Now note that I don't have a grasp at the exact KIND of 'heavy metal' Mai is implied to enjoy from her 'favorite music' (according to the "Garou"/"Fatal Fury" 15th Anniversary site's Japanese-to-English translations) – but based on my own musical tastes, it felt like something I'd like to dabble into for this chapter.


Athena was in a bit of a travel fumble around Southtown and it wasn't going to take a complete-stranger Uber to help her out...

"Thanks for picking me up, Mai..."
It was weird for Athena, seeing the Shiranui beauty outside of her usual (and typically revealing) garb – even more so to see her behind the steering wheel of something nice, sleek and vibrantly red.

She almost forgot to hop in, but she at least felt the need to be honest, and a little blunt.
"Stop me if I feel I'm stepping on toes but... I didn't think of you being the type to even have a car. Y'know, being ninjas and all that."

Mai shrugged in return. "It's more Andy's than mine. Between him and me, I haven't figured out who's the 'gaijin' of the relationship."

Athena nervously croaked, grooming the back of her beautiful purple hair... "Yeah..."

"Hey, we're both Japanese babes around here – just hop in~"

"Athena, you know how you're big on all things music, right?"

Athena turned her head, slightly puzzled with Mai's conversation-starter. "...You're talking to an actual pop-star right now; I—*eh-heheh~*—I think you can take a guess."

"I guess you're right," Mai giggled...
"...but I bet you could never guess my taste in music." She was feeling very focused on the topic, befitting the subject of this carpool.

Athena answered, "If it's anything like your sense of fashion and kunoichi-ism, I think I might be interested?"

With convenience under the stop-light, Mai had a moment to set things up; her right hand offered earbuds to Athena, while her left held her phone, scrolling swiftly through Spotify – keeping it angled so the idol wouldn't peek.
"Well? You wanna find out or not?"

"I dunno..." Athena held the earbuds awkwardly, unsure with this... "I feel like you're setting me up just to mess with me here..."

"I think you might be surprised," Mai winked, as the traffic light shined green above.

Athena put the buds into her ears, hoping for the best.

Truth was, she was not ready no matter how she felt.

It took all of 3 seconds into the song until the Psycho Soldier's ears were invaded with the sounds of a man giving pretty much 100% of his vocal cords to an almost inhuman roar – and by 20 seconds in, as the heavy-as-hell-itself instrumentals took more of a form, she was melting in her seat from absolute uncomfortableness.

All this before the lyrics even fully kicked in...

"~Come on DOWN, and see the idiot right here!
Too fucked to beg, and not afraid to care!
What's the matter with calamity anyway?
Right?! Get the fuck outta my face!~
"

What was dealing with was louder and more vulgar than her usual standards. No sir, this was definitely not in the realm of pop – or any sort of happiness at all, for that matter. All she had penetrating her head with dubious consent was impure-blooded heavy metal.

"~Everybody hates me now, so fuck it,
blood's on my face and my hands, and I don't know—
"
Just as the vocal track calmed slightly, it paused.

Mai had just hit 'pause', sparing Athena's ears any more to endure.
"Alright, alright, I think I can see how you feel..."
Then she had a good glance at the... erm, well, indescribable look of uncertainty on the purple-haired girl's face. "Well, how do ya feel?"

Athena needed a moment to re-emerge into reality after the minute or two of hardcore loudness she let overwhelm her. The song had paused, but she could still hear it in the deeper ends of her brain.
"...is 'violated' too strong a word?"

Mai had a snorty little laugh to herself.
"I'd say it's pretty on point for your first time. Heck, I feel like you handled it better than others with a song like that. These guys do have some 'softer' songs... eh, define 'softer' in their terms – to you, it probably wouldn't sound much different, now would it?"

Athena replied, "I dunno – I've only listened to the one song so far."

Mai's smile curved mischievously.
"Wanna listen to another?"

Athena nearly fell into hysterics again.
"N-nonono, I'm good-I'm good~!"


Between me writing this and the latest fight in SNK Heroines (I wouldn't want to spoil it for those who have yet to see it), and Illy's (then-)latest chapter of 'Seclusion Stories', I realize the past week has been hard times for Athena all around in the KoF fanfic-multiverse.

Bonus Confession: I'm somewhat of a Slipknot fan myself.
(And yes, the chapter title is a nod to the song used within it, "People = Shit")