Chapter Eight
Istanbul, Turkey
The last few days had been a lot of fun and good times for famous sumo wrestler Edmund Honda. Initially, he was here in Turkey to help his friend, Hakan, with a charity fundraiser to help those suffering during the current war instigated by the Mishima Zaibatsu. At the same time, they entertained those who were participating in the fundraiser with trying to prove what was better; sumo wrestling or Turkish wrestling.
"I have a better idea!" Honda declared to an audience two days ago. "The Shikoken Tournament is coming up, and it's surely will be broadcasted around the world. Why don't we settle the debate there!"
Everyone had cheered over it, and Hakan agreed to the challenge. However, proving that Turkish wrestling was the best kind of wrestling wasn't his main reason for going. His primary reason was to continue to stand up against the tyranny of the Mishima Zaibatsu. The corporation had tried on more than one occasion to buy out his our company and they had never given him a full reason for the interest. Hakan rejected every offer given to him, refusing to bow down to them. So far, to his luck, the Mishima Zaibatsu have yet to make any real threats against him... but he knew that day would come someday. This reason alone gave Honda the incentive to compete in the tournament for a better purpose because, despite their occasional rivalry, Hakan was first and foremost his friend.
The tournament was over a week away, but Honda decided to head back home to Japan today in order to get ready. At the gate in front of Hakan's mansion, the two looked as though they were shaking hands... however, they were actually trying to put all of their strength into arm wrestling with one trying to overtake the other.
"Grr... well then Mr. Honda..." Hakan grumbled in between breaths. "We will... meet again soon... in your homeland..."
Nothing more was said as they continued with their mini-wrestling match. Both of their teeth were bared and gritted as beads of sweat between to drip down from their foreheads.
Neither of them were sure how long it was before Honda decided to end it. With a grunt, he let go and took a step back. "Good fight," he declared with a grin. "Just don't expect me to lose next time. Remember, port of call is in Nagato and that will take you to Mishima Island where the tournament will take place."
"I'll remember that," Hakan said. "I'll see you there, my friend."
With a wave goodbye, Honda began to make his department from the mansion grounds. As he left, Hakan began to ponder how loud to himself...
"Quite a grip on that one, let me tell you... with a grip like that, he could go far in the world of Turkish wrestling... And that oily topknot. What a character that man is!" He chuckled to himself at that last thought... but then, it was like a light bulb suddenly turned on in his head as he rubbed his chin with his fingers. "You know... he made mention of the various oils available in the land of the rising sun..."
That was when he heard high-heeled footsteps from behind him. Realizing who was approaching him, Hakan turned to the woman who just came out of the mansion and warming smiled at her. She too smiled as she adjusted the hood of her long red dress robe as well as her blond hair which weer done in two very long braids.
"Ah, my dear wife Harika, there you are!" Hakan called out happily. "I was just about to go find you."
"Did Mr. Honda leave already?" Harika asked.
"Yes, but it won't be long before we see him again," Suddenly, Hakan was feeling excited about the upcoming trip. "Now then, I suggest we start making preparations at once! I now have three reasons for going to this tournament, the most important being a way for us to stop the Mishima Zaibatsu after all the harassment they've been giving us for months..."
"And prove Turkish wrestling is the best of course," Harika added. "What is the third reason, dear?"
"I came to the realization that Japan is a fascinating and oily place populated by sumo wrestlers. Imagine all the inspiration for new recipes we can gather there! Once this filthy war is over, we can garner interest in our company again with our new products."
In that moment, Hakan saw movement at the front door. Turning his attention in that direction, his eyes beams at the sight of his young daughters coming up to him... all seven of them! Each girl had turquoise-colored hair like their father and were named in alphabetical order from oldest to youngest; Asli, Bellceez, Cari, Deniz, Eylem, Fairuza, and Gul.
He walked up to his family and scooped up the two youngest girls, Fairuza and Gul, in his strong arms, both of them giggling as though they were just as excited as Hakan was feeling right about now.
"This is the first step to not only prove that we don't need the Mishima Zaibatsu's 'help,' but also the first step on my way to becoming the oil king of a new land!"
Harika simply smiled as Hakan, who was clearly feeling enthusiastic about the future, laughed. She was happy for him and supported him in everything he did. One of the reasons their relationship had always worked so well after so long was because he always included her in the decision making of both their professional and personal lives. Still, Harika worried for him at times like this whenever he got too excited over an idea. The last thing she wanted for him was to feel extreme disappointed when things didn't work out the way he hoped it would.
She just hoped, at the very least, they can stop the Mishima Zaibatsu's harassment against their own company and against others for good. That in itself would be a victory.
A week ago...
"So if I understand this," Stryker began. "My assignment is go undercover at G-Corp's main headquarters in Nepal and figure out their true motives in this war."
"Exactly," General White confirmed. "I've chosen you for this because of your outstanding record and accomplishments in both your earlier days in the Army and the SWAT for NYPD. We appreciate your willingness to volunteer to help the military during the Universal War when were were low on soldiers. The fact that you've remained with us after the fact shows the kind of dedication you have, and you've proven yourself to be quite a soldier, especially in recon missions."
"I admit, I plan to return to wearing the blue someday," Stryker mentioned. "But before, I personally felt it was wrong to leave during recovery and rebuilding. Though I could've easily done that with the police force, I felt that I had more resources to help here. It's harder to leave now with this new war brewing for the past three months. I feel it's my duty to help anyway I can, so until we're completely in the clear, my dedication to helping others and getting the job done will happen here in Special Forces."
"I wish more soldiers had that kind of heart," General White admitted. "It's a refreshing thing to hear."
"I think you've picked the right man for this assignment, sir," Jax mentioned.
"Indeed," his superior agreed. "That brings me to you, Briggs. As G-Corp's involvement in the Shikoken Tournament is more than likely inevitable, with Stryker's combat skills, there's a good chance that he'll attend the tournament. Since you'll be there as well, you will be serving as an informant, someone for Stryker to pass the word to on his findings. You are both to speak to each other in person as I do not want to take any chances on using any electronic devices for contact with the exception of satellite phones, which will only serve the purpose of setting up a meeting place. From there, Jax, you will pass on Stryker's findings to me. Again, this operation is between the three of us. Not even Major Blade and Agent Cyrax are to know about it."
"We understand, sir," Jax responded. Stryker simply nodded to the deal.
"I'll get all the arrangement set up within the next forty-eight hours," General White said. "I'll also have you fly out to Nepal within four days. Relax until then, Stryker. Something tells me this assignment is going to take a while."
With that, Stryker saluted the General in reply. "Yes, sir."
