Chapter Twenty: Prove Yourself

Author's Note: Hey you guys! What's up? I know this chapter has a crappy title, but coming up with new and catchy titles is really hard! LOL! Not much new here…um, I did get Resident Evil 4 for the PS2…so my school work is going to suffer for about a month LOL…nah, j/k actually, I've only been able to play about twenty minutes of it…and I got to this point where I was in the village, and the creepy people kept coming and coming and then the church bell rang and they all went in it…I didn't have time to keep playing though, so I saved it, and haven't played since…so, I wonder if they're not zombies then what are they? BUT DON'T TELL ME BECAUSE I WANNA BE SURPRISED! Leon's cooler in this one, he kinda reminds me of a more hard core, secret agent-y Jamie…anyway, what else is new…um…it's been two weeks since my last cigarette, and so far, my training's been going alright…the best way for me to get over smoking is to get immersed into something else…and lately, my Tae Kwon Do forms and sparring techniques have gotten better! Okay, shout out time.

Actually, you all kind of have the same questions, so how 'bout I answer it?

Okay…I know it may seem confusing now, but all will be revealed in later chapters…and as the chapters keep cranking out, you'll hear more about the sad stories of Aeon, Spyros (Aeon's brother…the other guy in the last chapter), and Princess Konohana…and how they all tie together, and how their stories transcend to Jamie, Grey, and Mina's lives…but right now…IT'S FIGHT TIME!

Despite the fact that it was late summer, the day turned out to be a pleasant 85 degrees outside. The late morning sun filtered through the clouds and caressed Jamie Parker's face. He smiled and tilted his head up, relishing the pleasant warmth on his frame.

As a Nephilim, Jamie's life sometimes felt like one long, cold, dark night, and since his calling, he had learned to never take sunlight, or the daytime in general for granted. He was fighting Eddy Gordo today…Jamie didn't know exactly how to feel about it…he knew little to nothing about him…except the fact that he was Christie's mentor and friend, and that he was a Capoeira master…he also had a grudge against Kazuya or something…but that seemed to be the hot trend in this tournament.

Eddy seemed nice enough but he didn't really hang out with anyone…it really didn't bother Jamie a lot…as long as Eddy didn't try to kill him or his friends then Jamie had no problem with him.

The two were fighting on the beach…one of the Nephilim's favorite locations on the planet…he loved the water, he loved the sand…he loved everything about the beach. Jamie loved to swim, he loved to surf…and when most kids were terrified of drowning, the thought never occurred to him, and he took to swimming like a fish.

Even before becoming the Nephilim, Jamie had been a superb swimmer and could hold his breath a lot longer then most people his age. Jamie dug his bare feet into the warm sand and felt the rough, gritty material in between his toes. For his second fight in the tournament, Jamie dressed simply enough. He wore a pair of baggy blue board shorts that had served him well for the past five years that he had owned them…they had Hawaiian flowers intricately snaking along the fabric and hung low on his waist. His blue tinted, wrap around sunglasses were perched atop his hair line, and he wore a hemp necklace, and a matching bracelet…only he had tied the bracelet loosely around his right ankle.

He felt somewhat silly standing around and waiting for Eddy…fans sat on bleachers in a fenced in area away from the beach talking amongst themselves…with his enhanced hearing, Jamie heard snippets of their conversations…none were very important.

Suddenly, the crowd roared with delight, and Jamie turned to see Eddy Gordo enter the arena. He wore a pair of black, baggy pants and a breezy purple button up shirt…only unbuttoned. His hair, like Jamie's, was tied back. Eddy wore a pair of nice looking wrap around sunglasses and enough jewelry to make Jamie wonder how he could function without having that big ass platinum chain smack him in the face.

"Hey Eddy!" Jamie said cheerfully as he dropped into a fighter's stance.

Eddy nodded silently and waved his arm up in a greeting. "Hi Jamie."

"Good luck okay?" Jamie added.

He didn't seem too nervous for this fight…that is until he noticed the crew setting up mega speakers in the stands.

"Huh?" Jamie asked, he got out of his stance and looked around in confusion.

