Match 1-2: The Triple Dragons vs. Project Justice
Author's Notes: I shouldn't have to tell you guys what everyone here ought to know by either experience or common sense: please don't put any story spoilers in the reviews. It ruins the story for prospective readers and I'm saying it now because it's grown to a rather ridiculous level. If you do want to say something in-depth about the story, please e-mail me directly. Thanks for your cooperation. On a happier note, I've uploaded some soundtracks to the website. As always, you can find the link in the author's profile page. "And Worlds Collide" is the theme song of the World Collision tournament, one that I hope captures the true spirit of the story in auditory form.
Chambord, France
One day has passed
"This place is absolutely beautiful!" Yin Lee gushed. She and her brothers gazed upwards at the immense and beautiful chateaux that had been chosen as the battleground. Chambord was a fairy-tale palace if one ever existed. It was constructed squarely on the banks of a crystal-clear and surprisingly placid stretch of the Loire River, a three-story building replete with circular turrets and towers. A massive stone and marble courtyard served as a pier jutting right into the river proper. This was the marked battleground. It was high noon and the old palace glistened in the warmth of the sun. Privately Yun wondered how Marin had managed to requisition a tourist attraction like this as a site for the tournament. Rumor had it that the Project Justice team packed a great deal of destructive firepower.
Yun scanned the environs with a practiced eye. "Looks like a better battleground than that garbage dump the Neo Commando Squad had to fight in. Well, shall we?" Without waiting for a reply, Yun sat down and began to stretch.
From the other side of the battlefield, Edgar fixed his gaze on the opposing team. "Hmph. The Triple Dragons. Dragons are invariably associated with gangs. They even had a village handed to them by the crime kingpin Gill. Even more damning evidence comes from the fact that their godfathers are the eight crime lords of the Chinese mafia. The verdict: Guilty! We must purge the world of scum of their type!" Edgar raised a fist to the sky and posed magnificently.
Behind Edgar, Chan and Kikoken glanced at each other before simultaneously facefaulting. "You think Edgar is taking his obsession with justice a little too far?" Chan asked worriedly.
Kikoken sighed. "We both should've known better than to team up with him, Chan."
"Well, let's begin," Chan replied. They met the other team at the center of the battleground; Yun winked at Chan, who simply responded with an icy glare.
"Triple Dragons, name your tactical leader," Jedah ordered.
"Yours truly," Yun replied, raising a hand.
"Project Justice, name your tactical leader," Gill boomed.
"Me, of course." Edgar nodded at Gill. The seraph noted the entry, then he and Jedah and the remaining contestants backed away until they were standing outside the marked battlefield. Edgar fixed a cold gaze on Yun. "Yun ... I'll only say this once. You're walking the wrong path. But don't worry, I'll set you back on the straight and narrow, sinner."
"And what would you know of that?"
"I'll give you to the count of three to reform before I do it for you."
"One ... two ... two-and-a-half ... two-and-three-quarters ..."
He was cut off when the impossibly bright light shimmered around both of them for an instant, and then Marin called, "Begin!"
Yun rushed forward, throwing off a powerful punch. Edgar also rushed, but it was to the side. As Yun passed by, Edgar pulled him along his line of motion, hard. Yun quickly lost his balance and landed heavily on the stones. A moment later, Edgar dove after him with an elbow strike, which Yun evaded by rolling to the right. Yun jumped upright; snarling, Edgar went after him with another punch. His snarl turned into a surprised grunt when Yun ducked underneath the attack. From behind his brother, Yang exploded up from a crouch and slashed his arm forward, catching Edgar solidly under the chin with a heavy strike. As the ninja master reeled backwards, Yun followed up on his brother's attack with a powerful Tiger Palm Strike, pressing his hands together and forming a small air current that struck Edgar at point-blank range. The leader of Project Justice staggered backwards in a most ungraceful manner; Yun and Yang shared high-fives before the latter disappeared. They'd just drawn first blood.
"It looks like Edgar's lost his initial advantage," Alia noted. "Jin, Kyosuke, what do you two make of this fight?"
"On paper, the Project Justice team ought to be a sure win," Kyosuke said. "Project Justice has most of the advantages in terms of experience, skill, and sheer power. But fights occur on the battlefield, not on paper. So far we're seeing zero teamwork amongst Project Justice, while the Triple Dragons seem to be handling themselves very well as far as the fight goes. Normally no one would give the Triple Dragons a serious chance, but we may see some surprising results considering how much the rules favor a tightly knit team."
"Kyosuke is correct," Jin added. "Teamwork is very important to this match - for those of you just joining us, we saw exactly how important it was in our previous battle - and this is no different. Edgar can take Yun in a one-on-one match, but with his brother backing him up it's an entirely different story. Oh, look - Edgar just nailed Yun with a star. He's gonna switch out now. Here comes Yang. Well, what do you know - that's Chan's first appearance as a striker assist. The match is still too early to call, though, but the smart money is on Project Justice. Back to you, Alia."
"Thank you, Jin." Alia consulted her internal chronometer. "Hello everybody, if you're just joining us, welcome to the World Collision Tournament coverage where a fast and furious battle is already underway. Let's take a look."
Edgar stepped close to Yang, aiming a swift punch at the younger fighter. Yang avoided this attack by rolling along the ground; when Edgar overshot the strike, Yang quickly rebounded behind him and unfurled an almost vertical kick, stunning Edgar and knocking him forward a few paces. The ninja master recovered, but there was now a wariness in his step that hadn't been present at the beginning of the match. Yang and Edgar closed in again; this time, Edgar landed a pair of solid punches at the cost of a kick into the chest. Yang jumped high when Edgar tried to sweep him; as Edgar's leg scraped across the stones, Yang landed lightly behind his opponent. Edgar deflected a retaliatory kick but was nailed from behind by an arm slash from Yin.
He coughed up blood; Edgar wiped his arm across his mouth, flinging away a few droplets of blood in the process. "Seems like Yin struck him directly in the kidneys," Jin noted. "Edgar has to begin relying on his teammates - wait, there he goes. He's tagged out, Chan's in." Now watch the magic, Jin thought to himself.
Hoping to catch the new arrival off guard, Yang raced forward and threw another Mantis Slash. Chan blocked this attack; a moment later, a powerful wind sprang up out of nowhere and forced Yang back. As he struggled to maintain his balance, Chan flung a wind slash off her arm at Yang, at the same time calling in Kikoken for an assist. Yang jumped over both attacks, but he miscalculated Chan's reaction; the moment he left the ground, the wind instantly shifted and blew him towards her. Chan intercepted him in midair with a Gale High Kick, her heel impacting solidly into his stomach. The flurry blue dragon landed with a gasp, all of the fight temporarily knocked out of him. Nor was Chan adverse to using her advantage; the only warning Yang had was an ominous screech before a massive wall of razor-sharp air burst up all around him. He blocked the attack; Chan, intent on taking the fight home, failed to notice Yin's arrival and promptly took a Lightning Slash into her chin.
"Poor Yang is really getting hammered here," Kyosuke observed. "Still, although beaten, he's definitely not out of the picture yet. Jin, what's your opinion?"
"Any experienced fighter will tell you that this match is still dead even despite the way it's been developing," Jin replied. "Chan's great weakness is that she relies far too much upon her power. She's using Kikoken as a striker, but as Q could tell you, Kikoken makes a very poor striker since she only has a single, easily evaded assist. Notice that Yang and Yin are starting to close in on Chan. Once he gets in point-blank range, I'm afraid Chan won't have much of a chance."
As Jin finished elaborating, Chan threw another Wind Slash off her arm. Yang, who had anticipated the attack, leaped over it and launched a flying kick at Chan. When Chan failed to block it in time, Yang's heel connected with her cheek and in a moment he was laying into her with everthing he had. He knocked her into the air with a knee strike, then leapt up after her and called Yin in the same motion. "Amazing!" Alia noted. "A seven-hit air combo! Chan's going to have the imprint of a foot in her cheek after this one."
