“Kill me…kill me before it’s too late…” Asuka groaned, she was lying in the hotel bed with Lili next to her trying to massage her bruises down with a salve.

Asuka suddenly awoke to see her blonde haired friend and then realized that she was naked—Asuka grabbed the covers to Lili’s surprise and cried, “What the hell are you doing!”

“You’re welcome…now stay still, the stiffness seems to be wearing away if you were able to grab the sheets so fast; we’re both girls, its nothing I haven’t seen before,” Lili replied.

“What happened?” Asuka asked calming down.

“You know what happened; you knocked Mr. Marduk unconscious after he put you through the floor…hmm, new tattoo?” Lili said noticing a small tribal tattoo on Asuka’s stomach around her bellybutton. The tattoo was gold and Lili traced it with her index finger, then applied more salve and rubbed it into Asuka’s skin.

“What new tattoo?” Asuka looked at the gold freeform symbol and looked to Lili in shock and mumbled… “So…that’s it…”

“Pardon?” Lili asked.

“Nothing; thank you Lili…uh, Miss. De Rochefort,” Asuka said calmly.

“So it’s Miss now?” Lili said.

“You always called me Miss. Kazama…um; you really helped me, so thanks. What happened to Phoenix?” Asuka said.

“Oh, well, he carried you all the way back here and put you on the bed, I paid for some drinks for him as thanks and that’s that. I must say, he might be a raunchy cuckoo, but he isn’t all that bad. Oh, and I hung your uniform in the closet, lucky you, no blood got on it, we really do need to take you shopping for clothes though…” Lili started to say, but was interrupted by Asuka who said, “Lili, thank you…please don’t tell anyone about the gold tattoo ok?”

“Why yes darling Asuka, I won’t tell a soul,” Lili replied, then said, “Come, I think you need a bath, I have something you can soak in that will relieve the nerve pain as the salve has; this will be a bit better…and all girls like a nice hot bath.”

Asuka agreed and as Lili prepared the bath, she looked at the gold tattoo on her stomach and softly said, “It’s supposed to be black…”

*****

In the morning, Asuka had washed the yellow out of her hair and brushed out her brown locks in a feather and dressed in her red vinyl bodysuit costume that matched the pink along with the blue and another that remained in the closet. Her boots and gauntlets were red and black and her halter was black. The faux leather inserts of her bodysuit were also black and she put it on fully raising the zipper above her belly button this time, it looked odd above the black nylon web belt but no one could see the gold tribal, no one.

Asuka looked in the mirror in the sleeping area and turned to make sure there was nothing appearing on her arms, the last thing she wanted was to choose another costume or possibly a traditional outfit to fight. Like the other bodysuits, there was the large flying bird in black and white on her upper back.

There was a knock at the door and Asuka opened it to see Lili wearing a red silk and lace suit and boots, her long, straight blonde hair was over her shoulders.

Good morning Miss. Kazama, I see you’ve chosen red today—we match, always a different look, and you even took the yellow out of your hair early.  Feeling better?” Lili said cheerfully.

“Yes, I feel much better, it seems that Marduk didn’t leave any long lasting damage,” Asuka replied, but she also thought deep inside that all the application of salve and soaks were pointless…it was the gold tribal that probably healed her…

“So, shall we, we can’t keep Mr. Law waiting…at the auto show–you know how men are when it comes to cars, you don’t want him to bail out and you win by default; I know you want to give him a good pummeling!” Lili said.

Asuka tried to smile, and she left the hotel with Lili and they made their way to the convention room where the car show was being held…it was also the grounds for her next fight. Asuka had to try and stay calm, the golden tribal was making her want to kill or be killed…she knew that she was mumbling something about wanting to die “before it was too late” before she awoke…why didn’t Lili say anything to her about it?

*****

Asuka wanted to pass on the cameras, she usually had a big mouth and loved showboating, but she wasn’t up to it, she just wanted to fight and get it over with, so all she replied to the reporters was that she would try not to break anything.

Asuka could feel the hardness of the carpeted cement floor under her feet and when she walked on it, her boots soles would make a clumping sound; she knew if Law took her to the floor she would be screwed; she didn’t want a repeat of last nights crippling blow by Craig Marduk.

Asuka and Lili could see Marshall Law and Paul Phoenix talking together after the reporters had left Law to prepare for recording. Phoenix looked up and Asuka waved thanks to him with a smile and he nodded.

Asuka got into position in the center of a display of costly automobiles, each glistened with a heavy wax finish and shiny chrome, she knew that they might become part of the battleground; there was nothing like being thrown into a car, she had done it to others on many occasions, and possibly she would now find out what it was like.

