Whew... I would have liked to get this out on the exact day of the 3-year anniversary of this story, but it just wasn't in the stars. Regardless, I feel it would be poetic if I were able to bunker down and finish this thing in September! Well... okay, I won't finish the fic, but the tournament itself will at least be concluded. Hopefully.
This chapter was just a chance for me to get a bunch of closure out. I just wanted to have some fun, do heavy dialogue... and cuddles. There's lots of cuddles. Because snuggling is life.
Thanks, as always, to everybody who has stuck with me on this journey. And especially thanks to the close friends that have helped me. You know who you are : )
The chapter title is a reference to an epic chapter in Fire Emblem, for the GBA. A very beloved series to me. Enjoy.
There was an exhausting amount of work that had to be done when the ship finally landed again. He had to keep the press from snooping around; as far as the world knew, about 30 lawmen had gone missing during the rampage at the Stadium, but their locations were unknown. They would have to be discreetly dumped off somewhere, until they came back to their senses and figured out what to do on their own. They wouldn't remember a thing...thus, Adelheid and the others couldn't be tied to it, and trying to get a report out of them would be useless.
...But most importantly, he had a special cargo that needed handling. He was fully prepared to tie all the crimes to her, slander her, run her name in the mud until the she was Germany's Most Wanted Criminal... but that wasn't what needed to happen.
"Police are all over the Stadium." Krauser spoke with a weary voice, his fingers massaging the bridge between his eyes. "The press is still occupied over there. What a mess..."
"We'll have to make the bodies disappear. Our window is closing fast." Heidern urged. By the time they come to, we need to have zero involvement in this. Hopefully, they won't remember a thing about the Sky Noah."
"At least everyone's okay..." Adelheid assured. A long, airy sigh, and his legs wobbled beneath him; the man looked ready to fall over.
"You need medical attention. Or a bed, at the very least." Krauser worried.
"Can't... too much to do tonight." Adelheid sighed again. "Let's get started."
"We'll help." Yuki and Ai volunteered. They turned to the others. "You guys, thanks for everything... you've done enough today. Go back and relax."
Mai stretched, yawning loudly. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... don't need to tell me twice. Cmon Andy, let's go eat and then snuggle."
"Right behind you." Andy puffed out.
The ninja couple walked away, followed by Athena, who stood there for an extra second, just to make sure they didn't need her. By the time the heroes cleared off, there were only two left standing there: Lin, and the blonde woman credited with the ultimate catch.
"I'm not going anywhere." Lien stated. "Not until it happens... and I want a front row seat."
Their eyes cut over to the subject in question: currently being guarded by Hein and Iroha, the very pets she had brainwashed to do her bidding... she sat on the ground of her own will, a testament to her ultimate defeat and humiliation. Eyes only stared down, at the patterns of the coarse concrete beneath her... Botan had nothing left. Every last card had been played, down to the most desperate ace. The only thing remaining in this world- revenge on Ash Crimson - had even been denied her. There was nothing left... except whatever fate was to befall her tonight. At this point, she wasn't sure she'd shy away from it.
"Adelheid."
He was called back to reality by Heidern's voice. He turned to see the tall man looking at him...that eye filled with a solemn intensity.
"Do what you need to do."
Adel cut his eyes down to her, then back to Heidern. A weary sigh from his lips... he was tired. Physically. Mentally. The thought of what had to be done made him even moreso. He wished he could go away from all this; just collapse into a bed and sleep this week away until it was a distant memory. But he was burdened with bigger responsibilities...that was the nature of bearing the Bernstein name. With all the virtue and misfortune it brought with it.
"Nobody follow me." his voice managed firmness despite his fatigue. "I don't want... anyone to see me do this."
Heidern and Krauser looked at each other, as did Yuki and Ai, but the four of them soon responded with a silent, consenting nod. They had important tasks of their own to attend to, after all.
...One other, however, would not be deterred. The blonde did not back away, but rather advance forward, until she was standing face to face with Adelheid, her arms folded.
"Sorry... but I want tickets to this show. And nothing you say is going to sway me."
Adel rolled his eyes. He was too tired to argue... and Lien had hand-delivered his enemy to him, after all. He was in no position to say no.
"So this is it then, huh?" Botan snarled in defiance even as she was being shoved against the wall of a nearby secluded alley. "You're just going to execute me in the street like a dog?"
They picked a dark, quiet place. Nobody would bother them here. Adelheid now stood, before the eyes of his enemy... one who had not only tortured, tormented him all week long... but this vendetta spanned back several years, when she chose his innocent sister to corrupt, for their evil ambitions. Botan was a threat to his family. The world. She couldn't be allowed to continue. He couldn't let her be in his life... for another second.
Lien and Lin flanked Adelheid; the only two who would be witness to what was about to happen. The Bernstein man stepped forward on shaky, fatigued legs, as his vengeance began to flare in those red eyes.
"Before I do this... just tell me why. WHY? Why do you hate me and Rose so much? Why do you torture us endlessly?! Are we just playthings to you?!"
Botan wasn't quick to respond. She only stared back, with piercing eyes, her lips curved downwards in a scowl that dared to defy her fate...
...Until it suddenly curved upwards, into a smirk that set Adel's blood ablaze.
"I would have done this to anybody."
"WHAT?!" Adel's voice was nearly a roar, only slightly checked due to their discreet circumstances.
