Disclaimer: I don't own the King of Fighters
A/N: Hello, and Happy New Year. Thank you for stopping by, and thank you for reading. Well, it's the first chapter of 2011, and one of the sub-plots merges into the main storyline. I'll just say that it has a huge effect on one of the main characters. But why just tell you? Let's see for ourselves. And here … we … go:
The King of Fighters XV
Second Round: Amortentia
Reykjavik, Iceland
In route to their second match, Adel, Hiroshi, and Kyo had a rather odd journey. The trio was traveling through a mostly cold and barren land when they entered an area that grew oddly warm. Suddenly, out in the middle of nowhere, they passed through a small field of geysers to end up … at a resort. This spa-oriented retreat mostly featured the use of hot springs, but the main attraction became clear upon entering the lavish setting: Iceland's famous Blue Lagoon.
The trio continued further into resort toward the actual site when Hiroshi recognized someone at a nearby eating area finishing a glass of wine. It was a woman with short blond hair wearing a burgundy waistcoat and pants, a white shirt, and burgundy fingerless gloves. This was none other than Muay Thai's Queen, King.
"Ms. King?" Hiroshi called out in gratuitous English, a special greeting just for her, with a smile as he started toward him, "We meet again."
King smiled immediately, saying as she went to meet him, "Well if it isn't my favorite new guy! It's a pleasure to see you again."
Hiroshi extended to his hand to her and said, "I concur. So, how is my fighting heroine these days?"
King briefly shook his hand before putting her arm around his shoulders and said, "I'm doing just great. And how is life treating the quintessential gentleman these days?"
"All is well, for the most part." Hiroshi took a second look at her attire and asked, "I see you're wearing the special suit I gave you. How is it?"
King chuckled as she led them forward, and casually reported, "Yeah, this tear-resistant suit is holding up very well. And, it's comfortable and doesn't get in the way. What more could I ask for?"
Hiroshi smiled with a nod, saying, "Excellent. And is it safe to assume that Mai-sama is alongside you?"
"As always. In fact, she should be somewhere close; I know she'll be happy to see you."
Seeing all this from some distance, Kyo asked Adel, "Is this the way it is with all the girls he meets?"
Adel replied with a smirk, "Like you wouldn't believe. Nice words and good manners go a long way in this world."
Kyo, past experience fresh in his mind, chuckled, saying, "I bet. A regular Casanova, eh? This run could take a while, especially if he's got Benimaru's luck."
King hadn't led very far before a second, rather voluptuous woman appeared. This alluring maiden in red could only be Mai Shiranui. Coming out of nowhere, she spotted Hiroshi immediately, and ran up to him.
"Hiroshi-kun!" Mai exclaimed happily as she hugged around the neck, "What a sight for sore eyes!"
His smile unbroken, Hiroshi reacted, "Hi, Mai-sama. I'm glad you're doing well."
King asked her teammate, "Mai, is she still over there?"
Mai replied, "Yeah; we should probably go meet up with her."
With that, Mai put her arm around Hiroshi opposite King, and they both led them forward…
Kyo laughed to himself, saying, "Man, no wonder he's got Benimaru so steamed."
"So…" King said as her tone changed to one of concern, "We heard about what happened last year. How are you holding up?"
Hiroshi replied honestly, "Well, I thought I was doing well, but apparently, as I found out in the last round, my feeling s might as well be written on my chest. Then, of course, there's the fact that people keep bringing it up."
King cringed as Mai offered, "Oh, sorry…"
"Think nothing of it; I appreciate the thought…" Hiroshi said with a smile before eagerly shifting gears, "Now then, I understand you two have yourselves a brand new teammate. So, how is she doing? How are you three getting along?"
King relayed, "Oh, her name is Leona, and we're getting along just fine. She's pretty interesting though, I must say: she's very quiet, but that's mostly because she has a hard time getting her words together. Still, she's very smart, and has a good heart. I don't think she knows, but she's also a very pretty girl too."
Mai heaped on her own praise, happily raving, "Yeah, she is gorgeous; pretty fitting, huh? You know, she is pretty shy, but once she gets to know you and she loosens up, she can be a blast to be around. Like, you wouldn't know it by looking at her, but she's actually a pretty good dancer, on top of everything else. I'd think you'd like her, Hiroshi-kun."
