Disclaimer: I don't own The King of Fighters…

A/N: Hello, fellow readers and writers. First of all, thank you for reading, and it's great to hear from you all again. Well, as you can probably tell from the title, this is the set-up, so a lot of explanations will be amended after this. It's still a bit long, but this sets the stage for a lot of the story and even beyond. So, there are a lot of encounters, but I'll try to keep you along. That's where we're heading, so let's get to it. And here … we … go:

The King of Fighters XVI: Where the Heart Is

Best Laid Plans

It was no stranger to large gatherings, but the Amaterasu mansion had never seen a soiree quite like this. On this night, it was hosting the King of Fighters Launch Party, and incredibly all 66 participants attended. The gigantic main ballroom had been dimmed to atmospheric levels. The middle of the marble floor was covered with a large wooden dance floor. On the perimeter, many roundtables and chairs were set up for those needing to rest or lounge. At the front sat a large station, the disc jockey's booth, alight with many stage lights and manned by the best DJ in Southtown, Duck King. Off to the side was the beverage counter, the shelves back-lit to showcase the many different bottles of liquid refreshment, and tending to it was King, mixing and serving along with the help of her assistants, Sally and Elizabeth. For their efforts, the two were additionally receiving free advertisements for the Pao Pao Café and her Illusion bar, respectively.

Oddly enough, the party-going contestants were beyond-surprisingly civil and in a quite festive mood, with everyone seemingly enjoying themselves. Some danced while others simply relaxed at the tables on the outskirts. Some were wondering through the home itself. Incredibly, Mature, in a white gown with a black shawl draped over her shoulders, and Vice, wearing a red cocktail dress, were rather accommodating to whoever needed them or asked their help. The Ikari soldiers especially Ralf were in the middle of the party despite being in full military regalia. Even the Slasher team of Freeman, Oni Inomura, and Ryuji Yamazaki were calm and non-combative. Hiroshi, clothed nicely in a full tuxedo for his role as host, acted graciously in his role, letting the easily riled to themselves while checking on all his guests on this busy night.

Making his way through the crowd, Hiroshi got to the DJ station and checked in, "Duck King! How's it going? Is everything sounding right?"

Duck King took his headphones down and exclaimed excitedly, "Man, the music is pumpin'! The rhythm is hot! The people are lovin' it! I'd say this party … is fire!"

Hiroshi reacted with a smile, "That all sounds like good news. Keep up the good work."

Duck King accepted with two thumbs up, "You got it, boss!"

Continuing through the party, Hiroshi met a good friend, a tall brunette. Her long midnight black hair, decorated with a white band at the top, flowed down her back. She wore a white blouse with wide sleeves and black pants over black high heels…

"Chizuru-sama, you made it…" Hiroshi said happily as he bowed to her.

Chizuru gave a brief bow and replied with a smile, "Of course. I do hold one-third of the sponsoring support after all. Why not enjoy the festivities?"

"Can't argue with that…" Hiroshi went on to ask, "Speaking of which, are you enjoying yourself? I mean, it seems your other teammate is preoccupied."

Chizuru explained, "I'm fine. As for my teammates, King is busy is busy as you know, and Mai is preoccupied with Andy as usual. However, he's just as focused on her this time. They are actually dancing together over there. It's actually a pleasant change-of-pace. I'd say you've at least performed a minor miracle tonight."

"I'm glad I could be of some help." Hiroshi said before persisting, "Now, about you… are you sure you're alright? Can I get you anything?"

"No, thank you." Chizuru graciously declined, "I'm perfectly content."

"I'm glad to hear it. In that case, enjoy the party… Oh, and I've been meaning to say: welcome back to the tournament. I've missed watching your fighting grace in action."

Chizuru chuckled briefly, "I appreciate that … but, right now, one of our friends needs you."

She directed his attention toward the bar, where a small crowd was growing, and Hiroshi, in response, rushed over. In truth, Chizuru was not completely honest with him, not wanting him to worry. A profound sense of uneasiness and foreboding had overcome her for some time and, even more troubling, felt incredible familiar to her… Hiroshi made his way to the bar to see King trying to fill the drinks all on her own, the crowd simply yelling out their orders at once. Immediately he jumped behind the counter, next to her.

"Ms. King, what happened?" Hiroshi asked as he rolled up his sleeves and wiped his hands clean.

King replied, trying to mix three drinks at once, "I don't know. I let Sally and Elizabeth go on a short break, to get something to eat and all that. Then, it's like everybody got thirsty at the same time. Now, I'm swamped, and my helpers aren't back yet."

"Well, don't worry," Hiroshi said as he finished one of the drinks for her, "You just got one more."

Tantamount of being a good host, Hiroshi did everything to help his friend and satisfy his guests: He helped her serve, calming the small gathering. He straightened out the orders. He even mixed simple drinks on his own after a while. Thankfully, the crowd eventually thinned out soon enough…

"Terry Bogard, the legend himself…" Hiroshi greeted his approaching guest, "What can I get you?"

"Two Coca-Colas, my man…" Terry requested.

Hiroshi asked next in clarification, "In glasses or in the cans?"

