Untitled Ch.5
By Shadow Dragon

The remaining five fighters sat in Chun Li's room, listening to the tape. When it finished, Fei Long clicked the 'Stop' button.

"Thats it?" asked Guy.

"You were hoping for something?" Guile asked.

"Well.. maybe more info.." Guy said lamely. "Anything we can do?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all," Dan sat down on the bed dejectedly. "Besides, I have a fight at ten." He glanced at the clock, which showed 9:48. Dan produced a scrap of paper from his pocket and glanced at its contents. "Guess I gotta go now. The rest of you stay behind in case Chun comes back."

"I'll go with you," Charlie offered. "I'm bored. Besides, you don't need four people just to wait for Chun to come back."

Watching the two disappear out of the door, Fei Long sighed. He had known Chun Li since childhood, and she had been her best friend back in the early days before Chun Li left Master Gen's dojo. Grabbing the remote control, Fei Long flicked on the television...
*****
Dan stepped into the dark alley, careful not to step into the puddles of dirty rainwater. It was dark. The only illumination was a flickering lamp post a few feet ahead, giving off a depressing, dull yellow light. Posters were stuck on the walls, and judging from their faded appearance, they had been there for about a few years already.

"This looks is a dump. Are you sure this is the right place?" Charlie grumbled as he plodded softly behind Dan.

"I'd say," Dan pointed at an old man dressed in the traditional robes of a kung-fu master. Dan sized up the man for a moment. He was thin, that was for sure. But that probably meant he was fast. The man raised an eyebrow as he saw the two men approaching him.

"Two of you against me?" the old man said, obviously amused. "I didn't know that was allowed."

"I'm just here to watch you, gramps," Charlie settled himself on a flight of stairs leading up to one of the buildings. "Good luck," he turned to Dan, who gave him a thumbs-up.

"C'mon, let's fight!" the old man motioned to Dan.

"Ready when you are," Dan hopped forwards, trying to land a punch on the old man, who dodged it easily. But Dan withdrew his hand prematurely and swung a foot at the old man instead, catching him with a glancing blow.

"Fake tactics, eh?" the old man leaped up a wall suddenly. Dan watched him, confused.

"Run away?" Dan guessed just before the old man used the momentum of his leap to turn back on Dan, grinding a heel into Dan's jaw. Knocked into his senses, Dan tossed a Gadouken but he missed. The old man moved like a snake, crouching down and scissoring his legs below and above Dan's knees, forcing him down. Dan spat out a mouthful of mud and turned to his adversary, getting angered. The old man leaped again, and Dan clenched a fist in response.

"KOURYUUKEN!" Dan sprang upwards in a stereotypical Shotokan uppercut and frowned as he landed, realizing that he had missed the old man completely. Charlie clicked his tongue and shook his head sadly.

"You utter sap, if you're that witless, you don't deserve to live," the man stomped his feet as he slapped his palms rapidly at Dan repeatedly. A sort of force shot out of his hands and knocked the breath out of Dan. His adversary seized the advantage and kicked Dan below the shin again, tripping him down.

*Splash!*

"Dan stood up, his gi soaked. "Man, that water was dirty! And this is my favourite gi!" Dan stabbed a finger at his opponent. "That's it, geezer. Here I come." Dan charged at the old man with a triple wind kick, but he crouched and Dan sailed over him harmlessly. The old man was clearly amused by Dan's attempt to hit him by now, for he chortled loudly, but his laugh was cut short as Dan grabbed him by the folds of his robes and slammed him face-first into the ground. The old man pulled himself upright, his white beard stained by the mud. It was Dan's turn to laugh this time. The elder's face was flushed with anger.

"No one insults the Hong Kong Assasin and gets away with it," Gen snarled as he lunged at Dan. Dan saw his foe coming and delivered a roundhouse kick, but Gen flipped above and over Dan, evading the foot sweep. Dan turned around, but he didn't react fast enough as Gen then proceeded to tap the seven fatal points on the human body, his hands whirling around too fast to be seen.

"Shitenshuu.." Gen whispered softly. "KIYAA!" he yelled as a fingertip shot out from the blur of punches and poked a spot on Dan's chest lightly. Although all Gen did was poke him, Dan felt an excruciating pain wrack his body and staggered back.

"What did you do, geezer?" Dan wheezed at the old man, the feeling of numbness spreading throughout his body. Gen laughed softly.

"That was the 'Death Point Curse'," Gen said haughtily. "People are usually do dazed by what I've done to them that they just stand around until they fall down," Gen continued, expecting the shocked Dan to do the same.

"Say good night, amateur."