Author's Notes: Please do NOT read this if you: Do not like yaoi (What are you doing here then?), are under aged, or even if you are one of those “When it comes to Tekken yaoi I only like Jin/Hwoarang” people. And last... please don’t flame me...
Disclaimer: Any stated poetry at the top of the chapters is that of Leslie Rentas, and I do not own Tekken or any of its fighters, though I would definitely take Lee, Lei, and Jin... (And screw some of the ages, for they sure don’t look like it when they’re fight’n on the screen to me...) ^_^;
Well, err, hope you like this...
The Past is the Past
Chapter 1
The past holds many secrets
better left untold. . .
For to bring them to the present
its bitterness unfolds. . .
This was it. Detective Lei Wulong was at long last going to bring down his long-time rival Bryan Fury. He had escaped before, but he wasn’t going to this time. Lei had been through enough due to this man, if that’s even what you could call him...
Currently, Lei was in a rather ‘unfriendly’ part of Tokyo, along with a few other members of the Hong Kong International Police Force. Lei had done a little research of his own back at the Mishima Labs, and Nina Williams wasn’t the only one he had checked into, he had also checked into Bryan’s profile and status there. And yet, there was something he still didn’t quite get. It seemed Bryan was not only wanted for his arrest, but it now appeared Heihachi Mishima was after him as well... What was up with this? He very well understood Heihachi’s interest in the capturing of Kazuya and Jin, but Bryan? Now this just didn’t make sense. Something was up, and Lei Wulong was determined to figure it out for himself.
He actually wouldn’t be surprised if Bryan was working for Heihachi, or had been at least. Maybe this was why. Maybe Bryan had betrayed him or something? Lei wouldn’t be surprised if this was the case. Not to mention, Bryan had been engineered by Dr. Abel, who just ‘happened’ to be at the head of Mishima Labs, so no, he wouldn’t be surprised.
Lei had arrived to this part of town along with four other detectives as well, though he had found his way away from the rest of them. Lei liked to do things his way, and his way alone. He also preferred working on cases individually, and most of all, he didn’t like taking orders from anyone, much less following them. It truly was the detective’s strong sense of arrogance and will which often seemed to get him into so much trouble, but to get right down to it, he just didn’t care. Come to think of it, Lei was maligned just as much, or even more so than Bryan Fury himself sometimes by many of the members on his own force.
Lei definitely remembered this neighbourhood from one of his last unpleasant encounters with Bryan Fury. The alleyways were extremely narrow, lining the many deserted warehouses and apartment complexes, with more than half of the small shops closed or out of business on the surrounding streets, and to top it all off, there was not much light. The thing was, Bryan wasn’t your ordinary convict... It would take more than a simple gun shot to bring him down, though Lei had a different plan this time.
As Lei made it down yet another one of the many darkened alleys, he sighed to himself once more. He’d been down here before earlier, Bryan had them all going in repetitive circles... Lei knew that he, as well as the rest of the force didn’t have much longer to find the disreputable Fury, even though they had practically the whole downtown area completely surrounded so he wouldn’t escape. Lei really felt that he was the only one of them who didn’t underestimate Fury; he knew very well that Bryan would have no trouble whatsoever getting past any of them. He also felt he was the only one who could take Bryan down, also feeling like it was his obligation to in the same sense.
Lei began to pick up the pace as he made it further down the seemingly deserted alley. He remained alert, with his gun securely ensured in front of him with both hands. He had the feeling... that he was not alone...
He turned swiftly at any sound he heard, or anything he thought he saw move in the corner of his eye, but so far, everything had seemed normal enough. That’s when he heard something for sure, the sound of rapid footsteps ahead in the dark. Lei quietly ran further down the narrow path, until he’d almost reached the end of the alley way, which intersected with another one on up ahead, in a ‘T’ figuration. Once there, he looked both ways, left and right, and saw nothing. It was not only dark, but considerably foggy as well. He sighed to himself before he turned right; on account of this is where the sound of footsteps had come from a second ago, or so he thought at least.
