A/N: I don't own this. You all know that. But thanks for your never-ending support!
White looked down at his laptop and furrowed his brow. There was a need for a resurgence of gangs in Southtown, but his master had required that a newcomer to Addis had to take the reigns of the operation so Addis itself could not be connected to it. Kain and Grant were tempting… but the Heinleins and their friends were too well known. Especially with all the buzz still about Geese Howard managing to fake his own death for a goddamn ten years and strolling around Southtown in plain view for four of them. If it was any consolation… Geese had left a power vacuum and the Sakazakis were too dumb to look in office buildings for the real criminals. Unfortunately, NESTS didn't fall for that.
God knew how those NESTS bastards had a knack for putting the puzzle pieces together…even with Addis's inside man… well… clone.
White was distracted by the ringing of his phone, which one of his servants had brought over to him. White nodded and picked it up.
"Ah, Zero… I was just thinking about you."
"Can it," growled the duplicate of the NESTS official. "NESTS just got the specimen for Project Kusanagi."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I am!" barked Clone Zero. "I oversaw the operation! We need to step-up Zero Cannon production ten-fold if we're going to be done anywhere near the specimen is capable of fighting!"
"Anything else?" White asked, completely unperturbed.
"Yes," Zero said, his voice calming down. "I'm sending you the bio sheet now of two men. They're rivals, always have been, always will, named Duke and Fate. I want Kain and Grant to appoint them into two new Southtown gangs and keep things quiet. Above all else, they must not know they're being toyed around with. Keep things quiet until Zero Cannon completion is near, and after I give the word, I want you to have them both stirring up trouble, distraction. NESTS has a key base in Southtown that only top officials know of, and if I don't find out where, we need the distraction until the Zero Cannon is in position to blast the whole city to rubble. In the meantime, my connections to my own organization must be kept to a minimal, so I expect you will still be able to handle the mantle of leadership?"
"Of course, Zero."
"We need NESTS taken out. That above all else."
White hung up and walked over to the plane's bar, pouring himself a cup of brandy. As he moved to take a sip, turbulence suddenly struck, and a portion of the drink splashed onto his twenty-thousand dollar tuxedo. White's face turned to an image of malice as he walked into the cockpit, looking at the pilot, an old man, and a child in the co-pilot seat. The man just looked up, his eyes widening and his mouth dropping open.
"Mr. White…" the man started, but White cut him off.
"You know the rules," White growled, taking off one of his gloves. The man knew better than try to fight back. One touch and he was dead anyways. It was a no-win situation.
If it was any consolation, White had made sure he was out of the room when the man actually burst, saving his outfit any further damage. He then walked back in and looked at the boy, who was flying as best as he could. "Smart boy, Alfred… otherwise you'd be dead now too." White smiled and then walked into his room, and opened his closet.
It was a good thing none of his dozen really expensive outfits had been destroyed.
Ralf bit his lip as he tried to get to his feet again… but he couldn't. "Commander…" he tried to say, but a kick to the head from Kyo knocked him back. The pyrotechnics of an Ikari were just no much for the true flames of a Kusanagi.
Heidern sighed as he stepped forward to face the boy. Mercenary forces had few soldiers… so knowing their limits and having them back off when their lives were in danger was critical. Heidern prided himself on the fact that of every single group, the Ikari Warriors had the smallest casualty ratio. Ralf and Clark had done their jobs, they'd have plenty of time to recover, and then they could have Leona help them out if there was another tournament.
He was going to kill Rugal. And he was going to get by this eighteen-year-old to do it.
"Your team is on the ropes, geezer," Kyo taunted as his a flame appeared on the tip of his finger. He then looked over at Benimaru and grinned. "Tough luck. No fighting for you this time."
"Shove it dunce," Benimaru shot back.
"Whatever you say, femme," Kyo countered as he charged at Heidern, jumping away from a slash from the hands in time before hitting the older man with a burning fist. Heidern went with the attack, but the attack was chained to Kyo's elbow smashing into his chin and then a pair of kicks that knocked Heidern back.
Kyo was good… Heidern had to admit that. Could he actually lose this? No… I will defeat him! Him and then the last! I know I will!
Heidern's hand chopped through the air, cutting Kyo's arm before the older man leapt into the air and grabbed Kyo's neck. It was his traditional neckbreaker move. He'd just tone it down so the boy wouldn't die.
But he never managed to even start the technique, because Kyo spun in the air, his entire body on fire and knocking Heidern back again. As the Ikari commanding officer fell to the ground, Kyo grinned as a sphere of flame was built up in his hand.
"OROCHINAGI!" Kyo shouted as he shot forward, swinging his arm and letting the fire itself sear into Heidern, knocking him back.
The attack hurt more than Heidern ever imagined… even worse than the brutal assault Rugal had inflicted on him… but that Heidern was dead… along with his family. The Heidern now fighting Kyo screamed in pain and was knocked back into the wall… but he managed to keep standing. Revenge would not let him do anything otherwise.
