KuniYoshi Series
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Written by:
Tammie
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Chapter 1: Bitter Defeat

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A/N: Here's chapter 1. A call out to: chandavatika - Thanks for the compliment. I try to use the less viwed characters. Yoshi and Kuni are my favorite couple ... beside Jin and Julia, but since I've seen a lot of Jin and Julia fics -- I decided to go with these two. ^_^

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This battle would be much different than any other battle they had had in the past. She was now determined to finish him ... once and for all. Determined in the final bowels of her heart to prove to him she was worthy of respect. She strained her body as she stood before him in her battle-ready stance ... grinning through her mask at the man she hated, but ... deep inside ... greatly loved.
Yoshimitsu was mentally lauhging at her. There would be no way in hell that he'd let her back into the Manji Clan. She was gullable to believe him. He chuckled as he got into his own unique fighting stance, his sword held tihghtly in his right hand as he began to softly chuckle. "Kuni, Kuni, Kuni ..." Yoshi said loudly, approching her carefully. :Why do you have to do this, huh? Just give up." Still chuckling — he was now standing about three feet from her. Kuni stepped back.

"No ... I'll prove to you I have what it takes to replace you!" Her right hand swiveled and her blade punctured his arm. He grunted and she grinned. He was also grinning, though neither could see each others grins. His swift movements were too quick for her and in a flash, Yoshimitsu had slammed his blade into her and she felt all her endurance fail. It was a painful stab. Very painful. Kuni's head was spinning. She grittered her teeth as she stumbled backward. A few more hard attacks and she'd be gone. She flashed her blade and stabbed his arm again ... with more force, but it was too late.

Yoshimitsu had wrapped his arms around her, spinning her upside down, jumped into the air and forcefully body slammed her into the snowy ground. Kuni howled in pain as Yoshi shot to his feet, "Bitter Defeat." Yoshimitsu exclaimed. "Not ... N-Not just ... yet," Kunimitsu stuttered as she slowly stood to her feet. Yoshi was stunned at her will power. She really did want this. Not only did she want it so bad, but she was even willing to die for it. It was ironic, because his plan wasn't to kill her -- it was to defeat her and get her off his damn back.
He sighed, sending his fist slamming into her face. Something that he didn't expect happened. An ownerless Japanese cat mask flew into the air and landed right by Yoshimitsu's right foot. Kunimitsu's heart skipped a beat when she felt the cold air git her bare skin. Her orange bangs swayed freely around her, brushing against her. Her mask. Her mask was gone. In the blink of an eye, she had her entire hand over her face. (I suggest you go to: http://www.manji-clan.com/wtcl/tekkanimation/cdg_kunimitsu.jpg to get a glimse of Kuni without her mask.)

"Kuni?" Yoshi leaned down and picked up the mask as he said this, "Give me my mask." Kuni hissed. She fought back angered tears, "Look at me." he said with sincerety in his voice, "No!" her back was towards him, she was on the ground and her right hand on her face. He approched her, but she crawled away. "Kuni ... look at me and I'll give it back." he said, still inching toward her. He'd never seen her face before and he had wanted to for a long time. Now was his chance to get a glimse. "Stop calling me Kuni!" she growled ... very irritated at this point. She wasn't about to snow him her face. Not in any way possible. She wasn't 'ashamed' of what she looked like, but just ... didn't feel comfertable showing her face. Then, after crawling away so much — she bumped into the trunck of a large snow-covered oak tree; her back still towards him.

Yoshimitsu kneeled down, holding her mask in his left hand as his right hand moved towards her face. She pressed herself against the three -- her hand still on her face. "Hey ..." he whispered, pressing his metallic digits against her left cheek, "Give it back!" Kunimitsu yelled, but Yoshi didn't listen. He gently began to turn her head towards him and she took a breath, closing her eyes as she now felt her entire hand-hidden face turn completely towards him. "Move your hand." Yoshimitsu whispered warmly, "No. Please ... just give me back my mask," Kunimitsu sounded sad. Pleadful. Vulnerable ... almost sincere and compasionate. Yoshimitshu was mesmerized. Gently, ever so gently; he began to remove her hand. She still kept her eyes shut, but tears of fear seeped through her closed lids.
Her hand was moved and he gasped inaudibly. She was drop dead gorgeous. She skin so soft, so delicate, so ... beautiful. "Open your eyes ..." he spoke in a soft request. Kunimmitsu was hesitant. Scared almost, but she revealed a pair of dark violet spheres. Yoshimitsu's jaw dropped inside his mask as he gawked at the orange haired beauty that sat before him. He dazisly handed her her mask as she grabbed it and slipped it on. In a flash she pushed him back, jumped up and sprinted into the wilderness of the snowy forest around them. "Kunimitsu ..." Yoshi sighed as he stared umblinkingly towards the spot Kuni had dissapeared into, " ... "

He darted to his own feet and sprinted after her.