Disclaimer: I don't own Tekken

A/N: Greetings. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy it. This chapter is pretty short, but think of it as a … prelude to the final battle. Again, I hope you enjoy it. And here … we … go:

The King of Iron Fist Tournament 8: VIII for Vendetta

Sins of the Fathers

Echoes of the Past

The twins stirred awake, the cold ground underneath them oddly clean. Trying to move was out of the question as their hands and legs were shackled behind them. They looked around only to find a dimly-lit room with a large glass window on the wall. Finally, they spotted each other…

Haku asked, his voice hoarse and hushed, "Jun-chan… you're here too?"

Jun, her voice also rough and muted, said, "Haku-kun… It's me; but just where is 'here'?"

Haku let out a groan as he said, "No idea… But did you see that truck that hit me? I feel like one ran me over, then backed up, and ran over me again."

"Yeah, I'm pretty beat up too."

"How did we get here?"

"I don't know. All I remember is starting my fight and then… nothing. How about you?"

"I don't even remember the fight. Just that cage lowering and a big blank."

Finally, a voice said, "You've both awakened at last…"

The twins looked up, and saw Kamikage standing in front of them with his back turned. He stood under a giant screen, a computer console in front of him.

Jun accused him, "It's you. So you did have something to do with that attack!"

Kamikage said without turning around, "True, but don't worry. You are the guests of honor."

"What are you talking about?" Haku said, "Where did you bring us?"

Kamikage replied, again not turning, "It's not about where you are; It's where I'm taking you."

Jun angrily said, "That's enough. Just what is your problem with us? What do you want from us?"

"I want you …" Kamikage said as his voice broke mid-sentence and he continued half-crazed, "To pay. I want to make you pay for the crimes your family has committed against me, particularly your grandfather."

Haku asked in upset confusion, "You mean you almost killed our cousin … to hurt us because of what our grandfather did?"

Jun said, distressed as well, "You're out of your mind. Do you even know what you almost took from us?"

Breaking completely, Kamikage spun around and expressed madly, 'Taken from you? TAKEN FROM YOU? What about what was taken FROM ME? Your grandfather … killed my parents when I was just a boy, and I died with them all that time ago. Sadly, your grandfather died before I had a chance to do … ANYTHING! MY WHOLE LIFE WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM ME! So, just like my future was stolen from me, I'm going to destroy your future … permanently and your family's with it!"

Remembering one of his matches she saw earlier, Jun pointed out as she realized, "Wait. That style you use… I thought it looked familiar. Our aunt showed me the exact same style; my mother told me it belonged to my grandfather… If you're so against him, why do you use martial art?"

A crazed grin emerged as he explained, "What better way to kill a monster… then with its own way of fighting?"

Haku protested enthusiastically, "We're not monsters. And our grandfather might have been ruthless all around, but he wasn't a monster…"

Kamikage madly reacted, "OH REALLY? Then, what do you call this?"

He slammed on the console, and a video played, of a laboratory evacuation. It cut to surveillance of a chamber where a man rose from a bed and promptly killed a female scientist. The man had the distinctive crest of hair on the back of his head. The footage cut to a hallway where the man went through a disturbing change. His whole body turned a violent purple. He grew a pair of huge bat-like wings. Horns sprout out from his head. His nails grew, and a third eye emerged. He turned into a monster, a fiend in true form. The footage cut to a Tekken Force Solider engaging him, his bullets glancing off, and the man-turned-demon kills him.

The twins watched on petrified, mystified, and in terror. The video was a gruesome set of events in grisly detail. Neither made it through the whole thing; both looked away and hid their eyes…

Kamikage madly said, "That man was Kazuya Mishima, your grandfather!"

Haku said in disbelief, "No… way. How could he…"

"It's simple: The Devil Gene … the same gene you two possess, the same curse you bear."

Haku asked in confusion, "The … devil gene?"

Kamikage mockingly reacted, "Oh, you didn't know? I guess your family was protecting you by not informing you… How pathetic! It won't change what you are."

Jun adamantly dissented, "No! We're not … that. We're not!"

