Confines of Freedom * Breakdown
Kazuya and Lee faded into obscurity, caught amidst the throng of city life bustling around Tokyo proper. They steered clear of Uptown, which housed the Mishima Financial Empire, opting instead for the seamy side of the downtown streets. By early afternoon the paranoia hit high gear, every city block they covered left them looking back over their shoulders, respectively. It was as if both of the brothers feared Heihachi would be directly behind them, or at least one of his various henchmen scouring the streets for both his sons’ return.
“Do you want to stop and take a rest?” Lee turned, looking over his shoulder as Kazuya trailed slightly behind. Chaolan knew the young Mishima was in a great deal of pain, though to look on Kazuya’s face, one would never know it.
“I can go on.” Kazuya whispered, somewhat out of breath. The fatigue of the journey weighed heavily on him but the pain of his injuries would be nothing compared to what Heihachi could do to them both if they slowed down now.
Taking a deep breath, Lee turned the corner, ducking into a long, narrow alleyway. Pressing his back to the wall, the silver devil cupped a hand before his face...shielding the light that roared his cigarette to life. Kazuya stopped before him, taking a moment to press himself against the support of the wall which rested opposite Lee Chaolan.
Exhaling slowly, Lee drew his chin toward the sky...obscured by the sheer height of the building he leaned against. There was so much he wanted to say to Kazuya about last night but this was not the time. “So, do you think he knows we are gone yet?”
Kazuya nodded his response, letting his head drop down weakly as he fought off the anguish of his cracked ribs, the pressure alone was intense enough to level him to the floor. The exhaustion was far worse. Devil had been silent for sometime, focusing all the energy flowing through Kazuya’s veins...fusing it with the entities own power in order to heal the young Mishima of his grievous injuries. The process was slow but Kazuya knew he had to hang on.
Lee flicked the ashes of his cigarette, studying Kazuya as he leaned against the opposite wall. He can’t go on... Lee thought to himself. If we walk another block he is only going to collapse.
“Kazuya, let’s camp out further down the alley for a little while and regroup.”
“I said I can go on.” Kazuya looked up beneath a shock of his disheveled ebony mane. His eyes were ripe with determination through the tremendous force of his own exhaustion.
“All right, I won’t argue with you, lets go.” Lee flicked his cigarette against the opposite alley wall, watching as the burnt down cigarette screamed into a burst of orange embers upon impact. “The further we travel into the interconnecting maze of downtown Tokyo streets, the safer we will be. I have some money in my savings account we can use, it’s not alot, but we are going to have to find an ATM far away from where we set up. That will lower the risk of getting caught.”
“Providing Father does not cut off the access to the account.” Kazuya shouldered his bag as he lowered his lashes with a wince of pain.
“Damn it, I didn’t even think of that. I should probably withdraw what I can now but we have to keep moving.”
Kazuya nodded solemnly and followed the silver devil along the crowded mid day streets.
Heihachi Mishima sat within the confines of the disheveled library, his chin braced against his knuckles as his opposite hand firmly grasped last nights blood tainted snifter. Lee and Kazuya had taken off in the early hours of morning, sometime after their little family dispute. But where could they have gone?
Every lead Heihachi could think to follow, including the telephoning of each of Lee’s friends had turned up nothing. Where would they go that would leave behind no trail...but the Tokyo streets. For all the elder Mishima knew his sons were halfway to Korea...halfway to Chaolans homeland where safety and comfort could be found. No, not Kazuya. Heihachi sighed as he stared along the broken bookshelves which housed his tomes of ancestral heritage, Japanese Culture and Mythos as well as various resources of his personal interest. My son would not abandon the only culture he has ever known for the squalid streets of a backwater country like Korea.
Shaking his head slightly, Heihachi felt the anger rise like the course of fatal lightning along his body. From the day he brought the insolent street urchin into his home, he would have never foreseen this event happening. Lee was supposed to be a tool...a weapon to use against Kazuya...the stimulus to elicit the desired response.
I have failed. Heihachi growled, slamming his curled fist along his rosewood desk. At that moment, a soft knock came to the door of the library. Baiko slowly slid in to stand before him.
“Dono Mishima, we just received word from the bank that the card linking to young Master Chaolans account has been accessed in the downtown Tokyo district. Shall I send a car?”
Heihachi looked up as his brow arched, dangerously. “Have both of their personal accounts frozen...”
“But...Mishima-sama, what if we can not locate them. What would they do for money? Would you have them living from the very street itself?”
A sinister light crept along the tired eyes of the elder Mishima, his lips curling into a dangerous smile. “If my sons have the desire to live as street rats, they will do so with no help from me. However, it will not come to that scenario. I want YOU to take the car downtown and scour the city for them. Take as many of my retinue as you need...but do not come back empty handed.”
Baiko nodded, bowing his way from the library as Heihachi heard the first rumble of his own laughter fall past his lips. Once he had his hands wound firmly around both of their throats, he just might never let go.
Lee turned to glance over his shoulder, a paranoid feeling creeping through his bones. He had no trouble removing the remainder of cash from his personal savings account, though he knew somehow the access from the ATM would be a tip off. Still, both he and Kazuya took a moment to warm themselves with a cup of coffee in a small shop along the very skids of the downtown Tokyo streets.
The wharf had a nasty reputation day or night. Now Lee could see why. The street corners were filled with pimps and prostitutes...drug pushers and addicts who did not make an attempt to hide themselves...fearing nothing, least of all the police in this secluded, end of the road section of Downtown. Even the vagrants, ripe with a host of mental health issues, walked along the blood beaten paths....immune to anything that was not the travesty of their own lives.
Kazuya drank down his scalding hot coffee, wrapping his fingers around the cup to keep them warm as the hour slowly faded away. He was exhausted but too cautious to make his weariness visible. This section of downtown was like a powder keg of social outcasts greedily waiting for night to fall so the real fun could begin. How could he and Lee survive in a place like this? The area was filthy, putrid with the scent of exhaust fumes and old diesel fuel....and Kazuya swore he felt the dirt layering on his flesh already.
Casting his eyes up from the remains of his coffee cup, Kazuya turned to the still regal vision of the silver haired youth before him. For a long moment their eyes connected and it seemed little breath could have passed between them.
“Look, Kazuya...while we have a moment, I want to talk about last night....”
The young Mishima held Chaolans angelic almond eyes. Something about this place made Lee’s rare beauty stand sorely out of place as though he were a dream of all the finer things in life that was suddenly inaccessible. Kazuya parted his lips to speak....when he suddenly noticed the sleek black Lexus sliding down the dingy streets...heading toward them.
“Fathers car. Lee, we have to go. Now!” Kazuya bolted upright with a sudden stifled cry of pain. Shouldering his bag, the young Mishima grasped Chaolan by the arm...dragging him back toward the alley way behind the coffee shop.
Lee dragged his own bag as he ran with Kazuya, ducking behind the side of a nearby dumpster...teaming with rotten, stinking garbage....overrun by a population of flies.
The brothers held their breaths as they sank down along the wall, curling their arms around their knees....to hide themselves as best as possible. Not a word passed between them, each afraid even a false breath might alert Heihachi’s henchmen to their whereabouts.
It was not until darkness fell over them that Lee walked to the edge of the alley, inspecting the streets for any number of expensive...out of place cars. Lighting a cigarette to calm his screaming nerves, Lee watched a moment as the shift change of dock workers exchanged...before heading back to where Kazuya sat. “I think it’s clear. I am going to check along the alley and see if we can’t find someplace to sleep for the night.”
