Some Nobody With a Creative Side

Hitting receive, “Yes,” he answered in a short tone.

“Um,” the attendant responded. Ken could feel them recoil through the phone, “Sorry Mr. Masters, but Mr. Hoshi is here. I directed him toward your office.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he said slightly more coolly, “sorry about snapping like that.”

The front desk agent hung up without saying anything before Ken could even apologize.

Fuck, Ken thought to himself, that is not going to help my rep around here.

Ken had been anxious for days regarding his interview for Operations Director.

By all reports he had made a great account for himself in the interview and was more than qualified.

He did his best not to get his hopes up, but the more he thought about it the more liked the idea of moving up.

Which made it more disappointing when he was called among the tops executives this morning.

His father was among them and eyed Ken warily as it was said.

And it didn’t help that most of the assembled executives seemed too gleeful with the news.

“It is with great regret we inform you Ken,” the youngest executive said, who seemed to be remorseful, “that we’ve decided to purse other candidates. It is the opinion of this committee that your abilities are best utilized as Food and Beverage Manager.”

Ken kept a good poker face as he was among them, but he left the board room with his fists clenched and a snarl on his lips.

He continued toward his office when his phone went off once more.

A text from a number not listed in his contacts but one that he recognized.

‘I’ve been on her for this whole week. And she’s done nothing to suggest she’s into any dirt. She’s gone by your officer friend’s condo, a restaurant on 5th street, the gym and another apartment belonging to her younger friend that works at the previously mentioned restaurant. You said your friend is INTERPOL and she’s saying Juri Han’s clean as well. I can stay on her if you want, but whatever you think she’s into she’s not showing it. That tells me either she’s really good at hiding it or she’s clean. I’m leaning more towards her being clean.’

Great, more good news, Ken thought to himself.

‘Keep on her’, Ken messaged in response, ‘I’m sure she’s into something.’

Ken makes it back to his office but not before the phone goes off again.

The P.I had responded, ‘It’s your money.’

He puts his phone away as he enters his office.

His office was noticeable smaller than his father’s but larger than most. It had the same-colored plush carpet, a large desk that had a phone and computer on top and filing cabinets on the far side wall.

There were two black chairs in front of his desk, one of them was occupied by his best friend and rival Ryu Hoshi.

Ryu was relaxed, leaning back in the chair. He was dressed in a plain black T-shirt tucked into light blue jeans with white walking shoes on his feet and his hands folded on his chest.

We need to take him shopping again.

His eyes were closed with a blissful smile and small dusting of red on his cheeks.

Whatever Ryu’s thinking about has got him has him very inattentive as the brown-haired martial artist hasn’t even noticed Ken entering the room.

He walks around to the black leather chair behind his desk and a mischievous smile makes its way across his lips.

He opens a desk drawer a decent amount then slams it shut abruptly, the action making an audible sound.

Ryu unloads a surprised yelp, practically jumping out of the chair.

Wide and panicked eyed, he bored his gaze on to Ken, whose has now gone from just smiling into full on laughing.

Ryu’s features then morph into a look that says, ‘what the hell’, his eyebrows creasing.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” said Ken as he wiped tears from his eyes, an easy smile coming back to his face.

“Right,” said Ryu, as he placed his hands in his lap, his face changing into his usual yet neutral expression. “I guess I should be more attentive if I’m to continue to be your personal security. Which is why I’m here. I’d like to discuss the terms of this position with you, Ken.”

Ken’s eyebrow shot up in curiosity, “You’re not trying to juice me for a better salary, are you?” Ken asked jokingly.

“No, no of course not,” Ryu responded as he shook his head, “the salary’s more than generous Ken, it just doesn’t feel like I’m earning my keep.”

Ken leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. “Ok, bud,” Ken spoke, “what can we do to fix this?”

“I can report for more shifts,” said Ryu, “five days a week.”

Ken nods, smiling at his friend, “A negotiation, huh? Three days.”

“Four,” shot back Ryu.

“Three,” responded Ken, “and you come visit us for Sunday dinner,” he looks up as if contemplating something. Having completed his thought his eyes go back to Ryu, “Let’s say twice a month.”

Ryu lets out a sigh, “That as good as I’m going to get?”

“Not a bad deal if I say so myself,” Ken said with a smile, as he opened his arms, shrugging.

Ryu nods at his long-time friend and rival. He then extends his arm out, offering a closed fist to Ken.

“More official than a handshake,” said Ken, as he bumped Ryu’s offered fist. “Moving on to other business, what had you so distracted when I walked in? That’s so unlike you.”

Ryu’s cheeks start to flush once more, as he looks away from Ken. “I was thinking about the other night. I spent it with someone.”

“Oh,” said Ken in faux surprise.

But before Ken can flex his acting chops, Ryu responds “And before we go any further, I know that you know who I’m talking about.”

“Juri Han,” said Ken, trying not to let judgement seep into his tone.

It doesn’t seem as if his attempt is barring any fruit as Ryu’s eyebrow shoots up as if he’s picking up on something.

It relaxes as he speaks once more “Chun-li told me you found out about us through a newspaper, that big tabloid you concern yourself with.”

Ken knows that Ryu means no judgment or offense when he refers to the San Fransico Inquirer as a tabloid, (and on a lot of levels Ryu isn’t wrong). Ryu spoke it as a matter of fact, like he’s calling the sky blue or stating that fire burns.

It’s pure vanity that Ken even pays attention to it.

He’s even caught a few of their photographers’ taking pictures of him and his family when he’s out and about.

That doesn’t stop a guilty feeling from creeping up his back.

Putting a private eye on Juri makes him feel as sleezy as the rag he spends too much time paying attention too.

He knows he can likely place trust in Juri. And who wouldn’t keep things on the straight if they were facing what she was facing should she not.

But what if that trust is misplaced?

What if this is some kind of end game? What if there’s something up her sleeve that can leaves those who’ve decided to trust her, namely Ryu and Chun-li, worse off?

Her being a former Shadaloo, and the suffering the people associated with that outfit have wrought just doesn’t sit right with him.

But what does it say about him?

That he would use his resources at his disposal like this.

“I always told you underestimate how famous you are, Ryu,” Ken said. “Anyway, are you going to share any of the details? Clearly it was a good night,” he finished, clearly implicating more than what Ryu was saying.

Ryu’s blushed once more, “It’s not like that, Ken,” he said hurriedly, “We didn’t…” Ryu trailed off.

“Then what is it like,” Ken asked, more than happy to let the conversation take his mind off things.

“I can’t quite find words to describe it,” Ryu began as a smile returned to his face.

Oh crap, Ken thought to himself, our boy’s got it bad.

That doesn’t help his guilt.

“She keeps me on my toes,” Ryu continued, “she’s got a very healthy sense of humor, she’s uniquely beautiful in her own right but she’s particularly alluring when she’s smiling at me,” he finished as his blush deepened.

“You think for sure she’s changed,” Ken asked, “I mean, you haven’t known her long.”

“It’s true. We’ve only fought previously, but I do feel she’s put a serious effort into reforming,” Ryu responded, a pointed look coming on to his face at the question.

Damnit, Ken, he thought to himself, you’re giving away the plot, letting this get to you.

“Is something on your mind, Ken,” Ryu asked, his brown eyes boring directly into Ken’s blues, “your ki is fluctuating like crazy.”

Ken’s heart rate picks up, he needs to think of something quick.

“I received some bad news regarding a possible promotion,” said Ken.

Half truth’s better than nothing, he thought.

“I was passed over and it’s kind of eating at me to be honest,” went Ken.

Ryu continues to size up his long-time friend, Ken beginning to feel smaller by the second under his gaze.

They’re interrupted by Dalton Masters knocking on the door as he barged in, “Checking in on ya, kiddo,” he went as he poked his head through the door. “Oh, Ryu,” he then went recognizing the martial artist.

Ryu gets up from the seat, breaking eye contact with Ken.

“Mr. Masters,” went Ryu, bowing slightly and reaching out his hand in greeting.

Dalton takes it, “Jesus Christ, Ryu,” the C.E.O lightly chided with a smile on his face, “you’re free and clear to call me Dalton.”

Ken is very happy to have his father’s interruption at this time.

He wasn’t sure how much longer he would last under Ryu’s withering stare.

“Sorry Dalton,” said Ryu. “It’s just a thing of respect.”

“Still though, you’re making me feel like an old man,” said Dalton. He then looks to Ken,” You holding up OK, Ken? I came to check up on because of what happen this morning, and one the front-end staff complained to his manager you snapped on him.”

“Yeah,” went Ken, “I’m fine.”

“You are sure,” Dalton added as he leaned back on the closed door, “looks like you and Ryu were having a serious discussion before I walked in.”

I don’t need two people on me like this, thought Ken as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“I was just giving Ken a hard time about the security job he fixed me up with. I wanted to earn my way forward, you know,” interjected Ryu.

Ryu shot him a look that said, ‘we’ll talk about this later.’

Ken was grateful for that, despite the situation.

Taking the bone he was thrown, Ken said, as he smiled weakly, “Yeah, see you tomorrow for your shift, three days a week going forward, right?”

“Damnit,” Chun-li muttered under her breath. She started to brush her teeth, as she looked down at her phone. She did this just in time, as her phone flashed showing a fresh message under the name Mrs. Masters.

‘We’re outside your door…’ Chun-li read the message in a hurry, not finishing the remainder of the message.

She finished brushing her teeth, spitting out the left-over toothpaste from her mouth, “Li-Li, she just messaged me its them, can you let them in,” Chun-li asked her ward as continued getting ready for her day.

“Ok Jiejie,” Li-Fen chanted back.

She could hear the stamping of the young girl’s feet as she ran from the kitchen to the door, obviously aware that the household had a bit of a late morning.

Had a little too much fun last night, Chun-li thought to herself.

She let out a sigh.

She looked at herself in the mirror, as she placed her toothbrush in the holder (next to one of a certain visitor).

As said before, her hair is in a ponytail, a little frizzy but she’s survived worse hair days.

She notices there’s a bit of toothpaste in the corner of her mouth.

She grabs a fresh rag from the linen area by the door, wetting it then cleaning herself off as she hears the distinct voices of their visitors this morning.

Eliza and Mel Masters.

The matriarchs of their respective households sometimes swap carpooling duties, ferrying their children to school together, this one being one of those mornings.

Especially as Chun-li is expecting another visitor this morning.

She finishes, throwing the rag into a nearby hamper.

But she fails to recognize another voice among the conversation of those she’s expecting.

She walked out of the ensuite bath in her room, toward the door past her bed which held a person-sized lump that had a tuft of blonde hair sticking out as said lump was curled underneath the blankets and sheets.

Probably trying to drown out how noisy the apartment is this morning, thought Chun-li concerning the lump.

“Li-Fen, did you make sure to…” trailed off Chun-li.

“Whoa,” said a familiar, sultry voice, “we’re going with the ‘Wal-Mart cashier’ look today.”

Juri Han was dressed in blue jeans, a low-cut white t-shirt that just exposed a bit of her stomach, a leather riding jacket colored black with purple accents on the shoulders that had a pair of matching gloves hanging out one of the pockets and matching riding boots.

She had a black helmet that had a stylized purple spider on the right side, just above the visor and the woman wore a look of amusement as she eyed the Chief Inspector.

Chun-li lifted her arms from her sides, cast her gaze down appraising her look.

A navy-blue polo shirt, a pair of khakis and black walking shoes.

“Chunners,” called out Eliza, the woman herself dressed in a blue short sleeved jean dress, that reached just above the knee with a brown leather belt around the waist, a gold necklace with heart pendant and leather boots that matched her belt, “don’t listen to her. You can rock pretty much anything and make it look fabulous,” she said as she smiled brightly at the officer.

“You’re taking her side,” Juri said with mock incredulousness, a playful smile on her face as she dramatically placed her hand over her heart. “And I thought our friendship was off to a good start.”

Eliza shot a look of her own back, taking the chiding in good humor it seemed as she wore the same bright smile she showed Chun-li, “I gotta look after my girl.”

“Pay her no mind,” said Chun-li toward Eliza as she eyed Juri right back, returning a more determined smile, “these days Juri’s bark is worse than her bite. Thank you for that anyway, Eliza. And if you must know, Juri, I’m supposed to be supervising some surveillances in the field today. Since I’m going to be on the street, I need to be inconspicuous. I can’t be dress up like a higher up for this.”

Through the exchange, Chun-li caught the tail of a little furry orange visitor swishing between tables and couches.

If anyone else notices they make no mention of it, though Juri does follow Chun-li’s eyes to what has her attention.

Mel and Li-Fen dressed in similar white shirts and black pants (though Li-Fen wore shorts today), their school uniform, laughed at the exchange.

The laughter caught Chun-li’s attention, “And a good morning to you Mel.”

“Hey Auntie,” greeted the young Masters, as he waived at his ‘auntie.’

“You don’t have time for breakfast do you,” Chun-li courteously asked Mel and Eliza, though if she were honest, she was hoping she’d have less company about now.

“Oooh,” said Juri, mischievously, “what are you serving?”

“Juri…” Chun-li warned.

“No, no. It’s probably time we get going,” said Eliza, “It was good meeting you Juri. I hope to see you around,” she finished knowingly.

“Bye Eliza, bye Mel,” said Chun-li as waived as the trio of Eliza, Mel and Li-Fen walked toward the front door, “bye Li-Fen, have a great day!”

The trio returned the goodbye to both Chun-li and Juri as she also shared a goodbye with them.

The door shut, then Chun-li shot a look to Juri, “You’re early,” she said.

“I figure it’s better to get this out of the way now,” said Juri, “plus I was promised breakfast.”

“I didn’t,” started Chun-li, but she realized she’s once again taking the bait. “You know what, help yourself. Li-Fen should have left a few cheese Danishes warming up in oven. They’re from the place across the street.”

Juri placed her jacket on the back of one of the nearby chairs and made her way to the range.

“There’s like half a dozen in here,” said Juri looking back to Chun-li as the officer made her way to the table Juri just left her jacket at, tablet in her hand. “You’re expecting more company?”

A tiny bit of sweat appeared on Chun-li’s brow, as she responded, “Like I said I’ve got long day ahead of me.”

“Right,” trailed off Juri as she grabbed the nearby oven mitten, taking the gray baking sheet out of the oven. She took a paper towel from the roll close by placing a flaky, hot pastry on it, “Want me to bring you one?”

“No, I’m fine,” said Chun-li, “I don’t plan on this being long.”

Juri walked over to the table where Chun-li was situated.

She laid her helping of the confectionery treat on the table as she sat down. She tore a piece off, “You seem occupied this morning,” said Juri suspiciously, as she waived the morsel at Chun-li.

Chun-li just laid her best poker face on as they sat there for a beat.

“Should we get started or not,” asked Chun-li.

Juri narrowed her eyes at her opposite, popping the piece of the Danish her mouth patronizingly.

Juri makes a gesture as if signing for them to move on as she chewed.

“Any new business,” asked Chun-li.

“Some big wig from the FBI called me. They want to hire me for a job. Something called an ‘asset protection assessment’. I guess they want drill security protocol for when they have a big fish in custody, I’d figure I’d run it by you before saying yes,” Juri shrugged her shoulders, “that’s my all business these days.”

Chun-li smiled inwardly.

That’s not all your business these days, she thought to herself.

“OK,” said Chun-li punching in something on her tablet. “While we’re on the subject of the FBI, their backing off.”

“Excellent,” said Juri, placing another piece of pastry into her mouth, “you’re the only law enforcement I need in my life,” she went on playfully with her mouth full.

“Juri,” said Chun-li, breaking into a smile, “table manners!”

Juri swatted at her, dismissing the chiding.

“Well, then. That’s all I got,” said Chun-li, placing the tablet to the side and gave Juri an amused look, “unless there’s something else you want to talk about,” she asked as if telling a joke.

Juri huffed spiritedly, folding her arms over her body having just finished the Danish, she pouted as she turned her head away from Chun-li but still meeting her eyes, “I can’t imagine what else there is to talk about,” said Juri, “you said my name came up in case of yours the other night, let’s talk about that,” the taekwondo specialist tried to deflect.

“The other night, huh,” Chun-li questioned teasingly, happy to continue to have Juri be the focus of the conversation, “that’s exactly what I was talking about!”

Juri dropped her hands into her lap, “You’re not going to drop this are you?”

“My briefing for today’s surveillances isn’t until 11am, its barely 8:30 in the morning,” said Chun-li lowly but still maintaining her impishness, “I’ve got all the time in world.”

 “Fine,” said Juri, leaning her arms onto the table in defeat.

“You and Ryu,” went Chun-li, placing her elbow on the table leaning her head in her hand, “when and how?”

Juri shrugs once more, “There’s not much to it. I was having an evening meal on the patio of The Flemenco Tavern. Ryu happened to be walking by, with this look on his face,” Juri stops, her facing going neutral, “he looked like he really needed someone to talk to. I called out to him and invited him to join me.” Her expression starts to brighten, her lips curling into a smile, “We talked. I think I ended up unloading more on him than the other way around. But after dinner, we went to The Lemony for drinks and dancing. Tough guy had two left feet, but he was a competent dancer by the end of the night.”

Chun-li drops her head, giving Juri a scrutinizing look, “Tough guy,” she questioned.

Juri breaks eye contact, a small blush creeping on to her face, “It’s a little nick name I gave him,” she said slightly frantically, “he doesn’t seem to mind.”

It’s strange, thought Chun-li.

Despite being occupied this morning, Chun-li is somewhat surprised to see Juri in better sprits.

To Chun-li, Juri had seemed aimless and listless since she became her parolee.

It seemed as if Juri was just going through the motions with her life, only seeming happy or at the very least content with her younger friend Rachel.

Chun-li thought Juri was in such a great mood the other night was because she may have had a drink or two.

But now it’s starting to look like it’s because of Ryu.

“Well,” said Chun-li, as she reached, lightly patting Juri’s hand, “know that I’m happy for you two.”

“Really? You weren’t so happy the other night,” said Juri, mirth returning to her face, “and we didn’t even do anything.”

It was Chun-li’s turn to huff, “I specifically said no funny business after I got your statements,” she said, “and to my surprise I find you two in each other’s arms the next morning on my couch, after doing god knows what after Li-Fen and I went to sleep.”

“We talked, and did a little bit of cuddling,” shot back Juri lightheartedly.

“You kissed him that night, I know that much,” said Chun-li, “he had your lipstick smudge all over him when I came on the scene.”

“What can I say,” went Juri, “it was exciting dispatching those would be muggers. Plus, I might’ve slightly used the Feng-Shui engine, just a tiny bit. Also, he kissed a wound on my neck, well,” she started, pausing as she recalled the moment, “its probably fairer to say sucked on it to stop it from bleeding. That had me pretty revved up, but I didn’t want to scare him off.”

“So, wait. When I walked up,” she stopped short, a blush washing over Chun-li’s face at the implication, “I was joking!”

They both laughed at the exclamation.

A silence fell over the duo as they smiled at each other.

“Juri,” Chun-li said, “seriously. I think this might be good for you. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you so lively. To be honest I was worried about you there for a hot second.”

A look of curiosity comes across Juri’s face as she asks, “We’re not becoming friends, are we,” Juri’s face morphing into a teasing smile.

For the umptieth time that morning, Chun-li returned it, “God I hope not.”

***

A few more moments went by Chun-li and Juri still talking about the latter’s new relationship with Ryu.

“I do want to let you know though,” said Chun-li.

“Oh,” interrupted Juri, “is this the part where you warn me not break his heart?”

“Well, that goes without saying. Ryu’s a very cherished friend and he clearly doesn’t need my protection. But if you go about breaking his heart,” Chun-li stops, playfully punching her fist in her open hand.

“So, what? If he breaks my heart? You’re going to kick his ass on my behalf,” Juri responded.

“If he did that something tells me that there wouldn’t be much left once you got to him first. What I’m really getting at is that Ryu’s maybe recharging his batteries so to speak. He’s taken breaks in his journey before and those times we really thought he was gonna settle down. Without knowing what your intentions are with him, I really don’t want you to get your hopes up,” said Chun-li.

“Huh,” went Juri aloud, as her gaze dropped to the table.

I didn’t really think what it is we’re doing, thought Juri, I enjoy being in his company, I trust him and there’s no doubt at all we’re attracted to each other.

“I have no plans to stop seeing him no time soon, and he’s asked me out again,” said Juri. ”Maybe the third time out is the time to clarify.”

Juri then looks to Chun-li and is surprised by what she sees.

All color has faded from her face as she looks at something behind her.

Juri goes to look at what could possibly be causing this.

“What the,” Juri muttered as an orange blur darted past the legs of the table and chairs they occupied, her eyes trying and failing to follow it.

I’m pretty sure that was that cat, she thought.

She hears the light patting of bare feet on the wooden floor as she turns around once more.

Cammy White is walking straight toward them having come from one the bedrooms.

She was rubbing sleep from her eyes as she approached, dressed in an oversized blue T-shirt that had the face of Tom (of Tom and Jerry fame) in the middle of it. It was difficult to discern if that was all that she was wearing due to the length of the shirt, her legs completely bare beyond the bottom of said shirt. Her hair lacked her usual pig tail braids and was messy and frizzy from sleep.

“Chun-li,” she muttered as she walked right past Juri like she wasn’t there. She plops herself into the officer’s lap unceremoniously, throwing her arms around Chun-li, nuzzling herself into her neck. “Come back to bed, love. There plenty of time before…”

Cammy’s blue eyes go wide, then dart to Juri in panic, “Before…” she muttered dumbly.

“Before what exactly, Kitten,” said Juri, very much amused by the display.

“Juri,” Cammy said, tucking her head further into Chun-li’s neck as her face turned red, “good morning,” she mumbled.

“Sorry, Kitten,” went Juri very much enjoying seeing usually serious delta red operative all about business, “I can’t hear you over you necking with your girlfriend at 9 in the morning.”

Cammy gets up from Chun-li’s lap, placing a quick kiss to ICPO Chief Inspector’s forehead, “Right. I said going morning. Chun-li,” she went on shakily very much failing to hide how flustered she is, “I see you’ve had company this morning. If you need me, I’ll be in the bedroom, getting ready for the day.”

She then scampered off; power walking as fast as she could toward the bedroom.

Juri then looks to Chun-li, her face just as red as Cammy’s was.

“Talk about my love life,” Juri said loudly as she broke out on a cackle, clapping her hands animatedly at Chun-li, “what’s going on with yours!?”

“You don’t have to answer that!” Yelled Cammy from the bedroom

Chun-li shook her head, “No fair is fair. You told me about yours, I guess I’ll tell you about mine.”

***

That was interesting, thought Juri, zipping up her jacket as she made her way out of Chun-li’s apartment building.

She always suspected there was something between Chun-li and Cammy.

But to find out like this made Juri’s day.

She pulls out her phone, looking down at the text a certain Ansatsuken practitioner sent her this morning.

‘See you again on Saturday?’ It read simply.

She smiled as she typed back, ‘Of course. What did you have in mind? And I want to talk to you about somethings too.’

The smell of the bakery across the street is very inciting as it invades her senses as she finished responding to Ryu.

Plus, those danishes Chun-li had upstairs were amazing.

Juri tucks her helmet under her arm as she crosses the street having decided to get some of those danishes to take home.

There’s a man sitting at one of the tables outside the bakery, a newspaper in hand, baked good on a paper plate, and a drink, maybe coffee or tea in a disposable cup, sitting on the table.

He’s dressed in business casual, a white golf polo and black dress pants and dress shoes.

It seems like he’s putting a concerted effort into looking like he’s not paying attention to her as Juri’s caught his eyes on her a few times in the moments it took to cross the street.

Chun-li did say the FBI’s backing off, maybe the order’s delayed.

Ryu with an easy look on his face responded, “I took your advice to heart and looked at dancing like a fight.” He went. Though his face dropped slightly, like he’s left something out.

Juri really liked that there was no presumption to this man and that he was easy to read.

She leveled a look at him, “I feel like you’re not telling the whole story, tough guy.”

“I also may have asked Eliza for some pointers,” he went as he met her eyes.

“Eliza,” Juri questioned, slightly anxious, crossing her arms and huff in her cheeks, “is this someone I should be worried about,” she went on as she quirked an eyebrow at him.

Ryu, still looking into her eyes, stopped walking. The light looks on his face morphing into something more somber but earnest. As if he knew he should tread forward carefully. “Right,” he went on, “Eliza is Ken’s wife. I guess you haven’t been acquainted yet. When told her I was planning on seeing someone she couldn’t help herself but to lend a hand. When I told her our first date ended up with an impromptu dancing session, she invited me to one of her dancing classes. I’m happy to see the lesson paid off,” he finished smiling at Juri, “I know we’re pretty fresh in whatever we are doing here,” he continued motioning between him and her, “but I figure honesty is the best policy.”

Ryu wore a casual black jacket to fight off the unusual chill this evening, with a black shirt underneath that was tucked into black pants that lead down to black dress shoes. And his look was completed with a big shiny watch. A Cartier, by the looks of it. The outfit hung just right over the Ansatsuken fighter, Juri felt.

He’d look right at home in a fashion mag, she thought, though that watch seems a bit much.

Speaking of being much…

“I guess so,” she said, looking away from Ryu, trying to take the subject off of her small flair of jealousy at Ryu mentioning another woman, “you managed to not step on my toes the entire time.”

I was supposed to be giving you the next dance lesson, she thought to herself as she pouted, remember that tough guy!

But Ryu didn’t take the hint.

“This outfit was her idea too,” he said as lifted his arms as if to display himself and spun around, “she threw the shirt and what not at me saying I needed to make an impression if want to be in for the long haul.” He then brought his left hand to his face, bringing attention to the watch. “I found this in one of the pockets of the jacket. I hope Ken doesn’t miss it.”

At that moment, they were pounced on by two, no three men.

Juri no longer had the time to be sidetracked by her jealousy.

They were pushed into a nearby alley.

One of the men was on her, in the middle of the space. She felt the cold steel of a knife that was set to her neck before she realized, as she was restrained from behind.

The two other men had dog piled Ryu and pushed him into the wall.

One had hit a combination of punches to his face and body as Ryu bounced off the brick.

He looked unfazed.

He was ready to fight back, clenching his fists, bringing his hands up, taking a stance.

“Yo, cock sucker!” Called the man who held Juri at knife point, “stand the fuck down or we’ll get to see what this pretty little thing looks like on the inside!”

Ryu let out a breath, he unfurled his hands holding them out and opened in a placating manor.

“Fine, fine,” he said calmly, “just take what you want and leave us be.”

