Disclaimer: I don't own Tekken

A/N: Hello there. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you like it. Anyway, the plot thickens even further this time and something … 'drastic' lurks further, so let's get to it. And here … we … go:

The King of Iron Fist Tournament 8: VIII for Vendetta

Blood Feud Surfaces

Light Heart

The 'Wind Factory' was an oddly serene setting for the fighting tournament. Largely natural, it was a large field of grass under a blue sky. Hundreds of windmills towered overhead, the blades turning serenely in the winds. Standing in its midst was Jun Kazama, wearing a black and white exercise suit with a hooded jacket, black and white tennis shoes on her feet. Her downed hood uncovered her head, and her open jacket revealed her defined and chiseled abs under her white tank top. After some time, her opponent came strolling in, a young man of 23. His suit hung loose, his shirt sat untucked, his jacket flew wide open, his ponytail-bound hair swayed in cadence with him… There was no mistaking him; it could only be Ryunosuke Nodachi.

The announcer's voice blasted into the wind, "Jun Kazama, Ryunosuke Nodachi, get ready for the next battle!"

The younger Nodachi said with a smile, "Well, isn't this fortunate? It's so nice to meet you again, Jun-sama."

Slightly confused by the cheerful greeting, Jun mustered, "Uh… Thanks."

Ryunosuke explained, "I mean, it's not every day one meets a woman as dignified and pretty as you, let alone twice in such a short amount of time."

Jun inquired, "Okay… But do I have to worry about you now?"

"What do you mean?"

Jun continued, "Well, it's been documented around the office that you're quite the flirt, fast-talking just about every girl you meet."

Ryunosuke chuckled, "I guess I'm caught. What can I say? Women are my weakness; their company is my vice… But you can pay me no mind. Nowadays, there's only one woman on my mind, though my feelings remain unrequited…"

"Hmph… It sounds like you only want her because you can't have her."

Ryunosuke mused, "Oh, it's nothing like that. She's had to care for her ailing father. She's found success in a practice where only men are accepted. Then, every time she does it, she has to deal with a fight right after, but not only is she thriving, she's winning. It's her passion and proud defiance I find so … attractive."

Jun, understanding and impressed by the show of care, replied, "Wow. It sounds like there's more to you than meets the eye."

Ryunosuke said with a smile, "Oh, and do I have to start worrying about you now?"

Jun chuckled saying, "Don't get ahead of yourself."

His smile persisting, the younger Nodachi said, "Hey, can't blame me for trying."

With that, Jun got into stance, and Ryunosuke got his: he raised his hands for only a few moments before he lowered them, putting one in his pocket. Despite the situation he was in, he was very relaxed and at ease.

The announcer's voice boomed into the wind farm, "Round 1! Fight!"

Truly, Ryunosuke's style was very out of the ordinary, one Jun was really not familiar with. It was clear however that he had the best side stepping and mobility control game ever seen. All his moves were naturally circular, and it allowed him to easily attack while sidestepping while keeping Jun from sidestepping on him.

But, Jun's knowledge and keen eye helped her to spot a weakness. His moves had poor range in exchange for his wider area, and she knew just how to exploit it. Jun used her aunt Asuka's style peppered with some of her dad's moves, so she stuck to her long range attacks like 'Left Roundhouse', Left Roundhouse Punch' , 'Leaping Spin Kick', and 'Matoi HIragi'. Eventually, she skillfully back-dashed out of range to avoid an attack, and immediately dashed forward with am 'LLRK to Spinning Flare Kick'. Ryunosuke writhed in pain after hitting the ground.

The announcer's voice rang out, "KO! Jun wins!"

Unfazed, the younger Nodachi simply got up and dusted himself off.

Ryunosuke said with a smile, "That sure was entertaining. You read me very well."

"Thank you… but I'm sure that wasn't everything you got. I know you're hiding something.."

The younger Nodachi laughed briefly before responding, "You really are perceptive. I guess I can show all my tricks now. Should be fun…"

The announcer's voice resonated as both went back into fighting position, "Round 2! Fight!"