"Hmm. With reviews like that, she must be special. I can't wait to meet her." Hiroshi mused.
Finally, all five came to the main attraction: before them was a large natural lake with many people wading through its pretty light blue water, but there were several things unique about this body of water. The water itself was cloudy and very warm. The people kept covering themselves in the white sand of the lake bed. Finally, like the crown jewel of this picturesque scene, a large building on the far hill sat not far beyond the lake, and seemed to be pumping something into the water.
There, waiting in the actual site was Leona sitting on a nearby bench with her knee hugged against her chest. She quickly stood and walked forward upon seeing her teammates, and King and Mai met her, but Hiroshi stopped where he was upon seeing her fully. His mind … had just gone blank, and he was suddenly struck with a bout of lightheadedness. Unconsciously, his mouth slightly dropped open, and he felt himself get really hot … probably because his heart was racing like mad. Despite the oddity of these signs, Hiroshi wasn't distressed at all, but downright euphoric. Because in fact, Leona was at once … the most beautiful woman Hiroshi had ever laid eyes on!
While the Gorgeous team conversed, Hiroshi couldn't peel his eyes away from their latest member, and even began to unknowingly look her over. First, he noticed her legs, and he could tell, even though they were covered in black fatigues, they were long and perfectly toned… POOF! One of his bangs spontaneously burst into the flames at the tip. The Amaterasu Scion nonchalantly licked his fingertips and put out the errant ember, his gaze and posture not wavering at all. Next, his eyes slowly ascended to notice her soft hourglass figure, from her trim waist to her beautiful and sculpted exposed midriff to her black tank top that clung to her in just the right way to feature her shape… POOF! This time, both of his bangs caught fire out of nowhere, and Hiroshi again casually extinguished the flames with his mesmerized stare still unbroken.
Hiroshi's gaze slowly continued to rise until it settled on her face. He took in and admired her fair skin, her long azure hair tied into a mane-like ponytail, and her clear brown eyes. Suddenly, Leona looked towards him, maybe feeling his eyes on her, and, despite her quickly averting her eyes, their eyes met for a brief but distinct moment… FOOSH! The entire top of Hiroshi's head and his hair in its entirety ignited! Finally, Hiroshi broke his stare, looking down, and ran his hands through his hair to quell the flames (and to compose himself)…
"Yo, Hiroshi! Is there anyone home? Can you hear me?" Kyo's calls piercing through the trance.
Just coming out of his reverie, Hiroshi replied as such, "Hmm. Oh, um… What was that, Kyo? I didn't quite catch that."
Kyo said in puzzlement, "You alright? It's not every day I see a guy pass out standing up."
The Amaterasu Scion waved it off, "I'm fine; no worries. I'm alright."
As Hiroshi nervously stepped aside, Kyo asked Adel, "What's gotten into him?"
Adel grew a wide smile as he stepped forward, "Isn't it obvious? That knocked-out stare, his hair lighting up… I know exactly what's going on. It seems Hiro has found … a love interest in this lady of war."
Kyo let out a laugh and said with great amusement, "I guess I was wrong… He's luckier than Benimaru. Still, she doesn't look like the 'romancing' type; it should be a riot watching him try though."
Shaking the teams back into focus, the announcer's voice resonated over the resort, "Congratulations to both teams on your first round wins, and welcome to the King of Fighters XV second round! This match will be the Gorgeous Team of Mai Shiranui, Leona Heidern, and King versus the Legacy Team of Hiroshi Amaterasu, Adel, and Kyo Kusanagi. Teams, please select your order, and send out your first member!"
Finally all together, Hiroshi stepped forward, only to see Leona across from him as 'The Queen of Fighters Reprise' blared over the lake. At first, the Amaterasu Scion started to say something, but the words got caught inside his body and he had no idea what to say, a remarkable occurrence for him. Meanwhile, Leona simply held her elbow while looking at Hiroshi, away from him, and then back again, seemingly out of nervousness. Their four teammates, needless to say, found this quite funny to watch. Soon, Leona shook her head and silently assumed her fighting stance. Taking the cue, Hiroshi rubbed the back of his head as he composed himself again, and got into fighting position…
The announcer's voice blasted, "Round 1! Ready! Go!"
