Kusanagi's Wrath (For King of Fighters)

~Chapter Twelve: Alive but Dead Inside~

'I'm tired of his twisted games... this time, he will die by my hands...' Kyo thought as he ran with his allies to the construction site, his flaming fists burning with hate and rage as he did so.

'Kusanagi, you sick fucking bastard... I will have no regrets in sending you to your death tonight...'

Meanwhile...

"Oh god! Please don't leave me like this!" Emi cried, now in total fear. The young heiress didn't like heights, and especially since she had a strong chain link tightly wrapped around her body, hanging her from the 30th unfinished story, and ready to be dropped to her death at Kusanagi's will... was truly not an exception.

"Let me go, you carbon-copy bastard!"

"Is that any way to talk to your master, Miss Emi?"

"Fuck you!"

"My, someone has a foul mouth tonight... should I shut it up by releasing you to heaven...?" Kusanagi said as Emi said nothing in response.

"Maybe I should shut you up by sending you back to Hell." Kyo said in a venomous tone.

"Master Kyo..."

"Emi... why the hell does this fucker have you hanging there?"

"I'm conducting a little experiment... we'll see if your little 'rescue attempt' works this time around."

"You and your filthy plans..." is what the Kusanagi heir silently whispered as his clone simply smirked.

"You and your mouth... you talk a lot of shit but you don't have the fists to back yourself up."

Kyo said nothing in response, letting his flames die out and he simply sighed.

'He's right...'

"Do you see...? You have no hope in defeating me or saving the one that you dearly love. Face it, Kyo... you are worthless."

"Master Kyo! Don't listen to him! You have to believe in yourself!"

"...Emi's right... I know that I'm not god or anything like that... but I have proved to myself and to the world that I have strength... and now... I will prove it to you!" the Kusanagi heir said as his fists began to glow with flames that were even stronger than before, ignited with passion instead of rage.

"Ikuze... kono jiekshiume. (Let's go... you fucker.)"

"You never cease to amuse me." the clone said as his fists were ignited with flames as well.

"Yeah, well enjoy the upcoming show that you're involved in, bitch." Kyo said and smirked as he launched a deadly wave of fire which his clone simply avoided and countered with a side kick which was easily blocked.

"Why don't you give up now, Kyo? It will save you a lot of trouble... and your life."

"Look who's talking shit now." the Kusanagi heir said and struck his opponent with a flaming punch, pushing him back a few feet and leaving a small line of blood as a result on his fist.

"Heh... it's about time that you have actually made me draw some blood..."

"And next, I'll make you draw some of your teeth."

"Thanks for the smart-assed comment." Kusanagi said in a menacing tone as he responded with a flaming uppercut, sending Kyo in the air a few feet before he painfully landed on his back.

"Kuso... (Shit...)" the Kusanagi heir groaned as he struggled to get up, then he began to cough up blood as soon as his clone firmly planted his foot into his chest.

"Come on... I thought that you were stronger than that..." the clone said and smirked as he pressed his foot even deeper, causing a loud cry to emit from Kyo's mouth.

"So... are you ready to die?"

"Yes... but you're going first!" Kyo said as his body began to glow with flames, then he retaliated with a sweeping kick, sending his opponent to the hard wooden floor.

And while the two began to trade hard and rapid blows, Miyuki somehow managed to slip to the high story and was now tinkering with the controls.

'Okay... I shouldn't make one wrong move...'

And much to the sporty girl's dismay, the loud sound of the machinery had caught Kusanagi's attention.

"Heh... I get to exterminate another worthless piece of shit." the clone said as he launched a surprise side kick which had caused Kyo to lose his balance and had left him hanging for his life. Then he snuck behind the unsuspecting Miyuki and slipped an arm around her neck.

"Okay, you bastard... what do you want from me?"

"I want you to never try that 'heroine' shit again, because what you just did will cost you dearly."

'Oh, no... he really is going to kill me...' Emi thought as Kusanagi forcefully shoved Miyuki forward, causing her to press the release button unintentionally.

"Oh my god! Emi!" is what the sporty girl screamed as soon as she noticed that her best friend was plunging to her death...

And Kyo forgot all about himself and began to focus on saving his loved one by letting go and diving right after her...

As soon as he had her in his arms, he lightly smiled and told her to brace herself for what was about to happen next...

Someone must have been looking down on them, and thanks to their luck, a dumpster that was full of trash managed to break their fall.

"Emi... are you okay?" is what the Kusanagi heir silently whispered.

"Y...yes..." came the Tsuki heiress' shaky response, then she lightly sighed as she noticed that Shingo and Benimaru, who was carrying an unconsious Miyuki, were running towards them.

"Nikaido-san... what happened to her?"

"Kusanagi knocked her cold, then he threw her off. After that, he just disappeared somewhere."

"Shit... that fucking bastard..." Kyo said through clenched teeth, then he cried out in pain.

"Master Kyo! What's wrong?" Shingo and Emi cried as they immediately tended to him.

"My right arm's broken. Damn..." the Kusanagi heir mumbled as he struggled to get out of the dumpster with Emi's assistance.

"Shingo... do me a favor and get the girls home."

"Okay." is what the young fanboy said as he was given the keys once again.

"Yeah, but what about you, Kyo?" Benimaru asked in a concerned tone.

"You're coming with me."

"Fine. At least we don't have to worry about you getting slaughtered by Kusanagi..."

"And that shit won't happen, Beni." Kyo lightly said as he used his working arm to support his broken one, walking with his best friend to head out to the nearest hospital.

'Why do I feel so dead inside...? I feel like I have failed in protecting the one who I truly love... like I don't deserve to live anymore.'

And while this was happening, a certain shadowed figure smirked to himself, his twisted flames were glowing brightly...

'Don't worry... I'll be sure to help you with that, Kyo...'

~end of chapter twelve~