At 10:30 that night, Makoto stepped inside the arena building - a converted warehouse from the look of it, but a well-done job. There were audience stands around the outside walls, a large area for fighting in a pit in the middle - {To allow special techniques to be used without endangering the audience,} Makoto noted - and a large area for the fighters to prepare. This last held what Makoto assumed to be the registration desk.

Nodding, she jogged up to it and showed her invitation. "I'm here to register for the tournament," she said simply.

The clerk looked up at her. "Huh? You're new," he commented. "All the others are either veterans or local hotshots. Are you sure you want to compete?"

Makoto nodded firmly. "I was sent the invitation, and some people I'm looking for might be here. I'm in."

The clerk sighed in a what-can-you-do? manner and let her sign the form. Makoto noted that it held several significant lines, such as "release from responsibility in event of serious injury or death" and "Next of kin." {These people are serious,} she thought, and grinned. {Finally the true top levels!} With that, she completed the form and went to the waiting area.

The Twin Dragons arrived at 11 PM sharp. The registration line didn't appear too long. Maybe only 7 or so people. They waited patiently in line. Finally, it was their turn. The clerk didn't appear familiar to Yun or Yang. Perhaps he was new to these parts.

"May I see your invitation, please?" the clerk asked.

Yang produced the invitation from his pocket and showed it to him. The clerk eyed the twin brothers warily. "Y. Lee, huh? Which one of you is Y. Lee?"

Yun opened his mouth to speak when Yang cut him off with a hand gesture. "I am." Yang said firmly.

"And the Y stands for...?"

"...Yang."

The clerk wrote the name down on the registration paper. Angrily, Yun grabbed Yang by the collar and took him aside.

"What's up with you, Yang?! It's my fight! Let me fight."

Yang's expression didn't change. He said nothing though his eyes spoke many words - of Yang worrying about Yun's injury, and of Yang's firm resolve as a fighter. Yun knew he couldn't shake that resolve. He knew all too well. The grip Yun held loosened. Once again, Yun had lost his temper; and for a selfish reason. As much as Yun hated to admit it, they were the Twin Dragons, after all. Not just the Storming White Dragon. Yun's anger quickly subsided into a lopsided grin.

"Give them a good fight."

"Yeah..."

The arrival of the twins hadn't gone unnoticed. Makoto's eyes tracked the twins as they passed by the registration desk. {Those must be the Twin Dragons that Ibuki's mentioned, Yun and Yang Lee. They don't look any older than me, and they're famous! It's not fair!} she thought, letting her anger build up for the matches ahead.

For a moment, she thought back to her father's old lessons. "Many martial schools teach one to cast out anger. Not ours. The Rindoukan School recognizes that anger is the basic survival emotion of the human race, and we use that to put force behind our attacks. The most important lesson is to always keep control. If you lose control, anyone can beat you: if you *harness* your anger, no one can. Remember this, Makoto."

{I remember, Father,} she thought.

The minutes passed until it was 11:50. Then the announcer came on the microphone, striding out to the middle of the fighting pit. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the underground fighting arena, and welcome to our bi-monthly tournament night! The sixteen fighters you see before you are going to vie for victory in four ferocious rounds! Let's have a round of applause for those who are willing to place their lives on the line for victory!!"

The nearly-full stands clapped and cheered, and Makoto bowed politely. She noticed that one of the twins also bowed, while the other doffed his cap and dusted it off on his knees in a cocky way. {Hmph! Overconfidence is a weakness,} Makoto thought. She briefly hoped she'd be meeting the brash twin, but was brought out of her reverie by the announcer.

"And now, let me announce our lineup tonight, in the reverse of the order that the random draw has placed them in the tournament! First up is a newcomer! She practices Rindoukan Karate, from her family Dojo in Japan, please welcome Makoto Rindou!" Makoto grimaced briefly; that announcement could tell a lot to those who were familiar with the world's fighting styles. She paid close attention as the other fifteen competitors were announced, though.

"A brutal kickboxer whose style has made him a hero in his native Thailand, Hwa Jai!" A bald man with hand- and foot- wraps stood and nodded to the crowd.

"A young woman from a big martial-arts family, she practices Japanese Ninjutsu! Ri Jeshu Lon!" Makoto noticed both Lee brothers start at that name. {Hmm. Maybe an old girlfriend?} she thought with some amusement.

"From Los Angeles in the United States, he practices Jeet Kune Do, Rix Harnell!" This was an African-American with a sullen look.

"In from Brazil, he studies Capoeira, Eddie Gordo!" A young Brazilian man in dreadlocks smiled like the legendary Dee Jay.

"From England, a Brit who casts aside all polish in the ring in favour of Tiger-style Kung Fu, William 'Wild Thing' Suthorn!"

"From Hokkaido, Japan, he practices Koppoken, Daru Kiryuu!" A medium-height Japanese man in a white sleeveless Gi.

"Joining us from Greece, he uses their national wrestling and striking style, Pankration, welcome Alexander!" This young man was built like Adonis. Makoto resolved that, if they fought, she would *not* let him get ahold of her... however nice he looked with that tan and the blond hair, and his nice toga.

"In from the Quinghai mountains, she uses Jokuzetsu styles, welcome Rin-Rin!" A young girl with odd blue hair, though Makoto remembered her father mentioning stranger sorts on the circuit, like that Blanka fellow.

"Here from France, his style is Savate, say 'bonjour' to Jaques Deroches!" This was a slimly-built young man in loose clothes, with tanned skin and brown hair.

"In from Las Vegas, he studied under the former champion boxer Balrog, it's Derek Kincaid!" A caucasian american with large muscles and a shock of red hair, he had hand-wraps.

"A former agent of the KGB Special Forces, now she fights alone, Ivanova Gorchenko!" The chiseled Russian woman nodded glacially.

"This young lady is from Japan and uses a blend of Ninjutsu and Aikido, welcome Kasumi Todo!" The girl bowed, revealing a short *ninjato* sword in a back-sheath.

"Also from Japan, a practicing Sumo, Sanjo Hideyoshi!" He was a sumo, though not a huge one: what more needed to be said?

"Another Japanese contender here today, some say this Shotokan master once fought Gen and survived, Master Soushi!"

"Aaaand finally, here for the very first time, from our very own Hong Kong..." the announcer paused dramatically. "Let's have a cheer for Yang Lee, the Flurry Blue Dragon!!"

Makoto snorted as the audience erupted into applause.

"C'mon, Yang. Smile for your fans." Yun nudged his brother in the ribs. "Even one of the competitors is staring at you."

Yang followed the direction of Yun's finger. The Japanese girl with the karate gi quickly snapped her attention elsewhere, trying to look uninterested. Yang figured she was the one who practiced Rindoukan Karate. Makoto, they said her name was. He had only heard a few tales of the Rindoukan Dojo, mostly just the name. He will have to see what kind of style she had.

"Our first battle is Yang Lee vs Master Soushi. Fighters take your places."

Yun patted Yang on the back. "Good luck, bro'." he grinned. He gave a thumbs-up sign and went to the spectator's area.

The crowd's roaring was deafening. But with each step, the crowd became quieter to Yang's ears. When he entered the pit, his mind was totally focused on the fight. Master Soushi entered the pit from the opposite end. Clad in a traditional karate gi tied with a black belt, he appeared old and somewhat out of shape. Soushi smiled at Yang, the latter made no return to the gesture.

"I am looking forward to a good fight from the younger generation." Soushi nodded.

"...Let's get this over with." Yang peeled off his trenchcoat, revealing his red, sleeveless Kung Fu uniform. Though, like Yun, he wasn't as largely built as most other fighters, his muscles were well defined. He was built for mobility, not raw strength. Many female spectators whistled or called his name. However, Yang was oblivious to the attention. All he was able to see was himself and his opponent. Showing traditional fighter's respect, he clasped his fist in his palm and bowed. Soushi bowed as well.

"Fighters ready..."

Yang went into his fighting stance, flowing rhythm present. Soushi did the same. The twin dragon noticed that Soushi's hands were quite withered. Not quite strong enough to hold a sufficiently clenched fist.