Yang landed softly upon the ground and rushed forward, intent on cornering Chan. He launched a vicious ax kick, aiming squarely for her exposed stomach. All he struck was cobbled stone as Chan blurred into a gust of wind and reappeared ten meters away. Yang grunted; he'd hit the stone way too hard and the impact of the attack sent pain lancing through his right leg. Kikoken leapt into the battlefield for her assist. Yang's eyes narrowed, studying the situation; he rolled aside, simultaneously calling Yin. Chan managed to block Yin's attack, but as she attempted to track Yang the third member of the Dragons also entered. Yun landed a solid rushing punch into Chan's shoulder. Chan went down and Yang charged for another ax kick, intending to put an end to his dangerous opponent ...
... but it didn't connect, thanks to the arrival of Project Justice's auxiliary striker. "Go, Dark Magician!" Edgar cried.
Kyosuke winced in sympathy as Yang disappeared within a massive burst of energy sent forth from the Dark Magician's rod. "That has to hurt. Very interesting reversal situation here, and effective cover fire from Edgar. Had Yang's attack landed, Chan would probably be out of the fight right now. As it is - okay, Yang's switched out with Yin. Chan looks tired, though."
"Yes, and she needs to withdraw now," Jin added. "If she tries to keep fighting in this situation, eventually the Triple Dragons will wear her down to the point where one of them can get in a finishing blow. C'mon, Chan, switch out with Kikoken - ouch, a direct hit from Yin's palm press. She really ought to switch out now; what's keeping her, I wonder? Sheesh, the girl could use a good wake-up punch from Blodia. She's down. Here comes Yin for the finishing strike ..."
Chan crouched on the ground, seemingly spent. She gasped for breath, one knee pressed heavily into the stones and dimly aware that Kikoken was frantically calling to her. Her hooded eyes watched Yin warily. Come on, Yin, take the bait ... you know you want it ... yes! Yin, a bare two meters away, suddenly reared back and flung out an enormous blade of energy. Chan dropped to the ground as the energy blade swept above her, making an ominous scraping sound against the air. The attack had been aimed upwards, so it missed completely. Yin followed with her other hand, intending to bring the blade crashing into Chan.
Instead, Yin found herself the victim of a vicious counterattack as Chan blurred out again. The second attack of the Sourai Shuurai missed as completely as the first. Before she could react or even think, Yin was spun around by Chan. Her mind screamed in denial; how had Chan appeared behind her so quickly?! Yin signaled for an assist, but the signal came even as she was being hoisted into off the ground, the air emitting eerie shrieks around her. Chan lifted Yin high into the air with her right arm. Yin's scream of agony was lost amidst the veritable whirlwind that exploded into life around her, razor-sharp air blades slicing through every exposed surface on her body. The attack lasted only for a single, devastating moment; when it ended, Chan casually threw Yin to one side, the fallen dragon bleeding like a sieve from a thousand cuts on her skin. Yun's assist, arriving way too late, was easily blocked. Gill picked Yin up and carried her off to the waiting medical teams.
"Looks like Chan turned the table quite effectively on the opposing team," Kyosuke noted. "Okay, she's switching out - now it's Kikoken versus Yun. For those of you just joining us, the current match pits the Triple Dragons against Project Justice. One member of the Dragons is already down, but the Dragons are definitely not out of the match yet. What does the current match up look like to you, Jin?"
"It's good to see that Kikoken is finally in action, since she makes a great main fighter. With effective support from her two teammates, she can be downright deadly. I'd say that this match is in Kikoken's favor, since she is a Lian after all. Also, she's somewhat better than Yun in the hand-to-hand combat department. Still, right now Yun is using Yang very effectively as a striker. Let's take a look at the action as it unfolds."
As Jin finished speaking, Yun slipped past Kikoken's defense and launched her into the air with a powerful kick. At that moment he tagged out, calling Yang in; Yang entered with a flying kick that sent Kikoken tumbling backwards head over heels. Kikoken changed herself into liquid form halfway through the fall and splashed harmlessly around the stones before reforming herself. She drew herself into a fighting stance, then beckoned to Yang.
Yang needed no second bidding. He dashed forward; Kikoken slid along the ground, intending to catch him with an ankle kick and chain directly into her Sliding Tackle. The moment she dropped fully to the ground, though, Yang suddenly blurred out in a flash of motion. "Huh? Where'd he ...?"
"Kikoken, watch out!" Chan cried. "He's behind you!"
She whipped around, except Yang streaked again ... this time, directly at her. He moved past in a gust of motion. Kikoken tried to turn around and continue tracking him, but suddenly she felt pain explode into her stomach and she doubled over. From the initial point of impact, a series of painful flares burst underneath her skin as Yang's energy combusted explosively with Kikoken's body. Panting heavily, Kikoken kneeled down and tried to heal herself; blue energy arced along her body and she shook her head clear. Just then a shadow fell over her.
"Sorry, babe," Yun whispered.
"And Kikoken is knocked out by Yun!" Jin announced. "The crowd goes wild! Excellent trap laid by the Dragons there - Kyosuke, I think that the Dragons have just cut Project Justice's advantage down to size. That was really a remarkably quick attack by the twins. Alia, how does it look from your perspective?"
"Well, the Dragons have the initiative right now, and you can see just how hard they're pressing Edgar. It seems as though Edgar has something against using striker assists, but he won't be able to hold up for long under an assault like this. Okay, he's using another one of his cards - Q, what's he doing?"
Q. studied the situation, his voice completely mechanical. "This particular card is the Wall of Mirrors, which blocks any energy-based attack and reflects half of it back to its originator. However, Edgar must also pay a steep cost in life to use the wall. He has two minutes to seize the advantage before the upkeep cost of the wall renders him unconscious." He scrutinized the situation more closely, changing to a ground-based view for a closer look. "The Dragons have few energy-based attacks; however, this card does effectively lock down all of their super techniques and I believe that they realize this as well."
"Thanks for the information, Q. Jin, there's - oh, wait wait wait, look!" Having just blocked an attack from Yun, Edgar shoved him backwards with the Advancing Guard. Yang appeared to cover his brother with an attack, but this move cost both of them dearly as Edgar rolled backwards. Yang's assist whiffed completely; a moment later, Edgar pulled himself upright, something glittering in both sleeves. That was the only warning that the Dragons had before the air was filled with a swarm of angry shuriken directed at both of them. Yang, who was still recovering from his strike, had no chance and was instantly knocked out by the attack, more than two dozen ninja stars stuck all over his body. Yun crouched and managed to avoid the worst of the attack. "Chan, you're in!"
On cue, Chan leapt into the battlefield as Edgar slid out. Yun, picking shuriken out of his clothes, cursed as he was forced to defend and dodge simultaneously. Chan pressed her advantage ruthlessly, using the wind to force Yun into undesirable situations. Whenever Yun tried to gain a solid footing, a violent gust of wind nearly swept him off his feet. He swore as he stepped on a shuriken; realizing that recovery rolling was too risky, he opted to stand his ground. When Chan failed to make any heading against Yun after half a minute, she called for an assist from Edgar instead.
Yang and Kikoken had both regained consciousness by this point and watched from the sidelines. Edgar pulled a card from his deck. "Finally! Seal defense!"
Yun only had the time to mutter a curse before his defense was sealed, preventing him from defending himself. Chan smiled; it was a totally unnerving sight which made Yun's blood run cold. How in the world had he ever found her attractive in the first place? For a moment there was no action as Yun and Chan looked into each other's eyes, both of them well aware that this battle was decided. "Game over, Yun - Glory of the Storm!" Chan lifted her hands high into the air; in response, a hurricane force wind swept over the whole battlefield, slashing mercilessly into Yun with biting gusts. It was all over after a few seconds; Yun collapsed on the cobbled stones, devoid of any movement. Three seconds passed.
"Announcing the winners of Round 1-2 ... Project Justice!"
