Disclaimer: Nope.
Oh, and since this is a parallel universe and all, Rock's mother is still alive and well.
Chapter 9: A long road with many stops in between...
Kenji couldn't remember the last time he had ever felt so alive. Ever since the day he realized that there were flames sprouting from his hands, he had been taught to fight only when necessary.
And since then, he has never felt he had accomplished anything, as he always had to hold back his real power. He would feel empty when he gauged his opponent's strength, calculate how much force was needed, and try to make the fight seem fair. As predicted by Chin Gensai, Kenji was born with the amazing potential to become a weapon of supreme justice, or just another tool for the wicked. Now fighting off the combined forces of the members of The New Japan Team, he could now fully access his power without any inhibition or worry that anyone would be seriously injured. As fast as Hayato was, as strong as Takashi seemed, and as fiercely feral as Rina proved to be, Kenji was able to hold them at bay. He barely kept at pace with all three of them but only because he was giving it his all is he able to stay undefeated thus far.
Suffice it to say, both sides were more or less evenly matched.
"Can we take a break already? We've been at it since this morning!" Takashi looked over to the sun that was just beginning to dip into the horizon. "It's almost time for me to get home anyways." He wiped the sweat from his face and fanned himself with the front of his white t-shirt.
Kenji ripped the blindfold off his eyes and smiled. "Sure, go ahead. What about you Hayato?"
Hayato nodded. He took a rubber band from his pocket and tied his hair back into place. During the workout, all the charging up he had done had destroyed the rubber band that held his hair together, and luckily he always carried a spare.
"Yeah. I got tons of homework to catch up on, and I want to start working on some new moves. I gotta have an ace up my sleeve when we compete in our second match up!"
Kenji nodded his farewells to Takashi and Hayato, who made their way out in a jovial mood, looking as if they came out of a basketball game, rather than a harsh training session. Things were looking up for all of them. Their first match up had been a total slaughter. Their opposing team was apparently full of nut jobs geared towards the sanctity of karate, and without a doubt they were no match for any member of The New Japan Team. All in all, everything was good. All in all, everyone was pretty happy.
Except for the obvious exception of Rina...
Now Rina isn't a complicated person, rather, she is as simplistic a person as her father. She doesn't need much to survive, and it doesn't take much to give her a reason to kill anyone. However, she's a Yagami on a mission and the time for simple pleasures are all but over. She stood across from Kenji, her sworn enemy, and contemplated on the probability of getting away with murder. Now, for someone that has no knowledge of their circumstances, or their lineage would wonder: why would she kill him? Simply, so she won't have to marry him. That, and to prove she's the superior of the two.
"Maybe I can apply for political asylum or something..." Rina said aloud to herself but realized it would just be running away. She didn't realize she spoke aloud and that Kenji had heard her, as well as see the disgusted look on her face when she made that realization. And when Kenji looked over to her questioningly, she glared at him and he immediately turned away while trying to look innocent.
"We've joined forces temporarily, Kusanagi! Don't think of me as your 'pal'! One day Kenji, you will face my wrath!" Rina yelled over to him as she slipped into her father's fighting stance. Kenji noticed this and smirked only aggravating Rina further. "I WON'T MARRY YOU!" She broke out of her fighting stance to try and tower over Kenji, even though he was already a good two inches taller than her, so all she was able to do was look up at him with withering eyes.
This had caught Kenji by surprise. His mouth was open to ask why, and it had stayed open to the point where he was laying on the floor, grabbing his crotch in extreme pain, from the immense kick Rina had sent in his direction. Now she towered over him easily since he was on the floor in excruciating pain.
The untimely and accidental diversion she had delivered to Kenji gave Rina enough time to send a swift kick into Kenji's groin, and she walked away in a stunning, and yet very dramatic victory. Kenji only had three things to consider about as he waited for the burning, fiery pain to subside in his loins, not including the question of whether this is what his opponents normally feel after having a serpent wave thrown at them.
One: Where the hell did marriage come into play? Last he remembered, she hated his guts... What was she talking about?
Two: Is it a family curse to be attacked by women of a violent pedigree?
And finally... Three: Would he ever have children at this rate? After all, she won't be leaving for at least another year... AT LEAST...