"There's only one person I hate in this world... and that's Ash Crimson." Botan explained. "He killed Saiki, my leader, my light. He destroyed our organization, robbed us of our immortality. For that, I'll never forgive him. To see him dead would be my greatest pleasure. Not erased. DEAD."
She continued. "I have nobody and nothing to live for. My only salvation is to strike back at the world, until you feel the same emptiness that I feel. First, I tried to build a clone army that could conquer humanity. You put an end that one yourself. When we started this week... you were just an amusement. A petty little payback for foiling my scheme... an auspicious indulgence, for what I did to your sister years back."
"So we were just a game to you." Adelheid seethed. "You just wanted to... continue the fun, huh? It wasn't enough to mess with Rose, you wanted to get me back for last year. For stopping a plot bred of madness!"
"It started out as a game," Botan responded back, eerily calm. "But every time you slipped through my fingers... I felt my blood boil more and more. It reminded me of how HE got away... with that shit-eating little smirk on his face. That's when you became an obsession. I HAD to get you."
Her emotions began to finally flare up, and she took a step forward. "You wanna know the truth?! You and your sister are NOTHING to me! You're just a convenient replacement for my wrath! You were just the next best thing to wander into my-"
SLASH!
Her words were cut short. Literally.
Adelheid's chi manifested not silver... but the classic red of his predecessor. His foot returned to the ground, in enough time to see the frozen face of Botan, shock settling in...
A violent gargle. Blood expelled from her mouth, before her strength finally abandoned her and she collapsed to the ground. All around her, a pool of red began to trickle... wider... and wider.
The Bernstein man only looked at it for a fleeting second, before turning his back, his eyes desperately trying to shut out what was happening. His teeth grit furiously, as short, panicked breaths borderlined on hyperventilating. His hand instinctively found his chest, as to stop it from pounding free.
"What's the matter?" Lien smirked. "Can't enjoy your handiwork?"
"SHUT UP!" Adelheid lashed at her. "I don't... I... I've never... I don't... kill... in cold blood. This is my first... and my only."
"Well, it gets easier." Lien casually stated. "Oh, look at her. Trying to crawl away."
That finally got Adel's attention again; he whipped around to witness as the blonde said: his nemesis was clawing herself forward with the last remnants of her strength, trying to exit the alley. But the vast trail of red being smeared behind her didn't speak highly of her chances.
"She won't get far. She's bleeding too much." Lien slapped Adel on the shoulder and started to walk away. "Let her suffer. Cheers."
Adel tore his eyes away again. A sense inside him compelled him to step forward and finish the job... end it humanely. But he found himself hesitating; the thought of making a person stop breathing... it made him nauseous. Or maybe it was something worse... maybe this was a pitiful justification, and his dark side WANTED her to suffer to her last. It was an excruciating dilemma: one that made him want to just collapse right then, and close his eyes, and wake up in a better place and time.
Thankfully, his ally was also there, to lead him when his own mind was too muddled. "Let's get out of here. She's done."
Lin tugged his arm to urge him away from the scene. Adel only had the will to cut his eyes back one last time... before he turned away and walked on, never looking back. He was tired of schemes. Tired of vendettas. Tired of having to make choices. Tired of this week. He just wanted to sleep. Sleep this week away.
HOSPITAL, NIGHTFALL
The day had gone so quickly. Between the semifinals, Magaki's rampage, the return of Goenitz, the hijacking of the ship, the mission to bring it back down to Earth, the return, the hectic work to cover it up... night had fallen over Munich, Germany, to cast a shroud on the madness and evil this day had wrought, until the sun rose again to beckon a new day, a new beginning.
"Listen, I only shit myself that one time in Curitaba, when we were taking down that drug cartel. And only because an RPG-7 landed a few feet from my head!"
"Well I still had to smell you the entire flight home. And we had to hose out the Hind when we got back."
The room currently occupied by the Ikari Warriors was host to a very interesting conversation, somehow sparked up between the two soldiers who had seen enough together to write a book.
A flustered Ralf, obviously the subject of this talk, blurted, "Can we PLEASE not talk about this with Leona in the room?! Show some respect!"
Clark was wearing a smug, demeaning expression on his face, until their blue-haired counterpart, flanking them in an adjacent chair, opened her mouth.
"Actually, Lieutenant, you're in no position to be pulling rank here." Leona addressed the smirking Clark, whose face changed VERY quickly. "I recall a similar incident involving you in Kabul, back in '92."
Now it was Clark's turn to be flustered red. "Wha-h-HOW DO YOU REMEMBER THAT?!"
Leona's face was ever-static. "I just do."
Ralf laughed aloud. "HA! HAHAHAHA! That's what you f***ing get!"
Outside the door, a much-calmer Heidern stood with his arms folded, his back against the wall. It was perhaps the most relaxed he'd been since his time here.
"They seem to be in good spirits." Adelheid, whose back was against the adjacent wall, spoke to the commander.
Heidern nodded. "It's about time for me to take them home. I'm sure they'd prefer the base hospital over these fancy digs."
Adelheid managed a tiny smile. "They're soldiers before they're tourists."
A passing silence filled the hallway, save for the loud muffled voices of the outspoken soldiers on the other side of the door. Some laughing commenced, meaning they had moved on from the embarrassing conversation to something more mutually humorous.
...Finally, Heidern's curiosity broke through, and he addressed the elephant in the room. "Did you do it?"