Kazuya exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair as Chaolan fell out of sight. Giving him the moment he needed, the young Mishima pressed his arms to his ribcage...nearly doubling over at the waist to alleviate the pressure. The agony of his wounds were beginning to subside...though he was drained to the point of his last reserves. Filthy...disoriented...hurt....flashes of the cliffs along the Mishima compound where he nearly met his end on that fateful night, suddenly haunted him. Kazuya could taste the earth on his lips...the feel of jagged rocks beneath his fingertips....the voice of the devil cooing him into submission....
“...I chose life....I chose...life...” Kazuya cried out as a pair of leather gloved hands shook him violently back to reality.
“...Kazuya...damn it...Kazuya, your bleeding....snap out of it...” Lee was jerking the young Mishima by the shoulders, shouting into his ears as Kazuya’s eyes stared uncomprehendingly before him..seated in a pool of his own blood.
Kazuya stood with a whirl of rage intermingled with fear, pushing Chaolan away. Heaving like an animal caught in a trap, the young Mishima wiped a hand across his lips...trying to ground himself into the here and now before looking down at the ground below him. His shirt was drenched in blood...as was the concrete. Pressing a hand to his scarred chest, Kazuya fell back against the alley. “Oh god damn it...not again....”
Lee pressed back along the wall, watching his adopted brother almost fearfully. “Are you alright...what happened?”
“It’s a long story..for another night....I will be alright, I just need to rest. Did you find a place we can hide away and take some time to sleep?” There was a desperation in his voice as Kazuya fought the chill of the past still creeping over him.
Lee nodded. “Yeah...I found a scrapped car in the back of the alley. I dragged over a garbage and made a fire and keep us warm until the morning. You are going to have to clean out the back seat, but it should be alright to get us through the night. I will take first watch, then I will wake you up so I can get some sleep.”
Lee walked Kazuya down the alley where the fire was already blazing. Lighting up a cigarette, Lee sank to the ground, pressing his back to the frame of the late model car as his eyes scanned every vantage point at the far ends of the alley. The car was in a prime location...a dead end, affording them some degree of safety for now.
Kazuya cleaned out the backseat as Lee dipped his pinky nail into a small bag of fine white powder. Sniffing the contents from his nail harshly, Lee looked over toward the young Mishima, feeling a sudden need to explain himself before his brothers disapproving eyes. “How else am I going to stay awake?” Lee sniffled, rubbing the tip of his nose on his jacket sleeve.
“So you are going to watch over me?” Kazuya asked, almost...untrustingly.
“We will figure out a game plan in the morning, after we both catch some sleep. Maybe we can hit a cheap motel or something...but yes, I will watch over you as you sleep. Now get some rest Kazuya.” Lee let his head fall back against the car frame. The fire helped to bite off the chill, but it was going to be a long...cold night.
Lee crawled into the front seat of the junked, stripped down car, somewhere around 3am. Kazuya was having some sort of nightmare as he lay asleep in the backseat, his cries echoing through the abandoned alleyway where the brothers set up camp for the night. Leaning over the front seat, Lee rubbed his hand along the young Mishima’s shoulder.
“Kazuya...Kazuya, wake up. Your having a nightmare...” Lee sighed, rubbing his eyes as the young Mishima failed to stir. In mid yawn, Lee jumped back...his arm pressing against the broken steering column.
Kazuya was leaning up on his left shoulder, his thick hair hanging down along his glowing red eyes. The young Mishima...smiled, demonically as Lee slid out of the car, fearfully falling into fighting stance.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Lee hissed from the point of hysteria as Kazuya stepped out of the car, yawning and rubbing his eyes.
“Is it my turn already?” He asked, groggy from his deep sleep. Stretching his arms over his head, Kazuya suddenly realized the pain from his cracked ribs was mostly gone. Forcing himself to wince, Kazuya lowered his arms...his hand rubbing against the former wounded area. To be healed this quickly would arouse too much suspicion....
Turning to Chaolan, Kazuya quirked a thickly arched brow. “Why are you in stance? What’s the problem?”
“What the fuck happened to you back there?” Lee’s eyes were wide, caught between the emotions of disbelief and fright.
Kazuya walked toward Lee, crossing his arms before his chest. “What do you mean?”
“I went to wake you up and...and your eyes were all red...glowing...” Lee wiped the edge of his nose with his gloved fingertip, watching the young Mishima wearily.
Kazuya laughed though his eyes never showed signs of his mirth. “I think someone laced your powder with something funny, Chaolan. Your seeing things. Why don’t you head into the back of the car and sleep it off, I will do the watching over you now. It is my turn, afterall.”
Lee ran his hands through his hair, looking along the ground as if trying to figure out if what he had seen was a drug induced hallucination...or just the workings of an overtired mind.
“Maybe your right...I just swore I saw you sitting up with these tripped out eyes. I am seriously losing it....” Lee shook his head, walking toward the car...bracing a hand on Kazuya’s shoulder, stopping just to the side of him. “I’ll see you in a couple hours...”
Kazuya placed his hand over Chaolans, nodding softly as he looked into the silver haired youths tired eyes. With that, Lee slid into the backseat of the car, covering himself over with his winter jacket to help bite the chill.
Kazuya gathered up some scattered paper in the alley, tossing it onto the garbage can fire...stopping a moment to warm his hands...unable to turn his eyes away from the irresistible fingers of flame surging from the mouth of the metal receptacle. The glow of the fire was like the eruption of a volcano suddenly surging to life. Backing away with a sudden, uncomfortable feeling, Kazuya sank down along the frame of the car, wrapping his jacket tighter around him.
The young Mishima knew what Lee Chaolan had seen was no hallucination inflicted on his thoughts from a drug induced haze. It was devil...the very entity living within him. Why, after all of these years...and all of the warnings issued had the demon nearly blown their cover? Why would the devil want Lee Chaolan to know?
Yawning, Kazuya watched his breath come to life in the air before him. The night was a cold one and yet eerily alive with a sense of freedom he had never before known. He was free of Heihachi Mishima’s Iron Fisted choke hold...and the aire never tasted so sweet in all his life. This was like an adventure....two teenage brothers set loose upon the world, each skilled in their own Martial arts...the sky unreckoned before them. Kazuya wanted to taste everything he could...much as he had begun just the night before at Kei Euguchis’ party.
The young Mishima had felt the first buzz of alcohol through his veins...the first bitter taste of a cigarette between his lips....and the numbing thrill of chemicals rushing through his blood. He had also tasted carnal pleasure for the first time....the rush was equally as exhilarating as the victory over an opponent as he wielded his ancestral karate to frighteningly accurate degrees. Yet, the sensation found between Emi Hisamitsu’s legs hit Kazuya like a double edged sword. The physical release was intoxicating....and the mental aspect he had performed on an audience including the lovely Emi and the shattered beauty, Lee Chaolan....was thrice as delicious as the initial physical pleasure. It was little wonder why the silver devil was so addicted to the act of sex. A lesson Kazuya was taught in just a single night.
The young Mishima ran a hand through his hair, listening to the thick cough of his adopted brother as he turned in his sleep. What were they going to do, surely they could not live on the streets forever. Once the cash ran out, they would have to find employment and then, perhaps they would set up a small apartment and return to school once vacation was over. Kazuya only had the remainder of this year before he would graduate...with honors. Lee, on the other hand, had an additional year before his own completion.