Well, won't be the first time I have to beat a female off with a stick... But I think I may need a bigger stick this time around... maybe one with a nail in it... Kenji thought to himself as he lay on the cool green grass. In the distance, he could still hear the mighty roar of Rina and the quiet chirping of the birds above.
"Mom, Dad! I'm home!" Rock said as he closed the door behind him. After leaving Jenny to recuperate in the hospital, all he looked forward to now was a nice hot shower. But... something was wrong. For starters, no one came out to greet him, not even good ole uncle Ripper. And his dad wasn't working on his usual school paperwork, and to top it off, there was no response at all within the entire mansion. Granted it was huge, but normally Geese could be heard from the other side of the house almost every few minutes because of his most recent hobby.
Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to buy him those bonsai trees to work with. But I just can't see him fishing! Rock thought with a shudder as the thoughts of a fisherman Geese filled his head. And fully complete with the red plaid shirt, fisherman hat, boots, and rubber pants. He can practically smell the fish bait on him.
He remembered how his father became extremely bored after handing the family business down to Rock. Being the good son that he is, he bought the trees as a hobby for his father to pass the time with. And that resulted in either, calm and almost peaceful Geese one minute... to the deranged, psychopathic, hopped-up-on-sugar and-Steroids Geese the next... all because he cut off the wrong branch. Or sometimes he had snipped when he should have sliced. And sometimes... well, you get the idea.
"Anyone home?" Rock called out again. He shrugged after a few minutes of more silence. He flopped down on the couch and opened the television in the living room, pumping the entire entertainment system to its maximum. Suddenly a coarse yell sliced the air making Rock jump a few inches off the couch. "What the..."
Geese appeared out of the master bedroom, wearing a silk red bathrobe, with a cigar in one hand and a glass of scotch in the other. To say he looked displeased was an understatement. He quickly placed his cigar and scotch down on the coffee table.
"JUST WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU STILL DOING HERE?!" Geese screamed.
"Because I have to run the family business... and my apartment is too far away for me to commute from...?" Rock answered.
Geese quickly ran up to Rock and held him by his neck as if he were choking him. He actually hoped to shake some sense and reason into the boy.
"No, you brat! I'm trying to relax and spend some quality time with your mother!" he said with a smirk but then it instantly vanished. "I waited patiently for you to leave, but NOOOOOOOOOO!! You just had to make me come out here. Now would you just... please... LEAVE?!" Geese said.
"Wow dad, that vein on your forehead just pumped up twice its normal size! That never happened before..." Rock said in slight awe. "Maybe we should get it checked out..."
Geese's left eye twitched and then he snapped. He roared out a battle cry and grabbed Rock by the neck with one hand while his hand gripped the back of his jacket. He ran towards the door, opened it by slamming Rock's head into it like a battering ram, and then threw Rock out onto the petunias.
"DON'T COME BACK UNTIL DINNER, DAMN IT!" Geese shouted as he picked up the door from the ground and then slammed the door shut. Rock only blinked. Geese opened the door again and yelled, "And replant those flowers will you? I don't want your mother finding out about that." And the door slammed shut once more.
Geese could only sigh in relief as he got rid of his son. He's a bright boy and his heart can be in the right place, but sometimes he can be as annoying as that Rugal Bernstein. "Note to self, get back at him for gluing beehives onto my car." He muttered to himself. "Damn bastard... at least he didn't blow it up to kingdom come like he usually does..."
"Geeeeesssee! Are you ready yet?" a woman's voice came from the bedroom. Geese drooled at the sound of his wife's voice. Amazingly she didn't even look a day over 30 and he had thanked the gods many times for that.
"Coming, Marie!" he said as he ran to the stairs while doing a little hop in the air and clicking his heels together in joy.
"So where's the Missus?" Iori asked as he took a bite out of his bologna, ham, and cheese sandwich. Today, he felt he should try something different, hence, the cheese. After narrowly escaping what would be a fate worse than death (e.g. shopping), he decided he should do what he does every Saturday afternoons and play poker with 'the guys'. Admittedly not exactly his idea of great fun, but it was entertaining, plus it gives him an excuse to avoid shopping.
"Eh, she went on a girl's shopping trip...thing... at the mall, with Mai." Terry described awkwardly. Just like Iori, he too despised the evil place known as the mall. Kyo however only snickered.