"Sorry," Eddy said with a grin. "I need music to keep the rhythm…I hope you don't mind, but it's essential to Capoeira."

"No," Jamie said. "That's cool."

He smiled, but in his mind he rattled off every single curse word he could think of…this wasn't fair…how come Eddy got to listen to music, but Jamie couldn't carry around a weapon? He decided not to let it bother him too much though…after all, he had fought plenty of enemies in clubs and stuff while music was blaring…so how was this any different?

The announcer called the fight, and a huge, big screen television in the background activated, showing the ensuing fight to everyone in the stands.

"Jamie Parker vs. Eddy Gordo…round 1…FIGHT!" Kenji Minamoto (the tournament MC) called.

Suddenly, the loud speakers reverberated with the classic Crunk, Petey Pablo song "Vibrate", Jamie was familiar with the song because Mina had choreographed a rather impressive and complicated dance number to the "clean" version of the song...and seeing as how this was on Japanese national Television, they played the nicer version of it.

Jamie looked at Eddy quizzically…there were tons of other fast songs that were relevant to fighting…and this wasn't one of them.

"They must've mixed up me and Christie's mix CD's." He said sheepishly.

"Oh…mmkay." Jamie responded flatly.

With that cleared…it was all business, and the two leapt into battle. Eddy was fast...so fast in fact that even with his Nephilim senses, Jamie had a hard time keeping up with the Capoiera master. He never stayed still, and that presented a problem because no matter how tricked out with powers Jamie was…he could never land a decent blow on Eddy.

Sure, Jamie managed to land a few light, quick punches, but they didn't faze Eddy much. Quickly, Eddy performed three quick strikes with his fists…the attacks caught Jamie by surprise, but didn't hurt…suddenly, Eddy performed a quick front flip, and while he was in the air, shot his foot out and kicked Jamie hard in the face.

"WHHHAAAAAA!" Jamie shrieked as he flew through the air.

He skidded to a stop face first in the surf, and tasted the acrid sting of the salt water on in his mouth. With his face underwater, Jamie could hear muffled voices and the steady rhythm of the music. The kick to the face really hurt…it was a miracle that The Nephilim's nose hadn't shattered after that attack…not that it would've really mattered, the wound would've healed before anyone would have noticed.

Quickly, Jamie whipped his face up from the warm water, and smoothed away the wet strands of hair from his face. Below his waist was still underwater, and he used his hands to prop himself up, but in an instant, his left hand slipped in the muddy sand, and once again, Jamie found himself face first in the water.

The tournament announcer took this accident to mean that Jamie couldn't continue with the round, and pronounced Eddy the winner of round one!
"Dammit…" Jamie muttered angrily as he stood and dusted off his shorts.

"You weren't really ready to give up were you?" Eddy asked.

"No, I still could've fought." Jamie replied before dropping into his stance again.

"Well then stop holding back! I don't want to win this fight based on a referee's bad judgment!" Eddy said harshly (although Jamie could tell that Eddy meant to motivate him).

"You got it," Jamie began.

The referee called round two, and this time Jamie tried to suspend all the other senses around him. He used to think that all of that meditating, and inner peace, and true enlightenment were the result of too many clichés from old Kung Fu movies…but Jamie swore to God that once he actually stopped thinking about the screaming fans and the pulsating music everything went…silent.

And in this strange state of mind, Eddy seemed to start slowing down…sure he was fast, but not nearly as fast as he was before. With his erratic movements, Eddy kept trying to confuse Jamie, but the Nephilim wasn't going to let him. Eddy attacked with his breakdance fighting, but in the sudden calm that permeated through the Nephilim, Jamie figured out a strategy to beating him.

Jamie moved to perform a roundhouse kick to Eddy's chest, mainly to give himself some breathing room, but before Jamie could even raise his leg to kick, Eddy stomped on Jamie's foot…pinning it to the ground, and hurting quite a lot.

What happened next was some fierce, hand to hand action. Jamie punched while Eddy dodged. The two attempted to grapple with each other…and try as he might, Jamie wasn't fast enough to deliver the kick he needed to, for every time Jamie raised his leg, Eddy was quick to knock it back down.