Lei then vigilantly made his way down the path of this alley, though he knew there were others ahead. This place was like a damned maze, definitely giving Bryan the edge he needed, though in these conditions, he already had it none the less. Bryan’s engineered vision would make seeing in these conditions no problem whatsoever, while everyone else was left squinting and stumbling around in the misted dark.
The shrewd detective suddenly jumped at the sound of something straight ahead, it sounded like a falling trashcan, or at least something metalled hitting the pavement. Lei stayed close to the brick wall as he held his gun firmly in his right hand. With his arm extended in front of him, he hastily stepped closer to the sound, which still echoed ahead, though he still couldn’t see anything at all. Only the immense darkness. He then stood at the intersection between the two alleys, which this time made more of an ‘X’, though the brick wall further down to his left indicated a dead end, and he still couldn’t tell how long either of the other two paths were for the moment. Lei was about to continue on his way, when he heard the exact same sound he had before, only this time coming from his right. He swiftly turned his head, and his arm which held the gun.
This time, he swore he saw a shadowed figure among the mist, though still inscrutable. He was about to pull the trigger on his gun, when in an instant he remembered how there were four other members of his force out there, not to mention, he had turned his radio off quite some time ago, which he was sure to get in trouble for later on. Lei still continued to hold the gun in front of him with his arm extended, debating on what move he should make next, when suddenly, it happened...
Lei nearly fell to the ground just like that, as he clutched his right hand, and his gun scurried across the ground... A shot had been fired at him from his left, and whoever this was had perfect aim, for the bullet hit the tip of Lei’s gun straight on. The force of this had hurt pretty badly, though Lei was quite thankful it had just been his gun which took the hit, and not his hand along with it. He then heard a disquieting low-pitched laugh in the background of the alley he now faced. He didn’t even have to think twice as to who it was...
“Hello, Lei Wulong.”
Lei heard these words as he now saw none other than Bryan Fury emerge from the darkness. Lei didn’t answer, and just nonchalantly faced the fighter ahead. It was also quite evident that Bryan had a gun of his own in hand, aimed directly for him...
“I’ve been expecting you, Lei,” Bryan spoke in his usual malicious tone.
Lei looked down temporarily to see if he could spot where his gun had fallen to, until he saw it lying on the ground several yards away. “I wouldn’t think about touching that gun if I were you,” Bryan said in a stern voice, “Besides, how many years is it going to take for you to learn that you and your little toys are no match for me?”
Lei narrowed his raven brows. He hated to be mocked, especially by Fury. Lei suddenly said the first thing that sprang to mind, “What are you up to working for Heihachi Mishima?”
Bryan smirked in response, “You honestly think I would side with that insane man, or Abel, for that matter?”
“Don’t fuck with me, Fury,” Lei harshly retorted to the sound of impertinence in Bryan’s voice.
Bryan smiled darkly at this last comment of Lei’s... “I’m telling the truth, Lei.”
Lei had noticed something. Bryan had never before referred to him as ‘Lei’, but always as ‘Wulong’. Oh well, it was no big deal, especially when he had a gun six feet in front of his face, so he chose to ignore it for the time being. “If this ‘is’ true, then what is Heihachi after you for?”
“Because he wants me dead,” Bryan simply replied as he stared at Lei with the gun still in hand, they hadn’t broken eye contact for more than a second since he had come into view.
This wasn’t much of an answer for Lei, considering Bryan was well known for chicanery, and also that Heihachi wanted just about every one of the fighters from the last tournament dead, including Lei himself, so no, this wasn’t much of an answer at all, there was something else...
...However, before Lei could even obtain to ask anything else, footsteps were heard in the distance. And not just a few, but seemingly many...
Bryan pointed his gun while gesturing his glance in the direction of the path to his left. “Now, get moving.”
Lei didn’t know what to think. Was this his police force? Or perhaps someone else...? Lei reached his hand down to his belt, ready to check his radio, when Bryan snatched it first, before smashing it down to the pavement in one swift movement a split second later.