Osaka, Japan
One hour has passed
"This teleportation business is great, isn't it, Chan?" Kikoken asked with a brilliant smile. The two of them were sitting alone in the Genhanten restaurant across from their hotel, both of them sipping at plastic cups filled with honeyed bubble tea. They had since changed out of battle outfits into casual wear for Chan and a blouse with skirt for Kikoken. Marin had made arrangements so that the teams could be teleported anywhere in a moment's notice; they'd just returned from France ten minutes ago. As Kikoken bubbled on excitedly about the latest events, Chan glanced at the hotel worriedly. Whoever was in charge of the medical team must've been real good - she'd seen Yin walking around without a cut or scab or even a scar half an hour after the match - and the Dragons had returned to the hotel. Unfortunately, Edgar had followed them inside, probably to deliver another lecture on justice and how it -
"Hello? Earth to Chan; you've been like this ever since the battle ended. Is something wrong?" Kikoken waved a hand in front of Chan's face.
"Sorry, Kikoken. I'm just a little preoccupied."
"Oh, with what?"
"Well, I - I don't think I should have done what I did to Yin. I mean, I nearly killed her on the spot. I had my BEAT bodyguard take a sneak peek at the medical records; Yin lost nearly half her total blood supply, Kikoken. I know that I had to knock her out, but ... what I did wasn't justified." She looked at her older friend. "What should I do?"
"Then go tell her if you really feel that way," Kikoken encouraged.
"Yeah ... I should, shouldn't I? Thanks." Chan stood up, disposed of her drink, and walked out of the restaurant. Left to herself, Kikoken stared at nothing in particular. The restaurant was, surprisingly enough, devoid of any other inhabitants besides herself. Mentally Kikoken replayed the battle that she'd just come out of. Was I too careless? Objectively, I am a better fighter than either Yun or Yang alone, but ... they knocked me out. There's something to be learned from this fight. What is it? Kikoken sighed and drained her cup of its contents. After a moment, she idly opened her palm and a sphere of water coalesced into existence. She studied it with a critical eye as it played around her hand. A few years ago, right as she had become a Lian, she'd come across a book written by Zeku. Water is unique in that it is both defensive and aggressive at the same time. Go with the way the water flows and you will encounter no resistance. Yet the harder one pushes, the harder water pushes back. Simultaneously a friend and an enemy - that is the essence of water.
She glanced up as Scott Wagner slipped into the restaurant, clad in a leather jacket and sporting the spectacles common to all members of the American Vigilantes. He indicated the seat next to her. "Mind if I join you here?"
I'd much rather prefer Mason Storm - drop-dead cute Mason - but you'll do for now, Kikoken mused, but she wisely kept the thought to herself and nodded. Scott fell rather than sat into the chair, landing heavily. After exhaling deeply, he turned to face her. "I saw what your team did back in the previous match. I have to say, I was quite impressed. What do you plan to do before the next match comes?"
"Have fun, of course," Kikoken stated. "All fight and no play makes Kikoken a grouchy girl. What about you? Your match is just before my next one - you nervous?"
"Psht, going up against those three pushovers who call themselves the Masters Team? Get real." Kikoken frowned, but Scott winked at her. "Sorry about that - it's just my lefthanded way of saying yes. I'm not exactly thrilled at the thought of facing any of those guys in a real fight." He glanced around the restaurant. "Dang it, I need a drink. My nerves are getting frayed."
"Scott, alcohol is bad for you, you know."
"So is life," Wagner instantly retorted, "which is a sexually-transmitted condition with a one-hundred percent mortality rate." He winked at her and they both chuckled for a moment.
"So how was your childhood?" Kikoken asked.
"My life is a sad, sorry tale," Wagner replied, "I'd much rather hear yours."
"Mine's not any better," Kikoken replied. "Actually ... I have no memory of my life before the age of twelve. My mind is a blank slate where my memories ought to be. My earliest conscious memory is of participating in the Lian ceremonies. If I ever wanted anything, it would be to - look out!" Kikoken suited her own words as she and Scott simultaneously dove to the floor. An angry tranquilizer tore through the space where they had been but a moment before.
"Curses - Shadowlaw commandos!" Scott hurriedly flipped the table over; as it crashed down to the floor with a heavy thud, he rolled it around to barricade himself and Kikoken. More tranquilizer darts ricochetted harmlessly off the wooden tabletop. "They've taken all the entrances! Who the heck sent these goons?" Wagner shouted. "What do they want now?!"
Kikoken was about to answer when a new voice interrupted from above. "Sic 'em, boys!" Blake Wallis called, at the same time dropping to the ground and landing in a crouch alongside Kikoken and Scott. In his other hand he held an elegant and deadly rifle. A new sound had joined the fray, the sound of metallic bullets ringing off any and every available surface. "This is Apache, fire in the hole!" Blake tossed a grenade over the table, then pulled Kikoken and Scott down to the ground with him. There was a massive burst of light followed by a sonic wave that nearly deafened all present; Blake instantly popped up from the table and began searching for targets, but there was no need. As Kikoken and Scott cautiously peeped around the table, the various BEATs emerged from odd corners of the restaurant, each one with a Shadowlaw agent securely tied up. One of the IDC soldiers was none other than that British gentleman, Sir Lloyd Cunningham. As they finished securing their prisoners, a new figure stepped lightly into the restaurant.
"Salutations. Well done, gentlemen." Samantha McGrath carried her own rifle over her shoulder. It was only then that Kikoken realized every IDC soldier was wearing a combat uniform. "Take them away for interrogation," Samantha ordered. "Everyone performed superbly - let's hope a similar situation can be averted."
"Wait a minute," Kikoken demanded as the BEATs began to file away, "you knew that they were coming?"
"We found out only an hour ago," Blake Wallis explained, coming up from behind. He sat down and with an air of indifference began to clean his rifle. "Our BEAT patrol assigned to the Lords of Shadowlaw overheard Vega bragging to Balrog about how, and I quote him, 'that Kikoken girl is about to become mine - all mine!' Once the intelligence came through, the BEATs assigned to you called for backup - which was us, by the way - and set up a counter ambush. Personally I prefer fighting in open areas rather than tightly confined spaces, and the arrival of a civilian kinda threw me off," here Blake winked at Scott, "but overall the operation was a success."
"Watch who you're calling a civilian, fool," Scott muttered.
Blake consulted his watch. "Well, any minute now ... yep, here they come. You can ask your questions in person if you'd like, Kikoken." With that he smartly slung his rifle - it was really a beautiful weapon - over his shoulder, jumped onto a table, and swung his legs idly while he waited for whoever it was to enter.
None of them had to wait long. The doors opened; M. Bison stepped inside, followed closely by McGrath, both of them deep in the middle of a conversation. Bison wore his distinctive red dictator's outfit while McGrath was dressed in a white and blue tuxedo. "... so the idealogy of Shadowlaw actually does not conflict with - what? You - here?!"
"Right on time, Buffalo," Blake noted coolly.
"How very kind of you to join us," Samantha greeted.
Bison's eyes narrowed dangerously as he surveyed the scene. "So, you knew ... mark my words, Lian, I will have your power by fair means or foul!"
"I suggest you try the fair method first," Blake observed, nonchalantly sighting his rifle on a chandelier hanging from the ceiling. "That way you won't have to deal with a squad of BEATs constantly being crammed down your throat."
"Bison ..." Scott growled.
"Bison, why?" Kikoken demanded.
"With your power, you could rule the world!" Bison exclaimed. "The legendary Lian, able to control the elements themselves - mark you well, Kikoken, that power will one day be mine, and when it is the whole world will tremble before me!"
"Please do not speak such words, they make you sound evil!" a new voice interrupted softly. They all glanced at the entrance; Regina softly stepped into the restaurant with a more than mortal grace. She halted in front of McGrath, facing Bison directly. Behind the goddess, McGrath gave Bison a I-promise-you-I-had-nothing-to-do-with-this look. Samantha had put her hand on her chin and gazed thoughtfully at the scene in front of her, while Lloyd suddenly took a new interest in his Crystal Rifle. Kikoken, for her part, only stared in confusion at the scene unfolding in front of her.