Sighing softly, Kazuya would pitch the ideas for the future to Chaolan. The differences that brought a sense of rage to the young Mishima’s emotions suddenly seemed void with their current situation. Lee had abandoned everything to follow Kazuya from the compound last night. Was it brotherly love? Loyalty? Fear? that drove Chaolan to make such a hasty move. Kazuya was not sure he wanted an accurate answer.
Such thoughts were a doorway into the inevitable state of mind that left Kazuya...brooding. Was Heihachi looking for them? What would be his motivation to find his two insolent sons? How...could Kazuya Mishima fulfill the demons prophecy and seek revenge on his cruel, abusive father?
December 22..... Time Opens all doors...answers all questions, Kazuya wrote in his journal, with shivering, cold fingertips. Each Man must walk his own path, though for now, Lee Chaolan walks mine with me. Or am I walking his? It is irrelevant. With the strength of Hell behind my Ki, I will stride through destiny itself...till the fates are nothing more than an alignment of fallen corpses before my fists.
I am alive...when I should be dead. Am I free...when I spend my energy in the constant state of wondering how I am going to continually evade capture? I am fortunes fool...or am I the actually the prodigal son sent to save the world? I am all of these things...and only the Courses of Lightning Crashing through the center of my soul will ever truly know..what the confines of freedom..the complications of survival will someday cost me. Heihachi paced along the confines of the hallway of the east wing, housing the bedrooms of his insolent sons. The search led by Baiko had failed and it seemed both of his resourceful teenage brats were given this night of freedom...leaving no trail to be captured. It was only a matter of time before the Elder Mishima would catch up with them. For as large as Tokyo itself was...Kazuya and Lee would eventually falter and seal their own fate.
Rubbing his tired eyes, Heihachi shook his head clear of the idea of sleep. Morning would be upon him soon enough and it would be time to search the streets again. This time he would ride with his retinue, sending a fleet of vehicles out to search both uptown and downtown alike. There would be a plethora of time to sleep once his sons were locked away in their rooms. He would need it then...for the ungodly rage he would bestow on them could quite possibly wear him out.
Time is on my side. Heihachi growled, listening for the echo of his Geta along the hallway. They can not hide forever.
*
Kazuya awoke Lee just before sunrise, throwing some more scattered debris on the dying garbage fire he had managed to keep going for several hours. Shivering from the cold, Chaolan stretched his aching muscles...sliding his jacket around his arms.
“I did a count of how much money I have in my pocket, I need to know what you withdrew from your account so I can get an accurate idea of how much we have between us. I counted out 20,000 yen...”
Lee dug through his pockets, leaning down on his haunches as he withdrew the crumpled up bills in his grip. “I can’t talk money before I have a cigarette. Here, you count it.” Rising once again, the silver haired youth lit his long white cylinder to life...coughing slightly from the rawness in his cocaine stripped throat. “Man, I am feeling left over this morning.”
Kazuya unwrinkled the three 5000 yen bills. “We have a grand total of 35,000 yen to get us by. Once that runs out, we are going to have to consider finding a job.”
“Shit, 35,000 yen. We could not even make it to Korea on that kind of money. With the way the Japanese work you would think this damn country would be overflowing with money.” Lee shook his head, bracing his nose between his thumb and forefinger, bringing his cigarette dangerously close to his shock of molten silver hair. “It sounds like a whole hell of a lot of money, but even a cup of damn coffee is almost 200 yen.”
“Our economy has not been stable since World War Two. The exchange rate over seas is something like 100 yen to a single American dollar.” Kazuya replied, recounting the currency to be sure he was correct.
“Well, we are in the wrong country...” Lee snickered, inhaling from his cigarette. “So the question now is, how do we spend our money most effectively?”
Kazuya looked up, flickering his lashes slightly. “Well, we need to eat and we need to find a place to stay..in that order.”
Lee grew silent, pacing along the filthy alley way...deep in thought. “Well, I am not going to be able to scheme effectively on an empty stomach. Lets get some breakfast and then we will see about finding a cheap room in the meantime. Someone I know has to be connected down here.”
Kazuya rose, dusting off his jeans. “Well, lets get something to eat and we can figure out our plans from there.”
“Good enough.” Lee flashed his charismatic smile, crushing the burnt out end of his cigarette under his boot.
Lee and Kazuya ate with more gusto than a greasy, cheap meal such as this one deserved. The small diner was nearly empty at this hour of the morning, affording them a sense of peace and quiet after a long, cold night. Leaning back in the booth, Chaolan lit up a cigarette. “Damn. If that wasn’t the singularly best meal I have ever had in my life...”
Kazuya nodded, rubbing the back of his neck slowly. “That definitely hit the spot.” Extending his hand, the young Mishima hit Chaolan up for one of his cigarettes. With a half smile, Lee gave one over....leaning in toward Kazuya with a light.
“I think I can get used to you like this...” Lee smiled, flicking his ashes into his empty plate.
Kazuya exhaled slowly, letting the smoke curl off of his tongue...falling like a cascade of waves from his lips. “Now, we have to find a place to stay. The cheapest motel room I see is about 3000 yen a night. That is alittle steep if we want left over cash to eat.”
Lee nodded, inhaling as he ran a hand through his tangled mane. “We can scour the downtown area and see what our options are. All I know right now is the fact that I need a shower.”
Kazuya inhaled a long drag, watching the embers at the end of his borrowed cigarette burn, hissing it’s protest. “I agree with that.”
After cleaning up in the bathroom, Lee and Kazuya paid the check and headed out along the sunlit downtown streets. Sticking to the alleys as much as possible, the thought of capture still reigned supreme in their minds.
In midstep, Lee swung his arm out, catching Kazuya across the shoulder, nearly causing the young Mishima to drop his travel bag. “What the hell was that for?”
“I just had an epiphany!” Lee exclaimed, looking up along the length of a building the brothers were walking past.
“That’s a big word for you Chaolan, use it carefully.” Kazuya smirked, readjusting the strap of his bag onto his shoulder.
“Ha-ha that was funny, really, you cracked your first joke...it’s a fucking Kodak moment.” Lee snickered as Kazuya raised a brow to the insult. “But no, seriously. Why worry about spending precious cash on a motel...when we have this nice, boarded up building to give us the shelter we need...”
Kazuya drew his eyes wide. “You mean you want us to...squat...?” The young Mishima looked suddenly appalled. Inspecting the two floor building with boarded up windows, Kazuya flicked his finger along the red caution tape lining the outside perimeter. “It says structurally condemned....I don’t think this is a good idea...”
“It beats blowing 3000 yen a night on a shit hole motel. Lets sneak a peek inside, the building doesn’t look like it’s in too bad of a shape.”
“This is really a bad idea....” Kazuya shook his head as Lee loosened a board from one of the windows before climbing in through the space he created.
Moving into the shade of the alley, Kazuya kept a close eye on Chaolans bag as the silver haired youth disappeared. After several frustrating moments, Lee slipped his head from between the boards. “Come on, it’s not so bad, alittle fire damage but definitely warm and livable...toss me my bag...”
Kazuya handed Lee both bags before climbing up through the condemned windows. Stepping into the darkened room, the young Mishima lifted his shirt over his mouth, coughing from the overwhelming stench of old smoke. Once his eyes were adjusted, Kazuya stepped along the creaking boards, following Lee through the maze of abandoned apartments, noting the scorch marks lining the walls.
“The upstairs is completely collapsed, so don’t bother trying to get up there. I found one unit that looks relatively alright. There is running water but it’s only cold and no electricity. But hey, who needs electricity? It’s not like we have a TV or anything.” The silver devil smiled, obviously impressed with his resourceful findings.