Adelheid knew what he meant, and his change in facial expression reflected it. "I... did. It wasn't... I... didn't want to. I had to. I... didn't enjoy it."
Heidern nodded firmly. "That's good."
Adelheid's eyebrow cocked. "Good?"
Heidern's eye intensified. "Never lose that... it's what separates you from him."
His skin crawled; he knew who Heidern was referring to. It made the interaction inevitably awkward, to be his seed, standing here, talking to the man who...
Heidern sensed the conversation had taken an uncomfortable turn, and shifted away. "Son, you're barely on your feet at this point. Go get some sleep. Let the world maintain for one night."
A yawn instinctively escaped in response; he was getting to the point of not even being able to carry on a rational conversation. Though always humble, he felt that now, of all times... he had done enough. He DESERVED to quit.
"Roger that..." he all but mumbled out, before another yawn followed it, and his feet began to skulk on their way, borderline on autopilot, towards Rose's room. Not caring how awkward he left things, as his only intentions were to skulk in there, close the door, and shut his eyes immediately.
"So Leona, you gonna say goodbye to your boyfriend?" Ralf asked, with the smuggest of smirks.
Leona maintained her perfect poker face. "He is not my boyfriend. And I don't have to announce or explain my comings and goings with him. He's capable of understanding, as I would be on the other end."
"Alright, sheesh, sorryyyyy..."
Though Ralf's attempt at a comedic poke failed, there was a small feeling inside her that wanted to see Iori one last time... but she suppressed it. Having too much of a good thing would only lead to it being taken for granted. Thus, she let the fleeting thought pass, and looked to the horizon of finally being able to go back home, safe and sound, with her brothers.
Since getting brutally yelled at, Rose had pretty much gone through the motions for the rest of the evening. Eating when hungry, drinking when thirsty, using the restroom when necessary. A lot of time was spent sitting... staring... reflecting. The news had covered the story all evening, and she was forced to relive the same story over and over, how she flipped out and tried to attack Iori, only for him to cut her down in self defense.
"So, to sort of sum up my feelings on this matter... do I think that what Rose Bernstein did was wrong? Yes, I do. However, I also agree that the action was... passionately driven. When you look at what she did, not as a hostess, but as a German patriot, and a sister for that matter, there is a... human element here, that felt anger, sorrow, when she saw Adelheid be defeated in such a gruesome fashion. It feels... almost like a robbery. Like 'that was supposed to be OUR moment.' And she felt that Iori Yagami not only denied her, but the entire country of Germany, of what was supposed to be a championship homecoming."
"But you still can't do that to somebody. At the end of the day, you still can't just attack somebody! It's unprofessional, it's not befitting of a King of Fighters official, and there's a level of professionalism there that has to be maintained, regardless conflict of interest."
"I agree, I agree! No no, I agree completely! I am just trying to- look, I'm not trying to give Rose the benefit of the doubt, per se, I am simply trying to... tackle this, from a perspective of understanding and empathy towards what Rose Bernstein, the human being, might have been feeling in that moment. And I think, were it me in that position, or you, there's a part of me that might have wanted to do the same thing. I'm just SAYING. Hypothetically."
"And we'll go to break on that one. More on that, AND of the massive Stadium attack that may have marked the end of the Tournament, when we come back."
Rose angrily shoveled red gelatin into her mouth while listening to the scathing news report; upon realizing the flavor that hit her, that, plus the addition of her elevated emotions, caused her to lash out, once again, unprofessionally.
"Ugh... CHERRY! THIS SUCKS!"
She threw the cup halfway across the room, hitting the wall next to the tv and leaving a red, goopy trail that trickled to the floor molding. Her angry, hot-boxing breaths overpowered the tv volume. She didn't need to be weakly justified by some ignorant news reporter; she did what she did, because she loved her brother. She wanted the world for him. Iori Yagami stole that from her... and Adel had the gall to yell at her for it. She had a right mind when he came back in to-
"Ah?!" she jumped when she heard the door open abruptly, completely unprepared for her brother to come stumbling back in the room. He didn't look at her; simply slammed the door and immediately proceeded to the nearby recliner, where he collapsed and stretched out.
"Where have you been?!" she interrogated. "I've been worried about you! What have you been doing?"
She then noticed his leg. "Th-that blood is fresh! Adel, what's going on? What were you doing this whole time?"
"Just... shut up... Rose." Adelheid's eyes didn't even open. His words were almost a breath. "I handled it... just shut up and... lemme sleep..."
"Handled what?!"
No response. His eyes remained shut, chest lifting and falling... his breath seemed slightly raspy. He was still as a rock.
"Adelheid..."
Her curiosity got the best of her; disconnecting herself from whatever tubes the hospital had hooked up, she struggled out of bed, her face wincing upon her feet touching down. She limped over to where he lay, and really got a good look at him: bags under his eyes, hair disheveled, several parts of him both crusted with old blood and stained with fresh... he looked awful.
"Adelheid..." she shook him. "Please open your eyes! Talk to me!"
No response.
She was aware, on at least a coherent level, what he had endured this week. She was there when he got wounded, there to help him through his injuries and ensure he was capable of continuing the tournament. The tournament... the tournament... it was always about him winning it. As long as he won, no sacrifice was too great. He could take it. He was her brother. Big, strong, beautiful... invincible.