Ryunosuke's regular stance was relaxed, but his second was just odd: he spread his feet slightly and spread his arms out to the sides. It was a wide-open posture, a defenseless stance, almost like he was welcoming attack. . Unfortunately, Jun found out the hard way just what it was for. She attacked but he automatically countered in a peculiar way: by going in the direction of the attack. He would turn his head left if she threw a left punch or he would turn his body right in response to a right kick. Soon, it became clearer and clearer that he would counter everything thrown at him. Jun wore down as she got nowhere, his countering seemingly impenetrable.

The Kazama lady quickly became fed up, and went for her best attack. Jun spun forward , building energy… She spun twice, a red aura appearing around her… With one final spin, she brought her leg crashing down, with a 'Spinning Heel Drop'. Ryunosuke took the hit … but didn't fly back. Incredibly, he spun from the impact and delivered a tremendous kick to Jun's midsection! It was like he'd taken her attack and turned it back on her, only twice as strong. Jun let out a loud gasp of surprise and pain as she hit the ground. Ryunosuke not only managed to counter Jun's unblockable attack, but he had won the round without a single offensive maneuver!

The announcer's voice rang out again, "KO! Ryunosuke wins!"

"What…" Jun said as she sat up, holding her gut, "What was that?"

"Oh, that move was something I call 'Karmic Retribution', made just for such an occasion. Although, my timing isn't usually as good as that."

The Kazama teen stood as she clarified, "No. I mean … I've never seen a fighting style like yours. What is it?"

His smile returning, Ryunosuke explained, "Well, I practice the Korean martial art of Hapkido, mine being a much more laid back variation of course. It's all about going with the flow and using opponent's leverage against them. That form you just saw is actually a converted training exercise called 'Pushing Hands'. I literally absorb your energy and redirect it."

Crossing her arms in thought, Jun said, "I have to admit, this all sounds kind of weird to me."

Ryunosuke shrugged, "Hey, I use a style centered on defense, but it suits me and, based on the score, it works."

"Touché…" Jun reassumed, "Now, I wonder if I can break your defense."

The younger Nodachi chuckled, saying, "It should be fun to find out."

The announcer's voice resonated as Ryunosuke went into stance, "Final Round! Fight!"

The round started at a standstill. Jun was reluctant to attack, knowing that anything she threw including throws and while rising moves would only be negated and punished. Meanwhile, Ryunosuke stayed mainly in 'Pushing Hands', waiting patiently. Finally fed up with the inactivity, Jun attempted a 'Minazuki' … and it connected! The Kazama teen started watching him out of mere surprise, and noticed that every few moments, he would back-dash and get back into 'Pushing Hands'. The wheels in her mind spun quickly as she figured it out: he couldn't stay in 'Pushing Hands' but for a set amount of time. With this way in, she started attacking during the interlude, but took some damage while getting the timing right. Soon, she got it down, and started gaining momentum…

Ryunosuke was left with a second form: he turned into Jun with one arm toward her and the other facing away, another stance called 'Sticky Hands'. But it came with a price: this one required he take damage in exchange for staying in it longer. The two fighters started trading hits until Ryunosuke finally managed to stagger Jun and closed in. In a truly surprising twist of fate, the Kazama teen caught him and flipped him with her own 'Attack Reversal'! She quickly finished him with a three-sweep 'Kariashi Shiranui'. The younger Nodachi let out a pained groan as he flipped end-over-end in the air…

"KO!" The announcer's voice reverberated over the area once again, "Jun Kazama wins! Please advance to the next round!"

Ryunosuke, holding the back of his head, complimented as he rose, "Well, that hurt… but it was loads of fun."

Jun replied with a smirk, "Yeah, I have to admit it was. Maybe we can do it again sometime."

Ryunosuke shook her hand, and said, "I look forward to it. Take care, and good luck."

Then, out of the blue, Jun asked, "Before you go, I want to ask you something … about your brother."

The younger Nodachi quickly speculated, "Why is he so creepy?"

Jun grew nervous at his surprisingly accurate guess, "Well … I, uh… wasn't going to say it like that…"

Ryunosuke calmly said, "It's okay; I get that question often. Oh, don't get me wrong. He does have his habits, but what brother doesn't? I'm sure your brother does some things you don't understand."

"Tell me about it."

Ryunosuke, his trademark smile returning, continued, "See. Now, I really should go."

Jun stopped him once more, "There's one more thing…"

"Hm?"

