Curse of the Jin

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters. All characters that come from Fatal Fury, etc. come from SNK.

Author's Note: Important. This fanfiction assumes that Real Bout Fatal Fury (and all events associated, including stuff that happened in RBFFS and RBFFS to an extent) happened in 1996. Also, a lot of things are going to be taken from the movies and other non-canon sources. Many liberties with the stories will be taken. This will become more apparent as time goes on. The fanfiction also assumes that Garou: Mark of the Wolves happens in 2006.

Author's Note II: Note the Gundam SEED-Destiny reference.

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Chapter 8: The Blue Streak

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"Don't touch me, Yamazaki. I'm warning you," The woman with the waist-length hair said.

"What're you gonna do about it?" Yamazaki said, snickering. "I usually don't do things like this. However, I hear talk that our beloved 'mayor' Heinlein himself has taken a disliking to you. You know that boy of his… Geese's son… He doesn't think that his attention should be diverted. Why do you think he targets Terry Bogard so much?"

"Rock Howard doesn't concern me," The woman retorted.

"Heh! Not like I have a say in this, hehehe… Either you pay up, come quietly, or I'll hafta drag your-" The thug felt someone poke his shoulder.

"'scuse me, sir, would you mind holding still?"

"Hey asshole, can't you see I'm working he- OOF!" Yamazaki turned around- then felt as if a weight had been swung on one side of his face when a foot rammed into his left cheek.

"DWAH!" Yamazaki yowled, nearly toppling completely to the side.

"Are you okay, Miss?" Alex said, taking a defensive stance. It is then that he notices the blue chi energy that the woman was channeling in her hands. "Oh…"

"I can take him by myself, but thank you," The woman said, nodding.

"But if you don't mind," Alex replied, "I've something personal with this man."

"Personal, eh!?" Yamazaki said, rubbing his jaw. He laughed cacophonically. "What'd I do this time, brat? Take all your cash? Murder all your parents? Kill your brother?"

It looks as if Yamazaki hit a nerve, as Alex's eyes glowed briefly with an anger that was enough to make both the woman and Yamazaki step back. Then, they returned to the casual, slightly amused look they had before. Alex smiled. "Ryuji… You still don't remember me, do you?"

"Since when were we on a first name basis, punk?" Yamazaki growled. "Besides, you're probably just another one of the Kims' students."

"You wish. My lunch money is much harder to mug, Ryuji," Alex said, grinning now. Yamazaki was riled up now.

"There's something about you that's making me ing angry! Time to eat dirt!"

"Whatever you say, Ryuji."

"STOP CALLING ME RYUJI, PRETTYBOY!"

"Watch out!" The woman said as Yamazaki started to use his trademark snakearm technique.

Alex laughed. Yamazaki's snakearm fist was about to connect with Alex's nose, when Alex's head suddenly shifted to the side. Yamazaki's other snakearm fist tried to pummel Alex in the stomach, and right before the hit could land Alex sidestepped it with inexplicable speed. "You were always weak, Ryuji."

"ALRIGHT, THAT'S IT!" Yamazaki said, running at Alex, pulling out his knife with every intention to gut Alex like a fish.

"… Ha!" Alex said, and at just the right distance Alex's foot snapped forward with the same speed he used before, kicking the knife out of Yamazaki's hand.

"AGH, my hand! You asshole!!" Yamazaki said, staggering backwards. Alex thought he saw an opening and jumped up.

"Hisyo Kyaku!" Alex planted his foot into Yamazaki's chest several times and flipped backwards…

"Payback, runt!" Yamazaki said, letting his snakearm fly forward and cuff Alex in the back during mid-flip.

"Urgh!" Alex said, landing on his chest.

"Damn! You ain't sh!" Yamazaki said, about to crush Alex's back with his foot. Right before Yamazaki could plant his foot, Alex disappeared, Yamazaki making a sizeable hole in the floor. "H-hey, what the… Where'd he go!?!?"