"And what are you laughing at?" Terry asked.
"Nothin'. Just a wonder in itself that they didn't manage to drag you into the pits of Hell with them, that's all." he said innocently as he began shuffling the cards. Terry snarled as bit into his own sandwich, a BLT sandwich.
"It's true, you're whipped." Iori added in.
"Lap-dog."
"Slave boy."
"Boot licker."
"Weakling!" Iori put in the final insult.
"SHADDUP!" Terry said as he threw his poker chips at both the laughing Kyo and Iori. "You two should talk..." he muttered. Kyo and Iori instantly stopped laughing and glared. "What's that supposed to mean?" Kyo asked.
"When Athena gives you the ole 'Bambi eyes' you're down for the count! Forget about it, you're done for. She could have you shining her skimpy leather dominatrix outfit in seconds!" Terry said a matter of factly. Iori snickered up until Terry had gone to him.
"And speaking of which, you're just as bad! If you get out of line just the slightest, Kasumi would just throw leave you wallowing in self-pity on the couch. Don't think I forgot about what happened last Christmas... that was also your own fault for going after Anton Jr. with that hockey mask and ice pick" He said. "I gotta admit, you're worse off than Kyo here." he said with a smirk very close to Iori's.
"Just deal the cards..." Iori muttered as he put his sandwich down. He didn't feel hungry anymore. Homicidal yes. Hungry no.
"Sure thing." Kyo lightly chuckled as he dealt the cards. "Well, I guess that's what you get for not saying 'no' for such a long time. Now look at you." He said mockingly.
"I guess you focusing on your training all those years ago didn't pay off eh? Here you are, begging to not get kicked out of the bedroom." Terry said with a pat on the back.
"With all that training, I did kick your ass didn't I? That pansy ass stool pusher that you call a brother, I remember his defeat also. And alas, Joe Higashi, Muy Thai chump of the world also fell by my flames... Oh, and the art of fighting team and various, various others. And... why... What's this?" Iori said as he faked gasp. "I made it to the finals while you were in the infirmary, licking your wounds like the lonely wolf that you are!"
"True, true." Kyo nodded wisely as he up the ante with a few poker chips.
"...That's lone wolf..." Terry only regarded his cards quietly with something akin to murder in his eyes.
"Nothing to say now, huh, hat boy?" Iori mocked as he took a vicious bite from his sandwich.
"Sex freak." Terry muttered.
"Loser."
"Meat crazed maniac."
"Thumb sucking weakling!"
"Daughter's whipping boy!"
"LEAVE RINA OUTTA THIS, BAKA!" Iori shouted as he shot up, throwing over the table in a fit of rage.
"Or what, you're gonna sic Kasumi on me? Oh, I mean, 'ask nicely'." Terry mocked.
"OH THAT IS IT, HAT BOY! YOU'RE GONNA--!"
Suddenly, the door opened up and the former Blue Mary, entered along with Mai in tow. "Hey Terry, we're back!"
"Holy ----!! It's a bust! Run!" Kyo grabbed his money and some food and ran out the back door with Iori and Terry following along while carrying the rest of the foodstuffs and an extra pack of cards. As they ran, their voices could still be heard. "No you fool! Leave the pennies! LEAVE THE PENNIES!"
Mary walked into the living room. The table was flipped over in the center of the room, cards were strewn everywhere as was the food and poker chips. The drinks were also spilled and nothing remained truly clean. Mary could only sigh at the mess. "They do this every Saturday..." she remarked to herself. But however ever since the departure of Geese in the weekly ritual, things weren't the same. Namely, the money that's involved... After all, it's not everyday grown men bet pennies in a poker game.
Suddenly a knock was heard at the front door. Mai who was already upstairs trying on various outfits using Mary's own full sized mirror paid it no heed. Mary sighed and opened the door. "Hikari? I thought you'd be resting up? What brings you here?" she asked in slight surprise. It wasn't often that the young girl would stop by. She did look healthier and most of her wounds have healed rather nicely.
"I'm here to talk to Iori-san. He's usually here with my dad and Terry-san every Saturday around this time, correct?" she asked politely.
"Well, they left the backdoor when I just got home. If I'm right they'll probably run back to Iori's, but only after some convincing. Try and be there around, eight-ish." Mary replied.