G-Corp Headquarters, Nepal
Sitting in a small office, Stryker felt strange over how easy it was for him to be recruited into the ranks of G-Corp. Oh sure, he wasn't exactly in a high position or anything like when he was with the NYPD, but, well... the room he was in was his own. It didn't have any windows, but it did beat being in a tiny cube amongst others in one large, noisy room whenever he did paperwork.
Currently however, the room felt much smaller with a second occupant in front of him going though his folder containing his files. The files themselves were ones specifically made by the recon department of Special Forces, creating a new list of records and achievements of note, most of which Stryker memorized during his flight to Nepal. His own last name remained, but Special Forces gave him a new first name instead of Kurtis...
"Kevin, an I correct?" the man looking over his files asked him.
"Yes, but honestly, I've never been a fan of the name. You can just call me Stryker. I assume you prefer to be called Mr. Irvin?"
"You can just call me Bruce," Bruce answered. "I'm not as formal as most people think I am just because I'm the Executive Officer of G-Corp."
"I see," Stryker said. "If I may ask-"
"You'll know who the CEO is in time, once you've proven yourself."
That caught the officer by surprise. "How did you know I was gonna ask about the CEO?"
"New guys ask me that all the time," Bruce replied.
Stryker scratched the side of his head at that. "Yeah... guess that's a good reason..."
"It says here that you were responsible for evacuating an entire New York City block during the first onslaught of the Universal War by yourself," Bruce mentioned, barely sounding impressed. He gazed up at the new recruit. "How did you managed that?"
That story wasn't entirely true... it happened of course, but the only difference was that he wasn't alone then. He let the words fly out of his mouth in response. "I received the warning from my fellow officers as the invasion was beginning in Central Park. I was far south from that position and I got the citizens to spread the word on the block. We then met up in a designated area and I led them down to the subway station that would take them out of the city." Stryker frowned at the memory. "To be honest, I don't know if they made it out to this day... the subway system was seriously damaged by the next morning. Survivors had to break the windows just to get back to the surface."
"I see... also, it says here that a few years ago, you rescued passengers from a speeding crosstown bus that was rigged to explode."
And that is the only full truth White added to my file, Stryker thought. "Yeah, even I'm surprised I pulled that off... longest afternoon of my life, but if I had to do it again, I definitely would."
The XO raised an eyebrow at that. "That sounds like something out of a movie..."
Stryker shrugged over that. "Yeah well... sometimes, you'd be amazed what can happen in this world... like this war created by the Mishima Zaibatsu. For what? Lack of cooperation from military units not giving in to their demands? I've seen plenty of bullying in my life, but this goes beyond comprehension. It's exactly why I wanted to join G-Corp and your cause. I believe in what you are doing, and I want to end this war just as much as you."
Bruce nodded at Stryker's words as he closed the folder and placed it on top of his desk. "You've indeed come to the right place. My boss was right about recruiting you when he received your file a few days ago." He stood up from his chair, and Stryker did the same. "You'll meet him eventually... but like I said, you have to prove yourself before that step is taken. You do understand, right?"
Stryker nodded, going along with it. "Of course."
That satisfied Bruce as he waved a hand while turning to leave the offer. "Follow me." Stryker obliged and began to head out with the XO, eventually entering the long, narrow hallway with other office doors along the way.
Once they were out of the office, Bruce spoke again. "For now, you'll be working under me. Anything you need to report, either contact or go directly to me. All my contact information will be in the G-Corp files I sent to you though your computer."
"I saw that this morning," Stryker informed him.
"Good. Now as I'm sure, you're aware of the upcoming Shikoken Tournament."
"Isn't everyone?"
"Yes, but you'd be surprised how many don't know... no one in G-Corp of course, but you get what I mean. Anyway, quite a handful of our soldiers will be attending the tournament. We'd like for you to attend the tournament as a competitor. Your combat record is outstanding and it would be a waste if we didn't have you there. It's a great opportunity to show us what you're capable of."
This did work out in my favor, Stryker thought, happy to know that General White's gamble paid off. Now he has a way to stay close to Jax and the other Special Forces team during the tournament in case this mission went FUBAR. Of course, it was way too early to worry about that at this point in his mission.
"You won't be going alone, however," Bruce informed him. "One of our other men will be accompanying you to the tournament."
Now that got Stryker curious. "Who's my partner?"
"A man who came to us not too long ago. He's a peculiar one to me, but my boss seems to like him. He's a representative from a realm called Seido who was sent by his government to help us against this fight. I'm guessing after the Universal War, they're just making sure what's happening here doesn't spill over to their realm."
"If I may ask, what makes him peculiar to you?"
At that point, they reached a door near the end of the hallway. Bruce turned to gaze at Stryker briefly and said in a low voice, "Let's just say he has a case of monomania."
That earned a raised eyebrow from Stryker. "Over what?"
Bruce didn't answer that question, but instead knocked on the door in front of them. It was a few more moments before someone on the other side opened it. Stryker was able to get a look at their face and saw a man with long white hair, but with a young face that could past for being in his early thirties. What stood out more, however, were his eyes – there were no indication of pupils or irises, just whites... it wasn't the first time Stryker saw eyes like that after his experience during the first Outworld invasion six years ago, but it was still a bit unsettling to him even now.
"Is there something you need?" the stranger asked.
"Hotaru, this is our new recruit, Kevin Stryker. He'll be accompanying you to the Shikoken Tournament in a few days."
Stryker gave the Seidan a simple wave. "Hi," he greeted.
Hotaru looked him up and down briefly before stepping back while widening the door. "Come in."
Stryker gazed at Bruce in question, and the XO tilted his head to Hotaru's direction, encouraging him to into the Seidan's office. Stryker obliged and stepped in. Right after that, Bruce closed the door behind him. The office was as small as Stryker's and also had no window. The main difference, however, is that Hotaru's office could pass for a miniature library with books nearly covering all four walls in the room.
Stryker walked up to the wall on his left and gazed at one small collection at eye level. That collection had one thing in common – they involved laws of different regions of Earth.
"I see you like... books," Stryker said as a way to start a conversation.
"About ninety-nine point nine percent of my collection involves your Earthrealm laws and governments," Hotaru replied. "One thing I learned not long after my arrival here is that no two regions are the same. It makes your world inconsistent. In my opinion, your realm should follow only one set of rules. It would makes things much more simple and easier."
Laws, Stryker thought. He's a monomaniac about laws...
"The thing about our world is that we evolved in ways based on where we came from, the lives we live, what we follow, and... well... simply what we believe in," Stryker explained. "The way I figure, the easiest thing to do is follow the laws of whatever location you live in." He turned his head a bit, noticing the book collection again. "Trying to memorize it all at one might end up confusing you in the long run. You just have to take it one at a time."