Finally, mainly out of desperation, Jamie grabbed hold of Eddy's breezy purple shirt…he had grabbed the shoulders of it, and knew he had to act fast…Eddy began to catch on to Jamie's plan, but the Nephilim was too quick for Eddy to stop.

Using his free leg, Jamie placed it behind one of Eddy's and performed jerked Eddy hard sideways, throwing the Capoeira master off balance, as Eddy struggled for a foot hold, he tripped over Jamie's leg and fell to the sand.

Jamie had almost fallen with Eddy, but now (with both legs at his disposal), he performed two back hand springs and gave himself some room between him and his opponent.

Right around the time that Eddy began to get up, Jamie started running towards him…as soon as Eddy stood he was introduced to Jamie's foot coming straight for his face…the blow hurt…bad…but not nearly as bad as the next. While he was still in the air, and after the first attack, he spun, and kicked Eddy again with the back leg…sending Eddy directly into the lifeguard station.

Jamie Parker was unquestionably the victor of round two.

"Now that's more like it!" Eddy said with a smile and a cough.

"Don't say I didn't warn you!" Jamie replied good naturedly.

Round three began, and while Jamie attempted to stay away from Eddy, Eddy wasn't going to let it happen. Using his moves, Eddy dropped one hand on the sand and brought the rest of his body up which to Jamie, looked kind of like a hand plant one does on a skateboard. His leg smacked Jamie on the top of the head hard…and the Nephilim staggered backwards.

Next, Eddy was on the ground and whipped his legs around like helicopter blades, tripping the Nephilim, and making him fall harshly to the ground. Jamie grunted in pain as he fell, but Eddy was already up…he raised his leg high in the air, and it started coming down towards Jamie's skull!

Like it or not, Jamie knew that if that attack hit him, his career in this tournament would have been over…so he quickly rolled out of the way and stood up. Eddy turned quickly to get a double roundhouse kick combo to his chest, and a back hand to the face.

Desperately, Eddy tried to do his strange hand plant attack again, but this time Jamie was ready…using centripetal force, Jamie grabbed Eddy's attacking leg, and working gravity to his advantage, flung the Capoeira master as hard as he could into a swaying palm tree.

As Eddy fell he struggled to get up again but couldn't…Jamie Parker had won the fight!

The crowd went wild, Jamie's supporters screaming in delight and holding signs up for him. Jamie smiled to the crowd and gave a sheepish wave…before jogging over to help Eddy up.

"It was a good fight." Jamie said. "I was just lucky."

"No," Eddy said. "Don't ever say that…you beat me because you were better then I am…I have to go and train harder, then next tournament, we'll see if I can even the score."

"Sounds good to me!"

"Jamie, Jamie! You've just won the fight what're you gonna do now?" Kenji Minamoto asked.

Jamie turned and felt a little overwhelmed to see a bunch of cameras staring at him in the face.

"Well…since I'm dressed for it…and since I'm here…I might go surfing?" Jamie said nervously (although it sounded more like a question then an answer).

In actuality, he wished he could see his friend's fights…after all, Mina and Kyosuke were fighting today…he knew that Mina was fighting in a place called "The Cave" but since it was an archeological dig he couldn't go…as for Kyo, his fight in the labs was also a restricted area.

New Scene…

Mina sighed to herself and draped one leg over the other. She shivered slightly and zipped up her fitted, white and pink lined "track jacket" the dank of the cavern she was to fight in betrayed the temperature in the outside world. She had come early…to marvel at the opulence she supposed.

The cavern was only recently discovered about a month and a half ago. Shortly after the incident with Jinpachi Mishima, and after Jin and Xiaoyu's wedding, Kazuya had taken over the Mishima Zaibatsu.

At that time, everyone sort of went their separate ways…Steve to England, Christie to LA, Hwoarang and Julia to Arizona, Asuka and Billy back to Japan, and Xiao and Jin off to their honeymoon.