Law came over and stood across from her and said, “So kid, Paul took you to an underground fight last night and you knocked out Craig Marduk, well, good for you, but I’m not a brainless monster like him and I won’t go easy on you.”

“That’s what I’m hoping for, so don’t be afraid to hit me just because I’m a girl…just remember the name Asuka Kazama when you wake up in the hospital,” Asuka replied with her usual confidence.

Law grinned and the announcer called, “Marshall Law versus Asuka Kazama! Fight!”

Asuka quickly ran at Law with a palm thrust and sent him flying into the side of a car putting a dent into the door, he was in a little shock that she got the drop on him, but quickly recovered and using his legs he began his assault on Asuka and took her off her feet. She was getting angered now and backed up and said, “Come and get me!”

Law obliged and came at her quickly and she performed a back-flip kick knocking him into another car; however, the damage was less this time. Law wasn’t going to be discouraged and the two fighters could hear the cheers of the crowd around them, so Marshall grabbed hold of Asuka by her open bodysuit and tossed her onto the hood of a large luxury car and she cried out in pain as her body dented the metal—now she knew how it felt when she did this to others.

Asuka got up and began a barrage of kicks and finally back-flipped again sending Law to the concrete floor with the thin carpet being the only padding.

The ninety nine seconds had passed and Asuka won the round, just barely. The announcer called, “Round Two…FIGHT!”

Asuka looked down quickly as Law got back on his feet and saw the gold tribal tattoo becoming larger as though it were climbing up her stomach and she zipped up her bodysuit to her halter and went at Law with her eyes becoming golden from brown. Every time Asuka’s punches and kicks made contact with Law’s body he let out a groan…she could tell that her strength had become unnatural…the Devil was coming out…why was it gold?

Law turned the tables out of desperation more than skill and he began wailing on Asuka with lightning fast kicks and punches that even in her heightened state she could not stop. The crowd’s yelling and cheers became mute as Asuka hit the floor and her head bounced upon the hard carpeted cement. Law quickly went for a finishing blow; dropping to his knees and raising his fist as time was called to the relief of Lili who could see Asuka starting to bleed from the assaults.

Asuka carefully got to her feet and her muscles began to tense up as they did after her fight with Marduk…she couldn’t believe that she lost the round! Asuka’s eyes were fully golden…not glowing as both Kazuya and Jin in their Devil forms, it was as though the natural color was washed out and replaced, no one noticed except Lili who looked at her friend concerned.

Asuka could hear Phoenix call out to Law, “Only one more round to go buddy and the match is yours, take her down!”

Asuka wiped the blood from her mouth with her right gauntlet and got into her fighting stance with her eyes focused on Law’s feet, she was going to…Law kicked up and she grabbed his leg and put him onto the ground, she then jammed the sole of her boot into the back of his knee and wrapped her right arm around his leg; Law was a veteran fighter, he knew the layout for a break…

“Hey kid! What are you doing!” Law cried.

“Law-San…you’re all show!” Asuka yelled and pulled back on Marshall’s leg, everyone could hear bones breaking over the cheers, Lili’s eyes widened in shock and Phoenix had a look of disbelief, but it wasn’t over yet. Asuka stood as Marshall Law screamed in pain, he knew that his upper or lower leg were separated from his knee joint, he was going to pass out from the horrendous pain, but Asuka wouldn’t let him, she lifted him up with unnatural strength and took him over her shoulders—there was no sweat coming from Asuka, she wasn’t straining in the least. Lili and Phoenix went through the guard ropes to stop Asuka but she quickly slammed Law’s head through the safety glass of the windshield of one of the more expensive cars, putting his lights out and for him to start bleeding profusely from the head. Law’s broken leg lay in a direction that it wasn’t capable of normally and the announcer cried, “The winner! Asuka Kazama!”

“What did you do!” Lili cried taking hold of Asuka.

Asuka looked at Lili with a cold stare and said, “I taught him his lesson for today.”

Lili backed off with wide eyes and the look of shock as Asuka walked away, Lili did not follow her this time.

“Hey, Kazama!” Phoenix yelled. “I’ll get you for this, this is unfair! Law is my buddy kid, I won’t let this rest!”

“Come get me!” Asuka yelled still making her way out of the showroom.