Hotaru seemed to ponder over this before he gave Stryker a quick nod. "Perhaps you are correct. Still, my opinion on the inconsistency still stands."
Stryker brought his attention back to the Seidan. "If I may ask, what covers the point one percent of your book collection?"
"The CEO of this company sent me a book called Crime and Punishment as a welcome gift when I joined this cause a couple of weeks ago."
Gee, I didn't even get a welcome package yet, Stryker ended up thinking. "I see." He then suddenly realized something. "Wait... if I may ask, do you actually know who the CEO of this company is?"
Hotaru gave him a ghost of a smirk. "Unlike you, I do know the identity of the CEO. I personally approached him when I inquired about joining this cause on behalf of my realm, Seido."
"I... see," Stryker ended up saying. Already, questions were popping in his head concerning the CEO. The most prominent one right now was this; why the secrecy even amongst a good amount of those working under him? He also wondered if Hotaru knew about some of the smaller things G-Corp was doing to innocent people around the world on a small scale, especially since some of the actions were clearly illegal.
Hotaru began to pace the room as he spoke. "It would be easy to study about Nepal since we are here now... and it would be easy to study about Japan since that's where we'll be soon. But last I checked, the Mishima Zaibatsu declared itself its own nation and government. Yet despite this declaration, they have no clear set of regulations or laws to keep their own people in check. The only thing that's clear is that they instigated this chaos of a war with no foundation, or reasoning. One thing your world and mine have in common is this; we both call it 'anarchy.'"
Stryker took a deep breath at that. "You put a lot of thought into this, haven't you?"
"One must in order to understand the mindset of the instigator, Jin Kazama," Hotaru replied. "But he has chosen to not share his reasons for this war. As far as I'm concerned, Kazama's goal is to cause chaos and harm to the innocent for his own amusement."
"Every person's action has a reason behind it," Stryker explained. "Not everyone is going to share those reasons."
"Does that justify Kazama's actions?" the Seidan questioned sternly.
Stryker drew in a breath at that. "No... it doesn't."
"Then you understand that he must be stopped. That will be our primary goal at Mishima Island during the tournament."
"Of course..."
In this back of his mind, Stryker was beginning to wonder how difficult his assignment for Special Forces was going to be while Hotaru was going to be not too far behind him...
Canada, Unknown Area
In a facility owned by the Mishima Zaibatsu, a lone male figure kept himself in the shadows as he sneaked into a computer room. Gazing at his surroundings through thick, black goggles, he saw that no one was in the room. Glad for this, he headed to the nearest computer.
All right, let's see what we can find, the stranger thought as he began typing information on the computer. Prior to this mission, he was given a few hack codes obtained from other agents of the intelligence agency he worked for that he managed to memorize. The same agents have reported evidence of a division of the Mishima Zaibatsu – this one located here in Canada in particular – that was responsible for the development of new robots as a way to potentially 'replace' their soldiers in this war.
Having fought the Jacks robots in the past, Raven knew that trouble would be brewing if the Mishima Zaibatsu's robotics program was real. If they planned to use their own robots against G-Corp's Jacks, well... one could only say that it would have the potential to make the Universal War look like a mess left behind in a child's playground.
The agent only had to try two hacks before the second one successfully got him into the computer system. He typed in a few more commands before he found what he was looking for.
Quickly, he plugged in a USB port provided by his superiors and downloaded what he needed into it. While it was doing that, the agent checked other files to see if there was anything else that was crucial to the mission. It was then that he noticed one file in particular... one that was marked simply 'Outworld.'
That got a raised eyebrow from the agent in response. All this time, the world believed that this war was only Earthrealm's problem. So what was a file on Outworld doing in their system? As far as he was concerned from the last two years of his life, anything to do with that realm spelled trouble.
Not having enough time to figure it out, the agent downloaded the Outworld file into the USB port as well. The process took longer than he felt comfortable with, but once that was done, he immediately took the USB port out of the computer. Clearing everything, and erasing the computer's history in the last ten minutes, the agent placed the port securely away in one pocket before he began to sneak his way out of the facility.
For once in his life, the agent made it out the door and back to his waiting jet without alerting anyone inside the facility. If he didn't know better, he'd say that this mission was too easy...
One hour later, inside the black jet while still in the air, the lone man who was in the Mishima Zaibatsu facility earlier checked to make sure that no one tried to pursue after him. Checking the jet's computer system at the pilot seat, he inquired about threats within one hundred miles from his location. It wasn't long before he got his answer...
'Clear. No immediate threats present,' a computerized voice reported.
"Good," the man mumbled as he took off his goggles and full-head mask off his face. He then replaced the goggles with his black sunglasses, cover the middle part part of the X-shaped scar on his face. He then placed a small headset over his right ear, turned it one, and then pressed a button on it.
"HQ, this is Agent Raven, reporting," Raven spoke through the headset.
"Report, Raven," a male voice responded.
"I received the intel on the robotics project and have extracted it into the USB port you provided."
"Good work," his superior on the other end replied. "Also, just a head's up, this will be your last mission before we send you to Japan to attend the Shikoken Tournament to investigate the Mishima Zaibatsu."
"Got it. Returning to HQ with the USB port, ETA two hours and fifteen minutes."
"See what information you can get from what you collected on your way back in the meantime," the superior suggested before cutting the call.
With that order, Raven went right to work. Putting the jet on autopilot, he plugged the USB port into the computer system to see what he found on the robotics project. Once all the information was placed on the screen, there were a large, red text on top of the main file that gave him a piece of information that made him frown...
'As of November 20XX, all robotics projects in all Mishima Zaibatsu facilities will cease operations.'
"Damn," Raven grumbled. "Couldn't you at least say why?"
Still, it didn't stop him to uploading the information into the computer just in case he found anything crucial. Once that was done, Raven checked over the file on 'Outworld.' There were only two documents within. The first were just ramblings about the Universal War, stuff that he already knew about. The other, however, mentions about a rebellion in Outworld against their new rulers... however, the file was incomplete and only contained basic information with no real meaning behind it.
Raven wasn't sure what it meant, but in any case, he transferred the file into his own personal USB port before erasing it from the own owned by HQ, knowing that they weren't going to care about the Outworld information. The real question at this point was, 'why does the Mishima Zaibatsu have even a semblance of interest in Outworld at all to warrant having a file on?'
After being invited to the Shikoken Tournament a few days ago by Earthrealm's New Protector, Liu Kang, perhaps Raven may get his answers once they were on Mishima Island...