With that, the Amaterasu Scion and the Ikari Amazon engaged each other, but something quickly became obvious… Neither of them was hitting the other, and neither seemed to want to either! Leona's 'Moon Slasher' and 'Grand Sabre' and Hiroshi's 'Heavens Fall' and 'Heavens Flare' all seemed to end up short every time. Neither was being aggressive at all; at the most Leona would block 'Angel Spark' with 'Baltic Launcher', and Hiroshi would offset 'X-Caliber' with 'Sky Scraper'. Leona didn't even attempt 'Earring Explosive' and 'I Slasher' while Hiroshi seemed to abandon both 'Angel Rush' and 'Divine Press'. Eventually, Leona rose up with one hand raised and aglow. Reacting, Hiroshi reared back and fired a massive fireball, 'Reverent Saber'. Leona sharply dove forward and slashed the fireball asunder with the first half of 'V-Slasher', but Hiroshi deftly back-flipped out of the way of the second slash just as the V-shaped explosion lit the area.
Hiroshi was out of it, completely unable to focus, and he knew it; he was obviously almost entranced watching her move. Leona, on the other hand, was baffled by her own odd behavior, feeling very hesitant for some reason that was lost to her. Nevertheless, both saw this was getting nowhere fast, so there was only one option.
"Switch…" both said in semi-unison, the music stopping momentarily.
Adel and Kyo could only look at each other in surprise while King and Mai simply nodded at the use of the 'Quick Switch' option. Hiroshi and Leona walked out as Kyo and Mai came in, 'The Queen of Fighters Reprise' starting up again…
Kyo produced a small flame in his hand and put it out by closing his fist again, saying, "So, let's get started … again."
Mai waved her fan at him and beckoned, "Bring it on!"
The fight proper started this time, this match actually being combative, and this contest was back-and-forth. It pitted Kyo's lockdown combo-heavy style versus Mai's agile, hit-and-run style, so the natural complements created a chess match between the two. True to her style, Mai would pin him down with 'Kacho Sen' and 'Dragon Flame Romp', keep him at a distance with 'Flying Squirrel Dance' and 'White Heron Dance', and then use her speed and impeccable ability to change direction in mid-air to avoid damage.
Just as he had done in his previous encounter, Kyo stopped chasing his much faster opponent, and let her come to him. She could dodge and evade all she wanted, but she still had to hit him, which he could deal with. Also like before, he would block her advance or wait for the right moment of vulnerability to spin behind her, and hit her with a combo, 'Wicked Chew' or 'Poison Gnawfest' chain before backing away again. He soon gained ground and became comfortable enough to cut her off at several points with 'RED Kick' and 'Spinning Kick'. Soon, Kyo, going for broke, readied his fist by rearing all the way back, a ring of flames erupting around and circling his feet.
"This is …" Kyo said as he channeled his power into his 'Style 182'.
Seeing an opening, Leona made a snap decision and performed a 'Saving Shift' with Mai, placing herself Mai's stead. Kyo was so reared back that his back was essentially turned to them, so he didn't see what took place, but a second after it happened, he was ready.
"… The end of the road!" Kyo exclaimed as he attacked.
'Style 182' connected, and Leona was blasted back, her sacrifice working. She had perfectly utilized one of the three 'Saving Shifts' allowed to a team in a match, but teams hadn't really used this to its fullest extent, making her implementation that much more surprising. King and Mai (and Hiroshi) watched anxiously as Leona lay motionless, but they breathed sighs of relief when she steadily rose to her feet. Leona was hurt by the Danger Move, but she wasn't out, and, after clearing the small blood trail for her lip with a succinct wipe of her hand, she was ready to fight.
Unlike her first time in the match, Leona was able to fight completely against Kyo. She would use 'Baltic Launcher' to halt jump-in attempts, and she would combat advancing attacks with 'Moon Slasher' before chasing after it with 'Grand Sabre'. With the distance established, she would attack from long range with 'X-Caliber', 'Earring Explosive', and 'I-Slasher'. Kyo adapted to this change of pace, and broke from his attack chains in favor of his other combos. Against this different form of combat, he incorporated 'New Wave Smash', 'Fire Ball', '910 Dragon Slayer', and he could use 'Crescent Moon Slash' much more effectively now. Leona, while she did her best to hide it, was still hurting from the 'Style 182' that welcomed her into the match, and she was still a bit groggy from absorbing the brain-rattling punch. Soon, it was evident that with Kyo adding damage on, Leona was reeling and sinking fast.