The woman, however, saw that Alex had mysteriously appeared behind Yamazaki. "Slow, aren't you," he said.

"Wha?- FGGUUH!!!!!!" Alex kneed Yamazaki in the back of the head...

"Okay, you're really pissing me off!" Yamazaki said, whirling around and whipping both hands onto Alex's neck and lifting him up, choking him.

"Khh…!" Alex said, struggling.

"I'm going to crush you so badly, there's not going to be a body- UGH!" Alex kicked Yamazaki in the stomach. He kicked him again, three more times in the same place. Yamazaki was unable to maintain his grip, and dropped Alex. Yamazaki fell backwards, and coughed out blood. Alex took a deep breath, rubbing his neck… Then he dashed at Yamazaki…

"Han Getsu Zan!" It was as if Kim Kaph Wan himself had performed the famed arcing slash-kick, Alex's foot followed by a trail of energy in the shape of a dragon, sending Yamazaki right into the wall on the other side.

Yamazaki grunted… and then remembered something. "You… I know you now…"

"" Alex was panic-stricken, maybe too much- he was fairly certain the woman had noticed his unnerved expression.

"You're the guy they say is too fast for anyone to beat… The one that uses Tae Kwon Do… I heard rumors but- Tcheh! Don't worry, I'll get you yet, Blue Streak…" Yamazaki made one last groan as his body fell off the wall, and Alex was sure at this point that he was unconscious.

"… Ha…" Alex breathed, relieved.

"Thank you," The woman said, approaching Alex. "Even though I'm fairly sure I could've handled him myself."

"For that, I'm sorry… I probably wouldn't have interrupted if I knew you were a fighter… But that felt good." Alex rubbed his back, the only point where Yamazaki had landed a hit on him. He saw a hint of self-guilt in the woman's eyes as she watched him do this.

"Are you alright?" The woman said, examining his back.

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry about me. I never caught your name," Alex said, smiling slightly. The woman looked a little surprised at this question. "Ah, if you don't want me to know, then-"

"Hotaru," She replied slowly. "Hotaru Futaba."

"Alex!" Alex said, stretching out a hand to shake Hotaru's. "Alex Dino."

"Oh!" Hotaru said, her eyes raising up curiously. "So you're Alex Dino… I've heard of you."

"Oh no," Alex muttered. "You've been listening to the women of Southtown…"

"Why is that bad?" Hotaru asked. "They say you're the most good-natured man in the city. Helping people walk their dogs, pumping air in some tourist's tire, walking old women home…"

"… Beating up imposing muggers…" Alex said, amused. Hotaru laughed.

"Yes, that too. But they never said that you knew martial arts."

"Yeah… You're really not supposed to know that."

"So what Yamazaki said is true?" Hotaru said, crossing her arms.

Alex rubbed the back of his head. "Erhm… That I'm the guy that's too fast for other fighters?"

"Yeah… The crazy Tae Kwon Do fighter who stalks Southtown in the night and subdues criminals after hours… The one who strikes so quickly, that he gained the name Blue Streak" Hotaru said, smiling. However, the look in her eyes is quite serious. "I'm assuming that you think it's inconvenient that Yamazaki of all people knows your identity?"

"Pretty much." Alex said. He was really worried that Yamazaki might recognize him for who he really was… Though he figured that what Hotaru said was bad too.

"Hmm…" Hotaru said. I know a lot of friends who could help him, Hotaru thought to herself. She had an idea. "I'd like to repay you for helping me. I've just gotten out of work as a waitress for the Pao Pao Café 3… Do you mind walking with me?"

"Not at all," Alex said. "Wouldn't want you to get attacked on your way home."

Both of them laughed and walked out of the Marie Heinlein Square, leaving Yamazaki there.

… A shadow appeared in an alley between two of the buildings surrounding the Square… "Ryuji Yamazaki… Hmhmhm… You could prove useful yet."

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End of Chapter 8.

Author's Note: It seems that maybe Yamazaki might be given another chance. Hmmm.