Hong Kong, China
Walking into Genhanton Retaurant, 'Rainbow Mika' Nanakawa was amazed by the difference between being outside and going inside the Chinese eatery. Outside, the city of Hong Kong was loud and fast-paced even after dinner time and long after the afternoon/evening rush hour. Inside, however, the restaurant was fairly quiet, and it didn't take her long to notice that she was the only patron.
Then again, she arrived just fifteen minutes before closing. Normally, Mika would have been much more courteous than this, preferring to arrive to eat one hour before an eatery closed for the day. However, the reason for arriving so close to closing time was due to a request.
"Right on time!" a female voice called out with enthusiasm. Mika turned her head and saw her friend, Maki Genryusai, approaching her with a large grin on her face, excited to see her friend again. It had been over a year since they last saw each other.
"Maki!" Mika called out with a big smile on her face. She met Maki halfway before the two of them shared a brief hug before pulling away.
"I've been seeing on TV that you've been doing well for yourself," Maki mentioned. "You've finally made it into professional wrestling!"
"All the years of practice and being part of the amateur circuit was well worth it!" Mika replied. "I'm just getting started and will hopefully have my dream matches in the future." The wrestler then frowned a little. "It's just a shame that this war forced my particular company to decide to cancel all upcoming shows until further notice."
"I've heard about that," Maki said. "What have you been doing for the last three months?"
"Mostly promoting myself," Mika answered. "At least the internet still works. Though of course, it won't be long until I'm in the ring again... somewhat."
Maki knew exactly what the wrestler was talking about. "The Shikoken Tournament."
Mika nodded. "Have you been visited by-"
"Liu Kang?" Maki finished. She nodded at that. "Just a few days ago, right after the Lee brothers and I closed the restaurant for the day."
"I see." It was then that Mika thought of somehting and she smiled again. "That reminds me, where are Yang and Yun?"
"They're both cooking our dinner right about now," Maki replied. "For the most part, we don't expect any more patrons around this time for the rest of the day since it's a weekday. Though one time, we did have this strange customer come in five minutes before closing..."
"What made him strange?" the wrestler asked curiously.
"He tried to order six scorpion bowls at the same time, all for him."
Mika managed to stiffen a giggle at that. "You didn't oblige, I hope."
"Of course not!" Maki called out. "Yang managed to convince him to have it brought to him one at a time. He barely started on his second bowl before he passed out, which we predicted would happen." She shook his head a little. "That was a long night..."
"More for me than you," a voice was suddenly heard from behind them. The two women turned their heads in time to see the Lee brothers, Yun and Yang, come out of the kitchen. Wearing white aprons over their regular clothes, each of them held a tray filled with hot, freshly-made food.
"Hi Mika!" Yun called out. "You're just in time for dinner."
"Great, because I'm starving!" Mika replied. "And that food smells delicious!"
For the next few minutes, the four of them set up the table. Each plate of food contained a different dish with enough portions to split amongst the group. Everyone also received a small bowl of white rice to accompany their meals.
"How long have you had this restaurant open?" Mika asked them once they started eating.
"Six months," Yang replied. "Of course, Yun and I don't run the place just yet. It's just something our uncles started for us while we both go to school for business management. For now, Yun and I mostly act as waiters, but we'll also help with some cooking and cleaning the dishes depending on the staff."
"Same here, except I'm mostly the hostess," Maki added.
"I noticed the restaurant's name when I came here," Mika mentioned. "I seem to recall you guys previously helping out at a restaurant with the same name. Either that, or I'm mixing my memories up with something else."
Yun nodded at that. "Our grandfather used to own a restaurant under the same here. When Yang and I were deciding on what to call this place, we both realize pretty quickly nothing was more fitting than Genhanton."
Mika smiled at that. "That's very sweet."
From there, Maki decided to change the subject. "Mika mentioned being visited by Liu Kang a few days ago, too."
The brothers gazed up at the wrestler curiously. "When did that happen?" Yun asked.
"A few days ago," Mika replied. "And then Maki here called me the next day and asked if I can come by to meet up with you guys before we headed to Nagato."
"I already spoke with Asuka about what happened to us," Maki mentioned. "She couldn't make it here of course since she had to take care of a couple of things before we all head off to Mishima Island for the tournament. She plans to rely Liu Kang's visit to Sakura after we chatted for a bit."
"Maybe he hasn't reached them yet at that point," guessed Yang.
"Maybe."
"I admit," Yun started. "When Liu first asked us to help out with... whatever we're helping out with at the tournament, I was hesitant about accepting at first."
"Why?" Mika asked.
Yun sighed a little. "Well, I've been doing better after what happened last year, but... still gets to you at times, you know?"
The wrestler suddenly felt bad then. It was almost hard to believe at times that some of their allies, Yun included, had been captured and brainwashed to serve the Emperor of Outworld during the Universal War last year. From what Mika had gathered, those who were affected were still trying to move on, but it was a bit harder for some than it was for others. Even now, she wasn't sure how Yun was dealing with it, and she imagined that it was something he didn't want to go into details about.
"What made you change your mind?" Mika asked.
"I realized how important it was once Liu explained that this new threat is connected to this current war," Yun explained. "He also gave me the option to depart if it, well... becomes too much for me. He knew what happened to me last year..."
"I think we all have that option. He mentioned that to me as well. I wonder why that is."
"Most likely because he understands what most of us have experienced in both the Universal War and the Blood Tournament in Outworld almost two years ago," guessed Yang.
"At least this time, we'll be at a luxury resort island for this fight," mentioned Yun.
"Better than a cave for sure." Maki then began to giggle. "And Yang and I can have some privacy for once."
Yang grinned as he reached his hand over to grasp Maki's. "That is a nice perk, isn't it?"
"Ugh, don't you two share a room upstairs?" Yun groaned while rolling his eyes.
"That reminds me," Yang started as he turned to his twin brother. "You should invite Hoimei to come to the tournament with us. I've noticed you two talking more ever since she returned to the city a few months ago."
Yun adjusted his blue and yellow cap as he leaned back into his chair. "Maybe. Except she's not too thrilled about me going to another tournament in the first place."
"Either that, or you just don't want to hear her nagging at you the whole trip."
"You don't even like her nagging and it's never directed at you!" Yun pointed out.
"That's because I'm nicer," Yang said almost smugly.
Mika giggled. "Hoimei sounds like a lot of fun."
"She's actually pretty nice," Maki mentioned. "Smart, independent, and confident. She runs a grocery stand a couple of blocks from here, and most of our vegetables and fruits come from there."
"Her parents and younger sister actually moved out of Hong Kong a few years ago," Yun mentioned. "Before that, Hoimei and I were on and off throughout our adolescence. The family ran their own grocery store, but after it went out of business, they decided to go out to the country to start a farm. It didn't really work out like they hoped it would, and the farm was unfortunately destroyed during the Universal War. The family decided to come back a few months ago and run some grocery stands around the neighborhood."
