King's first defeat
King
couldn't help keeping on laughing after her "training"
match against Raiden. "You should have seen that big grizzly bear,
Mai! He was ready to make me walk on his back as if he were a carpet.
Oh, my goodness, his awkwardness was really clownesque, ha,ha,ha,ha!!"
"Hey King, you' re ready to face anybody now, aren't you?"
"Quite right, my little ninja girl" said King who friendly patted
Mai's back.
"Well, ok,King!" replied Mai. "I asked this to you, because
there's somebody outside The Illusion Dancer who.... wants to
teach you ...a lesson!"
"Who'
s this insane man who wants to die today?????!!!" was King's furious
reply.
"Well, Kingy, you know it's not a man, it' s a woman".
"What did you say?" King asked Mai.
"Yes, King, her name's Michiko, she's a young Japanese woman.
"Where's this..... woman?" King asked with a snobbish tone.
Mai replied: "She's waiting for you in the nearby alley. I told her to wait
for you there."
"Ok, follow me, Mai. I'm going to show her she shouldn't have come
here."
It was very hot that night. The streets were empty. King and Mai slowly reached the alley which was illuminated by the light of a street-lamp. A white dressed, short-haired young woman was leaning against the wall, impatiently tapping her foot on the ground, as if she were waiting for somebody she craved to meet. As she saw the two Southtown girls approaching, she said: "At last!! I had been waiting here for a long time. So you're Miss King, aren't you?"
"Yeah,
that's me. So, are you still sure you want to challenge me?"
"I'm in no hurry, Miss King. My plane to Tokyo is leaving tomorrow
morning. I know your fighting curriculum very well: you killed Jack Turner
in order to avenge your brother's death. I don't blame you, I hated J.
Turner too. I also know you defeated Helena, Miss King..... Bravo!!"
The long-legged African girl was really a dangerous martial artist. Many were the male opponents who thought she was only a babe. You know, everyone of them said: "After the match I want to kiss and to caress your beautiful long legs" Those legs choked them! But what surprised me most was your victory over Lady Shiva, a martial artist that could have killed Batman too. She was a dear friend to me, she was more than a friend to me...... I don't know, whether you understand what I mean. I'm here to avenge her, but I' m not a killer."
King was tired of listening to all those words and so she replied: "Blah, blah, blah. Stop chatting! I've got pub to run, my clients are waiting for me. Show me your real power. Hey, Mai tell Ryo I'll be back within a few minutes, ok?" "You're underestimating me, Miss King. It'll bring you no good. All right, get ready to loose!"
Both
Michiko and King assumed their fighting stance. They looked at each other,
then King attacked, she leapt in the air and tried to connect with
a powerful kick her opponent's jaw. But Michiko surprisingly clenched
King's foot and she began to slam her several times on the floor. King was both
surprised and painful, her mouth and her nose were bleeding but she didn't
mean to give up.
So she slowly stood up and said :"It's not over yet!"
Michiko rushed towards her and tried to punch King's face, but before she could rise her left fist, King yelled: "Trap Shot!" and kicked Michiko's abdomen. and then she punched her face hard. The Japanese girl fell heavy on the floor. But to King's surprise she began to laugh and said to her: "Very good, very good, Miss King, but I expected something more from the so called Lady of Muhay-Thai. Tsk, tsk, tsk, what will your beloved Ryo say?" "Mind your own business and fight!" restored the blonde fighter angrily.
Meanwhile many people had gathered around the two fighters. Among these people there were Mai and Chizuru. King looked at them, but she shouldn't have done it, Michiko knew no time-outs and launched a vicious attack hitting King' s face with deadly roundhouse kicks and subsequently she kneed her stomach. King moaned, she was suffering a lot, her only obstinacy restrained her from saying: "I give".
Mai thought she'd better intervene to help her friend and she was ready to hit Michiko with her sais, but Chizuru grasped her hand and she said to her: "No, don't do it! It' s her match, it's her life. Maybe today King will learn that she isn't undefeatable." "You're right, Chizuru", replied Mai, "after all my defeat against Shermie a few weeks ago reminded me of my weak fighting skills. Do you remember, Chizuru? Shermie's fighting style was simply outstanding. I was like a doll in her hands." "That's what I meant, Mai, if you loose, you learn!" was Chizuru's wise reply.
Meanwhile
the two opponents were still exchanging blows, but it was soon clear that
King was doomed to succumb this time. She was sweating and bleeding a
lot, whereas Michiko seemed to have begun the match right then.
"Are you still willing to underestimate my style, Miss King? Hasn't
your sensei told you you were not his first pupil?! Your techniques are the same
as mine."
This revelation stunned King, who turned pale. Michiko wasted no time, she jumped high and she screamed: "Tornado Kick!!" King jumped and screamed Tornado Kick too. Both kicks struck where they aimed to. Both women fell on the ground. For a couple of minutes no one could say who the winner was. But all of a sudden Michiko stood up, panting heavily, she slowly walked towards King who was still on the ground.
"Come on, King, say that magic word, spell it: I G-I-V-E ." she said to the English kick boxer.
King feebly replied: "All right, Michiko, you won! You taught me to keep on training hard, if I want to beat masters like you. You taught me that if you loose, you learn."
"Quite right, King, Michiko said. The Japanese woman took her jacket and then quickly left the alley. Then she bound herself towards a big car which was waiting for her. The car left and so did Michiko.
Now
Mai and Chizuru could run and help King to stand up.
"Are you seriously wounded, King?" Mai asked her.
"Yes, Mai, my pride is wounded." was King's solemn reply.
