Makoto streaked down a Hong Kong street on a skateboard in pursuit of Yun Lee and the Amazon boy Roshon, while she was in turn pursued by the former Elder and former Champion of the amazon village, Pur-Fum and Bru Xhu.

{Of all the ways to cap a night out,} Makoto thought resentfully, remembering the wonderful date she had shared with Yun before the Amazons showed up to ruin things. {And then Yun chased off after Roshon, and now I need his help to handle these two,} she recapped mentally, her thoughts a bit disarranged by mixed exhilaration and terror.

The two emotions sprang from the same source - her speed. In all her life she had never gone this fast for longer than a split-second. She had lunged onto the skateboard using a Hayate, and the downhill slope she was following while tracking Yun had allowed her to maintain most of that maneuver's speed. {Now I know how Yang must feel while he's using that Kaihou dash of his.}

"You won't escape me this way, Rindou!!" the hateful voice of Pur-Fum the Amazon Elder echoed in Makoto's ears. "I can match your speed by roof-hopping while you must cope with obstacles. In fact, there's one now!"

Makoto glanced ahead, wondering what the Elder was talking about, and caught sight of a rickshaw backing out of an alleyway. The 'foot-cabbie' got a glimpse of her coming and froze, the grip-bars of his cart extending out across half the street.

One of Yun's impromptu lessons in skateboarding flashed through her mind, and after a quick glance at the ground to check for obstructions to the board, she leaped off of it, clearing the rickshaw poles by a good foot and coming back down to the board, which had passed right under the poles, with only a brief wobble as she fought to keep her balance.

Pur-Fum's mocking voice caught at her from behind again. "Oh, well done. Now can you cope with this?"

A whistle of wind warned Makoto of a projectile coming her way from behind. With another check to see if the route was clear, she shot a glance to the rear just long enough to shoot up an arm and bat away the small throwing knife the Elder had hurled, then quickly went back to 'eyes front.'

Again Pur-Fum called mocking congratulations. "Impressive! But I see your downfall ahead, girl!"

Makoto saw what the Elder meant a moment later. The road she was on was a side-street, perhaps almost a private road despite all the shop-stalls lining it, and it ended in a set of stairs sloping down to another street. There was even a railing in the middle, posing a further barrier to motor traffic.

{I hope this works,} Makoto thought, reaching down and grabbing the board, then delivering a massive jolt downward with her legs. This bounced her - and the skateboard, which she was holding against her feet with one hand - into the air, and she twisted to land sideways across the railing and slide down it like a child down a bannister.

"YES! Gloat about that, you hag!" Makoto howled to the heavens, exulting in having accomplished the rail slide Yun had been trying to teach her.

Then her board encountered the end of the railing and dropped off - still facing to the side while her momentum was all forward.

The landing threw her bodily off the skateboard and into a shop stall as people scattered every which way in panic. The only comfort Makoto could take in the situation was that Pur-Fum had been leaping down to take advantage of Makoto's spill, and was thus buried under a torrent of melons from the stand Makoto had plowed into.

'A skateboard,' Yang thought, scanning the terrain as he ran by. He saw two elder Chinese women - one with her head stuck in a watermelon, and the other, armed with a staff, standing to the side looking embarrased. Nearby, he saw the fallen skateboard and the figure that had been riding it. No, that wasn't Yun. But still someone familiar.

"Rindou-san!" Yang skidded to a halt in front of Makoto's fallen form.

A few melons rolled aside as Makoto raised herself. She barely had time to rub her head before her danger senses snapped her to attention. Her sight followed suit - to show her Bru Xhu lunging towards the center of Yang's spine with a staff thrust. "YANG, DUCK!"

That Yang did not do. Instead, he arched his body forward, then flipped backwards, grabbing Bru Xhu's staff and then handspringing away behind her. Bru spun around with an overhead strike. Yang easily parried the blow, then jumped back. He had no intention to totally fight someone just out of the blue. Bru Xhu, sensing the lack of will to battle, halted as well, but only briefly.

"So sorry to interrupt, boy, but anyone who gets in the way of our fights must die." Bru Xhu declared.