Terry replied with his trademark smile, "Just hand me the cans; I'm a simple guy."

Hiroshi took two sodas out of the miniature fridge and handed them, saying, "Here you go!"

Terry gave him a thumbs-up and walked off just as another request came in, "Yo, kid, can we get two beers, please?"

Hiroshi responded as two muscular men approached the bar, "Ralf and Clark… Do I even bother asking if you want a glass?"

Ralf replied with an impish grin, "C'mon; you should know us well enough by now."

Hiroshi simply smiled, took out two bottled beers, and handed them out, saying, "Enjoy, gentlemen."

Ralf summarily ripped the cap off with his teeth; Clark tipped his hat to the host, and both walked off. Right on time, Sally and Elizabeth arrived right after.

Sally repentantly said, "We're so sorry we took so long."

King eagerly accepted, "Don't worry about it. Just hurry beck here."

"Alright, if you're all set, I have to attend to the rest of the guests." Hiroshi said as Sally and Elizabeth took the stations next to King.

King gratefully acknowledged him, "Okay, Hiroshi. Thanks a lot; I couldn't have made it without your help."

Hiroshi replied happily, "Anything for you, Ms. King!"

With the host started off, but he didn't get very far before something else arose. An altercation was seemingly brewing, a catastrophe-in-waiting should the effect cascade through the party…

"That's right." Tsugumi Sendo, the young Joshi Puroresu star, said, rolling her shoulder with an eager smile, "You and me, right here, right now."

"You can't be serious." Chae Lim, the Taekwondo Zephyr, replied in confusion as she brushed the styled silver streak of hair out of her eye, "You want to do that now of all times. I'm not even dressed to fight."

Tsugumi persisted, undeterred, "Oh, come on; it'll be fun. Besides if you're as good as people say you are, it won't matter what clothes you have on."

"Ladies, ladies…" Hiroshi calmingly said as he worked through those gathered around, "Please be calm down. Now, what seems to be the issue?"

Despite the simple question, an answer was slow to come. Both young women were a bit struck; mortification and discomfort came over them, similar to when one is caught by a teacher or authority figure. This was compounded by the fact that the young man who had come to diffuse them they found quite handsome. Neither of them spoke immediately as they just looked at him until Chae Lim eventually managed to point at Tsugumi…

Seeing the parties involved and deducing what happened, Hiroshi turned to Tsugumi with a smile and said kindly, "Now, Tsugumi-sama… I can tell you're excited, but I ask that you please hold off on the challenges tonight. I'm trying to have a conflict-free party, and you'll get all the fights you want at the tournament. So, please; no fight propositions, at least for tonight. Could you do that for me?"

Tsugumi offered, seemingly distracted as a smile crept onto her face, "Of course. No problem."

Hiroshi offered his hand, asking, "Then, we have a deal? You promise?"

Tsugumi returned the gesture, confirming, "We have a deal. I promise."

"Thank you so much…" Hiroshi said before kissing the back of her hand for good measure, "You are simply wonderful."

Tsugumi blushed a deep red as her smile grew, and slowly walked off as Hiroshi turned his attention to the other party…

Chae nearly jumped as he turned and smiled at her, and Hiroshi courteously, "Well, well, you must be Chae Lim, 'the Taekwondo Zephyr'…"

"Y-Yeah, that's me…" Chae replied with a bit of nervousness.

"I've heard a lot of really good things about you." Hiroshi began to praise her, "The word is that you're Master Kin's secret weapon for this King of Fighters; so, I watched quite a few of your matches, and it's not hard to see why he's so high on you. Your skills and technique are simply superb; you represent your sensei very proudly."

Chae giddily stammered with a growing grin, "Well, I, uh… I mean, I… Thank you."

Hiroshi continued, "You deserve it. Now, I understand you design clothes as well. I would love to see your work some time."

"You… You would?" she replied with surprise.

Hiroshi explained reassuringly, "Of course. I mean, I know a few people in the fashion industry. I'm sure I can convince them to give you a look."

"You would … do that for me?" Chae asked, pleasantly shocked.

Hiroshi said with a smile, "Well, I try to help any way I can."

Chae, fully blushing by this point, said with a smile, "Wow, I… I don't know what to say. How could I ever repay you?"

Hiroshi courteously offered, "There's no payment needed. It's my pleasure to assist a talented lady such as yourself … and such a beautiful lady on top of everything else."

Hoping to seal the deal, Chae offered her hand, and Hiroshi returned the gesture, shaking her hand and started to pull away. She however held on to him, stopping him in his tracks. Hiroshi looked back to her, and quickly saw from her look what she wanted: respectfully, he bowed down and kissed the back of her hand…

"Hey, Hiroshi…" The familiar voice of May Lee rang out as she came up to the two, "I'm not interrupting, am I?"

Hiroshi graciously said, "I don't think so. It's nice to see you again, May Lee-sama."

The Heroine of Taekwondo smiled at him before turning to her teammate, "Chae, Master Jhun has gone missing. I need your help finding him"

Chae only offered a faint noise in agreement before May Lee essentially had to drag her away, her eyes still happily stuck to Hiroshi. With that, the Amaterasu son continued attending to the guests when an old friend suddenly slammed into him: Jhun Hoon. He was oddly wearing a suit despite the gathering being casual, and had a huge bouquet of flowers in hand. The most unsettling aspect of him was … the pinkish-purple hue in his eyes.