Kyo knew he was close to a win, but he knew it would take a pretty big impact to finish the job, one he wasn't sure he had at that moment; after two consecutive fights, he needed a rest himself. Knowing one way he could get it, Kyo signaled for an 'Attack Shift', a mid-combo switch with a teammate, and rushed forward to set the trigger. Mai and King also knew that Leona couldn't take much more, and then they saw Kyo's signal; they knew this wasn't going to be good. As Kyo closed in, Hiroshi felt his stomach drop within him, and anxiety quickly took hold of him because the signal Kyo gave … was for Hiroshi; he would have to give the finishing blow to Leona!
The Scion of the Flame jumped in to Leona and landed a stiff shot before launching her into the air with 'New Wave Smash'. The combo started, he immediately fell back to initiate the switch, but something odd happened: Hiroshi, for a moment, hesitated before he dashed forward. That brief lull allowed for a single split-second action that was more about reaction than strategy. Just as the Amaterasu Scion came in range, Mai returned Leona's favor, performing a 'Saving Shift' just as the finishing blow came. Mai, however, wasn't in complete health as Leona was the first time, so this would really be the final shot as she came right in the midst of the torrent. Not having time to register the change, Hiroshi crafted together a long combo before slicing upward with 'Heavens Nova', connecting on every hit…
Mai called out in anguish as she fell, "ANDY!"
The announcer's voice rang out, "KO! Hiroshi wins!"
Hiroshi extended his hand to Mai as King came in, "Mai-sama, are you alright?"
As Hiroshi and King helped her up, Mai replied, "I've definitely felt better, but …. I'll survive."
Noticing Leona trying to recover on the sideline, Hiroshi tentatively asked, "How is … she?"
King and Mai exchanged looks briefly before the former cryptically replied, "Don't worry… We're sure you'll find out."
Mystified by the comment, Hiroshi wandered back to his side as King helped Mai back and checked on Leona.
The announcer's voice resonated, "Gorgeous team, please send out your next member!"
Leona started forward, but King quickly stopped her, holding her back by the arm.
Surprised by the development, Leona said, "King, you're still fresh. I should…"
King interjected with a heartening tone, "And you're still hurt… It's alright, Leona. Take a breather; I can handle it from here."
The Ikari Amazon paused for a moment at the offer; it wasn't what she was used to. With her usual team, the healthiest member was held in reserve until the end, but an injured member also didn't jump back after being saved as Mai had just done. It all came down to one fact: this wasn't her usual team, and this wasn't a usual situation. Finally, Leona silently nodded in agreement to King, conceding to her offer and the state they were in. With that, King and Adel stepped forward as 'Unmatched Bloodlines' started to blast into the area. Instantly, King began to look hard at Adel…
The Queen of Muay Thai commented, "Ya know, you look real familiar to me. It's almost like déjà vu really."
Adel looked away as he solemnly replied, "Yes, I … get that a lot."
"Hmm… I'm guessing one of your parents is well-known, then."
Adel said after a short pause, "In the worst way…"
Alerted by the answer, King asked out of puzzlement, "Why… Why do you say that?"
Adel paused, thinking about what to actually reveal, before finally offering, "Let's just say: my father's shadow is a lot bigger, darker, and harder to step out of…" He quickly changed the subject, "But with that said, shall we?"
As both got into fighting position, King relented, "Okay; fair enough."
The announcer's voice immediately reverberated over the lake, "Round 2! Ready! Go!"
King, in stark contrast to some other women, was a very strong and very powerful fighter, and she could go blow-for-blow with anyone. Adel, however, was different; he was too strong. It simply was not an option to trade moves with him because the damage given and taken wasn't equal at all. In this particular contest, his move set also served as a distraction. All his moves looked different but felt very familiar, and this became even more prominent with each use. Meanwhile, as she was taking punishment, she was just lost to this connection.
