Copyright 2001, 2002
Julian McKenzie
Shenmue: Dragons Forever
by Rising Tiger 187 © 2001
Chapter 1 Act I: A New Beginning
Chapter 1 Act II: A New Beginning
Chapter 1 Act III: A New Beginning
Introduction and Notes
Chapter 2: Aftermath...
Chapter 3: Friends
Chapter 4: The Arrival
Chapter 5: Solo
Chapter 1 Act I: A New Beginning
Ryo Hazuki has left Yokosuka... he has left Japan. For the first time in his young life, Ryo feels lost. Not the kind of lost as if you couldn't find your way to a destination, it's more like you need something but you don't know what it is or how to get it. Ryo sits in his room on board of the huge ship headed to China, all the while feeling lost and confused. Was he right about leaving Japan? Who knows? Is he right about seeking out the man who killed his father, and avenging his death? There's no doubt about it.
Ryo has followed Lan Di's trail, and isn't sure of what lies ahead. He had the letter that Master Chen had given him. Ryo also had the letter from Zhu Yuan Da, among other possessions. He kept many important things close to him: the letters, the Phoenix Mirror, the photos of his family, friends, and his father with a mysterious man... he also had the picture of him and Nozomi at the harbor, along with her pendant.
"Nozomi... we will meet each other again, won't we?" Ryo said, looking at the picture. "And to think, I actually thought that Eri was just being a little pest by taking this picture. Now I am grateful." Ryo put the picture down and looked at his watch. "Whoa, it's already this late? If I was still in Yokosuka Ine-san would kill me." Ryo took off his jacket and lied down on the bed. Ryo knew he needed his rest since he had a long journey ahead...
LATER THAT NIGHT...
Ryo awoke to the sound of a voice. A faint, beautiful whisper, saying something very cryptic, yet at the same time, very clear.
"Follow the path of the Dragon through the Earth. Follow the Purple Trail of the Phoenix through the Heavens. Follow me, I will show you the way."
Where was it coming from? Ryo jumped up from the bed, looking around for the source of the messages.
"What the... w-who's there?" Nobody answered. Ryo sat back down and looked at his watch, 2:39 A.M. He felt a slight breeze nipping at his shoulder. "Huh?" Ryo stood up. The cabin door was standing wide open. Walking slowly towards the door, Ryo put on his shoes and Jacket. Why is the door open? Ryo thought to himself.
He proceeded outside, only to be stopped dead in his tracks. Ryo saw a man standing about ten feet in front of him, his back turned. The mysterious man was pretty tall, maybe 6'0, 6'1. He had dark braided hair that ended near his waist. There was something that Ryo had noticed about him that clicked instantly in his head; the silk robe with a Dragon print. Lan Di.
"Glad to see you're still in one piece, especially after all that you've been through... your father would have been proud." the words slipped from Lan Di's lips into Ryo's ear, giving him the feeling of a hundred burning needles in his heart.
"You..." Ryo couldn't bring himself to say anything else.
"I heard there was another mirror. Give it to me, now." Lan Di said while turning towards Ryo.
"I will never give up the mirror!" Ryo yelled.
"Fine, then I will just take it from you..." Lan Di started approaching him, his hand extended.
"I WILL AVENGE MY FATHER'S DEATH!" Ryo charged at his father's murderer.
Ryo punched, punched with all his rage, anger, and fury. Ryo punched with all the pain and sorrow that Lan Di has brought upon him. Ryo punched for his father, whose soul will now forever rest in the heavens. Ryo punched air. He missed. Lan Di dodged, and hit Ryo with the same move he had killed his father with. The move brought back the feelings of pain and sorrow, the feelings of a hundred burning needles in his heart. Ryo fell to the ground. Dead.
"GAHHH!!!" Ryo's eyes burst open, his neck, chest, and back covered with cold sweat. It was all a dream, it was all a nightmare, and it was all over. "Oh man... it was just a dream." Ryo breathed. The images of Lan Di were gone, so was the message spoken by what sounded like a young girl. He sat up and put his feet on the cold hard floor. Ryo ran his trembling hands through his matted hair, then rubbed his face. "Father... please, guide me through this."
Chapter 1 Act II: A New Beginning
Ryo sat and waited for the adrenaline to work itself out of his system. He was obviously shaken by the dream. Was it a prophecy, a vision of things to come?
"I've gotta get out of here," Ryo said to himself.
He got up and put his jacket and shoes on and headed out the door, hoping that it wouldn't end up like his nightmare had. Ryo walked towards the railing of the ship and grasped it lightly. He continued walking down the deck while watching the stars floating above the sea.
"What was that dream about? What did it mean?" He shook his head, trying to make sense of it was too hard. What's the point of trying to figure it out if it probably didn't mean a damn thing?
Ryo stopped for a second, thinking of the voice and that strange message. "Follow the Dragon through the Earth... something, something, something. Damn." For the second time on the entire trip Ryo felt lost. "Phoenix, Dragon... the mirrors?"
WHOOOOOSSSHHHHH!
A large wave passed by, rocking the ship ever so slightly.