The one of the two men in front of him presumably didn’t take to kindly to Ryu’s tone.

“You hear that? It’s almost like he’s demanding,” said one the muggers, “how’s about we beat this guy to the ground and show his lady a good time in front of him.”

This was not how Juri imagined ending the night at all.

But then again, the club they went to tonight was just outside the Tenderloin.

Juri was still getting used to the city, so maybe they were in the notorious neighborhood.

But anyway, a plan comes to Juri.

“Oh, my goodness,” she said loudly, over dramatically even as she brought the back of her hand to her forehead, as if she’s some starlet in a soap opera about to faint, “please be merciful with us!”

The other two brigand’s attention is now on her, but the knife is still to her throat.

 “What is it that you want,” she continued in the same fashion, “Money? Jewelry? Oh darling! Please give them your wallet!”

She felt the knife relax from her neck.

Her performance must be working.

“Darling,” she goes, once more, “the Cartier! Won’t you give it to them so that we may be done with this,” she finished as waggled her eyebrows at him, signaling him to make a move.

But once more he’s not getting the hint.

Oh, fuck this!

Now that there’s some room between her neck and the blade, she can do something without getting her windpipe cut.

She grabs the knife welding mugger by the wrist, peeling his arm away from her.

She twists it, hard, so much so that he drops the blade with a yelp of pain.

She lets go, then performs a spinning heel kick, the blow landing dead center, knocking the formerly armed criminal out of the alley.

“Ryu,” she yelled, “do I need to knock all of these fuckers out myself!”

This knocks everyone out of their stupor.

The other two muggers try to charge Juri, but one is pulled back then thrown into a trash can by Ryu.

“Sorry,” he said as took his stance, the floored mugger now standing, “I didn’t know you were making a move,” Ryu said apologetically.

 “Subtlty’s not a not a strong suit of yours,” she said, “luckily you’re pretty!”

Juri was beset by the other man, but his reckless charge had him running straight into Juri’s extended leg.

He grunted in pain at having guts rearranged by her kick, she then quickly dispatched him using her senpusha, cartwheeling forward into two more powerful kicks.

The first kick landed once more in this mugger’s midsection, causing him to double over.

The second kick landed just as the man was leaning forward, his action accentuating its power. He landed hard on the ground motionless.

She turned just in time to see Ryu landing a powerful stepping mule kick causing his opponent to go flying then bouncing off the wall.

He finished this man with a shoryuken, as the mugger rebounded.

They walked back to each other.

Ryu took her chin in his hand inspecting her for any damage with his brows creased in concern.

He went to say something, but they were interrupted.

The third mugger ran toward them screaming in rage.

Poor little guy never stood a chance.

The Feng-Shui engine whirred to life, Juri’s left eye lighting up in a purple flash of unleashed ki.

The final mugger found himself in maelstrom of powerful kicks and ki blasts.

He dropped to the ground, somehow still conscious but clearly done for, groaning as he writhed in pain.

The Feng-Shui engine didn’t finish cooling down before Ryu took her chin in his hand once more.

“You’re hurt,” he said, still wearing a worried expression.

“Please,” she said, “those chumps weren’t even half a Dan Hibiki.”

Though if she were honest with herself, she did feel just a slight bit excited.

And Ryu fretting about her and the way he’s gently cradling her face is causing a flutter in her stomach.

Nah, she tight to herself, it’s gotta be the Feng-Shui engine.

Ryu runs his fingertip under her chin, toward her neck and lightly touches her neck.

She suppresses a shiver under his caress and at the same time feels a slight sting.

He brings his finger back showing the tip covered in a bit of blood.

Her lips shift into a grim line, “I guess that was a closer call then we realized.”

Ryu produced a napkin from his pocket wiping his finger, “Seems so,” he said, “its not deep but it doesn’t look like it’s stopping.”

He goes to try wipe at her wound once more but stops.

“Hold on,” he said.

Ryu tilts her head up gently.

“What are y…” Juri mutters, but then lets out a sigh of surprise as his lip are upon her neck.

She goes to try pull him against her to her as he nipped and sucked at her wound.

But it’s over before it starts, its done, him finishing the action with a good, long lick.

This time she breathes out in frustration, as his ministrations have definitely left her stirred up.

He leans back as if to examine his handywork, “That’s better, the bleeding stopped,” he said.

Juri tilts her head down, a heavy shadow going over her eyes.

Ryu takes a step back apprehensively, “Juri…”

Her left eye flashes once more and then she lunges forward.

The force of their bodies impacting is so great it knocks Ryu off his feet.

She’s straddling him, holding his hands above his head, his look of apprehension now that of surprise.

“My turn,” she said.

She crashes her mouth roughly into his, her lips sliding gracefully over his. While his lips are soft the way he’s returning the kiss leaves a bit to be desired. Dissatisfied with the way he’s sloppily returning her kiss, smacking his mouth against hers too quickly for her taste, she stops releasing his hands now grabbing his face. “Slow down,” she commands.

His cheeks are now flushed and his lips a little swollen. He’s looking her dead in the face, his mouth slightly open wearing a stunned look, “Juri, I was just trying to…” he went.

Juri interrupted, “Its fine, its fine,” she muttered before she kissed him again.

He returned it, this time much more to her liking; he went slow this time. It still needed a bit of work but for now it will do.

She tilted her head, and he followed the lead, his hands going to her hips.

She introduced her tongue, still tasting a bit of her blood though she didn’t mind.

He moaned into her mouth, and she took it as her time to stop.

They separated, breaths mingling with heated looks.

“I think,” Ryu stammered, struggling to catch his breath, “I think we should call Chun-li.”

Well, that was the last thing she expected him to say.

“What,” she questioned, almost incredulously now bunching up the lapels of his shirt in her hands.

“To get ahead of this,” he said motioning to the assorted bodies of their would-be muggers, “I’d really hate to see you sent away behind this.”

Her grip relaxes, she stands up helping Ryu to his feet.

“I guess you’re right,” she said.

She thinks back to being jealous when Ryu brought up Eliza.

After this display and his concern for her freedom, Juri recognized she didn’t have anything to worry about.

Now if we can just work on his kissing, she thought, well getting the good officer involved guarantees there will be other times to work on it.

***

This isn’t how I expected the night to go, thought Ryu as the opening of the once barren alley is now crawling with emergency personnel.

Though I am pretty happy with how some things turned out.

He’s seated at a set of stone stairs at the entrance of a building adjacent to the alley, his eyes falling to his company for the night.

Juri’s at his side wiping her face, more specifically her lips with something.

She looks over to him, “You want one,” she said offering what appears to be some kind of portable wipe.

“What is that,” he asked somewhat curiously.

“Make up remover,” she simply, a knowing smile on her face.

“I think I’m good,” he said.

She shrugs, “Suit yourself,” she went putting the wipes away as she grabbed his hand and laid her head on his shoulder. “You sure you called Chun-li? Last thing I expected was half of the police force and paramedics on this side of town to show up.”

“She did say she would send for help,” Ryu responded.

“Help,” she questioned, raising her head from its relaxed position, a prying look on her face.

“Her words,” said Ryu, “you were wounded.”

Juri brings her free hand to the fresh bandage at her neck, “Just barely,” she said. She then nuzzled up to him, her breath tickling him sending pluses of delight throughout him, “Plus you can always kiss it better for me, tough guy.”

“That’s super unsanitary you know,” responded Chun-li, with Lei-Fen in tow as she walked up to the couple.

“Chun-li,” Ryu greeted, squeezing Juri’s hand to let her know he’s about stand, “Li-Fen.”

“I’m comfortable here,” she said in an adorable huff, snuggling in closer to him, returning the squeeze of his hand.

 “Hey, Ryu,” Chun-li returned in hello with a small smile on her face, but then dropped slightly as she saw something on his face. Come to think of it, some of the paramedics and officers on the scene gave him the same look. A faded smile still on her face her eyes go to his company, “Juri, interesting night looks like you two have had. I advise against getting too comfortable. I’d like to get both of you to give statements,” said Chun-li authoritatively, “and it’d probably be a good idea to formally press charges.”

Chun-li folded her arms under her chest as she eyed the couple.

She was dressed very casually, comfortably even as if she was dressed for bed in a pair of black board shorts with white trim paired with a white T-shirt tucked into them and her badge hanging from her neck. She wore a decently thick-looking purple robe with crescent moons and stars patterned throughout and had house slippers on.

“Oh, come on,” protested Juri, “first officer on the scene already took our statements!”

She broke away from Ryu, though still close to him.

Ryu missed the warmth.

Suddenly, his jacket was not enough to keep tonight’s chill at bay.

“Ms. Juri,” the small, tired voice of Li-Fen called from Chun-li’s side, “not so loud,” she went on as she yawned. “Hey there, Mr. Ryu.”

She looked at him weird too.

Li-Fen was dressed in a set of onesie panda themed pajamas, with the hood down and her own pair of house shoes on her feet.

Chun-li pulled her to her side, lightly stroking her hair, looking down at the little girl with a tender smile. Li-Fen returned by wrapping her arms around Chun-li’s waist, “Yeah sorry about that,” went Chun-li, “I had to pull her out of bed. And the statements not for the department.”

Juri nodded knowingly, “Yeah, yeah. I’m glad I have you two looking out for me.” She went back into Ryu’s personal space, grabbing his hand again, “Hey kid,” she greeted Li Fen, “I see you liked the pj’s?”

Li-fen nodded at Juri, “Their comfy,” she responded.

“You don’t seem surprised to see us together, Chun-li,” said Ryu curiously.

“Ken brought it to my attention the other day,” said Chun-li, looking back at the couple. “It was in a gossip newspaper he reads. Come on,” she turned around, “we can get this done at my apartment. My PC is linked into the SFPD servers so we can get those charges on paper too. We can take my car. You guys can stay the night if you feel it’s too late to go home from there,” she then turned around leveling a serious look to them, “But if you stay, I want both of you in separate rooms. The couch in my office and the couch in my living room should suffice. No more funny business tonight.”

Both Ryu and Juri nodded in agreement and stood to follow Chun-li, still hand in hand.

She looked at him impishly, her lips and a single eyebrow with an uptick.

She then poked her lips out at him with a smack as she completed the action.

His eyes went to her lips, and his mind traveled to her kiss.

He remembers he was fervent in his return as he hadn’t expected one to be laid on him like that but wasn’t exactly sure what he was doing.

Luckily a little bit of couching was all he needed.

Then when she introduced her tongue, that moan was embarrassing but when she did it felt quite good.

Not to mention how she positioned herself on him. How she felt soft, warm and almost airy on his lap.

“Umm, Mr. Ryu,” Li-Fen called, interrupting his revery, “you’ve got some black stuff your face. Around your mouth.”

“I, what,” he questioned dumbfounded.

No wonder everyone was looking at me weirdly, thought Ryu.

“Lipstick I suspect,” went Chun-li with air of mirth, barely holding back a lough, “right Juri?”

He looked at Juri, in mock betrayal.

“Hey, don’t give me that look. I offered you some makeup remover!”

***

“So, you’d say this op was a waste,” continued Chun-li.

“Well yeah,” said the detective as he ran a hand down his stubble, “we’ve got a small amount of narcotics, no leads on any high-level traffickers and this guy’s not even a dealer full time. He’s part of a crew that jacks luxury cars. Anything he can give us we likely go to auto theft.”

Chun-li stops the detective.

 “Not quite,” she said perceptively, a knowing smile on her face.

“You don’t think so,” said the detective, somewhat taken a back at Chun-li questioning his take this case.

“Talk about your target, Detective Carver. Let’s see where your line of thinking takes us,” she said.

The detective returned a tired smile, “You’re not just gonna tell me what’s on your mind regarding this case?”

She leans back against the wall, still smiling crossing her arms under her chest as she tilted her head at him expectantly.

“Right, right. That’d defeat the purpose of being taken under your wing,” said Detective Carver. He released a sign as he started. “Our target is Rich Mccan. Born in the city. Career criminal. He’s part of the ‘Hole in the Gate Gang’, the outfit most known for theft of cars from luxury dealerships.”

“Right,” went Chun-Li, “but do we have him down for?”

“Distribution of a control substance, to wit two kilos of heroin,” said the detective questioningly, unable to see the pieces.

“Come on Joe, you’re right on the edge,” Chun-li encouraged.

“His gang doesn’t usually deal in drugs, but with your friend doing her consultant thing in town the high-end car places don’t find themselves being victimized as badly as before.” He stopped, then his face lit up as if he had an epiphany. “There’s less money to go around so our boy turns to drugs to make his nut!”

“And his gang doesn’t have any drug contacts according to our intel, meaning we can possibly roll him up into whoever he got his supply from,” finished Chun-li.

“Guy’s a cupcake, so they’ll be plenty of roll on him. Auto theft still gets their case, and we get ours,” said Detective Carver.

“There you go Joe,” said Chun-Li, as she playfully slapped his cheek. “You’ll make a great investigator one day.”

“Yeah, yeah. One day maybe,” said Detective Carver.

“Let’s go, you’ve got a report to type up,” said Chun-li as she pushed herself from the wall.

“Oh no, I’m sitting in on this one,” said Joe.

“You’re sure,” Chun-li asked, “you’re going to be up all night typing that report.”

“I’ll be fine. Part of learning the ropes,” responded the younger detective, “we got a uniform at the interrogation room with our papers and tapes?”

“Sure do,” she responded.

Joe Carver was more stout than smart, but that was not to say he was unintelligent.

He recently passed the detective’s exam and was assigned to the drug enforcement unit.

He asked specially to work with the INTERPOL officer, which due to the nature of her work the request has practically been granted as she frequently has runs in with the DEU.

Chun-li sees a lot of herself in him. Hungry to bust a case, but that eagerness leaves a less seasoned officer overlooking the details.

She herself was schooled by an elder officer in her early days, her father’s old partner Nate Philbin.

Last she heard Nate was working as a PI.

As they approached the interview room where a uniformed officer waited for them, Chun-li placed her hand on the knob, “Follow my lead,” she said.

“You got it,” responded Joe.

The uniformed officer handed a few envelopes to the pair as they entered the room.

The small-time crook sat at a well-worn table; hand cuffed to it of course.

Rich Mccan was a small slip of a fidgety man, a greasy head of hair and brown beaty eyes that darted back and forth until falling on the officers that just walked in.

“Comfortable,” Chun-li asked simply, as she sat opposite of him, getting the files she was just handed in order.

He didn’t answer. He sat and stared at the pair. He tried to put on a brave front, but his fidgeting gave away his tension.

“Pretty decent sheet you got here,” said Chun-li, “theft, theft,” she listed as she went through the assorted files, “grand theft, grand theft auto, and I see we’ve got 2 warrants in connection with separate grand theft auto cases.”

“Not to mention our business here today,” interjected Joe.

“Not there was any business to be done,” said Chun-li. She then cut her eyes from the paperwork, giving the cuffed man a withering look, “you stumbled your way into a buy-bust.”

“Look,” said Rich, his voice cracking, “you’ve got nothing me!”

“Oh,” in toned Chun-li in mock surprise, “our boy here’s clean. You hear that Detective Carver?”

“So that wasn’t you we pulled up on?” asked Joe, playing off of Chun-li, “That wasn’t your car and those weren’t your two bricks we pulled from the wheel well, by the spare?”

“You tell me,” said Rich, managing to keep his voice from cracking but still fidgeting with uneasiness.

“You got it,” said Chun-li.

She turned and nodded her head at Joe.

Detective Carver then stuck his head out the door, “The recorder,” he asked the uniform.

He pulled himself entirely back into the room, carrying a small device. It resembles a remote, but Chun-li thinks Rich recognizes what it is by the way color drains from his face.

Joe pushes a button, and a rough but understandable recording starts to play.

“You got that for me,” said another voice, one of their undercovers asked.

“Yeah,” said a second voice this one clearly Rich’s, “I’ve got two bri..” the voice stopped himself, “er cinderblocks,” he added as if to correct himself.

“Two kis,” said the other voice, the undercover, “and what’s your price?”

“$15k a piece,” said Rich over the recording, “I’ll call you next week with the spot.”

“That’s not me!” Yelled Rich with widened eyes.

“We pulled that off a wire, on April 3rd. I’d say that voice matches,” said Chun-li, “you nearly said ‘bricks’, as in street slang for kilos but corrected yourself. Coded language can be used to argue conspiracy.” She started to look through the papers again. She produces a picture of Rich sitting in a diner on a cell phone looking around nervously. She pushed the picture towards Rich. She pointed to him in the photo, then to the date the picture was taken.

April 3rd.

“The Detective and I were on that surveillance. I took that picture myself,” said Chun-li. She went through the papers once more. “And that’s your cell phone. We subpoenaed your carrier, and they were nice enough to provide billing information matching your current address,” she went placing a copy of his phone bill on the table. She then pulled a cell phone, Rich’s cell phone from person (which was in an evidence bag). She pulled the device from its plastic bag and dialed a number on it.

Joe’s ringer went off and he pulled his phone from his pocket. He displayed the screen to the room, it shows the same phone number on the bill copy, “Number matches.”

 “Fuck,” Rich muttered lowly as lowered his head in his hands, “Fucking Juri Han,” he went as his voice broke once more, “All those dealerships beefed up their security on her goddamn recommendation. The last Audi dealer we tried to hit put up an electric fence. Can believe that!? An electric fence! One of our boys got fried trying to get through. We had to resort to snatching cars off the street, which hit our pockets. I turned to drugs to try make up the difference,” He finished as he looked down to the table.

“That’s it,” said Joe.

“Not quite,” said Chun-li, “who did you get the drugs from? We know your boss or any of your compatriots don’t deal in drugs, so we know you went outside your crew for this.”

“I’ve got nothing more to say,” said Rich.

“Ok, ok,” said an agreeable Chun-li, “but think about this. The man you call boss has got to know by now you’ve been arrested. What’s more you’ve been arrested on drugs in a deal that he didn’t know about. How long do you think it will take for him to arrange for someone to get to you in lock up? Make it so you won’t see a court? You know, to make up for this little side deal. You tell us who’s your supplier is, we will take you somewhere quiet, maybe out in the county. And, for cooperating we get the D.A in here about a lesser sentence. Both the auto warrants and the drug charge.”

She packed up the papers and prepared to leave, “Up to you.”

Carver and Chun-li both take their leave, but before they cross the door Rich responds, “Some Chinatown boys, probably Triads. They work out of a laundry mat on the south edge of Chinatown, but anyone in the know knows it’s a front for a gambling parlor. They fronted me those bricks.”

“If you were shown some photo arrays, you think you’d be able to point these guys out,” asked Chun-li.

Rich simply nodded.

Chun-li nods, “OK, I’ll call the D.A and I’ll get writ for you go to county lock up.”

They both leave the interrogation room looking to go back the way they came.

“Not bad,” said Joe.

“Not bad at all,” said Chun-Li, “and for your first case! You were a natural in there!” She praised Joe as she smiled at the young detective.

***

Cases like this was why Chun-li continues to do what she does.

Roll the small fry into something bigger, though she did feel a little bad she used the implication of death to Rich Mccan as leverage.

She later learned from the D.A the Rich is also willing to give up the ‘Hole in the Gate Gang’ for an even better deal.

Joe’s summation of the man was correct that he was cupcake, a lightweight in the underworld. The criminal knew the risks but still took them when he decided to get into this life.

But they managed to close this case, get a notorious ring of car thieves off the street and lead for the next case.

Chun-li had a report of her own to write. Luckily, she’s got an off-site office at her condo (courtesy of INTERPOL) despite having her own desk at the local precinct.

She wants to get it knocked out as soon as possible without being disturbed.

And also…

“Li-Fen,” she called to a little girl behind her, as she unlocked her front door, “can you get started on that homework work for me? I’ll be in my office, but before that I’ll set us up some dinner.”

Li-Fen was the daughter of a hacker who themselves in cross hairs of Shadaloo.

During the raid on their headquarters 8 months back she was found to be one the captors of the group, to what end Chun-li didn’t know.

Nor her father or mother was among the captors of the main base in Thailand or any of the other bases around the world.

It was assumed they were killed by the group, and despite the resources at their disposal no other family could be found.

She came to Chun-li’s attention while escorting Juri out of the base, to the plane that took them to ICJ headquarters.

Chun-li had been a little too eager to get there and had accidentally bumped Juri right into Li-Fen, who was part of a group of prisoners being escorted out.

She’d helped the little up, as she’d been knocked down by Juri.

Li-Fen thanked Chun-li, and complemented her hair.

Such a simple gesture had Chun-li immediately taken with the girl.

When she later found out she pretty much had no family, Chun-li decided to take her into her care.

Li-Fen was currently dressed in her school uniform, a short sleeved white button-up, with a short black tie under a black vest, with a long black dress and dress shoes.

She had a slightly worried look on her face, “When you say, ‘set us up some dinner’, you don’t mean you’re going to cook, do you?”

Chun-li laughed, ruffling the kid’s hair though careful not to disturb her long pigtails.

“I was thinking something from Flamenco’s,” asked Chun-li, “the usual?”

Li-Fen excitedly nodded her head.

“Great,” said Chun-li as she smiled down at her. She pushed the glossily finished woodgrain door open, “change out of that uniform and get started on that homework young lady. I’ll call in the order from my office, ok?”

“Got it, Jiejie,” responded Li-Fen, as she ran off to her room.

Things had been rough starting out when Li-Fen first came under her care.

She’d been closed off, quiet and overly cautious like she was walking on eggshells.

Likely due to her time as a captive

Chun-li eventually managed to get her out of her shell after discovering her interest in martial arts and computers, discovering a sweet, intelligent and curious girl underneath the trauma.

Chun-li closed the door and made her way toward her office.

The condo was plush to put it lightly.

It was three bedrooms, high quality laminate floors, two bathrooms (one of which was in suite, Chun-li’s master bath), 2 car garage, fully equipped kitchen with an island and the rear was basically a wall of picture windows and a sliding glass door that led to a spacious patio that also had a great view of the city.

She walked past the kitchen, toward the last bedroom that served as her Chun-li’s home office.

This office was just as plush as the rest of the apartment. The floor was the same laminate, a caramel brown wood grain desk where a laptop, an office phone, two more monitors, a keyboard and mouse sat. Behind that desk sat a very comfortable looking dark brown leather chair and shelf that matched the color of the desk that held assorted books and files. The office was then sparsely decorated with a small couch, another chair with a lounge (both matched the color of the chair behind the desk) and there was a TV mounted to wall across from the desk.

She flicked on the light, peeling her jacket off throwing it on the office chair as she sat, turning on the laptop in her wake, taking her weapon placing it on a top drawer and putting her cell phone on the desk.

She grabbed the handset of the office phone and dialed in the phone number of the Flemenco Tavern.

A young woman answered, likely Juri’s friend Rachel, as the door to the room creaked open revealing Li-Fen, now dressed down in a pair of grey sweatpants and a white t-shirt.

“May I do my homework in here, with you,” she asked.

“Hold on a sec,” said Chun-li, placing her hand over the speaker, “of course, Li-Li. I’m just placing our order now.”

Li-Fen walks in, textbooks, notebooks and writing utensils in hand and finds a place at a chair, placing her things on the lounge.

Chun-li places their order.

At the thought of Rachel, her mind quickly shifts to Juri and her influence on how Chun-li is even here in San Fransico.

When Juri finalized her agreement that essentially placed her on parole, the question was posed to Chun-li if she would be the parole officer.

She’d declined of course, simply because after Shadaloo fell she wanted to get back into casework and chasing Shadaloo was more like the war on drugs.

One that never ended.

And, with the fall of Shadaloo, also came down those who were in their pockets that included several of Chun-li’s superiors.

Once the proverbial house was cleaned, Chun-li was offered a promotion to Chief Inspector which came with a hefty increase in pay and more authority.

The question was posed once more to act as Juri’s PO.

Chun-li once more said no.

It didn’t take long for them to ask once more, this last time she was asked by the head of the ICJ and the director of INTERPOL.

The fact that they asked her three times told Chun-li a few things.

One, whoever else they may have asked also turned them down, or perhaps she’s the only one they have in mind. Two, she may have leverage to demand more than just a promotion.

So, she accepted.

But on a few conditions.

She requested a little more money than her pay raise granted, she requested that she go back to casework, and she requested the process to start to get Li-Fen in her care.

They accepted her conditions and even did her a few better.

INTERPOL pays the rent for the apartment she and Li-Fen live in.

They also placed her in San Fransico as a liaison for between the police department and INTERPOL, as the previous one had been one of individuals on Shadaloo’s take. But liaison is a bit of an oversimplification of what she does. Organized crime has seen an uptick in recent years, namely those from Chinese and Vietnamese syndicates with international ties, justifying the need for INTERPOL intervention.

Chun-li works homicides, drug cases and the like but only with those that tie back to organized crime.

She quickly found herself in her element (in between acting as a PO for Juri of course) building cases from scratch, but Chun-li does carry a certain amount of fame wherever she goes.

Which does make some facets of investigation a challenge.

Undercover operations for her are completely out of the question.

Canvases are still on the table, but the fact that the world’s strongest woman is asking around about you, it kind of gives away you’re a target of law enforcement.

Surveillance has been a boon since she can use her own observational skills from a distance, provided their target doesn’t have lookouts.

If she isn’t investigating an incident or homicide, she’s mostly mapping out an investigation strategy to delegate as needed to the group of detectives she’s been granted access to.

She’s putting the finishing touches to her report as the buzzer for their apartment goes off.

“That must be dinner,” said Chun-li, “Li-Fen, did you finish your homework?”

“Just finishing up,” she responded, “can we have the TV with dinner?”

“Sure,” Chun-li said as she stood up to buzz the delivery person into the building, “grab some those dinner towels for us, sweetie?”

Li-Fen made her way to the kitchen running past Chun-li before she crossed the threshold of the door.

She buzzed in the delivery person, paid for the food and made her back to the office where Li-Fen was waiting, placing a towel over the lounge by the chair where she’d done her homework.

She gives Li-Fen her food and makes her way back to the desk to start on her own.

She saw Li-Fen placed a few dinner towels on the desk for her, so she places one on her lap but notices she’s got a new text from Ken.

‘Did you see this’, read the text.

It was a picture of a headline from one of the local rag newspapers Ken likes to read.

That man loves reading about himself, she thought.

She hit the picture making it larger.

On that front page was a large picture of Ryu and Juri in a night club in each other’s arms, giving each other bedroom eyes. The headline read ‘Ensnared by A Spider.’

“Oh, I definitely missed that,” she said out loud.

***

Ken sat at the head of a long oak table with a very glossy finish.