Jhun asked in blissful distraction, "Hiroshi, this is a great party you have here, but by any chance … have you seen my dearest Athena? I can't seem to find her anywhere."

Now, Hiroshi found himself in a dilemma; Jhun was a well-known fanatic for Athena Asamiya, and there was no telling what he would do in a meeting. Nevertheless, the Amaterasu son decided to take the least chaotic option…

"No, I haven't." He replied.

Jhun, his trance unbroken, simply replied, "Okay; please let me know if you do."

The love-struck master simply walked off to search anew, practically floating on air as he went. Hiroshi, driven to look as well after the encounter, looked in the opposite direction the Jhun went, and saw the Psycho Soldier team sitting at a table: Athena, Momoko, and an entirely new teammate. The woman was stunning with perfectly tanned skin, flowing violet hair, and dark green eyes peering through a white masquerade eye mask. She was covered in long white gown with a slit over the left leg, and elbow-high opera gloves. Even in the atmospheric light, the woman seemed to give off a faintly visible aura, almost like she was glowing. Hiroshi quickly took notice that Athena was focusing on something, the pink sparks of her power shining from her eyes. That's when he realized just what happened to Jhun, and started over…

"Bellissima, Athena! Your hypnosis is improving." The woman exclaimed proudly as the young idol relaxed.

Massaging her temples, Athena said, unusually unsure, "Thank you, Kyrie-sama. But, I used up so much power, and I still couldn't hold it very long."

Kyrie reassured her, "Oh, that will get better with use. The good part is that you changed his perception without restricting his will, and that's the key to the entire concept."

Momoko excitedly announced as she received an inkling, "Kyrie-sama, there's someone coming to see us, a man, and he's happy to see us."

Athena nervously reacted, "It's not … Jhun again, is it?"

Kyrie reacted, picking up on the feeling now, "No, but nonetheless interesting…"

Reaching the table, Hiroshi greeted courteously with a smile, "What a wonderful sight. Ladies, it's great to see you. How are you all doing?"

"Hi, Hiroshi-san…" Athena said, going from anxious to delighted, "We're doing just fine. Thank you for what you said to Jhun."

"Anytime…" Hiroshi said before acknowledging the new person, "And who is this flawless woman that shares your company?"

As Hiroshi offered his hand, Athena introduced, "Well, Hiroshi-san, this Kyrie Tirzah, one of Master Chin's 'graduates'. She's our mentor for this tournament. Kyrie-sama, this is…"

"It's okay; I'm well aware of this man. The surprising fact is that you're not more knowledgeable about me; I can tell it's out of character for you." Kyrie said before gently laying her hand into his, "And before you ask, I would be flattered if you would."

Hiroshi took the permission in stride, bowing to her and lightly kissing the back of her hand, and gracious said, "It's true. I'm truly embarrassed that with all my preparations, I haven't managed to research new participants like I normally would. Still, your aura is quite impressive, and I'm saddened I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you sooner."

Kyrie replied with a smile, "Oh, lei e molto gentile. It's a pleasure to meet you as well."

Hiroshi figured, "I try. Now, if I heard correctly, you're … from Italy, native if I'm hearing you correctly."

Kyrie said, pleasantly surprised, "Grande. Italy is my native home, though I live many places. If you'll indulge me, what else can you deduce about me?"

Hiroshi thought momentarily before saying, "Well, rumor has it you're quite the performer, definitely a profession for a powerful psionic such as yourself. I've also heard that you're quite an accomplished poker and blackjack player, more hobbies where telepathy comes in handy."

Kyrie asked, modestly impressed, "And I thought I was psychic. Are you sure you're uninformed about me?"

"Oh, definitely not. I don't know enough to cater to you the way I should, but I'm certainly not uninformed… But you know that already, don't you?"

Kyrie flashed an impish smirk and replied, "Of course. A simple test for our host, but you are correct on all accounts. An aptitude to entertain is something my protégé Athena and I share. Games of chance are just a means of support; I simply aim to please.

Hiroshi simply added, "Well, that's something I share with you as well."

Kyrie reacted with praise, "Then, job well done; consider me pleased. You truly are an odd sort around these ranks."

Hiroshi courteously replied, "You make it a lot easier. It would take an ignorant man to see you or interact with you, and not marvel at you."

"Hmm, it's no wonder you're taken," Kyrie remarked but sensing something else about him, "On that note, I can tell there's something else weighing on your mind."

"Oh yes… Momoko-chan, I wanted to thank you. Your premonition last year was right; I did meet someone very special, a woman I'm fortunate to call my girlfriend. She's amazing, and you helped point me to her, so, from my heart, I thank you."

Excited and flattered, Momoko replied, "You're so welcome, Hiroshi-sama! I'm so glad my vision was right!"

Athena happily asked, "I'm really happy you found someone. Who is she? Is she here?"