Kamikage's crazed grin returned as he continued, "Maybe not yet, but there's no denying you have it. You both fell under its influence in your previous matches. Granted, it was a rather miniscule amount obviously, but the evidence is undeniable…"

The twins were shaken speechless by the waking nightmare they found themselves in. They scared by what they saw on the video, and what it meant for their family … their friends … themselves. They were frightened by what they felt and the questions about everyone they loved that now existed. Worse yet, it all fit, and now they understood all the anger and pain that came over him.

Kamikage ominously continued, "Where you're going is what A.N.G.E.L. is all about: Annihilating the New Generation the Evil has Lain. That means you…" He began slowly approaching them, his crazed grin growing to an insane smile, "I've waited for this day for so long! And now it's finally here. I'm going to enjoy killing you both and spilling your cursed blood so much!"

"No." Jun said, "You won't win. You won't get away with this."

Haku added, "We've got more friends and family then you know. They'll find you!"

Kamikage went from ecstatic to livid instantly, "SHUT THE F- UP!"

The older Nodachi backed up his anger and reacted violently. With a step, he punt-kicked Haku in the mouth, and punched Jun across the chin! He proceeded to grab and lift them to their knees by their throats.

Kamikage raved frantically, "This isn't a game. This isn't a movie. This isn't some fairytale. I'm not going to put you in some machine and walk away. NO! I'm going to personally destroy you both and watch … every … last … drop of life leave your eyes until you're just a pair of empty shells… Then, just for fun, I'm going to beat your lifeless bodies into a pair of stains on the walls and floor…" He let out a maniacal cackle of sick glee, "This is going to be so perfect. Are you ready?"

Suddenly, truly unexpected cavalry arrived as Ryunosuke sprinted into the room. He grabbed his brother and pulled him back. Kamikage madly persisted, wresting and flailing, but the younger Nodachi managed to get him all the way back to the console, putting himself between his brother and the twins…

Kamikage hysterically ranted, seeming to not register it's his brother, "LET ME GO! GET AWAY! I'M NOT FINISHED YET!"

Ryunosuke held fast, pleading, "Nii-san, please! Control yourself! Think about what you're doing!"

Kamikage resisted and raved madly, "I WILL GET THEM! LET ME GO!"

Ryunosuke pleaded, "Kamikage-san, you have to stop. Don't you see what this has done to you?"

Kamikage seemed to calm slightly as he said in near delirium, "Them… So close… Our parents… They must pay… Monsters… Our parents…"

Ryunosuke entreated his brother in the most calming tone he could manage, "I know; I'm sorry I didn't see it sooner. You took it so hard. But you have to stop this obsession; it's tearing you apart. Please, nii-san, for me, for yourself…"

Meanwhile, Haku saw a nearby fire extinguisher and maneuvered himself to get it, preparing it behind its back as a precaution. Ryunosuke, on the other hand, seemed to be successful. Kamikage started to breathe more slowly and regular. His eyes reduced to normal size. The tension in his body eased…

Kamikage said, seemingly at ease, "You're … You're right. I-I just … let this get out of hand. I … need to compose myself… I think I'll just…"

Instantly, the older Nodachi exploded into immediate violent action. He smashed Ryunosuke's head into the console … twice! Finally, he threw his younger brother through the glass window into the next room. The twins, however, felt shackles come undone. The attack had actually disabled the security lock. Being smart, they acted as if nothing happened, waiting for the right moment.

Kamikage said in a craze with false cordiality, "You'll have to excuse my brother. He's rather naïve, doesn't really have the stomach for this sort of thing… Now, where was I? What was I saying?"

Taking the opportunity, Haku jumped up, "I don't know; did it sound like this?"

Haku quickly blasted Kamikage with almost half the contents of the fire extinguisher, and then smashed the older Nodachi in the face with the heavy red canister. Jun jumped up as well, and added her own countermeasure, thrusting him back with a 'Blade Kick' all the way into the console…

More angered by being blinded, Kamikage raged behind the cloud of smoke, "Why you little… When I get my hands on you two … I'll tear you apart."