Kazuya nodded as he listened to Lee, careful of where he stepped as he entered the disheveled apartment unit which seemed to be abandoned in a hurry. Shaking his head, the young Mishima did not like this idea....not at all. The building was condemned for a reason.
“Hey, there is a mattress in here...” Lee called out from the other room. “Come help me move it out there...”
Dropping his bag, Kazuya stepped into the bedroom...finding Lee holding up a worn down old mattress amidst the squalor and waste on the floor. Gripping the other side, Kazuya heaved with Lee, tugging the mattress through the filth and out into the other room.
“I thought your ribs were cracked?” Lee leaned against the edge of the mattress as he looked to Kazuya.
“They still hurt...just not as bad...maybe they were just bruised.” Kazuya coughed, removing the mattress from Chaolans hands and dropping it to the floor.
“And maybe your full of shit.” Lee smiled, arrogantly, regarding his brother. “You will have to come up with something better than that.”
“How about...fuck you and your half assed ideas. This abandoned building of yours was no epiphany. This place is falling apart, it will probably cave in on us the moment we close our eyes.” Kazuya hissed, crossing his arms.
“Well, unless you want to run back to Daddy.....” Lee shrugged. “and you call me a spoiled bitch?”
“What are you saying?” Kazuya growled, pushing Lee back with the flat of his hand.
“I am saying your a rich bitch who can’t finish what he started...” Lee pushed back, an arrogant smile licking over his lips. “What’s the matter Kazuya...no Daddy to run to now....”
With a feral hiss, Kazuya kissed Chaolans face with the bridge of his knuckles, sending the silver devil flying back several paces before regaining his balance. Lee fell into a slide, taking the young Mishima’s legs out from under him as both brothers grappled on the ground amidst a flurry of punches.
Suddenly, Lee fell back onto his arms....laughing. He was enjoying this. And so was Kazuya. The two brothers squabbled back and forth, smiling as they released their anger and pent up aggression for one another. For the first time they were fighting for the very pure reason of the act itself. They did not swing at each other over a woman...over Heihachi....or for any other reason than for the sheer joy at the act itself. The release....was primal.
Laying on his back, Chaolan rubbed his bruised face with one hand, the other holding a cigarette. “Damn that was a good punch...my cheek is numb...”
Kazuya sat along the floor, one leg bent up as his forearm draped over his knee...the other leg half curled beneath him...his arm bracing him upright. “If my ribs weren’t cracked an hour ago, they are now....fucking Spin Kicks...should be called Bitch kicks....”
“Well if the shoe fits and all that...” Lee tilted his head back, looking to Kazuya with a smile as he flicked his ashes on the already filthy floor.
“Am I going to have to get up and put another foothole in your ass?” The young Mishima laughed despite himself.
“Nah, Nah, I’m good....” The silver haired youth laughed. “What do you say we get fucked up and go play some pool or something. The night is young and so are we.”
“We really should get some supplies from the store, some candles to substitute for electricity....maybe stock up on some canned food we can eat...”
Lee nodded, flipping himself upward from his laying position. “Let’s go...”
With that, Kazuya rose, stretching his body as his back cracked in unison to his motions.
“Not bad...Not bad at all...” Chaolan laughed, shaking his head as he listened to the realignment of the young Mishima’s spine. Exiting through the sliding board from the first floor window, the brothers stepped out into the fresh sunlit afternoon.
Kazuya leaned down, sniffing back the thick white line Lee Chaolan cut for him on the top of a small shard of mirror. With watering eyes and virtually numbed senses, the young Mishima felt the chemical drip slither down the back of his throat.
“Woo there Kazuya, easy....you have to crawl before you walk.” Lee laughed, his eyes glazed over from the snort of an equally thick line done at the same time as his adopted brother. “Good shit, isn’t it?”
Kazuya coughed slightly, regaining feeling in his throat. Rolling his head around to loosen his tense neck muscles, the young Mishima smiled...regarding the silver haired youth sprawled out along the floor, laying on his side. “This is only my second line, I will have to take your word for it.”
“I’m impressed, for a second timer that line was thick enough to give a horse a heart attack. Just wait...the overwhelmingly good feeling will hit any second now...” Chaolan lit a cigarette, overdramatizing his motions as he exhaled...indulgently.
“It already did....” Kazuya fell onto his back from his seated position on the floor. Brushing his fingertips through his damp, freshly washed hair, turning his eyes to Lee through the various candles standing upright along the floor...giving the room a soft glow of flickering light.
“So Kazuya, do you think after we find a job we could take off to Korea for awhile. I have really wanted to go back there...” Chaolan exhaled, flicking his ashes onto the floor.
“Why would you want to go back there, after all the things that happened to you?” The young Mishima felt the warm tingle of chemically enhanced good vibrations rippling through him.
Lee shrugged. “I don’t know, I guess I have always been alittle home sick. But I have friends there who could take care of us, keep us well stocked in money, drugs and women. Tell me that doesn’t sound like the life?”
“If you want somebody to pimp your ass off to out of town business men, sure. Not my kind of life.”
“It wasn’t so bad....” Lee crushed his cigarette to the floor, his statement causing Kazuya to raise an already high arched brow. “Besides, What do you have here in Japan to stay for?”
“A funeral.” Kazuya half cocked an arrogant smile, drawing a tendril of his long fallen ebony mane forward to play with over his eyes. Curling the damp shock of hair around his finger, he continued. “Fathers funeral.”
“You are really fucked up...” Lee laughed, shaking his head as he readjusted his laying position on his side, resting his head on his bent up hand, watching the young Mishima.
“More than you could ever know, Chaolan. I have to stay here until my destiny is fulfilled. I must be the one to kill our Father. Until that day, I will never be truly free....”
“What did he do to you that makes you want to kill him? I know he is rough with you when your training...” Lee was stopped mid sentence as Kazuya rolled up from his laying position on the floor, to his knees.
“You know nothing.” Kazuya hissed as his shock of damp, glossy mane fell over his eyes. It was the first time Lee or anyone had ever seen the young Mishima with his hair swept out of it’s usual severe style. It gave Kazuya a regal, dangerous electricity...increasing his attractiveness to rival Chaolans own. With a motion of his hands, Kazuya ripped off the shirt he wore, revealing his scarred chest to Lee for the first time. The silver haired youth rolled up onto his own knees, staring at the hideous scar.
“This is what it means to be a Mishima. Father gave this to me just after my mother died...when he threw me from the cliffs at the edge of the compound, just to see if I could climb back up.....” Kazuya was hissing his words with a raw sense of anger that made the small hairs on the back of Chaolans neck come to a full stand.
“Oh my god....How...how did you survive? Those cliffs are like a zillion miles deep...even on a sunny day you can’t see the bottom...” Lees almond eyes were wide, roaming from Kazuyas otherwise perfect, muscular chest to his almost erotically evil visage. The young Mishima’s eyes were shielded by the feathery blackness of the hair dripping down his brow and cheeks.
“I did not survive, Lee. Or at least, I was not supposed to.” Kazuya snickered, his hands falling to his firm thighs as he looked through the candle flame to the silver devil. Chaolans eyes reflected the flickering fire deep in their almond depths.
“What do you mean” Lee sat back on his crossed ankles. The burning candle rested between them like a sacred sacrificial alter.
