Fallen Star

Chapter 15

His movements are so familiar...

Sayuri had been in her fair share of gang fights. She often got into trouble in her tiny desert town, where the law of the land was always the word of the victors. It was a scuffle for survival, and any and all provisions were desperately fought over. To make sure she got through another day, Sayuri was used to having to fight tooth and nail for basic necessities like food and water.

But that didn't mean she despised fighting. It was her father who taught her the basics of martial arts and it was with her friends and family that she honed her skills. She joyously went all rough-and-tumble with those close to her and they had a fun time. It was a basic skill that had to be learned to survive but it was also a pastime that kept her entertained. What else was she supposed to do in a tiny town in the middle of a desert?

So how was this guy avoiding her like it was nothing? Sayuri knew she was fast; she had the quickest strike in her whole town. She'd had brushes with death before. Feigning a punch for a kick, she was shocked at how fast her opponent reacted and how expertly he dodged. Every time Sayuri thought she'd caught him, he seemed to slink away just before she hit him. Frustrated, she launched another punch, only for her fist to be caught. Sayuri felt herself being flung off her feet and into the dirt. Her enemy had used her center of balance against her to pin her to the ground while twisting her arm to keep her down.

I know this move.

It had been the bane of her existence when she was young. Sayuri was aggressive; she never let up an assault. Her style was similar to boxing but that made her vulnerable to pushing and pulling moves used by martial artists trained in aikido and judo. Those styles used their opponent's aggression against them and while it wasn't often used because it was hard to master and led to drawn-out fights, it could be dangerous if used against the right people.

"Tell me," Sayuri said, "why are you doing this? Surely it wasn't necessary to crash the entire concert and put so many people in danger." The stranger laughed.

"I guess you could say... That I didn't have much of a choice."

I know his voice!

It was the voice of the one person Sayuri could never forget. The voice of the person she'd swore to destroy. He'd betrayed her. Stolen everything from her. But... His tone was so muffled by that damn cloak that Sayuri couldn't be sure it was really him. She had to see his face.

Her feet managed to squeeze the ground and she lifted up her legs into the air. She was still pinned down, but only by her torso. Sayuri flipped herself over, freeing herself but unable to strike the cloaked man like she'd hoped and knock his hood off. Why did he have to be so slippery!?

"Take your hood off," Sayuri snapped, resolving not to beat around the bush. "I don't like fighting an invisible phantom."

"Greedy, aren't you?" the figure chuckled. "Sorry, but no can do. Boss's orders." He shrugged helplessly.

Sayuri kicked his head; he seemed to disappear, but she realized he'd only ducked and jumped backward. She clicked her tongue.

"Has your 'boss' also forbade you from fighting back!?"

"Nah, I just don't like the idea of ruining a pretty girl's face."

Sayuri knew instantly that he had winked and fury coursed through her veins. Oh, that was it. But she wasn't making any headway with this guy. As much as she wanted to beat his face in and demand his identity, she wasn't getting it. This farce couldn't last forever and she was wasting time. Angel was waiting for her, all alone in a sea of strangers. Sayuri would not let her cry alone for more than she had to. Looking out of the corner of her eye, it seemed that Hiro and Emyr were at an impasse; neither was triumphing over the other, though it appeared that Hiro was on the edge. Though she loathed it, it seemed Sayuri had little choice if she wanted to make any progress.