Hiroshi eagerly expressed, "She is, I'm not sure where she now though. You know her … Leona Heidern."

Athena replied, taken aback, "Leona? She's … your girlfriend? I … didn't know she had it in her. That's actually a good thing when I think about it."

"Yes…" Hiroshi said as he regained focus, his voice filling with concern, "There is one last thing I need to ask before I go, Athena-sama. I found out about what happened. Is everybody alright? How is Kensou-san? Where is he, by the way?"

Athena's mood turned dour quickly, somberly saying, "Kensou-san … is with Master Chin and Bao-kun. Master is training them further after the battle. We only survived just barely… no thanks to me."

Kyrie started to speak when Hiroshi took Athena's hands, saying, "Athena-sama… From what I know, it was a vicious ambush. The important thing is that you all got out alive. It's not your fault you weren't ready; that was the point. You'll be ready next time."

"How can you be so sure?" Athena asked from uncertainty.

Hiroshi broke a small smile and relayed, "I've watched every one of these tournaments, and you always get stronger."

Kyrie added, "He's right. I've only watched you a short time, and you never cease to amaze me. I promise, I'll teach you anything, and do anything to help you next time."

Accepting the encouragement, Athena's eyes started to well up, but she simply wiped them clear and nodded in agreement as she began to cheer up. With that, Hiroshi started to go…

"Just a moment…" Kyrie called out, stopping him, "Hiroshi, I know who you hope to see next. I've spoken to those two, and I can tell you that your apprehension is well-founded. You'll have an uphill climb to gain their favor… But I'll advise you: stand your ground. They'll be unflinching, but be strong; there is common ground you can reach with them."

Hiroshi paused to internalize Kyrie's advice before finally saying, "Thank you … for your advice. I'll keep everything in mind."

"You're so welcome." Kyrie replied, offering a kind smile, "Buona fortuna!"

Hiroshi gave a short nod to bid the three ladies farewell, and started off… The moment of truth eventually presented itself; Hiroshi spotted the two women needed to encounter regardless of the circumstances: Foxy and Diana, sitting at one of the farther back tables, their statuesque figures evident even while sitting. As before, Foxy's silver hair tied in a purple striped flag, while she wore a red-and-brown coat with tails and black heels and gloves. Diana had her black hair tied high into a curly sphere, and wore a blue midriff top and black shorts under a light blue half-skirt covering the back of her lower body. Hiroshi paused momentarily, knowing he would get resistance from the two, and braced himself as he sought to keep his promise. For good measure, he found two specific food trays and walked over…

As Foxy and Diana looked up at him with slight surprise, Hiroshi said with all the courtesy and kindness he could muster, "Ms. Foxy, Ms. Diana, I'm really glad you could make it here tonight. Do you mind … if I join you?"

The two women looked at each other, consulting silently, and Diana conceded with slight irritation, "It's your party; you can do what you want."

"Thank you." Hiroshi calmly said as he offered the trays to them, "So, I brought these for you; I hope I got them right."

As Diana took one of the cookies in front of her, Foxy looked at the spread on her tray and asked, "What is this?"

Hiroshi replied in confusion, "It's … foie gras. I thought it was your favorite."

The two women paused again, and Diana asked with understated irritation, "Can we help you with something?"

Hiroshi proceeded cautiously, "Actually … yes. There's something very important I need to discuss with you both."

Foxy withheld a scoff and conjecturing, "Hmm, let me guess: maybe you want to recruit us into your conglomerate?"

A bit shaken but staying steady, Hiroshi replied, "Well, no. That is a good idea, but no. This is something on a more personal level."

Diana, starting to lose patience, presented, "Listen, you're supposed to be a smart boy who does a lot of research. You probably know already that we're not keen on silver-spoon college boys like you … so why would we do you any favors?"

Hiroshi humbly persisted, "I wouldn't be the main beneficiary; I'm actually asking for someone else… I swear to you. This isn't some corporate power play or financial ploy. I'm honestly asking for help from people more knowledgeable than me."

With both unflinching, Foxy rebuffed him lengthily, "You have access to enough intelligent minds; your company is certainly big enough; you definitely have enough money. We're sure you'll figure it out after a while."

Hiroshi continued to appeal to them, "Please believe me. This is most definitely a specialized issue, one only you both have the expertise and familiarity to resolve."

Hiding her irritation even less, Diana shot back, "Well, that's great, kid. It still doesn't give us a single reason to help you."

"Okay…" Hiroshi took a deep breath, and spoke genuinely, "The truth is: I am asking for a friend of mine. He's lost everything, but he's held out on one single chance. He has suffered for a long time just on one hope, and you are the only ones who can make it worthwhile… Now, you're right; I know I'm not your favorite kind of person, but please don't shoot down his last hope over that. And I don't know, but, because of who he is, I'm pretty sure he would be a big help to you as well… So, I beg you, please just talk to him at least…"

Foxy and Diana exchanged a long, thoughtful look until they came to a nonverbal agreement or realization. With a pair of deep breaths, they relented more from exasperation than kindness…

"Alright, bring him over." Diana said with a sigh.