Makoto rolled to her feet. "Careful, Yang. She's named Bru Xhu, and until she got *disgraced...*" Makoto quietly smirked at Bru's flinch from the verbal assault. "..she used to be the Amazon Champion. That ought to say enough about her skills."

"'Yang'...?" Bru Xhu repeated, half in shock, which was quickly replaced with a smirk. "I see. You're the one who tried to steal away my nephew's wife. I wager you're here to collect your precious older brother, Yun. However, seeing that you have made Roshon miserable, I shall warn him of your presence. And perhaps steal Yun away from you. Then you'll know how it feels to have someone you love taken away! I will get to Roshon first!"

Donning Makoto's skateboard, the elder sped off down the road at blinding speed. The force of the gust brushed Yang aside, even pushing Makoto and Pur Fum away some distance.

Makoto waved Yang off after the vanishing Amazon. "Get going! I can handle the other one," she said, hoping she wasn't lying through her teeth. "But if you stay here, Bru'll use the same downslope I was, and she'll get too fast for even you to catch up with!"

"Hm." was all Yang said before he tore off.

Makoto had time to whisper, "Godspeed, Yang," with an ironic smile on her face. {Grandfather Aoshi used to talk about Himura-san, the redheaded ruroni with 'God Speed'... I just hope Yang can live up to that. He may need it... Bru's really moving,} she thought.

Just then, there was a tearing sound as Pur-Fum ripped the melon in half to get it off her head. "Pfeh!" she spat, the seed she expelled 'thock'ing into the pole of a stand across the street.

The pole broke.

{Eep!} Makoto thought. {I... might be in over my head here...} she worried.

Pur-Fum took a brief look around, and sighted Makoto. "You disposed of Bru somehow?" she said with a surprised tone to her voice. "My congratulations. I'll have to fight with my full ability if you could finish her so fast."

Makoto cringed and prepared to reap the whirlwind.

Once upon a time, just few minutes ago, Rin-Rin was poised to save her beloved airen - no, Yang - from the face of evil. Her bonbori, once poised to attack, fell limp to her sides. She couldn't attack. No, not now, especially after her eyes laid upon Bru Xhu. She couldn't believe it. Bru Xhu was still alive, meaning that she had somehow escaped the Jokuzetsu tragedy. But what floored Rin-Rin were the words Bru scortched to Yang:

"I will get to Roshon first!"

"Roshon... Roshon is still alive..." Rin-Rin's voice quivered. All at once, she realized her behaviour. How her memory problem made her forget who she truly loved. And that was stupidity alone. She knew Roshon wouldn't blame her, but she blamed herself. She felt like a slut. An unfaithful slut.

"I have to right these wrongs." she said to herself, wiping away her tears. "I have to get to Roshon before either of them do. Oh, Roshon, I'm so sorry..."

"Roshon, don't you worry. Auntie will come to you safe and sound..." Bru Xhu said more to assure herself than to her far-away nephew.

In her mind, she heard rapid footsteps as of someone running. Bru Xhu smiled as she forced her heavy momentum to ride around obstacles. This was her first time on a skateboard. With her build, she had a hard time turning. However, being a fast learner, she was quickly getting the hang of it.

"Chinese Amazons are the fastest fighters in the world." Bru Xhu repeated to herself. "I taught Roshon that saying when he was just a little boy. It's not only our bloodline as a whole, it's my bloodline. The males in my family are known to be the fastest fighters in the village. It's only safe to presume the world as well. Ah... the feel of the wind as I fly by... the winds feel like they're parting just to let me pass. Just like when I was young, before I resigned my speed for strength. It makes me feel like a teenager once again."

Even more footsteps rang in her ears. This time closer. Bru Xhu realized that those footsteps weren't her imagination. They were real.

Slowly, she turned her head to the side. Her eyes caught an illusion that Roshon, as a young boy, was running beside her. But in reality, it was Yang running right after her. In fact, he was catching up at a rapid rate! 'How can he be catching up at the speed I'm going? My momentum should be throwing me downwards at uncatchable speeds.'

Yang's mind was clear and determined. His one focus was simply to pass Bru Xhu and reach his brother. The tightness in his chest wasn't going away - Yun was still in some sort of danger. However, Yang knew it wouldn't be easy to pass an amazon elder.