"This girl you like? If you pursue her the same way you fight…" Jun gave him a smile and said, "She'll come around, I promise."

Ryunosuke replied happily, "Thanks. I sure hope so."

In a surprisingly high note especially for this tournament, the two peacefully parted ways...

Black Heart

Out in the middle of nothing, seemingly on the boundary of life and oblivion, there sat an abandoned house. Inside, it was dimly lit by torches of white light, very creaky wooden floors ever present. All throughout the place, an odd go-like mist wafted and swirled all around. Akane Hirano, set to have her match here, was understandably flustered as she very anxiously ventured through this thoroughly creepy place. The air was thin places but thick in others. Spots would go utterly frigid while some would be blazing. Then, the mist itself seemed to gather around and wrap around her. The creaking in the floor from her steps seemed to echo for miles. On occasion, there was what sounded like … whispers. There was no wondering why this place was called 'The Haunt'.

"So, it's you…" a voice suddenly called out clear as day.

Akane would have jumped right through the roof if she could at that. Startled and scared, she fell backward on her behind as she turned in the statement's direction and saw her opponent… It was a Japanese man with jet black slicked-back hair wearing a business suit, black leather gloves, a watch, and cufflinks: Kamikage Nodachi, stepping out as if he came out of the mist.

The announcer's voice rang out with some notable distortion, "Akane Hirano, Kamikage Nodachi, get ready for the next battle."

Akane managed to squeak out in spite of her fright, "W-Who … w-who are you?"

The older Nodachi said plainly, "I am Kamikage Nodachi, an executive at Kazama G Incorporated. I voted for this tournament to come to pass … and I think you should really get off the floor."

"Oh, right, of course." Akane compiled as she rose.

Looking at her closely, Kamikage Nodachi speculated, "Tell me: would you happen to have any relation to Miharu Hirano?"

"Yes… She's my mom."

"Of course; the resemblance is uncanny…" Kamikage said as he crossed his arms, "I take it that you intend to follow in her footsteps and because Queen of this tournament?"

Akane stumbled, "Well, um… I mean, it would be a great honor to win like my mother did … but that's not my … first reason…"

Kamikage put a hand in his pocket, secretly holding his knife, as he said, "Hmm… Then, would it involve the Kazama twins?"

Akane explained, "Well, yes. They're my closest friends; I want to help all my friends anyway I can."

Kamikage again speculated, deducing from a hunch, "And… what of the Kazama son, Haku?"

Akane couldn't help but blush immediately, looking away as she replied, "W-What … do you mean?"

Kamikage took special note of her reaction and said, "Say no more. I won't push any further… Besides, we should get started."

The older Nodachi slipped into fighting stance, one Akane herself found oddly familiar, and the young Hirano got into fighting position…

The announcer's voice resonated through the house, "Round 1! Fight!"

In many ways, Kamikage was even more eerie than the house. He barely made any noise. His eyes sat half-closed, rarely moving. It was like he was in a trance, almost zombie-like, but it didn't show his mental pattern as he was clearly thinking. From the start, he set out to take out her best weapon, the 'Phoenix' stance, focusing on overhead and rising attacks: 'Lion Slayer', 'Demon Scissors', 'Slaughter Hook', and 'Dragon Uppercut'. While his strategy was sound and rendered 'Phoenix' useless, he was also helped by his staggering power.

Akane, after taking some heavy damage, managed to crash down with a 'Crescent Moon Kick'. Kamikage however stayed crouched under the impact. The red-haired fighter followed through into 'Phoenix', but Kamikage was ready for her. He instantly rolled forward and connected with an axe kick, 'Tombstone Crusher', right to her head! Akane was knocked to the ground with a scream of pain…

The announcer's voice blasted through the home, "KO! Kamikage wins!"

At the edge of the forest, Raven and her captive came to a stop. The modern kunoichi unceremoniously dropped Lilith Rochefort onto the ground. The Monegasque heiress struggled to free herself but it was to no avail. She was bound in a 'Chinese finger trap'-like binding; the more she struggled, the tighter it got. Raven walked away slightly, and placed her hand to her ear as she made a call…

"You're … very powerful…" Akane said as she rose, "I've … never faced anyone … like you…"

Kamikage remained silent, simply falling back into his trance and fighting position… For Akane, fear started to creep through her and settle in her entire body. She began to fear the older Nodachi despite only being in his presence for a short time. There was just something about, something off, something … dark. All in all, he just exuded a scary and dangerous vibe. Nevertheless, she steeled herself. She was resolved not to quit, pushing her aside, and got back into fighting stance.