Lili walked over to Paul and said, “Mr. Phoenix, please, Miss. Kazama hasn’t been herself lately…”

“I’ll say, is she using something to make herself stronger, there is no way she could lift Marshall and have the strength to put him through the glass…But, that doesn’t mean that I’m letting her out of this; if we don’t meet in the tournament, then we’ll meet on the street; I’m sorry kid, but there’s honor at stake,” Phoenix replied.

They both looked to the doorway in which Asuka had left though…Lili had to find her and help her before it was too late, she couldn’t kill Asuka before it was too late, but she had to be able to help her…

*****

After pulling off her boots and gauntlets, Asuka opened the belt at her waist and unzipped her bodysuit, she could see the golden tribal fading away which scared her, she even pulled up her halter to see if it had formed on her chest…which it did. Asuka ran to the large mirror and looked at herself, she pulled down the upper half of the red bodysuit and then moved closer to the mirror and saw that her eyes were gold; a dark gold…they were also returning to normal.

“I don’t understand, Kazuya was born with the Devil Gene, he passed it to Jin, and that’s it…is this what Jun has? What the hell is happening to me? None of this makes sense…” Asuka said out loud and walked around the room nervously until there was a knock at the door. “Who is it?” She said.

“It’s Lili, Asuka, please open up, I want to make sure you’re all right,” Lili replied through the door.

Asuka pulled up the upper half of her bodysuit and zipped it over her halter top, she checked her eyes once again in the mirror and saw that they were mostly brown…okay; she could let Lili in…

Asuka opened the door and Lili looked at her sadly and said, “You went too far this time; Mr. Law has been taken to the hospital, he’ll be fine after some healing and rest, but you probably just made two enemies—Mr. Phoenix wants a match with you, in or outside of the tournament.”

Asuka looked at Lili emotionless and said, “You want to come in?”

Lili went to slap Asuka across her face, but even though the gold tribal was vanishing, she still had uncanny speed and grabbed her friend’s wrist and said, “I invited you in, do you want to come in or not?”

“Yes,” Lili said flatly.

“I need to show you something,” Asuka said closing the door, she then turned to Lili and pulled the zipper of her bodysuit down to her waist, there was still remnants of the gold tribal on her skin; the small one around her belly button was becoming brighter as the larger appearance was almost completely vanished.

“What is that?” Lili asked.

“I think I have the Devil Gene for some reason…it could be anything, it could have been put in me when I was born or before I was born or came into me or…” Asuka said nervously.

“It’ll be okay…calm down Asuka…there is only one group of people we can talk to about it, but I don’t know if either of us wants to deal with them. Maybe you can hold out until the end of the tournament…but, that does mean that you have to win. We can think of something together; however, have you talked to your Father?” Lili said.

“I don’t know if I want to concern him with it, he may not know anything, the Gene isn’t in a Kazama, it comes from a Mishima…I just don’t understand and I don’t know why it’s gold and not black…Anyhow, I guess I’ll meet with Phoenix tonight and we can duke it out, but I don’t think I can control what’s happening to me, so he probably will end up with the same fate as Law…I would apologize for going so far, but no one will listen, in this lifestyle you can make a lot of enemies and rivals and fight until you are both dead…” Asuka said.

Lili thought for a moment and then decided that she should change the subject for a moment and said, “I know who your next opponent is…its Nina Williams; you do know she kills people for a living right?”

“Yes, but I’m not worried; I might end up killing her. So, what should I wear for my fight with Phoenix tonight?” Asuka said.

“I wouldn’t worry about that right now, he won’t do anything dishonorably, even if he is crazy, he still lives by somewhat of a code, he’ll challenge you fairly; you don’t have to watch your back…Asuka…” Lili said taking Asuka in her arms; keeping her at length, “Everything will be fine, I’ll do what I can to help you, even if it means making an audience with Heihachi myself; but, you have to stop hurting people so severely, there has to be some control, just a knockout is needed to win; if you lose a round, don’t stress over it, you haven’t lost until the end, so don’t go out of control, promise me.”

“I’ll try, it’s the best I can promise, but there is little control over this as much as I try to fight it, it makes me want to do the things I’ve been doing. Thank you for standing by me Lili, “Asuka replied.

“That’s all you can do darling Asuka…” Lili said and smacked Asuka on her butt causing her to blush; but before she did anything rash, she calmly said to a smiling Lili, “Don’t do that.”

Now, coming to you weekly!  Next time on Tekken MZ, Asuka faces Nina Williams for an increased spot in the tournament that will lead her towards the semi-finals; will she be able to control the ‘Golden Devil’ or will she be overcome by its influence. Find out, next time on Tekken: Mishima Zaibatsu, part 4—Tekken Tuesday!

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