Mushu's Assassin

Chapter One

Tokyo. The bright lights make me squint as I look around.

I was leaning against on old stonewall, waiting for my informant. My hat blocked out the lights as I looked back down. My black leather boots were covered in raindrops and with the rain gone it brought a smell of newness. It always smelled good after it rains.

    "Fa Mulan"

My eyes met a pair of brown ones as I looked up. It was a scrawny kid, with a shaved head, he had piercings in his ears and his left eyebrow. He had an outline of a flower tattooed down his arm, his fingernails were painted black and he had rings on each of his fingers. He was wearing a pair of dark jeans, a black shirt and converse.

    "Did you find him?" I looked back at his eyes.

He nodded, "Yes"

    "Is he where I said to look?"

    "No"

I folded my arms across my chest and let out a sigh, "Where?"

    "The Three Kings"

My eyes widened, "Do you know why?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "No. All I know is he's there"

I pushed myself off the wall, reached into my pocket and pulled out an envelope, "Thanks for your help" I placed it in his stretched out hands.

    "It didn't take long" He put it in his pocket and smiled.

    "You look young.  How did you end up in this situation?"

    "Family business"

I looked away, "I get that" I held my hand up and waved as I walked away, "Stay safe kid"

The city of Tokyo was still the same. The streets were lined with food carts, people walked around shopping and the ones in the shadows were making deals. I haven't left China in five years.

I sighed and stuck my hands in my jacket pockets, the smell of cooked duck found my nose and I took in a deep breath, "Li Shang you better not be dead" and then I walked towards the smell. The alleyway was filled with trash and old food. The sign glared brightly in the Tokyo night and the neon sign read The Three Kings.

I pushed the metal door open and the smell of duck become stronger. The room was small, but it was full of people. Some of them sat on the tables placed throughout the room, others sat at the bar and some were standing around. The tables were round and wooden, bamboo plants were placed on each table, a tapestry of a crane was hanging on the wall above a table that had a black velvet covering on it. I looked at the people. Some looked like normal citizens and others looked like gang members. My eyes narrowed in on three men sitting at a table in the back. Yao was the short, stout man. He had a bun on the top of his head, both of his ears were pierced and he had tattoos running down both of his arms. The man next to him was Ling. He was tall and slender. He had long hair the hung past his shoulders, he had his right eyebrow pierced and his had tattoos on his hands. The man sitting next to Ling was Chien Po. He was tall and large. He was bald, he had a black dragon tattooed on his head and he had rings on all of his fingers.

    'Looks like they've done well in Japan'

I walked over to them, pulled up a chair and sat in front of them.

    "Boys"

Ling laughed, "Well isn't it Fa Mulan. What are you doing in Japan?"

    "I could ask you the same question"

    "You know why we're here" Yao said as he took a drink from the glass in front of him.

I smirked, "I don't think I do"

Yao's hand tightened on his glass, "Your boss took over our territory and forced us out of China"

    "He didn't force you out of all of China. Just his part of China"

    "His part of China is the whole damn thing" Yao was getting red.

Ling grabbed his shoulder, "Cool down Yao" he smiled at me, "What brings you here?"

    "Li Shang"

He chuckled, "Ahh, I should've known"

I leaned back in my chair and put my hands in my pocket, "Where is he?"

    "Here and there"

I cleaned my front teeth with my tongue, "Where exactly is here and there?"

Ling took a sip of his drink, "He's currently around there at the moment"

I used my left foot and kicked the table, making it tip and all their drinks spill, "I won't ask again"

Yao was red, I could practically seethe steam rising from his ears, Ling was smiling and Chien Po was calmly staring at me.

    "Feisty are we?" Ling chuckled.

    "I'm losing my patience" Yao was brushing the drink off of his shirt.

I pulled out my gun and placed it on the table facing them, "Funny I am too"

Everyone in the room pulled out a gun and pointed it at me.

My eyes never left them, "Tell me where he is"

Ling shrugged, "He's with an informant"

    "Where?"

His eyes sparkled with mischief, "I'd say somewhere in Japan"

I tightened my finger and was about to pull the trigger, when Chien Po spoke.

    "He's in Nara" He said calmly.

    "Why did you tell her?" Ling leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his hair, "I was having fun"

    "I wasn't" Yao frowned as he looked in his empty glass.

Chien Po shrugged, "We don't need him anymore. He payed his debt"

    "Thank you" I put my gun back in my pocket and stood, "You should come back to China" I smiled, "I don't have much competition now"

Chien Po smiled, "Maybe"

    "See ya boys" I turned and walked out of the building.

It was raining again. I pulled my jacket tighter around me and took in a breath.

The main road was still bustling with people and the neon lights were still on. It was getting colder and I let out a breath.

"Li Shang what have you gotten yourself into?"