Author's note – As much as I hated to post a new chapter before Daughter of ether reviewed, I just was ready to write. Oh, and the tournament fights are like this
Round 1: lee vs. ku fei. Round 2: Kaede vs. random guy. Round 3: Takahata vs. random guy. Round 4: koutaro vs. random guy. Round 5: Mana vs. random guy. Round 6: Ranma vs. random guy Round 7: asuna vs. random guy. Round 8: Negi vs. random guy
Random guy means it doesn't matter. Also, this chapter and the next two are mostly just showing off Lee's fighting ability.
Tikigod784 – Just for you reviewing, I switched it, so instead of setsuna in round 3 it's Takahata. I'll probably have to downplay his strength, though. I don't like the idea of him letting Lee win.
TzuiAssassian – Thanks for the vote of confidence. I listed the 16 for you, too.
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As Lee got ready for his match against Ku, Zazie took her seat in the stands. All of a sudden, a twinge of pain shot through her, originating right where Lee had kissed her earlier. She rubbed her head in sympathy.
Ugh. I hate getting headaches…
This headache felt different, though. It was as though something inside her head was trying to contact her, but couldn't make itself be heard. The pounding was making her dizzy.
Pull it together, Zazie, you don't want Lee to see you hunched over in pain while he's fighting, it'll just distract him.
Steeling her resolve, she sat up straight, took her hand away from her forehead, and looked straight ahead with clear eyes.
Lee's POV
As he entered the stands, the tumultuous applause broke over him like a wave. Shielding his ears until he got used to it, he searched the stands until he caught Zazie's eye. Smiling, he waved at her.
Zazie smiled back, and added her applause to the rest.
Striding to the center of the ring, Lee turned and faced his opponent, Ku.
This might be a little tough… She won this tournament once, after all. Well, I'll just have to wing it.
Lee checked himself mentally, and was satisfied that he was perfectly comfortable in his clothes, physical and mental state. (Same clothes as before)
Ku Fei, for her part, was wearing what she wore every time she fought; a Chinese gi with a belt that doubled as a cloth spear. (I don't actually know what her clothes are called, I'm just making it up.)
The announcer strode onto his podium. He grabbed his microphone and held up his hand.
"Welcome, everyone to Round 1 of the Mahora Martial arts tournament!" More screaming and applause issued from the crowd.
"We have a great match up today. Former champion, Ku Fei, versus the newcomer Lee!" When Ku's name was announced, a small explosion took place, as opposed to the smattering of applause, mostly from Zazie, that Lee got.
The announcer turned to the combatants. "Ku Fei, are you ready?" Ku nodded her assent and dropped into a fighting stance.
"Lee, are you ready?" Lee nodded and also dropped into a comfortable stance.
The announcer held up his hand. "Ready….. GO!"
Ku Fei immediately closed the distance in what seemed a single step. Lee was suitably impressed.
Wow, I didn't expect a Vital Step from someone her age. Really good form, too.
He didn't have any more time to think, though, for he was pressed fiercely by the rain of blows from Ku. She started off with a right handed karate chop, duly blocked by Lee, and came in low with a kick from the other side.
Lee shifted his weight so his shin would take the brunt, and then quick-stepped backwards a step to escape the follow-up roundhouse kick from her opposite leg. Ku stepped right in behind the kick and pressed hard, again.
Lee kept right up with her, though, blocking all of her blows without losing any more ground.
Chinese Kenpo, huh. Well, I must admit, the continent always rose above the rest in power and grace. The style flows well, too. But there's one thing it just can't handle.
Lee had already noticed that Ku's attacks were steadily shifting his defenses way outside. Then, when there was a split second extra gap between attacks, he immediately bent over backward matrix-style to avoid the predictable elbow to the chest.
Sheer improvisation, from one who can.
Up in the stands, Zazie's jaw dropped, along with many others at the display of fighting prowess.
He wasn't lying when he said that wasn't all he could do.
Meanwhile, back in the ring, Ku realized her error. The elbow strike was the finishing blow, and its failure had left her wide open.
Lee didn't waste the chance. Dropping his left hand to the ground, he twisted and came up high with his right leg in a reverse neck-chop. The sheer force behind the kick nearly knocked Ku out of the ring. As it was, it merely blew her into an undignified, not to mention painful, tumble across the hard rock of the ring.
Lee got back up to his feet and smirked.
