Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of Dead or Alive. Don't sue me.
Author's note: I wanted to write a more serious fic about some of the reasons behind Jann Lee and Lei fang's relationship. Enjoy!
Dragon and Phoenix: Chapter 1
The lobby was filled with would be hopefuls, registering, signing in, getting in to little tiffs with one another. It was all pathetically juvenile. Didn't these people realize no matter what they did, they would never make the finals? Those spots only belonged to the best of the best, and Jann Lee already knew who those would be. He shifted on the marble pillar he was leaning against to change his view, allowing him to clearly see the doors on both his right and left. He sighed disgustedly. The ninjas had arrived. Ayane came in first, dressed to fight in that same purple gi she always wore and looking like she was going to smash somebody's face in. Hayate followed slightly behind, laughing next to his smiling sister, Kasumi. He wonder vaguely if Ayane's look was based on there laughter. The cacophony of noise on his left him let him know that Zack and Tina had arrived, together, as they had been doing of late and it sounded like Zack was arguing with some of the new contenders.
"Jann? Is that you?" said a female voice behind him. He glanced over his shoulder. "It's been awhile since Germany, no?"
"Hitomi" he stated in acknowledgement. She smiled and came around to talk to him face to face.
"Didn't expect you to come, this isn't a dead or alive tourney." She noted, surveying the crowd along with him. "It's not as exclusive"
He shrugged, "I was bored"
"That's what you said and the tournament in Germany last year, you won that one, as my ribs recall" she laughed, there were obviously no hard feelings. "But it looks like you'll have a tougher time this time around."
Hyabyusa had appeared as if from nowhere next to Hayate. Christie and Bayman had just come in, lugging suspicious looking bags. There was a moment of mutual glares between the ninjas and the assassins. The glare was joined by Helena and Leon briefly. Then that Japanese girl with the long hair whose name he could never remember walked in with Gen fu and his apprentice. They were all chatting, when she joined them. He breathed out unconsciously in relief, as if he almost hadn't expected her to show up. She looked well. She had been keeping up with her training; her quick calculating movements had shown him that. The ninjas greeted her and the assassian acknowledged her. She walked arm in arm with the Japanese girl laughing about nothing important.
Lei Fang…
Hitomi noticed his stare. She rolled her eyes inwardly.
"It looks like Kokoro and Lei Fang came to this one together," she prodded. He said nothing, not even a grunt.
"You're staring you know."
He blinked, and turned towards Hitomi, "If you have time to jump to conclusions, you have time to train harder. Or do you want me to break your ribs again?"
She shrugged. When dealing with Jan Lee, you got used to a certain amount of stoniness.
"Whatever, you know I can't understand this love hate relationship you two have. I promised Lei and Ko I would have lunch with them before we look at the match postings. I'll tell her you send your regards." Hitomi winked at him.
"What? Don't!" he shouted too late, she had already vanished into the crowd.
Foolish girl, why did he even associate with her? She just didn't understand at all.
Hong Kong, China, 10 years ago
"I win again," Lao zhi laughed, pulling all coins that lay in the middle of the street towards him.
You're cheating somehow, I know it! Qing growled under his breath. Jann Lee sat quietly biting his lip. Lou zhi always cheated, they knew that, but they didn't know that he how and if they ever figured it out his ass would be on the line.
"Sour grapes, Qing, so are you playing or paying?" Lou zhi burst brassily.
Qing grumbled but went all in again. Jann relaxed. No, he didn't think they would ever figure it out.
"Can I play?" A voice said. The game was momentarily hidden by a shadow in the alley. Jann looked up at her, the sun shining from behind her head made her look like an angel. From what he could see, she was a run of the mill kind of girl. Chubby cheeks, chubby arms, Big brown eyes, happy expression, hair done up in braids pinned to her head to keep them out of the way. The only thing he didn't understand was why she'd want in on a poker game.
"Ewwwww…A girl!" Qing's compatriot, Xiao, spat in disgust. You aren't gonna let her play are ya, Lao?"
Lao looked side long at Jann, who shrugged her "a girl's money is as good as anyone else's." There was a shared gleam in their eyes, they were gonna take her to the cleaners. The girl, oblivious and overjoyed, sat down on the sidewalk, grime sticking to the part of her legs her skirt didn't cover. Wedging in between the boys, she plunked down her money as Jann Lee prepared to deal. He shuffled the cards with eyes closed, feeling the slight marks that he had made on each one with his fingers. He began to deal the cards, controlling what went to Lao, Qing, Xiao, himself, the girl and the others. He set it up that Qing would win this hand, after feeling a little more confident, he would stop whining. He tapped Lao's foot discreetly to let him know he wasn't going to win. His friends shoulders sagged but he stayed happy. Qing loved to play, he would get his money back before cashing in, Jann knew. The girl would get nothing. As amusing as it was for her to barge in like this, he had no intention of helping her. The round went as planned, as did the next, and the one after that. Jann Lee watched her face. It had gone to happy, to confused, to serious. It was now pouting. He could watch her forever. He almost wanted to throw her a bone and let her win a hand, but Lao was getting tired and the sun was beginning to set. They would have to go to work soon anyway, it was time to shore up the winnings and get going. Suddenly the girl stood up. "Had enough, sweetheart?" Lao asked wolfishly. She had lost what to a kid was a considerable amount of money, about 5 US dollars. I just need to stretch my legs, she said sweetly, she walked around until she was between Jann Lee and Lao and sat down. They glanced at each other. The system only worked because Jann had access to Lao's feet. With her in the way, it would be hard to communicate. A very quite whisper said in his ear, "I won't tell them how you two do it if you split the cash with me."