"Engage!"

Soushi made small steps, circling around Yang. Yang did the same in the same direction. For half a minute, they made no motion to strike as they were sizing up each other's fighting aura. Then, in a quick motion, Soushi held his hands to his side, summoning his chi into his palms, then shoved it forward. "HADOKEN!"

Yang leaped over the projectile. 'That was too predictable. He must be trying to set me up for a counter.'

Sure enough, Soushi crouched down, pushing his chi into his fist, and leapt into the air with an uppercut. "SHORYUKEN!"

'Predictable.' Yang blocked the oncoming uppercut. He quickly recovered and dove his foot onto Soushi's knee using his Raigeki Shuu attack. Yang stepped forward and smashed his elbow into Soushi's solarplexus and shoved him away with a Kobokushi strike. As Soushi flew back, Yang rolled on the ground and leapt upwards with the Senkyuutai. Soushi crashed to the ground. Yang flipped back. Soushi struggled to stand, wiping some blood that trickled from his nose.

Now Soushi knew what he was up against. He threw another Hadoken. This time Yang stepped to the side. Soushi dashed forward, flying through the air with a fist strike similar to the Zeshou Hohou. Yang blocked, but Soushi was ready. The old master sweeped Yang off his feet, and as the twin dragon was falling, Soushi kneed him in the gut, then struck his palm at Yang's forehead. Yang fell back.

"Don't give in, little bro'!" Yun's shrill voice pierced through the crowd. "Kick his ass!!"

Yang landed on his hands, then sprung to his feet. Soushi was already at the other side of the pit, charging for a Hadoken twice the size of before. The projectile went airborne. At the last second, Yang dashed out of the way. He sped forward in the speed of the Zeshou Hohou with his feet closer to the ground. Soushi turned around but was too late to react. Yang slammed his fist into Soushi's gut, swung again at his head, swung around with his left hand for a knifehand strike to Soushi's head, then stepped forward and smashed his elbow into Soushi's solarplexus. Soushi fell to the ground, coughing blood. His energy was fading fast.

"W-wait..." Soushi gasped, holding up his hand. "Stop. I beg of you. The fight is yours. I... I don't have the strength to go on... Have mercy on his old man, please..."

Yang narrowed his eyes. He didn't let his guard down even for a second. Soushi struggled to stand. He leaned his hand on his knee, gazing into Yang's eyes. Those were the eyes of a predator ready to tear its prey apart. A real aggressive fighter. Soushi felt that fighter's spirit and nodded.

"I see. Yes, that's right. This is a true fight and I mustn't give up." said Soushi. "Then I shall give it my all."

Soushi lept into the air for a jump kick, crying out some name. Yang didn't hear. He closed his eyes. In that split second, Yang knew it was time to use the attack he had been secretly practicing. He had seen Grandfather Gen perform his Zan'ei many times. And although Yang hadn't quite perfected his version, he knew it was all or nothing. Yang's eyes snapped open.

"RAISHIN MAHHAKEN!"

The twin dragon stomped downwards, jabbing a spearhand into Soushi's throat and cancelling whatever attack Soushi did. For a split second, they stood in silence. Then Yang dashed forward, stabbing Soushi multiple times in the throat. He moved so fast no one was able to detect his movement. They only heard the sounds of hands striking rapidly. Yang reappeared behind Soushi, spearhand extended.

'Not like grandfather's but it will do.' Yang thought.

Soushi wavered in the air for a few seconds. Then, he coughed blood and fell, unconscious. Yang turned and gazed coldly at the old man. Multiple stab wounds from rapid knifehand attacks now formed around Soushi's windpipe.

"If you wanted mercy, you shouldn't have come." Yang declared.

"The winner is Yang Lee, the Flurry Blue Dragon!"

The bell rang three times. The crowd went wild. Yang donned his trenchcoat and walked out of the pit. Yun was waiting outside.

"Man, that was cold." Yun commented. "No mercy, not even against a babbling old fart, huh?"

"In a fight, an opponent is an opponent." Yang said calmly.

Yun scratched his head. "Yeah, I guess."

Together, they went to the sidelines to watch the next fights.

In the fighters' stands, Makoto flinched at the beating the old man took. {Not good,} she thought. {He beat the old man easily. That may be my most serious opposition there and he's got much more time than I will to rest for the next round.} With a resigned sigh - you couldn't always have circumstance in your favour - she settled back to watch the rest of the first-round matches.

The second match was between Kasumi, the aikidoist kunoichi, and Sanjo, the sumo. Makoto paid close attention as the Todo girl demonstated some *very* flexible escapes when Sanjo tried to grapple her and resolved not to rely on the Karakusa (her throat grab - I had the name wrong in the first chap, sorry) if she faced this woman. She noted with some disgust that Sanjo also had some difficulty concentrating on the fight because of the prominence of Kasumi's... err... chest. {Hmph. *Boys.* ...Will I ever develop like that?} Makoto wondered in the back of her mind...

The third match was, quite frankly, a slaughter. The young American never let his white-haired opponent get started as he closed on her from the opening seconds and kept barraging her with sharp punches. Makoto noticed that for almost thirty seconds, he used his left hand exclusively, keeping his right hand cocked for something. To Makoto's surprise, there was the distinctive flicker of unleashed *chi* when Derek finally unleashed his right hand, and Ivanova fell and did not get up when it connected. {I guess I shouldn't underestimate Boxing,} an impressed Makoto thought to herself.

Match four was more interesting, from a spectator's point of view. Jokuzetsu Kenpo and Savate were both mobile, fast-paced arts, and the two dashed back and forth, ranged about the pit, and Rin-Rin even bounced off the pit wall at one point to pass over Desroches. {Cornering her will be difficult,} Makoto noted. The young Chinese Amazon finally finished her foe with a volley of rapid-fire blows, landing perhaps twenty in five seconds for the knockout. Makoto, whose Chinese was only passable, wondered if she'd heard correctly when the girl yelled the attack cry - naming your special technique after chestnuts seemed far too silly.

The fifth match was as much a letdown as the fourth was interesting. Alexander moved in to grapple Daru, who launched himself forward in a dash so fast he blurred with a cry of "Zaneiken!" Just like that, the match was over, Daru's elbow under Alexander's chin, delivering a sharp blow to the carotid artery and knocking the Greek out. Makoto noted the similarity between the Zaneiken and her own Hayate and wondered which was the superior delivery, fist or elbow.

The sixth match was longer. It seemed every time William's aggression had Eddy on the figurative ropes, the Brazilian would come up with a flagrantly unorthodox escape. Makoto was one of the few who noted, however, that William's savagery masked a mind that was still fully in control of his emotion, and Eddy passed too close during one evasion, figuring William to have overextended. He had not, and after a savage flurry that reminded the spectators of Ken Masters, Eddy lay on the ground unconscious.

Match seven had Makoto interested, because one of the fighters - Ri Jeshu Lon - was using a style *very* familiar to her. {That's the same Ninjutsu style as Ibuki!} Makoto thought wonderingly. {I wonder what she's doing so far from her clan?} Ri won the fight handily, finishing her African-American opponent with a sliding tackle-to-neckbreaker that caused a sympthetic ache in Makoto's spine as she remembered all the times Ibuki had applied that move - or its bigger, three-twist brother - to her.

Then it was Makoto's turn.

"Our last battle of the first round is Makoto Rindou VS. Hwa Jai! Fighters, take your places!" The announcer called. Makoto, already in the pit, slid into her stance as Jai took position opposite her. She took offhanded note of the clay flask attached to his belt, and wondered, {What's he bringing that for? It's too fragile to club me with, and it might interfere with his stride or kicks!}

She was left no time to ponder the question, however, as the announcer called out, "ENGAGE!" and Jai immediately charged. Taken slightly off-balance and unable to pre-empt him with a Hayate, she slipped her wrist inside the arc of his first punch and improvised, stopping his forward momentum with a sharp body-check. He took one step back - he outmassed her by at least twenty pounds - and came back in with a side-arc kick to the abdomen. Makoto knee-blocked it and counterpunched, only to have it likewise picked off by Jai, and for several seconds the two were locked in a brutal, back-and-forth exchange of parries and blows. Makoto took a sharp punch to the forehead but shook it off and replied by rearing away from his follow-up punch and kicking him in the forehead. Jai answered back by slinging his leg up alongside hers and clocking her in the side of the temple with the ball of his foot, and Makoto staggered and saw stars for a second.