"Don't tell me she's being serious," Blake muttered to Scott.
"Scary thought, isn't it?" Scott muttered back.
"Ah, the goddess speaks. You, I have an interest in. Meet me in the fountain square at sunset, alone. I'll be waiting for you!" So saying, Bison regally threw his cape behind himself and stalked out of the restaurant. McGrath made a small hand signal behind his back to someone Kikoken could not see. He then pulled out a pair of chairs for his wife and for Regina before resuming his former position of leaning against the wall. When silence ensued, McGrath glanced pointedly at Blake.
"Fine, I'll explain." Blake Wallis hopped off the table and halted in front of Regina. "M. Bison is the absolute dictator of Shadowlaw. For your information, Shadowlaw was founded about forty years ago by Bison. Like most stereotypically evil dictators, Bison has only one objective: world domination. He also uses stereotypically evil methods, such as extortion, kidnapping, and assassination, among other undesirables. Bison is as cunning as a fox but considerably uglier. For the past forty years the IDC has managed to restrict Shadowlaw's activities and keep them minimal, but we were never able to actually crack the organization until Bison was killed in the second World Warrior tournament. For the record, that's not my fault since I joined the IDC only after Shadowlaw had crumbled." Blake paused and thought for a moment. "Bison did, however, rebuild Shadowlaw with remarkable speed after his resurrection. It's a kinder organization now, as you can see." He picked a tranquilizer dart off the floor. "Back in the good old days, this would've been a poisoned bullet. Bison has two henchmen. Balrog is the ex-heavyweight champion who's only slightly smarter than a calabash, while Vega is the Spanish matador who lives for beauty and will one day die for it." Blake candidly ignored the warning looks that Samantha directed at him.
"My, what terrible tidings. My dear sister must have made a mistake inviting him to this tournament." Regina looked up at Blake. "There will be time later for such conversation. Before then ..."
"I cannot bear to watch this," Samantha whispered to McGrath as Blake made a pass at an oblivious Regina. "Flirting with a goddess, of all people! Shall we?" McGrath nodded, offered his hand to his wife, and together they exited the restaurant. Lloyd followed them, trailed by Kikoken and Scott a moment later.
"Ernest."
"Hello, Gouken. Have you improved any?" McGrath nodded at his old friend, who was standing in the open street in front of the restaurant, arms folded. Despite the fact that Osaka was a busy city, the streets were mostly deserted. McGrath detached himself from his wife and appraised Gouken item by item. The beads that the Ansatsuken fighter once wore were now gone, but the faded tan uniform hadn't changed at all. He was still a mostly balding man, with the old cross-shaped scar that had come from a training accident so many years ago. His old friend ... McGrath grinned heartily as he quietly assumed his combat posture. A slow smile also crept across Gouken's face as he relaxed into a fighting stance. "You tell me, Ernest."
The battle was short.
"Fifteen years is a long time for anyone to not train," McGrath observed as he helped Gouken back to his feet. "The more I learn, the more I realize just how little I know. Samantha and I agreed to train this afternoon, please join us. That is, if you don't mind, honey?"
"I welcome the addition," Samantha replied gracefully.
Gouken chuckled. "You're a lucky man, Ernest, to have such a spirited wife. Hello, what's this?"
Sakura Kasugano approached the group, somewhat unsettled. "Um, pardon me for interrupting, but has anyone here seen either Karin or Ibuki? They were supposed to go shopping with me today. I waited an hour at the mall but they never showed up, and they're not in their hotel rooms either."
Scott Wagner frowned. "I haven't seen either of them since this morning, at breakfast." Agreement came from all sides. "Knowing Karin, though, she's probably playing a practical joke on you."
"Which mall were you planning to go to?" McGrath asked.
"The big one in the north suburbs," Sakura responded. "You know, the one offering a twenty-five percent sale on everything? Karin said that the sale was only going to last for a day and we agreed to shop there together. Any of you are invited to come with us, by the way," Sakura added.
"Mind if I help you look?" McGrath offered. In the end they all decided to come along except for Scott Wagner. Sakura led them through the city; after they came out of the hotel block, Osaka presented a jam-packed, polluted inner-city environ. There was litter everywhere and at Samantha's suggestion they combed the streets first. Kikoken very quickly discovered that in Japan, apparently pedestrians did not have the right of way. The group in general presented a very strange sight - a woman in a schoolgirl uniform, two in IDC uniform, McGrath wearing a tuxedo, and Gouken in his outfit looked as though he were dying for a fight. They halted two blocks towards the mall when McGrath suddenly raised a hand. "Feel that? Karin and Ibuki are a block ahead of us."
Gouken regarded McGrath semi-skeptically. "Is that so? How do you know?"
"Traces of their aura are here, one of them distinctively Karin's, the other one Ibuki's. Although ... it seems that they came by almost an hour ago, judging by the way the traces have faded." McGrath frowned. "There's also something else ahead, but very, very faint. At this range I can't tell what it is. Hmm ... seems as though Karin and Ibuki haven't moved at all for an hour, too. I don't sense any imminent danger, though. It's near impossible to tell at this distance." McGrath turned to Sakura. "Normally I'd come with you and investigate, but other matters are commanding my attention. Here." He drew a slender device from the folds of his tuxedo and slipped it into her hands. "That's an IDC communicator. If you need backup, call your BEAT squad and they'll arrive in five minutes. Be seeing you, and good luck."
McGrath led the group away, all but one. "I'll help you search," Lloyd offered. "Don't mind the doctor - he senses many things like that, and he's rarely wrong."
"Does he usually do that?" Sakura asked as she and Lloyd resumed walking down the street.
"No," Lloyd admitted. "If he didn't have a prior engagement, he'd certainly come along with us." The IDC soldier scanned their surroundings with a practiced eye while Sakura forged ahead. "Don't worry, even if your friends aren't here, the BEATs can usually locate missing people within a day. Well, here we are." Lloyd and Sakura stopped in front of a jewelry shop. Yes, here ... there was an aura about this place, so faint that Sakura barely registered it, but nonetheless she was certain that this was the place McGrath had talked about. Sakura glanced at the signs hanging in the windows. Hmph, rare diamonds and an all-day sale. No wonder Karin and Ibuki didn't make it. Sakura visualized Karin and Ibuki giggling like schoolgirls over any number of articles; knowing Karin, she'd probably spend an hour browsing before deciding to buy everything on display.
Lloyd opened the door for Sakura, then entered behind her. The shop was empty except for the salesperson behind the counter inspecting her nails. "Excuse me, but have you seen ..." Sakura described Karin and Ibuki for the saleswoman. Lloyd, in the meanwhile, scouted the shop. He'd taken in the whole building, a rather small one all told, at a single glance without seeing either girl. The counters displayed a variety of beautiful and exotic trinkets, none of which made much impression on him.
"I'm sorry, lady, but no one matching either of those descriptions has been here," the saleswoman replied.
"I don't see them anywhere," Lloyd reported. "Perhaps they went on to the mall?"
"Probably. Well, so much for the doctor's ideas." Lloyd opened the door again for Sakura, causing a bell to chime softly. A sudden gust of wind blew into the shop, carrying a piece of paper out as it rebounded. With well-honed reflexes, Sakura caught it with a reaction more from instinct than forethought. It was no more than a scrap, but something was written upon it in heavy gold ink and Sakura admired the calligraphy for a moment before crumpling it and tossing it aside. She made a mention note to buy some ink of that sort when she arrived at the mall. "Yeah, they're probably at the mall. I'll be so relieved to find them there. Then, Lloyd, I want to you hold as I Hadouken them across the pavement." As Sakura and Lloyd strode off in the direction of the mall, the wind caught the stray scrap of paper and exposed it for a brief moment. Any passerby who could identify Roman characters had a split second to read the writing before the wind caught it up again and took it out of sight.