He looked sidelong at her, stunned. Did that mean she knew how they did it?
"If you don't I'll tell this guy to loose, positioning her foot to tap Lao's". She did know.
Jann blinked and nodded. They'd been caught by a girl? A little can't do anything to protect herself girl? Qing lost and he and Xiao let out a slew of threats and curses as the other boys in the game collectively moaned. The 2 boys turned to the girl suddenly;" at least I didn't lose every hand like you." Qing sneered. She bit her lip, pretending to be upset. She waved to their backs as the two sauntered off, better than a girl. "See you next time!"
Lao and Jann stared at her. What a weirdo.
"So boys, half the money, like promised." She put out her hand smugly, "Or the whole neighborhood learns how you make a living."
Lao grinned again and Jann Lee looked from him to the girl. He was up to something.
"You're pretty good, sweetheart." He handed her a third of the pot. Jann looked warily at him. He was using the voice the boss used when he was being sneaky.
"This isn't what we agreed on." She said, eyes flashing.
"Yeah, but the rest is your induction fee." He said "Your not a normal player, you didn't expect us to let you in for free did you?"
"That was not part of the deal, it's not my fault you cheat so obviously" she shouted her face was getting red. "Give me my money!" She slipped into a fighting stance. Lao did the same.
"I warn you, I have no problem with hitting a girl" he said, eyes like flint.
We are too young to be acting like the boss, Jann sighed internally.
"Wait, what if we make you a deal?" Jann said suddenly
"What?" They both said together.
"She's good, caught us in her first game, Qing still hasn't. Why don't we let her in on the fun? Give her the money, and she can be the new spotter. Nobody will suspect her." He said gravely. They both stared at him, and then Lao relaxed and scratched the back of his head. "Didn't really want to beat up a girl anyway, but we keep her 'induction fee'.
Jann shook his head, "only fair, but she gets half the pot next time. Okay?"
The girl, a little overwhelmed, now nodded brightly, she stuck out her hand to the two boys.
"I'm Lei Fang!" She said sweetly.
They stared at the hand. Neither took it. " I'm Lao Zhi and this is Jann Lee." Jann nodded.
"We'll see you here, same time tomorrow, toots. We better go; the boss wants us on Main Street tonight." Lao walked off,
"I'll catch up," Jann called to him, he raised a single hand in an acknowledgement and farewell, leaving Lei Fang and Jann Lee alone.
The two of them stood there for a moment.
"How did you do it?" he asked he finally. She smiled craftily and jerked a thumb towards an apartment window right above where they had been playing.
"I watch you guys every day" she said. "It took me awhile to figure out that when you close your eyes you were doing something to the cards. You're pretty good." She said shyly, "But papa taught me to look for that."
"Oh" was the only thing he could think to say, he looked down at his feet.
The silence was oppressive.
"Uh, Jann Lee? Where do you live?" She was making conversation.
"Around," he said, automatically, it was his best defense for not explaining that he lived in a cardboard box behind the boss's restaurant.
"Well, I'll see you 'around', then" She said finally, before heading to the apartment steps. She waved before she went through the door. He stood there for awhile longer.
He was nine years old and blown away.
Registration went well, the matches would start tomorrow. Jann, tired after a night of intense training and sparing with some of the useless hopefuls went to retire to his room. He was surprised to find Lei Fang leaning on his doorway. He thought about going back to the gym, but was too stubborn to be driven away by a woman, let alone Lei fang of all people. Nevertheless, he approached his door way with caution. She was dressed for a night out, in a white dress silted and heels. It was a dress he'd seen before, she once completely immobilized Bass in it. As he got closer, her eyes fluttered open, she pushed herself off the door like a cat and stretched. It seemed she had been there for a long time.
"Hitomi told me your room number" she said, before he even asked.
He made a mental note to take revenge later.
"What is it?" He asked quietly.
"I'm just surprised you came to this tournament. You've never entered any around this time before. This is the week that…"
His face clouded. "I know that!" He snapped at her. "What are you doing here? Stalking me?"
A pained, but determined look appeared on her normally happy face. "This will be the tournament where I prove to you I belong in your world. I'll do it this week, in his memory."
He punched the wall next to her head, causing it to shatter. "Leave, Lei Fang. Just go. You can't be here right now."
She was more than a little stunned by his reaction, her eyes opened wide as shards of stone flew by her face; but she looked up at him, still determined.
"You don't scare me," she said as she walked down the hall, "You'll see. I'll make you accept me."
He stood with his fist, jammed into the wall, Eyes unreadable. It had been 8 years and it still hurt to think of Lao's death.
He turned around and headed back downstairs, he needed a drink.