What the hell? Kyo thought. Not even Dad could keep standing after I would hit him with the Serpent Wave… and that would be when Dad was in prime condition too! Kyo shook the thoughts off, sending a stream of fire across the ground that Heidern barely failed dodging, bringing Heidern's face down to perfect level to get hit by another Orochinagi. Alright… that got him!
But when the smoke cleared, Goro, Kyo, Benimaru, and even Ralf and Clark were amazed to see Heidern was still standing. His outfit was horribly burned… blood and burn marks across his arms and chest… but he was still standing.
I will not lose! Heidern thought as he forced his hand forward and grabbed Kyo's neck, squeezing extremely hard before a strange aura appeared around them both. "It's the end, Kusanagi!"
"THE HELL IT IS!" Kyo choked out as his aura turned bright crimson and both his hands lashed out, unleashing yet another Orochinagi that Kyo was sure would've beat the man.
But the grip didn't lessen, and Kyo could feel his strength fleeing… and seeing Heidern's body actually… healing itself?
Yuki… I'm sorry… Kyo thought as Heidern threw away the drained Kyo who could barely get to his knees before falling flat on his face. A single tear fell to the ground as Kyo swore out loud.
"Forget it," Goro muttered as Benimaru bravely stood up to the giant that had taken abuse that Benimaru knew would've killed him twenty times over. "If Kyo couldn't-"
"Kyo couldn't even get into college so he could understand the basics of human anatomy!" Benimaru yelled back as he turned to look at his teammates, who saw tears coming down his face as well. "I know I can beat him, just by the laws of biology!" He turned to Heidern as the Muay Thai fighter channeled up the electric power he had gotten in that mishap with a giant radiosphinctopragmomitor, his hair sticking straight up as Electricity would try to outdo Fire. "I don't care how you pulled that off, but I won't back down!"
Benimaru charged, getting a harsh chop to the back of the neck as Heidern slipped behind him. Heidern then tripped out Benimaru's legs, smashing the blonde's head into the ground again and again before Benimaru's hand shot up and caught Heidern's and a thousand volts of electricity coursed through the mercenary, knocking him back.
Benimaru charged again, suddenly squatting down and spinning on one hand when Heidern moved to perform the same evasive technique. This time it was Heiderin who had his legs kicked out from under him before Benimaru suddenly caught the man from falling with his legs and then kicked up, a bolt of lighting shooting down from the sky and into Heidern before kicking him away.
I… I can't lose! Heidern thought as got to his feet again, Ralf and Clark earning more respect for their commanding officer with each second that passed. Nobody had ever threatened the Ikaris with this much strength… and they had never seen Heidern stand up to it. Benimaru charged again, but Heidern leapt into the air. When Benimaru moved to flip up and call upon the bolt of lighting like before, Heidern caught his enemy's legs and shot forward, grabbing onto his neck like Kyo's and grimacing.
"You fight for the right reasons," Heidern said as he grit his teeth, "But I have to win this." He put his hand to Benimaru's chest and did the same move he had done against Kyo: the life-sucking Final Bringer.
But Benimaru shook his head. "Too bad I out-thought you, then!" Benimaru grabbed forward, grabbing Heidern by the head as lightning rained from the ceiling and coursed into Heidern before Benimaru kicked him off.
No! Heidern thought as he tried to move his smoldering body. I… can't…
"You lost," Benimaru grunted as Goro helped he and Kyo up. "Fire can't fry nerve connections, so as long as you had the heart to win, your muscles would obey you. But electricity… that's what the human body is all about. Your entire body is numb, Heidern. You're lucky your heart is still beating."
Heidern looked at the victorious Team Japan as tears fell from his one good eye. "Fine… but you promise me! You promise me you'll kill Rugal Bernstein for all the wrong he's ever committed!"
Kyo, barely able to stand on his own, broke from the group as Ralf and Clark helped their defeated commander to his feet. Kyo stuck out his hand and put it in Heidern's. "I promise you that."
Heidern grinned as his hand glowed "Then you're going… to need your energy back, right? Take it."
The battle between Kim and Billy was not one of friendly rivals, as Billy immediately had his staff shoot out and knocked Kim into the wall. The Korean returned the favor by grabbing onto the chain and pulling Billy at him and bashing their heads together and then kicked Billy away. The Englishman threw his hands down to break the fall and then sprang back up, grinning.
"Here's a new trick for you, Kim!" The staff shrunk back to its original size before Billy held it by the middle and had it point to his left and right. "Socket Flame!" He immediately thrusted it forward as the two end pieces were bend back by the momentum and two jets of fire shot out of both openings.
Kim jumped over it, kicking off the wall and tackling Billy and then ruthlessly punching him, jumping away as Billy angled the staff to again shoot off the jets of flame. "New usage of your own flames?" Kim asked.
Billy nodded. "This thing can shoot out fifty yards. How do you like it."
Kim snorted. "It makes you even more pathetic. You should've devoted yourself to training your body, not making a new weapon."