He was dressed to the nines, in a cream Canali suit jacket and matching pants. Underneath the jacket he wore a matching vest, white collared shirt and black tie. His look was completed by slippery looking black dress shoes.

He was flanked by 12 executives, 6 on each side of the table.

The ‘empty suits’ as Ken liked to call them held various looks of impatience, contempt and some wore even genuine curiosity at his presence here today.

Another man sat the other end of the table.

He was an older man, stout but less muscular than Ken. He had a dark brown crew cut, think, Bruce Willis in Die Hard. He wore a green suit jacket, pants, and a white collared shirt, though he had a black grids design on it with a green tie. He had a matching hat sitting on the table as his brown eyes sat on Ken with a twinkle while he had a small smile on his face, one of pride or maybe encouragement.

The man stood and spoke in a deep authoritative voice, “Alright, it’s up to you guys,” he put the hat on his head as he walked the edge of the table towards Ken. “Good luck,” he intoned as he put a hand on Ken’s shoulder as his smile widened, “Mr. Food and Beverage Chairman.”

Ken laughs off the nickname, “I don’t need luck, old man,” he shot back returning a smile.

The man lifted his hat in a silent goodbye as left the room.

Some of the assorted executives’ frowns deepened clearly not impressed by the display.

It’s not something Ken wasn’t used to.

Being the son of Dalton Masters did have its disadvantages at times.

In his younger years Ken questioned why he had a board of stiffs for his own company but now being a part of it Ken understood.

No one man, despite his knowledge, ability or resources at his disposal can know or do everything.

Some of them still annoyed the hell out of him.

But the reason he’s sitting practically at judgement of this group today was an interview.

The current director of operations is set to retire at the end of the summer which means her position is up.

Dalton had encouraged Ken to throw his name in the hat, but Ken didn’t really expect anything to come of it.

Dalton had of course excused himself of any decision making regarding the position, just to eliminate the possibility of someone thinking of the ‘n’ word.

Despite the light jab of ‘Food and Beverage Chairman’ that is what Ken is currently to Masters’ Hotel. Though the official title was Food and Beverage Manager.

“So, I guess I’ll start,” said one executive. This was an older shorter man. Balding but otherwise well-kept. He wore a decent suit but was one of the people present who wasn’t happy that Ken was here. He was chief executive something or other. Maybe.

Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt the cause to learn their titles.

“Tells us about yourself, Mr Masters,” he went on.

Ken had to put in a great effort to stop himself from scoffing.

You’ve got to be kidding me, he thought, of course you know about me!

He puts on a brave smile, placing his hands on the table intertwining his fingers.

“As you all know, I’m Ken Masters,” he said emphasizing his name like a title, “I’m currently the Food and Beverage Manager, or Chairman as our founder and CEO put it. I currently overlook all aspects pertaining to the culinary experience of our company, from purchasing to the actual food being served and everything in between. I’ve been around Masters’ Hotels all my life but have only started working around 5 or 6 years ago. I started work for the chief hotel, which continues to operate in this very building, working as a bell hop. One of the front desk managers recognized my interpersonal skill and recommended me for the front desk service agent. From there I worked myself into a supervisor’s role for the front desk, then interviewed for restaurant liaison, which eventually morphed into the role I currently work in.”

Several of the assorted executives seem pleased with the intro Ken provided, some seem even.

Those he whom he yet to win over still seemed unimpressed.

Another one, this one a middle-aged woman, her tied into a tight bun with streaks of grey littering otherwise brown hair here and there, dressed in a pant suit threw in her two cents, “This of course was between your globetrotting,” she said with an arrogant smile.

His eyebrow twitched, but he managed to keep it together.

Before he can respond, another executive cut in, “It’s probably best we keep questions and comments pertaining to the professional, not the personal.” This executive was a younger man, younger than Ken even. His suit jacket was on his chair, and he wore a tan dress shirt with a solid black tie and black dress pants. He ran his hand through his slick backed hair as he went, “While Ken’s wanderlust is well documented, I don’t ever recall him doing anything to embarrass this company, his parents who are also on this board I remind everyone present or himself.”

The executive looked at his older peer, giving her a withering look, then looking around at his colleagues, giving the others the same look.

The same executive then went, “Now Mr. Masters, I’m interested in what you bring to the table, what kind of vison would you bring as director of operations?”

Ken smiled, unfurling his hands as sat back relaxing in his chair.

“Well building where I left off. The reason why restaurant liaison morphed into food and beverage manger. Prior to when I took what would become my current role, all our hotels’ food services were outsourced; we were the franchisees of one big box restaurant or another. Which had worked, for years. My father built the company like that, while we focused on building other parts of the business, namely our spa services,” Ken shot a cheeky smile to assorted suits, “which is the best in game. See, being a franchisee comes with a few advantages. There’s already a built-in infrastructure of support, a network of vendors and a built-in name to which to draw from. But then there’s also disadvantages. Franchise fees and profit sharing, we are told who we can and cannot do business with, regarding food and equipment vendors, which by the way some of those organizations had ownership in some of those vendors. In some of those cases when food and equipment prices were raised, we had no recourse due to the franchise agreement. Which further squeezed down our profit margins. And lastly it caused a lack of uniformity through our hotels across the county. I had accounting and data run what it would take to get out of the franchise agreements for all locations, what kind of investment would be needed to do our food in-house, and what we would be looking for in a turn-around for a return. After the numbers were crunched, wrote the proposal and it was brought to you all, who approved it provisionally.”

“Wait a minute,” went one executive, the same older lady who sarcastically referred to Ken’s world travels, “that was your proposal?”

Ken nodded, “Yes. My father thought it wasn’t likely to be approved if it was known it was me who wrote it. I know I’m not some of you guys’ favorite person due who my parents are.”

There were hms, and grumbles among the assorted executives, some of whom are softening at Ken due to this recent revelation.

Ken took that as a que to continue, “Once it was approved, I started with our locations whose food services were franchised out to Ruth Chris, which were 12 or 13 hotels, including this one. It took 9 months of work to get it off the ground and another 7 until the business picked back up. And now we’re seeing 23% return per quarter and now we are instituting this change region by region as not to cause too much of disruption to ongoing operations.”

“And there was a recent proposal to get into catering, cause our test kitchens are doing so well,” asked the younger executive, “that was you as well?”

“That was actually my number two guy,” said Ken, “he worked as an executive chef for another hotel chain, and I consulted him for our menu.”

A hush went over the group as they all nodded silently.

“And that’s the kind of vision you can expect from me should be brought on as director of operations,” went Ken.

The interview went on, Ken being questioned in a similar vein and answering as such.

“Alright Mr. Masters,” went the older bald executive, “we’ve got a few more interviews, we’ll be in touch.”

Ken raised, thanking and shaking the hands of all present.

He left the boardroom, making his way down the carpeted hallway, finding a glass door.

Dalton Masters, Founder & CEO, it read as it parted for Ken to enter.

“Is he in,” Ken asked the secretary behind the desk, walking to another set of woodgrain French doors.

“I’ll buzz you in,” she responded.

Ken entered the office.

Its floor was a plush grey carpet and while the space itself was large it was mostly empty but for a table with a few chairs off the side, Dalton’s desk and a large filing cabinet behind it and a kitchen-like area that had a fridge, stove and microwave.

Behind the desk sat Dalton Masters, his jacket discarded resting on the back of his chair.

“How’d it go,” he asked, eyeing his son worriedly.

“I think I knocked out of the park,” responded Ken.

“You think,” questioned Dalton.

Ken shrugged, “It was a little rough. Some of them were trying to get rise out of me, but once I went into how it was me revamped our food services, I feel like I won the room.”

Dalton nodded, then broke into a wide smile, running from behind the desk taking Ken into giant hug, lifting the blonde into the air.

“That’s my boy,” Dalton practically yelled, letting Ken back on steady feet.

“Alright, alright,” Ken went bashfully at his dad’s energetic show of emotion.

“There’s some stiff competition among the other candidates, I gotta admit. We aren’t out the woods yet,” said Dalton.

“I know, dad. I’m not worried though. I’m a Masters,” responded Ken.

“Oh, look at you,” went Dalton with a teasing smile, “now you’re confident, Mr. I-think-I-hit-a-homer. Any plans?”

“Nah,” went Ken shaking his head, “I was gonna go back to the office and head home. Latest issue of SF Inquirer should be delivered by now.”

Dalton shook his head at his son, “You still read that rag-sheet? Oh, my vain, vain boy. The stuff they print ain’t fit to line a hamster’s cage.”

“It’s entertaining to see what stuff they come up with,” Ken said, breaking eye contact trying to hide conceitedness.

“I see,” said Dalton, “well don’t let your questionable taste in entertainment take your eyes off the prize.”

Ken nods.

He knows his father is right to ignore the sleazy newspaper, but he cannot let it go.

Dalton steps back to Ken, pulls him into an embrace, pushing their foreheads together.

He then breaks off, “What am I always telling you, kid? Alexander the Great only became king because he was Philip the 2nd’s son. But Alexander built his name on his own ability.”

Ken nodded once more before he took his leave.

“Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow,” said Dalton.

Ken left and made his way to his office, seeing his latest issue of the aforementioned newspaper right on his desk.

It was faced down as he grabbed it, made his to the elevator to parking lot and made his way home uneventfully.

He pulled into the driveway of his home, seeing his wife’s SUV already there signifying her and Mel already being home.

Ken’s home was in the city, it was a 3 story, 8-bedroom house on the corner of a slightly sloped street.

It had beige windows, beige trim and grey stucco/concrete exterior, sound resistant cali bamboo floors in the halls, kitchen and bathrooms, and plush carpet in the bedrooms.

Ken walked up to the side door, unlocking it and crossing the threshold.

“I’m home,” he yelled hoping the home occupants heard him.

“We’re in the kitchen, Ken,” responded Eliza.

Ken walked up a set of stairs (covered in the same cali bamboo) by the side door making his way to the kitchen.

As he walks in, he sees Eliza standing at the kitchen island, looking at the mail discarding one letter after the other on polished granite countertops.

She’s dressed in a short sleeved cyan colored sundress, with a gold necklace and heart pendant around her neck. She shifted back and forth on black flats as she went through the mail.

Her blue eyes shot up, catching Ken, giving him a better view of her angular face, her wavy blond hair bouncing with the motion. She threw the unsorted letters to the side, running toward Ken, “Baby,” she went as she threw herself into his arms, hers going around his neck, “how was the interview,” she asked, making some space between them but still in his embrace.

“I made good impression I feel,” said Ken.

“How long until you here back anything,” she asked.

“A few weeks maybe. Dad says there’s good applicants beside myself, but we’ll see,” he said, throwing the newspaper on top of the letters, “but enough about me, how was your day, and where’s Mel?”

She smiled brightly at him, “Other than freighting about your interview nothing out of the ordinary,” she then juts her head toward the nook, where the table stood, “Mel’s at the table getting his homework knocked out.”

He kissed his wife on the cheek, then broke out of the embrace.

As he approached Mel, Ken could hear a low ‘oh’ in surprise from Eliza and a ruffle of papers as he approached his son.

“Hey Mel,” said Ken as he sat next to him, ruffling his blonde hair playfully.

Mel’s blue eyes twinkled in fondness as he fought his dad’s hand off his head, then adjusted himself in his seat to get more comfortable. The youngest Masters was dressed in long sleeved white button-up, with a black tie that reached about belly button level. His uniform included a black vest but was rested on the back of the chair he sat in, and he wore black slacks and black dress shoes.

“Hey dad,” he said.

“Anything interesting happen today,” Ken asked, as he looked at one of the assorted workbooks Mel had on the table.

Mel dropped his head and blushed.

Eliza called from her spot at the island,” He told me on the ride home, his and Li-Fen’s class shared the math lab today. And her being an upperclassman she helped him out with some of his problems.”

“Oh really,” Ken questioned playfully, “did you tell her you think she’s cute?”

“I, I,” Mel stammered.

Eliza approached, newspaper in hand, “Leave him alone. Let him finish his work,” as she light smacked Ken over the head with the newspaper, “But if you’re really concerned about someone’s love life, I think you’ll find this latest issue of the inquirer a good read.”

She handed the paper off to him.

He saw the headline and the accompanying picture, and his eyebrows shot into his hair.

“What the fu…” he started.

“KEN,” interrupted Eliza.

“Right,” he went head dropping slightly in shame, “not in front of Mel.” He drops the newspaper on the table, taking a picture of it and then he taps his phone screen furiously.

Mel looks at the discarded newspaper, recognizing the couple in the picture, “Does this mean the spider lady’s going to be my new auntie?” he asked innocently.

“Not if I have something to say about it,” said Ken.

“Baby, I don’t think it’s something you should concern yourself with,” said Eliza, as she sat down with the father and son Masters at the table in the nook, “Juri’s come up a few times whenever I speak to Guile.”

“And what did he think,” asked Ken.

“His exact words were, ‘I feel she’s ready to be citizen’,” she said, imitating Guile’s voice and posture.

Mel laughs, as well Ken, “The threat of life in prison just might do that to a person,” he said.

Eliza lets out a huff, “I have no doubt Juri turned around out of preservation, but could you blame her? Besides that, don’t you think that maybe she got sick of living her life that way?”

Ken leans over, giving her a kiss on the cheek, “Part of why I love you is you always try to see the bright side of things,” said Ken.

Eliza cuts her eyes at him, “Why do I feel a ‘but’ coming on?”

“No buts,” said Ken, “I just don’t trust her.”

His phone rings, indicating a text.

He looks down, seeing Chun-li’s response.

‘Love is in the air, but that headline is a little overdramatic for my taste’, it read.

‘What do you think of this’, he typed back.

‘I guess its good they’ve found someone,’ she typed back.

‘You think she’s on the up-and-up.’ Ken punched in.

‘Believe it or not, I trust her to keep her nose clean. This might be good for her, for Ryu too. Though I am a little worried,’ said Chun-li’s text.

Another one from Chun-li came immediately, ‘I’m about to start on dinner though, Talk to you later.’

‘Got ya. Don’t burn down the kitchen’, he typed back.

She responded by sending a middle finger emoji.

“Well that was fruitless,” said Ken, “we still got that P.Is business card?”

Eliza shakes her head.

***

AN: So, this was more to establish Ken and Chun-li as solid supporting characters and to set up some conflict. Do expect some more Chun-li and Ken centric stuff going forward.

Ryu must not be used too much contact with the opposite sex, Juri guessed.

Ever since she latched on to him outside the restaurant, he’s been tense, not just in his body language but she also feels it his in arm.

It’s not like he’s trying to flex, plus he doesn’t really need to, Juri thought.

And he’s trying his best not to look in her direction.

If he didn’t have a small dusting of red on his face that wasn’t so cute, she might’ve been offended.

“So,” said Ryu weakly, still intrigued by everything around Juri, “what do you do for a living these days?”

Such a harmless, innocuous question, Juri thought lightheartedly.

She decided to answer, humoring his attempt to distract himself.

“Security consultant,” said Juri.

“I guess we’re in the same line of work,” he said, pausing to think about what he said, before he added, “in a manor of speaking.”

“Hmm,” Juri went as she gathered her thoughts. “Due to my former life, I’m decently versed in stealthy infiltration. Some of the jobs I’ve done for S.I.N required me to take down a target, some of whom were in well-fortified buildings. You know, police stations, government buildings and once or twice actual fortresses.”

Ryu nods along, now making eye contact with Juri.

“And therein lies my expertise, finding the weakness not just in the buildings that can be exploited, but patrols, the staff, whatever. There’s a lot of businesses and organizations in this town that would find those skills and experiences valuable. It keeps me decently busy, maybe 2 or 3 jobs a month. Plus, Chun-li says I need to keep some kind of employment. I can’t imagine Blondie keeps you terribly busy with the position he gave you.”

“Yeah, well,” he said somewhat nervously, breaking eye contact with her again, “I did tell you I planned to talk to him about that. I’d much rather earn my way, you know?”

“Mmhmm, prideful boy. I can respect that,” said Juri as she ran her hand down his arm teasingly slow, smiling at the small shiver she once more managed goad out of him.

“Juri,” he responded with a shutter she found to be very endearing, “Where are we going?”

“Since you asked so nicely,” she said. “Reliving some of what I told you has got me pretty worked up, and I need to work off some of that energy.”

She stops in front of him, leaning into his face while taking his chin her thumb and index pulling his face slowly closer to her, “It’s something I sometimes do on my own, but I haven’t had a partner in a while. I figured since I’m in such good company, I might as well take advantage of the companionship…”

***

As hip-hip music blared, though muffled, Juri leads Ryu by the hand down an alley toward the entrance to a building.

It was a nondescript medium sized brick exterior structure, looking like it used to be a warehouse or manufacturing building in its past life.

Besides the music ringing out, there’s a neon yellow sign above the entrance that read in graffiti style lettering, ‘The Lemony’, with cocktail glasses and music symbols underneath it that gave away what the place is now used for.

As they continued their approach, a small line could be seen, a group of friends and three couples, waiting to be let in.

Juri and Ryu take their spots in line.

Ryu can’t help but notice that hadn’t Juri let go of his hand, the simple action making him way past nervous not all used to this kind of contact from the fairer sex.

Luckily whatever deity’s looking out for him has made it that his palms are free of sweat, despite his nerves.

They got to the front of the line, now facing down the doorman, a tall muscular man (though slightly less so than Ryu), with a bald head, green eyes, black leather pants, a fanny pack around his waist, black sneakers and a black t-shirt that carries the name/logo of the club that matched the sign in color and styling.

The door man is looking to the true entrance of the building, which was a short tunnel that led to two very heavy looking French steel doors that also had the logo of the establishment on them.

The couple that was in front them opened the doors, the music now absolutely blaring, but then going back to muffled as the doors closed back up.

The doorman then looks to Ryu and Juri, his face relaxes as he sets eyes on the couple.

“Juri!” He said in a deep baritone, obviously recognizing Ryu’s company and not Ryu himself, “Been a while since you’ve graced us with your presence.”

“My friend and I feel like dancing tonight. I’m eager to see what he can do,” She responded once more.

“And this must be the boy-toy Rachel texted me about earlier,” he responded.

Juri’s face drops at the news.

“Hey,” said the doorman, as he brought his hands up defensively as he smiled, “don’t shoot the messenger. Kid’s just happy to see you playing the field.”

“She’s not the best match maker, I’ll tell ya that much,” responded Juri, folding her arms under her chest while still smiling, the playfulness evident in her features.

“And what about that other friend of yours? The uh, thick one. With the ox tails. My boss has been asking about her.” He asked.

“Trust me, he’s not her type.” Responded Juri.

They stand there for a beat.

“I’m Ronald Garett. I can guess you already met my sister at the Flamenco Tavern,” said the doorman addressing Ryu. “Through her slight annoyance with my sister, it looks like Ms. Manners here left hers at home.”

Ronald extended a hand as he dodged a mock punch from Juri.

“Ryu,” he responded taking his hand in Ronald’s, “Ryu Hoshi.”

Taking a 2nd look at the man Ryu can see the resemblance between Ronald and his sister.

They both carried a similar energy Ryu sensed but Ronald was more subdued than Rachel.

“Alright” he said, “it’s a 40-dollar cover and I’m going to need to see some I.D.”

“All business now Ronnie?” asked Juri lightly mocking, as she dug in her pockets.

“What can I say, I’m on the job technically,” said Ronald.

Ryu produced an I.D and the bills to pay the cover.

“Come on. I’m still treating you remember?” Juri protested as she saw Ryu handing off the bills to Ronald.

“No, no,” Ryu protested now, “I’ve got it. I’ll also cover whatever else we get into tonight. It’s the least I can do to repay you for dinner.”

“Fine, fine,” responded Juri. She took his hand once more, as she leaned in. “Plus, I like the sound of ‘whatever else we get into’. What else have you got planned for me?”

Ryu’s face heats up as Ronald takes the bills and hands their I.D’s back.

“Have a good time,” laughed Ronald, “And thank for looking out for Rachel!”

Ryu didn’t get a chance to regroup before Juri grabbed his hand again, guiding him toward the entrance.

She must be eager to work off that excess energy, Ryu thought.

Ryu was painfully aware of the lack of respect Juri had for his personal space, but oddly enough he didn’t mind.

The smiles, the touches, the teases were all actions he welcomed (and would tell Juri so if he were a tiny bit more courageous).

He could see himself pursuing something more than what has happened and may happen beyond tonight, but he feels like maybe he’d be pushing his luck.

Clearly Juri was a social butterfly who attracted people everywhere she went.

What would she even want with a guy like him?

He’s not even sure what he’ll be doing with his life beyond here now, let alone his non-existent love life.

Maybe she’s just being friendly?

But Ryu can recall Eliza acting similarly when she and Ken started seeing each other.

And despite the pieces that have fallen into his lap, Ryu maybe too dense to figure out this means.

She rakes her fingers against him again, and a jolt of delight runs up to his head and down to his toes.

Friends don’t touch each other like this, he thought as he shivered in pleasure.

Ryu looked around, taking in the people and the sights around him.

His summation of the building being medium in size may have been incorrect as this club looks way bigger on the inside.

The floors are made of a glossy black ceramic tile or maybe vinyl, with little white dots scattered randomly giving the illusion of a stary night sky. There is a dozen or so booths that can fit maybe 7 or people all round the edges of the room. They’re circular in nature, with tables in the middle of each that shares the same color and dot scheming as the floor and the seating looks to be black plush leather. It’s dark but not too dark to see where one’s going. There are spotlights all along the ceiling, some static, some rotating slowly.

Juri leans up as they’re walking toward one of four bar set ups, each one with bright lights along the bases and the shelves stocked with liquor.

“Ken or Chun-li ever took you clubbing,” she asked loudly as they approached the gaudily lighted structure, her breath tickling his ear.

“They have, but I never stayed long. I don’t mind crowds, but they tend to be too loud.” Ryu responded.

“And you’re enduring the noise, just for me?” She pouted, cutely poking her lower lip with her index.

Ryu dumbly nods, the cute faces she makes quickly becoming a weakness of his.

“Excellent!” Juri said, her smile bright despite the darkened place they’re in. “What’re you drinking,” she asked as they finished their journey toward the bar.

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that,” Ryu lightly chided, returning a grin, “since I’m buying and all. So, what are you having?” He finished trying to lean cooly on the bar.

“Oh my god, you’re such a dork,” she giggled at him and his attempt at being trendy, “get me a sazerac thank you,” she went on as she laughed behind her hand.

Her laughter filled Ryu with the same pleasant feeling as being called his new nickname. Still unable to put a description to it, he turned his attention to the bar tender.

“What are you having,” a young woman dressed in a white tank top that bore the club’s logo and jeans asked behind the bar.

“Sazerac for my friend for here and,” Ryu paused very unfamiliar with alcohol.

He’s had a beer with Guile before and wasn’t very impressed with the taste. He’d only finished it out of politeness since the Air Force Major paid for it.

“I’ll have the same,” he finished.

He couldn’t imagine the drink Juri’s having could be any worse than a beer.

“How’s about we put these bad boys down and hit the dance floor?” Declared Juri as the bartender approached with their drinks.

They both take their glasses, “Bottoms up,” said Juri, as she offered her glass.

He obliged, the glasses coming together in light tink, in celebration of the new friendship.

Or whatever it is they’re doing here.

He brings the glass to his mouth, but his nose is assaulted by the strong pungent aroma of its contents. So strong he must suppress a recoil.

He looks to Juri, seeing she’s already finished hers.

She’s got a concerned smile on her face, “You know you don’t have to impress me getting the same drink as me. Sazeracs pack plenty of bite, and it looks to me you may not prepared for it. We can order you something else.”

Ryu should take the advice, but the idea of being bested by a drink doesn’t sit well with him.

“Maybe one sip wouldn’t hurt,” he said.

He takes a sip and the liquid burns as it rages down his throat, so much so he coughs as his eyes water.

***

She tried to warn him.

“You don’t drink much, do you?” Said Juri, as she patted his back as coughed.

“What was that?” He asked between coughs.

“Sazerac, starts with a glass rinsed and chilled with ice and absinthe and then set aside…” She began.

“Absinthe,” he questioned, his eyes going slightly wide as his coughing started to die down, “say no more.”

The bartender sets a glass of water down for Ryu, “I can get you something a little lighter,” she stated simply.

“We just might take you up that,” Juri said addressing the bartender, “are you ok,” she asked, still with a subdued smile on her face as her back pats turned into circles.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine,” he rasped as he wiped remnants of the drink and spittle from his face from an offered napkin from the bartender, “your mouth must be made of metal between this and all that horseradish you had with your dinner.”

He wore a blush on his face, from the coughing Juri surmised, but probably from embarrassing himself.

“Maybe next time listen to me, tough guy,” she responded, “and by the way. My mouth is made of softer stuff than that, play your cards right and I may prove it to you.”

She takes the glass from him, downing the remainder of his portion of the Sazerac in one gulp.

His blush darkens, either from the implication of her words or the indirect kiss of the shared glass.

He coughs once more into his closed fist, probably to break his nerve.

I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of teasing him like this, she thought.

“I think I’ll take that drink,” he addressed the bartender but not breaking eye contact with Juri, “I’ll defer to your recommendation.”

It’s such a small consideration to make, but it still fills her with warmth.

Or maybe it’s the liquor.

“Get my man here a glass of a bourbon and ginger ale, one quarter bourbon, three quarter ginger ale with a squirt of cherry of syrup,” Juri requested.

The bar keep gives a look of apprehension but still goes about making the drink for Ansatsuken fighter.

She hands the finished concoction to Ryu, “Please don’t kill over in my section,” the bartender lightly joked.

“Drink it slow,” Juri asked.

He brings the glass to his face.

He’s not recoiling, so that’s a good sign.

He takes a good swig.

“It’s good,” he says, finishing the glass, “I think I’ll have another.”

“Not so fast, I don’t want you too loaded before I get a dance out of you,” said Juri, “like I said before I’m eager to see what you can do.”

Nervousness starts to creep its way back on to his features.

Juri likes that she can get these reactions out of him.

She finds his straight forwardness very refreshing in a world preoccupied with presenting a façade.

He throws a few bills on the bar to pay off their tab.

“Come on,” she said taking him by the hand dragging him to the dance floor before he had a chance to protest. “Luckily, it’s a weekday, so we don’t have to contend with a whole lot of people,” she said, as she navigated them through the assorted groups and couples in the area showing off their moves.

They settle on a spot with plenty of room between them and the other club goers.

An upbeat, relatively fast song is playing, and it doesn’t take long for Juri to find her rhythm.