Battling as a true competitor, the Queen of Muay Thai changed her usual strategy, and got crafty. King started to bait him, and severely punish any opening she got, in her 'Boss' strategy as she called it. But, even this had holes as Adel had a response. Even with King's success, Adel still had two moves she had no answer for: 'Wand', an energy barrier that stopped anything in front of him, and 'Drucken', a dashing grapple that was essentially inescapable unless you jumped over it. Both moves were trouble for King; 'Wand' cut off any momentum her close-range style could gain, and 'Drucken' garnered great damage as well as the ability to grab out of the air if close enough.
The knockout in sight, Adel glowed as he outstretched his arms, and began building energy for 'Kronprinz'. King, aiming to stop him, fired a 'Venom Strike' but the energy was only absorbed into Adel's attack! Doing the only thing she could think to do next, King fired a huge 'Double Strike', but the first wave only increased 'Kronprinz' to its maximum, and the second wave was crushed as Adel fired. 'Kronprinz' rocketed forward at breakneck speed, and collided with a target. Closer inspection revealed the victim spiraling backward … Leona! She had pulled her team's last 'Saving Shift' just as Adel fired, not giving her time for even a block attempt, and she endured the energy wave full strength. Again, the Gorgeous team (and Hiroshi) looked on with concern, but again Leona fought up, only much slower this time…
Adel deduced aloud, "That's it; that was your team's third and final 'Saving Shift'. That means you must stay."
The Ikari Amazon stayed completely silent, her head down obscuring her eyes … but suddenly sprang forward and grabbed Adel's shirt. The next moment, Adel made sure that was the last time, taking advantage of Leona's close proximity. He glowed momentarily as he glided forward, grabbing Leona in the process, and slammed her into the boundary in a column of red energy, giving her a 'Sklaven'. Leona let out a pained wail as she hit the ground…
Adel stood upright and said, "That was a valiant effort, but… Hmm…"
He stopped midsentence when he heard something very close, the sound being akin to hissing. Adel finally looked down to see something on his chest shooting sparks … but it was too late. Leona looked up just in time to see the device explode and Adel being blasted back! With her final attack, her last word of the match, the Ikari Amazon had pulled off a 'Rebel Spark', and she could only yield as Adel hit the ground.
With Adel still writhing on the ground and holding his chest, the announcer's voice resonated through the area, "KO! Adel wins!"
Hiroshi and Kyo started to come in for Adel, but he waved for them to stay back, opting to continue. Meanwhile, King came in and helped Leona to her feet.
Supporting Leona's weight on her shoulders, King voiced, "You shouldn't have done that; I told you I had it."
Leona walked gingerly with King's help, and labouredly said, "I'm sorry, but I couldn't let you go down… You're still our best chance; I had to keep you in the fight."
King responded with concern, "You still shouldn't have taken that shot … but it was amazing how you got that last attack in."
Leona quipped with uncanny good timing, "I figured I should give you a head start."
King briefly giggled before saying, "Thanks … for everything."
"What are friends for!" Leona echoed.
King helped Leona to their side, and then stepped back out to meet the still-hurting Adel. Both simply went back into fighting position as 'The Queen of Fighters Reprise' started playing again…
The announcer's voice boomed over the lake to the increasingly interested onlookers, "Round 3! Ready! Go!"
The fight between King and Adel started up again, and King went back into her strategy. The Queen of Muay Thai took advantage of Adel still being dazed by 'Rebel Spark', avoided 'Wand' and Drucken', and made some headway with 'Trap Shot' and 'Mirage Kick'. Eventually, King landed a successful 'Surprise Rose', and went for another, but Adel was ready. Just as King was coming down, Adel glowed as he ripped his leg upward in an arc with a silver arch of cutting energy, connecting with a 'Kreis', and King was sent spiraling backward. Reeling from the attack, she gathered her strength for a desperate, all-out attack, and when Adel glided forward seconds later to attempt 'Drucken', her opening was clear.
"Here it comes!" King, herself glowing, proclaimed with Adel unable to stop himself.
The Queen of Muay Thai uncoiled as soon as she could, flipping backward before rocketing forward, and connected with an 'Illusion Dance', raining heavy kicks and punches on Adel. Halfway through, she stopped as she began to glow even brighter, and delivered an array of energy-infused kicks, a 'Secret Mirage', before ending her barrage by kicking a huge energy sphere right into her opponent's chest. Adel loudly groaned in pain as he flew back ward.
