Disclaimer: I don't own the KOF characters. They belong to SNK Playmore. But, this storyline belongs to me. This is somewhat of an AU but in reality it's what I think the NESTS saga should have been. Enjoy!

Chapter 2: Blazin'

The King of Fighters. Many things can be said about this tournament; unpredictable, exciting, entertaining, etc. Once an underground tournament has now spanned all over the world, becoming a global event. The last four tournaments saw fighters from around the world sign their names on that entrance list. Interesting fact is that the Japan Team won all four, which as of now is a record. But with this new "Striker" system, the teams are now four members each. The Striker system works as followed. During the match, if a teammate gives a signal, a Striker will come out. Now, the Striker for that match has only a brief period of time to help his teammate beat down your opponent before they have to go back to the sidelines.

So in 1999, violent fighting returned.

Today was a peaceful. The sun was blazing and the folks of Southtown were buzzing. That buzz was the annual King of Fighters Tournament, which the first round match ups would take place in. The teams that were in temporary stayed in the hotels that were sponsors of the tournaments. The hotel managers were given instruction by the 'sponsor' to get everything smooth and painless until the actual tournament began.

"Tonight, we fight the Psycho Soldiers," a red haired women stated in her hotel room. She wore a white causal shirt with black pants, black gloves and a black tie to add to it. Soon, another red hair walked out of his separate room.

"Psycho Soldiers," he stated. "Bah, those runts should be easy. We should destroy them. Anything that takes me one step closer to my goal."

"Take it easy Yagami, we need that aggression for the match later today," the women grinned.

"Listen women. I hired you to do my bidding. No one tells me what to do or what not to."

"Is that so? You know I have my reasons too in why I want to take down NESTS. Besides, we'll face Kyo's team later if we win tonight. Isn't that what you wanted Iori?"

Iori stared out of the window, ignoring her response. He glared at the sun, thinking about Kyo Kusanagi. The women soon walked closer to the door.

"Where are you going," Iori asked staring at one of his teammates.

"I'm getting some fresh air. Care to join me?"

"No," he snapped.

"Whatever. I mean, for someone who's always lonely, I figured you could use some company. Later."

Vanessa closed the door as Iori stood in his team's room by himself. Many things ran through his mind during this. The temporary time he was a test subject for NESTS. Yagami had his goals set on dealing things his way. Although he doesn't truly remember being cloned, he remembers escaping and having to fend off his clones and Kyo clones. As much as he despised his clones, he really had a distain for the Kyo clones. Kyo Kusanagi was the one person he desired to kill. And the fact that there was multiples of him plus the fact that he hates the site of him really pissed him off.

"Iori," a blonde woman in a business suit entered the room. She noticed that Iori was next with his back leaning against the wall.

"Where are your teammates?"

"Hm, there'll be back," he answered. "What the hell do you want?"

"About that. I've been ordered by the sponsor to restrain you from the other team as it seems that you and a certain someone really hate each other."

"Who the hell could that be? "

"Kyo Kusanagi from the Japan Team."

Iori quickly reached a vertical base with fire in his eyes.

"Kyo is here? Good, now I'll just kill him now and get it over with!"

"Look, as the manager of this hotel, I cannot allow you to disturb the guest at this hotel.

"Listen you me. I don't care if you're a girl. But right now, you're in my way of my goals. If you don't move from the door, I'll kill you myself!"

Threaten; the women obeyed Iori's demand. Yagami quickly leave his room and walk to the elevator. He touched the button and got on. Two floors later and Iori found himself on the fifth floor. Iori paces his way through the rooms until he finds a room. 514 was the room number. Instead of knocking, Iori kicked the door in and spotted the Japan Team playing a couple rounds of spades.

"Kyo," Iori stated with vigor while igniting a purple flame.

"Yagami," he stated obviously pissed that Iori barged in the room.

"What the hell are you going here," Benimaru questioned.

