Disclaimer: I don't own The King of Fighters…

A/N: Hello, fellow readers and writers. Thank you for reading, and I hope you like it. I've been a way for a while, but I'm back to continue the series. For those new to the story, you'll be caught up soon. But first, we'll catch up with the Big Bad and his new posse. And here … we … go:

The King of Fighters XV

Worth Reverse

Walking with his two 'cohorts' of the past year, Ash found himself in rather unfamiliar attire: a ruby red business suit and a black dress shirt, his hair hanging untied. His company, Vice and Mature, were more accustomed, however: both in black suits, Mature in white blouse and Vice in a dark red blouse. All three were making their way through a medium-size office building toward what Ash called a 'meeting'. Halfway through, Ash began looking them over and darting his eyes between them, as if eyeing them over to figure something out.

Noticing, Vice questioned, "What's your problem? What are you looking at?"

Ash replied without stopping his look, "Ladies, there's something puzzling about you that I can't figure out."

Mature harshly said, "Haven't you noticed? There are a lot of things mysterious about us … just like you."

Ash continued, "I simply don't understand how you went from Iori to that other one in just a year."

Vice responded, giving him a look, "Are you out of your mind? What do you mean 'a year'?"

Intrigued, Ash asked further, "You don't remember being in the 13th competition?"

Mature said out of confusion, "We don't know what you're talking about? Last year was our first time back."

With a nod, Ash took a mental note, and grew a slight smirk as he let the matter go. Finally, they reached their destination, a tall castle-sized door, and Ash wasted no time going in. Mature and Vice started in after him, but Ash quickly popped his head out to stop them.

"You know, I think it would be best if you two stayed out here."

"For what?" Vice said in protest.

With thinly-veiled insincerity, Ash offered, "Well, I need you to guard the door, make sure no one interrupts the meeting. Also, if all of us go in, we might scare him, and I would prefer him not intimidated."

Silently and begrudgingly, Vice and Mature conceded, Ash giving them an insolent sneering smirk. This 'handling' on Ash's part was a rather common occurrence, and it was nothing short of infuriating for the both of them. Mostly, it was a variety of little things such as barging in on them without regret and name-calling. Often, he would call them things such 'Vicegrip' or 'imMature', and often would address them by their ages if the passage of time actually applied to them, 39 and 40. All these annoyances together made for constant tests of their patience and, that not being their strong suits, for two rather livid women.

"Thank you. I promise this won't take long." Ash said as he ducked back into the room.

Mature and Vice, stuck at the door, stood at either side of it as they stood 'guard'. Soon, Mature began to stare off mindlessly as she became lost in thought.

Vice inquired as she tried to quell her boredom, "What are you thinking so hard about over there?"

Mature replied without thinking, "Chicken soup…"

Vice asked with great confusion at the 'random' answer, "What? That's what you want or something?"

Mature replied with a slight hint of regret, "Yeah, but it won't be what I want. It won't be … his."

Incredulous, Vice exclaimed, "You can't be serious. You're not really thinking about that kid?"

Mature quickly said in her own defense, "Oh, come on, I know you're enjoying that about as much as I am, this being a subservient lackey all over again…" She continued as Vice grew silent, "Anyway, it doesn't matter. That bridge is burned now."

An hour later, Ash emerged with a portfolio in hand…

The Sneering Blaze said in a slight hurry, "I got what we came here for. Let us take our leave, shall we?"

Ash hurriedly started off, with Vice and Mature close behind, wondering why he's walking so fast. They eventually made their way out of a back door … only to find they had company. There were about 30 men seemingly waiting for them, most of them armed with bats, clubs, knives, chains, etc. In the middle stood a really tall one, obviously the boss. The horde quickly surrounded the three and prepared to attack.

The boss sternly said, "You three thin you can steal from me? I hope it was worth dying for … 'cuz now we're going to cut you into so many pieces they'll have to glue you back together in Hell. Boys, let's carve these fish."

Ash yawned nonchalantly, saying, "Well, my seasoned veterans, I'm off."

Mature exclaimed in disbelief, "Wait a second; where are you going?"

Ash insouciantly replied, "You know me. I don't like to put up a big effort."

"Why, you little…" Vice said, livid.

Ash quickly and calmly responded, "Now, now, don't fret. I'll be back for you … after you've sorted out this little mess." He gave a brief wave as he began to disappear, saying, "Au Revoir…"

Mature angrily yelled as Ash disappeared completely, "Hey, come back here!"