“With the force of my will alone, I made it to the lip of the jagged rocks...pulling myself over the filthy, blood stained earth...I felt my life ebbing away from me. Something came to me then, something...malicious...bartered with me for my life...in exchange for my soul. A simple bargain struck with the promise of my one day revenge. The murder of Heihachi Mishima at my cold, powerful hands.”
“Whoa..wait..back up a second. What was this malicious thing that struck a bargain like that with you?”
“You saw a glimpse of him in the backseat of that abandoned car last night, though I am still wondering why after all of these years it wanted to spill our secret to you...of all people...” Kazuya lapped at the edge of his lip slowly, calculatingly caught in the inhibition that comes from the freedom of the chemicals rushing through his veins.
“I wasn’t crazy...I knew I saw something...your eyes were glowing red..like hellfire...” Lee watched as the dim orange light of the candle between them flickered over Kazuya’s veiled features, giving him an almost demonic aire.
“Getting warmer....” The young Mishima smiled venomously.
Lee drew to a stand, pacing before Kazuya as he bit along the edge of his thumb, unsure if he wanted to hear this....yet knowing he should. “A demon....”
“A devil, to be precise.” Kazuya glared as the glint of fire caught the edge of his eyes. “And he lives within me...sharing my body...and my mind. He is like a fever through my blood....inspiring me to greatness....”
“I..I don’t know what to say....” Lee crossed his arms before his chest, suddenly untrusting of the beast on his knees before the candle.
“There is nothing to say, now that you know...you must never say it to another living person. I can not protect you if you do....” Kazuya hissed, raw with the enjoyment of his sudden sense of power. “And since the Demon made a guest appearance during my short sleep last night, I am guessing my few days of experimentation has given him a new sense of freedom. The drugs may have loosened my hold...or else my shattering release atop your former girlfriend. Either one makes sense....”
Fearfully avoiding the topic of the devil living within his adopted brother, Lee leaned down on his haunches. “We never did get to talk about the other night. What do you say I cut us another line and we get off the topic of things that go bump in the night. I think we need to save that discussion till we are both...sober.”
Kazuya leaned back, running his fingers through his hair as Chaolan cut two more lines from his never ending supply of cocaine. To continue the nature of their bonding experience, Kazuya and Lee sniffed up their powder at the same time, each looking to the other as they came up with a rush.
“Look...about Emi...I never should have involved you in that whole plot, I was wrong. But why...did you do that to me?” Lee lit up another cigarette, extending one to Kazuya as the young Mishima leaned over, lighting it on the candle before him.
“I wanted to hurt you Lee. I had an eye on Kishi Nakae...and you took her from me...” Kazuya exhaled, the smoke encircling him, hauntingly.
“I had no idea you were interested in Kishi Nakae, if I knew I would have backed off. I mean, shit, she wasn’t even worth the load I left in her mouth. But sleeping with Emi...I really cared about her Kazuya...”
“Don’t bother crying to me about it, if you cared about Emi so much you would never have even thought of taking Kishi on that ride back to her house. Your time with her was premeditated, Chaolan. Now tell me, does it really bother you that I had her...or that Emi enjoyed it?” Kazuya smiled, arrogantly.
“You don’t have to gloat about it...” Lee growled, tossing his lighter across the room, connecting with the opposite wall, angrily. “You could have had any other girl in the entire school...”
“She was my first.” Kazuya exhaled the smoke between pressed lips as Lee turned, almost amazed at the young Mishima’s revelation.
“I..didn’t know. But then again, I am finding out I don’t really know alot about you.”
“Until you left the compound to find me, I guess you were not worthy to know anything about me. In just a few nights you have shown me...unfaltering loyalty. And because of that I will tell you that although I am not sorry for what happened between Emi and I, I do regret your feelings for her being as strong as they were.” Kazuya sighed softly, rolling his neck back as the delicious waves of chemical pleasure shivered through his body.
“Well, this might sound really screwed up, but did you at least enjoy it?” Lee stood, pressing his back against the wall as he regarded the young Mishima.
“Lets just say...I understand your addiction...” Kazuya smirked darkly.
The silver haired youth licked along the edge of his lower lip, shaking his head and smiling despite himself as he regarded the shadowy figure of Kazuya leaning back before the gleaming white candle....with something more primal than adoration in his almond eyes.
“Lets kill all this deep talking and get into some trouble tonight. Let’s see if we can’t fulfill one of our favorite addictions...” Chaolan flashed his angelic smile, watching the enchantment fall over Kazuya as he returned his own charismatic grin.
“I’m game....” Kazuya rose, dusting his jeans off, pressing the candle flame between his fingers, decimating the brilliant feral light before the brothers walked out onto the downtown Tokyo streets.
Lee circled along the club as Kazuya leaned against the bar, sipping beer from a frosted glass. They had decided on this place amidst the host of other pool halls and bars for the RAVE the club was hosting this night. Bordering Uptown, Lee and Kazuya were careful not to be noticed as they entered...scanning the crowd to be sure they knew...no one.
The silver Devil passed over several thousand yen, left over money from their shopping trip this afternoon, to a suave, pimped out Raver...in exchange for a few simple shaped pills of Ecstasy. Placing a tablet on the tongue of a beautiful party goer he had picked up within the first few minutes he arrived to the club...she purred before drawing Chaolans lips against her own. “So...when can I meet this gorgeous brother of yours?”
Lee placed the tip of his finger on the edge of her nose. “Soon as I hit the bar and place a few of these into his beer. He will go along with me much better once this shit hits his system.”
“Bad boy....” The girl smiled, walking with Lee to the bar as he placed an order for a long neck bottle of beer. It would be hard to discern the dissolving drug once it was concealed by the amber glass of the bottle.
Dropping two hits of X into the long neck brew, Lee swirled the contents around...listening to the fizzle as a creamy white head frothed over the rim of the bottle. Walking back to Kazuya, Lee handed the young Mishima the tainted beer.
“Thought you might be running low, so I brought you another one. Don’t bother with the glass, it stays better in the bottle...” Chaolan smiled, his lashes flickering dangerously as his female companion slid toward Kazuya.
“Um..who is your friend?” Kazuya asked, taking a long pull from the bottle almost..nervously.
“Actually, I don’t know her name. Sweetheart, why don’t you introduce yourself to my adopted brother....” Lee turned, tossing two of the pills into his mouth as he looked away, tucking the rest into his pocket.
“I’m Susaki....and you must be Kazuya....” She smiled, rolling her neck slowly as errant catches of her long dark brown hair slid against her skin. “Lee tells me you boys are looking for alittle...fun...”
Taking another long pull from the bottle, Kazuya set it down, empty before running his fingers through his mane. A sudden jolt shot up along his spine as his nerve endings screamed to life.
“Yeah...” The young Mishima answered, shaking his head clear of the overwhelming sensations blazing like fire under his skin. Even the slight, feathery brush of the edges of his hair against his flesh nearly made him melt.
Lee rested a hand on Susakis’ shoulder, leaning over to whisper in her ear. As Chaolan pulled back, Susaki pressed herself into Kazuya....kissing his lips to hers. The young Mishima gripped the bar as the exquisitely pleasured sensation writhing through him, caused him to quiver.
“I will go get my things and I will be right back...” Susaki purred, rushing off to collect her belongings.
“What is happening to me, Lee?” Kazuya stepped in toward Chaolan, whispering to him. Even the nearness of the silver devil was too intense to ignore.
Lee closed his eyes as he bit down on his lower lip. The overwhelmingly intense nearness of the young Mishima was...breathtaking as the X suddenly kick started his nervous system.