"How'd you guess that?" Hikari asked, slightly puzzled.
She only shrugged. "I didn't. You don't work for the police for a decade and a half and not make any friends along the way. I just had some sniper friends of mine follow them and bug their phone lines and the like every Saturday."
::Sweatdrop rolls behind Hikari's head:: "I see. Well, thanks for the info. I gotta go, ja ne!" she took off in the direction to the Yagami residence with an extra burst of speed one can only get at that age.
"Eureka!" Kenji shouted. After several agonizing minutes lying on the grass he came to a startling conclusion, thanks to the meddling of Rina Yagami. "Maybe Rina is right about something... maybe the love of a good woman can help me increase my control of my powers and maybe even push it past barriers previously unknown to me!"
In his mind he pictured all the manga in his bedroom, and of those in Hikari's room, which he only happened upon by chance, and how the hero somehow ALWAYS perseveres as long as he thought of the leading lady in his mind and in his heart. Whether it be defeating the bad guy or just passing college exams, it was the girl that helped the hero to break his limitations in half, and then in half again!
"Art imitates life." Kenji said quietly to himself as he began to walk his way home. Although his theory seemed so out of place, he knew it made some sense. Rina's talk about marriage seemed to settle over him, warping his mind here and there. He always knew his powers are a great danger to those around him should he ever lose control but perhaps, if his plan follows through, he would never have to worry again!
"But who?!" he yelled at the sky, scaring an elderly couple that lived next door to his house. He looked around and noticed that in no time, while pondering his marital status, he arrived safely at home. "Who?"
"Hello? Jenny Bogard here... uh-huh... uh-huh... no way... NO WAY! WAY?! WAAAY COOL!" Jenny began squealing in delight while giving her hospital bedside phone an intense bear hug. She had just received word Kenji's finally put himself on the market! Thanks to the best spies favors could buy, she now had the upper hand on all the girls who would try to compete for him! She had time on her side!
"OH man! I need tissues! I need a box! I can't take any chances!" she cried out as she thought of the competition she might have to face. Her Aunt Mai was such an example and she might have to compete with girls of that caliber! She tried to get up to began her own preparations, but fell back instantly from the pain.
"Maybe it can wait for just a bit..." she groaned lightly.
All over the world, the news spread like wildfire about the winners of the first round of the K.O.F 20XX tournament, and of course Kenji's availability. With the first round of the tournament already over, both winning and losing teams are allowed a bit of a rest period until a new location has been selected and new teams drawn up for the second round. As we fast forward one week later...
"Okay... c'mon! Chin up! Remember what mom said..." Yusuke mumbled to himself. He stood in place, looking at his attire, a smaller version of his fathers' old training gi. In his hands was a small bouquet of flowers with a Hallmark card attached to it. Oh man what am I even doing here? Yusuke thought to himself in horror.
Several days ago he had received a message from her, delivered to his bedroom door. The funniest thing was, no one else was home at the time and no one would have been able to get in without him knowing! Or at least that was the way it was supposed to be... The message was quite clear, Hikari wanted to have a 'sit-down' with him. When he first read it, images of old gangster movies popped into his mind, mostly thanks to his Uncle Terry's Godfather movie collection and his Aunt Mary's criminal horror stories from work she'd always thought to tell him when he was a boy of no older than 6. All just to set him straight; keep him from becoming a bad egg of course.
Now he here was facing his destiny. Supposedly this day was pre-arranged. No adults, just him and her. No witnesses she means... a little voice snickered in his head. He looked over his shoulder as the route to freedom called. It would be so easy...
He shook his head and became resolute in his mission. He knocked on the door slowly, three times. In his head he counted down the seconds. By the time he reached ten he turned around with a big grin on his face.
"Oh well, no one's home! Guess I'll be leaving!" he said with a nervous chuckle. He speed-walked his way towards the opened mansion gate until...
"Sorry I took so long, was just in the kitchen getting something to eat!" a cheerful voice popped up from behind him.
Yusuke could practically feel the color drain from his face. He slowly turned around and there she was, Hikari, dressed in blue overalls and a white baby t-shirt. Her hair was loose and the thing that must have creeped him out the most was that she smiled at him! Normally it would be a scowl if not more.