"KO!" The announcer's voice rang out into the area, "King wins!'
"One down…" King said resolutely, her breathing heavy.
Kyo and Hiroshi quickly came in and helped Adel back.
Kyo playfully said, "Told you to get out of there."
Adel replied through his pain, "I was pretty careless… but then again, she is something else. I suppose that's why she'd called the queen."
Hiroshi added with a small smile, "I could've told you that."
As they got back to their side, Kyo confidently stated, "No problem; I'll end this."
Hiroshi voiced caution as he tended to Adel, "Be careful, Kyo-san. She's cornered, but that makes her even more dangerous. Don't get lax on her."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" Kyo offered nonchalantly as he started in.
Kyo stepped into the area, and both fighters got in fighting position as 'Unmatched Bloodlines' blared over the area.
The announcer's voice resonated over the now actively-watching lake swimmers, "Round 4! Ready! Go!"
King knew at this point that she couldn't take much more, but she was going to struggle as mightily as she could muster. She began rushing down Kyo like mad, fighting with urgency and teeming desperation. The Queen of Muay Thai would suppress any progress by Kyo with 'Venom Strike' and 'Double Strike', and advance her own attack with 'Surprise Rose' and 'Tornado Kick'. She also set up a defensive wall with 'Trap Shot' and 'Mirage Kick'. The totality and urgency of King's attack made Kyo off-center and off-guard, and he could barely land any offense because she was moving so fast. Under this very concentrated game plan, Kyo came very close to going down.
In the end, a minor misstep led to the match's conclusion. King knocked Kyo back, and missed with a subsequent 'Tornado Kick' … badly. She had pulled it too early, and ended up right over Kyo while completely defenseless. Quickly, Kyo connected with a 'Spinning Kick', and canceled the second kick in mid-air as he reared back with his hand covered in flames…
"This is gonna hurt!" Kyo proclaimed as he fired a large column of fire forward.
The Scion of the Flame blasted King with a mid-air 'Repressed Serpent Wave', and she shouted in pain as she fell.
The announcer's voice reverberated once more, "KO! The Legacy team wins! Please proceed to the next round!"
As he wiped his brow with his sleeve, Kyo said to himself, "Whew. Now, that was a close one."
Hiroshi said as he walked up, "I told you not to take her lightly."
"My mistake. But, a win is a win…"
Kyo exited the ring, and Hiroshi continued to King as Mai approached her from the other end.
Hiroshi kneeled in front of King, and offered his hand as he asked, "Are you alright, Ms. King?"
King sat up, resting her hands on her knees, and replied, "I'm okay, but … I think I'll just sit here for a minute. The suit held together just fine though."
Mai kneeled next to King, and asked, "King-chan, you alright?"
"Just dandy…" King replied before noticing Leona still doubled over on the sideline, "How's Leona?"
Mai looked back at the Ikari Amazon, and said, "She's pretty thrashed, but she's tough. I'm sure she'll be fine in a few minutes."
"That's good to hear." Hiroshi commented in a hushed but still audible tone.
"You should talk to her, you know." King advised.
Hiroshi quickly feigned innocence, saying, "Huh? I, uh … I don't know what you mean."
Mai grinned as she said, "Oh, come on. We know what that look was all about. Remember who you're talking to here."
Hiroshi conceded with a smile of embarrassment, "That obvious, is it?"
"Painfully…" King said before reassuring him, "But, there's no reason to be nervous. You're a natural; just go over there and do what you do best."
Hiroshi asked out of uncertainty, "You … think that'll work?"
Mai reassured as well with a smile, "Of course. Now, she's pretty shy and quiet, so she may not speak right away. But, she'll listen to you, and she is listening. Just be your charming self, and she'll warm to you soon."
Hiroshi took their words and, feeling encouraged, resolved, "Sounds … good. Maybe I will."
The Amaterasu Scion stood up and started to go over, but quickly stopped. Leona was now slowly walking toward them, and Hiroshi was just frozen. Instantly, he was transported back to the beginning of the match, and he felt everything that had stricken him before. Hiroshi just couldn't move, and he definitely couldn't talk even though he wanted to."