She’s losing herself in the beat, her hands above her head, running her fingertips through her hair, her feet set as she moves her hips in time to the music.

She looks to her partner.

He’s moving, and well…

Let’s not be overly generous here.

He’s moving but not to any beat or rhythm Juri can pick up.

It’s more like he’s spasming out like a beached fish and said fish is being electrocuted.

He’s distracting.

So much so that she stops her own movements and starts shaking with laughter.

He picks up on this and moves closer to her.

She wipes a tear of mirth from her eye, expecting Ryu to at the very least upset at her laughing at him so.

I don’t get how such a talented fighter can be so uncoordinated on the dance floor, she thought.

He’s slightly flushed in the face, either from his one and a half drinks or from embarrassment, with a small smile playing on his lips.

“Maybe it’s too late to give a lesson,” He asked, shrugging his shoulders.

She raises an eyebrow at him, “Maybe you weren’t listening at dinner. It’s never too late.”

***

A good word to describe Juri’s movements would be hypnotic.

Ryu couldn’t help but be entranced by the way her hips swirled and twirled to the music.

And she would spin around, his eyes would drop down her figure.

Over her shoulders, down her back, to waist, again to her hips.

And lower even. Her actions producing a very enticing bounce to her…

“You sure you’re paying attention,” she asked lightly, disrupting the thought, looking back at him as she continued dancing, “find your rhythm, two-step for me.” She finished, going into the move seamlessly breaking into her previous moves sliding her feet across the dance floor snapping her fingers to the music while still maintaining her rhythm.

He tried to follow her advice of performing a ‘two-step’ to the music, but apparently, he isn’t doing a good job.

He tries the dance, but his movements are jerky and loose, and he isn’t sure what to do with his arms, so he keeps them bolted to his sides.

“Come on, do something with your arms! watch me,” she said, continuing the step, her elbows bent, fingers still snapping in rhythm as her arms flapped in time to the song.

Ryu does his damnedest to copy her motions, but he just can’t get it.

“OK,” says Juri, taking his hands in hers, “let’s try something else.”

“Thank you for having some mercy on me,” he says.

“Don’t thank me yet, the night isn’t over,” she responded.

Ryu observed her contemplation evident on her features. The Ansatsuken fighter surmises she’s working her way through her thoughts by tracing the calluses in his palms.

“You don’t have to work yourself this hard in order to teach me how to dance,” he said.

She looks up at him, her features soften as if she’s come to an epiphany.

“You’re a genius baby, I’ll be right back,” she said as she scurried off.

He stands there while he reflects on the night.

He doesn’t remember the last time he had so much fun.

Juri constantly keeps him on his toes with her teases.

And her laughter at his bad dancing.

If it was anyone else, he’d be self-conscious about it.

Melodic is the word he thinks of when her laughter comes to mind, it being added to his list of weaknesses regarding her.

Before he can consider the thought further, the lights dim, a slower song starts, and he can sense Juri making her way back to him.

“So, I’d figure a slower, more hands-on approach may be better,” she said.

Ryu laughed, “Like you haven’t been that way all night.”

“Guilty as charged,” she responded, “Well come on, budge in. I don’t bite,” she them playfully nipped at him, “unless you ask.”

He steps forward, this time he’s being the personal space invader, taking hold of her hands.

“Egar aren’t we?” She teased.

She pulls him close to the point where there’s practically no space between them. She takes his wrists, guiding his hands to her to her waist and then she places her hands behind his neck, her wrists resting on where the nape of his neck and shoulders meet.

As he adjusted his grip, looking to get a more comfortable hold on her, he noticed how thin the material of her romper is.

And the softness of her skin underneath.

She lets out a small giggle, as settled his hold on her.

“You trying to see if I’m ticklish?” She shot at him.

“I’m, uh, admiring the material of your outfit,” he responded lamely.

“Well stop admiring and start stepping. I want you to follow my movements. Treat it like a fight,” she said as she began to take small steps to the music still maintaining the same distance or lack there of between them, “like you’re looking to close the distance on me. I step, you step.”

She then fully committed, taking a larger step than before, expecting him to follow and he did.

“You got it?”

“Yeah, I think I follow.”

It took a few songs, but Ryu eventually found his footing.

He stepped on Juri’s toes a few times, but it looks like she’s not holding it against him judging by the way she’s been looking at him.

Speaking of which, his eyes fall on his dance partner.

Juri’s currently looking up at him, her expression even, eyes slightly lidded and her lips slightly parted. Despite the natural look, Ryu can tell she’s far from it.

He notices her left eye, the Feng Shui engine, glowing faintly.

“What,” she said, quirking an eyebrow at him and her lips starting to curve into a smile.

“I,” he stopped, wanting to complement her. But he didn’t want to make things awkward. “Nothing,” he completed the thought.

“Are you drunk,” she asked, “don’t worry. It’s fine if you are. I think it’s cute that you’re a light weight.”

“I mean,” Ryu trailed off, the warmth of his drinks coursing through him, “I can’t deny it, I am a little buzzed. But what about you? You did have wine with dinner.”

She laughed, her face going into his chest, briefly turning the dance into a embrace as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“You really didn’t invoke the ol’ ‘wine before liquor’, did you,” she said as her face emerged from his chest, hands going back to his shoulders and shaking her head fondly at him. She then brings a hand to his face, cupping his cheek, “your concern is touching, tough guy, really. But I’m fine.”

Yo, Mo Bee man, drop that shit, commanded a voice over the speaker as a new song started.

This track is slightly faster than the slower songs that have been playing, but Ryu’s able to keep up as Juri’s steps have become more energetic.

Ryu recognizes the artist of this song as Tupac, mostly from Ken’s playlists.

Juri adjusts her hold on him, running her hands across his shoulders, settling on the nap of his neck.

She began to run her fingertips in circles where she placed her hands, as she began to mouth along with the song as it played, and they continued to dance.

Tell me, baby are you lonely? Don't wanna rush ya

I can help ya if you only let me touch ya

If I'm wrong, love, tell me 'cause I get caught up

In the life I live, it's Hell see, I never thought I'd

See the day when I would calm down, you ain't heard?

I've been known to clown and get around, that's my word

See you walking and you looking good, yes indeed

Got a body like a sex fiend

She went along throughout the song continuing to mouth the lyrics earnestly, never breaking eye contact with Ryu.

Despite the club being darkened, Ryu can see her eyes shimmering like a beacon with an emotion he can’t quite place.

But that doesn’t matter as he can’t help but be drawn to it.

Their faces start to drift toward each other, like two celestial bodies in space.

Juri closes her eyes.

Ryu follows suit, as his heart drumming louder as each centimeter of emptiness disappears between their faces.

Their noses touch, lightly colliding.

But before their lips can meet, the song completes, and lights cut back on.

A more upbeat song starts to play as their faces start to part once more, but they’re still in each other’s embrace.

They don’t move, caught in each other’s eyes as the club and its patrons are still lively around them.

Juri breaks first, looking down to Ryu’s lips before looking back to his eyes as she bites her lower lip.

Between the alcohol and the way Juri’s looking him, Ryu’s head is swimming.

And maybe the alcohol is affecting Juri too.

He deflates a little at the thought, but he doesn’t let it show.

“I like this, being so close to you,” she said timidly, surprising Ryu as she had been pretty bold tonight, “but I think we should call it a night.”

Yet she’d made no move to leave his arms, and his hands remained at her waist.

“Are you sure,” Ryu asked shakily, “I don’t mind this either. The closeness I mean.”

Ryu must’ve found the courage he was lacking outside the club.

“Yeah,” she responded in a small voice smiling at his response.

She looked at him contemplatively before letting of him, and he let go of her.

But before he could think twice, she invaded his space again, kissing him on his cheek.

“If you ever want an ear to vent to, or another dance lesson. I’ll be around,” she said.

Ryu stood stupefied, yet elated at the possibility of seeing her again, “Y…Yeah.”

His hand starts to go to the spot Juri just kissed him instinctively.

But she intercepts it, slipping a piece of paper into his hand.

He looks down and he sees her phone number written on a napkin.

Now it was time to plan her move on Shadaloo and nab the prize.

Bison’s head.

Juri gave the fallen android very little regard as she lifted her foot to shatter Seth’s core, ensuring he wouldn’t be coming back.

Not unlike the roach who’s fond of red military garb, thought Juri.

The moment she crushed the Tanden Engine under her own foot, that was when Bison decided to reveal himself.

The metal automatic door hissed open, Bison stepping into Seth’s office, as if he owned the place.

She could hear bangs, shouting, explosions and gunshots beyond the office, making it clear Bison didn’t come alone.

It was no secret that Bison had moles in S.I.N, but Seth, being the unimaginative automaton he was, did nothing to eliminate them; furthermore even having S.I.N’s base in the same rainforests as the main Shadaloo base.

She remembered the humanoid once stating the mountains and forests of southern Thailand were naturally impenetrable.

Naturally impenetrable my ass, thought Juri.

The devil among men barely made any preamble.

He goes on the attack after giving a haughty “humph.”

Bison left his feet, charging her, the paramilitary leader going into a spin as the ki of his psycho power enveloped him.

She just managed to dodge him, jumping out of the as he blasted past her, shouting, “Psycho Crusher!”

Looking to take advantage of the opening she charged him as he recovered.

Bison came out of the spin of the psycho crusher, landing on both feet just as Juri came up on him.

Juri threw a flurry of punches and kicks to his body and head, hoping to catch him cold.

But Bison was no push over, he dodged, blocked or parried everything she threw.

After one parry, he held on to her wrist squeezing it tight as he shrouded it the burning ki of his psycho power.

In response, Juri then refocused her attack. She threw a kick low, thrusting her foot heel first with crippling intention towards Bison’s knee.

He grunted in pain, but his grip remained tight.

She did again.

Once more.

He released his grip, then produced a burst of sudden ki creating almost shield around him forcing Juri back.

She regained her footing, then began circling Bison as she shook her wrist.

The defensive aura ki around Bison disbursed, as he kicked the kinks out of his knee.

He smiles, “You intend to cripple me, girl?” He asked mockingly as he took his stance, widening his feet, placing his hands in place to protect his face and body.

Juri smiles at him, but with no mirth in her features. “I reckon a one-legged man is easier to kill than one with two,” she said shrugging off his question.

Bison charged her once more, taking a large step throwing himself into a low kick of his own aiming for her standing leg.

Juri, no stranger to such a tactic, leaps above the strike, flipping into the air with the intention of landing on her much-hated foe.

She makes contact with Bison, touching down both feet on his armored shoulders. She recognized he’s still off balance having thrown his body into that low kick, so she pushes off him performing another flip.

Bison collied with the ground, landing on his hands his back away from Juri; while Juri landed gracefully in a 3-point stance.

He regains his footing, just as Juri is on him once more.

He goes for a double collar tie, grabbing at the collar bones on Juri on both sides.

Juri sees this another opening, throwing a barrage of punches toward his now unprotected body.

“A…small…price…to pay,” Bison managed to spit out between landed blows.

It was then that he landed a thunderous knee to her midsection, using the collar tie to tilt her body to expose the vulnerable areas and pull her into the blows.

He tilts her to his left, kneeing her on her right side and vice-versa.

She desperately tries to fight her way out this clinch, punching, clawing, even swimming her hands using circular motion to break the dangerous embrace, but Bison has too much size on her, too much strength.

She wills the Feng Shui Engine to life in a last-ditch effort.

The boost the device gives her increases her strength enough for her power out of Bison’s hold, peeling his hands from her collar bones with her bare hands through sheer brute force and creates distance with a push kick to his body.

She needed to get back on the offensive as this boost he’s been granted won’t last long.

Plus, there’s a few things working toward her disadvantage.

Bison’s most recent attack took more out her than she realized, she was more fatigued from her clash with Seth than she’d care to admit, and of course have used the Feng-Shui Engine against Seth; it yields diminishing returns if utilized too soon in successive fashion.

“Did you use your little trinket against my spare?” he asked with a mocking smile.

“What does it matter,” she responded through gritted teeth, fists clinching tight, “you’ll fall just the same.”

They clashed again, this time Juri getting the better of the exchanges, the speed and power boost granted by the Feng-Shui Engine guiding her through.

But for each punch landed, she slowed slightly.

Each kick connected had a little less might behind it than the last.

She was reaching her limit and she knew it.

And would appear Bison picked up on it too.

He timed a punch batting it down and through that opening he threw an elbow to her face, it landing square on her nose.

Juri yelled, “Bastard!” as she retreated, holding her face.

Bison then approached her, imbuing his fists with Psycho energy.

He then begun to rain down punches on her, the Psycho Power-enhanced blows not only impacting her head and body, but also burning with each one landing.

She desperately covers up, trying her best to block the incoming attacks but it’s of little use, the Feng-Shui Engine whirring down as the boost it provided has completely elapsed.

The way he rained down blows on her made it clear he wasn’t there to beat her into submission or subservience.

He wasn’t there to make an example of her.

He was there to take her out and take S.I.N.

No!

Not when she’d just taken it for herself.

She tries to activate the Feng-Shui Engine once more.

Just as it starts to hum to life once more, Bison utters, “No more of that.”

He grabs her by the neck, lifting her into the air squeezing the life out her. He slams her back into the nearby steel wall, while still holding her by the throat.

She struggles with her feet kicking in the air as she gasps for breath, pounding desperately on the arm holding her up.

Bison reaches for her left eye, his intention to rip the Feng-Shui engine right out her head clear.

“Kkekk,” she spits out as her struggle gets more erratic, batting his hand away with each attempt only being more futile than the last while Bison squeezes her neck tighter.

As her consciousness fades, she enacts one more act of desperation.

She grasps the sides of his head, pushing her thumbs into his sockets.

He lets out a wail, “Rahh! You wretch! I’ll make you suffer for this!”

Take mine, I’ll take your you son of a bitch, she thought.

He grabs her by the wrists, tearing her hands from his face.

Still holding her by the arms, he throws Juri across the room.

She crashed into Seth’s desk, the piece of furniture exploding into splinters upon impact.

Juri hacks and coughs, trying to regain her breath after being strangled. Her hand massaged her neck as body throbbed in agony after being thrown.

She observed Bison, staggering about the room, hands at his eyes, trying to rub the vision back into them.

“Tell me where you are, and your suffering will be brief!” He screamed, as he dropped his hand from his eyes, the skin around them red and swollen from being thumbed.

“Ah, a good attempt,” he said facing Juri, the south Korean presumably coming into focus, “but it will take more than that to take down the mighty Bison.”

Juri tried to push herself up but found her body too fatigued to do so, collapsing immediately.

She managed to get herself on her knee, bracing herself with a hand on the ground. She looked up and saw Bison powering his way toward her.

Is this it?

This can’t be it.

Not when I have the bastard right here!

She clenches her grounded hand in frustration but finds it closing around a piece of wood from the destroyed desk.

One surely wouldn’t be performing surgery with it but it’s ends look sharp enough that with enough force it could do some damage.

She looks around, seeing she’s not too far from a wall.

She pushed herself up, makeshift shank in hand, letting her momentum guide her to the wall to minimize any effort it would take to stand and move otherwise.

She would need the energy.

Bison continued his stride toward her, just passing where she kneeled previously.

“Run, run, little spider,” mocked Bison.

He must still be blurry-eyed, thought Juri, as he’s made no mention of the piece of wood nor made no move to disarm her.

He reaches out with both hands, clasping around her neck to finish what he started.

“Take heed and be happy that the last thing you’ll see is my…”

Bison is cut off, as the pointed piece of wood is plunged into abdomen just below the chest, Juri aiming for the heart or liver.

She stabs again, he responds by grabbing at his wounds with one hand choking her with the other, but the clasp isn’t as tight as it was before.

Must’ve hit pay-dirt.

She takes the improvised weapon by both hands, this time plunging it into Bison neck with all the strength she had left.

She pulls out the piece of wood, the crude weapon coming out with a wet splunk.

Bison releases her, as he stumbles back, blood spraying out his neck.

His now free hand goes to his neck wound trying to stop the bleeding.

He drops to his knees, now holding both lacerations.

He then holds out both hands, looking down at them with a sneering smile.

He looks up to Juri, as his face relaxes and then his body crumbles into a heap unceremoniously.

Juri throws down the piece of wood at the unmoving Bison.

“Dae-Jung and Areum Han say hello from heaven, you fuck,” Juri muttered weakly before she herself collapsed.

***

Ryu stared at Juri as finished this piece of her story, her own stare was downcast.

“That story in the newspapers was that Bison…”

“I know Juri,” interrupted, “my guess is that leaders of the world figured is better the everyday citizen thought Bison went down like some grand finale befitting an action movie villain, and not stabbed to death by a desperate girl on her last legs.”

Ryu noticed a slight tremble of her hand, the memory of her final battle with Bison obviously a very sore spot.

Juri must’ve observed him seeing her display of anguish, as she brought her hand to her mouth, biting her index finger between her lips.

“Juri, you could’ve told the story that circulated in the papers and wherever and I wouldn’t have been the wiser,” said Ryu, as he took the hand she had up to her mouth into his hand. “Why are you telling me this?” he asked earnestly.

She looked down at their entwined hands, and then looked back to Ryu.

Smiling sadly, her nodding down as she looked at him through her eyelashes, “Maybe I’m a nicer person than I’ve led on all these years. Maybe since you trusted me with your problems, I feel like I can trust you with this.” She finished as began to caress Ryu’s hand.

She took a noticeable breath, preparing to speak.

But before she could, John walked up to their table from behind Ryu, asking, “Can I get you both anything else?”

Juri pushed Ryu’s hand away, as if it was scalding hers, looking in a direction away from both John and Ryu.

She cutely pouted, as crossed her arms across her chest.

Ryu smiled at her as she angrily told John, off, “We’re fine!” She huffed out.

He can see Rachel motioning behind Juri, signaling for John to leave the couple be.

“Uh, yeah. ” said John, as he walked away.

She unfolded her arms, taking deep swig of her wine, “I’d like to continue if you don’t mind?” she asked lightly.

“Go right ahead,” responded Ryu, motioning her to go on, “I’m eager to hear what happened next,” he said as he placed his hand on the table.

“I woke up a few hours later, the first thing on my mind was…”

***

She did it.

She’d finally did it.

After almost a decade of toil her one goal since her parents’ death has come to fruition.

Bison’s dead.

And by her hand.

She ought to feel happy, celebratory even.

She opened her eyes, the lights of the florescent blubs above her burning them.

“Fuck,” she muttered to herself, covering her eyes with her arm while attempting to sit up.

But her whole body is incredibly sore, likely from the battle with Bison.

Had it not been for this pain she would’ve been left with a hollow feeling.

The empty, hollow she feared would surface once her revenge was consummated.

Just as Chun-Li warned…

“I see you’re awake,” called a voice from the side of the bed Juri occupied.

Juri looked at the figure from underneath her arm, laying her eyes on Crimson Viper.

The S.I.N agent is seated in a plastic seat, metal legged chair with her legs and arms crossed. Her red hair is in a messy ponytail. Viper has a few cuts here and there marring the otherwise mesmerizing beauty, the most obvious of which is one on her pouty lips. Viper’s looking at her with a neutral look on her face as if she’s trying to get a read on her. Absent is her usual business suit that hides her battle equipment, in its place is a skintight red catsuit with a solid black line running down the arms, sides, continuing down legs plunging into solid black combat boots and she has matching tactical gloves on her hands. She has a holster around her shoulders with a handgun the model of Juri is having trouble identifying.

“Nice to see you’re still among the living,” said Viper, as her expression softened slightly.

“I feel like death,” responded Juri through gritted teeth, as tried to stand up again this time succeeding despite the pain.

“Maybe halfway alive at least,” joked Viper.

“I take it I’m in the infirmary,” asked Juri.

“You got it.”

Juri looks around, noticing not too many of the other beds of the infirmary occupied.

“How many of ours did we lose. I mean, when I was fighting Bison things seemed to be going to hell outside of Seth’s office. I take it we didn’t lose too many?”

“Not a whole lot, though obviously we did suffer some casualties. Despite the idiocy of keeping the mobile base of S.I.N in the same forests as Shadaloo base, Seth did have an efficient plan for the inevitable Shadaloo attack. A shame he didn’t live to see it through.” Finished Viper as she gave a pointed look to Juri.

“Oh,” Juri laughed,” you’re sorry he’s gone?”

“You insult me by asking. Only thing I’m sorry about is that you got to him first,” said Viper, as her eyes narrowed at Juri, in which the Taekwondo fight reads as look of resentment, “both of them.”

Whatever plans Crimson Viper had regarding Seth and Bison are now irrelevant, and really don’t concern Juri.

With Bison dead, her next move should be moving on Shadaloo as soon as possible. Juri doesn’t doubt Bison has a spare body or two lying around the main base.

But also, she needs to do something, anything before the hollowness consumed her.

“Early bird gets the worm,” Juri responded, throwing on a façade of confidence, “and since I took out Seth that means I call the shots here now!”

Crimson Viper looks at Juri, looking at her almost as she sees through her.

If she did, Viper didn’t make any mention of it.

“I guess it does,” Viper replied simply.

“How soon do you think we’ll be able to move on Shadaloo,” asked Juri.

“In your condition?” Said Viper with a surprised inflection, leaning forward, “You can barely stand upright in that bed without wincing in pain!”

“Huh, didn’t know you cared so much Viper, but that’s not what I asked.”

“Fine, you’re the boss I guess,” said Viper, “we can probably be ready in under 12 hours. Bison brought with him about 500 soldiers, and by our latest estimation he had a total of 700 at his disposal at the main Shadaloo base. Most of those 500 he brought with are either dead or captured right now. At our last head count of our manpower, we had 400 men at our disposal, and we barley lost 100 in this battle. Plus, we can probably bolster our numbers with those we’ve captured or at least those whose loyalty can be bought. Also, those among detained we’ve got F.A.N.G, their second in command. We can probably use F.A.N.G to take ‘em without any further conflict.”

“But where’s the fun in that,” responded Juri.

***

Ryu looked on as Juri spoke further, leaning forward in anticipation of the next part of this story.

She paused as John came back, taking their plates.

“Can I get some more water,” asked Juri.

John simply nodded, stepping away from the table, having taken his que from Rachel to avoid interrupting the couple too much.

Maybe, I shouldn’t think of us as couple, though Ryu, maybe just acquaintances having dinner.

Juri, as if reading Ryu’s mind continued, “And there’s not really much to say about taking on Shadaloo. We mobilized all able-bodied members S.I.N plus those members of Shadaloo that stormed the base that we’re willing to change alliances and stormed their base. We even used the air carriers they used to come to us to travel there. They were out manned, out gunned so surrender was the only logical thing Shadaloo could’ve done.”

Ryu looked on at Juri, slightly disappointed, “I kind of expected more but considering the circumstances, surrender was probably the most likely outcome.”

“Yeah, I mean we brought F.E.N.G with us to prove we weren’t playing around let alone the troops we brought with us. The most exciting thing after that was my 1st official act as head of Shadaloo. It was well known that Bison has ‘spare’ bodies laying around,” Juri said using quotation marks. “I demanded to know where were in the base. I was taken to a subterranean room where there were 4 glass tanks, each containing a fully realized clone of Bison floating in some liquid. I ordered them all off whatever life support system they were connected to. And just to make sure there was no coming back for him, I took a side arm from one of my escorts and put two in the head chest of each copy.” Juri stopped, looking at Ryu as if she was ready for him to pass judgement on her for what she did.

“Lay it on me tough guy. I know you have something to say about this. Whatever it is, I can take it.” Said Juri impatiently.

Ryu’s brows shot up in surprise.

He could imagine being in her shoes if something happened to someone he cared for.

Hell, he almost crossed that line when Crimson Viper decided it was a good idea to torture Cammy in order to goad out the Satsui no Hado.

“Juri,” he started seriously, “While I have been a witness to the cruelty of M. Bison, it has always been in the context of a fight. I cannot begin to fathom the things he’s done to others in the name of his criminal empire, least of all what he put you through. If you thought it was necessary to complete your revenge, I will not judge you for it. The least I can say is that he will not be missed,” Ryu finished, as he returned Juri’s stare.

She laughed sadly.

“You’re being nicer to me than I was to myself was to all those months ago.”

“How do you mean?” asked Ryu.

“Well remember earlier when I described my feelings after I woke up in the infirmary. Hollow, empty. I hoped that what was left of Shadaloo had put up a fight. That way I can occupy myself with something other than this emptiness. Fucking bastards, rolling over as quickly as they did,” Juri spoke with bitterness in her tone. “And after that? After that I thought about what my parents would want. Would they have wanted me to avenge them like this? No. My dad probably would’ve wanted me to be like Chun-Li, go into law enforcement. Or be like him, become a prosecutor. Take the bad guys down, all fair and just like,” she said as waived her hand. “And that hollowness showed too. Everything I was to be briefed on, I showed no interest in. Crimson Viper knew that too. That might be why she approached me afternoon of the following day…”

***

Juri Han sat at a large desk (likely made from some rare or expensive species of wood she surmised), her elbow on its surface as she held her head in her palms as she stared down its fine finish.

Buttons and retractable screens were built into opulent the piece of furniture, likely for delegating decisions for running this to go smoother. But for the life of her, Juri didn’t know how (or even care to) work them.

Nothing in particular was on her mind, she simply sat there.

Existing.

She found herself surrounded by luxurious and posh things, but Juri just couldn't find it in her to care.

Despite that, there was no fanfare to her becoming the new head-honcho of Shadaloo and reconsolidating S.I.N back into its fold. It was just simply understood among those in the base.

It’s not that she’d expected anything either, the only thing she was given was a brief of ongoing operations.

Said briefing probably included how to work the do-dads on this desk, not that she paid any attention to it.

Almost in a haze she followed around some scientist or engineer she didn’t bother to get the name as the big brain droned on about one thing or another.

She’d ended up just leaving Crimson Viper with the scientist, leaving it up to her to brief her later.

Viper took it upon herself to be acting number two, following Juri around like she did. Juri simply made it official.

Her 2nd act as the new head of Shadaloo.

Guess I should make the 3rd act a crash course in how to work this desk, thought Juri.

But before she could put a fingertip to a button, the doors to the office hissed open.

The doors completed their cycle revealing Crimson Viper (dressed in her normal battle suit) and two Shadaloo/S.I.N troops.

“Hear for that briefing, Viper?” Juri asked.

“A briefing, I guess you can say,” Viper answered.

As the doors hissed back closed, Viper approached the control panel next to the opening typing something into it.

As she did that, the two troops came into the room with her pulled silencers from their person, fixing them into place on the muzzles of their sub-machine guns.