Dimitri Helios, old high school friend of Jamie's brother Justin, and a world famous, globe trotting archeologist adventurer (he had also helped Jamie and the others stop Jinpachi), went to Japan. After a recent earthquake in Tokyo, fisherman began to find several valuable pieces of Incan gold in their fishnets.

Dimitri came to investigate the mystery (hired by Kazuya) and found a secret network of caverns and caves off the beach that had been hidden away for hundreds of years! Apparently, the cave that Mina was in, was the entrance to a rather elaborate pirate hideout.

Behind her stood a rather imposing looking gate, and a crumbling structure; which Dimitri had discovered to be a campsite housing an old Spanish Galleon, and a complicated network of structures like these; unfortunately, since Heihachi's sudden reemergence and acquisition of the Zaibatsu, the project was put on indefinite hold.

He had closed down any further investigation of the galleon…and had royally pissed Dimitri off…however, since the adventurer wasn't invited to the tournament, he couldn't fight for the cause. Mina remembered that Dimitri had been talking to Jamie on the phone about it the day before they left for Japan.

And she remembered her almost playful attempt to cheer him up.

"Don't worry Dimitri…if I win the tournament I'll make sure that you can keep exploring that cave!"

"Thanks Mina," Dimitri chuckled. "You're sweet, take care of Jamie okay? Make sure he doesn't get into anymore trouble."

Mina felt herself blush at the memory…Dimitri Helios…in addition to wealth, he had foreign, exotic, rock star good looks, thick, wavy black hair and blue eyes, he was also completely approachable, and always willing to help.

Yes, Mina did have a little "crushy" on Dimitri, but she loved Jamie more then anything else…and she would always pick Jamie over anyone…but who didn't have a crush on Dimitri? He was gorgeous.

And besides, the entrance had enough treasure in it to feed a small third world country for about a decade. The dim surroundings practically glittered with countless piles of coins, goblets, jewelry, and even a few weapons…most of them were too ornate to actually serve their purposes.

Mina sat on a barrel and glanced around the area again…her short, red plaid skirt, knee socks, and white Keds completed her outfit. She stared out the mouth of the cave and realized that somewhere along that beach, Jamie was in the middle of his fight…Mina wished that her opponent would hurry up. She was to fight a man named F'eng Wei today.

A world renowned Kempo fighter who tried to learn the secret styles of Dragon Fist…a style widely talked about and rumored to be legend in Martial Arts. F'eng Wei had been defeated in the last tournament by Asuka…he had made the mistake of destroying her foster father's dojo and critically wounding the man.

F'eng Wei was out to prove that he was the undisputed champion of martial arts and in doing so, killed his own master! He had obviously never found the secret principles of Dragon Fist because they were rumored to give the user the strength to move mountains…and seeing as how Mina hadn't seen or heard any mountain ranges split here recently she highly doubted F'eng Wei had mastered them.

Suddenly, Mina saw a small boat enter the cavern and a man staring at her. He either wore a look of utter contentment or one of complete anger…Mina wasn't quite sure which. He wore a pair of colorful, baggy pants and no shirt. His hair was in one long braid and fell down his back.

He disembarked and glanced Mina over as she sat on the barrel. She discreetly uncrossed her legs (as she was wearing a skirt), smoothed it and smiled.

"Hi, my name's Mina!" She offered her hand.

F'eng Wei's silence spoke volumes, and he gave her a look that one gives an insect at a picnic…and for an instant, Mina swore that his eyes…changed…somehow.

"I've told them to change the rules of the match." He began.

"Really?" Mina asked, dropping into a fighting stance.

"If you can defeat me in one match then I'll let you take the win."

"Are you so sure about that?" Mina said with a smile.

"I have a secret weapon."

"Okay then…" Mina said with a friendly, calm confidence…she made sure that she used her "instructor voice" as if she was addressing an unruly child rather then a sociopathic martial arts master. "Let's get this over with."

F'eng Wei stood still, while Mina bounced on the balls of her feet. With her unique combination of her Tae Kwon Do and dance techniques she was more then capable of being a participant in this tournament.

But the question is…can I take this guy out?