Although Bru Xhu's mind was shocked, her body instantly reacted. Bru Xhu spun her staff, catching the lid of a garbage can underneath one end. With a quick spin, she flung the lid towards Yang. He easily parried the obstacle aside. Bru threw down more garbage cans, spilling the contents behind her. Yang leapt over the obstacles like hurdles. His speed was not hampered one bit. A few paces and Bru knew he would pass her. She had to act fast.

Bru Xhu hurled another garbage can towards Yang's head. Yang swiped it away. But at that very second, Bru Xhu threw another garbage can at his feet. Not even Yang could react so quickly. His feet tripped over the obstacle, causing him to skid across the ground.

"It's too bad. You're just a boy." Bru Xhu taunted as she sped away.

Yang struggled to his feet. His skin burned slightly - moreso due to his running speed and increased impact. Ignoring his pain, he stubbornly continued on. 'Big brother... please be safe. Brother...'

'Brother...'

"Yang..." Yun clenched his teeth. Was that Yang's voice he just heard? Or just the air rushing through his ears as he rocketed towards the guard rail. "Dammit, I can't die in a place like this!"

Yun felt not an inch more of pain due to his desperation. Roshon's rapid kicks didn't exist anymore. He twisted his body so that his left arm could reach downwards. Thinking fast, he charged himself up, concentrating his chi through his body, then shoving the energy through his palms. The energy emitted from the Kobokushi richoted from the ground, pushing Yun and Roshon upwards. Not enough to break the fall. Just cushion. Roshon tried another dive kick downwards. Luckily, Yun landed on his hands and backflipped away, narrowly avoiding the blow.

The two landed several feet away from each other. Both grinned, especially Roshon. He was amused how his now capless look-alike shrugged off the pain.

"What's the matter? You can't handle the truth?" Roshon taunted. "I guess there's hope for him since you don't seem to suck quite as much. But let me tell you something, pal. Your precious little brother stole away something very dear to me - my own wife! I'm gonna get her back from him. You're standing in my way."

"Well duh. You wanna hurt my brother. Of course I'm gonna stand in your way." Yun grinned. "'Sides, if you act to her the way you do now, I'm only surprised she didn't leave you earlier."

Roshon's eyes flashed red. "All right, pal. That's it. You've gone too far."

Yun's eyes burned with similar anger. "You've crossed the line ages ago when you hurt my brother."

"Comin' at 'cha!"

"AIYAH~!"

Pur-Fum and Makoto flew past each other, Makoto using her longer reach to parry away the Elder's strikes and redirect her into a stand across the way, smashing it and adding its contents to the growing clutter on the ground.

Pur-Fum snatched something small and thin from the debris. "How fortunate!" she exclaimed. "Now, young one, I will defeat you with no more than this." With a truly grotesque smirk, the wrinkled old Amazon held up the item she'd plucked from the rubble.

It was a small corncob pipe.

Makoto snorted. "Yeah, right!" she cried as she took to the air again, aiming a flying kick at the Elder's head.

Pur-Fum brought the pipe across in a lazy parry far too limp to deflect even a light blow, and Makoto snorted in contempt...

...until her leg intersected the pipe, and she whirled once *around* it before being sent hurtling off into and through a shop-stall to crash against the wall behind it.

Shaking debris off herself, she struggled back to her feet. "What the!?" she exclaimed as soon as she recovered her wits.

Pur-Fum cackled. "Foolish child! This is a technique used by one of the Amazons' oldest living enemies... and I alone among us have mastered it. You cannot strike me now!"

Makoto's mind raced as she tried to puzzle out the Elder's defense. {She sort of twirled it around as my leg touched it and set me spinning... where have I seen a motion like that before..? I remember, at a fencing match! It's the same move a fencer makes to spin their opponent's foil out of the way! She must have reinforced the pipe with her *chi* and flipped me away... In that case, a forceful enough blow should get through!} Suiting action to thought, Makoto leaped again, this time charging her leg with *chi* in one of her hardest-hitting techniques.

"Tsurugi!"

This time, Makoto went *through* the wall. As she tried to shake out the dizziness from her head, Pur-Fum cackled again. "It's no use! The more force you put into your attack, the harder you'll be hurled away. In the end, you will defeat yourself, fool!"