Shaking her head, she cleared her vision to see that, against all reason or good tactics, Jai had backed off... and actually unslung his hip-flask and taken a drink. {What the - is he making fun of me!?} Makoto thought furiously, and was about to charge when she noticed something. Hwa Jai's skin colour became an even deeper red than before, and he glared at her with an almost literal fire in his eyes. {Uh-oh! He's one of those folks who uses alcohol to bring out his chi-} Makoto had time to realize before Jai came back in at her.

The next few moments were not pleasant ones for the Rindou daughter. His attacks were strong enough to rattle her defense, her blocking arms and legs were beginning to hurt, and worse, some shots were getting through. She 'oof'ed and doubled over as a kick blew past her defense to slam into her abdomen, and toppled as a devastating elbow hit the back of her tipped-forward head. Shaking out dizziness, she rolled to the side just as a cloth-wrapped foot came down where her head had been. Putting her hands down, she stabbed her leg up, hitting Jai's belly in about the same place as he'd hit hers. Like her, he jackknifed, and she kicked up again and toppled him over backward. With a snap, she vaulted to her feet, and crossed her arms over her *hara* - her center, just above her belly - ducked her head, and *thought.*

{It's not fair. He's almost using a weapon. I *Need* to win, and he made fun of me... I *won't* lose! Not to a *cheater!* A *Weak,* tool-reliant BAKA!!}

Like a mantra, those thoughts heightened her anger and pulled it down into her *hara,* where it ignited inside of her, heat rushing out to fuel her limbs... and now it was Makoto whose glare held fire.

Jai had rolled to his feet in the second the mental ritual had required, and the two came together in a series of blows that were loud enough in their meetings to echo in the sudden, impressed silence of the arena.

*WHAK*-*CRAK*-*PAK-PAK-PAK*-**WHUMP!**

Makoto won this exchange by sweeping out Jai's legs (WHUMP,) and parrying away his nip-up kick. Both her arms shot out, snaking around his neck and lifting... and weight difference or no, the Thai kickboxer rose into the air. Makoto twisted her arms in that certain way that would jog the flow of blood to and from the brain for a crucial moment, and took one step back, letting all her anger explode out of her *hara* and into one sharp move.

"HAAH! HAYATE!"

The short dash-punch connected... and continued, bowling Hwa Jai right over as Makoto continued on for a good fifteen feet as she skidded to a stop. Turning her head, she was just in time to see Jai bounce a second time on the dirt floor... and lie still.

"The winner is Makoto Rindou of the Rindoukan Dojo!! A nice comeback, folks, let's show we appreciate it!!" the announcer yelled, and Makoto straightened her *gi* belt before walking out of the ring smiling.

{Maybe I can get a seat near that Ri girl,} she thought as she climbed the ramp out, {I'd like to talk to her.}

(Just so you know, the ground kick she backed Jai off with is her crouching Forward, and the anger-focus bit is her Taunt - she folds her arms over her center and ducks her head for a second, and then does extra damage for the rest of the round. Her finishing move was an EX Hayate.)

Under the brim of his cap, Yun's eyes sparkled mischeviously. "Ouch. That's gotta hurt." He tipped the yellow brim and grinned at Yang. "What's on your mind?"

Yang frowned. "That Makoto girl has great focus on her power and speed. However, if you look carefully, she leaves herself open during her attacks. Only to a sharp eye should her weaknesses be known. Still, her next opponent should be more cautious."

The braided twin shrugged.

"A spectacular first round, ladies and gentlemen!" the announcer cried. "No fighter had shown his or her opponent any mercy. That's what we expect from top class warriors. And now, without further ado, we bring you to the semi-finals! Our first battle is Yang Lee vs Kasumi Todo. Fighters enter the ring!"

"Show her what you're made of." Yun winked. The grin that Yun gave him was making Yang feel uneasy.

Kasumi impatiently hopped in place, her generous assets bouncing a second after her. Her opponent was late, and she didn't like waiting for too long. 'Quick and easy. This will be over soon.'

A sudden gust of wind brushed her by. As her hair swept into place, her opponent appeared in the opposite end of the pit. Yang wasted no words of apology. He simply bowed and went into his fighting stance. With a nod, Kasumi did the same. Both expected a swift, silent kill of the other.

"Prepare to strike...NOW!"

Kasumi led off with a sliding kick to Yang's feet. Yang leapt in the air, ready for a quick counterattack. However, Kasumi's weight was planted firmly on her supporting foot, covering a quick reaction time Yang did not expect. The ninja girl connected with a spinning roundhouse, followed by a quick jab to Yang's ribs, a knee strike to his gut and quickly shoved him away with a side kick. The Flurry Blue Dragon connected soundly with the wall. Wind pushed from his lungs. He forced his eyes open and saw Kasumi come on to him again.

'I know her timing now. This should be quick.'

Kasumi narrowed her eyes, seeing that small bit of defiance in Yang. 'A little boy like you should have stayed at home.'

The agile ninja's leg swiftly swung into Yang. A crash resounded and Kasumi realized her foot had made a large dent in the wall. Yang had narrowly evaded the kick, and had grabbed onto her shoulders, flipping to her back. Before she could react, Yang slammed her into the wall with a point blank Zesho Hohou (lunging palm strike). But his instincts told him that wasn't enough. He swung again with his left hand striking her head, then slammed his elbow in the center of her spine. He flipped back, knowing Kasumi could counterstrike at any moment.

And that she did. Kasumi recovered with a jabbing back kick, to which Yang blocked. She followed up with a cartwheel, then a spinning backfist. At the exact same time, Yang struck with a rising knifehand. Both their arms clashed and for a second they stood there.

"My gods, ladies and gentlemen! Yang and Kasumi are not giving each other an inch of breathing space!!" the announcer cried. "They are going at each other like two wild beasts attacking each other for found prey. Who will reign victorious?"

Yun fidgeted in his seat. Though he didn't let anyone see, he was worried. This was the first time he had seen anyone come close to Yang in terms of speed. It was against the rules, but should anyone hurt his brother, even one as beautiful as Kasumi, the Storming White Dragon was ready to leap into action.

Sweat broke from Yang's brow, and Kasumi's as well. The ninja licked the blood trickling from her lips, then quickly blocked an upcoming multi-hit Zesho Hohou. She moved to strike but Yang had already ducked down, jabbing her with a footsie game that ended with a leaping Senkyuutai. As Yang recovered, so did she, and she landed, kneeing Yang in the back of the head. Before she could execute her signature arm twist, Yang grabbed her head between his feet, and flipped over. Kasumi landed head-first on the ground with a large bang.

Moments passed, then her body went limp. Yang let go of her arm. Kasumi lay on the ground on the brink of death. He gave her a cold glare, then stepped out of the ring.

"T-the winner is Yang, the Flurry Blue Dragon! ...God, that was brutal." The announcer wiped his forehead with a towel.

The crowd made murmuring gestures. Did Yang really kill Kasumi? They knew he was cold, but this was too far. Yun's expression matched the crowd, Yang noticed.

"She's not dead." Yang said simply.

Yun only grinned.

The next two fights didn't appear so promising either. Boxing was known for quick feet movement and lightning fast punches. But their lack of kicks also gave them a weakness which Rin-Rin exploited quickly. In a matter of moments, Daru was out for the count. Yang noted Rin-Rin's strange, yet effective martial arts techniques. She was his next opponent. He would be ready.

Daru vs William, at first, appeared to be a retake of the furious Yang vs Kasumi fight. Their attacks were fast and sharp. However, Daru got the upper hand by shooting a quick burst of chi at William. The Kung Fu fighter was down for the count.

