Fatal Fury Fan Fiction ❯ Feel About You ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

Feel About You

by Devon Masterson

Chapter Four

Large brown eyes opened and studied their surroundings. "Where am I?" she wondered as she sat up. She grabbed her head as pain shot to the back of it. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and walked to the bathroom. She fumbled around looking for a medicine cabinet when it dawned on her exactly where she was. She looked into the mirror and saw a strange woman staring at her. She touched the mirror as the pain dulled replaced by confusion. She was seeing herself for the first time. She suddenly looked down at herself. She was in a hospital, she should have some sort of identification. A smiled spread across her face as she read her hospital bracelet. "Mai Shiranui," she read out loud.

A feeling of dread passed over her. She had to get out of there for some reason, something about this place was making her nervous. Her head turned suddenly as she heard footsteps in front of her door. She closed the bathroom door so that she could peer through the crack. A handsome man with brown hair walked into the room carrying a stuffed animal and roses. He stopped short when he noticed the bed empty. "Oh no," he sighed. He was about to turn around and notify the nurses when he suddenly found himself in a hold and his face pressed against the wall.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm Mark Stratton," he answered. "We met yesterday and I pulled you out of the river last night."

Mai's grip loosened. She didn't remember anything about being in a river. It was obvious that she should be thanking this guy not interrogating him. "I'm sorry," she said as she released him. "I'm a little confused."

"It's okay," he replied. He rubbed his shoulder gingerly. "Maybe you should call your boyfriend so he can take you home. All of your tests came back normal."

"I have a boyfriend?" she asked.

"I don't know. I hardly know you. I think I creeped you out when I hit on you in the mall so I figured you had a boyfriend."

"In the mall?" she asked. "Where am I?"

Mark looked at her strangely. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Her cheeks reddened. "Waking up this morning," she answered lowly. The whole thing was embarrassing not knowing anything about her life. "I don't want to focus on that right now. I just want get out of here then I can think. I don't know why but I feel nervous here."

"They told me you could leave whenever you wanted since your tests came back negative."

"Then let's go."

Mark walked over to small drawer and tossed her some sweats. "I was working on short notice, but I figured when you woke up you'd want to put on something since your other clothes were cut off you."

"It's fine," she smiled as she went into the bathroom to change. A couple of minutes later she came out. "Some shoes would be nice."

"Well those I was able to save, but I got you something more comfortable," he said offering her the socks and tennis shoes.

She quickly put them on then grabbed his arm. "Let's go. I'm sure my memory will come back if I get some fresh air," she suggested as she pulled him through the door to the stairwell.

The charge nurse looked at her watch as her relief came walked up. "Just in time Asuka," she said as she stood. "I just want to take a hot bath and get into my warm bed." She handed her a small stack of files.

"Anything interesting happen?" she asked as she reached for the files.

"Nothing out of the ordinary except I met Mark Stratton, you know the editor of Sassy? I think he might own it as well."

"I know the magazine, but I've never heard of him," Asuka answered. "It's still exciting though."

"The only reason I know his name is because I read it on MSN when they put out their successful single men list. It never hurts for a girl to dream," she smirked. "Oh well it doesn't matter anyway. He seemed very interested in the woman he came in with. He says that he hardly knew her, but you know how those famous people are all hush hush. She's in room 500. She's some kind of model or something from the way she looks, but anyway let me get to my hot bath. See you tomorrow, Asuaka."

"Okay," she smiled as she sat down behind the desk. She started to look over the files from last night.

"Excuse me, Miss?" A young man asked.

Asuka looked up and saw a handsome well-dressed man standing in front of the desk. Maybe this was the Mark Stratton guy Meri was talking about. "How can I help you?"

"My name is Andy Bogard," Andy began, "and I'm looking for this woman." He held up a picture of Mai standing in her gi holding a peace sign. "She's been missing since last night and doesn't have an identification on her…"

Asuka started to looking through last night's admitted patient list. She saw no Jane Does in the list. "I'm sorry, I haven't seen her and there were no unknown patients admitted last night."

"Well if someone that looks like her comes in, could you give me a call," he replied pulling out a business card. He then walked away. He did not like this. He had heard from her all night, but at least she was not at the hospital. He had checked all them in the area and none of them yielded any results or clues. He would check back with Terry and see if she called or something. With a new plan of action in mind, he quickly made it to his car and drove off.

"Something wrong?" Mark asked.

Mai frowned. "That guy in the red Honda Civic looked familiar for a moment."

Mark looked towards sports car and noted the license plate. "I'll check it out if you want."

"Thank you," she smiled hugging his arm. "This is kind of exciting not knowing my past. I'll get to meet everyone all over again."

"At least you're able to keep a positive attitude," he teased gently.

"There's no point in getting upset," she reasoned. "I might be better off without my memories. This is a chance to get a fresh start. If you don't mind, I would like to see everything in the city."

"I should probably take you shopping to get some clothes, you have a certain taste in clothing," Mark suggested.

"We can go later, I'll be fine in this," she remarked. "I just want to see everything."

"Hold the phone. As much as I would like to go off gallivanting with you and trust me I would, we have to consider your family. They must be worried sick about you, especially your boyfriend. I know if you were mine I would be moving heaven and earth to find you."

Mai blushed at his somewhat subtle compliment. "You're right. Maybe I'm in the phone book."

"We can check the database at my office we have every listed number in the world and them some," he remarked as he took her hand. "We shouldn't have too much trouble finding you."

"Thank you for all your help," she said as she kissed his cheek.

He cleared his throat. Things would start to get difficult if this kept up. "Thanks."