Hiroshi exhaled with relief, and replied gratefully, "Thank you; you're both so kind"

Quickly, Hiroshi looked around, spotted his friend, and rushed over to him. Diana and Foxy rolled their eyes, starting to regret their concession almost immediately, and waited patiently. Soon, they noticed another young man sit down across from them, and started to rebuke him as well … but their mouths dropped open in shock when they got a good look as the young man with the snow-white forelock hanging over his eye.

Nameless cautiously inquired, "Word is that you're the last ones left. I've been searching for a long time; are you really the ones who can help me?"

With Diana speechless, Foxy stammered in surprise, "Z-Zhe… Zhe Prime?"

The three started talking as Hiroshi breathed a sigh of relief and walked off with his promise was kept… After some time, Hiroshi continued to wander through the party when he sensed someone approaching him, stopping when the person tapped on his shoulder. It was a young woman his age with long black hair and brown eyes. Jarringly, the outfit seemed to consist only of white band that barely covered her except for a long white cape hanging from the bottom portion of it, with elbow-length white fingerless gloves and thigh-high white boots. She was an honestly beautiful girl, but she was visibly uncomfortable in her outfit, as if she was wearing it for someone else.

Speaking deliberately, seeming to have trouble, she asked, "Are you … Hiroshi Amaterasu?"

Hiroshi replied kindly, "Yes, I am, but just Hiroshi is fine. Is there anything I can do for you?"

The woman continued, noticeably anxious, "I am… My name is Cassandra Murata, and uh…"

Trying to ease her, Hiroshi offered, "Its okay. There's nothing to be nervous about with me."

Cassandra calmed slightly before continuing, "Alright… Hiroshi, I understand my brother attacked you last year … here in your home."

Hiroshi replied in puzzlement, "Maybe; who is he?"

Cassandra gingerly explained, "He works for Ryuji Yamazaki now. He's uh … Oni Inomura."

The name striking an immediate chord, Hiroshi confirmed as he realized, "Oh… Then, what you heard is true. He and his boss did pay me a visit."

Her heart sinking a bit within, Cassandra continued on, "Okay, um… I know this probably doesn't mean much to you, but … I'm really sorry for all the trouble he caused you."

Again confused, Hiroshi tried to get clarification, "Hold on; you came over to me … to apologize for him?"

Cassandra expressed herself, "Yes. I mean, I know my brother can be very … violent, and I'm certain his new job isn't helping him much."

"I can imagine…" Hiroshi said as he picked up on something, "You're worried about him, right?"

Cassandra nodded, proceeding in pain, "My brother has taken care of me our whole lives, sometimes in spite of himself it seemed. Now that he's in this group… I'm just concerned about what he could do or what could happen to him."

"Hmm… In that case, I guess I have to forgive him. You asked so nicely after all."

"Really…?" Cassandra said with a sigh of relief, "Thank you so much… If there's anything I can do to repay you, anything at all, just say so."

Hiroshi thought for a moment, eventually saying, "Anything? I, uh… Actually, I'll have to take a rain check on that… By the way, some 'business' advice if you'll humor me: never offer someone 'anything'. Shadier people become very creative with that much power."

"I'll … keep that in mind." Cassandra said before Hiroshi started off again, "Thank you again."

"What can I say…" Hiroshi said as he turned back to her with a smile, "I'm a sucker for a beautiful woman."

Cassandra shed a small smile, and rejoined the party… The happy couple of Kyo and Yuki Kushinada were enjoying their special date, especially Yuki, with Kyo having pulled strings to get her there in the first place. Eventually, the excitement and enjoyment inevitably got the most of them, and they started looking for a more private place…

As they came to a door far from the party, Yuki inquired, "Kyo-kun, are you sure Hiroshi-san won't mind us in his office?"

Kyo reassured her even as he was turning the knob, "Don't worry, Yuki-chan. Hiroshi's a cool guy; he won't mind."

The pair started passionately kissing before the door even closed, but they had neglected to check the room first…

"Finally. I've been trying so hard to meet … not you. Why are you back here?"

Kyo and Yuki immediately spun around at the female voice, and the woman stopped mid-sentence upon turning and seeing them. She was an Asian woman in her mid-20s, and wore a red Chinese wushu shirt, black tights, red shoes, and black decorated wraps around her wrists and hands. Prominently, she had long auburn hair … except two light-blue braided bangs framing her face. Her face rang an immediate bell in Kyo's mind.

"Shion…" Kyo uttered, holding Yuki behind himself to protect her.

The woman simply replied, "No, but technically … you're half-right."

Yuki quickly exited the room to get help while Kyo stayed with the mysterious visitor, although she did not seem to want to go anywhere. After a short while, Yuki came back with a small crowd: Hiroshi, Vice, Mature, Leona, Adel, Benimaru, and Chizuru. They all huddled into the office, and were struck silent with confusion and amazement for a moment…

Adel eventually asked, speaking for them all, "What's Shion doing here?"

Leona observed, "This isn't Shion; it's someone else."

Benimaru assuredly agreed, "Yeah, for one, this is a woman."

Chizuru, still uncertain, asked, "How can you tell?"

Benimaru plainly explained, "Trust me; I've seen enough to tell with just a look, and this is definitely a lady."