“I don’t know...” The silver devil barely moaned. “But it feels good...doesn’t it...”
Kazuya pulled back, wiping his hand across his sweating brow. The sharp colors burned brightly into his eyes. “yeah.....” He croaked past dry lips.
Susaki stepped between them, her hand rushing out to rest on the Lee and Kazuyas shoulders. “I am ready for the ride of my life...” she purred.
With a smile, Lee led her outside...Kazuya following close behind.
Kazuya leaned against the wall, his eyes mesmerized by the glint of candles Chaolan lit..lining the floor. Flicking his glance upward, Kazuya watched Lee and Susaki, locked together in a passionate kiss in the center of the room. The electricity that passed through the air in the room was hot...forcing the young Mishima to nearly gasp for breath as he watched them.
Lee broke from the kiss, his head cocked slightly to the side...seductively, as his almond eyes looked to Kazuya beneath errant tendrils of his molten silver hair. Licking his lips he motioned for Susaki to join the young Mishima....
Drawing up against him, Susaki ran her nails along the line of Kazuya’s strong shoulders...causing him to shudder as a wave of pleasure rode up his spine. Lee lit up a cigarette, watching them both...dangerously...as Kazuya’s eyes fell on his.
Walking up behind Susaki, Lee pressed himself against her...forcing her tighter into the young Mishima’s body. With one hand, Chaolan traced down her back..lifting her skirt almost teasingly...his gaze never leaving the intense depths of Kazuyas as the female Raver moaned with heightened pleasure.
Kazuya pressed his hand along Susaki’s throat...trailing his fingertips against her shoulder, forcing one side of her tank top to drip down her arm though he could not break his gaze from the silver devils depths.
Lee pressed his palm against Susakis thigh, his fingers trailing her flesh, brushing Kazuyas leg with his touch. The young Mishima moaned despite himself as his burning senses sprang to life. Susaki fell to her knees before Kazuya, undoing his jeans as Chaolans hand gripped into her hair...
Leaning over the female Raver...Lee braced his hand on the wall beside the young Mishima’s head, dropping his cigarette to the floor as Kazuya rolled his head back, crying out with the pleasure of Susakis eager mouth. Unable to stand the temptation any longer, Lee brushed his lips along Kazuyas thirsty mouth.
His eyes drawing wide, Kazuya gasped back a breath, moaning against Chaolans lips as Susaki took his length deeper into her throat. “Oh god...” Kazuya sucked back a breath...his lashes lowering as Lees’ tongue slid along his own. Every sensation burned beneath the young Mishima’s flesh...threatening to ignite an uncontrollable fire.
Lee drew back a gasping breath as he felt Kazuya yield to his mouth, forcing his kiss to deepen with new found torment. “God damn it....” Lee moaned with excruciating passion, his lower lip eagerly devouring Kazuyas’. Panting for breath with each break in their delicious kiss, Lee finally forced himself to pull back. “Oh god...I can’t take anymore...”
Pulling Susaki up by her hair, Chaolan drank the taste of her lips, his eyes never leaving Kazuyas as the young Mishima panted for breath. Guiding Susaki across the room, Lee growled. ”Get on all fours and open your mouth. I want to feel your lips while I watch Kazuya take you from behind....”
Susaki sank down as Lee unbuttoned his pants. Sucking back a hard breath, Lee moaned from the sudden, intense suction of Susaki’s lips. Parting his flickering lashes, the silver devil watched as Kazuya drew up behind the female Raver...mercilessly penetrating her as she nearly choked on Chaolans length.
Each Ecstasy enhanced nerve ending screamed through the motions of intense physical pleasure. Rolling his head back, Kazuya drew a hand into Susaki’s hair...pulling darkly as Lee cried out beneath her ministrations. The silver devil was enraptured...watching as Kazuya pleasured himself with the female Ravers body....working her tight opening as each thrust forced her to take Chaolan deeper into her mouth.
When the release came, Lee clawed his nails along the decimated wall...his body shivering as Susaki gagged on the sudden rush forced down her throat. Crying out in excruciating pleasure, the female Raver followed close behind the silver devil in her own climax...the tightening walls of her delicate opening squeezing almost painfully around the Young Mishima’s length....sending him over the jagged rocks of pleasure and pain...his body afire with the taint of the drug rushing through his system.
Susaki collapsed to the floor as Kazuya rebuttoned his pants, running a hand through his sweat soaked hair. Readjusting his own pants, Lee leaned down on his haunches, tapping Susaki on the top of the head. “Thanks. Now, get out.” He hissed, breathlessly handing the young Mishima a cigarette...lighting his own in the process.
Kazuya watched the silver devil darkly, pressing the cylinder to his lips as Lee sparked it to life for him. Exhaling, Kazuya flicked errant ashes onto the floor as Chaolan inhaled from his own....closing the distance between them to press his lips once more to the young Mishima’s. Kazuya met his mouth this time, forcing his tongue deep into Chaolans lips with a bruising, intense kiss...before pushing Lee back with the flat of his hand.
Exhaling the smoke Chaolan breathed into his mouth during the kiss, Kazuya paced like a caged animal along the floor. Susaki rushed from the squalid unit, exhausted from the high, leaving Lee and Kazuya alone.
“Was it as good for you as it was for me?” Lee snickered darkly, leaning against the wall, bracing his foot to rest flat against the smooth, dingy surface; his cigarette dipping between his fingers.
“You are never to tell anyone, do you understand me?” Kazuya spoke as he exhaled the thick vapor of his cigarette.
“Why would I tell anyone, it would hurt my reputation far more than it would hurt yours.” Lee pursed his throbbing lips, still reddened from the force of Kazuyas mouth.
Kazuya stopped before Lee, nodding as he flicked his ashes along the floor. “Alright, then we understand each other....” The young Mishima ran a hand through his dampened hair, trying to shake off the sudden attack of guilt that followed the acts of this evening.
“Yeah, we understand each other...” Lee nodded, pushing off the wall as he crushed his cigarette underfoot. “I’m about to crash, hard. There is only one mattress...do you want me to sleep on the floor?”
Lee dropped down onto the edge of the bed, yawning as he watched Kazuya extinguish the candles. “We can share the bed, just do us both a favor and stay on your own side.”
The silver devil laughed darkly. “Don’t give yourself aires Kazuya, your kiss wasn’t that good....” Lee brushed a hand along his quivering lips in the dark. Kazuya’s kiss was better than he could have imagined...but was too ashamed to admit.
“I don’t know if I should take that as a compliment or an insult.” Kazuya snickered, dropping down on the mattress, covering himself over with his jacket.
“Don’t take it either way...because nothing ever happened.” Turning on his side, Chaolan drew his own jacket up to his chin.....his body yielding to the demands of sleep before the young Mishima could find the same peace.
Our body is the key to unbridled power and yet you taint it with whatever drug the Silver Devil sees fit to feed you. There will be no more. The sickness I give you will purge us clean...and the sickness will grow each morning after you disobey what I tell you...until you are writhing on the floor, screaming for mercy.
The words of the demon hissed through Kazuyas mind as he jolted upright from the bed...his body doubling over as intense pain rode through his system. Gasping for breath, the young Mishima felt the bile rise in the back of his throat...expelled in the agony of repetitive heaves....the contents of his stomach spilling onto the floor...mixed with blood. For all the suffering given at the hands of Heihachi Mishima...no pain could compare. The sickness was so intense, Kazuya felt as if his head might explode. He could barely feel Lee Chaolans hand on his shoulder as he doubled over in a pool of his own vomit on the floor. Penance.