Fin d'Âme Interdite
Author's Notes: I shouldn't have to tell you guys what everyone here ought to know by either experience or common sense: please don't put any story spoilers in the reviews. It ruins the story for prospective readers and I'm saying it now because it's grown to a rather ridiculous level. If you do want to say something in-depth about the story, please e-mail me directly. Thanks for your cooperation. On a happier note, I've uploaded some soundtracks to the website. As always, you can find the link in the author's profile page. "And Worlds Collide" is the theme song of the World Collision tournament, one that I hope captures the true spirit of the story in auditory form.
Chambord, France
One day has passed
"This place is absolutely beautiful!" Yin Lee gushed. She and her brothers gazed upwards at the immense and beautiful chateaux that had been chosen as the battleground. Chambord was a fairy-tale palace if one ever existed. It was constructed squarely on the banks of a crystal-clear and surprisingly placid stretch of the Loire River, a three-story building replete with circular turrets and towers. A massive stone and marble courtyard served as a pier jutting right into the river proper. This was the marked battleground. It was high noon and the old palace glistened in the warmth of the sun. Privately Yun wondered how Marin had managed to requisition a tourist attraction like this as a site for the tournament. Rumor had it that the Project Justice team packed a great deal of destructive firepower.
Yun scanned the environs with a practiced eye. "Looks like a better battleground than that garbage dump the Neo Commando Squad had to fight in. Well, shall we?" Without waiting for a reply, Yun sat down and began to stretch.
From the other side of the battlefield, Edgar fixed his gaze on the opposing team. "Hmph. The Triple Dragons. Dragons are invariably associated with gangs. They even had a village handed to them by the crime kingpin Gill. Even more damning evidence comes from the fact that their godfathers are the eight crime lords of the Chinese mafia. The verdict: Guilty! We must purge the world of scum of their type!" Edgar raised a fist to the sky and posed magnificently.
Behind Edgar, Chan and Kikoken glanced at each other before simultaneously facefaulting. "You think Edgar is taking his obsession with justice a little too far?" Chan asked worriedly.
Kikoken sighed. "We both should've known better than to team up with him, Chan."
"Well, let's begin," Chan replied. They met the other team at the center of the battleground; Yun winked at Chan, who simply responded with an icy glare.
"Triple Dragons, name your tactical leader," Jedah ordered.
"Yours truly," Yun replied, raising a hand.
"Project Justice, name your tactical leader," Gill boomed.
"Me, of course." Edgar nodded at Gill. The seraph noted the entry, then he and Jedah and the remaining contestants backed away until they were standing outside the marked battlefield. Edgar fixed a cold gaze on Yun. "Yun ... I'll only say this once. You're walking the wrong path. But don't worry, I'll set you back on the straight and narrow, sinner."
"And what would you know of that?"
"I'll give you to the count of three to reform before I do it for you."
"One ... two ... two-and-a-half ... two-and-three-quarters ..."
He was cut off when the impossibly bright light shimmered around both of them for an instant, and then Marin called, "Begin!"
Yun rushed forward, throwing off a powerful punch. Edgar also rushed, but it was to the side. As Yun passed by, Edgar pulled him along his line of motion, hard. Yun quickly lost his balance and landed heavily on the stones. A moment later, Edgar dove after him with an elbow strike, which Yun evaded by rolling to the right. Yun jumped upright; snarling, Edgar went after him with another punch. His snarl turned into a surprised grunt when Yun ducked underneath the attack. From behind his brother, Yang exploded up from a crouch and slashed his arm forward, catching Edgar solidly under the chin with a heavy strike. As the ninja master reeled backwards, Yun followed up on his brother's attack with a powerful Tiger Palm Strike, pressing his hands together and forming a small air current that struck Edgar at point-blank range. The leader of Project Justice staggered backwards in a most ungraceful manner; Yun and Yang shared high-fives before the latter disappeared. They'd just drawn first blood.
"It looks like Edgar's lost his initial advantage," Alia noted. "Jin, Kyosuke, what do you two make of this fight?"
"On paper, the Project Justice team ought to be a sure win," Kyosuke said. "Project Justice has most of the advantages in terms of experience, skill, and sheer power. But fights occur on the battlefield, not on paper. So far we're seeing zero teamwork amongst Project Justice, while the Triple Dragons seem to be handling themselves very well as far as the fight goes. Normally no one would give the Triple Dragons a serious chance, but we may see some surprising results considering how much the rules favor a tightly knit team."
"Kyosuke is correct," Jin added. "Teamwork is very important to this match - for those of you just joining us, we saw exactly how important it was in our previous battle - and this is no different. Edgar can take Yun in a one-on-one match, but with his brother backing him up it's an entirely different story. Oh, look - Edgar just nailed Yun with a star. He's gonna switch out now. Here comes Yang. Well, what do you know - that's Chan's first appearance as a striker assist. The match is still too early to call, though, but the smart money is on Project Justice. Back to you, Alia."
"Thank you, Jin." Alia consulted her internal chronometer. "Hello everybody, if you're just joining us, welcome to the World Collision Tournament coverage where a fast and furious battle is already underway. Let's take a look."
Edgar stepped close to Yang, aiming a swift punch at the younger fighter. Yang avoided this attack by rolling along the ground; when Edgar overshot the strike, Yang quickly rebounded behind him and unfurled an almost vertical kick, stunning Edgar and knocking him forward a few paces. The ninja master recovered, but there was now a wariness in his step that hadn't been present at the beginning of the match. Yang and Edgar closed in again; this time, Edgar landed a pair of solid punches at the cost of a kick into the chest. Yang jumped high when Edgar tried to sweep him; as Edgar's leg scraped across the stones, Yang landed lightly behind his opponent. Edgar deflected a retaliatory kick but was nailed from behind by an arm slash from Yin.
He coughed up blood; Edgar wiped his arm across his mouth, flinging away a few droplets of blood in the process. "Seems like Yin struck him directly in the kidneys," Jin noted. "Edgar has to begin relying on his teammates - wait, there he goes. He's tagged out, Chan's in." Now watch the magic, Jin thought to himself.
Hoping to catch the new arrival off guard, Yang raced forward and threw another Mantis Slash. Chan blocked this attack; a moment later, a powerful wind sprang up out of nowhere and forced Yang back. As he struggled to maintain his balance, Chan flung a wind slash off her arm at Yang, at the same time calling in Kikoken for an assist. Yang jumped over both attacks, but he miscalculated Chan's reaction; the moment he left the ground, the wind instantly shifted and blew him towards her. Chan intercepted him in midair with a Gale High Kick, her heel impacting solidly into his stomach. The flurry blue dragon landed with a gasp, all of the fight temporarily knocked out of him. Nor was Chan adverse to using her advantage; the only warning Yang had was an ominous screech before a massive wall of razor-sharp air burst up all around him. He blocked the attack; Chan, intent on taking the fight home, failed to notice Yin's arrival and promptly took a Lightning Slash into her chin.
"Poor Yang is really getting hammered here," Kyosuke observed. "Still, although beaten, he's definitely not out of the picture yet. Jin, what's your opinion?"
"Any experienced fighter will tell you that this match is still dead even despite the way it's been developing," Jin replied. "Chan's great weakness is that she relies far too much upon her power. She's using Kikoken as a striker, but as Q could tell you, Kikoken makes a very poor striker since she only has a single, easily evaded assist. Notice that Yang and Yin are starting to close in on Chan. Once he gets in point-blank range, I'm afraid Chan won't have much of a chance."
As Jin finished elaborating, Chan threw another Wind Slash off her arm. Yang, who had anticipated the attack, leaped over it and launched a flying kick at Chan. When Chan failed to block it in time, Yang's heel connected with her cheek and in a moment he was laying into her with everthing he had. He knocked her into the air with a knee strike, then leapt up after her and called Yin in the same motion. "Amazing!" Alia noted. "A seven-hit air combo! Chan's going to have the imprint of a foot in her cheek after this one."