Then, it was Makoto vs Ri. Yun sat on the edge of his seat. Half of him waited in anticipation, his other half wished he could be down there. Yang held his brother's wrist reassuringly, then went to watch as well.

After the fight with Hwa Jai, Makoto plunked herself down onto the seat beside the young ninja, but waited until the Yang/Kasumi fight was over before she said anything. The girl beside her was a ball of tension for the entire battle, looking angry... but seeming happy that the Chinese boy had won the fight. {Odd,} Makoto thought, then cleared her throat. The girl beside her jumped, then scowled at her.

"What!?" she asked.

Makoto put up her hands in a calming gesture. "Hey, keep your cool," she replied. "I'm just wondering why you were looking the way you did during the fight, that's all. You seemed very angry as soon as that Yang kid entered the ring, but you were happy that he won."

The ninja snorted. "He and his brother switched places on me to win a duel we were having." she stated flatly. "I don't like him, but I hope he advances to the final round - because when he gets there, he's going to find out that I'm not so easy to surprise this time."

Makoto tried to ignore the implied insult to her skills, but decided that she might not like this girl too much. "Oh. Well, I guess that makes me your next *victim* - I'm Makoto Rindou, by the way," she finished in an effort at civility.

The ninja looked *at* her for the first time, and nodded coolly. "Ri Jeshu Lon," she introduced herself. "I've heard of a Rindou family once - they had a dojo near where I was trained."

Makoto half-smiled. "I knew it! You *are* a Geki-gumi ninja! What are you doing so far from Geki-sensei, anyw-" she began to ask, but was interrupted.

"GEKI-SAMA!? You know him!? How is he, is he in good health, has he expanded the clan, has-" Ri babbled, and Makoto cut her off in turn.

Blinking at the sudden onslaught of queries, she made an effort to answer them all. "OK, OK! I haven't actually *seen* him for more than a year, but he's so good at sneaking around that's not unusual. I think he's still in good health though, since the clan members I know talk about him all the time. He's teaching, though, so he can't be badly off as far as the clan goes."

To Makoto's surprise, Ri seemed to sag. "I suppose he would take a new pupil... I - left - years ago. I hope his student is good."

Makoto's grin was full now. "Mmm-hmm," she affirmed, "She's good. I should know, she's a friend of mine, even if Ibuki and I are big rivals."

Ri pulled up to stare Makoto in the eye, and the look was anything but friendly. "Ibuki? That little snivelling bitch has the eye of *my* Geki-sama!? And you're a friend of hers, are you!? You were correct, miss Rindou - you *are* my next victim. Any friend of the brat who I was banished from the Clan for will get no mercy from me!"

Makoto recoiled. "Banished!? I've heard about you!! You nearly killed poor Ibuki during training even though she was only ten! That girl has nightmares about you, and I'll take a very personal pleasure in beating you into the ground for it!!" she growled.

The two were actually showing battle-aura when the announcement came.

"...And the next battle is Ri Jeshu Lon versus Makoto Rindou!"

Ri nodded, a savage grin on her face. "Perfect timing."

Makoto scowled. "For perhaps the last time, miss Lon, we agree."

The two made their way down to the ring, wasting no time in assuming fighting stances, and barely waited for the call of "ENGAGE!" to begin. Makoto took a high stance, inviting low attacks, and was rewarded by Ri coming in for a sliding neckbreaker. Grinning savagely, Makoto hopped into the air, clearing Ri's grab attempt by a foot and cocking her leg up beside her head.

"Tsurugi!"

Charged with *chi,* the ax-kick descended, and Ri escaped serious injury by a narrow margin when she rolled out of the way. The kick left a foot-wide dent in the dirt floor. Flipping to her feet, Ri lashed out with an arcing kick with *chi* of its own, following it with a second one.

"Tsumuji! Tsumuji!"

Makoto blocked the first kick and ducked under the second, then let Ri pass her by while thrusting up a fist in a classic Rindoukan reverse uppercut, the kind used to catch opponents directly overhead or behind you. Ri's head snapped forward as the punch tagged the back of her skull, and she stumbled. Makoto spun up to her feet and lashed out with an overhand chop just as powerful as he ax kick.

"Oroshi!"

The chop only grazed Ri, but knocked her three feet away regardless. The ninja spun around to face Makoto, throwing a kunai at the same time. Familiar with the move (Ibuki was so good at aiming kunai that *she* nearly always threw from mid-air,) Makoto snapped an arm across, smacking the kunai in the side with her thick *gi* and sending it spinning away.

The only problem was that the parry had obscured her vision of Ri for a moment, and the ninja was already in motion, sliding across the ground.

"Oh sh- GLLK!"

"Haah! Kubi Ori!"

With a series of three "Krak" noises, Ri slid through Makoto's legs, spun up to her back, and twisted her head on her shoulders, repeating the twist twice more before letting go to drop to the ground separately from her foe. As Makoto landed on her back with a heavy *thump,* Ri pulled out another kunai and thrust it at the downed karateka, going for a kill, and the crowd gasped.

A cheer arose from the crowd when Makoto's hand shot up and grabbed the wrist holding the dagger. They cheered louder when Makoto flipped to her feet and attached her other hand to the collar of Ri's ninja outfit using the leverage from the arm to help out a throw, slamming Ri down hard onto her back and jumping away. Ri vaulted to her feet and spun around, only to find that Makoto had reversed direction and dashed back in, landing a shin-kick, jab to the face, right cross, and snap-kick to the nose that sent Ri staggering sideways.

"Hmph. You're not bad, lady, but Ibuki would've knocked me out with that move," Makoto commented derisively. Ri snarled and charged back in, and Makoto matched her speed, resulting in the two running sideways trading punches and chops as they approached the wall of the pit, actually close enough to see dust on the brickwork.

Ri snapped out a palm strike and Makoto counterpunched with a straight punch to the chest, shoving the two apart. Ri gained her balance and ran away from Makoto toward the wall, moving quickly and on the balls of her feet, showing Makoto she was ready for a jump.

{How classic is this?} Makoto thought. {She's going for Ibuki's usual opening jump-off-the-wall kick!} Wasting no more time, Makoto went the other direction, aiming for a bit of wall around the curve from Ri's spot, intent on meeting the ninja halfway.

It wasn't until she hit the wall and was ready to rebound that she saw the kunai in Ri's hand. With a shock of fear, she realized Ri intended to take her kick and gut her with the knife on the way by. {If I don't knock her out with this, I'm dead - and I'm not that good with this move!} she thought frantically.

Time seemed to slow down as her leg muscles tensed to rebound her off the wall, and for some reason her father's voice played in her head.

"Makoto, the reason you practice these airborne kicks is in the hopes of regaining a lost technique. Our ancestors practiced a flying kick that descended like an arrow from a high point, and whose force was great enough that it could break bones - thus it was given its name. The family scrolls say that when the energy of fear and anger are harnessed, the move may be unlocked, but only if the fighter is a master of these kicks. That is why I wish you to train with young Ibuki."

{That's where our friendship started, and now thanks to that it will continue,} Makoto thought as all the hot/cold energy that had come with her surge of adrenaline pooled in her legs. She pushed off the wall so hard the brickwork cracked, like a plate-glass window hit by a rock, and saw Ri's eyes widen in panic as the ninja realized something had gone seriously wrong.

"HEYAAH! ABARE TOSANAMI KUDAKI!!" Makoto screamed, and rocketed off the wall in a blur to strike Ri in the center of her chest, higher than gravity should have allowed Makoto to arrive. There was a frozen moment when Makoto and Ri were hanging there, in contact but not moving, and then, as time seemed to restart, Makoto continued forward as if she had not hit anything, sending Ri into a backwards spin to crash to the floor below.

She did not get up, or even flinch. Only the rise and fall of her chest signalled that she was alive.

"AND THE WINNER IS MAKOTO RINDOU!! Folks, fighting back from the edge of death like that deserves no less than a standing ovation!!" the announcer raved, and the crowd gave it to her.