"Sounds like a lot has happened to her and her family in the last few years," Mika said. "I know Hoimei doesn't like the idea of you attending a tournament, but maybe she'll love the idea of taking a little break to enjoy the luxuries Mishima Island has to offer. I bet it'll be such a fun vacation for her that she won't even have any time to nag at you over anything."
Yun sighed at that. "Maybe. She did mention wanting to go on some vacation someday. Guess now's a good a time as any."
Mika grinned. "There you go! Now you won't be the third wheel whenever you hang out with Yang and Maki, you'll have Hoimei with you during the trip!"
Yun eyed her. "Is that the only reason why you suggested this?"
"Of course not! I just thought it would be nice for you to have a nice girl to do stuff with while everyone else does their own thing."
"All right all right, I'll invite her along," Yun groaned. He pointed a chopstick at her. "But if it goes wrong Mika, I'm holding you responsible."
"Considering whatever threat we're about to face," Yang cut in. "I think Hoimei will be the least of your worries."
Yun sighed again. "You'd be surprised."
City of Cho Lan, Outworld
Looking back at the small city just outside it's boundaries, it almost felt like a long time ago since Li Mei arrived here alongside her teacher, Master Bo' Rai Cho. Despite the chaos that loomed over Outworld even after the end of Shao Kahn's reign, the City of Cho Lan, one of the very small number of cities that was still standing after the Universal War, offered one of few tranquil places for the survivors. A majority of its original citizen had died, but many others, initially scattered all over the realm, came here looking for a way to begin anew after all they've been through.
At the end of the war, Li Mei and Bo' Rai Cho had one mission; to assist the survivors anyway they could. Their travels eventually brought them to Cho Lan, and the city became the primary location for citizens to gather and recover.
As the sole survivor of her own village's massacre two years ago, Li Mei was able to help the survivors on an emotional level. To talk to them about her own experience and having herself as an example of hope for the future... it was all worthwhile after initially being skeptical about remaining in Outworld after the Universal War.
When her family, friends, and neighbors in her village, Sun Do, were massacred, Li Mei thought that starting anew on Earthrealm would benefit her. Bo' Rai Cho, however, saw that she would be needed here. It was he who recognized her potential to help the survivors due to her own experience, and she figured that it wouldn't hurt to take his suggestion. In the end, she was glad for Master Bo' Rai Cho's suggestion... not only did her presence benefit the survivors, but it also gave her a new sense of purpose.
The two remained with the citizens at Cho Lan... until today. Just yesterday, the Wind God Fujin had visited them both, and told them what was going on back in Earthrealm. Neither teacher nor student hesitated to assist when offered.
Just before leaving the city, Li Mei and Bo' Rai Cho bid everyone farewell and promised to return when they can. Once they were a mile out, Li Mei spoke. "Do you think they'll be all right during our absence?" she ended up asking.
Bo' Rai Cho was perplexed by that question. "Are you worried?"
"A little. I mean... this whole time, we've been lucky. With Quan Chi as the new Emperor and his army fighting against those rebels, it's a miracle that all of that hasn't spilled into Cho Lan, especially with how close the rebel camp is from here. Clearly, they're focused on their own problems right now than, say, trying to take over the city for their own gain."
"I think they'll be all right, the citizens I mean," Bo' Rai Cho assured her. "Remember what Fujin said about rumors of Outworld involvement... if true, I am almost certain that Quan Chi and his minions will be there... though if that's the case, one must wonder why they're interested in Earthrealm's war."
"Whatever it is, it's clearly got Quan Chi's attention," Li Mei sighed. She then forced herself to smile. "But in any case, I do look forward to seeing our friends again."
"Yes, I've been meaning to see how Kung Lao has been doing since he and the others departed Outworld over a year ago." Bo' Rai Cho took a quickl drink from his flask, feeling the slight burn of the alcohol slide down his throat. "I have faith that he has been performing the good deeds he promised me back home."
"I'm sure he is."
"Then there's the fact that my student, Liu Kang, is now the Protector of Earthrealm as Raiden was before him..." Even as he said it and despite believing Fujin when he told him, Bo' Rai Cho still couldn't believe the news. It would have been something to see for himself once everyone was gathered together.
Bo' Rai Cho shook his head a little, pushing the thought aside for now. "Still... it'll be good to see Earthrealm again despite the war they're having now." Bo' Rai Cho shook his head at that. "Such a shame that they've barely had much of a chance to recover from the Universal War before this all happened."
"If any realm knows constant war, it ours," Li Mei mentioned.
The drunken master nodded at this. "That is true. This is the most peace we've known for quite a long time if I say so myself... still, you and I both know it won't last for long, not while Quan Chi is currently in charge."
Bo' Rai Cho then decided to move on. "Let us head off to the Deity Portal as Fujin suggested. Soon enough, we'll both be back on Earthrealm, our second home. It'll be good to see bright blue skies again."
"Agreed," Li Mei replied. "But if I remember correctly, we'll be fighting apparitions of our greatest enemy at the Deity Portal when we get there."
"Yes," Bo' Rai Cho grumbled. "Last time I went through that thing many years ago, I fought a mirage of myself... I think."
That earned a raised eyebrow from his student. "Any reason why?"
The teacher shrugged. "As they say on Earthrealm... hell if I know." He took another quick swig of his drink. "The only thing I understood at that time is that I had a little too much Outworld liquor prior to my departure."
Li Mei sighed a little. "That may explain it..."
"I don't remember much about the fight itself... but something tells me it has something to do with self-loathing at the time. It would be the only reason I faced myself that day." He then gave his student a serious gaze. "No matter the apparition you face at the portal, learn from the fight; notice your mistakes and notice what you've done correctly. But most importantly, keep your head clear and focused... which reminds me, I should stop drinking from my flask before we arrive."
Li Mei nodded as she chuckled at the last part of the comment. "Yes, Master Bo' Rai Cho."
The rest of the walk to the Deity Portal that will take them to Earthrealm was mostly quiet as the two chose to enjoy the scenery of Outworld despite the hostilities that laid beyond the horizon.
Bristol, England
A luxurious garden bloomed of various species of flowers in different colors. The flowers, as well as the bushes surrounding them, were clearly well-groomed by someone who worked hard to keep it that way, intending to maintain it's beauty. In one front corner of the garden was a large gray boulder with an etching of a quote from Walt Whitman's Give Me the Splendid Silent Sun; 'Give me odorous at sunrise, a garden of beautiful flowers where I can walk undisturbed.'