Makoto slipped out of the pile of debris she had made upon impact and advanced on Pur-Fum again. "Maybe, and maybe not. But if you think I'm going to quit, you're a fool!" she swore.

Makoto flicked out a jab, keeping it light, and yanking her hand back in a hurry as Pur-Fum's pipe came across to meet it.

Pur-Fum's eyes widened as the pipe smacked into Makoto's far hand, which she had extended along with the jab but was now holding quite still.

With no force to redirect against her, Makoto remained where she was, and smirked - then clamped her fist around the pipe, crushing it. "Now it's my turn!" she exclaimed, leaping backwards and perching, just for a moment, sideways on the alley wall.

"ABARE TOSANAMI KUDAKI!"

Makoto came streaking down from the wall in her Super diving kick... but her expression changed from triumph to shock as Pur-Fum put up a hand and managed to parry the attack, deflecting Makoto's kick!

"Wha-" Makoto managed, stunned, as Pur-Fum shook her hand slightly.

"Feh," the old woman commented. "Your diving kick is remarkably forceful, child; your leg power is admirable.. but any single blow, no matter how devastating, is simple to parry for those such as you and I who understand how to use our *chi* in the defense. Your attack is worthless!"

Makoto was forced to the defensive as Pur-Fum advanced, still talking. "And now you'll see why it was *my* teachings that made Bru into the village Champion! KACHHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!"

As she had with Bru's staff onslaught, Makoto covered up, blocking most of Pur-Fum's blows, then tried to parry away the final one and set up a counterattack - only to have her arm grabbed in Pur-Fum's leathery hand.

"And despite my age, I *have* kept up a training regimen, child!" Pur-Fum admonished Makoto, whipping her overhead and down to the roadway, smashing yet another shop-stall in the process.

Makoto swept her leg across, clearing debris out of her way, and rolled out of the wreckage. As soon as her feet hit the ground, she spun about and dashed, fist-first. "HAYATE!"

Pur-Fum pre-empted her, shoving her cupped hands forward in a motion similar to Sakura's Hadoken, and a wave of invisible force slammed into Makoto as she got within a few feet of the Elder. Sent tumbling backwards, Makoto rolled with the blow and got her feet under her again. The old woman gave her another grotesque smirk. "Not to mention that the Ghost's Force Blow can keep you out of arm's reach of me, making your entire fighting style useless. Are you starting to realize how outclassed you are, girl!?"

Makoto hung back, dismayed. {She's got a point,} the young girl realized. {I can't get in at her with my ground moves, and the Tsurugi has the same problem as the Abare Tosanami Kudaki - it's easy to parry! What can I *do??*}

Pur-Fum kept smirking as she went on. "Ah, I see the first part of my revenge is well underway - teaching you that it's worthless to oppose us. Next we'll teach you how it feels to lose what you hold dear - such as that pathetic dojo you're trying to save. You'll lose it soon, and know that you were powerless to do *anything.*"

Makoto's intimidation and despair vanished like cobwebs in the sudden flame of her anger. "You're forgetting something, old woman," she ground out as her anger filled her *hara* and colored her vision, adding power to her muscles and speed to her thoughts. {If I can just recover fast enough from the first blow to...}

Pur-Fum's smirk became a frown. "And that is?"

Makoto took a step forward. "*You* are no longer an Amazon."

Another step. "*I* am, as is Kho-Om."

Step. "The Jokuzetsu are planning to expand, making colonies in the many Chinatowns of the world - and wherever else they can find friends and a home."

Step. "My dojo is one of those places."

Step. "Thus, you and Bru are outsiders making themselves an obstacle to Amazon plans and law."

A final step, putting her almost nose-to-nose with the shorter Elder as she snarled the final phrase down at her, insulting the Elder with deliberately pidgin Chinese. "Amazon Law say: Obstacle is for KILLING!"

Pur-Fum reacted to the sudden threat, lashing out: but Makoto was already leaping up and back to perch again for a moment sideways on the alley wall.

The Elder snorted. "This again? I told you, it doesn't matter how forceful your attack, it's futile, even if your anger *has* increased your strength!"