She knew she'd be fighting again shortly; that there were two rounds to go in the tournament; and that this win meant little to her goal of helping the Rindoukan Dojo survive.

But right then, she didn't care. She had paid back the childhood terror of her best friend and reached a new pinnacle of her Art. If only for a few minutes, she felt like she was on top of the world.

"And now we move onto the semi-finals!"

It must have been at least 2:00 AM by now. Yang leaned his elbows on the empty chair in front of him, thinking about that last fight. It was no good to predict your last opponent, but somehow he knew he would face Makoto sooner or later. He was not fazed by the fact Ri was there, nor that Ri lost. Don't watch the loser, pay attention to the winner. They're the ones you may have to face next. Beside him, Yun was sipping on a large soda and let loose a loud belch.

"Tactful." Yang said.

Yun grinned.

"But now, as we give our fighters a chance to rest up, we present an announcement by one of our sponsors!"

A rather pudgey man accompanied by two scantly clad women stepped into the ring. The man spoke of his product, whatever it was, for what seemed like eternity. Yang wasn't paying attention. He was spending his time thinking of what type of attacks he will go up against when fighting Rin-Rin. He knew that she was unpredictable. Perhaps the greatest offence is a defence, but Yang's style wouldn't allow that. His style was simple - strike swiftly and silently.

"Boo!" Yun slapped Yang on the back.

Yang yelped. He recovered, turned around and glared. The older twin chuckled.

"Loosen up, bro'! Don't overdo image training. Otherwise you'll end up losing before you start - the real fight is in the ring."

"...You're right."

"Aren't I always?" Yun took another large sip accompanied by an equally large belch. He held the beverage towards Yang, straw first. "Want some?"

"...No thanks."

Finally, the old man and his whores left the ring. "Our next match is Yang Lee vs Rin-Rin! Fighters take your places!"

Yang went to leave. Yun stood as well. "C'mon, bro'. You've got another cute girl as an opponent. SMILE!"

'How can you smile at a time like this?' Yang wondered and left.

Yang entered the ring. His opponent, Rin-Rin, entered simultaneously by vaulting from the top of the pit, landing gracefully on her feet. She smiled, sizing up every inch of Yang's profile from his handsome face, his athletic body, and keeping in mind his raw fighter's instinct. Her face slowly coloured red.

'I knew there would be good husband material here!' Rin-Rin sighed cheerfully. 'This opponent is so handsome and a good fighter! But if only he'd stop scowling all the time.... No! No, Rin-Rin. A true member of the Jokuzetsu Tribe must find a husband through a fair fight. And that I will do!'

"Hello! Let's have a good fight!" she stated.

Yang replied by adjusting his gauntlets, then bowing. He knew how Rin-Rin was looking at him and he didn't like it.

"Prepare to strike...NOW!"

Rin-Rin leapt in the air, somersaulting rapidly, and Yang followed suit. Yang struck a light side kick, hoping to fake her out, but somehow Rin-Rin changed direction in the air, narrowly evading the quick attack. The Jokuzetsu warrior unfolded herself, producing twin Bonbori and swinging wildly. Yang forced himself to dive down to his swan dive kick and narrowly evading her attack. Yang landed before she with a whole second to spare. Quickly, he turned around.

"The fight has been decided!" the twin dragon declared. "Gen'ei Jin!"

Spreading his chi outwards, two shadow copies appeared on both sides of Yang. The second Rin-Rin landed, Yang leapt forward, tearing away like a savage animal. For six seconds, the aucience saw nothing but a blur and heard the cries of Rin-Rin. Then, time faded. Yang struck the final blow. Rin-Rin was down for the count.

The fight was over so fast, the judges waited a minute or two before declaring Yang the winner. Applause was minimal but that was to be expected from such a short fight. It didn't matter to Yang, a fight was a fight. He turned to leave.

"Airen..." Rin-Rin called out. ["Airen" = "Husband" in some dialect of Chinese. Mandarin?]

Yang's eyes went wide open. Rin-Rin threw her arms around his neck, giggling. "Airen!! I love you!"

"Get off!" Yang snapped, trying to pry Rin-Rin off with no success.

"But the law of Jokuzetsu tribe states that when a female member loses to a male outsider, they are immediately to be married." Rin-Rin giggled. "I am so happy to find a strong and handsome husband like you!"

Yang grumbled. Yun chuckled as his brother approached. "So, Yang, when's the wedding?"

"....."

Makoto couldn't help but grin as Rin-Rin threw herself at Yang Lee. {Hmph. I could have warned him about that - Daddy used to tell me stories about the Chinese Amazons and all the stuff he had to go through to avoid marrying one.} She shook her head as the announcer called her name.

"And for the second match of the semifinal round, two styles of Karate meet in the ring, Rindoukan versus Koppoken! Give another big hand for Daru Kiryuu and our comeback queen, Makoto Rindou!!"

Makoto fought down a blush at the complimentary term. {I'd rather be a quick winner like that Lee boy has been all night. He's hardly taken a hit, and I've been hammered twice. I hope he's feeling more pain than he shows, or I'm in trouble.} Settling into her combat stance, she locked eyes with Daru and they nodded.

"ENGAGE!"

The spectators were hoping for an action-packed match. They weren't disappointed. As soon as the final 'e' had left the announcer's mouth, the two karateka had blurred, charging each other.

"Zaneiken!"
"Hayate!"

The action went from blurred speed to a silent pause. Daru and Makoto were standing stock-still, Makoto's fist in Daru's sternum, Daru's elbow against Makoto'a temple.

A second passed, and Makoto flinched forward, pushing Daru away from her. She shook her head to clear it while Daru tried to suck in a full breath, then ducked low and swept his feet out from under him. She reached for his neck as he kippuped, but he slapped her hands down, avoiding the Karakusa. Taking her second choice, she grabbed his *gi* belt with both hands and swung him up over her shoulder and into the ground again.

This time, he did more than kippup. "Reppadan!"

The arcing leap kick took Makoto right off her feet and a good ten feet away from her starting point. She flipped to her feet to see Daru dashing towards her, and jumped, figuring to come down on him with the Tsurugi.

Barely two feet from her liftoff point, he took flight as well. "Shoryudan!!"

Makoto's eyes widened as he seemed to become a tornado of whirling arms underneath her, and she was battered several times before hurtling to the ground. She rolled backward to gain some distance, and as soon as she had her feet under her she went streaking forward in a Hayate-

"Hishoken!"

-only to run headlong into a pulse of *chi* fully as tall as she was and fall crashing backwards again. She dimly saw Daru closing in for the kill, and responded on pure instinct, sweeping his feet out from under him while she was still prone and using the momentum to spin up to one knee, slashing down and overhead chop into his belly to keep him down, and bouncing a one-two combination of heavy punches off Daru's head as soon as she could reach. Staggering to her feet, her blood roaring in her ears, she lurched back a few steps, to give herself time to collapse out of the way if he tried another torpedo kick.

It actually took her a few seconds to realize that, first, Daru didn't seem to be getting up, and second, the roaring was the crowd and not her blood.

"INCRRRREDIBLE!" The announcer raved. "Three comeback victories in a row, against truly deadly opponents!! We'll have a ten-minute refreshment break, folks, then on to the finals!!

"Aiyah...I deeply apologise, Yang!" Rin-Rin bowed profusely. "Please forgive my bad memory. I am glad my husband at home is very understanding of my memory problem."

"Don't worry 'bout it, little lady. Have a safe trip home." Yun winked with a tip of his cap.

Rin-Rin bowed, waved, and ran off.

The crowds dispersed. Many left to buy refreshments while a select few remained inside. Yun and Yang were among those select few. Both leaned over the guardrails which overlooked the currently empty pit. Yun was trying to make a decent conversation, but the best response he could get from Yang was a grunt.

"Choked on a hairball?" Yun teased. The grin remained though Yang said nothing. "You gotta watch your cat. She sheds enough hair on your bed to make a fur coat."