The garden was part of the backyard of a mansion belonging to a famous boxer named Dudley. Sitting at a small, iron-made table painted white under a gazebo, Dudley chose to spend part of the afternoon enjoying the perfect weather and the view of the garden he was proud to call his own. The garden had been started by his mother when he brought his home some years ago. Having inherited her green thumb, Dudley personally kept up with it's maintenance after her passing a few years ago.
Listening to the birds chirping and singing from within the trees, Dudley didn't notice his butler, Mr. Gotch, approaching the gazebo right away. The older man, wearing a spotless, neatly pressed uniform consisting of a black dinner jacket over a white button-down shirt with black trousers, white gloves, and well-shined loafers, was carrying a tray up to the table. On the tin tray was a white porcelain teapot with matching teacups and saucers set on either side of the pot.
Dudley didn't miss that there were two teacups on the tray, and realized why that was the case. "Has my expected guest arrived already?" the boxer asked.
"Yes sir," Mr. Gotch replied as he began to pour the hot tea into the cups. "He is waiting just by the mansion. I thought maybe you two may enjoy the afternoon outside in this wonderful weather we're having."
"Splendid," Dudley said gratefully. "Send him over right away. Thank you, Mr. Gotch."
The butler, who had just finished pouring the tea, bowed his head to him briefly. "Enjoy your tea, sir," he said before taking his leave.
For the next couple of minutes, Dudley simply enjoyed the scenery while drinking his tea. Aside from the birds in the trees, all was quiet and tranquil around him. This spot was truly paradise...
One could almost forget about the current war that was taking place right now...
Soon, Dudley's thoughts were disrupted by footsteps approaching the gazebo. He turned his head in that direction and soon spotted an older man with blond hair and a mustache wearing a white, button-down shirt, a red ascot tie, a pair of white gloves, black slacks held by a pair of suspenders, and dark dress shoes. His face seemed naturally hardened, especially with the two prominent scars on his face, but that all seemed to disappeared as he smiled at the boxer once the latter noticed him.
Putting down his cup, Dudley stood up from his chair and began to approach the visitor. "Welcome, Eagle," he greeted as he smiled at his friend. "I sincerely hope you found your way to my humble home without much trouble."
Eagle gazed around briefly before he huffed in amusement. "You call this humble? I'd be lucky if those bloody rats back in London didn't eat any of the wild flowers that bloom on the bushes surrounding my flat."
Dudley laughed as the two shook hands in greeting. "I know it has not been that long since we've last seen each other, but I am delighted to know that you haven't changed much since I began visiting your bar in my early boxing days. Come join me at the gazebo for some tea."
Eagle obliged and the two headed up to the gazebo. They then sat down at the round table and began enjoying the tea Mr. Gotch had served a few minutes ago.
"I must say, this is very good," Eagle said as he stared down at his teacup after finishing his drink. "I haven't had tea this good since before my mother passed away."
"Mr. Gotch makes some of the finest teas I've ever tasted," Dudley mentioned. "Now then... you've mentioned in your message that you had a reason for visiting today."
Eagle took a deep breath before he began. "It's about this war our world is facing right now..."
"Ah yes, the one the Mishima Zaibatsu began," Dudley said with a hint of ice in his voice. "As I'm sure you know, the boxing industry has canceled all upcoming matches for the remaining season. I should be going mad... but instead, I find myself very fortunate." He found himself frowning. "There are those whose entire lives depend on their careers. They're the ones who are truly suffering right now compared to the likes of me..."
"My pub is still seeing quite a bit of business in the last three months," Eagle mentioned to him. "However, it's not what it used to be. The atmosphere is much more... how do I put it... grim. Folks these days drink not to enjoy themselves, but to drown in their pain. Sure, that was occurring before, but... it's much more frequent now..."
Dudley shook his head at that. "Absolutely shameful... after everything this world has gone through after the Universal War..."
"That's precisely my thoughts," Eagle said. "Which is why I've decided to go to Japan and compete in the Shikoken Tournament."
Dudley's eyes widened at that. "Really? You haven't competed in a match since the World Warriors Tournament several years ago."
"And even then, that was just part of a job I was hired to do," Eagle reminded him. "This tournament, however... this is something else entirely. I do not know if I ever told you this, Dudley, but two years ago, I was invited to participate in the Blood Tournament."
That was news to the boxer. "Really?" he uttered. He, too had received an invitation to the same tournament two years ago, but had turned the opportunity down not only due to his schedule, but for a while, he thought the invitation was a hoax.
Eagle nodded in reply. "I turned it down because I simply wasn't interested in competing. Had I known the real reason behind the tournament, I would have surely attended in hopes of perhaps stopping the madness we witnessed last year..."
"To be fair, no one who attended and survived the tournament knew what they were getting themselves into," Dudley reminded him.
Eagle sighed, realizing that his friend was right. "I suppose... but in any case, with this war and the tournament, both started by the Mishima Zaibatsu, I figured that maybe this would be a good way for me to help in ending this needless war for good."
"And what does this have to do with me?" Dudley asked.
"If I know you as well as I do, I imagine you'd want to get back into the boxing ring as soon as possible," Eagle answered. "In that case, I'd like for you to accompany me to the tournament. I'm sure you of all people can punch in the ill-mannered blokes I'm sure will be attending just for the bounty instead of for the love of the fight."
Dudley rubbed his chin thoughtfully at this. "Well... I must admit, I was thinking about attending. Now that I think about it, perhaps it might be a good thing. It would be a good way for me to stay in shape. At first, I didn't think I had any use for the bounty... but perhaps, if I do make it that far into the tournament, it would be a way for me to further help my fellow boxers in their time of need. My own money has assisted some of them before, but I simply don't have enough to help everyone. The bounty money would cover that, and more..."
He then stood up from his seat as he made a decision. "All right, Eagle. I shall accompany you to the tournament. Even if I don't win the bounty, nor do we find a way to help end this needless way, the experience in the tournament itself should be worthwhile."
Happy to hear this, Eagle stood up from his own chair and extended his hand out. In response, Dudley reached out to shake his friend's hand. At this point, both were eager to head to Japan and begin helping out against the war anyway they could.
Metro City, USA
Inside a media room located within City Hall, Metro City's long-time Mayor, Mike Haggar, stepped up to the podium to speak to the public. He squinted his eyes slightly at the flashing bulbs of the cameras while reporters began asking questions even before he reached the microphone. Because of so many in the room, the words of the reporters seemed to do nothing but blend themselves in, so it was hard for the mayor to hear any questions, just the occasional few words here and there.
It didn't matter what kinds of questions there were, however. That wasn't point of this afternoon's broadcast. The former professional wrestler had an important announcement to make.