Makoto ignored her, placing her full focus on what she was trying to do. {Just like Yun's Sourai Rengeki and his juggles...}

"ABARE TOSANAMI KUDAKI..."

As before, Makoto came rocketing down off the wall, and Pur-Fum whipped an arm up to parry her away... but Makoto drove her leg downward, and ended up landing right in front of the Elder, in the same position as she would have occupied had she connected...

"...COMBINATION! HEEYAH!"

...and drove a punch-kick-punch-knee series into the Elder, finishing off by spinning around to belt her into the air with the Fukiage, then whirling back to face the airborne Amazon - a shortened version of Makoto's first Super attack, the Seichusen Godanzuki.

"HAYATE! KARAKUSA!"

Her dashing punch whipped her forward with enough speed to intercept the Elder as she fell, and even as the punch impacted, Makoto whipped her hand around as her free hand came forwards as well, snagging Pur-Fum by her collar before the punch could knock her clear and jogging her carotid artery in the Karakusa... at which point Makoto leaped forwards, past Pur-Fum and into the opposite alley wall.

"ABARE TOSANAMI KUDAKI COMBINATION! HEEYAH!"

This time there was no parry to stop the pile-driver force of the diving kick, which left Pur-Fum utterly defenseless against the combination that followed. As the insensible Elder plummeted into the last intact shop-stall, wrecking it and completing the ruin of the street vendors' area, Makoto cast her eyes around for aid.

{I'll never catch up to Yang and the others on foot, not if they keep going... I need something to help me out...}

And then her eye fell on a possibility. Fallen from the stall Pur-Fum had just smashed was something long and silvery. To Makoto's eyes, it gleamed like hope.

{A folding scooter!}

A moment later, she was aboard it and speeding away at Hayate velocity once again, calling out, "Yun! Yang! Rin-Rin!!" as she went.

'Yang, are you there? I'm not gonna let this bastard get away with what he's done to you!'

'Brother...?'

Yang struggled to his feet. His right ankle cracked under pressure, and he fell once again, clenching his teeth. The fall must have caused him to throw his foot out of alignment - a feat that only an Amazon Champion could have set up. Under hazy eyes, he caught a glimpse of Bru Xhu's speeding form on the skateboard far in front of him. Way too far in front of him. Logically, he knew he'd never be able to catch up with her with his ankle twisted.

"Brother... I..." Yang limped ahead. "I... have... to get... to..."

He nearly stumbled. Yang quickly grabbed the edge of a building for support. Panting heavily, he continued on his trek, limping and trying his best to ignore the pain. The more he hobbled, the more his mind blanked, perhaps from the exhaustion. But as he walked, the blank was filled with images from his past.

"Big brother, do you think I'll be as good a fighter as you one day?" a young Yang asked.

An equally aged Yun shrugged. "Sure, why not? But you ain't gonna ever be better than me."

"...why not?" Yang asked sadly.

"Because I'm gonna be better than anyone else in the world!" Yun grinned.

"...Oh..."

"Listen, Yang. You're gonna have to promise me that you'll do your best too. It ain't fun with only one Twin Dragon. Promise me, Yang. Let's beat the world together. I'm gonna be better than everyone else, but you're gonna be better than anyone else besides me. Okay?"

"...Okay..."

Yang's focus returned. He raised his right ankle and snapped it back into place. His legs moved on their own, first at a running pace and then faster, and faster. Faster until he heard the wind beating his ears. Through his footsteps, he heard the whirl of a skateboard. Quietly, at first, but becoming a crescendo.

Bru Xhu gaped in horror as she once again saw Yang speed up to her. She once again hurled more garbage bags his way. This time, Yang deflected them back her way. He narrowed his eyes, glaring at her.

"We're the Twin Dragons, right? We're gonna beat the world together, right?"

"We're the Twin Dragons, right?"

"We're gonna beat the world together, right?"

"Right?"

"Right...?"

"Right." Yang declared aloud. He lowered his upper body, preparing for a Kaihou. 'This Kaihou will be different. This time I will not attempt to outdo my brother. Instead...' a small smile crept his face as he saw a projection of his brother in front of him, 'I'll fight with him.'

"You can't get away!" Bru Xhu cried, about to strike her staff at the center of Yang's spine.