"Mmm...." Yang mumbled.

Silence passed for a few moments.

"She took a beating." Yang said finally.

It took Yun a few seconds to come to his brother's wavelength. "You mean Makoto Rindou. Yeah, looks like she won't be in top condition to fight. Still, you'd better finish while you're ahead if you know what I mean."

Yang knew Yun was indirectly referring to Makoto's strong comebacks. That wasn't what was worrying him. It was her sheer power. He will have to find some way to get around that. She may have strength, but he has speed.

Makoto put the ten minutes to good use, massaging her bruises and applying what few pressure-points she knew to dull the pain. While her body went about this familiar task, her mind was racing. {Facing Yang Lee in the finals is very dramatic, but I have to be realistic here. I'm up against a fairly fresh single-strike win expert while tired and very battered. Worse, he's faster than me, which means I can't count on hitting him much. That cuts my possible methods of victory down to two: one, to hit him so hard and unrelentingly from the start that he has no chance to launch a counteroffensive; two, to play defensively. He doesn't hit that hard, just precisely, so if I can block or parry his first strike, then *I* can counter it and do more damage than I take.}

She shook her head, all too aware that both options were going to be much harder to execute than to think about. A go-fer came into the curtained-off area where first aid was being given to those fighters that required it (Makoto was sitting on one of the cots there) and looked around: seeing her, he walked up to her. "Um, miss Rindou?"

"Yes?" she smiled back - there was no point in taking her anxiety out on a messenger, after all.

The boy faltered for a moment, then shook his head. "Um, you're wanted back outside. The match starts in two minutes." He turned around, walked to the doorway - and paused. "Oh, and miss Rindou - we're all rooting for you, doing so well here and all. Ganbatte-ne! (Don't give up!)" Suddenly blushing, the boy fled.

Inexplicably buoyed by the praise, Makoto got up and looked around the room to sober herself. That wasn't hard, considering that two out of three of the Lee boy's opponents were here, still unconscious. She also saw Ri Jeshu Lon, sitting up on her cot and glaring at the Rindou daughter, which promised trouble for later. Restored to a sober and cautious frame of mind, Makoto strode out of the first-aid area and down to the arena.

The announcer was back in fine form.

"Annnd now, ladies and gentlemen, it's time for our final bout of the evening!! First up, the favorite of the in-house betting tonight, he's the Flurry Blue Dragon; let's hear it for Hong Kong's own YANG LEE!!"

The crowd cheered: many people in the stands waved betting stubs, indicating again where the money was riding tonight. After the noise level dropped, the announcer began again.

"And entering the ring second, in the position of challenger, or underdog if you will, the spirited young lady from Japan who's let neither her first-time status nor the ferocity of her opponents deter her from victory!! The Princess of Punch, the Comeback Queen, she is MAKOTO RINDOU!!"

More cheering: it was hard to determine who the crowd favoured more, the hometown boy or the one-night heroine.

Both fighters were down in the pit, staring at each other with what seemed to be a complete indifference to the applause. They were waiting for one word, which soon came.

"ENGAGE!!"

Yang measured Makoto's stance in the moments before the match began. 'She's settling her weight on her rear foot. She must intend to begin with a defensive strategy.' With that in mind, Yang was rushing forward the moment the announcer began the fight, but stopped with a ground stomp some three feet away from the karateka. Decieved by his maneuver, she lashed out with one leg, attempting to sweep him off his feet. The longer range made it easy for Yang to stop the attempt, thrusting one leg out to parry the sweep and spoiling her defensive stance. Not wasting a moment, he swept his hand across in the Mantis Slash, knocking her over.

Falling backward, Makoto bitterly regretted her overreaction.

{Dammit!} she cursed as she rolled backward, using the momentum of that last blow to get some distance. {I was so worked up, I fell for that like a novice! Now I'll have to do *twice* as much damage just to keep up!}

With that firmly in mind, the next time her roll brought her feet underneath her, Makoto sprang upright and reversed her momentum, racing forwards.

"Hayate!"

Not allowing her opponent time to recover, Makoto converted the fist-forward posture of the Hayate into a grab at Yang's collar and followed suit with the other hand.

"Karakusa!"

During the critical second that the Karakusa stunned Yang, she launched one of the basic *katas* of the Rindou School: three straight punches to the chest, right-left-right, each one landing where the Hayate had struck. "Heeyah!" (This is the move you get from her Forward+Fierce Punch, tapping three times.) {Got him! That should even the odds a bit,} Makoto thought with satisfaction.

Yang was still thinking calmly despite the abuse he'd just taken. 'She surprised me with that reverse of direction. The first thing to do now is break her rhythm so I can counterattack.'

As the last of the punches forced him into a step backward, he dropped low to confound any more high attacks and lashed his foot out at her knee. Unfortunately it seemed that for once, Yang had been outthought in his tactics, as Makoto performed a short jump over the extended leg and smashed her own leg down at him in the *chi*-powered ax kick she had used on the Lon girl. Fully commited to his attack, Yang had no choice but to absorb the blow, which sent him crashing to the floor. Makoto landed with one hand already cocked for a devastating overhand chop.

"Bro!! Watch out!!" Yun yelled from the pit railing. He was nervous now: This Makoto girl had proven hard to beat even when her opponents were doing better than her. Who knew what it would take to stop her when *she* was ahead?

Yun was so intent on the fight, in fact, that he didn't notice several people surrounding him from behind.

Down in the pit, Yang heard his brother's outcry but kept his focus on the fight. Pulling into a crouch as Makoto's hand slashed down, he snapped his own hand up to strike the chopping arm from the side and guide it down harmlessly past him.

Before Makoto even had time to look dismayed, Yang launched into a combination of his own. Jabbing outward, he drove two fingers into her eyes, and while she snapped her head back to avoid the worst of that, she was unable to avoid the series of blows that followed: an elbow just below her ribs, a double knifehand chop to her head, the focused *chi* impact of the Kobokushi, and while the *chi* impulse had her airborne, he rolled under her and kicked her airborne with the Senkyuutai, then landed in a balanced stance, still focused completely on Makoto.

He didn't notice the group maneuvering around the railing to get close to him, either.

Makoto flew backward through the air, incensed. {An eye-poke! Of all the low, sneaky, brawler's tricks - and he beat me to it!! RRR!!} (Note: She's not mad about the 'cheap hit' so much as at him thinking of it first... [G])

She was already rolling as she hit the ground, and had taken note of the fact that he wasn't pursuing her. {Does he think the match is over!?!? Why, that-}

She tumbled backward three times, putting her close to the pit wall, and came upright with her arms crossed over her *hara* again, putting her anger to good use. As her head came up and her eyes opened, she saw that Yang was trying to dash in and strike before she came out of her focus.

"Too late!" she smirked, just before blurring forward.

"Hayate! Hayate!"

She caught Yang fully with both punches, but he managed to slide his rear foot back and stay on his feet after the second one, an accomplishment that stole Makoto's smile and made her scramble to reach a defensive stance.

Yang slid back a yard, but kept his balance after the surprising double-dash combination. 'She requires no starting distance and very little time for that maneuver. I have to be careful - but I also have to end this quickly.' His chest was beginning to hurt where she had punched him. The spot, directly in the center of the chest, could lead to a rib separation if it was struck many more times. Those last two blows had been signifcaintly harder than the first one, as well.

Pushing off his braced rear foot, Yang took two fast steps toward her and placed both hands on her shoulders. He evaded her belated grab at him by posting off her shoulders and flipping over to her rear, catching her as she turned around with a high kick under the chin that actually lifted her up into the air. Two of those modified Zesho Hohous later, the girl in the tan *gi* went careening away to crash in a heap. Again favouring caution over offense, Yang hung back as she landed...

Makoto hit the ground in a heap, and instinct took over as she kippuped to her feet. Unfortunately, the suddenness of this maneuver was the last straw for her inner ear, which had been straining to keep up with the sudden spins and direction changes of the last few seconds. Staggering back and forth, her vision blurry, she shook her head violently to try and clear it. {I can't afford this... not with him so close..} she thought muzzily.