With two police officers flanking him (a precaution he refused at first, but relented by the insistence of the current city's police chief), Haggar reached the podium before raising one hand up to shush those in the room. When the room quieted down, the mayor began to speak.
"I'm sure many of you are wondering why I've called for this meeting this afternoon," Haggar began. "I will say for sure that this does indeed involve my intention of running for President of the United States, especially now with the Primaries being underway.
"Ever since I began my career as a politician, one of my dreams was to someday become your Chief Executive. It's not just a simple dream, however. I've seen the ups and downs our country has faced over the years, and my intention was to do exactly what I've done for Metro City as mayor – to make it a safe place for those of us who live here, and to provide the proper assistance for those not as fortunate. I've realized the challenge to pursue such a goal in the aftermath of the Universal War, but it is a challenge that I am more than willing to accept and take on.
"Now, however, we face a new war, and we're not the only country involved. We've barely begun to recover from last year's devastation. The Universal War lasted for months, but it has only affected our own world for only two months. We've only barely begun to fortify plans before our heroes ended the war. Those plans seem to somewhat carry over to this war as though we were preparing to fight the Mishima Zaibatsu this entire time."
Haggar paused for a moment to take in the scene before him, realizing now how quiet the room was without his gruff but confident voice echoing through the speakers. That was with the occasional exception of the flashing cameras, but that's to be expected. He then decided to get straight to the point of this meeting.
"There's a reason why I haven't talked about my standpoint on how to deal with this current war. To put it simply, I bided my time. For the last three months, I've listened in on every politician's stance... those from the primaries, other mayors, governors, senators, congressman, and even our current President... every single kind you can think of from the main and all parties, my own included. Every single speech has one thing in common... they talk about what they plan to do, they offer solutions, which is fine... but my question to them is... when are you going to take action? We always talk about the hows, whys, he said/she said... but what about the whens?
"As many of you know, as Mayor of Metro City, I've always taken action when the need arises. I can say with certainty now that this war will be no different from my days cleaning up my city from the now-defunct Mad Gear and Skull Cross Gangs."
He heard the people in the room start to whisper, but Haggar ignored them as he proceeded. "After debating with myself for the past few days since the announcement of the upcoming Shikoken Tournament in Japan, I've made the decision to take on the Mishima Zaibatsu head-on and attend the tournament as a way to get close to them. And I can say with the uttermost confidence that I am not the only one going into this for the same reasons, so I am not alone.
"And yes... with the tournament over a week away, I am very well aware that attending this tournament will mean that I'll be dropping from the Presidential race. If that's how it has to be in order for someone like me to help keep not just my city or my country safe, but the entire world, then so be it.
"No questions will be answered at this time."
In that moment, as expected, the media went crazy, the room becoming louder than it was when Haggar first entered the stage moments ago. Despite his request, the reporters went off and asked questions anyway while the photographers flashes the lights of their cameras at a rapid pace. Flanked by the two police officers who came with him, Haggar began to walk backstage and headed outside. In an alleyway, a black car waited for him. One cop opened the door for him while Haggar went in. The second cop followed him in before the first officer closed the door. From there, the driver of the car pulled away and headed out to the streets before the media had the chance to hound the mayor.
"Getting out of there was easier than I thought," Haggar said to the officer once they were at a safe distance.
The officer, a woman with short blond-haired named Lucia Morgan, nodded to him. "The chief wasn't kidding when he mentioned how 'everything is set to a tee' this morning."
"I see that now," Haggar mentioned.
"Might I say, about your speech," Lucia began. "Bold move, sir."
"You know I've taken bolder moves before."
Lucia chuckled at that. "I wouldn't have believed it had I not helped you fight against the Skull Cross Gang a few years ago. It's one thing to hear about it on television and the internet, but it's another to actually experience that kind of fight."
Haggar reached for his red tie to loosen it a bit from his neck. As much as he loved his career, wearing ties was one of those minor things that he hated about his job. "Either way, I just hope I'm making the right decision. It'll be another four to eight years before I can attempt to run for President again."
"Think of it as an opportunity," the young woman mentioned. "If the fight is successful and the war ends after the tournament, it's something that people will remember come next primaries. This, along with your previous fights in the city, will prove to them that you are a man of action."
Haggar huffed at that. "That's what Jessica said to me last night. She's even going as far as accompanying me to the tournament to root for me. At least if she gets bored, the island we'll be at will provided a lot of things for her to do. Which reminds me..." He turned his head to the officer. "Was the chief able to give you time off to attend the tournament?"
"He was a little hesitant at first, but eventually obliged," Lucia replied. "However, now that you've made your announcement, I'm sure he'll be more than eager to let me tag along with you as a way to make Metro City's officers look good."
Haggar rolled his eyes at that. As much as he respected the city's police chief, there were times where he couldn't help but question his methods, especially when it came to politics. At least I'm not dealing with the chief who was in office during the Mad Gear days, he reminded himself.
"How is your daughter?" Lucia ended up asking after a moment of silence.
"Jessica's fine," Haggar replied. "She keeps herself busy these days... though lately, I've been a little concerned."
Lucia frowned at that. "Why so?"
"Well, I guess I shouldn't worry too much, but... she's been talking to an ex of her's more often lately, especially in the last six months. I'm sure you remember who Cody Travers is..."
The officer nodded before she grinned. "I remember. Afraid your daughter will date a former criminal at the height of your political career?"
The mayor chuckled at that. "I can see why that can be worrisome for a typical politician, but that's the last of my concerns." He frowned. "My main concern is her well-being. Cody has good intentions, especially nowadays since he got out of jail, but aside from the fact that he and I never saw eye-to-eye, I can't help but remember how hurt Jessica was when he began to let his life spiral out of control. She initiated the break-up all those years ago, but I could tell she didn't want to go through with it when the time came, but she knew that it was for the better for her own well-being at the time. Even while she was married and before her divorce to someone else, I think she still had feelings for him."
"But you don't want to see her hurt again in case Cody goes down that path again," Lucia guessed. "It's why you're concerned about them talking more these days."
Haggar nodded at that. "Like I said, despite our differences, Cody has good intentions. He may be a hero in both Metro City and the Universal War, the latter humbling him, but I still feel that he has a long way to go before my concerns can lessen. Either that, or Jessica's seeing something I'm not..."
Later that evening...
"So, eh... you Dad made a bit of a compelling speech earlier today," Cody Travers started, speaking into his cellphone as he paced around his studio apartment.
"Maaaybe," Jessica Haggar replied from the other side of the phone, her voice sounding amused.
"Was the decision made because of my suggestion, or..."