“Now,” Bryan sternly repeated, “I said move.”
Without another option for the time being, Lei did as he was told, and followed Bryan’s lead down the narrow path of the alley, which this time led back out to the street. Upon reaching the end, Lei decided to take his chances, as usual, in speaking up once more. “They’ll find you, and you’ll finally pay for the crimes you’ve committed. You can’t run forever,” Lei declared boldly, in a rather rude tone of voice.
In an instant, Bryan turned and roughly pushed Lei up against the nearby wall, pinning him there with his immense strength. “I wouldn’t be the one to talk right now if I were you. Don’t think I won’t kill you.”
Lei was actually wondering why Bryan hadn’t attempted to kill him already by this point, he just had the prime opportunity, why didn’t he take it...? But if Bryan was instead planning on taking him hostage, then there was no way Lei was going to let this happen.
He was about to attempt a fast attack of some sort, until Bryan swiftly brought the gun up to the side up his face in anticipation of it, “Like I said, don’t think I won’t kill you, but if I do, I wouldn’t prefer using the gun to do it with, I’d much rather use my bare hands.” he then leaned in even closer, until he was lip to ear with Lei, “It really would be a shame, though,” Bryan whispered rather darkly, slowly tracing the tip of the gun along the opposing side of Lei’s face, “To kill someone so beautiful as you.”
Lei let out a small gasp at this as his eyes widened, and then felt his breathing start to involuntarily pick up when Bryan didn’t pull away... “What’s the matter Lei? Still can’t handle the truth? I’ve spent my entire new life being forced to run away from people, while you’ve spent yours running away from yourself, unable and unwilling to except the way things are. You and I may be complete opposites, but at the same time, we’re exactly alike.”
This was strange... to hear Bryan speak such words. Not to mention, Lei didn’t at all recognize this to be Bryan’s ‘usual’ tone of voice. The one he was speaking in now was in a harsh whisper, more... on the seductive-sounding side... Bryan then lowered the gun a little as he brought his free hand up to the side of Lei’s brow furrowing face.
“Wha-what are you doing...?” Lei was unable to hide the small tinge of fear evidently present in his voice.
Bryan didn’t respond, and just grinned, this time in his usual mocking sense. But... before either one of them could say anything else, the sound of footsteps began to echo throughout the walls. Bryan pulled away and ensured the Chinese by his arm. “Come on,” Bryan commanded.
“If you’re planning on taking me hostage, then you can think again, Fury!” Lei then attempted to free his arm, but Bryan’s grip on it just tightened to a painful extent. He seemed to be stronger than ever... “I already have,” was all Fury obtained to say before forcefully dragging Lei out toward the street, with his gun still raised. Once they’d reached the end of the alley, Bryan peeked his head around one of the brick walls to check if the coast was clear or not, and it seemed clear enough...
Bryan knew he still had to be especially careful though. He was just as fast as Lei, and obviously more powerful, but Lei was still overwhelmingly quick, graceful, agile, and Bryan didn’t want to take any chances on him getting away.
“The rest of my police force is out here,” Lei growled, “Don’t think you’ll be able to get away quite so easily...”
Bryan laughed silently to himself, “But you see, they’re busy with Heihachi’s men at the moment.”
“What...? But how do you know they’re here?” Lei asked, knowing very well that it was indeed a definite possibility.
“They’ve been following me everywhere since the fourth tournament ended.”
“Yes, and you still haven’t told me why.” Lei was expecting an answer at this point, or at least some form of reply, but Bryan didn’t respond and just stepped out toward the street, not once lowering the gun at all. Lei had been waiting for an opportune moment to launch an attack on him, but Bryan hadn’t once let his guard down, and seemed to be anticipating any attack.
And Lei didn’t want to admit it, and wouldn’t, but he was still a little shaken up from what had just happened a moment ago when Bryan had him pinned up against the brick wall, and at the seemingly cajole remarks, though he figured Fury had just been trying to startle him, and nothing more...