Her vision cleared to show her hands up in a poor excuse for a ready stance and Yang rushing in at her to take advantage of her vulnerablility. Years of *kata* practice paid off as her hands rose practically on their own to catch him by the collar and lift him into the air, twisting in the Karakusa motion. As the momentarily-stunned boy came down, she woke him up with a kick to the shin, backed him up a step with a light left-hand palm-strike, and wound up her right hand for a chop.

"Oroshi!!"

As the chop knocked him away, Makoto set herself in Hayate stance, ready to end this fight the way she had beaten Hwa Jai.

It was only as she actually started moving that she recognized the stance *he'd* fallen into - he was set for the maneuver that had knocked out the old Shotokan master he'd fought in the first round.

The next moments could have been playing in a martial-arts *anime.* Makoto blurred forward and Yang stepped out to meet her - there was a brief moment where everything seemed to slow down, as his knifehand thrust reached her collar and her pile-driver punch touched his chest - the world sped up again, and only then did their attack cries roar out to the crowd, as if they had waited for just the right moment.

"HAAAH! HAYATE!!"
"RAISHIN MAHAKKEN!!"

Yun was as frozen in fascination as any other spectator by the double-attack. For a moment the two just stood there, as still as two samurai exchanging *iaijutsu* slashes in a movie... then Yang groaned and dropped to one knee, clutching his chest.

"Bro!! You gotta get *UP,* she's right *behind* you there-" Yun cried out, then his breath caught in his throat. Slowly, as if in disbelief, Makoto's hands crept up to her throat... and like an ancient oak, she toppled forward, holding the knife-hand bruises on her collarbone. Yun sighed in relief - then jerked forward to look.

She was conscious! More, she was *getting up!*

"Bro, she's-" Yun began to yell, but was cut off when someone behind him said "Now," and he was grabbed and punched by at least four sets of hands. The group that had tracked Yang around the ring began to leap over the railing and into the pit.

Makoto exerted every bit of her will, forcing her unwilling body to get all four limbs underneath it and twist her around to face in Yang's direction. Her head came up, and she winched her eyelids open.

She could just see Yang's legs stumbling towards her through the haze in her vision. {He... got me good...} she thought dazedly. {My only chance of victory now... is to catch him by surprise... with the Seichusen Godanzuki,} she planned. Straining for every inch of movement, she pulled her legs under her and reached for a balanced squat, needing both arms free for her final attack. With a moan, she realized that Yang was going to reach her before she was ready-

-Then the other pairs of legs came into view, running towards Yang's. Adrenaline surged, and she managed to point an arm and say, "Look out!!"

A large group of men and women, estimated around 16, leapt into the pit. Makoto and Yang were surrounded. Yang eyed them suspiciously, treading towards Makoto so his back faced hers. While still knowing she was his opponent, now was not the best time to continue the fight. He was pretty sure Makoto felt the same way. Then, one small, familiar girl stepped from the crowd.

"Long time no see, Yang Lee. Or, should I say, Yun imposter."

Yang narrowed his eyes. That Ri girl again. She must have figured out what he did last night. Behind, he could feel Makoto's tension rising. "What do you want?"

Ri smirked. "How convenient. Steamroller girl is here too." The last comment invoked an interesting response from Makoto, of which Ri had to surpress a laugh. The ninja girl turned to Yang. "Last night you pulled a cheap trick on me. Now it's payback time. And this time, I brought along my brothers and sisters to help me. And it's useless to cry for your brother, he's not going to show up." She snapped her fingers. "Get them."

The Lon clan surrounded Yang and Makoto. 'Smart... they're not blindly running at us. That shows they have some fighter's instincts. Still, they are just amateurs. Though hidden under their anger, the fear in their eyes is apparent.' Yang thought. And behind him, Makoto struggled to her feet with newfound energy.

"There's sixteen of 'em. You take half, I'll take the other half." Makoto declared through clenched teeth. Her anger was quickly rising. {Damn that Ri! She barged into our match, and she wasn't even honourable enough to do it herself! That on top of what happened to poor Ibuki... AND HOW DARE SHE CALL ME A STEAMROLLER!!} Glaring, she growled. Stomping the ground, she went into her fighting stance. "HAJIME!!" ("Hajime" = "Begin", a karate term for starting a sparring match.)

"Aahh.....I get it." Yun grinned. Even in his disadvantageous position of being held by his limbs, he was still as cheery as ever. "Last night, Yang took my place, which Ms. Ri considered a cheap trick. Now she wants to get revenge and she's sent the entire clan after us. Cute. Very cute. Ha ha ha ha...."

Te Lon, the holder of Yun's right foot, growled. (Yes, his leg is still broken. He's on crutches.) "Take us seriously, boy!"

"Only when you can be taken seriously." the younger boy smirked.

Yun pulled his arms downwards. The two men holding them fell over and their heads collided. Still in midair, Yun shoved his hands outwards in double palm strikes and knocked them down. The grip on his feet loosened for a fraction of a second... but that was all he needed to backflip into freedom. Behind him, the two men he shoved away recovered and were running to him. Yun waved his fingers teasingly at Te Lon and the brother standing beside him, then leapt up and did the splits. The two recovered men both got kicked in their jaws and fell over, now unconscious.

"Ooh...that's gotta hurt, huh?" Yun winked, rubbing his knee with his other foot.

"We...we must avenge our sister's honor!" Te Lon cried. He pointed a crutch at Yun and turned to his dumb-looking brother. "Get him!!"

Yun's grin widened. He waited until the timing was right, then stomped the ground and shoved away the dumb-looking brother with a Kobokushi. The Lon clansman flew back straight into Te Lon. They came crashing into the ground, both unable to get back up.

"Get off of me, you dolt!" Te Lon cried.

"Duhhh...." the other brother sat dumfounded.

"I'd play with you more but I got some more important business to take care of." Accompanying those words, Yun stepped on the two fallen Lons and hopped to the edge of the guardrail. That Makoto girl and his brother were surrounded by the rest of the Lon Clan. Not good. They were in trouble! (He wasn't there to defend them, therefore they are in trouble. -Yun logic)

'Dammit! Nobody...NOBODY picks on my brother AND a cute girl AND gets away with it while I'm around!' Not caring for his own personal safety, he leapt off the guardrail and summoned his chi to one foot for the Raigeki Shuu foot stomp attack.

"The Storming White Dragon's thunderiiiiin' iiiinnnnnn!!"

'....big brother?!'

Yang looked up for the briefest of seconds. He swore his brother was thundering down. He had an idea. He lured five of the Lon Clan to surround him. As he predicted, they pounced on him, punching him repeatedly. A few seconds later, Yang crawled out of the small pile. The five Lon Clan members continued to pound the ground. Suddenly, a flash appeared in the sky. The Storming White Dragon appeared from nowhere with his Raigeki Shuu....

BLAM!!!

The five members were crushed under his foot. Their faces were implanted in the ground, which now sported a large crater. A big sweatdrop went down the back of Yang's head. Makoto halted in mid-Karakusa to see what the commotion was. Yun dusted his pants off and gave Yang a thumbs up sign.

"Sorry I'm late. A few fans were begging for my autograph."

"....right."

Makoto, meanwhile, wasted neither time, words, nor motion. She blurred toward the Lon directly in front of her, and thus behind Yang, with the Hayate. Rather than follow up with a Karakusa, she grabbed him around the throat and spun, smashing him into the man on her flank and then throwing him, burying one girl who had gone from attacking Makoto to trying to blindside Yang.

The five remaining attackers surrounded her, and she dashed again, snaking her arms under her target's block - he'd been expecting a Hayate - for a Karakusa.

When the ground shook, she glanced across to see what had happened, but it was only the other Lee brother making an entrance. {Too bad I missed it,} Makoto thought idly, then noticed the boy she was grappling had gone rather blue. "Oops, sorry," she apologized lamely, then threw him into one of his friends, knocking both sprawling.