Haku simply dropped the extinguisher, and the twins made a break for it…

Wave of the Future

After several minutes, Kamikage finally cleared his head, cleared his eyes, and found his way out of the cloud only to see the twins gone. The older Nodachi went ballistic. His breathing became heavy once more. His pupils again shrunk to miniature size. His body again trembled with loathing and hatred. Mitsuko and Dragunov quickly came in…

Mitsuko asked with concern, "Kamikage-san… We heard crashing. Are you alright? What happened?"

Kamikage said as he bolted out of the door, "Come on. THEY'RE GETTING AWAY!"

Mitsuko and Dragunov sprinted after him, and all three A.N.G.E.L. members headed for the roof. Meanwhile, the twins made it out of the building and found two motorcycles parked there: one red with a dragon painted on it and a purple one with a phantom painted on it, the keys and helmets with them. Without a moment's thought, they jumped on, put on the helmets and took off.

They didn't get very far without incident. Very soon, they heard loud buzzing over head that got louder … and louder … and louder… When they finally looked up, they saw just what it was: Kamikage, Dragunov, and Mitsuko giving chase from above in the helicopter! The twins raced through the surprisingly barren streets, but they just couldn't shake their pursuers. They tried tunnels, back roads, and alleys, but to no avail. In fact, with its sonar and thermal equipment, the chopper was made for this. It also didn't help that the bikes had GPS on them. The Kazamas ducked into an abandoned alley as the chopper hovered over them…

Haku frantically said, "Oh, man; We are so dead."

Jun said, "Tell me about it. It's like there's nowhere we can go."

Haku offered as he had an idea, "Wait… Maybe there is someplace. I've got an idea."

Jun picked on the thought, "Cool. We'll split up, and I'll find and follow you."

"Let's do it!"

The twins split up in opposite directions. The chopper was lost in the confusion, but quickly found and followed one of them. The twins rejoined on the highway, the copter right on their heels. Suddenly, there was a loud noise, the sound of music. The song went from muffled to blaring:

You can hide your eyes, you can dim the lights, but they are watching

This is a new time, with a different kind, they are the future

The only one

The twins sped up as it meant their destination was close…

Just leave the place behind

I'll grill your place, don't mind

And you're only one 'cuz you're up on defense

This is a new way!

Finally, they saw where it came from: a large open air arena with bright light shining in the night sky.

When all your fears combine, the fighting was refined

And I know you really tried to understand

This is the new age!

The twins came to their location, dropping the bikes and running inside…

Haku asked mid-sprint, "What time is it?"

Jun checked quickly, "Um… 8:55pm. Why?"

Haku grinned saying, "Hah! Good! That means we're not late."

In the chopper, Kamikage ordered, "Lower this thing! Stay here while I go after them."

Without thinking or looking, Kamikage jumped out and ran after them. The twins continued on their way, until Haku found the door he was looking for…

Ecstatic, Haku exclaimed, "Excellent! This is it!"

Jun happily said, "I have to admit. This was brilliant."

"It happens." Haku said, "Now, go find the reserved section. You'll be safe there."

"But, how do I find it?"

Haku calmly said, "Just ask around. Get there and you're home free."

Jun worriedly asked, "But, what about you?"

Haku calmly reassured her, "Don't worry. I'll be fine, at least as much as I can be, where I'm going."

Jun tenderly hugged him with worry, "I love you, Haku-kun. Be safe."

Haku hugged her back saying, "I love you too. Now, go. It's about to start."

Jun ran off as Haku went in the door… Kamikage continued in pursuit, scrambling madly and running through huge hallways. Losing track, he approached a passerby…

Kamikage asked as cordially as he could muster, "Excuse me, sir, do you…"

The bystander quickly answered, "Of course. Just down this hall. They're waiting for you."

The older Nodachi didn't question it, and went running. On his way, he was getting odd assistance as people pointed him in the right direction… Finally, he reached a door, and quickly opened it up... He stopped immediately when he saw what was on the other side, dumbfounded as he knew he'd been duped.

Stunned, Kamikage thought to himself incredulously, "GAH… N-No… This is … impossible!"

End Chapter