They both went out to the apparently deserted street as they cautiously looked around. Lei then watched as Bryan just stood temporarily, seemingly scanning the surrounding area in some way, though still intent on any unauthorized movements from the Chinese. Bryan didn’t have to worry about Lei trying to escape, though. Lei wasn’t going to run, then Fury would get away for sure. No, he wouldn’t run, he would wait for the prime opportunity to attack, and then take it. He just needed to get the gun out of Bryan’s hands; then the odds would be evened out a little more. True, the gun wouldn’t be of too much use to Lei against Fury, but it would definitely give Lei a better chance than for Bryan himself to have possession of it.
Could Lei Wulong actually defeat Bryan Fury? He had always told himself yes, but he still had yet to verify this for sure. Much to Lei’s dismay, he and Bryan had never gotten to fight at the tournament. Lei still didn’t understand this, and it remained yet another one of the many unsolved mysteries to date. However, Lei had also noticed that Hwoarang had seemingly been denied his long-awaited and anticipated match against Jin Kazama, so maybe this was why. Maybe Heihachi had just been trying to piss them all off in denying certain matches to take place? This was definitely a possibility, for there were obviously more than just a few fighters who had been upset, or even enraged at an apparently denied match.
This wasn’t really the best or most appropriate time to be giving thought on this matter, though, as Lei felt something was definitely wrong about this place... The area had become abruptly quiet. Too quiet. And it seemed Bryan was having his own doubts as to if they were really alone out there, or being watched...
“We’re not alone,” Lei stated as he stared down the darkened street which seemed to have no end to it, while the increasing flow of wind blew back through his hair.
Bryan turned at this remark, “And how the hell would you know this? You can’t see a thing.”
“You’re right, I can’t,” Lei replied, “But I can still feel it. One of the most important rules of fighting has always been that one mustn’t rely so much on their eyes, for they can never show you everything,” he then followed this declaration with a smirk, “A true fighter knows this.”
“Don’t give me that shit of yours,” Bryan said discordantly, “I’ve learned a lot in the past several years, and I can tell you right now that nothing will get you further than strength itself, and that’s reality, though it seems to be you Chinese who have the hardest time understanding this.”
Lei was angered by this comment which had basically indicated Fury viewed him as a proletariat, and also annoyed by Bryan’s obvious sense of obstinacy at the same time. Lei didn’t really have much of a chance to retort, however, as the window of a nearby car was suddenly shattered into scant pieces following the sound of a gun shot.
In a quick motion, Bryan sharply turned and forcefully pushed Lei hard down to ground. Judging from where the shot had apparently come into contact with the car’s window behind them, Bryan realized that this shot had in fact not been intended for him, but Lei... He then heard the cursing of someone from above, who had obviously been disappointed with their erroneous aim. Bryan looked up toward the abandoned apartment complex to his front. It became all too clear that someone was evidently up there, as well as most likely in other buildings surrounding the premises as well.
“Damnit,” Bryan growled in realization to this. This had to be Tekkenshu...
Lei had risen by this point, his left arm stained with blood from where his elbow had roughly made contact with the pavement during the fall. He hadn’t been expecting Bryan to push him down like that, but this was obviously not the time to fight, not with him at least. Lei was very certain that the Tekken Force had to be the ones responsible for this sudden outplay too, when he then began to hear a foreign sound in the wind, it was sirens. Bryan never thought he’d see the day where he was actually thankful to hear the despised sound ringing through the air.
Another shot. This time barely a miss as Lei swiftly dodged to the side and the bullet instead made its mark in the white car door of the Sudan a few feet behind him.
“You better stay down this time, or I’ll shoot you myself,” Bryan firmly ordered as he once again pointed the gun at Lei, who was lying bewildered on the concreted pavement.
“Have you lost your mind?!” Lei exclaimed, though he then figured that Bryan was just trying to pull the whole ‘a live hostage is worth more than a dead one’ ordeal.