===============

Joe sighed as he saw all of the beautiful models walking around in skimpy clothing. They were going to be in the pictures with him draped across his body just like he always dreamed about. He did not get around quite as much as he would have liked with his training and paling around with the guys. Right now he could use a beautiful distraction to push the stress he was feeling.

He should be in heaven right now, but all he could think about is Andy going out of his mind looking for Mai. He would be helping right now, if Andy did not insist that he go to this shoot since it was only a couple of hours and he gave them his word that he would show up this time. Friends came first in his book, but Andy looked so intent on him going and he probably needed some time alone. Andy seemed like the sensitive type that might cry if something happened to someone close to him. No one would ever see him do it and several trees would come down in the process, but he would be upset.

Mai disappearing had Joe more rattled than he let on. They were sort of close though they fought constantly. She was like a little sister to him annoying but someone who kept life from being completely boring. He was the last person to talk to her before she went AWOL and told him she was on her way that was why he worried. If she had not promised to show up somewhere especially a party and she did not show up that meant that something was wrong possibly tragically wrong.

Joe shuddered to think she might be laying dead in an ally some where. "Oh come on, stupid! Mai's a pretty good fighter. It would take a lot take her down." He balled his fist in annoyance. "If this is some ploy to get Andy to notice her, I'll kill her myself for making me worry."

"Mr. Higashi, we're ready to start," an assistant said breaking into his reverie.

Joe turned and saw a few models smiling in anticipation. A bright smile flittered across his face. It was only a couple of ours then he could go back to being a worrywart like Andy. "So what are we doing first?"

==================

"Now let's see what we come up with," Mark replied as he stood over his assistant.

"I have 2000 matches for the last name Shiranui," the redheaded woman replied.

"Two thousand!" Mai gasped.

"We have to narrow that down," Mark commented, "Try M. Shiranui or Mai Shiranui, Myung."

Delicate fingers flew over the keyboard. "Five matches. Mike Shiranui, Miyuki Shiranui, Mia Shirazaki, Mai Shakira, Mai S. Bogard. I don't know why that last one came up in the search."

"Okay this is stupid," Mark said in frustration.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Stratton," Myung apologized, "Perhaps we should hire a private detective."

"Now that's an idea," Mark complimented kissing Myung on the cheek. "Find someone to get right on it."

"Right away, Mr. Stratton," she blushed as she picked up the phone.

Mai's eyes misted over. She was going to get the answers she needed. "Mark…you've done so much for me and I don't know how to…"

Mark placed his finger to her lips and smiled. He could think of several ways she could thank him, but then he would not be the gentleman that his mother raised him to be. Besides, taking advantage of her would destroy any miniscule chance he had with her. He had to remember she was all that she had in the world at that moment but there was someone missing her. "Don't worry about it. It's kind of exciting helping you get your memory back and all, kind of like the movies."

"Thank you," she mouthed. She then grabbed his hand and smiled. "Let's go out. It'll take awhile for the P.I. to find me so we might as well have some fun. I feel like going dancing and you would be the perfect date."

"Sure, I don't see why not," he replied as she pulled him along. Myung giggled at the exchanged and waved good-bye. The brunette seemed to be exactly what Mr. Stratton needed.

"That's a wrap, Mr. Higashi," the photographer replied. "Will see what develops and let you know when the issue will come out."

"Thanks…" his sentence trailed as he saw a smiling brunette pulling a guy down the hallway. "I gotta go," he said quickly before the photographer could say anything. He got official visual confirmation once he got out into the hallway, but the elevator doors closed before he could even think of yelling out. His head turned toward the stairwell door at the other end of the hall.

"Mr. Higashi, you left this," the assistant replied thrusting a jacket towards him as he nearly knocked her down.

"Thanks," he replied taking the jacket from her and moving around her. "What is she doing here and with that guy?" he wondered as he opened the door to the stairwell and tore down the stairs. He looked at the bottom and shook his head jumping would be faster but the space in between staircases was too small for him to fit through, he would have jump from flight to flight. There was no other way, he just hoped that he would catch them time.

Three minutes later he opened the doorway to the bottom floor. He stood in the lobby looking around wildly and Mai was nowhere insight. He walked over to the receptioness. "Did you see a girl with brown hair come through there?"

She looked at him strangely. "That's about half of the ladies in the building."

"Okay a girl with brown hair, big brown eyes, big boobs, with a guy black hair."

The receptioness thought carefully. "That's really vague but I don't recall seeing a couple like that," she replied.

"Thanks a lot," he mumbled then stalked out of the office. He needed to get Andy, perhaps this information could shed some light on their search and give him some ideas.

Just as he left the building, the elevator doors opened and several people stepped out. "I'm glad I remember that I left my keys before we got all the way outside," Mark commented as he and Mai stepped into the lobby.

"I guess I shouldn't have grabbed you so suddenly," she admitted. She was not so sure why she did it, it was though she felt like he would say no if he had the chance to think about it.

"Is there something wrong, Reika?" Mark asked the receptioness. She seemed to be staring at them quite intensely.

"Nothing, I think," she answered, "It's just that a gentleman just asked me if I saw a couple close to your description and then you appeared. It must have been someone else."

"Hmm…did he leave a name?"

"No and he was rather rude," she commented. "If he wishes to find them, he'll come back."

"Let me know if he does," Mark replied and the recpetioness nodded. He then turned towards Mai. "Don't worry we'll find your past."

© 2002 Devon Masterson

Another Bond Girl Blue Production

Fatal Fury characters are owned by someone that is definitely not me or you'd be playing or watching this instead of reading it for free somewhere.