...But right then, at that moment, as she saw him laying there, bloody, worn, too tired to even escape the realm of unconsciousness... it seemed to finally hit her. It hit hard, and without mercy, as she looked upon the body of the man who was most precious to her in the world...and all at once, her eyes flooded with tears.
"Oh my god, Adelheid... what have I done to you?"
Her will to stand completely left her; she collapsed atop him and wept loudly, her face buried against him, leaking tears down his torso. Somehow, it had eluded her this long... to imagine him dead. To imagine a world without her brother. It seemed unbelievable. Not him... not Adelheid. He was strong... stronger than their father. He would be there for her always... he promised...
At that moment, Rose cursed the King of Fighters tournament. She cursed the moment she got the idea in her head, that led them to this. So much blood, so much pain... for her personal glory, she used him, weathered him down like a rusty tool... until he was too tired to open his eyes. If he never woke up... it'd be her fault. She'd have killed her family. Her rock. The other half of her soul.
"Sniff...Adelheid... sniff..." she could barely talk through her sniffles. "I'm sorry... sniff... I'm so sorry... this week... sniff... things got so muddy. I forgot... what mattered most to me... sniff... is having you with me, safe and sound. I don't care if you're a champion... sniff... I just... sniff... want you with me, forever... as long as I have that... nothing else matters."
She lay atop him, her tears washing away the shell of vanity, and birthing new clarity. She could only pray that her mistakes hadn't cost her the ultimate price... she prayed that he would wake up tomorrow, and she could start anew, and go back to that simpler time... a time before the Twilight Tournament. Back to just them.
RANDOM BAR IN MUNICH, NIGHT
For as many fighters that were privy to the events of the Sky Noah hijacking, there were select few whose heads it went completely over. One such individual being Iori Yagami, who had paid his service, shed his blood, in the ferocious battle at Allianz Arena. Tired, hurting, alone, Iori indulged in a rare pastime: drowning himself in drink at a local German pub. He was already starting to get a decent collection of empty Heinekens, forming a horizontal line on the bar in front of him, but the bartender knew better than to cut him off.
"Runnin on empty." Iori swished his current bottle in the air, demonstrating he'd reached the bottom of yet another. He tilted it up, downing the remains, setting the bottle down just in time for another to thud in front of him, the two impacts on the counter in perfect sync.
He resumed, using his impressive fingers to remove the top. Iori never looked deep in a bottle to settle his woes; he usually had other distractions keep him at ease. Music, training, cigarettes, beef with a certain Kusanagi bastard...the two skanks that never left him alone.
Right now, he had none of it. When his options ran limited, the drink became more enticing, an easy fix to the pain and grief he carried on a daily basis.
"Aren't you too young for this place, little lady?"
He was confused by the question; he looked up to see who was being addressed, and that's when he noticed the girl, with exquisite ruby eyes and long auburn hair, who was clearly out of her element in this place, but played it cool as ice regardless.
"Half and half. Leave the carton." She requested. The bartender looked at her oddly for a second, but eventually went to a nearby mini fridge, grabbed her strange request, and placed it in front of her. She nodded graciously, before peeling back the spout and putting the confection to her lips.
"Ice brat." Iori couldn't resist the temptation of striking conversation with his fellow finalist, now uncanny drinking guest.
"Mr. Yagami." she greeted, not looking up from her diligent sipping.
"Didn't think your moms would let you in a place like this."
"They don't know I'm here. They're probably looking for me."
They let silence carry on for minute, as they tended to their respective beverages, until Kula began to lead once again. "Sniff sniff...you stink. You smell like foreign beer."
Iori scoffed. "Yeah, well you reek of rainbows and unicorns."
"Why are you drinking so much?"
"Adult reasons." was his blunt non-answer.
"Are you angry because the tournament's ruined?" was her deduction.
A short laugh. "Pffft. Ha. I couldn't give a tugger's Kleenex about this godforsaken tourney."
Kula's face twisted. "Gross."
Iori took another hard swig, as his body language suggested inebriation. "Far as I'm concerned, the German should have beaten me. Sighhhhh...but I'm just too damn good..."
Iori continued rambling, as if Kula wasn't even there, as if he were talking to the ceiling. "Stupid fuggn Kyo... if he were here, he would've given me a good match. The perfect match. The German was good...damn good... but he wasn't quite there. He's not him."
Kula wasn't sure how well he was listening, but threw in her sentiment nonetheless. "It's not fair. I needed that money. It was going to make everything better."
"Yeeah well tough ones, kid." Iori was clearly slurring. "Life's not a big ol' banana split."
Kula frowned, setting her carton down with some force. "You don't have to be such a jerk about it. No wonder people don't like you."
That only produced a laugh. "Haha! Don't high road me. You can be a little mean too...the way you smoked that hard bastard."
"Are you trying to get on my bad side?" Kula threatened. "I lost a friend over that. Someone who was helping me feel not alone."
"Well, join the club." Iori grunted. "What's the friggin point...friends. You'll either hurt em or kill em. People who live our type of life... we're better off. Sighhhhhh...those two... friggin witches... didn't care who I was, what I did, how much the world hated me...hellfire and apocalypse, they were always there... always...fukn there..."
"Why do you have to make yourself the bad guy?" Kula tried to decipher his drunken rambling. "Even you've got people who care about you. Miss Chizuru does."
