "Not bad at all.  You really are a son of the Li clan."

"My sword," Li prompted tersely, and the response was only a shake of the head.  Then he too shed his jacket, and lovingly withdrew a slim silver dagger from its sheath on his hip.  Li exhaled in frustration and raked his bangs back from his face.

"What is this, a weapons expo?"

"We all have our pet favorites."

"And who's 'we'?"

"In due time."

Knife raised in a casual guard, he advanced.  Li backed up to where his umbrella had fallen and kicked it up from the ground, never dropping his gaze.  A cold breeze smelling of more rain blew, whisking his bangs off his sticky forehead, and Knife attacked.  Blade flashing like quicksilver in the meager light, he slashed and Li jabbed hard with the umbrella tip, forcing him back.  It was impossible to fight someone with a knife and not get cut, he remembered his teacher often lecturing.  The only defense was to keep them at bay; a knife was no good unless they were close enough to use it. 

Again Knife darted forward.  Li deflected the strike away from his body and kicked, pushing Knife clear and then thrusting the tip at his vulnerable throat.  Somehow Knife managed to bring his arm up and knock it to the side, though, and rotated into the motion with his dagger sweeping around to Li's face.  Li snapped his umbrella across his body and just managed to block the deadly attack, pushing up and out and quickly retreating.  He wasn't fast enough, though.  Knife managed to recover control and swiped again, just as Li backed out of range, and caught his left forearm.  Instantly a line of scarlet blossomed across the tear in his high school jacket, and the searing pain made him grit his teeth.

Impossible not to get cut.

Knife grunted in satisfaction and adjusted the grip on his dagger with a smirk.  "Ready to come quietly yet?"

"What do you want with me?"

"Secret."

He closed in on Li with several rapid slashes and Li backed up, desperately blocking and parrying.  His arm hurt to move and he could hear the rip every time the knife cut the material; his only defense was being reduced to ribbons.  The spine smacked against Knife's wrist and he jerked it down and to the right, hooking his wrist with the handle.  Before he could free himself, Li threw a vicious punch at his jaw that sent him stumbling backward.

Knife shook his head, blinking, and Li flexed his fingers with a wince.  The abrupt motion had not been kind to his wounded arm and now the blood was flowing faster.  Both hung back for a moment to recover, glaring silently at one another.

The tense silence was broken by an incongruous and perky beeping.  Li transferred the umbrella to his left hand and, without taking his eyes off the other, withdrew his phone from his jacket pocket.

"Yeah?" he panted.  "Oh, hi.  No, I'm fine."  He held the mouthpiece away so she wouldn't hear his ragged breathing.  "Strange feeling," he repeated neutrally, "might be something dangerous around?"

Around him the park was absolutely still, waiting.

"Sure, I'll keep an eye out.  Of course I'll be careful.  Uh-huh.  See you tomorrow.  Bye."

He pressed the End button, and caught his opponent smirking at the shell-pink phone with its dangling charm.

"Cute phone."

"My girlfriend's favorite color," Li said coolly, and slipped it back in his pocket.

"Can we get on with this?"

"Your move."

For the fourth time he attacked and Li retreated before the relentless assault, ignoring the furious pain in his arm as he deflected and blocked every strike.  Another breeze tossed the branches above him and loose sakura petals rained over them both, obscuring his vision.  He tripped and stumbled on a tree root, frantically swinging to parry Knife's next thrust and regain his balance at the same time.  In his brief distraction he acted without thinking, and too late he realized he'd followed the dagger too far out, into a trap.  A hand struck ruthlessly on his bleeding wound in the next second and Li's hand opened automatically, a reflex borne of pain.  The umbrella dropped to the ground and Li knew he was about to follow it.

With the tree trunk just behind him there was no more room to retreat, no way he could move to either side fast enough.  Trapped and watching the dagger reverse its path back to his face, he did the only thing he could think of and jabbed his elbow into Knife's stomach.  It was a sloppy counterattack, but one made strong from desperation and it was enough to make his opponent lean in, gasping for air.  Li grasped his right wrist and yanked hard, steering him directly into the cherry tree behind them, and slammed his forehead into the bark.  Not about to let go just yet, Li laced his arm around Knife's elbow and jerked on his wrist.  The resounding snap was followed by a startled yelp of pain, and before he could recover Li snatched his other wrist and twisted.  The knife fell neatly into his own hand and Li spun his attacker around to face him, bending his hand mercilessly into an unnatural position.  His arm ached but he kept up the pressure, readjusting his grip on the hilt.  It was an exquisite weapon, he noticed; the elegant silver hilt was studded with sapphires and glittered even in the thick dusk.

"Nice knife.  Wanna trade?"

He stabbed at the uninjured hand and Knife flinched, but Li had only driven the point through his sleeve and into the trunk.  With the other wrist broken it would be impossible to free himself, and he watched Li retrieve his sword amulet from his pocket, unable to do a thing about it.

"Damn," he wheezed, "you really are good.  Better than he thought, even."

"I'll ask one more time.  Who are you?  What do you want?"

"We represent an invitation, Li Syaoran.  The head of our organization has been watching you for some while now, he thinks you have real potential.  He'd like to recruit you."

"Not interested."

"It's a very elite organization, you understand, some of the finest assassins in Asia.  It's an honor to be asked to join, especially for a teenager like yourself."

"I said no thanks," Li snapped, and Knife shook his head.

"He doesn't like the answer no."

"Well then 'he' can come and ask me himself, and I'll break one of his bones too.  Tell him I said that."

With the fading adrenaline Li was becoming more aware of his injuries, both his head and his arm, and the general soreness in his muscles after such an unexpected workout.  He backed away.

"You sure you want to pass this up?  You'll be missing the chance to follow in your father's footsteps."

Li stiffened, took one look at Knife's smug and knowing smile, and smashed his fist into his face.  His head hit the trunk hard and then dropped to one side, and he sagged unconscious until the sleeve tore from his weight and he fell.  Li was already limping back to the sidewalk by then, and collapsed next to his bookbag with an exhausted groan.

His school shirt and jacket were ruined, no question.  Carefully he peeled off the latter and rolled up his bloodied shirt sleeve, then tugged off his tie to use as an impromptu tourniquet.

"I'm," he sighed, "not having a good day.  But I guess you'd know about that."

The penguin stared at him silently, its surface cracked and punctured, the ragged wounds easily visible even in the growing darkness.  The penguin always got the worst of it.

A drop landed on his nose; rain threatened and his shredded umbrella wasn't going to offer a lot of protection.  Wearily he stood up and slung his bag over his shoulder, almost stumbling again with the effort.

"Get ready," he advised the beleaguered slide.  "I think they'll be coming back."

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Disclaimer: I do not own these characters

Blue items:

-  sky

-  creek

-  umbrella

-  penguin slide

-  Seijou jacket

-  sapphires

So, yeah.  Nobody ever writes action scenes for the challenge, and now I know why.  Talk about too much work!  There's absolutely nothing in L's challenge that lends itself to this idea and, quite frankly, I got no idea where it came from.  But a muse is a muse, you know.  Besides, I just love Kick-Ass! Li, and we don't get to see him nearly often enough.

It may look like it, but I don't intend to continue this.  There's a vague idea for a full-length story lurking there somewhere, but I've got enough on my plate as it is.  As far as Li-centric scenes go, I'm more or less satisfied with this.  Never mentioned anyone's name but his, and the enemies are his and NOT Sakura's.  World doesn't revolve around her, after all.