“I see,” said Juri, as the troops trained their weapons on to her, “making your move. Make it quick at least.” She finished, ready to accept her fate.

“That depends on you,” said Crimson Viper as she approached the desk.

“I’m sorry,” said Juri incredulously, “are you not taking Shadaloo for your own purposes? Cause that’s what it looks like to me!”

“I am, just not in the way you think.”

“Well,” replied Juri, waving impatiently at Viper to clear the air, “stop fucking double talking with me!”

“I’ve been working deep cover as an agent through the C.I.A, with the goal of taking down Shadaloo and S.I.N and considering those have just become one, though I guess it’s just Shadaloo now.”

“I just made your job easier it looks like, you’re welcome.”

Viper simply scoffs at her, staring down, almost through Juri as the C.I.A operative continued. “We were planning a joint raid of both facilities within the next few weeks as we had good information that Bison was going to attack S.I.N soon. It never could’ve been anticipated that he would strike at the same time you took out Seth. The plan was to raid whatever was left over as it’d be in a weakened state, but it could be said that’s still the plan now. Observing you after Shadaloo’s attack, I recommended we move up the timeline for the raid. It was clear to me that whatever motivation you had died with M. Bison. And with you as the head of Shadaloo the body would fall easily.”

“Ok,” said Juri, still unsatisfied with the answer, “I get arrested with everyone else here assuming you three are the only undercovers. That still doesn’t explain why you came to me now. Why not just take me down during the raid? Shit, why not just take me out of the equation right now? Something tells me you’re looking to make some kind of deal and let me walk away from this little meeting, provided I say the right things,” Juri said as she leaned back into her chair. “What makes you think I won’t just say what you want hear and I won’t just run for it afterwards?”

“Well,” said Viper, lips curling into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, “the assumption that we’re the only three undercovers would be wrong. We’ve got people all over this place, including the exits. Should this meet go sour or you try to run, you will be killed. Cover stories already prepared, ‘Juri Han was shot dead after making an undercover operative and compromising the upcoming raid.’ And why bring you into the loop? You can leverage your current position as leader Shadaloo. Make yourself nice a soft-landing after the fall.”

“But why come to me start with? If Shadaloo goes down and me with it, I’m fine with that at this point. There’s nothing in this world left for me,” responded Juri.

“Exactly,” said Viper.

Juri’s brow creases, her lips splitting into a sneer. She brings her fist into the table, making a sizeable dent as she screamed, “You’re doing this because you feel sorry for me!”

“Maya, clear out for a shot,” said one of the agents obviously prepared to fire on Juri.

“No,” said Viper, motioning at them to hold their fire. “Call it a good deed, but despite everything I know you don’t want die to here. Shadaloo is going to fall and you along with it. The difference being is your cooperation. You want to be difficult, fine. We have enough to bury you in the deepest, darkest international hell hole we can find. You go along with it, you’re probably looking at a life sentence, with the possibly parole in a decade or two. Maybe even you get to walk, but I can’t guarantee anything.”

Fair enough, thought Juri, but it’s the pity that I cannot stand. It reminds of when my parents were killed. Everyone saying that they were sorry, it made me feel so fucking powerless! Like how I’m powerless now…

“So, what now. We just wait for the raid,” asked Juri as she unfurled her fist.

“Raid takes place tomorrow morning, 0500 hours. 0500 is an hour before the night guards switch shifts with the morning guards. That’s the best window we surmised to minimize any casualties. Night guards would be too tired and not as vigilant at the end of their shift. Moring guard wouldn’t even be in position to repel any attack. I recommend you read up on how this place runs and on current running operations as you can. The more you know, the more leverage you’ll have. This control panel should have everything you need to familiarize yourself with everything, knowing that mind of yours has perfect recall.” Viper pulls a device from a pocket on her battle suit, “One the things I was briefed on yesterday was how operate this thing, the recorded instructions are on this.”

Crimson Viper placed the recorder contraption the desk as she turns to walk away, motioning at the two guards.

The two troops lower their weapons and remove the silencers from the muzzles.

“See tomorrow morning Juri.”

Juri doesn’t hesitate to dive into Shadaloo’s files as the three C.I.A operatives take their leave, activating the recording device. The big brain from yesterday afternoon begins to drone directions for operating the desk/control console, his recorded voice bouncing off the walls the office.

Juri loses track of time, seeing things she knew, seeing things she didn’t know, but also seeing things she wishes she didn’t.

A few things she makes note of, as they may serve as leverage come tomorrow.

Before she realizes it, it’s 3 am local time. 2 hours before the raid.

She can’t sleep, she’s much too anxious.

She should probably shower as facing the day ahead with funk of the previous day not seeming like a good idea.

Luckily this office has an in-suite bedroom that included a bathroom.

After a 20-minute shower, she fixes her in her signature spider fang style, that killing another 45 minutes.

4:05am.

Still another 55 minutes to the raid.

Juri decided to eat something, as she doesn’t remember the last time she ate something and would definitely need the energy to face the day.

Luckily this office had a mini fridge stocked with fresh fruit and water bottles.

She helps herself to a few handfuls of grapes, a banana and a water bottle.

After finishing she looks at the clock again.

4:40am.

Shit.

This waiting is killing her.

So, she decided to do one more thing.

She discovered Shadaloo had money and a lot of it.

If several million went missing who’s know the difference.

And being the head of Shadaloo (though only for a few minutes more) she had access and control.

Viper even said there’s a chance she can walk!

No way she starts over without a, what did Viper call it?

‘A soft landing spot.’

A few key stokes here and a whole shit ton of money moved to an off sore account under an assumed name Shadaloo already had under its use, said account removed from the database.

There!

Soft landing secured.

Even if she doesn’t walk, she at least has something she come back to when she meets parole.

And not a moment too soon as the clock now read 4:59am local time.

5:00am

Juri waits with bated breath for all hell to break loose.

And just as clock hits 5:01am, she hears simultaneous booms indicating breach explosives have been used at all points of entry.

Then the loud klaxon of an alarm starts to blare.

She hears commotion and orders being barked but no sounds of fight being put up.

Viper was on the money after all.

It’s not until another hour after the initial raids that the doors to the office open again.

Once more it’s Crimson Viper or Maya as one the troops from yesterday afternoon called her and several more people dressed head to toe in tactical gear (she presumes they’re C.I.A).

“Had a good night I hope,” said Viper.

“Better than you might expect,” replied Juri.

Viper looks back at one of soldiers, motioning them toward Juri.

The tactically dressed soldier then steps forward, removing their helmet revealing the twin ox tail hair adorned with white broaches and ribbons, brown hair and angular face of Chun-li.

The INTERPOL officer looks to Viper, “It won’t make up for Bison,” said Chun-Li, pulling out a pair of handcuffs, “but it’s a start.”

Juri goes to stand.

“You didn’t have to do all this just to get me in cuffs, all you had to do is just ask officer,” Juri spoke lightly as she lifted her hands above her head, “though I’d prefer to be cuffed to the head of a bed than this.”

Chun-Li shook her head at Juri, her face a stone mask and simply replied, “Please fuck this up. Besides, that won’t be needed anyways. Hands in front of you and sit back down, slowly.”

Juri looked to Viper as she obeyed the command, “Is Bazooka Joe and the kitten joining us?” She asked.

“As a matter of fact, they will be, but in the meantime, I think you and the agent here,” said Chun-li as the jutted her head in Maya’s direction, “have somethings to discuss.”

Another one of the tactically dressed troops steps forward, this one with a curved grab bar (like one a person would see in a shower or bathroom, but this looked more heavy-duty) and a nail gun.

He places them on the floor as he feels around the desk, likely for a spot where no wires or electricity runs through, their intention to handcuff Juri to the desk becoming clear to her.

“This thing’s bolted to the floor, correct?” asked the faceless soldier, referring to the desk.

Viper nods.

The soldier, having found a spot he liked, places the bar on the desk quickly nails in place as Chun-Li cuffs Juri’s wrist and cuffs the other end to the bar.

Juri tugs her cuffed hand, the metal of the cuffs and bar making a loud clanking noise, “I figured I’d test…”

She’s interrupted by a high-pitched whine and a pain emanating from the left side of her head.

“FUCK,” Juri said loudly.

“That was a test of this little number,” said Viper waiving a small remote in her hand, “to ensure your compliance. It interferes with Feng Shui Engine. So don’t get cute.”

Juri, holding her head as she’s reeling from the effects of this mysterious remote says, “Bitch, I’m fucking beautiful.”

Viper smiles cruelly as goes to press it again.

“Viper, come on!” Intoned Chun-Li, as she grabs the C.I.A agent’s hand, stopping the button press. “This isn’t necessary. We’ve got her, she’s completely beleaguered, and her life is practically on the line!”

“Fine, I suppose we better get this started,” said Maya, pocketing the remote, but Chun-Li snatches the remote into her own hands.

The soldiers present then train their weapons to Chun-Li.

“I’ll hold on to this,” she said not even blinking at the fact that she has several dozen guns pointed at her. She then levels her unwavering stare at Viper, resolved steeled in her brown eyes, “While I don’t trust Juri, I trust you even less.”

Viper returns a glare at Chun-Li, “This is why your types don’t make it in espionage. Always thinking with your heart,” said Viper. She motioned the other troops present to lower their weapons. She then pulls out a thumb drive as walked towards Juri, “If you’ll be a dear get this built-in panel activated. This thumb drive contains spyware that will stream all data to a team of a few dozen analysts to disseminate everything contained in this system. All I need for you is to turn it on and insert the thumb drive. The program will do the rest. You learn anything going over this database last night?”

“I learned this organization is way more fucked up than I thought,” replied Juri.

Juri takes the thumb drive from Maya, pushing a button that pulls up a keyboard and panel, that panel acting as a screen.

“You know another thing I learned is there is cute little button,” intoned Juri.

“Juri…” warned Viper.

Juri stuffed the drive into the crotch of her tights, “It acts as mass a delete of all Shadaloo databases of not just here, but all 25 bases worldwide.”

Juri feels a slight thrill of payback as Viper’s features melt into a frown.

“Oh, looks like you didn’t know that did you? I committed the locations to memory and intentionally locked the data pertaining to those locations behind a password protected file. Windows 10 is amazing isn’t?” Said Juri as she smiled arrogantly at Viper.

Viper then looks to Chun-li, expectantly.

“Don’t look at super cop here, if you didn’t notice torture’s not something she’d stoop to. Sometimes it pays to be the bigger person,” Said Juri.

A few of soldiers then level their guns at Juri, her hand hovering over the mass delete button. “Who knows whatever else precious information I’ve committed to memory?”

“No,” said Viper commanding soldiers present to stand down. “No, you’re right. What do you want?”

“Whoever’s running this operation, tell them I want to talk about what I get for my cooperation. Tell them I want to walk! Tell them wow!” Commanded Juri, the hollowness of yesterday forgotten now that a chance to live, even the smallest chance, is in her grasp.

“Juri, I told you. I can’t guarantee…” said Viper.

But then Chun-li interrupted.

“This is a coalition run by the C.I.A, INTERPOL, International Court of Justice, Delta Red and about a dozen other international law enforcement and military agencies. We can get word to someone Viper.” Stated Chun-li.

“Fine,” said Viper, pulling out a cell phone. “But I need something from you. Anything!”

“Okay,” said Juri, “Shadaloo was aware of your status as C.I.A asset, but being seeing as you were only with S.I.N they’d decided to sit on the information until you really became a problem. They also know that Maya isn’t your real name. Also, when you’re on assignment, your daughter stays…”

Viper’s eyes go wide. “Fine, Fine. I get it,” she interrupted as punched the pad on the cell phone.

Juri can hear the dial tone ring a few times, before someone on the other line picks up.

“Its Maya,” said Viper.

Juri rolls her eyes at the assumed name.

“If we want this to go ideally, we’re going to need to wheel and deal.”

The voice on the other side of the line rambles loudly, not sounding happy at all.

“We have no leverage!”

The rambles once more.

“Chun-li took the device and refuses to use it! I told you to leave her out of the raid!” Said Viper as gestured angrily. “Yeah, guess it was stupid of me to leave Juri Han to her own fucking devices!”

The voice speaks once more, this time more calmly.

“Fine. I’ll tell her.”

Maya drops her hand holding the phone as she audibly sighs.

She turns back Juri and says, “Life, parole eligible in 15 years, a federal prison somewhere in America. It’s the best we can do right now. Those above me will discuss everything with World Court for anything better, but that depends on what we can glean from here.”

“That works, for now,” said Juri, pulling the thumb drive from her tights, inserting it in the port.

Viper puts the cell phone back to her ear, “we’re good at the moment,” she said.

At that moment the doors open once more, this time Cammy and Guile crossing the threshold.

Guile’s dressed in a navy blue pilot’s uniform, the zipper down to about the middle of his chest, revealing a plain white T-shirt underneath. A pair of aviator sun glasses also hang in space created by the unzipped one piece uniform and his look is completed by black boots.

Cammy is dressed in an oversized green camo bomber jacket, and oversized camo pants stuffed into brown boots. The jacket is covering what could be presumed to be her unitard, as despite the pants being held up by a belt, they still sag a bit revealing a sliver of her hips. Her feet pound the metal flooring covered by brown combat boots as she and Guile fall in line by Viper and Chun-Li in front of the desk Juri is cuffed too.

“Looks like we missed the good part,” said Guile as looked around the room taking in the of heart of Shadaloo. “On the way in were they still escorting people out of here. Couldn’t tell if they were newly freed prisoners of Shadaloo or soon to be prisoners that worked for them.” His eyes then fell onto Juri, “I don’t need to guess which one you fall into.”

“Please, solder boy,” said Juri mockingly, with a matching grin, “I’m in a class of my own. That’s why I’m in the big seat, surrounded by admirers, and this extra special jewelry on my wrist.”

“Hmph,” simply responded Guile.

Juri then looked over to Cammy, “Hello there, kitten,” she greeted the Delta red operative, smile never leaving her face.

Cammy’s face remains neutral, trying not to rise to the bait, “Juri. Why are you here? Why aren’t you being escorted out like the others? And what happened to M. Bison?”

“They don’t know?” Juri asked Viper and Chun-li.

Both shook their heads.

“I wasn’t told much,” started Cammy, “I was told Shadaloo was being raided while I was doing in-service training. My superiors told me Delta Red was being brought in the fold, but I wouldn’t make it here in time to participate in the op. A platoon was already near here on other business. As you can see,” Cammy then gestures to her state of dress, ”this was pretty last minute for me. I was then hurried onto a jet, that was early last night.”

“Pretty much the same,” Guile added, “except the same transport that picked up Cammy would be my ride as well. I was ushered on to that same jet as they were refueling at my base near San Francisco. We still don’t know the whole story, but seeing as you,” Guile said as looked to Viper, “aren’t in cuffs, you must be some kind of spook. And you are in cuffs,” he continued looking to Juri, “my best guess is this is the end game. Shadaloo’s done for, am I right?” Guile asked, his question directed to both Chun-li and Crimson Viper.

“You’re on target Colonel,” responded Viper.

“But what about Bison? Juri? Why is she here and not being dragged away with the rest of the trash?” Interjected Cammy, “Hell what happened to S.I.N for that matter? Last I checked both of you was still working for them and neither them nor Shadaloo were best of friends.”

“I closed the book on Bison myself after taking out Seth. I then consolidated both groups together, but as you can see that’s not going too well…” trailed off Juri. “But to some folks out there that interested in more than Shadaloo’s downfall.”

“Speaking of which,” interjected Viper, pulling palm pilot-like device from her person, “looks like were starting to glean some very interesting information from this data base.”

Juri observed Cammy and Gulie look on in shock, maybe even surprise.

“So, he’s gone?” Cammy muttered.

“Charlie can rest easy,” Guile stated lowly.

They both then snap back to reality, looking at each other, then to Viper.

“What do you mean information,” asked Guile.

“And if I can follow the logic here, that would mean you plan on bringing in Juri as cooperator?” Said Cammy, as her neutral expression began grow into a frown.

“Cooperation’s already been done, sweetie,” said Juri, “I’m just holding a few more cards close to my chest for some more leverage.”

“You can’t be serious,” said Guile, as he tossed his aviators in anger.

“Bullshit,” said Cammy, her hands clenching into fists.

“This is what it has to be,” interjected Chun-li as she approached her friends, placing a hand on their shoulders in hopes to calm them, “I know it’s not ideal, but…”

“Look,” Viper sighed, running a hand through her hair, “Bison was the catch everyone was after. There’s was no question about that. But if he were to be brought in, I highly doubt he would provide any cooperation and probably would take as many of us down with him. I sure there’s a self-destruct switch somewhere here. With Juri that presents us with a unique opportunity than to just collar a few bad guys. Shadaloo has, or had, more than a few scientists, doctors and engineers at their disposal. Some of which had joined to ply their trades away from any ethics or laws, while some were forced join. Not mention those that kidnapped to be a part of those experiments.”

“My sisters,” Cammy added.

Viper nods, she continued, “Not just the dolls. There’s also other prisoners to consider not to mention the countless killers, rapists and other criminals among the rank and file that acted as troops for Shadaloo.”

“What is Juri getting in return,” asked Guile.

“Right now, 15 to life,” Juri said.

“Jesus Christ,” exclaimed Guile, as walked in a circle, angrily kicking the air.

“And you said you were keeping things close for further leverage?” Said Cammy, her features having melted into a full-on scowl. “What else could possibly be more valuable? Juri should be put away, a killer is a killer.”

Juri just nodded to the blonde. “Can’t just give the other party everything they want in a negotiation.”

“Negotiation,” Cammy questioned, incredulously, “this is miscarriage of justice!”

“Justice? Please,” Juri stated contemptuously, “What about you, ‘Killer Bee’. I know for a fact there’s more blood on your hands than just that of a Prime Minister. And don’t feed me that crap about mind control. Killer is a killer, right? And what about the tall thai boxer, Sagat? You all are on more friendly terms with him these days, right? He was Bison’s number 2 for years! Can you imagine what he did to obtain that position? Imagine what he had to do to maintain it? Maybe throw him in cell, tell him how fair it is…” Juri trailed off.

Viper’s cell phone rang.

“You say that as if you only killed those who had it coming!” yelled Cammy.

“Oh, I have plenty of blood on my hands, but none of it was innocent.” Juri argued back.

“What of that woman at that amusement park, when you killed those S.I.N agents? Was she just collateral damage?” Shot Cammy.

“She in fact survived that incident,” Chun-li said, “it was believed she was killed but a paramedic found her to have a faint pulse and rushed her to the hospital. The local police had later received a tip someone fitting Juri’s description left a backpack with a load of cash at the hospital for that woman’s family. By the time it crossed my desk, wasn’t much we could do with that tip, considering if that was Juri she would’ve been long gone by then. It’s like I said Cammy…” Finished Chun-li as she rubbed soothing circles at Cammy’s back.

Juri would have to remember Chun-li speaking up for her like this, maybe send her a bottle of wine if I walk, thought Juri.

“As entertaining as all this is,” Viper cut in, “there’s one more piece of business we need to discuss, Juri.”

“Your boys found something they couldn’t crack into?” Said Juri.

“Yeah, there’s a file called, ‘super-secret stuff’, my guess it’s the file you’ve put an encrypted passcode too. We suspect this file contains the other Shadaloo base locations. We also suspect that the file contains the names and positions of everyone in Shadaloo’s pocket. Despite everything our analysts have found, that’s the one thing we haven’t discovered yet.” Said Viper.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if they were involved in corruption,” said Chun-li.

“A good source said they have people high up in several governments, multinational corporations, military and law enforcement agencies including all 3 organizations you all work for,” Viper than looks to Juri, “we just need the magic word from our girl here to bring it all home.”

“What’s it worth to ya? I’m sure whoever’s on the other end of that phone gave you a little more leeway. I’m sure this is what you were after all along,” answered Juri.

Viper purses her lips.

“ICOJ is willing to let you walk, with some conditions,” intoned Viper.

Juri couldn’t help but smile at the news. She let out an involuntary lough, “Well,” she said between chuckles, “what are the conditions?”

“Your case will be placed on,” she pauses, “I guess the closest equivalent would be a Maryland rule called a stet docket for a max of 10 years, you will also serve probation for a maximum of 10 ten years,” responded Viper.

“Pretend I don’t have a law degree,” said Juri through a smile, “what the hell is a stet docket?”

“It is a legal proceeding that essentially puts a case on the shelf. Obviously were not in the state of Maryland, but in exchange for this level of cooperation we were willing to apply this to your case. But know this, that case can come off the shelf and if there’s even a chance of you being involved with anything illegal. We have your file, and you will be buried with it.”

Juri is shaking her head in disbelief, her smile having left her face but still filled with jubilation.

“Society says you get a 2nd chance, look alive Han.” Said Guile sarcastically.

Her face then melts into a frown.

“Society built a man so obsessed with power he would do literally anything to obtain or maintain it, including killing and torture of the family of a man who simply sought to stop him in order to protect the innocent. I’ll give you a second to guess who I’m talking about.”

After a pause, Juri continued, “Society can lick my twat.”

***

Juri waived John over asking for the check.

“Entered the password, freeing up in the information Crimson Viper wanted so badly,” continued Juri, “after that I hand cuffed, this time for real, and escorted to a plane. It was to take me to ICJ headquarters in the Netherlands. This was to finalize my agreement. Chun-li was my only escort. She must’ve gotten the news about being what equates to my parole officer early, she was in no good humor the whole plane ride. She was empathetic enough to ask me how I was feeling,” Juri cracked a smile as she continued, “I told her, ‘I was ready to be a good girl,’” Juri shook her head as the laughed at the memory.

Ryu shared a smile with her as well, he said, “If know Chun-li like I think I do, I can probably guess how she responded.”

They both met eyes, and stated simultaneously, ”She facepalmed!”

They both laughed, coming down as John returned with the check.

Juri pulled out a few bills sending John on his way.

“Thank you Juri,” Ryu said earnestly, “Thank you for the meal, thank you for sharing with me and thank you for getting my mind off things. I feel a lot better now.”

As Ryu got up to take his leave, Juri grabbed his hand once more, “Night ain’t over yet tough guy,” this nick name she’s given him filling him with a pleasant feeling he can’t yet describe, “Think I’m just gonna feed ya and kick you to the curb? Stay with me. Who knows what havoc we can get into tonight?”

Ryu wished he could clear the weight off his mind as easy as he could fix his slightly tussled hair.

He’d been wandering the world to test himself, improve his strength as a martial artist and prove himself among the best since his early 20s and had recently been struggling to find any further motivation in his journey.

Through countless street fights, more than a handful of fighting tournaments, playing the hero a few times (and not to mention the friendships forged and strengthened by those experiences) it simply can’t be argued that he hasn’t attained what he set for.

Has he been tested? No doubt.

Has he improved? Most certainly.

Has he proven himself the best? There are less than a handful of people on the planet who can compete with him hand-to-hand.

He had expressed this feeling of emptiness to his longtime friend Ken.

“Well, why don’t you come out to San Fran while you decide your next move? Maybe not think of it as your journey coming to an end, huh? Maybe you should think of it being pulled into another direction. Eliza and Mel complain about not seeing you. Your family, you know? Plus, Chun-Li’s latest assignment has her out here. It’ll be like the World Warrior tournament with the ol’ crew together! Ah, good times buddy,” Ryu remembered the-kind-of-mild-but-not-really-arm-twisting pitch of his longtime friend to come stay in San Francisco.

Additionally seeing and spending time with those that mean the most to him doesn’t seem like a bad plan while he tries to get himself together.

Perhaps he can find fulfillment in building memories in those closest to him?

But then, both Ken and Chun-Li juggle major responsibilities in their personal and professional lives; Ken’s father has been aggressively grooming him to take the reigns of their family’s hotel/resort company and he’s got Eliza and Mel at home. Interpol has recently Chun-Li promoted to Chief-Inspector working out of the area while she liaisons for major cases for the San Francisco Police Department’s Investigation Division and a young girl by the name of Li-Fen has been taken into Chun-Li’s care.

He’ll need to squeeze himself in the between times, but he’ll still need his own life outside of that.

He releases a sigh in defeat. A pit grows in his stomach the more he thinks about it.

Journeying to grow my own pawer, and what to show for it? He thinks.

He then stops in front of a restaurant, his gazing meeting his reflection in the glass of the entry door, his expression low-spirited.

I barely recognize myself without my karate gi and red headband, he thought as flexed his hands open and closed missing the feel of his gloves and wiggling his toes inside his shoes and socks, now former vagabond way too used to beating the concrete on bare feet.

His reflection flickers, as he considers the possible consequence of abandoning his pursuit of strength. His image in the glass changes into a twisted visage of a shirtless man with a glowing hole where his heart would be. Glowing eyes reminiscent of hellfire and a sadistic smile showing sharpened, inhuman teeth on a face he recognizes all too well.

His face.

TUNK, TUNK, TUNK, TUNK!

Four quick, successive knocks on the glass abruptly removed Ryu from his trance, the dark replication changing into a patron of the restaurant Ryu’s standing in front of.

“Hey buddy,” yelled the man behind the glass, gesturing impatiently to the door and the martial artist.

“Oh, uh,” stammered a mortified Ryu. “Sorry,” stated lowly as stepped back allowing the man to leave as the glass entry door swung to the outside.

“Get it together, man,” said the patron as he left with his wife/girlfriend in tow.

“Yo! Over here!” Called a familiar husky voice from patio of the restaurant.

He turned to the direction of the voice and saw Juri Han.

She was sitting at a small dark brown oak table fit for two, an empty chair across from her matching the finish of the table. In front of her was what Ryu presumed was her meal for this early evening on top of it, shrimp, dipping sauces, two sides he couldn’t identify and glass of wine and a glass of water flanking the plate. Her hair was done up in her usual fang-like tails toward the top-rear part of her head with two purple bands on each holding them in place, her bangs covering most of her forehead and ends of her bob cut stopping just below her jaw line. The taekwondo specialist was waiving at him excitedly, her purple eyes trained on him, and her smile was missing its usual ferocity, more bright and inviting than he remembered. She was dressed in a short sleeved, purple romper with a black disjointed spider design on the front, the garment meeting its end just above her knees. While her attire was a bit baggy, it was far from uncomplimentary to her figure, Ryu had noticed. On her feet were purple flat shoes, with black soles and she wore no socks.

She stopped her waiving, placing both hands on the table, pushing herself from her seat.

She sauntered up to him, hair bouncing in conjunction and hips slightly swaying in line with her steps.