Vice irritatedly pushed through, "Girl or boy, how the h- did she get in here? And who the h- is she?"

The woman plainly stated, "I came through the front door; this was the only time outside people could enter here. Who I am is Shinobu, and my resemblance to Shion is not coincidence… He's my identical twin brother."

Everyone recoiled from the revelation as Kyo quipped, "Yeah, no kidding…"

Hiroshi cordially spoke, "Anyway, Shinobu-sama, I hear you wanted to talk to me. What can I do for you?''

Her Japanese, obviously not her first language, proper and formal, Shinobu explained, "I came here to give you a warning… I have full knowledge of Those From The Past and their plans including for this tournament."

Adel instantly started, the others still a bit lost, "We're listening. First of all, who are they?"

Shinobu explained, "It is all in the name. 'Those From The Past' and I as well are literally from the past; Saiki took them from their time periods, and brought them to his own, leaving them stranded if they didn't aid him: Croix from Spain, a member of the Spanish Inquisition; Benjamin, a nobleman from England; Juno from Greece; Genevieve from France; Botan, a sorceress from Romania; Shroom from Russia; Rimelo from Italy; and, of course, my brother and I from are ancient China."

Mature wondered, "Okay, then why you all? Forgive me, but I don't see what's so special about you."

Shinobu replied, "Each of us is the last of our kind, the last to have our knowledge, our talents, our prowess… He promised them immortality if his plans succeeded, so they'd never 'fade into time's tide'."

Picking up on something, Chizuru asked, "You keep saying 'they'; what about you? How do you fit into this?"

Shinobu lightly touched her light-blue strands of hair as she looked away before somberly revealing, "This hair… It identifies us as members of the family that has protected the Emperor for ages; my brother and I are said to be the strongest of our entire lineage… When he came for us, he only encountered my brother; Shion didn't mention me, to protect me. I'm sorry to have wasted his sacrifice but I was not going to relinquish him so easily. I followed them to this era, and kept track of them ever since."

Slightly lost, Leona inquired, "Then, you know what happened to your brother. That he has disappeared…"

Shinobu's mood lightened as she recalled, "If you mean, did I see him betrayed by Magaki, then yes. That event, however, could be seen as a blessing in disguise. Shion was merely tapped, and, once he and I managed to free him, I was reunited with my brother for first time in years. He only recently rejoined Those From The Past, prompting my visit here tonight."

Kyo pointed out frankly, "I'm happy for you, but there's a huge hole here: if Ash, Saiki, or whoever is gone … what are you all still doing here?"

Hiroshi carried on the thought, "That's actually a good question; maybe you can shed some light on it: Elisabeth says Ash 'erased' himself and his ancestor, but if that's true, then why is everything he did not undone? Or even stranger, why do we all still remember Ash and Saiki?"

Shinobu thought for a moment before answering, "No one knows for certain, but if speculation from Shion, Botan, and the others is accurate… then it seems that before he disappeared, Saiki managed to isolate the timelines so that the only life affected by his destruction would be his own life. That would explain why his impact is still intact without him."

Vice tersely asked, "Wait, so all that 'One-Ruling-Time' crap wasn't just him jerking off? He could actually do that?"

Shinobu replied, "It appears so. I suspect he hoped we would cause you trouble in general while being stranded would punish us for failing him."

Mature chuckled briefly, saying, "So, he screwed everyone even when he didn't exist… Wow, I know about being a jerk, but that's a new level of bastard on me."

Leona intently moved the conversation along, asking, "I think that wraps up the confusing chapters of this, so… What is the next plot? What did you find out about the current plans of Those From the Past?"

Shinobu took a deep breath, and revealed, "Shion confirmed this to me: they are going forward with Saiki's original plan… Those From The Past are going to attempt to revive Gaia's Will, Orochi."

That revelation hit the room like a meteor, with everyone having an immediate reaction. Adel and Hiroshi were mostly unaffected, but still stood silent from the evident shift in the room. Kyo and Benimaru were incredulous, wordlessly exasperated at the thought of another group trying to release mankind's worst enemy. Chizuru, also irked by the very idea, clenched her fists in anger at the direct affront of her duty. Mature and Vice were struck with an odd and powerful hesitancy; part of them leapt for their master while another part of them was plagued by a familiar doubt fostered by their current situation. The most impacted was Leona: her body went cold. Her skin lost all pigmentation as she went pale. Her eyes widen and her mouth slightly fell agape while her teeth unconsciously clenched. The unveiling filled her with most intense fear and dread she had ever felt. Hiroshi soon noticed Leona's state and, concerned, approached her and held her hand in comfort and reassurance…

Benimaru finally said, in disbelief, "I don't get it; how is waking king cobra supposed to help … anyone?"

Shinobu solemnly explained, "It is not intended to be a complete resurrection. They're hoping to channel enough of Orochi's power into a vessel in order to force the Time Gate open again."

Adel got a thought and anxiously asked, "Wait, vessel? No, they have my sister, Rose. Are they thinking of using her as the vessel?"

Shinobu calmly said, "That is unlikely. Your bloodline is peculiarly caustic to Orochi's power and vice versa. Your father's demise from its influence proves that."