Another obnoxious snort. "Chizuru...her fault I'm here in the first place. Wanted me to 'have a good time'...I mean how naïve can you get? Pfeeh... should give her a piece of my mind when I get out of here."
Kula was struggling to reign in Iori's rationale, so she followed suit, baring her own feelings. " I just don't know why I couldn't make Hotaru understand...Gato was going too far. He deserved what he got. And it helped them get back together in the end. So why...why is she so upset with me?"
"Maybe she just wants to see the good in everybody...sounds just like friggin Chizuru.. two peas in a pod. Maybe we both just don't deserve "good people" like a Chizuru and a ho... Hota...that pigtailed brat."
Kula emptied the last of her carton, setting it down with a long sigh. "Perhaps... but I still want to try. The warmth and comfort of a friend is an addicting feeling...when you lose it, your whole body aches. I have to get that feeling back. I can't...stand the cold anymore."
Iori was actually struck silent by that surprising sentiment. What had been easy snarky comebacks and sarcastic dismissals up to this point, was now an almost humble acknowledgement of the ice girl's insight.
Kula took the opportunity to double down, actually turning to face the intoxicated man. "Everybody deserves a friend, Iori. I'm going to get mine back. I think you need to make things right with Chizuru, instead of convincing yourself that she's better off without you."
Iori couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of being given life advice by someone younger than him. "Hah... you been drinking insightful milkshakes or some shit?"
Kula's eyes narrowed. "I may be 15, but I know more than you think. I'm not dumb."
"Hey, I didn't say you were. Chill, kid."
"...Please tell me that wasn't a pun."
Kula picked up her empty carton and shook it, re-confirming that she had savored the last drop. Setting it down roughly with a sigh, she rose from the stool. "Well... I think I've kept Diana and Foxy worried long enough. Get somewhere safe, Mr. Yagami. Try not to stumble into an oncoming car."
Iori snorted. As she got off the stool and paid the bartender, he didn't let her get far before calling to her one last time.
"...Hey, ice brat."
She stopped. Turned. "Hm?"
"What are we gonna do about this?"
Although he played the pronoun game, she used logic to realize what he was talking about. Her face took a carefree shift. "I wouldn't mind freezing you solid, but there's no incentive in it for me. I heard the money was looted during the Stadium attack. I've got nothing to fight for."
Iori threw a dismissing hand up. "There's no sport in it for me at this point. I'd sooner go back home and forget all this."
"So... it's just cancelled then? Seems like a lame ending. I feel bad for the Bernsteins. Well, the brother at least. Kay, bye~!"
As Iori watched Kula walk away, those last words somehow left a resounding linger in the air... he put a hand to his chin and thought. He closed his eyes, mustered his jumbled brain the best he could... it might have been the alcohol, but he couldn't decide if he was having a rash, impulsive thought, or if the booze had given him an inhibition-free clarity like a clear river.
But he had a thought.
CASTLE STRONHEIM, PARLOR
"So I was on a rooftop, staring down at my second-most-hated nemesis..." a finally-liberated Eiji explained. "Then everything just went blank. Felt like I was asleep for a very, very long time. Then next thing I know, I wake up and... Mai is naked?"
Mai, who was sitting nearby, seemed to only take pride in this, as her arms affectionately squeezed tighter around Andy.
"Sounds like complete and total mind subjugation." Athena explained. "You were robbed of all cognitive thought, including memory. A submissive puppet who remembers nothing except the moment you went under and the moment you wake."
"How long was I gone for?"
Joe put a hand to his chin. "Hmm well... today was the semifinals and nobody's seen you until today, so... all week?"
Eiji's eyes popped. "All WEEK?! And nobody looked for me? Nobody tried to save me?! Did anyone even notice I was gone?!"
Andy scratched his head awkwardly. "Well, no offense Eiji, but... nobody really likes you. Your whole hatred of Kyokugens thing kinda... cramps our style."
"B-but...!"
"Hey relax, Purple Nurple." Malin, who sat beside him, slapped his shoulder. "He doesn't speak for everyone. I missed you. I just thought you were off doing mysterious mullet-ninja things."
Eiji extended his thumb towards her. "Well what about Malin?! She's the same way!"
"Uhhh yeah, and nobody likes Malin either. Case in point." Mai stated with glazed eyes.
Malin only seemed to grin wider. "Meh, I'm down with that. I feed off others' hatred. Num num num num... tasty~!"
A passing silence washed over the social area, a moment for several of the fighters that painted a picture of just how far this week had dragged, how far their numbers had scattered and worn down, how thoroughly the zeal and zest had been snuffed out of what was supposed to be the most exciting time of the year.
"Man...sure is dead around here now." Bonne Jenet, the primary advocate of good times, lamented. "Everyone's either gone home or in the hospital. We didn't even get to see how the tournament ended."
Malin grunted. "Ahh what's the point... I heard it from Mary, Big stole the money and rode out of here. My Sexy Knife God helped."
"Ugh, that genius!" Jenet whined. "Next time, we wait until a doomsday event before making our move on the prize vault!"
"Where is my sister anyway?" Mai asked.
"Went to bed." Benimaru responded. "Said she didn't want to be bothered the rest of the night. She looked like she's pissed at the whole world."
"Well damn..." She turned to the Bogard brother. "Andy baby, I think that's a good idea myself. Let's grab a bath and catch up on some snuggles. I'd like to sleep glowing after what we did today. That was SO romantic~"
Andy sort of chuckled. "Ehehe... yeah. Beating up brainwashed cops... and a scantily-dressed maid."