The blow barely missed him.

Yang spread his arms outwards, and, as if he was running to a warm light - a state of nirvana - he blasted forward in a speed twice his usual Kaihou. A wave of sonic energy exploded behind him, connecting with Bru Xhu and sent her flying into the sky.

And back towards Makoto.

Yun returned the hat back to his head. Roshon crashed to the ground but promptly arose.

"Don't you ever know when to give up?" Yun asked.

"I could say the same for you." Roshon grinned. "Since it's just you alone with no one watching, I'm gonna make your death as painless as possible."

"Make that two!"

The identical fighters turned in shock to their 'triplet', only he was clad in red and had spikey hair. Yang came to a screeching halt beside Yun. "...You...all right?"

"Of course I'm all right. I'm always all right." Yun grinned.

"Ah, Yang. Long time no see." Roshon smirked. "Are you here for another beating?"

"Just shut up!" the twins cried in unison.

Roshon blinked.

"You're in for it now." Yun declared. "And just because I'm such a nice guy, your defeat will be quick and painless."

Simultaneously, they entered back-to-back Crane stances. "Prepare yourself!" they chorused.

Roshon burst out laughing. "You people make me sick, you know that? Even if you both gang up on me, I can still beat you with my hands tied behind my back. I suppose patheticism runs in the family."

Yang glanced at his older brother. 'Brother... for so long I wanted to defeat you. I knew I couldn't compare. But now... now I realize these illogical emotions - we're one and the same, as equally skilled fighters. Brother, I will fight beside you as we did before.'

Yun grinned back. 'We gotta work together. We're the Twin Dragons. Nothin' ain't gonna defeat us. Not back then, not now, not ever. C'mon, Yang. Let's show 'em what we're made of. Let's show 'em the skills that our godfathers are proud of.'

Yun launched a lunging punch - Zessho Hohou - at Roshon. The Amazon boy easily dodged to the side. He was intercepted by Yang who Kaihou-ed directly behind him. The instant Roshon realized just who was behind him, Yang slashed away with his Torou Zan, slicing him to the left, to the right, then a powerful slash again to the left to send Roshon backwards.

'You're in our rhythm now.' Yang smirked.

'We'll show you what the Twin Dragons are made of!' Yun grinned.

Yun intercepted Roshon with an elbow to the jaw, chained into a palm strike and into a Kobokushi to send Roshon back Yang's way. Yang intercepted with a Byakko Soushouda - his longer-range variant of the Kobokushi - to send Roshon back Yun's way. Yun returned Roshon with a Kobokushi, to a Byakko Soushouda, to a Kobokushi, to a Byakko Soushouda...

"What..." *PAF* "...is..." *PAF* "...this..." *PAF* "...a..." *PAF* "...game of..." *PAF* "catch?!" Roshon sputtered. It was irking him even more that Yun and Yang looked like they were enjoying themselves! As if they were playing a game!

As Yang smashed Roshon back Yun's way, Roshon had had enough. This time, he would intercept with a flying kick. However, his vision caught sight of Yun's grin --

-- just before he saw Yun sidestep him.

-- and then Yun slid forth an elbow strike. Not any ordinary elbow strike, mind you - the beginning of a Sourai Rengeki.

"SOURAI..."

Elbow, elbow, palm strike, palm strike, rising kick, jumping spin kick.

"...RENGEKI..."

Elbow, elbow, palm strike, palm strike, rising kick, jumping spin kick.

"...JUGGLE!! You gotta love that!"

The last side kick sent Roshon straight into Yang's awaiting knifehand.

"RAISHIN MAHHAKEN!"

Yang stabbed forth with a flurry of knifehand strikes into Roshon's pressure points - no, through him. Roshon was sent spinning into Yun's awaiting Zessho Hohou. Back to Yang. The younger dragon launched Roshon in the air with a rising side kick. Back to Yun. Yun leapt in the air and came down on Roshon with a Raigeki Shuu - swan dive kick, while Yang came with a Senkyuutai at the bottom.

*CRASH* Roshon was the victim of pain between Yun and Yang's clashing feet.