"HEEEEEEEGGGHHHHH!" Out of nowhere the laugh of a demon from hell shattered the peaceful scenery.
"UH?!?" the laugh sent Ryo spinning back to reality. "What was that?"
"It seems you have forgotten about the Great Chai! But rest assured, Chai hasn't forgotten about you! Heeegheegheegheegh!" The demon's voice came from everywhere.
"Oh no... the skinhead." Ryo said, a sudden look of aggressiveness washed over his face. "What do you want?!"
No answer...
"I said WHAT DO YOU WANT?!"
Suddenly, all the lights on the ship went out, including the emergency lights. Ryo was standing alone in the dark on the deck of the ship. Then, shadows started dancing in the moonlight, a bizarre rain-dance-like movement that sent shivers down Ryo's spine.
"Chai wants not but one thing from you! Zhu Yuan Da! Tell me all you know!"
"I didn't tell you anything back in Yokosuka, what makes you think I'm gonna tell you anything now?" Ryo responded, striking at the shadows. "How did you did you find me anyway? Where were you this whole time?"
"Chai knows everything about you, Hazuki! You cannot escape fate! After you knocked the Great Chai off into the harbor, Chai swam to the closest ship Chai could find. It just so happened that it was headed for Hong Kong! Now, you will feel the wrath of the Great Chai!"
"Security will be up here in any minute, it's useless to fight me now!" Ryo yelled defiantly.
All at once, all the dancing forms merged into one hideous, twisted looking monster. It jumped out onto the deck, facing Ryo. Chai was the name of this walking corpse. "Security has been taken care of, so have all the passengers. Chai has been preparing for his momentous occasion!" the skinhead assumed his fighting stance; he specialized in the Tang Lang style.
"If that's what you want, then let's go..." Ryo prepared himself by assuming the Hazuki Basic stance. A showdown in the moonlight was about to take place.
Chapter 1 Act III: A New Beginning
For what seemed as hours flashed by in mere seconds. Chai was the first to strike, a jab at Ryo's face. Ryo dodged and spun to his left, but walked right into a back kick that nailed him in his chest. Ryo fell to the ground, but jumped right back up. He punched Chai in the face twice, missing both times, but countered with a Rising Flash that caught Chai off guard. It was Chai's turn to fall to the cold floor.
"Hey, is that all you've got?!?" Ryo barked.
"Chai is just getting warmed up!"
Chai attempted to sweep his opponent off his feet, but Ryo was one step ahead by jumping over Chai's leg. Chai leaped to his feet and leaped right over Ryo's head, ending up on the other side of him. Ryo used the Backfist Willow attack. He missed the first time, but swung again with a low variation of the same move. Chai barely dodged and was caught with the last Backfist Willow aimed at his right cheek. Chai spun around and went with the flow of the impact and shot his left leg out striking Ryo with a Flying Wheel Kick. Ryo hit the wall.
"Bastard!"
"See? I told you that I was just getting warmed up!"
"Oh yeah? Dodge this!"
Ryo swung at Chai's face, but at the same time struck him with a high kick to the face and followed through with an even higher kick aimed at the upper back, a two-hit leg move called the Twin Swallow Leap. Chai hit the ground face first but responded with a jab followed by a middle kick and ending with a backward diving kick aimed at Ryo's gut, the whole move connected. Ryo charged at his enemy and struck with a series of punching combinations. Ryo swung at Chai with a high forearm strike, a blocked attempt at a low forearm strike, a damaging knee-lift to the chest, another right forearm strike, connecting with a left low forearm strike, a hard right forearm strike again, and ended with a sharp elbow to the face. Ryo tried another elbow strike but was countered by Chai with a block and jab to the eyes.
"AHHH! My eyes! That's low, Chai!"
"Rules? Chai remembers no rules!"
Ryo was fighting blind; he struck the same patch of air three times with a series of Tiger Knuckle punches. If he had actually connected, Chai would've been weakened. Chai kicked Ryo in the back of his knee, causing him to buckle over, Ryo was now fighting blind and on one leg. Another kick to the upper back and Ryo buckled over once more. Just before falling over, Chai kicked Ryo square in the chest, a move that would've killed Ryo if it had not been for his father, who taught him to focus his energy in his entire body. Ryo could feel Chai's powerful leg cock back for another kick; he was aiming for his throat, a move that definitely would kill him.
"One last chance, Hazuki! Tell me everything you know about Zhu Yuan Da! Or Chai will have to end your pitiful young life right now!" Chai bellowed.
Ryo shot open his right eye. "I'm not going down that easily!"
"HAVE IT YOUR WAY!!!"
Chai kicked the air right above Ryo's head, touching several strands of hair. Ryo ducked and rolled forward. Chai spun around only to see the back of a leg coming towards him. Ryo hit Chai with the powerful Cyclone Kick, catching him right in the face. Chai flew over the guardrail.
"GAHHHH!!!" Chai screamed.
"UH?!? Hold on!" Ryo tried to grab Chai's hand, but missed. Chai fell to the sea from which he came.
Chapter 2: Aftermath...
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