Yang landed softly upon the ground and rushed forward, intent on cornering Chan. He launched a vicious ax kick, aiming squarely for her exposed stomach. All he struck was cobbled stone as Chan blurred into a gust of wind and reappeared ten meters away. Yang grunted; he'd hit the stone way too hard and the impact of the attack sent pain lancing through his right leg. Kikoken leapt into the battlefield for her assist. Yang's eyes narrowed, studying the situation; he rolled aside, simultaneously calling Yin. Chan managed to block Yin's attack, but as she attempted to track Yang the third member of the Dragons also entered. Yun landed a solid rushing punch into Chan's shoulder. Chan went down and Yang charged for another ax kick, intending to put an end to his dangerous opponent ...
... but it didn't connect, thanks to the arrival of Project Justice's auxiliary striker. "Go, Dark Magician!" Edgar cried.
Kyosuke winced in sympathy as Yang disappeared within a massive burst of energy sent forth from the Dark Magician's rod. "That has to hurt. Very interesting reversal situation here, and effective cover fire from Edgar. Had Yang's attack landed, Chan would probably be out of the fight right now. As it is - okay, Yang's switched out with Yin. Chan looks tired, though."
"Yes, and she needs to withdraw now," Jin added. "If she tries to keep fighting in this situation, eventually the Triple Dragons will wear her down to the point where one of them can get in a finishing blow. C'mon, Chan, switch out with Kikoken - ouch, a direct hit from Yin's palm press. She really ought to switch out now; what's keeping her, I wonder? Sheesh, the girl could use a good wake-up punch from Blodia. She's down. Here comes Yin for the finishing strike ..."
Chan crouched on the ground, seemingly spent. She gasped for breath, one knee pressed heavily into the stones and dimly aware that Kikoken was frantically calling to her. Her hooded eyes watched Yin warily. Come on, Yin, take the bait ... you know you want it ... yes! Yin, a bare two meters away, suddenly reared back and flung out an enormous blade of energy. Chan dropped to the ground as the energy blade swept above her, making an ominous scraping sound against the air. The attack had been aimed upwards, so it missed completely. Yin followed with her other hand, intending to bring the blade crashing into Chan.
Instead, Yin found herself the victim of a vicious counterattack as Chan blurred out again. The second attack of the Sourai Shuurai missed as completely as the first. Before she could react or even think, Yin was spun around by Chan. Her mind screamed in denial; how had Chan appeared behind her so quickly?! Yin signaled for an assist, but the signal came even as she was being hoisted into off the ground, the air emitting eerie shrieks around her. Chan lifted Yin high into the air with her right arm. Yin's scream of agony was lost amidst the veritable whirlwind that exploded into life around her, razor-sharp air blades slicing through every exposed surface on her body. The attack lasted only for a single, devastating moment; when it ended, Chan casually threw Yin to one side, the fallen dragon bleeding like a sieve from a thousand cuts on her skin. Yun's assist, arriving way too late, was easily blocked. Gill picked Yin up and carried her off to the waiting medical teams.
"Looks like Chan turned the table quite effectively on the opposing team," Kyosuke noted. "Okay, she's switching out - now it's Kikoken versus Yun. For those of you just joining us, the current match pits the Triple Dragons against Project Justice. One member of the Dragons is already down, but the Dragons are definitely not out of the match yet. What does the current match up look like to you, Jin?"
"It's good to see that Kikoken is finally in action, since she makes a great main fighter. With effective support from her two teammates, she can be downright deadly. I'd say that this match is in Kikoken's favor, since she is a Lian after all. Also, she's somewhat better than Yun in the hand-to-hand combat department. Still, right now Yun is using Yang very effectively as a striker. Let's take a look at the action as it unfolds."
As Jin finished speaking, Yun slipped past Kikoken's defense and launched her into the air with a powerful kick. At that moment he tagged out, calling Yang in; Yang entered with a flying kick that sent Kikoken tumbling backwards head over heels. Kikoken changed herself into liquid form halfway through the fall and splashed harmlessly around the stones before reforming herself. She drew herself into a fighting stance, then beckoned to Yang.
Yang needed no second bidding. He dashed forward; Kikoken slid along the ground, intending to catch him with an ankle kick and chain directly into her Sliding Tackle. The moment she dropped fully to the ground, though, Yang suddenly blurred out in a flash of motion. "Huh? Where'd he ...?"
"Kikoken, watch out!" Chan cried. "He's behind you!"
She whipped around, except Yang streaked again ... this time, directly at her. He moved past in a gust of motion. Kikoken tried to turn around and continue tracking him, but suddenly she felt pain explode into her stomach and she doubled over. From the initial point of impact, a series of painful flares burst underneath her skin as Yang's energy combusted explosively with Kikoken's body. Panting heavily, Kikoken kneeled down and tried to heal herself; blue energy arced along her body and she shook her head clear. Just then a shadow fell over her.
"Sorry, babe," Yun whispered.
"And Kikoken is knocked out by Yun!" Jin announced. "The crowd goes wild! Excellent trap laid by the Dragons there - Kyosuke, I think that the Dragons have just cut Project Justice's advantage down to size. That was really a remarkably quick attack by the twins. Alia, how does it look from your perspective?"
"Well, the Dragons have the initiative right now, and you can see just how hard they're pressing Edgar. It seems as though Edgar has something against using striker assists, but he won't be able to hold up for long under an assault like this. Okay, he's using another one of his cards - Q, what's he doing?"
Q. studied the situation, his voice completely mechanical. "This particular card is the Wall of Mirrors, which blocks any energy-based attack and reflects half of it back to its originator. However, Edgar must also pay a steep cost in life to use the wall. He has two minutes to seize the advantage before the upkeep cost of the wall renders him unconscious." He scrutinized the situation more closely, changing to a ground-based view for a closer look. "The Dragons have few energy-based attacks; however, this card does effectively lock down all of their super techniques and I believe that they realize this as well."
"Thanks for the information, Q. Jin, there's - oh, wait wait wait, look!" Having just blocked an attack from Yun, Edgar shoved him backwards with the Advancing Guard. Yang appeared to cover his brother with an attack, but this move cost both of them dearly as Edgar rolled backwards. Yang's assist whiffed completely; a moment later, Edgar pulled himself upright, something glittering in both sleeves. That was the only warning that the Dragons had before the air was filled with a swarm of angry shuriken directed at both of them. Yang, who was still recovering from his strike, had no chance and was instantly knocked out by the attack, more than two dozen ninja stars stuck all over his body. Yun crouched and managed to avoid the worst of the attack. "Chan, you're in!"
On cue, Chan leapt into the battlefield as Edgar slid out. Yun, picking shuriken out of his clothes, cursed as he was forced to defend and dodge simultaneously. Chan pressed her advantage ruthlessly, using the wind to force Yun into undesirable situations. Whenever Yun tried to gain a solid footing, a violent gust of wind nearly swept him off his feet. He swore as he stepped on a shuriken; realizing that recovery rolling was too risky, he opted to stand his ground. When Chan failed to make any heading against Yun after half a minute, she called for an assist from Edgar instead.
Yang and Kikoken had both regained consciousness by this point and watched from the sidelines. Edgar pulled a card from his deck. "Finally! Seal defense!"
Yun only had the time to mutter a curse before his defense was sealed, preventing him from defending himself. Chan smiled; it was a totally unnerving sight which made Yun's blood run cold. How in the world had he ever found her attractive in the first place? For a moment there was no action as Yun and Chan looked into each other's eyes, both of them well aware that this battle was decided. "Game over, Yun - Glory of the Storm!" Chan lifted her hands high into the air; in response, a hurricane force wind swept over the whole battlefield, slashing mercilessly into Yun with biting gusts. It was all over after a few seconds; Yun collapsed on the cobbled stones, devoid of any movement. Three seconds passed.
"Announcing the winners of Round 1-2 ... Project Justice!"