Kazuya sat along the edge of the filthy mattress, the drag of the polished steel blade across his forearm...almost orgasmic. Sucking back a breath in delicious agony, each drop of sweet red blood trickling down onto the floor screamed salvation. It had taken his body nearly 48 hours to purge the sickness of varied chemicals from his veins and once more, the young Mishima felt himself overwhelmed with a flood of sensations...thoughts that pleaded for release. The cutting of the knife into his flesh wrought an overwhelming feeling of peace to his once again, turbulent soul.
Lee had stepped out to pick up some supplies several hours ago, giving Kazuya some much needed time alone. The devil that shared his soul had chided him through the majority of his illness, unrelenting...unforgiving for the destruction his experimentation brought to their body, their temple. Only now did feelings of stupidity for such over indulgence weigh on his mind. What was he thinking to poison himself to such insane degrees? What kind of repressed perversions coaxed him to engage in such vulgar displays of carnal pleasure?
Only now, in the quiet of the damp, smoke scarred room, littered with filth...debris and melted candle wax; did the guilt for several days pleasure press on the young Mishima’s thoughts. Kazuya found he could barely meet the eyes of the silver haired youth, his own thoughts ripe with anger and resentment for Lee. Had Chaolan not fed the young Mishima on a steady diet of mind expanding chemicals, their twisted menage-a-trois would have been completely avoided. Kazuya wanted nothing more than to strike the insolent little bitch, but how could he lay his fists upon the only person who stood by him...the only one ever to risk it all just to be at his side?
Kazuya bit his lip as the blade cut deeper into his skin, separating the flesh beneath a rising spring of blood in the most delicious ways. All these years, the young Mishima had secretly admired the silver devil. Chaolan had a freedom Kazuya would have killed for. He was charming, suave and daring to insane degrees. Lee was free to come and go as he pleased, a gratuity Kazuya was never given. And if that was not enough to fuel a deep seated hatred, the young Mishima found himself coveting the Silver Devils androgenous, nearly angelic looks. To Kazuya, Lee Chaolan was everything he wanted to be, deep inside, and the realization of such a thought made the young Mishima want to heave with self contempt, onto the floor, once more. The very idea of such a jealousy was no doubt the strong fuel behind the sudden sense of attraction that fueled the slight intimacy both he and Chaolan had shared. Kazuya was not kissing the silver devil...he was connecting to the ideal version of himself.
Rolling his head back as a beautiful shiver of steel induced torment rolled up his spine, the young Mishima heard the floor boards within the room...creak. Glancing quickly over the sharp line of his shoulder, Kazuya held a painful breath as the wide eyes of the silver devil looked onto him...caught in the sacred act of cutting.
Lee drew toward where Kazuya sat on the bed, setting the brown paper bag he carried onto the floor beside his feet. “What...What are you doing, Kazuya?” Their was an instant note of concern in Chaolans shaking voice as he spoke.
Slowly releasing the knife from the inflicted wounds, Kazuya felt the hot pulse of blood pump down in a thin streak toward his fingertips. “What does it look like I am doing, Chaolan?”
“I can see what you are doing...the question is...why?” Lee leaned down on his haunches, almost frightened as his eyes fell upon the long horizontal lines striping into the young Mishima’s forearm.
“I am purging. The pain is cleansing...the blood expels my most toxic thoughts. Would you like to try? I could show you how.” There was a sudden sense of maliciousness in Kazuya’s voice as a dark smile fell against his lips. Pointing the knife into Lee’s direction, the young Mishima watched as Chaolans eyes followed the crimson coated blade.
“Why do you need to purge?” Lee dropped his voice from horrified and accusing to something more delicate. “What is bothering you so badly that you need to rip your arm up with that knife to make the pain in comparison...feel better?”
“Why, Lee? You are asking me, Why? How about...why not?” Kazuya pursed his lips as he arched a brow, rolling his sleeve down to cover the grievous injury.
“I thought this was a passing phase. I thought it stopped after I found you in the woods, so many years ago. Do you do this because of Heihachi...because of me?”
“Don’t flatter yourself.” Kazuya snickered, licking the blood from the tip of the knife with a half smile. “Not every act of vengeance is centered around you, though I could redirect it, if you like.” The young Mishima rose, his face stone set.
“Let’s not do this Kazuya.” Lee rose trying to judge the necessity to fall into stance. “Come on, this has been the most fun of our young lives together, lets not ruin it by pissing in the wind.”
Kazuya sighed heavily as he regarded the silver haired youth. Did he dare drop his misdirected anger and allow himself to swagger among the pitfall that was his relationship to Lee Chaolan.
“I thought we would go out and play some pool tonight. There is a great little bar by the docks. We could have a few beers and work off some of your aggression on those little numbered balls. What do you say?” Lee locked his eyes into the young Mishima’s abysmal depths.
Kazuya knew he could not resist the almost angelic beauty of Lee Chaolan. “Fine. I will meet you there. I need some time to cool down.”
“Fair enough. Come on down when you are ready....” Lee turned, glancing over his shoulder just to be sure the words coming from Kazuya’s mouth was not just a ploy to get him to turn his back. Surely enough, the young Mishima began to pace, seemingly distracted to even the silver devils presence.
Lee Chaolan leaned over the pool table, aiming his cue along the natural curve between the thumb and forefinger. Sliding the stick back and forth, the silver haired youth lined up his shot. With a crack of the cue ball, the balls on the table scattered, leaving a world of opportunity to sink the stripes and solids alike.
Tipping back a swig of beer from a long neck bottle, Lee paused to readjust the cigarette dangling between his lips. Walking around the green felt table almost predatorily, the silver haired youth bent to line up his next shot. Suddenly the aim of the stick rode into the table top, nearly ripping the felt from the impact.
“What the fuck?” Chaolan whirled around, finding himself eye to eye with a large...greasy man, fresh with the stink of strong drink along his massive form.
“We are waiting for this table. You are finished now, Right?” The obviously brash American slicked a hand back through his long ponytail mane, his voice barely able to maintain a civil tone to the obviously younger male before him.
“Come on Mike, can’t you move this little rice sucking chink?” Another male at the bar, more clean cut than the one addressing Lee but equally as American, bantered.
“I’m Korean, Mother fucker. Not Japanese. Not Chinese. Korean.” Lee growled, falling instantly into a deep “L” stance, bracing his pool stick just under the bend of his elbow.
“I don’t give a shit if your mother Theresa, get out of my way before I stretch your ass to make myself a new jacket.” The larger American, Mike, snickered, ready to strike.
Suddenly, his hand was taken from him as his body was involuntarily spun to face a new challenger. “Is there a problem here, gentlemen?” Kazuya hissed, a streak of lightning curling up along his forearm before fading into the depths of his eyes.
The large American tried to tense back his wrist, causing Kazuya to turn his grip into a simple, effective, pressure point hold. The greasy attacker fell to one knee, wincing in pain. His friend instantly tore off from the bar, coming at Kazuya with a bottle, still intact.
“Kazuya, behind you...” Lee hissed, swinging up from his deep “L” stance. With a swing of the pool stick, the silver devil created a mock barrier between the new assailant and the young Mishima.
Releasing the hold on the large American, Kazuya swung around, grasping the pool stick, pressuring the second attacker back against the bar, the cue held with two hands to his throat. “Now, how about you and your friend get the hell out of here before I break your bones and make a new pool stick out them.”