Ryu tears his eyes from her lower body to her eyes immediately before Juri can realize it.

He walks away from the front door, meeting her at the black railing/gate separating the patio area from the sidewalk.

“Fancy seeing you here,” Said Juri, placing her hands on the rail, balancing herself as she leaned into his personal space, a slight tilt to her head as she looked up at him.

She continued, eyeing him up down as he just had her, no shame evident anywhere on her features, “You look good without the gi.”

Seeing the Taekwondo specialist now threw Ryu for a loop. Whenever he met with her during a tournament or a fight away from an organized event, she always was a great challenge, but no amount of training could ever prepare Ryu for her aggressive form of flirting.

Hearing from Chun-Li and the others, it was how she treated everyone.

Or at least everyone she found attractive.

“I questioned your fashion sense since you wore you that gi everywhere. Now I see you’re sporting the 80s gym teacher look,” she said as she smiled brightly at him. “But you’re pulling it off though. The shirt is kinda tight, isn’t it? Can you breathe in that thing or are you showing off the goods?”

The goods? Thought Ryu.

As if picking up on the question, Juri then brought both hands to her chest, lightly adjusting her own…

Ahem… goods.

“Juri, hey, Yeah, um,” stammered Ryu, verbally powering past Juri’s coyness as he unconsciously brought his hand to his face to hide his blush, “I’m thinking about staying around here for bit,” he finished lamely.

The brightness faded from her face slightly as her eyes met his, taking in his somber expression and tone of voice, despite him still blushing at her teasing.

He observed her pausing as if contemplating something, maybe even contemplating him.

He’d never had a chance to see her in a light like this, noticing the slight lighter shade of purple in her artificial eye when compared to her natural one.

She turned around and beckoned him to follow with her hand. “You look like you can use a drink and an ear to vent to. Garçon!” She called as she approached a nearby waiter, abandoning Ryu at the barrier, slipping some bills into restaurant worker’s shirt pocket. “Can you prep my table for one more. My friend over there’s joining me,” she stated, craning her head in Ryu’s direction.

“You got it miss,” responded the waiter.

“And yeah, don’t jump the railing, they hate it when you do that,” she called as she returned to her table, sitting down, picking up her glass of wine as she did so, “Don’t keep me waiting, tough guy,” said Juri looking at him over her glass as she drunk from it, brightness returning to her eyes.

Ryu isn’t sure what to think as he walks back to the front door.

He shrugs resigning himself to joining the taekwondo practitioner for a meal, though he’s not without his nerves.

He crossed the threshold of door.

“Good afternoon, sir,” intoned a long dark brown haired, green-eyed hostess in a high-pitched voice. She was dressed in a black short sleeved dress, smiling in welcome as she stood behind a dark oak brown host/hostess station, “I’m Rachel! Will you be looking to take a seat at the bar, or are you looking for a table?”

“Actually,” Ryu responded somewhat apprehensively, wiping his hands on his shirt to get rid of his nervous energy, “I’ll be joining someone who’s already seated, she’s outside on the patio.”

The hostess grabs a menu, stepping from behind the station. She steps down from something behind the stand, accentuating the height difference between the two.

“On the patio…” the hostess trailed off. Her smile broadens, her face then lighting up and eyes twinkling like Christmas lights. “You’ll be joining Juri I presume? You guys are friends? What’s your relationship with her? Are you meeting her for a date? I’ve been trying to set her up for the longest time,” The hostess rapidly shot off, as she stepped into Ryu’s personal space.

Ryu took a step back, taken off guard at hostess sudden burst of energy.

She frowns slightly, blushing in embarrassment as she looks away from Ryu.

“Sorry,” said the hostess, “Juri’s a regular customer. One of my favorites. We talk from time to time in and out of the restaurant. I see us as friends, but we’ve never really clarified the relationship. Sometimes I feel like she just tolerates me. She almost always eats here alone. She puts on a brave front, but I see these solemn looks on face sometimes when she thinks no one’s looking. It’s nice to see her spend time with someone other than cops.” The hostess then sighs.

She brings a smile back up to her face, seemingly falling back into the server’s façade, but still lacking its previous brightness. “How’s about we start over and just get you to your table.” She finished as she gestured them to move forward.

Ryu decides to throw the hostess a bone as they start to walk. “We’re acquaintances, I guess you can say.”

The hostess turns her head slightly back, brightness returning to her face, paying attention as the Ansatsuken fighter speaks as she led him on to Juri’s table.

“From our days as fighters. Though I really didn’t start to run into her until the later days of my time as fighter.” Said Ryu.

“Did you fight her a lot during your career?” The hostess said.

“We fought a few times. She was always a very challenging opponent. Her stance would make an inexperienced or unknowledgeable fighter think she was easy pickings, but that might be the entire point of her fighting stance.” Said Ryu. “Wait did you call it a career?”

“It wasn’t?” Responded the hostess, as they continued walking.

“I guess it was when I think about it. I just never thought of it as a career. I feel I got so much more out of it, despite it coming to an end, to just call it career. I always thought of it as more of a journey.”

“Hm,” responds the hostess as they stopped, having reached Juri’s table on the patio.

“Journey implies that you’re searching for something,” said the hostess. She places the menu down, “Well I hope you find what you’re looking in the future.”

***

Ryu always wore a serious, determined expression most of the time and if Juri’s memory served her correctly, he’d occasionally show a very slight, subdued smile if he was in a good fight.

Seeing him with that forlorn expression she observed when she first spotted him, tugged at something inside of her. Maybe with the way her life is going now she can help him by at least being an eat to vent to.

Plus, Chun-Li’s always mentioning how she needs something outside of their meetings and her odd jobs.

Juri eyes the hostess and Ryu warily as they approached her table.

The hostess asks something of him.

Probably fair to say Rachel’s talking his ear off, thought Juri.

Whatever discomfort Ryu showed, he seems to be over it as they continue their way towards Juri.

Juri hears the tail end of the conversation as they reach her table.

She hears Rachel saying something about a search on a journey and hoping Ryu finds whatever he’s looking for.

“The waiter will be with you shortly,” stated the hostess as Ryu sat, picking up the menu, reading it over.

The hostess then sets her eyes to Juri, the hostess giving her a mischievous smile, as she waggled her eyebrows at Juri.

“Don’t you have somewhere to be, kid?” Juri said, returning her own smile but narrowing her eyes at the hostess.

“Sorry!” Squeaked Rachel as she scampered off.

Rachel got a good distance away before she mouthed to Juri, “He’s cute.”

Juri picks up a piece of silverware, a fork, motioning as if she’s going to throw it at the hostess.

Ryu up looks from the menu to Juri curiously, then to turning around to see what activity is causing the Korean to be menacing with silverware.

He turns back to Juri, raising his eyebrow at her.

“What?” Juri playfully demanded, as she returned Ryu’s stare.

“I guess you two are friends,” said Ryu as he quietly laughed, getting back to browsing the menu rubbing at his neck as he did so.

Maybe I can have a little fun with this, thought Juri.

Her face scrunches up, eyes narrowing, showing some agitation.

“Oh,” she said, as she stabbed a piece of shrimp on her plate.

She carelessly twirled her fork, a bit of ki crackling from her left eye as she looked at Ryu, “What did Rachel say?”

As she narrowed her eyes, she could see Ryu, almost recoil as if stepped over some line or boundary. He nervously fiddled with the menu, going from rubbing his neck to scratching his face. “I’m sorry Juri, if I…”

She giggled, smiling at Ryu, “Don’t worry. I know you meant no offense. The kid means no harm, plus I like her energy.” She shrugging she continued, “So I guess you can say yes, I do consider her a friend.”

“Hm, I think she’d be happy to hear that,” replied Ryu as an easiness returned to his face, but she still observes the forlornness he showed on the street before she invited him to dine with her.

At that moment, the waiter approached, “Hey! I’m John, I’ll be your waiter today. Have you had a chance look at the menu, sir.”

Ryu looked to him, simply replying, “I’ll have the sirloin and a side of potatoes. I’d like that medium well.”

“And a drink, sir?” Replied the waiter.

“Let me get an ice water and warm tea if you have it.”

“Got it,” said the waiter writing Ryu’s order, he them looked to Juri, “and I can get you anything else, Miss Han?”

“I’m good, J. And for the millionth time you don’t need to call me Miss. You make feel like an old crone when you all say that! Do I need to make a sign and post it in the break room?” Juri finished playfully as finally stuck the piece of shrimp she’s been playing with into cup a of sauce.

“Uh,” said the waiter, “you don’t need to do that. Management is still on Rachel from that time you barged into the kitchen to complement our chefs.”

“I though your bosses would want some positive feedback!”

Juri’s smile broadened.

“Leave a review!” Demanded the waiter. He continued, “that stunt disrupted the line setting us back maybe an hour for orders. You,” the waiter stopped short, recognizing she’s deliberately antagonizing him and starting to see this exchange is attracting the attention of the other dinners. ”Nevermind, I’ll go put this order in. Jeez.” He took the menu from Ryu, looking back to the man, “Good luck,” he said lowly to Ryu as he took his leave.

“I heard that!” Said Juri, “Love ya anyway Johnny Boy!”

“So, I see you’re on good terms with a lot of the staff hear,” asked Ryu, “enough so that the management is aware of you.”

“Yeah, I like it here. They make the cocktail sauce here in house, a lot of horseradish,” as she stuck the piece of shrimp she’d been toying with between her lips.

She shakes her head, wiping a few tears from eye as she chewed and swallowed the morsel. She then grabbed her glass of water, taking a sip and saying, “burns so good. But anyway, what are doing in San Fran? You said you were staying around her for a bit. Here for vacation? Visiting your boy?”

The waiter returns with the water and tea in tow. “I’m not sure if wanted that tea sweet. Can get you some sugar? Honey? Artificial sweetener?” John the waiter asked as placed both glasses on the table.

Ryu smiles dejected at her, his shoulders slumping as he sat his elbows on the table. “I wish things were that simple,” he said as he rested his chin on his hands. He then shot his gaze to the waiter, “Honey, please.”

She takes her wine glass, taking a sip. She then points to her ear, “remember what I said.”

“Right,” he said as Juri saw his brow crease in contemplation.

“I’ve been traveling around the world for a long time, with the intent of testing my abilities and becoming more powerful,” he said.

He went to speak further but stopped himself short, looking away from Juri. She recognized he was leaving something out but wouldn’t pry further. He cut his eyes back to her as he continued, “I can’t help but feel that I’ve hit a wall. Like I’m not finding as much satisfaction or progress in what I do and that I need find some way else to spend my time, you know?”

“Don’t I know it?” Said Juri, “Maybe more than you think.”

Ryu shrugs. The waiter returns to the martial artists once more, dropping a small cup of honey and handing a cocktail stirring stick to Ryu. “We got your steak and potatoes coming soon, sir.”

Ryu nodded his thanks.

“So maybe I take a month or two to get my head on straight,” said Ryu, as he poured the honey into his glass of tea. He began to stir it as he continued, “Take that time think about what I want to do.”

“I’m curious though,” stated Juri, “why Cali? You could’ve been anywhere else?”

“Oh, that. It was Ken’s idea. He and I are like brothers, and it’s been a good while since he and I have been in the same place. Plus, he gave me a job, so I can have some walk-around money. But I think he’s being too generous with what he’s paying me. I need to talk to him about that,” Ryu finished quietly.

“What are you doing, he’s got you working in accounting or HR?” Juri joked, as she dug into her meal.

“No, personal security guard,” answered Ryu.

Juri gave Ryu a look of bewilderment, her eyebrows shooting up as she swallowed a mouthful of food. “He’s too much of a corporate big-shot these days to be bothered with his own protection?”

“I know, I know,” said Ryu, with his face lighting up. She noticed she’s been able to drag a smile out of him a few times, “I had the same thought when he offered me the job. It’s like I said, just for me to have cash. I haven’t even been called for shift and I’ve been on the payroll for a few weeks now.”

“I guess it pays to have friends in high places. Only high-up people in my life are expecting me to slip up.”

She gives a quick, subtle tilt of her head calling attention to a man a few tables behind where they’re seated. He was dressed in a navy-blue suit coat, matching pants, black shoes and a collared white shirt with no tie, the top button undone.

“Guy in the sunglasses?” Said Juri, “looks like he’s paying a little too much attention to us? He’s FBI.”

“Wait, really?” Injured Ryu, eyeballing the agent freely.

Juri replied with an exaggerated “Yup.”

She turned around and shouted, “Hey, you can tell the special agent in charge I don’t plan on snatching any wallets or jaywalking today! Feel free to call it a day! I know you’ve been on me since I left my apartment this afternoon!”

The agent muttered, “Shit, I’ve been made,” to himself, but it’s probably more for his comrades as there’s no way he doesn’t have wire or microphone on him.

He hurriedly pulled a few bills from his pocket, dropping them on his table as hastily left the patio.

“Don’t take it personal rookie,” She waived after the agent, as she turned back to face Ryu.

She noticed Ryu was trying to hide his smile behind his glass of tea, as his shoulders shook with laughter.

She returned a smile as she took another sip of her wine.

Placing her glass back down, “Don’t feel too bad that guy. It used to be they had whole surveillance teams dedicated to keeping tabs on me. I noticed them and made sure they knew I noticed them every single time. Taxpayer dollars at work. It took Chun-Li raising some hell at the local branch to get them to back off this much, but someone still thinks Chun-Li isn’t an effective deterrent for my persisting career as criminal.” Juri sighed.

Then came the waiter, placing Ryu’s meal carefully on the table, “Is there anything else I can get you,” asked John.

“That will be fine, thank you,” replied Ryu.

He started to cut into his steak as said, “Yeah, I heard about that from Chun-Li.”

She continued, “they still keep tabs on me as you can see, but now I think they just use me as a training exercise for their less experienced agents. Hopefully is comes to an end soon.”

“No not just that, I’m talking about why you’re here to being with. I’m kind of interested to hear your side of things. I’ve seen the newspapers and TV reports; I think I’d rather get the full story from you.”

“You’re supposed to be venting to me tough guy, but I can see I lifted your mood a bit. I guess I’ll enlighten you.” Replied Juri, finishing off her meal.

“Raven, we need to talk about what just happened,” said Gar shakily, still very much worked up from the display in the common room.

Raven’s scent of smoke, roses and lavender still floating off of her, still fanning the flame of his lust.

He enters, the door sliding closed behind him, taking measured steps toward the half demon.

When he gets within arm’s reach, she reaches out to him, hand arms going around his neck, pulling him flush against her.

She doesn’t hesitate to begin to caress him, hands going in his hair, neck, sides, chest stomach.

“We should,” she whispered into his ear.

He answers by returning her caresses, his hand going straight to grasping the plentiful swell of her ass.

She responds by looping her legs around his waist, pulling each other even closer.

In a reverse of the scene in the common room, Garfield begins to place pecks on her neck.

“You know what that meant, didn’t you?” He inquired, between kisses.

“Of course,” Raven whispered, raking her nails in his hair in encouragement. “We came to consensus, ah!” She moaned as Gar found a sweet pot and began to bite.

He separates from her neck.

“We?” He whispered hoarsely into ear. “Rage?” He inquired, before going back in.

“Yes,” she lowly, “and Timid, and Happy. Brave, Knowledge…” She trialed off, as Changeling continued to kiss her neck.

“And the mark, all that ‘attention’ you gave me,” he stopped to laugh, “in common room.”

“Garfield,” she said taking her hands to his neck, gently guiding him to face her, “I know you’re no fool. The reason behind the celebration today is proof of that. And I also know you read those books on my shelf on demonology,” her eyes dart from his quicky as her already flushed face darkens, “so you also know that when a demon or demoness marks their mate, they both must be,” she hesitates, ”amorous. So, knowing what gets you going and just feeling your lust is enough to get me started as well…”

“But why now though?” He inquired with a knowing smile.

She shoots him a look, eyebrow raised as if to say, ‘you’re going to make me spell it out for you?’ Contradicting the fresh statement praising his intellect.

“OK, OK, bad question,” he laughed out almost defensively.

His demeanor then shifted, a suggestive glint in his eye and matching smile on his mouth. He brings his face close to hers, his hand lifting her chin so that their lips are a breath’s width from each other.

“But since you marked me, it means I get to return the favor.”

He goes straight back to her neck, his teeth finding the sweet spot on her pulse.

His effort is rewarded by her grinding into him, freely moaning loudly.

Gar’s a little more adept with his mouth than Raven.

He leaves her neck, leaving dark teeth marks along her pulse.

It doesn’t take long before Raven pulls his mouth to hers.

They introduce their tongues to each other.

Gar gives no care as they collied, the faint taste of her herbal tea on tongue egging him on.

Raven begins to feel his body, her hands hastily and clumsily going up and down his chest and back as if trying to locate something.

She pushes him off her, letting out a huff of frustration.

He catches himself, but not before he’s surrounded by sharp looking shards of her soulself.

He stares at her wide-eyed.

“Um.. Rae?” He questioned.

He’s answered by the shards traveling around him, faster than his eyes can track, though he doesn’t feel them against his skin.

They dissipate, then his uniform falls to purple carpeting of the bedroom, the pieces of white and red fabric littering the floor like freshly fallen snow, leaving the changeling nude, sans boots, before the half demon, his man hood springing forth.

“Hehe, there was a zipper,” laughed Gar, as he hastily removed his boots.

“Was,” she shrugged, not unlike how Garfield does from time to time, as she kicked herself from the bed unzipping her leotard as she walked toward him.

He noticed the tears her unform before she fully removed the garment.

“Shit, Raven. I didn’t notice…”

“It’s ok,” she interrupts. “I know you don’t think they’re your best feature. But I actually like your claws. And um, they feel really good when you run them across my body…”

Her leotard falls pooling at her feet, leaving her in just purple laced bra and panties.

She steps out the uniform at her feet, closing the distance between herself and Garfield.

Raven takes his still gloved hand in hers. She tears them from his hands, throwing them behind her.

“I really do…”

“Oh,” he responded with playful smile.

He then uses aforementioned claws to cut her underwear. He slashes the front gore of bra, the garment hanging loose, then both sides of the waist of her panties, the undergarment falling to the floor, the elastic compromised.

She punches him lightly on the shoulder, returning his smile, “Gar, what the hell! You ruined a perfectly fine set of bra and panties!”

Still smiling, eyes twinkling, he gestures to the tattered uniform around him.

She shrugs, “Fair is fair I guess.”

She removes the ruined bra, pulling it apart at the center, shrugging it off, it falling behind her revealing her breasts to him.

Raven then rubs the underside of his manhood, “I probably don’t need to tell you what comes next, hm.”

While still rubbing him she leans in to kiss him once more. She doesn’t hesitate to put her tongue to his, her wrestling his into pleasurable submission.

She breaks the kiss in a quiet smack as they part, “Consummation,” she whispered.

She then walks back over to the bed. She climbs up, creating a very enticing arch of her back as she places her right leg on the mattress, knee bent, her left holding her up on over the edge. She braces herself, placing right hand on the bed spread, her left on the same side cheek of her ass. She spreads it, revealing her womanhood to him, her slicked folds causing him to lick his lips in desire. She turns her head to him; her hair being thrown with the sudden motion.

“Take me,” she said.

Not needing to be told twice, he makes his way to her, positioning himself at her pussy. He rubs his tip along her lips.

He grabs her waist and pushes himself into her.

“Ah!” She gasps.

He tightened his hold on to her as starts to fuck her at quickened but non-frantic rhythm from behind, his claws digging into her surely to leave angry red marks in their wake.

After some time, she pulls away from him, his cock falling out of her as she retreats.

He can’t take his eyes off her as watches move away, still panting at his previous efforts.

“Come get me, Garfield,” she commanded as she crawled to head of the bed.

She grabs a pillow, placing it on her head on it, holding it in a bear hug like fashion.

“Well don’t keep me waiting,” she said, pumping her hips, practically twerking at him.

As much as he’d enjoy watching her plump ass shake, its more enjoyable burying himself into her.

He climbs on to the bed, closing the distance, entering her once more.

He starts pumping into her once again, this time with reckless abandon. The loud, lewd slapping of her behind colliding his with his pelvis, combined with her moans of pleasure further goading him on.

He raises his hand, then brings it down hard on her ample rear.

-SLAP-

“Hm! Garfield!” Screams Raven, “Don’t stop.”

“You like it, mama?” Responded Changeling, still beating it from the back.

“Ah, ah, ah, mn! I love it Gar!”

He slows his tempo once more.

He places his arm across her stomach pulling her up, her back to his chest. The hand on the same arm then runs up her body, taking her by the chin, turning her face into his. They kiss once more, sloppily, ravenously, mouths smacking against each other. Their jaws making a great effort, going up down like their chewing on a large bite of taffy.

“Down,” she commanded once their mouths parted.

She crawls out of the way, allowing him to lie at the head of the bed. His head lying on the pillow she previously was holding on to.

She then positions herself above him, the tip of his dick teasing her entrance.

Without warning, she drops her hips.

“Fuck, Rae,” Gar let out, his hands going straight to her hips.

She takes his hands, entwining their fingers. Forcing them off her hips, abruptly pinning them above his head.

She then starts to ride him, working herself against him as hard as he was giving it to her from behind.

The changeling can’t help himself.

He starts to thrust upward, wildly, unable to fuck with a measure of control he’d like with his hands otherwise occupied.

She breaks his hands away from his, placing them palm down on his chest in bid for better leverage, bringing herself down as hard she can.

With his hands free, they go back to her hips, his upward thrusts meeting her downward motion stiffly as he can.

It’s like their trying to see who’s going to break first.

“Yes, yes, yes,” Raven spit forth rapidly, “I’m coming!”

“I’m almost there, babe!” Said Gar almost simultaneously.

“Haaaah!” Scream Raven, throwing herself back as she climaxed, hips going from riding to shuttering as she reached it.

“Ooooh!” Garfield practically roared, throwing his own head back or at least as far as it could into the pillow he was lying on as emptied himself into her.

Both still panting; Raven lowers her face to his, Garfield raising his to hers.

They meet in a kiss, much more chaste than the last.

They wrap themselves around each other, arms and legs tangling as they will, as they settle themselves next to each other.

Garfield kisses the mark he made earlier.

“Mine,” he whispered.

Friendly hugs are one thing, being outright caressed is an entirely another. Don’t be a fool Garfield, responded the Beast, these others are trying to stake a claim in what already belongs to someone else.

Hey, Gar yelled inwardly, most of them seem to be taking the hint. I’m following the-guide-to-interacting-with-other-women-while-in-a-committed-relationship to the letter. They hold on to a hug for too long, I pat their back a few times to break it. They try to rub my arm I circle out of it or step back.

The Beast scoffs.

Frist of all, that’s not a thing. Second, fat lot of nothing it did. Again, we reek of other women. Surely our mate can smell us from where she’s perched. Bare your fangs next time one these women decide to be too friendly. Or our mate my decide to bare hers.

Changeling doesn’t really mind being the center of attention most times, but he’d much prefer a more intimate gathering to celebrate this occasion.

It’s the 6th anniversary of the defeat of the Brotherhood of Evil.

The 1st one was just the original 5 Titans. The 2nd a few members of Titans East happened to be in town during the festivities. It was suggested to invite the network of reserve and other teams of Titans.

But over time it evolved into giant, overly long J.O session for the resident changeling.

Being pulled into so many directions was exhausting.

Not that the attention was underserved but, Garfield’s not too sure about the looks Raven’s been sending his way during these parties.

Especially since they became an item.

He can’t help but worry despite his smile seemingly softening her face whenever they locked eyes while he was among their peers.

Incoming, warned the Beast.

Wha...

“Beast Boy!” Yelled Argent, as she launched herself into him, pulling him down, her arms around his neck and his arms going around her waist in reflex.

She squeezes him, letting out a purr of gratification as she does so.

She squeezes him once more.

A little self-indulgent, is she not? Intoned the Beast.

He lightly pats her back, a silent request to end the embrace.

Right out of the guidebook, sarcastically stated the Beast.

Luckily, Argent takes the hint but not before squeezing him once last time.

She steps back breaking the hug.

“It’s been a while,” she said, placing a hand on her cocked hip.

She’s dressed in a strapless black leather crop top tucked into matching black leather pants with red soled boots with metallic gray straps that go up to her knees, having abandoned her black and red dress a few years back.

She brushed her red bangs out of her red eyes, into her black, spiked hair revealing a hungry look in her eyes as she shamelessly looked him up and down.

“When did you get taller than me? Guess it has been a while,” she said, biting her lower lip as she smiled up at him.

“Hehe, hard to keep track,” Garfield responded as scratched the back of his head nervously. “Oh, by the way it’s Changeling now.”

“I see,” see responded, “definitely not a ‘boy’ anymore.”

Smooth, Garfield thought to himself.

“How are you enjoying the party,” asked Garfield.

“Pretty good, I guess,” she responded, a hint of disappointment in her voice as she looked away from him, almost shyly, “But I kinda wanted some face time with you,” she finished, meeting his gaze again.

She brings her hand up to his chest, caressing it slowly.

“Um,” stammered Garfield, knocking her hand away. “Yeah, it’s kinda Changeling Day,” he laughed uneasily.

“I’m surprised you and Raven aren’t arm-in-arm,” stated Argent.

“Well, Rae’s not fond of crowds and she’s doesn’t mind me having my time in the spotlight,” he responded. “Though, I ‘d much rather have her with me.”  

“Kinda playing with fire, isn’t she?” Replied Argent, “It’s hard finding love these, especially in our line or work. Most of us prioritize the job more than anything else. And I do mean anything,” she finished raising her eyebrows suggestively. “If you were with me there’s no way I’d leave you on your own at a party like this. Some of these girls are no joke.”

Present company included, interjected the Beast.

“I mean, she’s practically giving an in for another girl swoop on in and take you all for themselves.”

He wants to give Agent the benefit of the doubt.

She can’t be implying what he thinks she is.

She starts to rub his chest once more

“We can do something while she’s off in her little corner,” she steps into his space aggressively, “And don’t play that ‘aw shucks’ shit with me. You've clearly got a type and I'm sure I can show you a better time than being dragged into dingy tea houses and reading musty books.”

Garfield brushed her hand away once more, a snarl on his lips.

“Listen”, he said resolutely, gloved hands balled into fists, claws threatening to break the material, “I can let go a bit of flirting. But will not allow you to disrespect Raven, my relationship with her or me any further…”

Before he can get anymore words in Raven appeared before them.

And she didn’t look happy, her iris’ an angry red.

A smile that didn’t reach Argent’s eyes appeared on her face.