"Stay out of this or you'll be dead next," Iori threatened as he entered the room. He never left his eyes off Kyo as he continued to ignite a flame

"Kusanagi-sun," Shingo replied, "calm down."

Iori completely ignored Shingo's plea as he got right into Kyo's face.

"You're not wanted him Yagami so I suggest you leave," Kyo insisted.

"Is that so? Are you afraid of your inevitable fate?"

"Fate is for losers Yagami. And so are you if you think you will kill me."

"It's not a thought; it's more like a reality. I'll grind you to the deepest regions of the Earth to kill you! The sight of you makes me sick."

"The feeling's mutual. Now, I'll say this again because it seems that your hearing cells are fried. Leave our room."

"Make me. Do you think you can hurt me Kyo?"

"I know I can. Besides, for once, you're not the one I want to fight. See, unlike you, I'm taking action in finding out why I was cloned."

Iori soon experienced a flashback of his own escape from the grasp of NESTS suddenly. He then began to speak again.

"I haven't forgotten about them myself. Whoever cloned us are after bigger things. But I'm the only one hat can stop them. You on the other hand will stay out my way. Unless you want to die right now it doesn't matter to me!"

"Kyo, we must get ready for our match against the Korea Team," Goro added.

"That's your cue Yagami," Kyo snapped. "Leave!"

Yagami smirked before letting a laugh escape his mouth.

"Kyo, consider yourself on life support," he muttered. "You better pray that you lose before facing me!"

Iori stormed out of the room, leaving the Japan Team behind.

"It looks like you still have unfinished business eh Kyo," questioned Benimaru.

"Yeah apparently. Let's get ready for the match."

"Kusanagi-sun, you never told us that Iori was in the same building you were what you were cloned," Shingo retorted.

"There are still things unanswered about that day. That's why we need to win this tournament. Knowing the tournament's past, I'm betting that the men responsible are the 'sponsor'. They have all my answers and I plan on finding out why they would clone me. We can't lose!"

"Damnit Kula, can you eat anything other than candy," a white haired fighter shouted while searching for food.

"K', stop being harsh to the girl," another man stated.

"I see this little girl has you under her finger Maxima," stated K' who began drinking water from a jug.

"Besides, we fight in the next hour and we're facing a tough team. They might be females, but their reputation is high in this town. And by the way, Kula's not really a little girl. You're only older than her by a mere four years K'."

"I don't care. As long as we rid the world of that sham of a cartel I'll be satisfied. Speaking of team, where is Lin?"

"Somewhere around here. "

"That gut is difficult to deal with. I still don't know why he's a part of the team. He doesn't even like us even though I could care less."

"Look K', Lin wants to take down a certain agent of NESTS and together we can work as a team to overthrow them. Plus, you're not always easy to deal with yourself."

"What the hell does that mean Maxima? I'm the damn leader of the team."

"True but I insisted us to form the team."

"That was stupid. You know I hate KOF tournaments. There's always lame!"

As they argued, Kula began to eat her lollypop.

"So K', after we dethrone NESTS, what are you plans," questioned Maxima.

"I'm not sure," he answered back. "I've been so focused on taking them I've completely forgot about that. At this point I'm unsure of things after this whole deal is over. I know one thing; I won't have to enter another stupid KOF tournament. The only thing I can think of is two things."

What's that Dash-man?"

"First, I must find out about my past. That's a must. Then I plan on fighting Kyo Kusanagi, the man who DNA runs through my body. I need to prove that I'm more than a clone. Not only to NESTS but for myself."

"Easy cowboy. Let's just focus on the task at hand."

"K' just stares at Maxima as he finishes the jug of water. Kula continues to be fond of the sucker while watching TV. Soon a figure decomposes into the air and into a human forum. The man was bald, wore yellow pants and a black shirt that was ripped from his shoulders. His face was covered.

"Where the hell have you been," K' questioned with anger.

"That only concerns me. You have no right to question me," the man snickered.

"Oh really Lin?"

"Yes it is. Remember, I only joined to avenge my clan not to help your needs."