The announcer's voice rang out, "Round 2! Fight!"

Knowing she couldn't go straight on with him, Akane took a less direct approach: 'Stancing around' as taught by her sensei Ling Xiaoyu. She began using her many stances and special movements to avoid and dodge all attacks. Using 'Rain Dance', 'Cartwheel', 'Front Layout', 'Back Layout', and 'Hypnotist', she skillfully and nimbly started avoiding and attacking from all angles, doing Xiaoyu proud. Kamikage took damage due to the mere effectiveness of the techniques. The older Nodachi however was not disturbed or faltered. He rarely staggered, and didn't break stance or even expression for that matter.

That's when his game plan turned from calculating to brutal. He started leveling and pummeling Akane with his most powerful strings like 'Rampaging Demon', 'Demon's Wrath', 'Spinning Demon to Left Hook', 'Agony Spear', and 'Impaling Knee Twin Thrust'. The red-haired Hirano suffered, and took a vicious beating. She pulled upon every reserve she had and fought up over and over again… but the older Nodachi only rocked her over and over again. Her fears, after all, were unfounded. Kamikage was savage, unfeeling, and just like his eyes, cold and empty.

Finally and mercifully, it ended. As Akane attacked, Kamikage blocked, grabbed her from behind, and sadistically drove his knee into her back with 'Gates of Hell'. Akane's body went limp from the insane impact, but the older Nodachi wasn't finished. Without lost of motion, Kamikage swung around to her left, grabbing her ankle on the way, and whipped her over his shoulder with impressive force, slamming her with 'Steel Pedal Drop'. The impact rattled the floor and rang through the house. Akane could only muster a gasp of pain…

The announcer's voice reverberated through the house, "KO! Kamikage Nodachi wins! Please advance to the next round!"

Akane was down, nearly motionless and in too much pain to move or sense much of anything. All she could feel was the cold floor under her. Kamikage stood over her unaffectedly when something pierced his trance: a call came into his phone.

Kamikage answered it and he walked off, "Hello… Yes, I … Wait; what? … What do you mean you lost her? How could you lose her? … No. No! No excuses! Find her now! In the meantime … I have a back-up plan…"

The older Nodachi set his sights on the motionless Akane with evil designs… He took out his knife … and flicked it open.

Kamikage said under his breath as he very slowly stalked up to her, "Well, my dear… I wasn't going to do this at first, but… this might the best course. After all… You are their closest friend; one of their hearts even rest with you… Let's make sure your hair isn't the only thing on you that's red…"

Kamikage came into position when something else impeded him: another call…

Kamikage hastily answered, upset at being deterred, "What is it… I can't hear you; are you in a helicopter? … You did WHAT? … No, that's … That's excellent! … Alright, just continue on, but wash up first … I can always count on you. That's amazing!"

Raven let out a brief gasp over the phone. Meanwhile, Lilith wiggled her head and neck until she managed to get the gag out of her mouth…

Confused, Lilith asked her captor, "Why did you tell that guy I got away from you?"

"You're not part of my mission…" Raven said absently before getting back to business, "But that's not important now. There's somewhere I need to take you…"

The modern kunoichi walked over and pressed a spot on Lilith's neck, causing the Monegasque heiress to open her mouth involuntarily and allowing her to reapply the gag. Placing the heiress on her shoulders, Raven lifted Lilith back up, and leapt off into the night with most haste…

Kamikage, his face twisted in a disturbing grin, said again, "How fortunate for you. You get to live after all… Too bad I can't say the same for one of your friends."

The older Nodachi put away his knife and began to leave, but, in the middle, he couldn't help himself. He broke into an evil, maniacal cackle, his troubling laugh resonating. At that moment, the house actually rattled, even the haunted dwelling shuddering from it….

End Chapter

A/N: And there we go. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it. I hope you come back next time when the story takes serious turn. Thanks again for reading, I hope you liked it, and I hope you come back to read more. Please R&R, and, as always, Rant, Rave, and Review.