“Hey, Raven!” Intoned Argent cheerily, as she hadn’t just tried to make a pass at a spoken for man, to the woman said man was involved with.

Garfield’s opinion of the heroine couldn’t have fallen further.

“How have…”

Argent didn’t get a chance to finish her insincere greeting before she fell into a black portal appeared below her, screaming as she did so.

Raven turned her gaze to him, her look of anger shifting into something softer but still incomprehensible, but still had his instincts on end.

“Raven,” said Garfield, attempting to put his hands up in placating manner, him backing up, “baby, whatever I did…” he trailed off, as she closed the distance between them. His retreat halted by the wall at his back.

“You didn’t do anything, Gar,” she said lowly, breathily, “it’s nothing you did.”

Her eyes shift from red to a deep purple, deeper so than the usual shade.

A smokey smell of roses and lavender fills his nostrils.

Imprinting, said the Beast.

The Beast continued to communicate to Garfield but the welcoming, wonderous scent of Raven is all he can focus on.

Garfield’s hands begin to relax from the previous placating gesture, as Raven takes them in hers, guiding them to the soft, generous curve of her waist.

“Don’t be afraid. C’mere.” She said throatily, as she pressed herself to him, her hands traveling up his body greedily.

Garfield welcomed the contact.

She finished partaking in her caresses of him, her arms finding their way around his neck.

“Raven,” said Garfield, lowly. Almost moaning her name.

She silenced him, placing a finger to his lips.

Raven then runs the tip of her nose against his neck, able to hear her take an intake of his scent as she does so.

The half demon then brings her leg up between Gar’s legs, springing his dick to life.

“Raven what is this about?” Asks Garfield, lowly.  

She doesn’t respond verbally.

Raven runs a finger down his neck, sparks of her soulself flickering at its tip, the power causing a more than pleasant tickle on his skin, his uniform tearing as the digit makes its decent.

Raven begins to pepper his neck with soft, almost experimental kisses, as if she’s trying to find a sweet spot.

After the third one lands right on his pulse, she bites down.

Garfield lets out a moan, shameless, deep, and throaty, loud enough for the room to hear as Raven literally sunk her teeth into him.

He’d have half a mind to be embarrassed by it if the haze of his desire for the half demon weren’t so cogent.

Garfield’s claws unconsciously force their way through his gloves, tips digging and tearing into Raven’s leotard as he trailed his hands across Raven’s body.

She removes her mouth from his neck, a loud pop being heard as she does so.

The power of her soulself once more begins to crackle at her fingertips, imbuing energy into the fresh love bite. The force tickling the still tender spot as if it’s being shaped into something.

She lays one more peck on the mark.

“Mine,” she spoke firmly.

Never before in his has a such a simple declaration brought such a tremendous amount of desire.

Garfield suppresses his urge to take her then and now.

Considering we’ve just been marked, consummation is the next logical step, stated the Beast.

Raven breaks away from Garfield.

Still breathing heavily, he observers a blush, rapidly deepening by the second, on her face. Likely from the awkwardness of necking him in front of every Titan.

She’s engulfed by her soulself, a mass of black energy taking flight towards the rooms of tower.

“Change, what the hell was that?” Asked Cyborg as he elbowed his way toward the front of the gathered heroes.

“I don’t know,” responded the changeling as he brought his gloved hand to his neck, concealing the mark now shaped as a raven.

It doesn’t matter that the current crowd are all current and honorary Titans (the other original 4 included), gathered at the Jump City Tower in celebration of the 6th anniversary of the defeat of the Brotherhood of Evil.

She’s happy seeing her brothers and sisters-in-arms mingling, eating, drinking, smiling, and laughing among each other.

Her current beau, Changeling, chef amongst them particularly being the life of the party, going to-and-fro across the room in his red and white uniform.

His smile lighting up every interaction he’s apart.

Rightfully so.

As if memory serves it was Gar that led the charge on the Brotherhood that freed their teammates, turning the tide in their final battle against them.

He’s been getting handshakes, high-fives, and the like from some the other Titans.

Which leads us to her current problem.

While Raven’s dislike of crowds is well advertised among her teammates, there are things about her that she prefers to keep quiet.

Raven’s demonic linage carries with it interesting qualities.

Her eye and hair color.

Her powers.

But chief among them, and what she likes to keep quiet is her enhanced sense of smell (only known to Gar and Victor).

Some the female members of the Titans have been showing their appreciation to Changeling by hugging him.

Raven’s been feeling like they’ve been being much too friendly with their embraces, lingering a little too long wrapped around him.

She’d observed multiple times some of her fellow costumed heroines raking their hands across his arms and biceps, stroking the scruff of facial hair behind all hind façade of a friendly embrace.

The interactions also provoking the territorial side of her demonic nature.

Her latest comrade, Argent, having just created distance between herself and Garfield after the latest embrace, is still raking her fingers up and down his chest.

And she’d smell them all over him too, even from across the room. The benefits of her demon physiology.

She’d sometimes catch his gaze after said hugs, maybe picking up on her uneasiness on him being hugged by other women.

He’d crack that grin and the tightness in her face would ease.

Seeing his smile reminded her where his heart was.

But that still doesn’t excuse what’s happening.

Her relationship with the changeling is well advertised among the Titans.

Maybe their taking advantage of or misreading his friendly nature.

No way, growled Rage, and Argent is still rubbing his chest! They should know that Garfield belongs to us!

He doesn’t really belong to anyone, added Raven to her hot-headed emotoclone.

While I’m usually inclined to disagree with her, Rage does have a point, said Knowledge.

I think we should do something that tells these bitches to back off, Brave added.

We should mark him. Right now, in front of everyone, said Rage.

You don’t think that’s too drastic? Said Raven. I mean, that’d make us mated for life. I don’t know if I’m ready to make such a big step.

Please Rae-Rae, said Happy, the man sometimes calls us ‘his future wife’ and how many times have you and him spoke about formally adopting Timmy, Teether and Melvin and he’d have that dopey smile on his face.

I…I don’t think Gar’s going anywhere. We should do it. Added Timid.

“Hell must’ve frozen over if Timid’s agreeing with Rage,” Raven muttered quietly to herself.

“Hey Raven,” greeted Jinx, as she sauntered up to Raven. “Oh, Rae what’s with that pus.” She continued, referring to the look on her face.

“Nothing,” said Raven, “just thinking about Gar.”

“Oh, ” Jinx lightly teased, eyes twinkling with mischief as she began to set her eyes on the aforementioned changeling, “let him enjoy his time in limelight…oh.” Trailed off Jinx, putting her hand to her mouth in as if to say, ‘oh my god.’

She still got her fucking hands on him! Roared Rage.

“Argent’s getting way too familiar there, Rae,” said Jinx worry and irritation on her face.

But at that moment Gar removes Argent’s hand from his chest without missing a beat still participating in the conversation with Argent.

Argent then tries her luck once more, reaching for his hand, presumably a more friendly target.

“Fuck this,” muttered Raven, shoving her cup into Jinx’s hands as she stormed off.

“This is gonna be good,” said Jinx, taking a swig of Raven’s drink. “Ugh,” she said, spitting it back into the cup, “herbal tea.”

Raven’s pushing her way through the throng of superheroes, giving no concern to whom she shoved into.

She shoves into Nightwing, spilling his drink.

“Whoa, Raven”, said Richard, grabbing her arm, “what’s the rush?”

She turns to face him, her irises colored a very angry red, glowing almost. Her eyebrows tighter than before, teeth bared. Her canines appearing elongated, almost as fangs.

“Let. Go,” she said through gritted teeth.

Nightwing suppresses the urge to shrink away.

He obeys, sweat dripping from his brow.

She continues on, pressing through the crowd finally arriving at Argent and Changeling, causing a commotion, and drawing attention to herself.

Argent turns to Raven, “Hey, Raven! How have…”

She doesn’t have chance to finish her greeting before a portal opens below her.

“Wha, ahhh!!” Went Argent as fell through.

A hush went over the room as the sound of someone hitting the water could be heard from outside in the Jump City Bay, followed by splashing and loud swearing in a British accent.

“Raven,” said Garfield, putting his hands up in placating manner, “baby, whatever I did…” he said as he was backing up from her.

“You didn’t do anything, Gar,” she said invading his space, speaking huskily, “it’s nothing you did.”

The red leaves her eye’s shifting back into her regular purple, then turning to a deeper shade.

“Don’t be afraid,” she whispered, “c’mere.”

She took his gloved hands into hers, guiding them toward her waist.

Then pulls him into embrace of her own, a scent of smoke and roses, mixed with her signature lavender wafting off of her.

“Raven,” muttered Gar huskily, her scent invading his nostrils, as his hold of her tightened.

She shushed him, placing the finger of her right hand on his lips, as her left hand remained around him.

She then ran her fingertips under his chin, her caressing digits making their way toward the back of his head pulling him closer.

She ran her nose along his neckline, right on his pulse, her nose barley grazing the fabric of his uniform covering his neck.

Raven then takes a quick inhale of her beau.

“Much better,” said Raven, as she gingerly brought her knee up between his legs, satisfied feeling his manhood hardening.

It never took much to get Garfield excited.

“Raven, what is this about?” Garfield inquired, between shuttered breaths.

She responds by bringing her left hand to his neck, a small sparks of her power crackling at the tip of her index.

She runs her fingertip down the material of his uniform. It’s covering his neck down to just below his collar, his uniform coming apart as Raven slowly, tantalizingly dragging her finger down exposing the emerald sink below the fabric.

Raven then brings her lip back to Garfield’s bare neck.

She places a kiss.

One more.

Then one more still.

The half demon then bites into the verdant flesh, hard.

Though not hard enough to break the skin.

But just hard enough to provoke an embarrassing moan from the emerald hero as Raven starts to suck down on where she’d sunk her teeth.

His claws popped out the material of gloves, digging to her leotard. The garment tearing as Garfield unconsciously runs his hands across Raven’s body, as she continues her ministrations.

She lets go, creating an audible pop.

A decent sized love bite is now on Garfield’s neck.

A deep, darker green standing in a stark contrast to lighter tone around it.

Raven’s power once more appears in her left hand, as she starts to run her fingertips across the hickey.

She removes her hand from his neck, revealing the mark now in the shape of a small raven.

She lays a kiss on the mark, then levels a solemn look to Garfield.

“Mine,” she whispered.

She then pushes herself off the wall, giving the still panting Changeling some space.

Red then colors her face, the embarrassment of this display in front of so many friends and comrades.

Her soulself envelopes her, it taking flight towards the hall, presumably towards her room.

“Change, what the hell was that?” Demanded Cyborg, as he pushed his way to the front of the crowd.

Garfield brings his hand too his neck, covering the fresh mark.

“It’s no Ouran, but I guess it’s pretty impressive,” said Hikaru, as the hosts begin to make their way to the pathway, the twin shooting flirtatious smiles at the girls passing them who’s stare lingers on the group.

“Well, not every school can be as well funded as Ouran, Hikaru. But still, for a commoner’s school it’s not bad.” Said Tamaki, as followed Hikaru’s lead smiling at passersby.

“On the contrary, Tamaki. Akademi’s actually pretty well funded, the school being backed the Saikou Corporation,” responded Kyoya.

“Huh,” said Tamaki, “if this is the case, why have I never heard of it?”

“It’s because you rich bastards live in a bubble,” said Haruhi, showing subdued smiles of her own at the young women of Akademi as they pass them by, following the lead of her clubmates.

“What was that, Haruhi?” Asked Kyoya.

“Nothing, Senpai. Though, I guess it is nice gesture that such a big and successful company would bankroll a school like this.”

As Kyoya said, Akademi was in fact a school with the financial backing of Saikou Corp.

His background check on Oka (and information provided by Reiko) had of course led him to Akademi, which in turn lead him down an interesting path.

Kyoya initially thought also it was simply a philanthropic endeavor on behalf of the organization, as the company and the family behind it are based in Buraza Town.

But he found its origins maybe a bit more peculiar than a successful company simply giving back.

It’s rumored that Saisho Saikou, founder and former CEO of the Saikou Corporation, had founded the school for his daughter as sort of a grooming program as for she would eventually take the reins of the organization when Saisho retired. However, for one reason or another, she left it all behind and it was her brother who eventually inherited the company.

He also found that some of the very best students are fast tracked to a position within the Saikou Corporation upon completion of their education, and as it now stands (if the rumors are true), the current CEO’s oldest child, Megami Saikou is currently attending, the implication being she’s currently being groomed as the next head of the company.

There’s was also another rumor he had heard.

There’s a supposed predatory hacker lurking the halls of Akademi, whom may or may not be in the employ of Saikou Corp.

Info-chan.

There was no other name Kyoya could ascertain.

It’s believed that this ‘Info-chan’ is into many illegitimate activities including, but not limited to selling illicit photos of her classmates, blackmail, and corporate espionage. It’s scary that such a person would even be aloud to exist within these wall, unless this ‘Info-chan’ has dirt on the head administrator or even the Saikous themselves.

Definity not a situation the third son of the Ootori’s wants to find him or his friends in.

Which reminds me, thought Kyoya.

“Everyone,” said Kyoya aloud, as the members of Ouran’s Host Club came upon the front gate. “Before we officially enter, please heed my advice. Don’t use any Wi-Fi networks, as a matter of fact, put all your phones on airplane mode and do not use any free-standing charging stations.”

As the other hosts complied with Kyoya’s request and then crossed the gate. Haruhi approaches him.

“Senpai, tell me you didn’t.” She said.

“I haven’t the faintest of what you mean, Haruhi,” Kyoya responded, risking the wrath of his favorite kohai.

“So, you didn’t run a background check on Oka-chan?” She asked, folding her arms across her chest, already knowing his answer.

“I can neither confirm nor deny such accusations,” said Kyoya, adjusting his glasses.

“Damnit, Kyoya-senpai! We agreed you wouldn’t do that! Are you trying to ruin Mori-senpai’s chances with Oka-chan!?”

“You’ll find I agreed to no such thing, if I recall correctly. Besides, when have you known me to walk into a situation unprepared.”

“We’re accompanying a friend to ask a girl out! What could possibly go wrong, Senpai!?”

Kyoya hums at her, taking his glasses off pulling a handkerchief from is jacket pocket and begins cleaning them off. “You’re right, Haruhi. This should be simple. But I’ve read some interesting things last night,” he levels his gaze to the natural host, his cold façade temporarily broken, “things that could potentially put you all at risk. I’m just taking the necessary steps to make sure nothing happens to you all.”

“OK, fine, Senpai.” She said nodding her understanding of his point. “So, you did run a background check on Oka-chan, what is it about her that has you so spooked?”

“It’s not Oka, Haruhi. She’s harmless as near as I can tell. But, there maybe someone in this school who could prove to be problematic.”

The pair then approach the hosts at the gate as they’re being fussed over by a tanned, blonde-haired teacher, a coach perhaps, based on the red tracksuit she’s wearing.

“Oh, my goodness, are you gentlemen models? Is the school being prepped for a shoot?” She said.

“No ma’am,” said Tamaki, as he smiled at the older woman, taking her hand in his, “though I see how one would make that mistake, we are not models nor are we here for a shoot. My friend here,” he said gesturing to Mori, “seems to have been struck lovesick by one of your students, and we’re searching for her.”

“Oh, my how romantic!” She exclaimed. “Do you happen to know the name of this student? I may be able to point you in the right direction.”

“Oka Ruto,” said Kyoya, getting the attention of woman as he and Haruhi closed the distance between the hosts and the coach.

Her blue eyes flashed in recognition at bespectacled young man.

She pulls her hand from Tamaki’s as she exclaims, “Kyoya Ootori!”

“Taiso-san, how have you been? I had no idea you took on a career in education,” said Kyoya.

“I’ve been great, Kyoya-kun. Though things have slowed down since my Olympic days, I very much enjoy my work here!”

“Wait, Taiso,” said Haruhi, “as in Kyoshi Taiso. The swimmer? The one who won 23 gold medals?”

“Guilty as charged,” she said red-faced woman at the mentioning of her past accomplishments.

“How do you know Senpai, Taiso-san?” Asked Kaoru.

“Oh, the Ootori Group was one of my sponsors during my time in the Olympics. I’ve also been friends with his sister, Fuyumi, for as long as I can remember. My goodness, I remember when he was a little boy. He was so adorable and here he is now as a handsome young man. Anyways, you guys are here to see Oka-chan? She’s usually with her group of friends depending of one of her group’s club activities. Although…” she trailed off, concern adorning her face as she looks away from Kyoya.

“What is it, Taiso-san?” Implored Kyoya.

“A friend of hers, Ayano Aishi. Up until recently, I always got strange vibes from that girl. I mean she didn’t seem dangerous, but still, something about her creeped me out. Something about her seemed, unnatural, robotic. It was her eyes, grey and dull, like a doll’s. She always seemed like she was pretending to emote, pretending to appear normal.” Responded Kyoshi.

“Hmm,” responded Kyoya, “you said ‘until recently’, what did you mean by that?”

“She doesn’t seem like she’s pretending anymore, she seems to be much more normal, I guess. I think being around Budo-kun and Midori-chan have changed her for the better. But she still creeps me out. She’s also fiercely protective of her friends, Oka-chan especially. I want you boys to be extra careful around her, OK, Kyoya-kun.”

“Of course, when have you known an Ootori to be careless.” Said Kyoya.

Kyoshi nods her head in a farewell as the host club retreats to a nearby bench to come up with a plan of attack as far as finding Oka.

“I think Taiso-san might be wrong about Ayano. Anyone who’s has Budo’s heart can’t possibly be that bad.” Honey piped up.

“Be that as it may, I suggest we do be careful.” Said Kyoya.

“Is that why you had us put our phones on airplane mode, Senpai?” Said Kaoru.

“Hmm, you know me so well, Kaoru,” he responded.

“So how do you think we should go about searching for Oka-chan. It’s like Hikaru said, this place is no Ouran, but Akademi is still a lot of ground to cover.” Said Tamaki.

“It’s simple Tamaki, we split up.” Suggested Kyoya.

****

Tamaki never thought he’d see a day where his looks would be a burden.

About every girl that crosses his path stops him, trying to flirt or otherwise trying to get his attention. He lays on the charm as he always does, puts on that million-dollar smile of his and tries to move on as courteously as he can.

As he makes his from this most recent crowd of young women, he sees who he’s looking for.

The navy-blue haired girl is seated in an area at one of four tables, with awnings over the top of them, a wall of the school to her back with 3 vending machines and 2 water fountains to situated on it. She’s seated with two other young women, one with short aqua blue shaded hair and red eyes, her face in a book, occasionally contributing the conversation the other two are having. The other young woman has dark grey eyes and long black hair styled in a ponytail with a bang over her forehead styled towards the right and two side bangs on either side of her head and is speaking with Oka as they both nurse a canned drink of some kind.

Presumably one of two other young women Oka’s seated with is this Ayano Aishi Taiso-san expressed her apprehension over. But she appears to just a schoolgirl from where Tamaki’s standing. How dangerous can she be?

Wait, thinks Tamaki, isn’t Ayano Aishi the young lady that participated in that tournament not too long ago? The one that Budo charged security over?

He thinks back to that weekend, witnessing first-hand how much pain that young lady wrought to make it to the semi-finals of that tournament.

Perhaps she’s not as harmless as she seems at first glance, he thinks further. And he then he wonders just how dangerous this Ayano could be.

Best to tread carefully then, Ouran’s Host Club President thinks, showing rare awareness that he can be at times, rather grating.

The coast seems clear for now, so at the risk of being stopped by another group of girls, he makes a beeline straight to Oka Ruto and her the two friends she’s seated with.

He stops dead before he completes a full stride, a young woman that seemingly has come from nowhere is now blocking his path.

Her skin is an unnatural tan, but she manages to pull the look off. She has wavy blonde hair styled into a large ponytail with a light blue butterfly clip on her right bang. She’s wearing heavy makeup and she’s dressed in a uniform matching the other female students he’s seen, but she’s wearing loose socks on her shins. Her pale blue eyes are trained the expert host, a glow of want evident in them as her face is adorned by a ravenous, lustful smile.

“OH. EM. GEE. How is it a cutie like yourself hasn’t asked me out yet!? There’s this restaurant my dad takes me too who’s food is just to die for!” She closes the distance between them and gently puts her hands on his chest, using the excuse of smoothing out imaginary wrinkles in his suit coat to feel him up.

Tamaki instantly recognizes her type.

Spoiled rotten beyond all hope.

While his patience for these types is incredibly small, the young woman before him could prove useful to get Oka’s attention without tempting the wrath of Ayano.

He cracks that trade smile of his at the shorter girl, takes her hand left hand in his right, “And may I have my princess’ name?”

“Princess?” She says softly, taking his bait. “Musume Ronshaku, and yours, cutie?”

“Suoh. Tamaki Suoh.”

“Well what do you say, Tamaki-kun, we get out of here and get better acquainted?”

“Well, Musume-chan,” he said, running finger temptingly under her chin as he brought his face temptingly closer to hers, “it sounds lovely, but,” he continued, not much space between them, “there’s something I came here to do, and there’s very lovely young woman who’d be hurt and disappointed if I took another lady on a date.”

“Then let’s get out of here and…” she stops for a beat, recognizing she’d been refused, “wait, what?” She exclaimed; befuddlement evident on her face.

“There’s already a young lady of whom my heart belongs and is actually here to assist a friend to win the heart of one that he fancies.”

She re-dons a seductresses’ persona, grinning hungrily once more and says, “I don’t see a girl with you right now, what she doesn’t-“

“Musume-chan, I’m going to stop you right there. Surely you don’t expect me to be disloyal my love!? And if I were to just go and rendezvous with you knowing I’m in a relationship, how can you possibly expect any loyalty from me when I would discard my previous lover so abruptly?”

Befuddlement returned to her face, then it melts into anger. She bares her teeth and her brows crease, ruining the otherwise beautiful visage of this young woman at her fury. “Fine! You don’t know what you’re missing! There’s plenty of other boys who’d kill for a chance to have me on their arm, you bastard! You aren’t even that cute anyway.”

She sighs outward, having expended herself with her tirade and tires to blow past the blonde host, but before she can he takes her hand once more stopping her from leaving.

“Hey! What’s the big idea you jerk, you’ve made your decision!”

“Musume-chan, I know I don’t have the right to do so, but can you do me favor,” he asked dropping to a knee, a genuine somber look on his face.

“And how can you possibly think I’d do anything for you, you jerk!?”

“I apologize if my rebuffing your affections were harsh, Musume-chan.” He said, standing to his full height. “But a beautiful young maiden such as yourself shouldn’t just be willing to give your affections to a pretty face,” he said smiling down on her.

A blush staining her face, as she looks away from the blonde young man, a look of regret on her face at her actions. “Well, maybe I did come on to you a little strong, Tamaki-kun. And maybe I might’ve been a little harsh on you too.”

His smile widens and he says, “There’s hope for you yet, Musume-chan.”

****

Well this was a surprise.

When Musume had approached their group, saying there was this drop-dead gorgeous young man who wanted to speak to Oka, it had put Ayano’s guard on overdrive.

Musume was notorious at Akademi for bullying, Oka being a frequent target. Ayano wasn’t just going to sit around and let it happen again.

So, much to the dismay of Musume, she had led Oka, Kuu and herself to whatever prank she’d had in waiting for Oka.

But, Ayano hadn’t thought in a million years that Musume would be telling the truth.

But low and behold, the tan skinned blonde had led them to a tall, statuesque, blue-eyed, blonde haired young man standing by the doorway by the eating area in the courtyard of Akademi.

He’s good looking objectively, by Ayano’s guess. But he isn’t exactly to her taste. His hair’s not dark enough. Or messy enough. He’s kind of a bean poll too. And one would bet he doesn’t fill out a gi as well as…

Ayano shakes her head free of thoughts of a certain dark-haired martial artist, discarding her comparisons to the tall blonde before them.

God help him if he’s in on this prank too, though Ayano.

“Thank you for your help, Musume-chan,” said the tall blonde, as he waived his goodbye to Musume.

The tanned blonde waives her own goodbye to blue-eyed blonde in front of them as she takes her leave.

“T-That uniform,” says Oka, “so you go to school with Umehito-kun and,” she hesitates, looking away from the tall young man, a flush of embarrassment staining her usually pale features, “Takashi-kun. Is he here?” She asks, approaching Tamaki wearily, yet a sense of hope. “C-can I see him? I have something I’d very much like to tell him.”

“Worry not, my dear,” exclaims Tamaki, grabbing Oka’s hands while closing his eyes dramatically, clearly looking to expel some theatrical soliloquy.

The occult obsessed young lady visibly tenses, obviously uncomfortable with the contact of this stranger.

It’s something not lost on Ayano.

“Ayano-chan,” vigilantly said Kuu, putting her hand on the shoulder of the grey eyed girl.

She shrugs off Kuu’s hand as she walks to where Tamaki and Oka are standing.

“All will soon be-“ He’s interrupted by Ayano removing his hands from Oka’s. “Huh?” He uttered; confusion obvious on his face. He opens his eyes and is greeted with the apprehensive visage of Oka and the incensed face of Ayano.

“Back. Off.” Commanded Ayano through gritted teeth. “Can’t you see your making her uncomfortable?”

He yelps, jumping back animatedly as he does so at the order of the dark-haired girl.

“Sorry,” he responded in earnest, “I guess I simply got caught up in Ruto-san’s desire to communicate her feelings to my Senpai. Please, forgive me,” he said bowing regally, “and I apologize to you as well…”

“Aishi. Ayano Aishi.” She finished for him.

“And may I have the other young lady’s name?” Asked Tamaki.

“Kuu Dere,” said the aqua-blue haired girl.

“Tamaki Suoh, pleased to meet your acquaintance, ladies.”

“And you said that Tamaki-kun’s a classmate of this boy you’ve been crushing on, Oka?” Said Kuu.

“Kuu-chan!” Replied an incredulous Oka.

“What? You’ve since admitted to us that what you’re feeling isn’t a curse, and here’s a friend of this crush of yours right here before us more than willing to make the intro duction,” replied Kuu, noncommittally.

Oka sighs at her friend’s bluntness, somewhat jealous of her just stating the matters of her heart like its simplest thing in the world.

Then on que, as if reading her mind, Kuu utters, “Simple, all things considered.”

“Well, where is this, what did you say his name was again, Oka-chan?” Said Ayano.

“Takashi.” Replied Oka.

“Where is this Takashi-kun, Suoh-san? Take us to him, if you please. I’d very much like to meet him myself.” Said Ayano.

“Be nice, Ayano-chan. Oka-chan presumably likes this boy.” Giggled Kuu.