Reaching for something, anything else, Kyo inquired, "This is crazy. Hiro, you've got spiritual connections; isn't there some way to head them off or something?"

Hiroshi gave it some thought, slowly shook his head in the negative and explained, "NO. Time is an Earthly element; Heaven has no bearing on it."

Chizuru confirmed, "It's true. Any manipulation of time only affects Earthly world, thus is ruled by Gaia. The question … is how? Who would even be the vessel?"

At a loss for a moment, Shinobu eventually said, "Neither Shion nor I know the exact process the operation will undergo. However, the dilemma of the vessel was solved by Saiki himself. For his own plan, he scoured all of time, almost becoming stranded himself, and eventually found Hebi Kokuo … the ultimate vessel of Orochi for all of history. However, his difficulty forced him to take Hebi at eight years old, long before he's to be ready at 27."

Temporarily shaking her terror-induced catatonia, Leona forced out, "This is all … very helpful. But, with your brother in danger as a double agent… why risk so much to tell us? Why are you both working … to stop this group's plans?"

Shinobu frankly said, "Because this was not a good idea the first time. Or the second time. Or any time. This plan has never ended well for the participants involved; it has literally failed each time throughout history… On a more fundamental level, it is true Those From The Past and myself are not exactly humans, but we are close enough; I doubt Orochi will see much of a difference."

Consulting the specialists, Hiroshi asked, "Any objections to that, shimai?"

Mature took a quick look at Shinobu and replied, "Nope. I'd say she's a very smart girl."

"I won't argue with the experts." Hiroshi said as his voice turned to concern, "Still, I'm not sure about this plan; I mean, it doesn't seem like you all have a lot of options, and there's a very off-chance this plan might work. I guess I'm wondering why you're opposing Those From The Past when it seems you'd want the same thing."

Shinobu expressed with difficulty, "At this point… I just want it to be over; it has been years. Before all of this, I had everything I ever needed. I loved my country, I loved my family, and I loved my brother, but now… History says that our lineage ended because we disappeared, and because we were not there to defend it, Imperial China fell. I just got my brother back after losing him as well. Saiki and those loyal to him, Magaki, Mukai, and Botan, have shattered what me and even the others had, and I don't know if going back in time can even fix it… My goal, the goal of my brother and I, is to see this whole ordeal finished."

A silence fell over the room like a blanket, until Benimaru finally said with a deep breath, "I think we can all agree with that. So, what do we do to stop them? Do we maybe cancel the tournament?"

The suggestion confusing Adel and Hiroshi, Chizuru protested, "No. If we cancel the tournament now, they may simply kidnap sacrifices for Orochi. No, this way, we can better anticipate their actions and adjust. It also gives us a better chance of facing them directly, as one of us should become their target."

Shinobu expressed, "I would like to fight as well. Can that be arranged?"

Kyo asked out of curiosity, "Are you even prepared to fight on the fly like this?"

Shinobu produce two fierce-looking hookswords from her sleeves and responded, "I am always ready to do battle, do not worry."

Adel said accommodatingly, "I see. In that case, Kyo and I don't have teams, so you can team with us."

Hiroshi, thinking logistically, asked, "Wait, that puts the team count at 23. How are we going to table that out?"

Adel figured out quickly, "We'll be the 'Accident' team. You know several teams usually drop out after the first round, and even if they don't, something weird always happens. This way, whenever a replacement team is needed, we'll be an easy substitute."

Hiroshi resolutely concluded, "Then, there's only one thing we can do now: be in the right place at the right time."

All the arrangements essentially laid out, the group adjourned, scattering and disappearing back into the party. Hiroshi took special note of the unusually-quiet Vice and Mature, and the obviously affected Leona before going back to his duties. Chizuru found her way to her friends, sat at the bar next to Mai in front of King…

Mai happily said, "Yo, Chizuru-chan, where did you run off too?"

Chizuru answered, slightly distracted, "Oh, nowhere. Just … sorting out some things for the tournament…"

Noticing Chizuru's fixation, King questioned, "Looks like you're thinking really hard over there. Wanna talk about it?"

Not wanting to worry her friends, Chizuru thought quickly and redirected her attention, "I was just thinking. It's never happened before, but it's about time… It's about time a women's team won this tournament. What do you say, ladies?"

Mai raised her glass and excitedly concurred, "I'll drink to that, sister!"

King fixed a drink for herself, and raised her glass as well, harmonized, "Count me in. Let's show them what we can do."

With that, The Gorgeous team touched glasses, and drank to their goal…

Reassurance

At their improvised headquarters, Those From The Past had turned in for the night, all except for one. Hebi, his body still aching from the day's training, sat on the balcony of his room, and looked up at the starry night as he thought about his upcoming task. He jumped just when he got a visitor but relaxed when he saw who it was, their brownish-red hair with light blue bangs sticking out under the moon's light…

Hebi, still slightly startled, greeted his elder, "H-Hello, Shion-sama."

Checking on the youngster, Shion asked, "Hey, Hebi; what are you doing here? Are you alright?"