The fight was announced and began quickly. For someone who was so strong, F'eng Wei certainly was fast! Mina dodged the first two punches, but got a sharp kick to the chest.

"AAAH!" She screamed as she flew through the air.

She landed roughly on her backside…and F'eng Wei began to mercilessly run at her…instinctively, she scooted backwards until she felt herself hit the cold brick of the pirate fort.

"I'm done…" She whispered.

She didn't know what that secret weapon of F'eng Wei's was…but it was powerful…and in one kick, he had nearly shattered her rib cage! In an instant he towered over and punched the wall…Mina heard a rumbling and quickly leapt out of the way…she launched into a hap ki do roll and stood shakily behind F'eng Wei…and not a moment too soon as several bricks from the wall landed where she had once stood! Two landed on F'eng Wei but he seemed more irritated then hurt.

"You're fast I'll give you that…" He said, voice glinting with hate. "But you'll tire and I'll catch you…" And once again, his eyes turned creepy, and reptilian again.

"After this tournament I'm going to go to America and take on the nation's best and brightest Martial Artists…I believe your father is one of them? I'm sure he'll be good and angry when I send his daughter back to him piece by piece."

"You can try it…but I've fought scarier shit then you!" Mina said…beginning to get angry.

She ran at F'eng Wei and performed a lightning fast jumping snap kick combo…screaming as she did.

Surprised by the sudden attack, F'eng Wei didn't get a chance to block. Mina landed in a graceful roll and stood again. Before he could turn fully, Mina granted him the pleasure of her foot.

"Why do you hate girls so much?" Mina asked. "I'll bet you never got asked out on a date huh?"

For her major, Mina was taking Psychology at school, and F'eng Wei was a classic example of a sociopath…he thought that he was above everyone else…and the only way for Mina to win this battle is to do things that he would never expect…The Chinese fighter thought all women were inferior…so if she did the exact opposite of what he expected then she could actually win this!

Mina moved to swing a punch, and maybe perform her patented, "A-Town Stomp" technique, but at the last second…F'eng Wei…roared…like some kind of prehistoric creature.

The move stunned and shocked the young fighter so much, that F'eng Wei managed to backhand her hard. She yelped in pain, and as she spun from the attack the kempo master grabbed her by the hair and pulled…

Mina was horrified to see several strands of hair…her hair in the man's grasp…and he was…smelling it!

"War trophies," He grinned. "The dragon inside me loves it when I fight little girls…they break and tear as easily as pink paper dolls."

Mina was speechless, but now, even more angry and repulsed then before…she had fought demons before who did unspeakable acts of violence to humans…but they were different…they didn't have a soul…and apparently, somewhere, F'eng Wei did too…

"I think you need a new hobby…time to put you out of your misery!"

Mina wasn't going to hold back anymore…quickly she performed three lightning fast spins followed by her punishing axe kick…stunned by her "A-Town Stomp" move, Mina moved to perform a simple roundhouse and punch combo called "1,2 step".

In desperation, F'eng Wei moved to punch, Mina dodged the right hook, grabbed the exposed arm, spun around, and snapped it.

With his arm broke, F'eng Wei fell…

He had been defeated.

This wasn't like Mina's defeat over Anna…she didn't feel any regret for what she did to this man…for the camera's, she performed a quick victory number…she dusted off the shoulders of her jacket and her skirt.

"Just gotta shake it off!" She said with a grin.

As she walked towards her awaiting boat, she knelt down to F'eng Wei and stared at him hard.

"If you ever come near my father or my friends I will put you in so much pain you'll wish you were never born!" She said in the most threatening voice she could muster. "I kicked your ass once and I'll do it again too…Dragon Fist or no Dragon Fist!"

Author's Note: Okay, I know that I said I'd write in more fights, but actually, it works a little better if I break it off here, b/c next chapter will have two other fights, but have more stuff going on too! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this latest chapter, but the semester is almost over and I've got a lot to do here lately…anyway, it's been a couple of weeks since my last cigarette and I'm still hardcore training for my tournament…sigh…anyway sorry for the long update but this took a really a long time to write…so much love to everyone and PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!