"Perfect. The one time I actually need to talk to a woman … and I have nothing…" Hiroshi thought to himself before he let out in a brief panic, "You know, maybe later; I'm not feeling like myself right now. Ms. King, Mai-sama, I'll, uh… I'll see you later."
Hiroshi quickly took off after Kyo and Adel.
King sighed, "I guess he's not use to this after all."
Mai said with a giggle, "Aww, I think it's cute. He must really like her."
Leona finally got to Mai and King, and watched Hiroshi as he caught up to his team…
As Hiroshi met them in the resort lobby, Adel said, "You made it. I take it you two hit it off…"
Hiroshi looked back from whence he came, and simply shook his head in the negative…
Ready to move on, Kyo quickly said, "Shame. Now, who's up next?"
Adel pulled out a handheld device and replied, "Hold on; I have to sign in to check."
Adel began pressing the screen as he tried to get the information, but what kept getting his attention was Hiroshi. His friend was just not focusing on the team at all, and kept looking back toward the fighting area. Finally, Adel relented to the distraction, and conceded.
Adel let out a brief amused chuckle and offered to his friend, "Hiro … just go back. We have to wait for the other match to end anyway; Kyo and I aren't going anywhere."
The Amaterasu Scion didn't take a second thought, and headed back to the area. Meanwhile, the Gorgeous Team was still at the lake.
Mai subtly suggested, "Man, I'm beat … but this place might have a cure for soreness, I think…"
Getting the hint, King said, "Alright. A massage does sound pretty good right now."
Mai gladly said, "Excellent. How about you, Leona-chan?"
Leona replied in a matter-of-fact way, "Well, baths in hot springs can help heal muscle and joint pain, so … sure. I'll have a swim too. I'd like to see if the stories about the lake's sand are true anyway."
"Great!" Mai exclaimed.
The kunoichi instantly produced an uncommonly huge Kacho sen, and placed it in front of her. A second later, she pulled the fan away to reveal herself now clad in a red bikini. Helping out her teammate next, Mai placed the huge fan in front of Leona, and, a second later, pulled it away again to reveal Leona now dressed in a light-blue bikini similar to Mai's … much to Leona's surprise. Just then, Hiroshi, with immaculate timing, arrived at the lake just in time to lay eyes on Leona in her perfectly fitted and accentuating swimwear, and immediately he froze again with his mouth ajar in stunned infatuation.
Mortified, Leona stammered, "Mai? What … is this?"
Mai, proud of her work, smiled and explained, "You have an amazing body, Leona-chan; I figured you'd want to show it off some. And it works! You look so hot right now."
Her body turning a subtle pink, Leona asked, "Do you think I can have something that fits me better?"
Mai playfully tugged the side of the bikini, saying, "I don't know. This looks like it fits just fine."
That was it for Hiroshi; he couldn't watch anymore. The Amaterasu Scion promptly passed out, smoke billowing out of his mouth and ears, his eyes completely blank.
Leona quickly grabbed a nearby towel and wrapped herself in it, pleading, "Mai, please."
Her smile waning but not leaving, Mai finally relented, "Oh, okay."
Mai grabbed the towel, and ripped it away to Leona's attire once again changed, this time to a pair of dark blue swimming trunks and a light blue wetsuit shirt.
"How's that?"
Leona said as she relaxed, "Better; thank you. Do you think anyone saw me in that?"
Mai replied with a smile, "Maybe, but I know one thing: if a guy who likes you saw, I'm sure he likes you a lot more now."
At that moment, King was just walking into the building where she found Hiroshi passed out in the doorway, his head still smoking. She quickly ran over to help him… Meanwhile, Adel and Kyo sat in the lobby when they got an answer. An alarm chimed on Adel's device, which he quickly checked.
Kyo looked over, asking, "Hey, any news?"
Looking over the device, Adel replied, "Yes, the match has just ended. Our opponents are … the Rival Team."
Kyo commented as the realization hit him, "That means … Yagami."
End Chapter
A/N: That's it. Thank you for reading, and I hope you liked it. Now, please keep this chapter in mind; we'll come back to it later. Next time, we'll see a major fight, and the big battle will come even closer into view. Again, thank you for reading, I hope you liked it, and I hope you come back to read more. Please R&R, and, as always, Rant, Rave, and Review.