"Hi?" he said sheepishly.
"Come in! Want something to eat? Drink?"
In his mind, he knew it had to be a trap. Something was wrong...
"Sure thing!" he replied just as cheerfully but guarded nonetheless. In his mind, he also reasoned she can't kill him outright or even be sneaky about it since she wants to fight him fair and square.
Moments later they were sitting by the kitchen counter, munching away on Tollhouse cookies with a glass of milk for each of them...
"I have to tell you the truth, there's a reason why I asked you over..." Hikari said slowly. A solemn atmosphere suddenly replaced her cheerfulness. Yusuke tensed at this. Solemn leads to many negative emotions that's gonna cost him a few pints of blood at least.
"I think we put this behind us. This fighting, it's solving nothing!"
::Yusuke falls over:: "WHAT?! YOU'RE THE ONE THAT'S BEEN TRYING TO KILL ME!"
::Hikari keeps speaking with her eyes closed:: "What do you say? Let's just be friends okay?" she extended her hand out and Yusuke froze momentarily.
"Didn't you hear a word I just said?" he asked.
Hikari grabbed his hand and shoved it into the palm of her hand and shook for the both of them. Ten minutes later came a light hearted conversation, then the flowers were finally delivered to Hikari at the last minute, which she felt a deep gratitude for and showed it by kissing him on the cheek, a friendly good-bye, and he was out the door without so much as a hair moved out of place on his head.
Yusuke blinked several times as he looked at his body, which he found was intact, and the world outside of him. The birds were singing, the sun was shining, they talked normally, and there wasn't a single cloud in the sky...
He looked once more at his hand and then felt his cheek. Yusuke's eyes widened a fraction. Everything seemed to move so fast... they talked, shared cookies, held hands, a gift of flowers from him, and she had even kissed him for it!
This can't be... can it?
::Yusuke cries in waterfall tears:: "I will never wash this hand or cheek, ever again!"
Meanwhile Hikari was up in her room with a giant book in her lap. From the size of it, it would easily fit an entire set of Encyclopedia Britannica inside with room to spare. On the cover was a lone purple flame and various graffiti written by Iori and Rina, mostly involving how the Yagami rules. It was appropriately titled "20 easy steps to success: The Yagami Edition".
"Let's see... Uh-huh... Got his trust... All I need to do now is get close to him! Soon, everything will fall into place!" Hikari laughed manically. Then she stopped as she backtracked a few pages of the book. "Oh man... almost forgot rule number 15..."
Seconds later she was laughing like a genuine Yagami. After all, what else would you learn from a personal handbook written by the Yagami clan?
"Look out!" Kyo threw himself at both Kenji and Athena, tackling them both to the ground. Kyo looked up to see their assailants still on the ground, but they were slowly rising to their feet. He quickly pulled Kenji and Athena onto their feet and pull them forward. "C'mon, we can't stop now! We have to keep moving!"
Together they ran as fast as their legs could carry them. But soon they were confronted by an even larger mob of the howling, ravenous beasts. They made a sharp left turn and climbed up a nearby fire escape. When they made it safely to the top, both Kyo and Kenji melted the bolts that stuck the frame of the fire escape to the wall and it went crashing down into the alley below, dispersing the howling beasts. They didn't retreat but they began to search for ways to get to the rooftop. They disbanded and began looking all over the building for an entrance.
This brought them some time. Athena leaned against Kyo, breathing heavy into his chest while Kenji was wiping the beads of sweat on his forehead. He smoothed back his hair and looked over to his father.
"Mom, dad, are you okay?"
They both nodded tiredly.
Kenji let out a deep breath and looked at them with sorrowful eyes. "Listen, I'm really sorry about that... you know, with what happened..." he stumbled around with his words until Kyo raised his hand to silence him
Kyo only shook his head in dismay. "What did I tell you when you first hit puberty?" he asked sagely.
Kenji stood there transfixed by the question. "Don't accept bribes?" he offered pathetically.
"NO!" Kyo shouted. "Never... EVER! Admit to anyone, or the world, that you... a Kusanagi... is available! When you do, you're fair game to just about anyone!" he advised.
Athena nodded her head. "It comes as the price for being a celebrity as well." Athena added in. She sighed before adding in, "It's such a shame too. I thought we could have had dinner tonight in a nice restaurant, seeing it as how Hikari wanted to be alone tonight to train."
