Disclaimer: SNK owns King of Fighters and all the characters that appear. I own any original character appears. This in no way derogates from SNK's legal rights and obligations.

Prologue – Location: Kane's Laundry London, England

Ever since he had moved to England with his sister, Billy had had little trouble, it had been almost 5 months since he had moved away from Southtown, USA, returning to his native England, taking his sister Lilly with him, away from the violence and the gang warfare that had marred Southtown and now marred Second Southtown.

Late one night just before closing time, he sat behind the green bench strumming away on his guitar, in his own laundromat, one that he owned with his sister, their sustenance. The machines chugging away in the background, as the locals came and went, bringing their baskets, emptying them into the machines, putting the coins into the machine, the white and blue washing powder that they brought with them, closing the machine and then sitting back and chatting, as the machine began to wash, the clothes rotating round and round, tossing and tumbling.

Usually while they waited, the people would chat, catch up on what was going on around the locale, sometimes, they would come over and ask for help with something, usually wanting change for the machines. Some of the customers also enjoyed listening to his playing, no one complained.

As he sat their strumming away at his guitar, Billy saw a customer come in, he was a man of medium build, dressed in a simple black t-shirt and blue jeans, carrying a big basket. The sunglasses on his face hid his eyes, but their colour matched his dark black hair, which was closely-cropped.

Billy immediately noticed the cigarette in guy's mouth, the guy's hand went up to his mouth to puff, while holding his basket in his other hand.

Kai had moved into the area just that week, and at the instruction of his new neighbour, had taken his clothes to the laundromat to wash as he needed to do it. Smoking a cigarette and holding the overflowing basket of laundry wasn't wasy, but as he entered he realised he didn't have any change on him.

He looked around, the shop had twenty or so similar machines running at once, and he saw who he thought was the owner at the counter, strumming away at his guitar, the man wore a bandana, Kai noticed, as he walked up to the counter, he exhaled smoke, as he took the cigarette out of his mouth and held it between his index and middle finger. "Hey, can I get some change for the machine?" he asked the guy behind the counter, as he put his cigarette back in his mouth with his right, and pulled his wallet out of his pocket with his left.

He puffed away as he reached through his wallet, producing a note.

Billy stopped playing his guitar, and saw that the guy was puffing, "Didn't you notice the no-smoking sign at the front?" he asked.

"What sign?", Kai had been too preoccupied anyway, to notice the sign, "And anyway there's nothing wrong with me smoking here is there? It's not like I could put it out here right now. And do you have change for the machines?"

Billy, who hated smoking, was one iota away from punching Kai, who was beginning to fray his last nerve, "Put the cigarette out now, it's bad for the health of the other people in here, and then you'll get your change."

"What other people? There's no one else here anymore, so I can smoke, it ain't harming anyone else," Kai replied, and it was true, everyone else had finished their washing and had left.

"that's it." Billy's right fist cocked back and then extended towards Kai's face, fast. He fully expected to hit, but he didn't, Kai had caught his right fist with his left hand which was now wrapped around Billy's fist.

"Fine, since you asked so nicely," the sarcasm dripped from Kai's voice, as he let go and took his cigarette out and pushed it into the top of the counter, "I hope you don't mind the stain. Only came in here to do the laundry, not get into a fight, otherwise I might have been inclined to do more, and I hear that you run the only laundromat in the area, so pissing you off meant that the clothes don't get washed."

He handed over a note waiting for change for the machine, Billy flexed his fingers around, Kai's grip had been strong, "Yeah, I do run the only laundromat around here." he said, as he took the note and returned the requisite change for the machine, "next time, don't come in here smoking, and you'll have no trouble from me." He went back to playing his guitar again, as Kai picked up his change and went back to put his clothes into the machine.

Strains of guitar music began again through the laundromat, as Billy played his guitar, Kai hoisted himself up onto the bench in the middle of the laundromat, next to his basket. He kicked his legs to the beat of the music, as he waited for his washing.

After finishing one piece, Billy looked up and saw Kai sitting on the bench, "hey, get off the bench, that's not for sitting," he said. Kai just laughed and pushed himself off the bench, "whatever," he leant against the bench now, "I'm just waiting for the clothes to be finished and then I'll be out of here. I'm just a bit bored right now, no one else here to catch up with, and I don't think you're interested in talking."

"Yeah," Billy grunted, as he went back to playing on his guitar. Kai just leaned against the bench, waiting for the clothes to finish being washed in the machine, listening to the guitar being played. This guy is quite good, he thought as he looked at the washing tumble around, as the second piece came to a close. The clothes had finished by the time the third piece had been done, and he opened the washing machine and took his clothes and dumped them back into the basket.

"You're good with that thing, aren't you?" Kai asked.

"Mmm...Yeah, been playing for a long while now," Billy replied, as he looked up and saw Kai walking towards the counter.

"I can tell, the way you were playing, that your music has spirit and fire." Kai said, as he reached into his wallet, "anyway, I guess I should say sorry about before, the smoking thing, I was just being a jerk, had a bad day at work, marital problems. I suppose I should make it up to you somehow," he said, as he placed his business card down on the counter, turned around and left with his basket tucked under his arm.

Billy saw Kai walk out and disappear into the street, he then looked down at the bench and looked down at the card that the man had left, it read Kai Mellion, but the title underneath was the thing that caught Billy's eye, music agent, and the company name was MusicCo, the leading recording studio in the world. Billy got up off the bench and rushed out, but Kai was nowhere to be found, as he went back in he saw the writing on the back, "9am, tomorrow, MusicCo headquarters, bring your guitar".

What a weird man, Billy thought, but still this wasn't a chance to be passed up, he would go, Lilly could look after the shop, or that deadbeat boyfriend of hers that had followed, no stalked them from Southtown to England.

And so, that was the beginning...

Authors Notes:

1. I have made certain assumptions/changes to "official" KOF storylines. Well, anyway, since they can't even get their continuity right, I've played around with it.

2. I made the assumption that Geese Howard is actually really dead (but that should have been fairly obvious)

3. Also, the ages of the characters have been changed by me, for the purposes of this ficcy, ages are Billy - 26, Lilly - 18, Joe - 20, Kai - 31, Kaia - 24. So yes, I have made them much much younger. But seeing as they all don't seem to age in the games...oh and Rock is 14-15. And this is pretty much set in 2004-2005-2006...and other KOF characters will appear, especially in the first few chappies.

4. Which brings me towards my OCs: Kai and Kaia. They are brother and sister. You'll see a bit more of their history throughout this ficcy, though not so much...

5.Also on continuity matters -I made KOF: Another Day Episode 2 actually happen, even though Billy was horribly drawn in the anime. Bad artist, LOL. I'm using the pic from KOF:MI2 in 3D as his likeness.

6. Apologies in advance for any OOCness, any unfair nerfing of characters, any graphic violence that will occur later (such that this will become M rated but is not yet...)

7. All and any constructive criticism and reviews are definitely wanted...more reviews makes me very happy