With no time to do anything further, Mature dispatched the first attacker with one swipe of her hand, slashing the guy across the chest. For a knee-jerk reaction, Mature oddly felt the move go in slow-motion: she felt her hand slice through his flesh like a hot knife through water… she felt the blood rush into his wound… she felt the crimson liquid fly out of his body and covered his arm…

Seconds later, Vice had a similar experience with the second attacker. She grabbed the man's head and drove it backward in to the pavement, crushing the man's skull. Just like her colleague, the whole event seemed to go in slow motion for her: She felt the recoil from the impact travel up to her shoulder… She felt the man's skull crack and shatter under her hands… She heard every bit of the blood-curdling sound, which to her was something like the breaking of a huge eggshell. The common thread was that they had just done something that they hadn't done since waking… They had killed once more.

The next moments were a flurry of slices and slams, a chorus of slashed bodies and broken bones. The men's earlier yells of anger and aggression turned into screams of horror and pain. The two partners craved a bloody swath through the lot, leaving their bodies strewn about. Finally came the boss' turn. Without hesitation, Vice crushed his bones with a slam, and Mature slashed him open, slaughtering him. The carnage over, Mature and Vice were left surrounded by bodies and covered in blood. Suddenly, the last of their missing memories rushed back, triggered amidst the devastation. The two fell to their knees as their temples throbbed from the process. Ash, with the action now past, finally reappeared…

The Sneering Blaze let out a long whistle as he surveyed the scene, and mildly applauded, "Good work. A little wild and very messy, buy you definitely got the point across."

Vice quickly rose and angrily grabbed Ash's jacket, raving, "What was that? Who the he— do you think you are? I should…"

"Okay, first of all…" Within an instant, Ash let out a huge column of green flames around himself, a 'Sans-Culottes', blasting Vice to the ground, and casually continued in apathy to the damage he just caused, "Back up a tad, 39. There's no need to get handsy. You did pass this little trial, after all."

"Trial…?" Mature reacted in disbelief and anger, "So, this was all some sort of test?"

Ash nonchalantly answered with a hint of pride, "Right you are, 40. I mean, you were associated with my latest target for years before now; I had to test your loyalty somehow. Plus, I hadn't pulled a scheme like that in some time. I was starting to forget how fun they are."

Vice, her disbelief and anger only growing, reacted, "You set us up … as some sort of game? Like we're your d- pets or something?"

Ash nonchalantly continued, "Oh, it sounds so nasty when you say it like that. But yes and no. I did get what I came here for, a cherry on top of the whole thing…"

"Let me see that." Vice said as she grabbed the folder out of his hand. After an once-over, she reacted, "An abandoned warehouse? All of that was for a piece of crap?"

Ash replied as he took the portfolio back, "It might be now, but wait until I put my own touch on it. In fact, we'll head there now … after you both clean up of course."

Considering the matter closed, Ash started off, but Vice and Mature stayed frozen in place. Obviously, they still livid over being used; they might've even attacked if they weren't slightly spent. Ash quickly stopped when he noticed them not near him.

"Come on, ladies," he said, barely turning around, "We don't to be found after such an ordeal."

The two had no other option, and so begrudgingly continued on with Ash. Sometime later and after they were a good ways away, Mature and Vice decided to flex their newly returned memory as if to make sure they didn't lose it again.

"That question you asked us earlier… We have on answer now." Mature spoke.

Greatly intrigued, Ash exclaimed, "Oh, this I want to hear. Please share."

Mature explained from memory, "We are Hakkeshu, servants of Orochi… When we die, we don't go to Heaven or Hell like regular humans. We are simply reincarnated…"

Vice continued, "After Iori attacked us, we started to be reborn … but we didn't die; we were saved just in time … by him. Unfortunately, the transition had already begun, and a part of our souls had already left our bodies."

Mature picked it up, "What you saw were actually those lost pieces of us. All that time in between was how long it took for them to take physical form. Right after that tournament was over, we were already awake, so those living shadows returned to us, adding the power they'd gained on the way."

Vice added, "That's why we're so much stronger than we were in '96."

Ash, now sporting a wide, disturbing grin, responded, "My, my, what a fascinating story. Now, was it so hard to tell me that before?"

Vice bluntly retorted, "Yeah, especially since we didn't know all of that until fifteen minutes ago."

Mature went on to conjecture, "I don't think it's a coincidence either… We haven't killed anyone since we woke up, until just now of course."

His smug smile persisting, Ash offered, "Well, I'm glad I could've been of some help."

Mature spoke to Vice, "It's all back now.. and I guess we should be use to this treatment by now. Compared to the others, this is all business as usual."

"All … except one…" Vice pointed out with the slightest hint of regret. Realizing what was happening to them, she expressed, "Great. Now, I'm thinking about him too. This needs to stop; that whole thing is over. This…" She paused for a moment as what she was about to say sunk in, and continued with oddly pained resolution, "This … is what we have now…"

End Chapter

A/N: There we have it; one chapter down. Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it. Next time, we catch up to our heroes, and see what new things have developed for them. Again, thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it, and I sincerely hope you come back for more. Please R&R, and, as always, Rant, Rave, and Review.