"But I was alone!" Kenji shouted. "I was walking home alone! I never told anyone! I was by myself!" he pointed out.
"Son," Kyo began in a solemn voice. "When you're 18, single, and a Kusanagi... You're never alone."
Suddenly a loud crash was heard. They looked to their left and a large mob of drooling howling girls all chanting Kenji's name came pouring forth from the crevice, their arms outstretched, and their mouths open like zombies.
"Oh #$! Run!!!" Kyo yelled at the top of his lungs.
Geese sat back in his chair with a large smile on his face. With a cigarette in one hand and a nice glass of red wine in the other he was now content to relax... Everything was perfect...
::A giant explosion destroys the door to his private office:: "What on earth?" Geese murmured. "Oh no... It can't be...!"
"And the prodigal son returns! Mwahahahhaa!" A familiar long-haired, mustached man walks in. In long powerful strides, Rugal steps in front of Geese with a grin that could make a Cheshire cat jealous. "Miss me?"
Geese grunted. "What do you want? Can't you see I'm trying to relax? And what's your problem, blowing up my door?"
Rugal looked confused for a moment. "I didn't think you want to be disturbed. Thought I should knock..."
Geese sighed to himself, with one hand covering his eyes. "I swear it's no wonder... You know what? Never mind. Now what is it?"
Rugal laughed once more in his own maniacal way. Geese sipped his drink and waited for him to finish. When he did, Rugal leaned over and placed his hands on the armrests of the chair. With Geese leaning back, they were only several inches apart.
"Word on the street is; Kenji announced himself to be available. You know what that means!" This time his grin was barely contained and his face looked even more sinister than usual.
"Actually I don't." Geese replied
Rugal pulled himself away in anger. He growled and looked straight at Geese once more. "If there are outside threats to your empire, what do you do?" he asked.
"Kill it." Geese replied nonchalantly.
"Exactly! If these girls get to Kenji and he falls for any one of them, then we're screwed!" he raged.
"'We'?" Geese replied with a smirk.
"Yes, we!" Rugal replied. "If the deal gets ruined now, and Kenji doesn't end up with Rina, what do you think is going to happen to you? I mean, after all, you signed a contract!"
Suddenly Geese's face and attitude faltered. He remembered signing that contract. He should have had a lawyer look at it but Athena wouldn't let him. He remembered it was either sign or go back to seeing Robert and Yuri semi-naked... Geese shuddered once more before his memory picked up on the contract he had signed. He remembered it had a lot of fine print...
"Crap..."
"Yep."
"What do you propose we do?" Geese asked. He was now in a full business suit and donned a pair of aviator sunglasses.
Rugal smiled once more. "Destruction and mayhem, something I'm all too good at!"
Takashi arrived home as he had planned. Unlike anyone else he knew, he wanted to get home as soon as possible. He took off his dark blue jacket and hung it on a coat rack. He was just about to go upstairs to relax with some quality; mind-numbing television when he noticed his mother was inside the dining room. He almost dismissed it until he heard a low moan and her arm falling to the floor.
"MOM!" he yelled. He raced to the dining room and saw her on the floor...
Naked...
With someone on top of her...
For precisely three seconds, his entire body stopped functioning...
Takashi gave a shrill cry that could have been mistaken for a woman in distress and fell to the floor unconscious. Shermie lifted up a lock of her hair and saw her son lying in a heap, slightly twitching. She looked over her shoulder to Yashiro.
"Honey, I think this should wait. Your son..." she motioned over to the convulsing mass that was once Takashi.
"Are you kidding me? I've been on a ship full of men for almost two decades! No way am I stopping now!" And Yashiro continued with... his motions... with a barely struggling Shermie, while Takashi remained on the floor jerking in erratic motions as if he was having a seizure.
TBC
Funny thing, I totally I forgot I had this chapter. In essence I'm looking over this right after I was done with ten! Weird. If you notice that this may be more humorous than ten, then note that this must have been written 6 months in advance or maybe more, and I thought that I already had a chapter 9 out. Annyway, hope I can get back to this kind of writing soon. Appreciate the reading and the reviews and any commentary that can help me get back into the groove of things.