"Come on, Ku. You and I both know that you absorbed the impact of most of that blow by jumping back."
Ku got up slowly and wiped blood from a cut on her lip.
"True." She dropped into a fighting stance again.
"I must admit, your stance bothered me when I first saw it. However, I didn't think much about it. But with that move you just pulled off, my suspicions were confirmed." Ku drew herself up and looked Lee square in the eye.
"You use the Libra style, don't you?" Lee smiled.
"Good job. You figured it out." He dropped into a fighting stance, still smiling.
"You knowing won't do you any good, though."
Ku smiled too. "We'll see."
They charged each other. The following exchange was almost faster than the eye could follow.
For those up in the stands, it was awe-inspiring. The combatants were moving so fast that it all seemed to melt together into one long attack.
Lee, for his part, was a little disappointed.
So this is the strength of the former champ, huh? If this is the most she's got, I could end this now.
Or so he thought, up until Ku's cloth spear clipped his shoulder, sending him sprawling. He regained his feet quickly, though, and gave Ku a smile of respect.
Ku smiled too. " Your reaction time is faster than I expected. That should have been a full hit. I guess it's nothing left to be expected from a Libra master."
Lee grinned. "Thanks. You're pretty good, too. You caught me off guard mixing your cloth spear into your kenpo."
"Thank you. However, now that that chance is gone, I have to get serious." Ku concentrated her ki into her extremities, and shifted her cloth spear to a readier position.
Lee dropped into his stance. "Good."
Closing the gap with vital step, Ku lashed out with her right hand while her left shot out the cloth spear.
Lee turned so that both attacks missed, and dropped flat onto his back. Then, he kicked up with his legs, connecting squarely with Ku's midsection.
Ku recovered in midair, though, and managed to wrap Lee's leg in her cloth spear. Landing lightly, she yanked out Lee's leg and rushed in for the kill.
She forgot what the Libra style is for. Her underestimation will cost her, Lee thought.
When his leg was yanked out, Lee compensated by dropping back onto his hands and his other leg, he kicked up when the slack loosened on the cloth spear, but Ku hadn't forgotten what the Libra style was for. Twisting, she dodged his leg, and jumped at the same time, ending with her foot aimed squarely for Lee's ribs.
Kicking out his left hand, he slammed his elbow into the hard stone, shifting himself out of the way. Ku immediately landed and twisted again, yanking Lee's leg and coming down in a hard heel kick.
Reacting fast, Lee felt the yank on his leg, and pulled his leg back, adding momentum so he could dodge the heel kick.
Opening!
Twisting, he pushed off with his palms hard enough to draw her spear taut. He pulled his leg in again, sending him flying towards Ku, fast enough she couldn't dodge.
CRACK!!!
His other foot slammed squarely into her collarbone, dropping her to the ground. Her head hit the ring floor as she fell, knocking her out cold.
The announcer, stunned by the fast-pace exchange, dazedly announced, "Lee is the winner!"
The audience exploded into cheering. Lee waved a bit, then stooped and picked up Ku, carrying her off too the medical station.
Zazie's POV
Rushing to the medical tent, she saw Lee exit.
"You were right, that other guy didn't bring out a quarter of what you showed there."
Lee smiled. "Would you believe I still have more left?" Zazie grinned.
"With you, I've learned anything is possible" lee regarded her warmly, aware of her double meaning, then scooped her up for a tender embrace.
Zazie looked at him curiously after they broke apart. "What did Ku mean when she was talking about the Libra style?"
Lee smiled. "That's the fighting style I use. You see, Libra is a constellation in the sky that looks like a set of scales. Those, like me, who use the Libra style use that to symbolize how we fight; with complete, perfect balance."
"Those moves you saw me pull off? They were only possible because at all times I knew exactly where my body was in relation to everything else, and how I could balance myself to perform my next attack."
"See, when your perfectly balanced, you can launch off in any direction at any pace. It makes it difficult for others to put us in a situation we can't counter or dodge from."
He then chuckled, and remarked, "I guess it also helps that my reaction time is 0.11 seconds, twice as fast as the human norm."
Zazie regarded him with awe. "Lee, you're amazing."
Lee smiled. "No, you are."
He took her hand in his, and they both strode off.
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Wow. Long chapter. Oh, all that fighting was actually ultra fast-paced, but I can't just write Blur! Shooom! Hithithihtit!!!! So I had to slow it down to describe it.
Review Please! Puppy dog eyes