Osaka, Japan
One hour has passed
"This teleportation business is great, isn't it, Chan?" Kikoken asked with a brilliant smile. The two of them were sitting alone in the Genhanten restaurant across from their hotel, both of them sipping at plastic cups filled with honeyed bubble tea. They had since changed out of battle outfits into casual wear for Chan and a blouse with skirt for Kikoken. Marin had made arrangements so that the teams could be teleported anywhere in a moment's notice; they'd just returned from France ten minutes ago. As Kikoken bubbled on excitedly about the latest events, Chan glanced at the hotel worriedly. Whoever was in charge of the medical team must've been real good - she'd seen Yin walking around without a cut or scab or even a scar half an hour after the match - and the Dragons had returned to the hotel. Unfortunately, Edgar had followed them inside, probably to deliver another lecture on justice and how it -
"Hello? Earth to Chan; you've been like this ever since the battle ended. Is something wrong?" Kikoken waved a hand in front of Chan's face.
"Sorry, Kikoken. I'm just a little preoccupied."
"Oh, with what?"
"Well, I - I don't think I should have done what I did to Yin. I mean, I nearly killed her on the spot. I had my BEAT bodyguard take a sneak peek at the medical records; Yin lost nearly half her total blood supply, Kikoken. I know that I had to knock her out, but ... what I did wasn't justified." She looked at her older friend. "What should I do?"
"Then go tell her if you really feel that way," Kikoken encouraged.
"Yeah ... I should, shouldn't I? Thanks." Chan stood up, disposed of her drink, and walked out of the restaurant. Left to herself, Kikoken stared at nothing in particular. The restaurant was, surprisingly enough, devoid of any other inhabitants besides herself. Mentally Kikoken replayed the battle that she'd just come out of. Was I too careless? Objectively, I am a better fighter than either Yun or Yang alone, but ... they knocked me out. There's something to be learned from this fight. What is it? Kikoken sighed and drained her cup of its contents. After a moment, she idly opened her palm and a sphere of water coalesced into existence. She studied it with a critical eye as it played around her hand. A few years ago, right as she had become a Lian, she'd come across a book written by Zeku. Water is unique in that it is both defensive and aggressive at the same time. Go with the way the water flows and you will encounter no resistance. Yet the harder one pushes, the harder water pushes back. Simultaneously a friend and an enemy - that is the essence of water.
She glanced up as Scott Wagner slipped into the restaurant, clad in a leather jacket and sporting the spectacles common to all members of the American Vigilantes. He indicated the seat next to her. "Mind if I join you here?"
I'd much rather prefer Mason Storm - drop-dead cute Mason - but you'll do for now, Kikoken mused, but she wisely kept the thought to herself and nodded. Scott fell rather than sat into the chair, landing heavily. After exhaling deeply, he turned to face her. "I saw what your team did back in the previous match. I have to say, I was quite impressed. What do you plan to do before the next match comes?"
"Have fun, of course," Kikoken stated. "All fight and no play makes Kikoken a grouchy girl. What about you? Your match is just before my next one - you nervous?"
"Psht, going up against those three pushovers who call themselves the Masters Team? Get real." Kikoken frowned, but Scott winked at her. "Sorry about that - it's just my lefthanded way of saying yes. I'm not exactly thrilled at the thought of facing any of those guys in a real fight." He glanced around the restaurant. "Dang it, I need a drink. My nerves are getting frayed."
"Scott, alcohol is bad for you, you know."
"So is life," Wagner instantly retorted, "which is a sexually-transmitted condition with a one-hundred percent mortality rate." He winked at her and they both chuckled for a moment.
"So how was your childhood?" Kikoken asked.
"My life is a sad, sorry tale," Wagner replied, "I'd much rather hear yours."
"Mine's not any better," Kikoken replied. "Actually ... I have no memory of my life before the age of twelve. My mind is a blank slate where my memories ought to be. My earliest conscious memory is of participating in the Lian ceremonies. If I ever wanted anything, it would be to - look out!" Kikoken suited her own words as she and Scott simultaneously dove to the floor. An angry tranquilizer tore through the space where they had been but a moment before.
"Curses - Shadowlaw commandos!" Scott hurriedly flipped the table over; as it crashed down to the floor with a heavy thud, he rolled it around to barricade himself and Kikoken. More tranquilizer darts ricochetted harmlessly off the wooden tabletop. "They've taken all the entrances! Who the heck sent these goons?" Wagner shouted. "What do they want now?!"
Kikoken was about to answer when a new voice interrupted from above. "Sic 'em, boys!" Blake Wallis called, at the same time dropping to the ground and landing in a crouch alongside Kikoken and Scott. In his other hand he held an elegant and deadly rifle. A new sound had joined the fray, the sound of metallic bullets ringing off any and every available surface. "This is Apache, fire in the hole!" Blake tossed a grenade over the table, then pulled Kikoken and Scott down to the ground with him. There was a massive burst of light followed by a sonic wave that nearly deafened all present; Blake instantly popped up from the table and began searching for targets, but there was no need. As Kikoken and Scott cautiously peeped around the table, the various BEATs emerged from odd corners of the restaurant, each one with a Shadowlaw agent securely tied up. One of the IDC soldiers was none other than that British gentleman, Sir Lloyd Cunningham. As they finished securing their prisoners, a new figure stepped lightly into the restaurant.
"Salutations. Well done, gentlemen." Samantha McGrath carried her own rifle over her shoulder. It was only then that Kikoken realized every IDC soldier was wearing a combat uniform. "Take them away for interrogation," Samantha ordered. "Everyone performed superbly - let's hope a similar situation can be averted."
"Wait a minute," Kikoken demanded as the BEATs began to file away, "you knew that they were coming?"
"We found out only an hour ago," Blake Wallis explained, coming up from behind. He sat down and with an air of indifference began to clean his rifle. "Our BEAT patrol assigned to the Lords of Shadowlaw overheard Vega bragging to Balrog about how, and I quote him, 'that Kikoken girl is about to become mine - all mine!' Once the intelligence came through, the BEATs assigned to you called for backup - which was us, by the way - and set up a counter ambush. Personally I prefer fighting in open areas rather than tightly confined spaces, and the arrival of a civilian kinda threw me off," here Blake winked at Scott, "but overall the operation was a success."
"Watch who you're calling a civilian, fool," Scott muttered.
Blake consulted his watch. "Well, any minute now ... yep, here they come. You can ask your questions in person if you'd like, Kikoken." With that he smartly slung his rifle - it was really a beautiful weapon - over his shoulder, jumped onto a table, and swung his legs idly while he waited for whoever it was to enter.
None of them had to wait long. The doors opened; M. Bison stepped inside, followed closely by McGrath, both of them deep in the middle of a conversation. Bison wore his distinctive red dictator's outfit while McGrath was dressed in a white and blue tuxedo. "... so the idealogy of Shadowlaw actually does not conflict with - what? You - here?!"
"Right on time, Buffalo," Blake noted coolly.
"How very kind of you to join us," Samantha greeted.
Bison's eyes narrowed dangerously as he surveyed the scene. "So, you knew ... mark my words, Lian, I will have your power by fair means or foul!"
"I suggest you try the fair method first," Blake observed, nonchalantly sighting his rifle on a chandelier hanging from the ceiling. "That way you won't have to deal with a squad of BEATs constantly being crammed down your throat."
"Bison ..." Scott growled.
"Bison, why?" Kikoken demanded.
"With your power, you could rule the world!" Bison exclaimed. "The legendary Lian, able to control the elements themselves - mark you well, Kikoken, that power will one day be mine, and when it is the whole world will tremble before me!"
"Please do not speak such words, they make you sound evil!" a new voice interrupted softly. They all glanced at the entrance; Regina softly stepped into the restaurant with a more than mortal grace. She halted in front of McGrath, facing Bison directly. Behind the goddess, McGrath gave Bison a I-promise-you-I-had-nothing-to-do-with-this look. Samantha had put her hand on her chin and gazed thoughtfully at the scene in front of her, while Lloyd suddenly took a new interest in his Crystal Rifle. Kikoken, for her part, only stared in confusion at the scene unfolding in front of her.