"I'm tired of your bullshit. I'm not intimidated by you. You're lucky we are teammates."

"Put your money where your mouth is. I have no problem killing you right here and now."

"Can both of you stop," said Maxima. "Look, like or not, you two are teammates. All four of us have the same goal and we can do this that together. Now is that hard to ask for?"

Lin and K' just remain silent for a moment.

"Whatever," sighed K'

"Don't get in my way," Lin retorted.

"Same goes to you."

"These two will never get along," Maxima thought.

The first matches were on the horizon as the sun began to set. The fights would commence in the next hour so the four teams were heading their way to the location.

However, Iori paced back and forth, waiting for the arrival of Yamazaki and Eiji. Vanessa just slumped on the couch switching channels on the remote given by the hotel's management.

"Where are those two," Iori stated venomously.

"They should be here by now," Vanessa stated while continuing surfing the TV.

As they waited, Iori noticed the doorknob turning and then the door opened. Soon, a man that had black hair, but above his forehead it is blonde with a black t-shirt with short sleeves and black pants plus matching gloves that doesn't his fingers.

"There he is," Vanessa replied.

"Sorry for the hold up," Yamazaki calmly grinned. "I was enjoying myself by busting heads if you know what I mean Yagami."

"You think you can do whatever you want," Iori stated with vigor. "Remember our deal, you help me take down NESTS, I'll pay you double the prize money of this tournament."

Swiftly, Yamazaki placed his right hand on Yagami's head with his hand taking the shape of a gun.

"Remember something Yagami. I only on this team to get that money you promised. Don't think I won't hesitate to kill you. Got it?"

Iori shrugs Yamazaki's hand off his head.

"Easy Yamazaki," a man from the open widow which led to the balcony stated. He wore a purple and orange ninja outfit.

"Eiji," Yagami quickly turned to see him walk in the room.

"The only person that will kill Yagami is me as we have unfinished business right Yagami?"

"If you help me do what I want, I'll help you kill those Kyokugenryu Karate practitioners and then, you can try to kill me."

"You better keep your end of the bargain Yagami."

Yagami just shrugged that comment as Yamazaki began munching on Horse sashimi (horse meat) that was given to him by the hotel management. Vanessa soon turned to see the latest news in sports. Soon, a female hotel manager opens the door and enters the room.

"You're fight will begin in the next 30 minutes so you four need to get to the destination," she insisted.

The four quickly proceed to walk out of the room. The Yagami Team soon went into the limbo that was provided them.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"It's time to go K'," Kula called from the window as K' stared at the moon from the balcony.

"I'm coming," answered K'. He continued to stare at the moon. Then, he closes his eyes thinking about something.

"My past…my future….they took them both. They planned on making me a slave, a mere tool for their bidding. Well, I'm not something ordinary clone! I'm unique and my own person. All the other clones can burn in hell. I will put an end to your schemes. I, Maxima and Kula will bring all of you down. For all those who have fallen victim to you pieces of scum….I will destroy you!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At an unknown secret base, a man hidden in shadows with only his white hair revealing surveys the TV's showing all the teams. Soon, a sinister laugh escapes his month.

"So K', let's see how long can you endure the tournament. After all, it's time to see if my offspring is a success! Good luck K'!"

Notes:

If you didn't notice, The Yagami Team, The Japan Team and the Hero Team will be the main teams in this story. That's doesn't mean I will exclude the other teams, it just means that these three will be the primary with K' being the main character.

I tried to give a good explanation on why the Yagami Team was a team. For those who wondered, Yamazaki asked the same thing with he joined the Outlaw Team and Eiji just want to kill Ryo and then later on Iori. Vanessa and Iori however want a piece of NESTS and later down the road; Vanessa's back story on why she wants NESTS will be fleshed out.

As far as the other stories, the Street Fighter chapter is half way done, so is the Hero team story and the Naruto story. So be on the lookout there.

Hope that you enjoyed it. Rant and rave; positive or negative, I want to hear it. Later.