Kazuya relented the pressure as the captured American rolled forward, grasping a hand to his throat. Making a motion to his friend, they staggered from the bar....looking back, hatefully.
The young Mishima gave a half smile, tossing the pool stick back to Chaolan as he plucked it from the air with practiced precision. “Can’t leave you alone for an hour before a line starts to form to kick your ass. What is it with you?”
“Must be the ability to provoke sparkling conversation that seems to hobble them in, by the droves.” Lee laughed, chalking his pool stick once more. “I’ll wrack ‘em, you break ‘em.”
Kazuya grabbed a stick from the wall, grinding the blue cube along the side of the table, into the tip. “Alright, but you will have to explain the concept of this game to me. I haven’t had the pleasure of ‘breaking ‘em.” Kazuya mocked the tone Chaolan used with a brilliant smile.
Lee could not help but meet the smile with a dazzling one of his own. Seeing the young Mishima alight with the piss and vinegar combination known as youth was simply breathtaking. Kazuya was meant to be free...meant to test the boundaries and make the mistakes he could only have in the name of being young. The very spirit of insolence was the very spirit of youth. Kazuya was in fact a teenager at this moment, despite all his angst, the young Mishima was as he should have been all along.
“Heh, let me get us a round, this could take awhile.” Lee laughed as he rose from his haunches on the end of the table. “What are you drinking?”
“Water. I’m alittle...dehydrated.” Kazuya nodded, resting his pool stick before him as he leaned against it slightly.
“Water...hmmm...yeah...right. Two beers it is.” Lee walked off to the bar as Kazuya shook his head slightly. When would the silver devil ever learn?
It is always darkest before the dawn. Why did such effigies never seem to have a reverse?
Lee stumbled slightly as he stepped out onto the early morning streets, Kazuya walking non chalantly just to the side of him. It had taken several rounds, nearly a pack of cigarettes and the force of sheer, obstinate will on Chaolans part, Kazuya Mishima finally learned the grit behind the past time known as Pool.
Several blocks from the pool hall, Lee abruptly stopped and leaned against the wall of a brick building, turning to watch Kazuya over his shoulder. “I have to take a piss.”
“Oh god damn it, you have the bladder of a little girl. So you are going to piss on a wall instead of hitting the bathroom before we left.” Kazuya rolled his eyes, turning to walk away and give the intoxicated Chaolan his privacy.
“Screw you man, at least I wasn’t drinking water at a bar.” Lee snickered, unzipping his pants as the young Mishima walked into an alcove of an alleyway.
With a sudden, blinding pain....Kazuya found himself face first on the filthy concrete, his hand rushing reflexively to the back of his head.....before his face fell forward, into the cushion of his awaiting forearm.
Large hands grabbed Chaolan, mid zip up from his impromptu piss break. “God damn it Kazuya, do you want me to piss myself, grabbing me like that?”
“Sorry you finished, I was looking forward to beating the piss out of you myself.” The large, greasy American grinned, looking down at Chaolan as he traced a meaty finger along the silver haired youths’ face. Lee struggled but found he could make no headway as the sarcastic voice of the large American continued. “Your almost too pretty to be walking these streets at night. Tell you what, I will walk you home, since your friend is sorta unconscious. I think I can put that sissy mouth of yours to work. It’s the least you can do to show me some gratitude for my kindness.”
“Since you Japs like sucking the life out of the American economy, why don’t you demonstrate your technique...up close and personal.” The cleaner cut American from the bar laughed as his friend held Chaolan against the wall.
“Only one problem with that. You Americans blow your mouths off like you blow your loads, too fast and too sloppy.” Lee growled, sending a knee drive into his immediate captor.
The greasy, large American fell back, grasping between his legs as his eyes rolled back from the perfectly aimed knee. The second man closed in, meeting a series of spin kicks with poorly timed but effective blocking techniques. “Surprised aren’t you, pretty boy? I spent some time fighting through the asshole of Korea. I think I scalped your daddy, I might have his head in my trunk.”
Lee’s eyes clouded over with a blood thirsty haze. Releasing a spirit shout, the silver Devil launched an attack of machine gun kicks, landing into the abdomen of his attacker. The clean cut American fell back, dazed as his head connected to the concrete.
Standing over the assailant, Lee spit down into his face before grasping him by the shirt...dragging his head upward. “No wonder you keep a trophy like that in your trunk, it’s the only head your probably ever going to get. Sick Fuck.” With that, Lee connected the force of his fist to the growling face of the American.
Stepping over his attackers body, Lee rushed into the alley, finding Kazuya coming back to consciousness. Rubbing his head, the young Mishima looked up, his gaze falling somewhere behind the silver devil. “Lee, Look out...” Kazuya called as Chaolan whipped around, unable to get to his feet from his haunches in enough time to counter act the blow aimed for his head.
The large, greasy American stood over Chaolan as he cracked his knuckles. Turning his eyes to Kazuya, Lee suddenly brought a hand from the floor to cover the glowing brilliance that filled the alleyway. Kazuya crumbled to his knee as a host of malicious purple flames rose up from the ground, encircling him like a cacophony of evil. In an instant, the flames returned to nothingness, leaving only the sickening form of a lavender fleshed demon...with expansive leathery wings...resting where Kazuya had been. Thick yellowed horns spiraled up to the heavens, caught amidst a tidal wave of ebony hair as the Demons forehead split, revealing...an eye. The Devils glowing, blood red gaze spilled their malevolent light onto the American before them both.
“Oh my god...” Lee screamed, pushing himself back against the alley wall...as the American crossed himself almost...religiously.
“Not quite....” The Devil hissed, clawing it’s thick, sharp talons on the concrete before it rose to full, supreme height.
With a lunge forward, the purple devil seized the large American by the throat...soaring up into the sky with a bare thrust of it’s leathery wings. Swirling into the air, the demon released a series of punches with it’s free arm...before swooping down from the sky...landing atop the shattered spine of the screaming American.
With a hellacious laugh, the Demon turned, glancing over it’s angular shoulder to the wide eyed, shaking Chaolan. Placing a taloned finger to it’s venomous lips, the Devil winked....while hissing....”Shhhhh.....”
With another burst of hellfire, the demon sank to his knees, crying out into the night. “No...Not yet...NOT YET....”
The scream faded into the night, drowned out by the sudden ring of sirens through the downtown streets. The sickening flames flickered out, burning along the concrete as Kazuya fell forward, reborn from within the demonic surge.
“Lee...help me up...we have to go...now...” Kazuya stumbled, trying to regain his feet beneath him.
Chaolan shook his head, dazed by a state of shock for the horrendous transformation his mortal eyes had witnessed. “Your the devil...your the devil...the devil....” Lee whispered like a frightened mantra.
“Lee, the Devil is gone. It’s me...It’s Kazuya...We have to go..the cops are coming, help me...” Kazuya fell forward, catching himself on his hands as he looked up beneath errant tangles of his thick ebony mane.
The sirens became nearly deafening as the red and blue lights fell over the streets. The flashing lights seemed to snap Chaolan from his daze as the silver devil rushed forward, bracing an arm around Kazuya.
“Stop where you are and put your hands were we can see them.” Came the voice over the police car speaker. The glint of the swirling lights flashed along the barrel of guns....in the hands of several officers.
“Fuck.” Lee cursed, raising his hands, still on his haunches.
Drained from the transformation, Kazuya slumped forward, the last moment of awareness fading with the incessant blare of the police sirens surrounding them.