"Together, my love. Beating up brainwashed cops and a scantily-dressed maid... together~"
A kiss on his cheek and a tug on his arm compelled him upwards, and the couple prepared to retreat to their room for the night, but Mai was stopped by the sudden presence of her tall, raven-haired counterpart, who had made herself scarcely known that evening, but had finally slipped into the quarters with an exhausted sigh.
"Chiz, my gorgeousness!" she happily greeted. "You feeling alright?"
Chizuru turned, and, despite a pale, tired face with bags and disheveled hair, managed a tiny smile. "I'm fine... a little banged up, but fine."
"You sure showed him who's boss, eh? That bible-thumping windbag! Haha!"
The smile sort of devolved into a wince. "Y-yes... sorry Mai, but I'm not feeling talkative right now. I just helped Saisyu-sama to bed and I'm exhausted."
"How is Fire Pops?" Benimaru asked, now standing up, arms folded.
"He has a dislocated shoulder and fractured collarbone from Goenitz's attack." Chizuru responded. "But the most wounded thing is his pride. He feels bad that he left Iori and I to handle the business."
"Tch. Typical Kusanagi pride." Beni shook his head. "Though his son is found wanting in that department."
"With all due respect," Chizuru's voice was nearly a groan. "I just need a cup of tea, a shower, and to not be disturbed. Please understand."
"It's all good, Chiz." Mai leaned in and pressed a small peck on her temple. "You fought hard today. We all did. Let's crash and pray for things to hold up overnight. Coming, Andy?"
"Yeah, get some sleep Chiz." Benimaru gave her a good-natured pat.
What little ceremony was underway in the parlor at this late hour soon trickled away, until the scattered remnants of fighters still bedding there for the night were tucked into their sleeping quarters. Perhaps this last dying whimper of social presence at the Castle signified the true end of the week, and the end of the Twilight Tournament.
Bodies rustled beneath the sheets in the dim light, one broad and muscular, the other slender and toned, playing the aggressor and the follower respectively. Terry was surprised by her assertiveness, as her lips hungrily devoured his in a suffocating tempo, the man forced to break apart just to catch his breath, but even then she latched to his bottom lip and tugged him enticingly back into the rhythm. His hands explored and captured every delicate inch of her, smooth or bandaged, still flawless in his eyes.
"Mm...mm... mmph...mm- ow! D-don't roll over on me, Ter."
"Shit, sorry! You okay-mmph-"
"Mmph- I'm fine. Come here."
He tried to be more delicate, but she only seemed to get more aggressive, rolling him over while her lips continued to smother his. Before he knew it, he found himself on his back, her smaller frame pinning him down. Her hands slid up his pectorals, before traveling upwards to his jawline, where she seized his head and drove herself into his mouth once more. He cradled her tenderly, closed his eyes and indulged in her... drinking in a moment that felt taken for granted after the week she'd been through. A week that he might have lost her.
Finally, a break in the sequence. Mary pulled away, and let out a weary sigh... suddenly, she seemed to lose her vigor, as her head just slumped over onto his chest, and they lay dormant.
Terry slid his hands around, one gripping her hips, while another gently rubbed up and down her bare back, a small consolation to her grief if any.
"You okay?" he spoke softly.
She didn't pick her head up. Her voice against him was a low moan. "I'm tired and hurting, Ter... I don't have another week like this in me. I just don't. I just... don't."
He didn't know how to verbally respond, but his hands seemed to grip harder, possessively, as if the memories made him not want to lose her more.
She picked her head up, planting a tiny kiss on his pec, before looking in his eyes. "I'm going to be haunted by the things I've seen. Maybe the rest of my life, I dunno. I should be used to it... but I just couldn't prepare for what Freeman did. After seeing that... it changed me. I had to make sure nobody else died this week. Every war became MY war. But I just... I'm beaten down. I feel like I don't have the strength to strap my belt on."
"Then stop. You're finished." Terry urged. "Mary... think about yourself. Think about me."
His hand reached up from her back and found her cheek, cupping it. "Mary... I can't lose you. I can't. If something ever happens to you... it'll kill me."
She blinked back a tear, that threatened its way to the surface. Her voice teased a break. "I don't wanna be away from you either."
"Then promise me you'll stop. At least for a while. Just give us time to... be together."
She placed a hand on his wrist, where it held her cheek...and she could feel how hard he was grabbing, unconsciously, as he pleaded those words. She obviously thought highly of Terry, but somewhere along the week, her priories had gotten... confusing. Being here now, in this moment, in his embrace, simplified things. Reminded her what was most important in the world.
"Fine then." she smiled. "Consider me on extended leave."
His face brightened. "Thank you Mary... thank you. I love you."
Her lips again met his. "Love you too." They went back in to resume their session, both gaining newfound passion in the eve of their new promise. One hand wrapped around her back, while another snaked below the sheets to capture her thigh. A gentle squeeze, and she mewled softly in his mouth.
"Mmm..mm...mm- hey, are you sure it's a good idea to leave him-"
"Mmm- he's fine, he's got the best guard dog in the world watching him. Just kiss me."
"Mm...mm- yes ma'am."