From the top of the pit, Ri basked more in anger. Apparently, she was sitting there and waiting for the right opportunity to jump in. "Yun Lee! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! You and your spikey haired twin brother, too!"

Yun tipped his hat. He was disappointed a cute (though pain in the butt) girl was upset with him. "Sorry circumstances had to bend that way, pretty miss. Fate was in my favour last night."

Ri growled. "Enough! Get them!!"

Yun went into his fighting stance, back turned to Yang and Makoto. He tipped his hat Makoto's way and said in fluent Japanese, "Now the odds are even, eh, good lookin'?"

Makoto appeared to be too focused on the battle to pay attention. Yun shrugged. 'Ah well. After the battle.' He turned to Yang with a smug grin, whispering, "Hey, bro'. Let's do the 'keepaway' attack we did when we were kids."

"Understood." Yang whispered back.

The twin dragons stood back to back. Half of the remaining Lon Clan strode to Makoto, the other surrounded Yun and Yang. Once Ri snapped her fingers, the Lon Clan charged at them.

"NOW!" Yun cried.

In perfect synch, Yun and Yang performed a Kobokushi, turned to the right 90 degrees, performed another Kobokushi, and repeated the process. The Lon Clan members after them flew away like umbrellas on a windy day. As they turned around for another Kobokushi trike, Yang noticed the next one was ready. Yun performed another Kobokushi. Yang, however, ducked down and kicked straight up to his opponent's groin. The Lon Clansman leaned over in pain. Yang then followed up with a Kobokushi.

"Hey, you cheated!" said Yun.

"He was expecting the Kobokushi." Yang replied. "Alternate precautions were necessary."

"You play loooooow, bro'. I like it." Yun laughed as he performed another Kobokushi. At the angle he hit, the female opponent was headed straight for Makoto. In Japanese, he called out, "Hey, good lookin', she's yours!"

Makoto had not been idle. As her five opponents (three left over from the original eight, and two picked up from Yun and Yang) rushed her, she ducked and spun, sweeping out the legs of the first two. The third tried to jump-kick her, and her duck let him pass over her... almost.

Rather than allow him by, she struck upward with her rear arm, sending *chi* into the blow.

"Fukiage!"

The chi-powered Rindoukan reverse uppercut knocked the boy flying. Lon number Four she grabbed in the Karakusa as he closed in, flagrantly ignoring number five as he closed in behind her. As she twisted the Karakusa shut on Four, Five reached out to throttle her from behind... and collapsed as Three came down from the short flight the Fukiage had sent him on, landing on Five's head and dropping him.

Then came the cry from behind her. "Hey good lookin', she's yours!"

She turned around and her eyes widened, and she left the ground in a leap.

Yun's eyes got very wide as Makoto jumped *over* the girl he'd sent her way (she collided with Four and they both went down, thank you for asking) and seemed to be aiming right for his head!

"Hey, it was just a-"

He froze as he caught a glint of metal headed his way. Turning, he looked end-on into an oncoming kunai that seemed to fill his vision-

-until a hand, *gi* sleeve attached, shot out in front of him and slapped the thing away.

Yun blinked, not really registering how close he'd just come to dying: meanwhile, Makoto dashed off toward the pit wall where Ri was sitting. "HONESTLY! Not even enough honour to try it face-to-face!" the *gi*-clad girl screamed at the top of her lungs. "Well, if *you're* not *woman* enough to come down and settle this-" she reached the wall, jumped up, grabbed Ri's leg, and yanked her into the pit by her ankle. "Then *I'm* woman enough to do it *for* you!! Now get over there!!" the angry young woman yelled, turning a circle and sending Ri towards Yang by express airmail (Spinning her in a circle by her ankle and throwing her, in other words.)

Yang never said a word, but squatted, rolled, and kicked upward in the Tenshin Senkyuutai, booting Ri higher once, twice, three times...

She crashed to the ground immediately between Makoto and Yun.

Yun reached her first and slammed her away from him with a Kobokushi, now getting angry at the attempted assassination. Makoto reached her then and staggered Ri in the other direction with a gut-punch, and Yun reversed her again with an upward punch. Makoto landed two sharp chest-shots that sent Ri back at Yun *again,* and he rolled forward to knock her airborne with a shoulder-bash. Makoto turned her far shoulder into Ri just as Yun brought his hand up, the ripple-affect of *chi* building around the nearest hands of both fighters as they finished their respective maneuvers.

"YOU-HOU!!"
"SEICHUSEN GODANZUKI!"

Ri was sent hurtling upward with such force that when she struck the arena roof, it aquired a spiderweb of cracks. Then the eldest Lon child came tumbling limply down to the floor. In the sudden calm, the announcer came on the mike.

"Wow... what a match!" he breathed quietly, and a man near him waved frantically. "What? I'm on! OH! Um, ladies and gentlemen, due to the outside interference, this match has to be declared a no-contest!"

Mass groans from the crowd as those who had bet on the match lamented the loss of possible winnings. The announcer went on, giving the usual sort of evening-ending speech as people began to file out.

Yang, to Yun's surprise, spoke to Makoto as they headed for the pit ramp. "You fought well."

Makoto jumped - she hadn't been paying attention. Truth be told, her injuries were catching up with each other, and she wanted nothing more than to rest. But respect forced her to answer. "Not well enough. If they hadn't jumped in, you would have had me." It hurt inside admitting that - nearly as much as her body hurt outside.

A voice, old and dry, drifted down the ramp to them. "Nevertheless, you were *not* defeated, Makoto Rindou, and as is custom for the rare event of a draw, the first- and second-place prizes shall be added together and divided evenly between you. And as consolation, I believe that had you been fresher, you would have won... a fact which your opponent may have cause to regret."

Makoto wasn't alarmed at the voice - it didn't seem hostile. Yun and Yang, though, stopped dead, which made Makoto halt and haul her weary arms up into a defensive stance... until the Lee brothers cried out in horrified chorus, "GRANDFATHER GEN!!"

Gen eyed his grandsons but said nothing. Yun bit his lip guiltily, slowly edging towards Yang for support. Yang maintained his poker face but deep down, he was just as frightened as Yun. The old man handed his grandsons the money with a look that said he would reprimand them later.

Gen then proceeded to hand Makoto her half of the prize money. She felt like she was walking on a cloud, but caught enough of the worried expressions on the faces of the Lee brothers that she thought {I guess they're in trouble with him about something. Oh heck, they fought well and I wanted to do this anyway... better give them a distraction.}

Makoto bowed deeply. "Grandmaster Gen, this is a great honour - and great good fortune. I came to Hong Kong to find and challenge three martial artists - the Twin Dragons," she paused and glanced back at the brothers, "and you. I would like to formally challenge you to a match." She glanced back at the Lee brothers. "I wouldn't mind a rematch either, if we can do it without being interrupted," she joked, getting a grin from Yun.

Gen chuckled. "You're a few hundred years too young to face me. Come back when you've a bit more polish and I'll oblige you."

"Let's give a big hand for Gen, this tournament's sponsor!!" the announcer cried.

The crowd erupted into applause. Yun, and Yang to some extent, nearly jumped out of their pants. Yun thought back to the invitation signature - CM. Then it hit him. "CM = Crane Mantis - grandfather's two styles of Kung Fu. Gah... I should have known."

Yang was in his own deep thoughts. "I believe that had you been fresher, you would have won... a fact which your opponent may have cause to regret." Gen had said. Those words echoed in his mind.

'Is that true...' Yang mused. Tournament after tournament, night after night, Yun was always victorious. It was true Yang was worried about his brother's injury. But deep down, he wanted to prove himself as a fighter. To show not only his brother, but himself, that he can fight too. 'Big brother was right... I should have stayed back. If she was in full health, I would have lost...'

Sullenly, the younger twin dragon left the arena. Yun looked at Gen and Makoto, tipped his hat, then ran off to pursue his brother.

Smiling triumphantly, Makoto looked up at the sky. "Lots of money, a tie for first place, and Gen agreed to fight me after I polish my skills some more. It could have been worse!"