Roshon crashed to the ground between Yun and Yang. But instead of first rising to his feet, he footswept Yang, then kicked him away. The Amazon boy panted heavily - he took a harder beating than he thought. "All right.... Yun. Time to end this!"

"AIYAH~!" Yun lunged at Roshon with an EX Zessho Hohou - a Zessho Hohou which flew twice the speed.

"Piercing Zan Ei!" Roshon cried, with a spearhand cocked back in a Gen-like stance.

"WAIT! STOP!"

Suddenly, Rin-Rin appeared out of nowhere to run in front of Roshon, arms outstretched. "Brother of Yang, stop! Don't hurt Roshon! I still love him!"

"What the...?" Yun jerked his hand back and forced his foot to slide along the ground.

However, that didn't stop Roshon.

Rin-Rin's eyes flew open as she heard a sickening crack. She gasped, then choked as blood flew from her mouth. Everyone - especially Roshon - gaped in horror of Roshon's success in connecting his attack -

- right through Rin-Rin's midsection.

Makoto, rocketing through the streets after the others, felt a sudden tightening in her chest. {Something's happened... something *Bad,*} she thought, translating the sensation into words as best she could. {I have to get there FAST!}

Much to her aggravation, however, she caught sight of a too-familiar form rising out of a pile of garbage on the side of the street ahead. "Peh!" Bru Xhu spat as she rose, then jolted as she caught sight of the approaching Makoto. "Wha - Rindou!? PREPARE TO DIE!" Though she seemed to have lost her staff somewhere, the former Champion took up an attack stance with knifehands at the ready.

Makoto screamed in anger. "GET OUT OF MY WAY! I've got no time for this!!" As she approached Bru, she delivered a jolt downward with her legs, sending her jumping into the air, pulling the scooter with her by the handle. Yanking it up towards her, she folded it up and laid it along the bottom of her leg as she flew towards Bru Xhu.

"HAAH! TSURUGI!"

The EX ax-kick, aided by the several pounds of steel it was shoving towards its target, smashed through Bru's attempt to block and clocked her on top of the head. She crumpled as Makoto bounced back up and over her.

The moment she hit the ground, Makoto had the scooter opened up again and was racing back down the street yelling for her friends.

Tears spilled from Rin-Rin's eyes. She managed a tender smile. "Roshon...? Is that you?"

"Don't speak!" Roshon admonished. He bit his lip, gripping his wife's shoulders. "Dammit, Rin, you're gonna be okay."

"Oh, Roshon..." the blue-haired amazon responded. She closed her eyes and shook her head. Her time was rapidly fading away. But to say so aloud would be a slap in the face to Roshon's mistake. She could tell, from his crying eyes, that he was upset over what he had done. She turned to Yun and Yang. "Ai-- no, Yang, thank you. You've made me very happy over these past weeks. I now realize how... how selfish I've been. But you and your brother are such kind people. I'm grateful."

Yang kept his stone-cold expression. Yun placed a hand on his brother's back to comfort him.

Rin continued, "Brother of... no - brother? Please protect Yang. I'm sorry I won't be able to see him again, but I know you can do it for me."

"Yeah... will do, little lady." Yun kneeled down and brushed away some stray bangs from Rin's face.

"Thank you, big brother Yun. And Roshon..." Rin gazed to her husband's face as well as she could. Her sight was rapidly fading. "I'm so sorry about everything... about Yang. He reminded me of you before... before that incident in childhood. I don't know what happened, but ever since then, your gentleness disappeared. You hid under that cocky ego. And while I love you for who you are, I still miss the old you."

Those words came like a shock to Yun's inner conscious. In his mind, he saw a young boy - himself - crying. Repressed emotions flooded him for the briefest of seconds. His conscious mind shooed them away. Yang looked at his brother with slightly sad eyes - he sensed his brother's pain, even though he didn't know exactly what it was all about.

"That's why I fell in love with Yang..." Rin carried on, "and somewhere along there, I forgot that he and you were different people. I'm sorry, Roshon. But even then, I was always thinking of you. And -" She raised a trembling hand to touch her lover's face, "I'll always be with you."

"Rin-Rin, that's the past! I don't care about spikey or whatever. You're all I need. Just you." Roshon clenched his wife's hand, trying to transfer some warmth but to no avail.

