Chapter 2: Arrival
Anna walked down through the airport terminal and followed the signs towards baggage claim. Though it wasn't her only experience flying first class, the long flight certainly tired her. 'The complimentary champagne did help, though.' As she made her way through Tokyo International Airport, she readjusted her sunglasses and was delighted to fetch her belongings with minimal difficulty. Everyone around her was in a world of their own, barely seeming to acknowledge one another. It was very different from Ireland where smiling faces always followed her. If she were here for a vacation, she knew she would get tired of these people fairly quickly.
With her red and pink bags in hand, the young brunette made her way outside and looked for the nearest taxi cab. Before she could raise her arm, she sensed someone approaching her from behind. Turning around, she found herself face to face with a heavy set Japanese man sporting a cheesy grin.
"Are you Miss Williams?"
"Anna." The man sheepishly chuckled to himself, getting a bit red in the cheeks. Anna laughed to herself, finding his shy attitude to be quite amusing.
"Oh, okay Miss – I mean, Anna. My name is Ganryu. I've been sent here to drive you to the Mishima Building." With a sigh of relief, Anna offered her hand out for him to kiss, smiling slyly as he gasped.
"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Now then, would you be a doll and take these bags from me? That was such a long and dreadful flight and I'm beyond tired."
Ganryu struggled to grab all her bags, balancing them carefully as Anna casually dropped them on him like a scale. Wondering how she carried everything to begin with, he cautiously led the way to the car.
"Anna, you sure do have a lot of possessions, don't you?"
"A girl's always gotta be prepared."
"You mean like if you have your woman problem?" Normally, Anna would be upset by such a remark but she was still a little buzzed from all the champagne earlier. Instead, she laughed and pointed at the small handbag draped over his shoulder.
"That would all be in that bag right there."
"You mean this one?" His face reddened again and Anna couldn't help but find him oddly adorable in a way.
"You're a little perv, you know that, Ganryu?"
"What?! I'm not a pervert at all! I just –"
"Relax, I call them like I see them. So where's this car of yours anyway?" Her jaw dropped when he stopped next to a limo and motioned for her to approach it. Ever since she was a little girl, she dreamed of having her very own limousine.
Ganryu nodded to the back door and then took her bags to the trunk. Before he could put the key in, he heard Anna clear her throat dramatically, as if trying to get his attention.
"Well, aren't you going to open the door for me? I want the whole royal experience!" Anna's voice was laced with excitement.
"My hands are full with your bags, Anna. I need to get the trunk open so I can –" Anna did a short hop in place and smiled cheerfully.
"That's okay, I'll wait for you! But be very careful with my bags, okay?" Ganryu swallowed his displeasure and instead flashed a smile to match hers. After placing everything away, he dusted off his suit and came over to open her door.
"Thanks, handsome!" she said as she kissed him on the cheek and slid into the limo. Becoming joyous again, Ganryu strutted happily back to the driver's seat. Once inside the limo, Anna couldn't help but to sprawl out across the luxurious leather seating, reveling in the chance to finally kick off her red stilettos. She stifled a yawn as she stretched out, feeling her back and shoulders loosen up. Sitting up, she looked out the window and gazed upon the various city lights that began to activate all around them. It wasn't long before she once again felt Ganryu's stare upon her through the rear view mirror.
"So what are the other fighters like? Have you met any of them yet?" she asked, taking her compact make up kit out of her purse to reapply her blush.
"Yes, I have. They seem like a tough group if I'm being honest. There's this other girl, I swear, she's so gorgeous. Her name is Michelle Chang."
"Hmph, I'm sure I'm far more beautiful than this Michelle whomever her name was! Well, please don't be too upset with me if I end up having to kick her ass, okay sweetie?"
"Well you know, Anna, I'm actually going to be participating myself! I practice the art of Sumo Wrestling."
"Ganryu, I never would've guessed. I practice Aikido which I learned from my mother. She was actually a world-renown Aikido champion herself when she was younger. That said, please don't be too upset with me if I end up having to kick your ass, too."
Anna smirked when she saw how easy it was to make the man uncomfortable. Reaching over, she pulled a bottle of water out from the limo's mini fridge cooler and carefully took a sip. That's when the thought dawned on her. She found herself wondering, if Ganryu was also a King of Iron Fist Tournament competitor, why was he making rounds driving everyone else around?
"Sweetie, pardon my manners for asking so bluntly, but why exactly are you the person picking us all up? Doesn't the Mishima Zaibatsu have anyone else to do that for them?"
"Actually, I work personally for Mr. Heihachi Mishima himself. I am trusted with many important tasks over at the Mishima Zaibatsu." As he spoke, Anna noticed how he sat up taller in his seat, appearing to be honored to be given such a chore. Choosing not to prod deeper into the man's apparent secretary life, Anna changed the subject.
"So this Heihachi, what's he like exactly?" Ganryu seemed to tense up at the question, which told Anna all she needed to know about the man.
"He is a very fair and just man. He's stern and all business, but he's done so much for the world already." Cutting him off with a laugh, Anna chimed in with her true feelings.
"In my experience, the more charitable you are, the more skeletons you have hidden away in your closet. Would you say that you agree with me, Ganryu?" The man paused, no doubt trying to find the right response. Sparing him the awkward silence beginning to form, Anna followed up on her thoughts.
"It's okay, hun. I won't tell anybody you confirmed that he's an ass. Speaking of which, mine is exhausted. Can you let me know when we arrive? I think I'm going to try and nap off this jetlag." Ganryu responded with a casual nod before rolling up the partition to give her some privacy.
Before long, Anna opened her eyes and realized that she was sitting in a tall tree. Not just that, but she was back home in Ireland as a little girl. Scanning her surroundings, she looked over the rose maze and over the hills. There, she saw her father once again teaching Nina how to shoot a gun. Every sound around her seemed to fade into nothingness. All she could see was her sister carefully aiming her weapon. She could see the yellow sun glisten through her blonde hair, the wind grazing against her purple sweater. And then she watched as Nina readied her index finger over the trigger. Just one squeeze and she would hear that familiar sound.
"Anna?" Ganryu's voice snapped her awake. In a moment, she found herself falling out of the tree and landing carefully onto the back seat of the limousine she was riding in. "We're here." Holding the door open for her, Anna stepped out onto the sidewalk and found that she was left breathless at the sight before her eyes. The building itself was beautiful and expensive looking in appearance, littered with golden columns and freshly polished reinforced glass windows.
"I'll take your bags up to your room. The Mishima Hotel is connected to the main building. Just go in to the front desk and ask to speak with Sayuri. She's coordinating everything alongside Lee Chaolan, Heihachi's stepson. Sayuri will explain everything that you need to know."
Nodding at Ganryu's words, Anna blew him a kiss and approached the entrance. Before she disappeared into the sliding glass doors, she turned around with a smile and cupped her mouth so that everyone nearby would hear her.
"Hey Ganryu! I counted how many pairs of panties I brought along, I'd better not find out any are missing! Especially my Victoria's Secret thong collection!" Ganryu choked on his own saliva and quickly ran to jump into the limo to avoid the stares he was receiving from all the strangers around him. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Anna gripped her purse and did her best runway model walk into the lobby. The time had finally arrived.