"Yeah right!" Billy shouted as he charged, spinning his staff as the flames shot from the tips. Kim managed to slap them away, but caught a painful stab to the gut and was struck across the side of the head. Kim went down, but slid forward, kicking at Billy's knees and knocking him down too. A fierce axe-kick hit Billy on the shoulder as he tried to get up and he countered by ramming his staff into Kim's leg.
The two fighters rolled away as Chang and Choi cheered on their teacher, hoping it would translate into being released earlier as Joe and Mary also gave encouraging words to Billy as well.
"Your brother fights well," Jhun Hoon said to Lilly as deadly kicks and staff strikes matched each other. Just as Lilly was about to compliment Kim, Jhun Hoon added, "But working for Geese Howard is unacceptable."
Lilly then glared at Jhun Hoon, wondering if that concept she had just thought up for the Deadly Rave would work in real life on Jhun here… but it was just a theory at the moment. She had no idea how well it would actually work.
All she could do now is watch Billy and hope he would win.
Billy swung his staff again, hitting it into Kim's side and cracking a few ribs as the Korean screamed out in pain. Billy pulled the staff away for another strike to finish Kim off…
But then Kim was on him at point-blank range, stringing together a sequence of kicks aimed at Billy's arms only, dislocating both before kicking Billy back and hitting him again in the head. "Justice always wins," Kim shouted as he then landed two accurate kicks that dislocated Billy's legs and then proceeded to punch and kick his helpless foe.
"Stop it!" Mary shouted as Joe got to his feet, only to see Chang and Choi step in front of them.
"Master Kim doesn't stop against criminals…" Chang laughed, accompanied by Choi before another voice called out for Kim to stop the pointless brutality.
"Kim! Stop it or you're going to die!" Jhun Hoon shouted at his friend, who just kept attacking Billy's helpless body.
"STOP IT!" Lilly screamed… but not in the way of a girl powerless to stop an atrocity, looking at the ground with clenched fists. No… instead Kim looked up at the sound of a horrible noise as a red Ressatsu bolt shot through Chang's gigantic iron ball and caused it to shatter. Her hand shifted to point straight at Kim. "The next one goes through your head! And I swear to God, I will not feel bad if I have to beat every single one of your buddies here if I have to!"
Kim stopped, looking down at Billy's bloody body and staggered back, trying to regain his composure. "F… fine. Chang? Choi? We have a match to go to."
Jhun and Team Korea left in silence as Mary and Joe helped Billy up, resetting his joints correctly as a mixture of tears and blood fell to the ground.
"I… I'm sorry…" Billy said in between quiet sobs. He couldn't appear weak in front of his sister… and yet here he was, needing to be saved by her. "I… I tried my best."
Lilly looked at her big brother and smiled weakly as she smeared off the blood and tears. She then walked over to Billy's discarded staff and handed it to him.
"Billy…" the Hakkyokusieken master started to say, "You did better. Your staff wasn't destroyed this time. You've made progress, and nobody had to tell you to bust your butt about it."
"But I lost!" Billy cried. "I let you all down! I-"
His next complaint was silenced as Mary, without hesitating, kissed him full on the lips and then pulled away. "You'll beat him next time," she whispered.
"But what if I don't be-"
Mary put her finger to his mouth and smiled as Joe and Lilly were still shaken by Mary's actions. "It took Geese awhile to beat Terry, and he suffered a bad loss too. But he had something important to fight for, and he managed to beat Terry on after losing." She then kissed him again, this time softer. "And now you've got another reason to beat Kim too."
Billy smiled at Mary and nodded. He was certainly lucky to have somebody like this to support him before somebody else would've swooped in and taken her instead. "Here. Take it," Billy said as he handed Lilly his staff and staggered to the elevator to leave.
"Billy… where are you going?" Joe asked as he ran up to his friend's side, only to be grabbed and looking Billy straight in the eye.
"You take care of my sister, Higashi!" he said before looking at Lilly and then Mary. "Thanks… but I've got to not be reliant on my staff. Kim might be right about that. So I'm going to travel around a bit… try to find myself." Billy then grinned and stuck out a thumbs-up. "Keep my staff in good shape because I'll be back for it! Expect to see me in three months!" He then walked down to the elevator, and rode it down alone.
Ryo and Robert both gulped as they looked at their opponents, King and Yuri respectively. Takuma's 'grand idea' was to have them fight each other… much to their displeasure.
"I am so going to kill Dad for this," Yuri and Ryo said in perfect unison as Robert replaced 'Dad' with 'Master' and King replaced it with 'Takuma'.
But the head of the Sakazaki household was busy staring down Mai, glaring with ferocity. "I heard your grandfather was going to try to kill me last year," he said as Mai matched his hatred.
"I don't want to talk about it, old man," she spat.
The two teams charged, each member ready for battle.
A/N: Kim Kaphwan has won the right to battle the Psycho Soldiers… but fighting against psychics is a LOT harder than conventional fighters, as he finds out. Meanwhile, Ryo must once again battle his would-be girlfriend… but will it be a friendly match, or one with deep-seated frustrations breaking out? Find out in Lover's Quarrel.