"Partially that, but you know he'll never admit it," the young woman said. "He knows this war needs to be stopped and he figured that attending the tournament was the best way to go."
"Well, it's a ballsy decision for sure," Cody mentioned. "I can't think of any other politician off the top of my head who's willing to just drop out of their Presidential campaign to help save the world... maybe even the realms if it goes that far."
"I doubt it's another Universal War," Jessica sighed. "Still, everything about this war is just awful, and I'm really glad Dad is going to go to the tournament to help out."
"Same here," Cody agreed. "Even if he and I don't see eye-to-eye most of the time. We could've used him during the last war. I bet he would've kicked those Outworld scum to hell and back."
"I'm sure he'd be flattered to hear that... but you know Metro City benefited from his actions in protecting the city and the citizens here."
Cody sighed at that. "Yeah I know... if it wasn't for that, my brother Kyle wouldn't be alive today... though I still sometimes want to kill him for making me worry for two months when he decided not to meet me at the Rockies and help out here instead. Actually, no, I lied, I still want to kill him for helping with providing me a pink Volkswagen Beetle as my only means of getting to where I need to be. Had I known, I would've walked to the Rockies."
Jessica laughed at that. "I would've taken a picture had you drove by me that day."
"You would... and maybe use it as blackmail I bet..."
"Maaaybe," Jessica said with amusement.
At that moment, Cody heard a knock at his apartment door. He spoke back into the phone. "I gotta go, someone's at the door, probably Kyle."
"Good timing," Jessica said. "I just realized I have to run to the store to get Mittens and Boots some whiskey."
Cody raised an eyebrow at that, knowing that 'Mittens' and 'Boots' were her two cats. "Eh... don't you mean Whiskas, the cat food?"
"Ugh," Jessica groaned, and he thought he heard her smack her own forehead. "I don't know why I keep saying it like that. It's not like I'm drunk or anything."
"Suuure," Cody teased. "In that case, I'll talk to you later. Bye."
"Bye."
Once he pressed the 'off' button on his cellphone, Cody placed it down on the coffee table before heading to the front door. Once he reached it, he looked through the peek-hole to see who was there. Upon seeing who was on the other side of the door, Cody almost went into shock when he recognized the red-orange-clad figure. Quickly, he unlocked the locks on the door before opening it. For a moment, the two stared at each other, neither of them sure what to say.
"Guy," Cody soon uttered, still feeling surprised. "It's... been a while."
"Over a year since Ruby Heart's ship dropped me off in Hong Kong," Guy reminded him. He then lifted up a plastic bag. "I'm glad Maru's still in operation after all that's happened."
Cody folded his arms and gave his friend a faux disappointed look. "You came all this way to visit Metro City, only to mention how glad you are that your favorite Japanese take-out place is still in business?"
Guy smirked at that, knowing that Cody was kidding. "Yes, I cam all this way just for Maru's. Have you had dinner yet?"
"Not yet," Cody said as he stepped aside. "Come in. Which reminds me, how did you find out where I live? I only moved in seven months ago."
"Well, it was my luck that your brother still lives in the same apartment he did five years ago," Guy replied as he stepped into the apartment and walked over to the coffee table to place the food down. "I thought maybe you were still living there, but he provided the address to your new place, so... here I am. I assume you got a job since you came back here."
"Sort of. Underground fights are as strong as ever, maybe even more so in the past year," Cody mentioned. "Not only do I keep my skills up, but I'm making enough money to finally provide a proper roof over my head. I could've brought a one-bedroom place, but I decided a studio was a better investment in the long-run."
Guy happened to gaze out the nearby kitchen window, and it wasn't hard to notice all the bricks from the building next this one. "Nice view."
Cody chuckled at that. "Well the balcony side provides the kind of view that reminds me of Rear Window," Cody mentioned as he pointed at the double glass door leading out to his balcony. "It's really noisy during the day, but once the sun sets, it's actually a little more peaceful." Between the curtains, Guy could see a small courtyard that was surrounded by other apartment buildings, now seeing why it reminded Cody of the old movie.
"Going back to your brother, Kyle told me he's married now."
Cody sat down at the couch and began to take out the dinner from the bag. "Yeah," he started with a small chuckle. "He and Vanessa eloped during the Universal War when they both thought the end was near. Funny thing is, the war ended the very next day."
Guy smiled a little. "Isn't that how it always goes?"
"Yeah... only regret was that he didn't make me the best man." Cody then decided to share what he was thinking since his old friend showed up. "I'm not going to lie... I'm pretty damn sure I know why you're here. Throughout the entire year since we got back from Outworld, while this world was experiencing peacetime, I haven't heard a peep from you... which I can understand. I mean, I can't imagine what you're dealing with after all that's happened since the Blood Tournament. Still, I know you're not here just to catch up on old times. There's a war going on, there's an upcoming tournament connected to that war, and I was just visited by the new Protector of Earthrealm four days ago. For you to show up now? ...That's not a coincidence to me."
Guy took a deep breath before he went to sit down on the couch next to Cody. "To be honest... I've been back in Metro City for a month. I've been staying at one of the hostels in East Side during that time."
Cody's eyes widened at that. "A month?! Then why the hell didn't you at least call or something?!"
"Because only now am I able to start dealing with not isolating myself for over a year," Guy explained almost calmly. "Sorting things out hasn't been as easy as it may seem. It was all done gradually. The worst part about it is that the more time passes, the more I... remember things during the brainwash..."
Hearing that last sentence made Cody feel bad about his brief outburst. He rubbed his face with his hand in order to calm himself down a little. "I'm sorry... I didn't realize it was that bad."
"The first six months were the worst," Guy mentioned. "I'm still sorting things out, but it's been a lot better than it was. Being in isolation and dealing with it on my own has helped. But you're right about one thing, Cody... my visit is not a coincidence. I was also visited by Liu Kang four days ago."
"What made you come out to visit today instead of, well... four days ago?" Cody asked.
"Haggar's speech," Guy replied. "You know me... I usually don't reminisce too much about the past, but there was something about his speech today that reminded me of what the three of us fought for back in the day. It reminded me what I once fought for. And that was when I realized that I was ready to face the world head-on again. Sometimes, we have to put aside our own problems and desires in order to purge the world from evil. This is one of those times."
The blond-haired man smiled at that. "Yeah, Haggar can have that affect on you despite being a pain in the ass." He patted his friend's shoulder. "Either way, I'm glad you're back."
Guy nodded, but then frowned. "Too bad about Jin..."
Cody sighed at that. "Yeah... too bad..." He then decided to ask his friend a serious question. "You think you're up for it? Dealing with the memories while fighting against this new war at the tournament."
"I'm sure," Guy assured him.