Under the Castle, in the vast darkness of Krauser's personal wine reserve, a captive Yamazaki lay fast asleep, his wrists bound by handcuffs against the foundation itself. His mouth hung open, drool drizzling down the corner, as the room echoed with the unceremonious sounds of his obnoxious snoring. A few feet downwards, the dutiful dog Anton lay asleep on his foot, where the boy had apparently chewed on his shoe until passing out.
After striking down the luminous form of her most hated enemy, the rest of the day had been a blur for Chizuru.
Her wounds were tended by Heidern's expert hands. She remembered eating a little, and downing a few drinks to dull the pain. She, Shingo, and Benimaru helped Saisyu the best they could when it was apparent his wounds had evolved to broken bones. Between the intense battle with Adelheid, getting blasted by Magaki, and being blown back by Goenitz's wind, his body seemed to have finally reached his limit. She took care of him all evening, and finally helped him to bed... he was a lot less attractive when rambling on about his Kusanagi duty and how he "should have been there to strike down that evil fiend" with her. She'd heard enough of it for one day.
After the most blissful shower of her life, she threw on the first sleepwear she could grab and flopped into bed. NOTHING was going to stop her from closing her eyes, and letting this week melt away into oblivion. She was sick of it all.
THUD.
Even with the freedom of not being a hostess, this tournament still found a way to just be utterly grating.
THUD.
Perhaps it was time to take a page out of Kyo's book... maybe the way to escape this insanity was to just not show up. He was starting to look like the smartest one of the trio, albeit not the most responsible. At least two of them understood that this tournament was more of an obligation for them than a hobby.
THUD.
...What the hell was that banging against her door?!
She let out an audibly annoyed groan as she kicked the sheets aside, pushed her fallen strap over her shoulder, and stomped over to the door with the mental scenario of being scathingly rude swimming in her head. She was slightly self-conscious about greeting the intruder in a chest-baring blue nightie that didn't quite hang modestly low at the bottom, but at this point she was too tired, hurting, and pissed off to care about reservations.
She unlocked the door, twisted the knob, muscles straining not to fling it open and destroy her reputation with crassness.
...But once she saw who it was, her face, her demeanor, her entire preparation, flew out the window.
He collapsed against her immediately, his weight and frame threatening to topple her unprepared strength immediately. She rebounded and managed to hold him up, until his shaky legs managed to sustain himself.
"Mmfukkndrunk..." his words, barely discernible, ran together in nearly one syllable. He looked, for lack of a better word.. terrible. Hair messed up in an almost comical fashion, shirtless, but still containing the bottom half of his fighting uniform, lacking shoes and one sock.
"My god, Iori..." she called out with a slightly loud volume that had to be suppressed mid-sentence. His legs betrayed him again, and stumbled into her, and she had to hold him up while managing a foot to kick the door shut. She underestimated how heavy he was, however; sacrificing her footing caused him to overpower her, and the end result was them stumbling backwards into a crash on the mattress.
"Iori...dammit...!"
Hints of her annoyance returning, she treated the situation as a scramble to pry the drunken lunatic free of her, whilst her feet pushed backwards to at least try and slip out. He was making no effort on his part to get up, and the fact he let himself get inebriated enough to cease motor functions annoyed her even more. But the more she struggled backwards and the more futile it became, she finally stopped to pay attention to the state of the man who had collapsed atop her and became a glorified anchor, when she finally noticed he WAS capable of movement...
...she looked down, and saw that his arms had wrapped around her waist. He didn't want to get up.
Again, her conflicting emotions took a shift.
"Iori..." her voice became much softer, more sympathetic. She found herself no longer looking at him as a drunken hindrance and more as...someone who needed her.
"S'your fault..." he slurred against her, turning his head just enough on her chest that his words didn't muffle directly into her bosom. "Didn't want this...y'pushed me...threw me into all this...s'your damn fault..."
She knew his emotions were elevated by alcohol, but the words still stung her. She remembered pushing him at the start of the week... persisting on him entering the tournament, to have a good time, to broaden his horizons. How stupid it sounded now, in hindsight.
"...I'm sorry." she whispered. Her arms began to move without thought, encircling him, no longer repelling, but welcoming. "Iori... I'm so sorry. For everything. It's my fault you're here. You tried to tell me, but..."
"NO." he seemed to blurt, but corrected his tone a second later. "No. No... i'zz me. M' just... drunk. I'm a fukkin handful, I know... sorry...Chiz... don't 'pologize for anything. You didn't do 'nything wrong. You never do..."
She felt her insides warm a little. "The other one is a handful. I can handle you just fine."
She gently stroked his hair. She felt his body began to de-tense... and a soft sigh, as his arms tightened around her. Seeing him more relaxed brought her own soul ease as well, and she found the interaction to be a pleasant one, regardless of whatever frightful implications it may have started with. She allowed herself a moment to close her eyes, and breathe in.. and be thankful that they were here, and alive, to have this moment together.
"Ch..Chizssss..." he called her name, breaking the silence.
"Hmmm?"
The room was quiet for another second, as they lay there. She awaited Iori's next words... and they came out, more lucid than the previous ones.
"...Chizuru. I need... I need a... f... a favor."
"Mm, tell me." she whispered.
His arms tightened even harder around her, borderlining on an almost desperate clinging. She felt him shudder against her... and she could have sworn she felt wetness drizzle down her chest.