Hebi quickly replied, almost anxiously, "Y-Yes. I'm perfectly fine. Everything's fine."

Slightly caught off the guard by the suddenness, Shion said, "Okay, okay; I believe you. Calm down… Don't stay out here too long. It's get cold."

Shion turned to leave but before he could even move to do so, Hebi said, "Shion-sama, please wait…"

Shion turned back and answered, "Yes; what is it?"

Hebi proceeded to ask out of great uncertainty, "Do you think I'm… I mean … Do you think I can … do this?"

Shion replied assuredly, "Of course I do. And even if I didn't, you've already done it in the future. There's nothing to be unsure about."

Hebi only gave a half-hearted smile in response, and still visibly grappled with something. Shion, realizing the privacy of the moment, allowed himself a brief, rare for this situation, concession for the sake of the boy's peace of mind…

Shion walked over and knelt next to the boy, speaking genuinely, "Listen, Hebi, I went to tell you that … I'm sorry. You're just a kid, and we're asking too much of you. Don't be ashamed or sad; you're a strong kid, and you're doing great. This will all be over soon, and you'll get back to your time and your family…."

"I don't… I don't have a family." Hebi hesitantly admitted, stating, "The people who've taken care of me are you. That's why I… I'm going to save us all. I'm going to make everyone proud … you the most, Shion-sama."

Confused and slightly crestfallen by the unwanted credit, Shion inquired, "Me? Why … me?"

Hebi expressed, "Because … you're always the nicest to me. You say my name and everything."

Shion, a lump growing in his throat from innocence-induced guilt, "Well… Don't you worry about that; I'm already proud… But, right now, you should just focus getting some sleep."

As Shion started to leave again, Hebi said once more, "Shion-sama… thank you so much."

Shion, trying to hide his dejection, replied, "You're welcome, Hebi… Don't mention it."

Finally, exiting, Shion resigned even more resolutely to stopping the plan, so that, in addition to everything else, at least Hebi wouldn't have to do anything drastic…

The party was over, and all the guests were had gone. Duck King and King with Sally and Elizabeth were packing their equipment. All around other workers were busy as well: breaking down tables, sweeping the floor, emptying trash, and all things related. The ballroom had acquired the scent of humanity, a thick mixture of sweat and imbibed alcohol, but solace came from the opened windows to the balcony and the pleasant aroma of the kitchen of the kitchen cleaning away remnants of food past.

Hiroshi, as his duties wound down, unwound as well: his tie was now gone, his collar sat unbuttoned, and his suit jacket had long since come open. Finishing up, he ushered the last of the guests out, and checked the rooms for any amorous couples straggling behind. Eventually, he got to the ballroom to a welcome sight: Leona standing on the balcony looking up into the night. He eagerly strolled over to her without so much of a second thought… As she gazed at the stars, Leona was lost in thought about everything: the plans of Those From The Past, how they could affect her, and what all of that meant for... Suddenly, her thoughts were cut short when she saw Hiroshi approaching.

"What a night." Hiroshi pleasantly said, "Did you enjoy the party, Leona-chan?"

Leona silently answered, giving only a nod and a small smile…

"Thinking had, I see." Hiroshi observed kindly, "I'd love to hear about it, if you don't mind telling."

Leona sighed and looked at Hiroshi with obvious conflict in her eyes. That was all the answer Hiroshi needed.

"Oh, you're worried about Shinobu told us…" Hiroshi deduced. Leona nodded in confirmation, and Hiroshi continued reassuringly, "It's okay; another year, another crazy scheme. The slight bright side is that we usually don't know about the plots until things have gone crazy. Anyway, if Iori, Kyo-san, and Chizuru-sama could stop it on their own last time, then I'm sure all of us can stop it this time."

"It's … not just that." Leona softly disclosed, "I'm worried about … you and me."

His demeanor shifting more serious but still trying to be cheerful, Hiroshi replied, "We'll be fine, I think. I mean, I can understand why you'd have doubts; I have some, too… Still, we've both got really strong family beside us; you're a highly–skilled fighter, and I can hold my own if I need to. As long as we stay together, I'm sure we'll fine."

Leona looked around briefly, her natural habit before getting personal, and lightly laid her hands on Hiroshi's cheeks, tenderly holding his face…

Leona warmly entreated, "Hiroshi… please promise you'll be safe, no matter what happens to me."

A little caught off-guard at first, Hiroshi laid his hands over hers, and replied, "I promise… And, I won't let anything happen to you, either."

Even with her boyfriend's encouragement, Leona was still plagued by her self-doubt. She wanted more than anything not to have a recurrence of the last time especially now that Hiroshi was with her, fearing what could happen if she lost herself again. Leona, trying to settle herself, hugged him and held him close, and Hiroshi lovingly returned the gesture, wrapping her arms around in kind. It was still clear to him she was worried by how firmly she clutched … almost desperately.

End Chapter

A/N: There you have it. Incredible how I wanted to cut down on the words, and this one ended up even longer than the first one. Again, I'm exceedingly thankful and appreciative that you stayed with, and I really hope I could entertain you the entire time. Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you come back to read more. Please R&R, and as always, Rant, Rave, and Review.