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Rocky Mountains...

Colorado...

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Akuma stood on top of the mountain, contemplating recent events in his life.

The most aggravating part is that each memory held nothing but fear and confusion in them.

A young girl, who seemed to be eternally optimistic, challenging him to a match. It was a joke, her kicks weak, completely lacking the power he sensed in other Capoeira masters. He subjected her to his worst beating, scarring her horribly. And yet he didn't finish her off, instead inviting her to try again, to come and kill him.

Why? Why did he do that? Akuma had been thinking about Elena for quite a while. Why didn't he finish her off? When the Shun Goku failed, which was completely unexpected, he should have broken her neck and made a clean job of it.

Instead, he had scarred her. A pointless move, even if he did issue a challenge. It's not like she'd be able to find him again even if she DID get stronger.

But why? Why had he let her live?

It wouldn't be so bad if had been her, but his past few challenges had been increasingly difficult. He always won, but every time he came closer and closer to a loss. And each time, he let his opponents live.

He knew he had hit bottom when he nearly got killed by Blanka, of all people.

He sighed, and sat down cross-legged. In his desperation to find out what was wrong with him, he had gone to the Yoga master, Dhalsim, of all people. He had taught him a meditation technique, telling him to find a quiet spot and meditate there, saying that he would have his answers then.

He breathed deeply, slowly, letting his mind drift. And as it did, it wandered to something that happened before his confrontation with Elena...

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A private room...

Almost a year ago...

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Akuma smiled as he teleported in front of the manager of the third World Warrior tournament, a tall, muscle-bound man with flowing blonde hair who's only known name was Gill. He had decided, after ripping Bison's soul to shreds after Chunli humiliated him in the second World Warrior tourney, to make his prescence known to every self-proclaimed 'champion' that hosted these things. It was easy to find him, all he had to do was hang around the other fighters in the tournament long enough, and follow Gill when he made an appearance.

Akuma wasn't surprised when Gill seemed amused at his appearance. "Greetings, Gill. My name is..."

"Your name is Akuma. Correct?"

Akuma blinked, startled. Then he grinned. Some Shadowloo survivors must have told him about me. That makes sense.

"Well, it would if that's what happened. But I would never associate myself with terrorists like that, let me assure you."

Now Akuma was a little worried. He frowned, and dropped into a fighting stance.

Gill just chuckled, straigtening the tie of his business suit. "Let me guess... You're here because you're looking for a challenge, correct? A new tournament, might as well see how good the self-proclaimed 'champion' is, right?"

Akuma blinked, visibly nervous. He guessed my intentions! No... He KNEW what I was planning! But how?! What is he??

Gill grinned wickedly. A wind started to blow, despite the fact that they were inside a building with no windows in range, making Gill's long hair flow in the breeze.

"Who am I, little street fighter? I am a god."

Gill's skin started to split, his right half turning a bright red, his left turning a bright blue. His suit slowly began to dissolve, one half freezing off, the other burning off. Akuma's eyes widened, and he reacted instinctively, throwing a Shakunetsu at Gill.

Gill simply gestured, freezing the projectile in mid-air. It fell to the ground with a hollow thump, the ice melting and the projectile dissapating. Akuma stared first at the fallen projectile, then at Gill, a sudden terror growing in his heart.

Gill laughed, a white aura surrounding him. "And to those who do not worship me, I am an angry god."

The aura surrounding Gill became blinding, and Akuma had the brief impression of wings emerging from his back before he had to cover his eyes. When the light faded, Gill was gone.

Akuma looked around, suddenly extremely afraid. He hadn't sensed Gill's departure, couldn't sense him at ALL. Nor could he sense the terrible power Gill seemed to have when he first saw him. Somehow Gill had managed to fool Akuma's senses completely.

And that terrified him all the more...

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Images of a more recent past...

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Using his ultimate technique, the Shun Goku Satsu, on a young girl, knowing she was too pure hearted to be fully affected by the attack, and not finishing the job after she was down. He simply marked her and told her to return...

Balrog landing a desperate, flailing blow that broke Akuma's jaw, the expression on the boxer's face showing that even HE knew that blow shouldn't have connected...

A metal-masked man known only as Q, who had been following him for weeks, finally giving him an open challenge. And yet, in the first half of their match, the only one who's blows actually landed were Q's...

Pain. Stabbing, agonizing pain, and the feeling of blood down Akuma's back, as a moment of carelessness allowed Vega to catch him with his ridiculous Red Thirst attack...

Every rib in Akuma's chest rattled, his incredible endurance and strength the only thing preventing him from being killed by Sagat's Tiger Genocide technique...

An attempt to relax in the Brazillian jungle, cut short by a confrontation with a savage man-beast he later learned was named Blanka, one that Akuma nearly lost his life from...

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Now...

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Akuma's eyes snapped open. Was that it? Was it that one moment of fear?

He shook his head, standing up. "No. It can't have been. It was just that one time. I need to train harder, that's all," he said to himself, clenching his fist tightly.

Then why are you shaking so much just from THINKING about Gill? a voice inside him nagged.

Akuma shook off that voice, his anger rising. An aura of flame shot up around him. "Dammit, I wasn't afraid! I was just caught off guard! THAT'S ALL!"

He raised his hand, collecting his aura around him, and shouted, "KONGOU KOKURETSUZAN!!"

He brought his fist down hard on the mountain's surface. There was a powerful earthquake, yes, but the only thing that broke was every finger in his hand.

"AAAGH!!!" Akuma screamed. He collapsed on the ground, clutching his hand in pain. But worse than the pain was the confusion.

That... That should have worked... This mountain should be rubble by now... Has the Killing Intent left me?