“No problem ladies just follow me,” he said bowing to them.

He begins to walk, leading the way to Takashi, but he stops abruptly.

“Um, I don’t exactly know where he is,” he said embarrassed, “and a friend of mine advised us to put our phones on airplane mode during our visit, so I have no way to contact him. Come to think of it, he didn’t even tell us why. And I didn’t think to ask him.” Tamaki finished, scratching back of his head, sheepishly.

“This friend of yours seems like a smart man. Then I guess were finding him the old-fashioned way,” said Ayano.

The group of 3 girls one and boy decide to search for Tamaki’s friends’ floor by floor.

Looking for a group of criminally attractive young men can’t be that difficult.

Their journey leads them to north wing of the first floor of Akademi, where there’s quite a ruckus inside of both the Cooking and Drama Clubs.

Inside the Drama Club much fuss is being made over the visitors inside, the Hitachiin Twins, as they in turn fuss over one of the club’s members,  Kokona Haruka.

They eagerly request the young lady try on the various costumes the club had to offer, offering their complements for Kokona and their cretiques for improving the club’s wardrobe (they are their mother’s sons after all). Although there’s a young lady with a similar hair style to Kokona silently seething at their antics everyone else present doesn’t seem to mind the Twin’s input.

At Tamaki’s request they take their leave, bidding goodbye to everyone, including the annoyed young lady hanging back. “Goodbye, other Kokona!” They intoned simultaneously as they left, much to her chagrin.

In the Cooking Club theirs a bit of a gluttonous disappearing act happening. More than a generous number of deserts are being devoured by Honey as the members of the club look on in awe, Usa-chan at his side.

When his attention is called by Tamaki and the others, he turns his head, his cheeks comically expanded by the amount cakes in his mouth. He attempts to address his kohai, but due to the amount of food in Honey’s mouth he’s not clearly understood. And Mori’s nowhere in sight to admonish his cousin for temporarily forgetting his manners. Honey swallows his fill and then exclaims with a sheepish smile, “Oh Tama-chan! Hika-chan and Kao-chan too! And see you’ve found Oka-chan, it nice to see you again,” he finishes, waving at the dark blue haired girl.

Oka bows slightly, responding with a sheepish, “Hi.”

Kaoru and Hikaru playfully admonishes their senpai for not searching for Oka as was discussed as introductions are made around, but asked when confronted with the same, they lamely cross their arms dismissing any wrongdoing.

The rapidly expanding group of Ouran and Akademi students make their way to the second floor.

Ayano suggested they make a pit stop before continuing their search for the rest of host club, picking up  a friend of theirs as her club had usually let out around this time.

There was an interesting sight when they came upon the club.

On the far end of the sat three figures, facing a large flat screened television. A girl with long green hair dressed in a similar uniform as Ayano and the others is standing over the shoulder of short brown haired young man dressed similarly to the other host club members as the green haired girl gives him instructions, presumably for the fighting game being played, it’s action taking place on the large television mounted on the wall in front of them. Sitting next to the young man is anther, taller young man with spiky blue hair with ponytail over his shoulder, patchy facial hair, circular glasses and headphones around his neck. He’s dressed in a similar uniform as the other males around the school.

One of the characters on screen life bar is depleted and falls to the ground defeated as an announcer dramatically yells ‘K.O’.

“You did it Haruhi-chan!” Yelled the green haired girl.

The addressed young man, Haruhi presumably, stands, humbly stating, ”Thanks Midori-chan, but it was your instruction that lead me to the win. I couldn’t have done this without you,” finished Haruhi, smiling brightly at the taller girl, slightly tilting her head as she does so.

Midori blushes brightly at Haruhi’s kind words, bringing her hands to her face attempting to cover her rapidly darkening cheeks so fast it creates an audible slapping sound. “Haruhi-chan! Thank you!” She said. Midori then turns her attention to other young man, “Gema-senpai, it was a good game, right?”

He stands turning to Midori and Haruhi, his anger an apparent on his face at losing to an amateur.

But before the blue haired club leader can say anything, Haruhi says, “It was a good game, Gema-kun,” extending her hand, earnest smile having never left her face.

The anger melts from Gema’s face, but he relectanly shakes Haruhi’s hand, “Good match,” he mutters before he goes off to a corner to some game or another on his phone.

“Well, this is surprise isn’t it?” Exclaims Hikaru, with a mischievous smile on his face.

“Indeed. Our usually responsible and studious Haruhi, slinking off and playing video games. For shame!” Followed up Kaoru, with faux dramatics.

She loses her smile, her expression turning to a more even tone, “Sorry. I know we were to find Oka-chan, but I met Midori-chan and she invited me to the gaming club. She’s very difficult to say no to. Besides, it looks like you guys found her on your own.”

After more introductions are made, the group takes their leave, but not before Tamaki pulls Haruhi behind.

“Midori was calling you ‘Haruhi-chan’, does she know you’re a girl?” He asks.

Haruhi shrugs her shoulders noncommittally, “If she does, I didn’t tell her. And what does it matter anyway? We don’t go to school here, nor do we live in this town, plus Oka-chan and her friends seem pretty easy going to me.”

“I guess you’re right, Haruhi.” Responded Tamaki.

Their next stop is still on the second floor, as they come upon Kyoya in the Art Club of all places, speaking with the club’s president.

“Excellent, Tsuka-san. And I can expect those potraits to be delivered on the agreed upon date?” Asked Kyoya.

“Of course,” replied young man of few words.

Kyoya bows to the club’s president and says, “I look forward to seeing your work, Tsuka-san.”

He turns to the sorted members of the host club, plus Ayano, Midori, Oka and Kuu, and says, “Oh, it looks like you’ve all found Oka, it’s nice to see you again Ruto-san.”

“Kyoya,” Haruhi addressed, “what scheme-hatchery are up to?”

“Oh, Haruhi,” said Kyoya, a look of mock hurt on his face, “it was nothing more than having paintings of the club commissioned to be actioned off on our website. How little do you think of me? Don’t answer that. Now, where’s Mori?”

****

Osoro and the others warned him something like this would happen.

Umeji was convinced it was just a passing fancy, and that things would just move forward.

That his little companion would just wander off school grounds the same way he wondered on.

But here he is now, faced with an absolute giant of man, his back to a wall of the outside of the school, dressed to the nines in a powder blue suit coat adorned with an unfamiliar crest on the left breast, a white shirt, black tie, pressed black slacks, and black shined dress shoes. He’s staring Umeji down with a determination that states a willingness to throw down. And in this giant’s hands is a kitten with a grey and white coat being scratched behind its ears as it purrs contently.

At first glance Umeji thought this giant was a new member of the school’s staff, but his youthful face and spike-styled hair betrays that of a much younger man than his size would infer.

“Is there something I can help you with?” Said the giant, his dark grey eyes boring into Umeji’s.

Umeji nervously fiddles with the bag of dry fish in his pocket as he responds, “Put the cat down, and get out of here. Unless you want to end up like the last clowns who tried to invade Akademi.”

The kitten fidgets in Mori’s grip, mewling at the spiky, blonde haired, orange eyed delinquent, presumably in recognition of shorter boy.

This ignites an anxiety within Mori.

What could this guy possibly want with this kitten?

Based on the way the kitten is mewling and fidgeting it can’t be nothing good.

This little guy just had to approach him as he searched for Oka.

Oh well.

“Sorry, but that’s not going to happen.” Responded Mori.

The orange eyed delinquent pulls a brown baseball bat from the box on his back, “Wrong answer,” he muttered.

Umeji brings the bat in front of him, holding it like how a kendo student, but Mori being one of the top kendo players in the country sees holes in his stance.

“Just walk away. It doesn’t have to be like this,” says Mori.

Umeji responds by bringing the bat above his head and charges Mori, going for a sloppy overhead swing.

Mori slightly tightens his hold on the kitten as he effortlessly evades Umeji’s clumsy swing.

Umeji charges Mori a few more times, getting visibly more frustrated and tired with each successive swing.

“Stay still you son of a bitch!” He yells, baring his teeth as he goes for another swing of the bat.

“Umeji!” Yells a low, yet feminine voice.

Both Mori and Umeji turn to see a group of four young men and one young woman making their way toward them. The tanned skinned, blonde haired girl is situated in front of the other 4 boys, 2 of them flanking either of her shoulder. The four boys have wearing the same uniform and have similarly dyed hair the same as Umeji, but they are of varying styles befitting that of a delinquent.

The young woman has an ‘x’ shaped scar on her left cheek and her blonde hair is wild, almost unkempt with a fringe styled over her face. Her brows are creased in annoyance, her lips in a straight thin line and her brown eyes are trained on Umeji and Mori. She dressed radically different from the other female students in this school. She’s dressed in a short sleeved white button up shirt, missing the bow that every other girl’s uniform had, with white wraps adorning her hands and forearms and a slightly oversized tattered black jacket around her shoulders like a cape. Her lower half is covered by a black skirt with gray shorts peeking from up under it with more wraps taped around her toned legs and faded black shoes on her feet.

“Having trouble there, Umeji?” She said, as the group closed the distance between them.

He flushes out of embarrassment and because he’s out of breath and answers between wheezes, “I got it under control, boss. No need for you guys to step in.”

The tan skinned girl breaks her gaze from Umeji, leveling it at Mori. She cracks a smile and says, “I told your obsession with that little pussy would bite you in the ass one day.”

The group of four flanking her laughs at her quip.

The gray coated cat in Mori’s pops it’s claws, digging them into Mori’s hand. He loosens his grip as he hisses in pain. The kitten bounds it way to Umeji, stopping in front of the boy, meowing expectantly.

Mori’s confused by this.

“Yeah, yeah, I got you,” he says, pulling the bag a of fish and piece of aluminum foil out his pocket. He situates the foil in a bowl like shape, then pours the bag of fish into it.

The kitten then looks up Umeji, meowing his appreciation, before it starts to eat it’s fill. Umeji then starts to scratch the kitten behind its ears as it purrs in contentment as the delinquent smiles down on it.

“I can see you’re confused, big guy. Our Umeji’s got a soft spot for the little furry things. To the point he risks his reputation as one of us on campus.” Said Osoro. “It’s not like he’s any good at concealing it either. Oka and that green-haired ditz caught him babying the little one here one day,” she finished under her breath.

“Oka? As in Oka Ruto?” He said, wondering why the apple of his eye would associate with these types. “Are you friends?"

“Nah, more like an acquaintance. She’s more of friend to Umeji and my boys then she is to me. Though I get the impression she doesn’t get that.” Responded Osoro.

“What’s it to you anyway?” Asked Umeji, stepping away from the feasting kitten.

Mori looks away from the group of blonde hairs, his cheeks darkening slightly. “I have something very important I wish to discuss with her.” He said lowly.

“And what makes you think we would let you, huh? There’s a toll for messing with one of us,” said Umeji as he once more went for his bat.

“No,” interjected Osoro, as she stepped in between the two boys, pushing at Umeji’s chest, “rich boy here gets a pass. Plus, from the way things seem, you attacked first Umeji. Besides, do you even know who this is? You wouldn’t have stood a chance.” She then turns to face Mori, leveling her eyes with his despite their disparity in height, “Takashi Morinozuka.”

Umeji’s eyes widen in realization, now cognizant of the young man he attacked. “The Takashi Morinozuka?”

Mori nods in the affirmative.

“Huh,” he says simply, looking to Osoro, then back to Mori, “not a chance in hell.”

Mori and then group of delinquents are then interrupted by the footsteps of the Host Club, Oka, Midori, Ayano and Kuu as they enter the scene.

Ayano takes point stepping in front of Mori, suspicious of Osoro and her cohorts.

She looks back at the tall host and says, “You are Takashi, are you not?”

He nods.

“I believe you have something to say to Oka-chan, but that can wait.” Finished Ayano, as she turned to face Osoro and her group. “Shidesu, do you mind telling me why Takashi-san is bleeding?”

Osoro stares down the shorter dark-haired girl, shrugging her shoulders in indifference at the accusation leveled at her and her friends. “I don’t know what you mean Aishi. You know, I don’t appreciate having a finger pointed at me every time someone at Akademi gets a papercut. Maybe you’ve been hanging around that feather haired goody-goody too much, his habits of jumping on my case are starting to rub off on ya. It’s starting to piss me off. You know I saw that tournament you were in the other day, we both know I can do you a whole lot worse than that,” Osoro finishes her statement as steps into Ayano’s personal space going toe-to-toe with her.

“Um,” mutters a soft voice, “Yan-chan, Oro-chan, please…” finished Oka obviously put off by her two friends’ conflict.

Osoro then turns to Oka, as the blue-haired occultist nervously looks away from the two girls, fiddling with her fingers.

“Damnit Ruto! I told you not to call me that,” Osoro yelled, snapping Oka to attention. Osoro stares her down for a moment before she says, “Alright, you get pass today, Aishi.” She snaps her fingers and says, “Come on troops! We’ve gotta meet Odayaka at the bakery, it’s cheesecake day.”

Osoro her friends go on their way, but not before Umeji utters, “And you complain about my obsession with pussy…”

Osoro smacks him upside his head, “Show some respect! It’s Amai.”

“Well, now that’s taken care of I believe you have something to say to Oka-chan,” Intoned Ayano to Mori.

“Hn,” he responded.

Ayano walks toward Oka, placing a hand on her shoulder, “If he tries anything funny, don’t hesitate. OK, Oka-chan?”

In response, she looks up Mori giving him a shy smile. “I don’t think you need to worry about that, Ayano-chan.”

Ayano nods, then walks over to their assorted group of friends, new and old, and says, “Midori-chan,” said Ayano, as she clapped her hands together smiling at Midori, “how would you like to take some pictures with our new friends?”

“Oh my god! Would I ever!” Screeched the green haired girl.

Oka walks over to Mori, taking him by the hand and leading him to a nearby bench. She produces a bandage wrap and what appears to be a hemostatic agent placing them on the bench next to Mori. She then walks over to a nearby water fountain, wets a handkerchief and makes her way back to Mori, sitting next to host.

“Takashi-kun,” she starts, as starts to clean the wounds on his hand, “I apologize for Umeji-kun and Nao-kun.”

“Nao-kun?” Asks Mori.

“Um, the uh, kitten.”

At the mention of his name, Nao the kitten mews up at the two as he walks toward them. Nao’s finished his fill of fish and is now looking to be pet again as he continues to mew.

“Nao-kun!” Scolds Oka. “You can’t expect to scratch a new friend and be rewarded for it.”

Nao folds his ears submissively at Oka’s light scolding. He mews cutely once more in an attempt to smooth things over with the dark-blue haired girl.

She shakes her head at the kitten and pats her lap.

Immediately, Nao’s eye’s glow and his ears return to their original position and he leaps up into Oka’s lap, padding around until he finds a comfortable position and curls into himself, purring contently.

Mori laughs lightly at the display.

She applies the agent in response, and the host’s laughs are replaced with a hiss of pain.

“Sorry.”

She begins to wrap the gauze around Mori’s hand, having cleaned the scratches and applied the hemostat. “Like I was saying, Umeji-kun’s got a reputation he wants to protect and very much desires not be seen tending to a kitten, despite his obvious soft-spot for Nao. And as far as Nao-kun, it’s best not to get in between him and his favorite food.” She said, as she finished wrapping the gauze around his hand. “There!”

“Hm.” Went Mori. “Oka-chan, may I ask where you learned to clean and treat wounds?” Requested Mori.

“W-Well,” she said, her hands still holding Mori’s freshly treated one, “Ayano-chan and Budo-kun are in the school’s Karate Club and sometimes have more than their share of scrapes and bruises after sparring days. I guess I kind of fell into doing it, as they didn’t have anyone else to treat them after their club time. And as I’m sure you know both Umehito-kun and I share very similar hobbies. Fiddling with herbs and other ingredients for potions and elixirs has given me a little bit of skill in the subject. That mixture I applied to your scratches is my own design even!” She continued as she lightly caressed his freshly treated hand.

Her eyes widen, recognizing what she’s doing and let’s go, busing herself scratching Nao behind his ears.

Mori laughs again, much to her chagrin.

“Hey, don’t laugh! Otherwise, I-I’ll-“ said a red-faced Oka, “I’ll get Nao-kun to scratch you again!”

To emphasize her point she holds the grey coated kitten in Mori’s face as he mews softly.

Mori gently takes the kitten from Oka’s grasp. He places the kitten in his lap petting him while smiling at her, “I’m not in the way of Nao-kun’s fish, so I think I ‘m good on that front.” He said in his deep baritone.

He then levels a serious look her way, as she turns to meet his gaze. His eyes boring into hers with an unspoken determination. It’s like his stare is penetrating her down to her very core. It stirs a fluttering in her that’s just as exciting as it is terrifying to her.

“Oka-chan,” he starts seriously, “I know we’ve just met, but I can’t help but feel there’s something here.” He takes her hand gently in his to emphasize his point.

Oka, who’s at most times very resistant to letting most other people touch her, lets it go, just like when they first met.

Her heart is hammering in her chest and palms are starting to perspire at her anxiety.      

He slightly tightens his grip on her hand, as if non-verbally communicate that’s fine to be nervous.

Because if he were honest with himself, he would let her know he’s just as nervous.

Mori breaks his gaze from Oka, looking ahead, determination still shimmering in his eyes.

“I spoke with Nekozawa-san not long after the little episode he and I had. He talked about you. He couldn’t help himself. You’re incredibly important to him, you know. He told me how when your parents passed away that there was no one but him and his parents to take you in. He told me he was simply acting in your defense when he confronted me that day. He went on to say that you very vulnerable when you were younger. That you were bullied a great deal because of your interest in the occult. He said he hated himself because he couldn’t do much to protect you and had to lean on Budo-kun heavily to look after you. He said that he hated that things didn’t really turn around for you until you met your current group of friends in high school.” He re-levels his gaze to the dark-blue haired girl. “He told me a lot about you, Oka-chan. He showed me that through everything, you have the strength to show the world that you can be who you are proudly regardless of what the world thinks of it or what it throws at you. That’s not a strength you find in many people and,” he smiles at her once more, “that’s a strength I can admire.”

“A-admire? No one's ever said that a-about me before,” responded a cherry-red faced Oka, as she nervously fiddled with the edge of her skirt, looking down. “Y-you mean you-“ she trailed off.

“Every word, Oka-chan.” Responded Mori. “I’d like to take you out sometime, maybe for lunch, or tea. To maybe get better acquainted. May I see you phone?” Asked Mori.

She digs into her uniform coat pocket, fishing out a smartphone adorned in a black case with a white spider webs, matching her stockings and cut-off gloves and hands it off to him.

He takes it, releasing her hand and then hastily begins typing something in.

“What’re you-“

Before she can complete the thought, he offers her back to her. Right there on the screen is a new contact, Takashi Morinozuka, it read with an accompanying phone number.

“You don’t need to answer now, Oka-chan. But if you so choose, don’t hesitate to contact me so we can hash out the details, if you simply just want to talk, or if you just want to be friends if you so desire.” He then carefully takes the napping Nao, places him in Oka’s hands, and stands to his full height, looking down to Oka, “I eagerly await your correspondence, and thank you for taking the time to listen to what I have to say, Oka-chan.”

“Takashi-kun,” she utters before he has a chance to go, “I think there might be something here too,” she said leveling a shy smile at the host.

He returns it in earnest, as he goes to join their assorted group of friends as they take pictures and converse with one another.

****

Well they seem to be hitting things off, thought Kyoya as he observed Oka and Mori while writing in his notebook.

He hears two pairs of footsteps coming up behind him, before he’s softly tapped on the shoulder.

He turns, finding Oka’s two friends, Ayano and Midori, looking at him expectantly (more Midori did, Ayano looked more neutral than anything).

“Excuse me, Kyoya-kun, was it?” Asked Midori, “Would you like to take a picture with us? You’re the only one of your group, besides Takashi-kun we haven’t taken a pic with,” she finished, barely containing her excitement.

“I would be glad to, Gurin-san. For until I miss my guess, I think we’ll be seeing more of each other,” Kyoya said, gesturing towards Oka and Mori. “I can’t think of better way to commemorate the new friendship between us.”

Kyoya stands between the two girls, slight angled off as they prepare to take the picture. Midori budges in close, standing at Kyoya’s right shoulder, grinning widely while throwing up two peace signs on either hand. Ayano, standing at Kyoya’s left shoulder angles her phone in front of trio, taking great care to catch Kyoya’s face (maybe seemingly more care than necessary for just a group selfie), making the third son of the Ootori’s the centerpiece of the picture. The dark-haired girl smiles subtilty and throws up a peace sign of her own, snapping the picture on her phone.

“Oh, oh! Let me see Ayano-chan!” Screeched Midori, as eagerly reached for Ayano’s phone. “Perfect. Please don’t forget to send me copies those pics Ayano. I really want to post them on Facebook.”

Interesting, thought Kyoya, as he observed the two girls (though mostly, Ayano). Taiso-san had warned him about Ayano, sighting a look her eyes and pretending to emote. He did note that she wore a bored expression that gradually turned slight softer the more she interacted with his friends. He also observed genuine flashes of affection whenever Midori said something seemingly without thinking or when Kuu went to correct the green haired girl. Interestingly enough, she appears to be immune to Tamaki’s charms. Judging by how similar he and her friend Midori seemed, she’s used to the exuberance of bright-haired idiots.

From what Kyoya can deduce, Ayano seems like any other schoolgirl. More reserved than most but he’s not seeing anything that give off any red flags.

Although something did seem deliberate about the way she went about taking pictures of Kyoya and the host club. Like she’s going to use them for something other than just commemorating meeting new friends.

Oh well, thought, Kyoya. It’s just something he’ll have to keep an eye on.

He sees Mori approach from his conversation with Oka. He’s sporting a small smile as he closes the distance. He sees Oka on the bench, looking after the kitten that scratched Mori earlier. He catches her looking up to Mori briefly, a shy smile and a blush on her face before she looks back the kitten in her lap.

“I hope this took you out of your funk, Mori-senpai. I hope I can put your name back up for reservations. Although, I’m not sure how long it will take to win back the goodwill of your clientele. Oh, well. I’m sure we’ll come with something.” Said Kyoya to his upperclassman.

Mori responds by affectionately rubbing the top of Kyoya’s head, playfully messing his hair.

“OK, Ok, enough of that, senpai!” Complained Kyoya.

“Hey, Takashi-kun, come take a picture with us!” Yelled Midori, as she waived him over to their group of assorted friends.

****

Later that night, Ayano’s sitting at her desk, going through the photos she’s taken today. She looks at them fondly, remembering how she made Midori so happy by such a small gesture. She lands one of all her assorted friends new and old, wondering what experiences a wait her and her friends now after being acquainted with Ouran’s Host Club. She particularly wondered about the tallest among them, Takashi Morinozuka, considering his interest in Oka.

She learned a lot about the hosts today.

Tamaki. Princely, charismatic, but loud, animated and incredibly dramatic. Her years of being friend’s with Midori taught her the experience and know-how to deal with it.

Kyoya, intelligent and calculating. He tries his best to play the part of detached egoist and may even fool some into believing that that’s who he is, but Ayano can see the genuine care and affection he has for his clubmates.

The Hiatchiin Twins, Kaoru and Hikaru. Playful, mischievous, and very affectionate towards each other. That last bit had the usually unflappable Kuu very interested. Ayano had played the ‘Which one is Hikaru?’ Game, winning several times in a row where her friends were unable to tell the two apart. That had won her the respect of twins instantly.

Haruhi Fujioka, the most earnest and modest of the club was by far the easiest to get on with. The girl dressed as a boy for a reasons that have yet to have been revealed to Ayano was easy to talk to and understood the world around her in a way that belied her age. She has since become desensitized to her friend’s antics, but still carries a deep affection for her friends. Speaking of which, she did seem a little more affectionate with Tamaki than anyone else, perhaps the two are dating. Maybe she could give some advice on…never mind, thought Ayano.

Mitsukuni Haninozuka or Honey, as he’s known by his friends is not what he seems. She actually is familiar with the diminutive blonde is through Budo’s stories of never having bested Honey in a fight. There’s way more underneath his child-like nature than at first glance, that much is obvious. He’s actually the oldest of the club members and shares an interesting kinship with Takashi.

And on the subject of the tall host, the quiet dark-haired young seemed steady and reliable, but she didn’t really get a chance to get know him, as he spent most of time speaking with Oka.

The two are clearly enamored with each other despite not having only seen each at least twice and that worries Ayano.

While she will always be thankful to Taro to awakening the emotions within her, her own experience with a first crush had her ready to ruin her own life and those around her in order to win his affections. She luckily had Budo to talk her down, making her realize exactly who’s right for her heart.

Ayano doesn’t want that for her friend, so she’s going to do everything in her power to make sure this budding romance with Takashi Morinozuka isn’t just some passing fancy, especially on Mori’s part.

Ayano isn’t sure Oka can take that kind of heartbreak.

“It hurts when people leave, I don’t want to be hurt again,” Oka said in reference to hesitating befriending each other.

Oka won’t be hurt, I’ll make sure of it, thought Ayano, as she steeled herself for what she’s going to do.

She takes out her phone, going to her contacts and swiping down until one name comes up.

‘Info,’ it read, as Ayano’s finger hovered above her screen.

She sighs, hitting the name, then pushing the option to text.

Hey, she texted.

She waited for a few minutes before she received any correspondence.

Well, well, well. This is quite the surprise, read Info-chan’s response. What can I do for you?

How do you know I want something? Maybe I just want to talk? Ayano typed back.

You haven’t contacted me in months, Yan-chan. You couldn’t even be bothered to send me an upskirt for old time sake? You want something, no question. So, what do you want? Finally decided you want to go after your precious Senpai and looking for my help? But word around the school is that you have the hots for Budo Masuta. Oh, are you trying to have two boys at the same time? My innocent little Yan-chan’s not so innocent after all, messaged Info-chan.

This was a mistake, thought the incensed Ayano.

No, you idiot. I need information on the people in the pictures I’m about to send you. Anything you can dig up will be helpful. Ayano texted.

She sends the photos of the host club, with their names and waits for Info-chan’s response.

Ayano, do have any idea who these guys are? Texted Info-chan.

The twins and short blonde for sure, but everyone else is anyone’s guess. Ayano messaged.

I’ll get your dirt, Ayano. If there’s any to find out. But you’ll owe me Ayano. Responded Info-chan.

What do you want from me? Ayano sent.

I’ll let you know later. I’ll contact you later with what I find out. Catch you later, Yan-chan! Texted Info-chan, with smiley face emoji.