"I love you, Roshon," Rin-Rin smiled on her rapidly paling face. "And I know... you love me..."

Slowly, her hand fell limp to her side. Exhaling her final breath, she closed her eyes, never to open them again.

"Rin-Rin?" Roshon's heart thumped.

No answer.

"Rin, c'mon. This is a joke, right?"

No answer.

"Rin..." No matter how his heart tried to deny the truth, he now had to face it.

Rin-Rin was dead.

"Rin..." Roshon whispered. "Rin-Rin!! Oh Gods no... this can't be happening... Rin... Rin! Rin..." He cluched her in his desperate arms, sobbing on her. "RIN~! Oh gods, I am the one that's sorry! Rin!!"

Yun placed a hand on Yang's shoulder. "C'mon, Yang. Let's go - he needs his space."

Side by side, Yun and Yang turned around and left. The last thing they heard of Roshon was his sorrow.

Later that night, a sad farewell was taking place at the Lee house.

"Do you hafta go...?" Yun asked, his face more sober than usual.

"Yes, you are still most welcome," Yang added.

"Yeah..." Makoto replied, trying to hold back the silent tears she'd been shedding ever since hearing of the disastrous fight. "...Yeah, I think I do. I have a dojo's name to restore, after all, and..." she paused, wiping her eyes clear. "..and staying here won't help me do that. I would've had to leave sometime: this just... gave me incentive." Silently, she added the thoughts that were running in circles in her head: {And if I hadn't been here, Rin-chan might still be alive. I won't put you two at risk just for the sake of my desire to stay. And staying here, in all the memories... I don't think I'm strong enough for that. It's different for you, Yun and Yang; you have all your good memories of the place - it's home to you. Me... I need to leave until the grief's not so sharp.}

Hefting her travel bag to her shoulder, she bowed to Yun and Yang. "Thanks... for everything," she said, then turned and walked away before she could burst into tears. "We'll meet again, I'm sure of it," she called back over her shoulder. "Until then!!"

With that, she walked away into the beginnings of a rain shower.

Rain spattered on the windows. As Yang watched the downpour through his bedroom window, he realized that the rain never failed to pour when something bad happens. These past two weeks had been heavy on his mind. Tsuchin cuddled up to his leg, purring happily. Ever since Yang returned, she was in better spirits. At least it was nice to see one person - or feline - happy.

His thoughts were of Rin-Rin. One moment she was there, clutching him possively, then she was gone. A giant hole was lodged in his heart. Not the same emptiness of when he was wrenched from his soul mate, a sadness. A sadness of knowing that a loved one would never return. Yang didn't care much for emotions such as love. But when he thought of Rin-Rin, he thought of the same emotion he had around Yun and his grandmother - the need to protect her, and see her happy, even if she wasn't with him.

Perhaps it was love after all. Family love.

"This evening, police found the remains of two dead bodies - one male and one female and presumably a couple - washed ashore." blared the radio.

Yang imagined her smiling.

He slumped lower.

"They were already dead upon retrieval. The female suffered terrible damage through her midsection. The young man appeared unharmed. However, studies have shown that his body had suffered multiple bone fractures. Both are currently unidentified."

Yang imagined her laughing.

He slumped lower.

"The female has blue hair in twin ponytails while the boy holds a striking appearance to Yun Lee. However, police have identified that he is not Yun himself. If you have any information on these two individuals, please inform the police."

Yang imagined her speaking, "Airen!"

His head hit the table.

The radio clicked off. "Depressing stuff." Yun commented. "What happened to the good old fashioned Enka Hour, starring Daigo Kazama?"

"Mm...."

Yun sat beside his brother. For minutes on end, the two said nothing. They only watched the rain pour.

"... brother?"

"Yeah?"

"Is... is that what it's like to have a little sister?"

Yun knew he was talking about Rin-Rin.

"I..." The sadness that filled Yang's heart welled up too far. "I..."

"Rin-Rin was a good girl. Now, she'll always be here with you in spirit."

Yang was upset. It was time to tear down the ego and comfort him. Yun enfolded his arms around Yang, leaning his younger brother's head to his chest. Yang slowly returned the embrace, quietly whimpering. The brothers spent the rest of the night in consolation.