Disclaimer: This story is based upon characters created by Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle for Disney. If you recognize the characters, they aren't mine. I will never make any money from this.
In a seedy warehouse in Singapore, a crowd of tourists with a few locals, are gathered around a makeshift fight ring. A cheap pubic address system hums, "Honored guests, your host is most pleased to present for your entertainment; Mai Wei, the dragon's fire!"
Nearly half the crowd cheered as a well-muscled, Asian woman entered the ring and posed for the crowd. She then followed with a few martial moves to show her prowess.
"And her opponent," feedback interrupted the announcement for a mercily short moment. "Our champion; Ichnie, the ghost of the ring."
An unbelievably pale woman of European descent with luxuriously long black hair sauntered into the ring. She was met by thunderous applause by nearly the entire room. She merely raised both of her arms over her head in appreciation to her audience. She then brought them down and made a slicing motion through the air. At this cue, all the regular visitors to these underground fights, stopped cheering. The others stopped mere seconds after from the peer pressure.
Ichnie only glanced at Mai Wei, who had taken a corner of the ring, as she paced about the ring. She then raised her arms up again, causing the thunderous applause to renew. She held them there only a moment before quickly bringing them down. The audience then became quiet very quickly. It was only then that she smiled and took the corner opposite her opponent.
The announcer allowed the women to glare at one another only a moment, "Begin."
Both women stepped forward.
Mai held her hands before her, ready to chop into her opponent, as she sidestepped around the ring, her head high.
Ichnie was crouched with her hands out like claws as she circled round, like a tiger assessing her prey.
The champion was the first to attack, leaping forward and swiping at Mai with her left hand.
The challenger leaned back away from the attack, and pushed Ichnie's arm further on its way past with her left palm, hoping to knock the champion off balance for a counterpunch.
Ichnie merely followed through and spun on her right foot bringing her left foot up into Mai's abdomen as the challenger moved foward with her right fist.
Mai expelled air with an "ugh," and was knocked back against the wood barrier around the ring.
Ichnie then pressed her advantage by running up to punch Mai in the face.
Mai ducked down at the last moment and dove down and away from Ichnie, before planting her hands on the floor and kicking both feet into the champions' mid-section.
Ichnie was already arching back into a handspring, so Mai's kick never connected.
Ichnie completed her acrobatic move and stood back as Mai regained her footing.
The two women then began circling the ring as before.
The crowd that had been cheering with some regularity thus far, began to get ugly at this lull in the action.
"Did I not tell you, Ed-san, that the champion was a good fighter?" Tzu Ma asked his foreign employer as they watched.
"Seriously good," the New Jersey mechanic agreed.
Mai finally stepped in and kicked at Ichnie's ribs.
Ichnie took hold of Mai's foot and flung the challenger around, releasing her so that she struck hard against the ring's wooden barrier, which gave way at the impact.
Ichnie waited a moment for Mai to get up. When she did not, Ichnie raised her arms in victory, though her faced showed no emotion.
The crowd cheered madly as a few men attended to Mai's injuries.
"The reign of Ichnie continues!" the announcer said through the sqeaking system.
The triumphant champion walked out, seeming none the worse.
The audience slowly filed out as a few exchanged money back and forth.
"Were you pleased with tonight's fight, Ed-san?" Tzu frowned slightly. "I hope it was not too short for your taste."
"That Ishnee was seriously somethin'." Ed thoughtfully groomed his mullet with his fingers. "Think I could meet 'er?"
Tzu Ma seemed to think this over, "It would take some persuading, Ed-san."
"Money is no object, Dude. Seriously."
Ed's Asian guide smiled, "Then I will arrange it soon."
The next evening, Ed was brought to a run down rental house.
Tzu Ma opened the door to a room, "Please wait here, Ed-san."
Motor Ed entered the room and sat down on the only piece of furniture in the room. It was a western style bed with a thin, oriental style mattress on it, covered in silken sheets.
A few minutes later, Ed heard Tzu Ma conversing heatedly with someone in Chinese. The woman had a pronounced accent.
When the door opened, Ichnie stood in the doorway and stared at Ed a moment.
Ed waved a hand in greeting, "Hey, Babe."
She then slammed the door without entering and yelled something in Chinese for a moment. Ed could only just make out shadows through the shaded window next to the door.
Tzu Ma sounded like he was trying to argue with the champion, but Ed had trouble getting more than the most basic gist from the native speaker's Chinese.
Then Ed heard Ichnie growl angrily, and thought he saw a flash of green light outside.
Tzu Ma screamed and Ed heard Ichnie stomp away.
Ed rushed over and opened the door. He found Tzu Ma lying against the wall by the door.
"Many pardons, Ed-san," He said meekly as he examined a bruise on his shoulder, "I don't know why she would not stay."
"It's cool, man. Seriously," Ed couldn't help smiling as he gazed down the hall in the direction she had gone.
"I could get you another woman if that would please you."
"No, thanks," Ed said softly. "She's just the girl I'm looking for."
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This is a first for me. Usually when I post chapter one of a story, I already have chapters 2-9 on my hard drive. I'm posting this as I approach chapter 3.
This story does fit into my general continuity, a couple of years after the "Romantic Evening" stories and way before "Go Flamingo".
In July, I decided to change the girl's name to Kanojo Yuke. It seemed to make more sense. Then in September I changed it again. This name is more poetic.
I have also decided not to do any more chapters of this story. It's just not working. I am leaving it up because I like what I have done. I just can't take it further.