Bryan then turned his head to the right as the flashing illumination of colors was clearly visible, accompanied by the growing sound of sirens. Lei sighed somewhat in relief, as it appeared a few more members of his international police force had finally joined in on the scene, along with other policeman as well, judging from the extensive number of cars coming into view.
Lei quickly noticed that Bryan had apparently been distracted by the upcoming show of police cars, and decided this was the perfect opportunity to strike. He sprang up from the ground in one swift movement, as Fury then found himself the one spinning to the ground.
Mao Ziyang, who was also a detective of the Hong Kong International Police Force, hastily exited from one of the many police cars. They had all stopped at the end of the street about fifty yards away or so from where it now appeared Bryan and Lei were fighting, seemingly unaware of the shots being fired off and on from the surrounding complexes. One of the several other detectives who had his encounters with the Tekkenshu hadn’t failed on contacting the others, so it wasn’t long before it was realized that the situation was in fact much more complex than everyone had originally thought. Lei had been right...
That’s when it happened. A grenade was thrown from one of the surrounding complexes, landing on the pavement only several yards away from where Lei and Bryan were on the street...
The police force watched this is shock. “Lei!! Get out of there!!” Mao screamed as he saw this, and a split second later, the grenade went off... An immense explosion was heard as the policeman all ducked behind their cars temporarily so as not to get hit by any scattering debris. When everyone eventually found the strength to stand back up and take a look, all that could be seen was a conflagration of raging flames, along with various car parts scattered down the street...
This definitely didn’t look too promising... Several of the policemen bowed their heads at the sight of this, it was almost an absolute certainty that Lei Wulong was dead; no one could have survived an explosion of that magnitude.
But wait, what was this they were seeing now? Eyebrows furrowed in confusion as a figure was seen emerging from the depth of the flames, or so it appeared. “Oh my god...” one of the detectives murmured as he realized the sight he was now witnessing before him. It was Bryan Fury, seemingly unharmed at all, as he carried another figure... Mao then saw the long hair swaying in all directions in the distance. That was Lei in his arms...
“Put him down now and get your hands up in the air!!” One of the detectives shouted as he saw Bryan stepping closer towards the rest of them. Fury was faced with many disgusted glances, was Lei dead...? He clearly wasn’t moving, so it sure looked like it, and it now appeared to the many policeman and detectives that Bryan was just trying to show this off in some sick mockery.
Lei wasn’t dead though... and he didn’t know what was going on, he was near passing out. All he could remember for the moment was how he heard the explosion, and then flew back and hit the concreted wall of a nearby building, hard. His eyes were shut, and he didn’t know what to think as his consciousness slipped away.
Bryan raised Lei up a little further in his arms, brushing the thick strands of raven hair away from his ear, as he pressed his lips there, “We’ll meet again, Lei, and soon, and when we do, I’ll finally get what I want from you...” he then knelt down and gently placed Lei to the pavement.
“Fire!!”
Gunshots were then fired at Bryan left and right, though there was no affect, and Fury simply smiled with a dark smirk before turning and sprinting back toward the still burning flames. He then practically disappeared, vanishing into the midst, just like that...
Just before Lei completely lost consciousness, he had a couple of last second thoughts cross his mind...
Why...? Why did he save me...? What does he want from me...?
*^*^*
A/N: Err, yea... Forgive me if you think I suck at writing, but it’s not necessary that you tell me this if you think so... (I already know) Please review if you thought it was ok, I just kindly ask for no flames, or any of those ‘I think this is a strange pairing’ comments. (I’m too sensitive I know)
And so far I have up to three chapters completed in which I have proof read a few times now, though it seems to be my friend who finds the mistakes, and not me every time. I’ll also say that I tend to be one of those writers who make fewer long chapters than many shorter ones. Anyway, I didn’t go head and put all of it that I have done yet cause’ I wanted to get a good idea how many reviewers I may have, but nothing will stop me from writing. =)