"Don't tell me she's being serious," Blake muttered to Scott.
"Scary thought, isn't it?" Scott muttered back.
"Ah, the goddess speaks. You, I have an interest in. Meet me in the fountain square at sunset, alone. I'll be waiting for you!" So saying, Bison regally threw his cape behind himself and stalked out of the restaurant. McGrath made a small hand signal behind his back to someone Kikoken could not see. He then pulled out a pair of chairs for his wife and for Regina before resuming his former position of leaning against the wall. When silence ensued, McGrath glanced pointedly at Blake.
"Fine, I'll explain." Blake Wallis hopped off the table and halted in front of Regina. "M. Bison is the absolute dictator of Shadowlaw. For your information, Shadowlaw was founded about forty years ago by Bison. Like most stereotypically evil dictators, Bison has only one objective: world domination. He also uses stereotypically evil methods, such as extortion, kidnapping, and assassination, among other undesirables. Bison is as cunning as a fox but considerably uglier. For the past forty years the IDC has managed to restrict Shadowlaw's activities and keep them minimal, but we were never able to actually crack the organization until Bison was killed in the second World Warrior tournament. For the record, that's not my fault since I joined the IDC only after Shadowlaw had crumbled." Blake paused and thought for a moment. "Bison did, however, rebuild Shadowlaw with remarkable speed after his resurrection. It's a kinder organization now, as you can see." He picked a tranquilizer dart off the floor. "Back in the good old days, this would've been a poisoned bullet. Bison has two henchmen. Balrog is the ex-heavyweight champion who's only slightly smarter than a calabash, while Vega is the Spanish matador who lives for beauty and will one day die for it." Blake candidly ignored the warning looks that Samantha directed at him.
"My, what terrible tidings. My dear sister must have made a mistake inviting him to this tournament." Regina looked up at Blake. "There will be time later for such conversation. Before then ..."
"I cannot bear to watch this," Samantha whispered to McGrath as Blake made a pass at an oblivious Regina. "Flirting with a goddess, of all people! Shall we?" McGrath nodded, offered his hand to his wife, and together they exited the restaurant. Lloyd followed them, trailed by Kikoken and Scott a moment later.
"Ernest."
"Hello, Gouken. Have you improved any?" McGrath nodded at his old friend, who was standing in the open street in front of the restaurant, arms folded. Despite the fact that Osaka was a busy city, the streets were mostly deserted. McGrath detached himself from his wife and appraised Gouken item by item. The beads that the Ansatsuken fighter once wore were now gone, but the faded tan uniform hadn't changed at all. He was still a mostly balding man, with the old cross-shaped scar that had come from a training accident so many years ago. His old friend ... McGrath grinned heartily as he quietly assumed his combat posture. A slow smile also crept across Gouken's face as he relaxed into a fighting stance. "You tell me, Ernest."
The battle was short.
"Fifteen years is a long time for anyone to not train," McGrath observed as he helped Gouken back to his feet. "The more I learn, the more I realize just how little I know. Samantha and I agreed to train this afternoon, please join us. That is, if you don't mind, honey?"
"I welcome the addition," Samantha replied gracefully.
Gouken chuckled. "You're a lucky man, Ernest, to have such a spirited wife. Hello, what's this?"
Sakura Kasugano approached the group, somewhat unsettled. "Um, pardon me for interrupting, but has anyone here seen either Karin or Ibuki? They were supposed to go shopping with me today. I waited an hour at the mall but they never showed up, and they're not in their hotel rooms either."
Scott Wagner frowned. "I haven't seen either of them since this morning, at breakfast." Agreement came from all sides. "Knowing Karin, though, she's probably playing a practical joke on you."
"Which mall were you planning to go to?" McGrath asked.
"The big one in the north suburbs," Sakura responded. "You know, the one offering a twenty-five percent sale on everything? Karin said that the sale was only going to last for a day and we agreed to shop there together. Any of you are invited to come with us, by the way," Sakura added.
"Mind if I help you look?" McGrath offered. In the end they all decided to come along except for Scott Wagner. Sakura led them through the city; after they came out of the hotel block, Osaka presented a jam-packed, polluted inner-city environ. There was litter everywhere and at Samantha's suggestion they combed the streets first. Kikoken very quickly discovered that in Japan, apparently pedestrians did not have the right of way. The group in general presented a very strange sight - a woman in a schoolgirl uniform, two in IDC uniform, McGrath wearing a tuxedo, and Gouken in his outfit looked as though he were dying for a fight. They halted two blocks towards the mall when McGrath suddenly raised a hand. "Feel that? Karin and Ibuki are a block ahead of us."
Gouken regarded McGrath semi-skeptically. "Is that so? How do you know?"
"Traces of their aura are here, one of them distinctively Karin's, the other one Ibuki's. Although ... it seems that they came by almost an hour ago, judging by the way the traces have faded." McGrath frowned. "There's also something else ahead, but very, very faint. At this range I can't tell what it is. Hmm ... seems as though Karin and Ibuki haven't moved at all for an hour, too. I don't sense any imminent danger, though. It's near impossible to tell at this distance." McGrath turned to Sakura. "Normally I'd come with you and investigate, but other matters are commanding my attention. Here." He drew a slender device from the folds of his tuxedo and slipped it into her hands. "That's an IDC communicator. If you need backup, call your BEAT squad and they'll arrive in five minutes. Be seeing you, and good luck."
McGrath led the group away, all but one. "I'll help you search," Lloyd offered. "Don't mind the doctor - he senses many things like that, and he's rarely wrong."
"Does he usually do that?" Sakura asked as she and Lloyd resumed walking down the street.
"No," Lloyd admitted. "If he didn't have a prior engagement, he'd certainly come along with us." The IDC soldier scanned their surroundings with a practiced eye while Sakura forged ahead. "Don't worry, even if your friends aren't here, the BEATs can usually locate missing people within a day. Well, here we are." Lloyd and Sakura stopped in front of a jewelry shop. Yes, here ... there was an aura about this place, so faint that Sakura barely registered it, but nonetheless she was certain that this was the place McGrath had talked about. Sakura glanced at the signs hanging in the windows. Hmph, rare diamonds and an all-day sale. No wonder Karin and Ibuki didn't make it. Sakura visualized Karin and Ibuki giggling like schoolgirls over any number of articles; knowing Karin, she'd probably spend an hour browsing before deciding to buy everything on display.
Lloyd opened the door for Sakura, then entered behind her. The shop was empty except for the salesperson behind the counter inspecting her nails. "Excuse me, but have you seen ..." Sakura described Karin and Ibuki for the saleswoman. Lloyd, in the meanwhile, scouted the shop. He'd taken in the whole building, a rather small one all told, at a single glance without seeing either girl. The counters displayed a variety of beautiful and exotic trinkets, none of which made much impression on him.
"I'm sorry, lady, but no one matching either of those descriptions has been here," the saleswoman replied.
"I don't see them anywhere," Lloyd reported. "Perhaps they went on to the mall?"
"Probably. Well, so much for the doctor's ideas." Lloyd opened the door again for Sakura, causing a bell to chime softly. A sudden gust of wind blew into the shop, carrying a piece of paper out as it rebounded. With well-honed reflexes, Sakura caught it with a reaction more from instinct than forethought. It was no more than a scrap, but something was written upon it in heavy gold ink and Sakura admired the calligraphy for a moment before crumpling it and tossing it aside. She made a mention note to buy some ink of that sort when she arrived at the mall. "Yeah, they're probably at the mall. I'll be so relieved to find them there. Then, Lloyd, I want to you hold as I Hadouken them across the pavement." As Sakura and Lloyd strode off in the direction of the mall, the wind caught the stray scrap of paper and exposed it for a brief moment. Any passerby who could identify Roman characters had a split second to read the writing before the wind caught it up again and took it out of sight.
Fin d'Âme Interdite