"Chizuru...I don't know when my time'll come." she heard muffled words. "Maybe it'll be 50 years, maybe 10, I don't fukkin know. But whenever it happens... I want to die like this. I want to die being held. By someone who... matters to me."
It felt warming to hear such a request, but not without an unsettling undertone... one that made her want to squeeze Iori tighter in turn, to ensure that he wouldn't slip away. That he would still be here with her, for the foreseeable future.
"I'll always be here for you, Iori." she responded softly. "Please understand that. No matter what... I'll be here."
"Th..thankssss Chiz... for always... being there... even when I'm a shithead... mmmgod you feel like silk...zzzzzzzz..."
He seemed to have finally slipped away. With a smile, Chizuru maneuvered enough that she could get her head on the pillow, and pulled the covers up over them. She loved seeing him at peace. She wanted to capture that feeling for the rest of the night.
HOSPITAL, THE NEXT DAY
When Adelheid awoke the next day, around lunchtime, he felt like he had a hangover... across his entire body. Everything hurt. He also felt a terrible numbness... though that culprit was quickly revealed to be Rose, who had been apparently sleeping atop him all night. Her eyes red and puffy, she appeared to have cried herself to sleep.
"Rose, get off me." he shook her awake. She came to quickly; upon returning to coherence, her face twisted in pain.
"Urrgh..."
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"It hurts...bad." she winced. "How about you?"
"I'm hurting from head to toe." he groaned in turn.
Despite body-wracking injuries, they both managed to their feet, though stretching would be a fruitless endeavor, lest they reopen their wounds. He saw her wobble slightly; he extended his arm, for her to use as a brace.
"Thanks..." she grunted. "Brother... what happened yesterday? What are you not telling me?"
Adel's face grew stern. "I'll... tell you about it someday."
She frowned. "But I want to know now-"
"It doesn't matter, Rose!" his voice was a bit firmer than he'd intended, causing her to recoil. A deep breath, before he returned to a more regular volume. "All that matters... is that this is finally over. We're free of it all. I'm going to Krauser's to tell everyone to go home. The tournament's cancelled."
She clutched his arm harder. "Adelheid... we can't do that, can we?"
"We can and we will." he nodded.
"But... we'll go down in infamy. We... I'll be the one responsible for ruining King of Fighters!"
"I don't care about any of that, and neither should you." he scolded. "Rose... all that matters, is that we get to carry on our lives. This is the end of King of Fighters for us. The end of corruption, tyranny, madness and death. I'm sick of it all! I'm getting out of it... and I'm not letting you drag us back in. Ever."
"Brother..." her face twisted, as if the words were a bigger wound than her injury. "That's not fair, and you know it. Not every year will be the same as this one."
He let go of her, and turned his back, heading towards the door. Before opening it, he delivered one last damning line.
"If you believe that, then you're just as naïve as when we started."
He opened the door and shut it, leaving Rose standing there, unsure of how to process the merciless newfound resolve of her jaded, cynical brother.
He limped through the hospital, stopping for nobody and nothing. There was no need to say goodbye to Heidern; they'd left at first light. His only concern was getting to the castle... letting Krauser know this was over. He didn't care about the fate of the tournament, or money loss, or ratings, or "reputation"... these weren't tangible things. But his life... his sister's life... those WERE.
He never checked in, so he was free to walk out the front door. Not that anyone would stop him. He made it down the concrete steps and through the parking lot... before bodies began to gather. It started out as a few scattered civilians, but they soon multiplied... they headed straight for him. He began to notice equipment among them: camera crews. He saw microphones. God... not today.
"MR. BERSNSTEIN! MR. BERNSTEIN RIGHT HERE!"
"ADELHEID! ADEL, A WORD PLEASE!"
"ONE QUESTION PLEASE!"
"MR BERNSTEIN CAN I TALK TO YOU?!"
Vultures. He wanted nothing to do with them. There was a slight pit in his stomach that feared they were inquiring about the Sky Noah hijacking... but they couldn't be. They disposed of the bodies too well. The mind wipe would have rendered them incapable of remembering a thing. The Sky Noah never happened.
He tried to push past them nonaggressively. Their repetitive cacophony of words all began to blur together as one, but he finally heard some key words that... piqued his interest.
"MR BERNSTEIN, TELL US HOW YOU'RE FEELING ABOUT BEING THE TWILIGHT TOURNAMENT CHAMPION!"
"IS THIS HOW YOU WANTED TO WIN IT?"
"WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT THE STOLEN MONEY?"
"IS THERE ANYONE YOU'D LIKE TO DEDICATE THIS WIN TO? YOUR LATE FATHER?"
He stopped. Having finally grabbed his attention, he turned to face the merciless crowd, who eagerly awaited him with mics in face.
"What are you talking about?" was his obvious opening.
A woman in a green dress made the bold first move. "Amber Dames, Martial Radio. Haven't you heard? Iori Yagami and Kula Diamond forfeited this morning! You were third place! That means you won! You're the champion!"
Before Adel even had time to process these words, the drones of questions started pouring out again.
"ARE YOU CONTENT WITH WINNING THIS WAY?"
"HOW IS YOUR SISTER?"
"HOW DOES ROSE FEEL ABOUT YOUR SURPRISING VICTORY?"
"WHEN IS THE TROPHY CEREMONY?!"
A loud groan; he'd had enough. He was honestly too aggravated and eager for the end to even think about this scenario that had supposedly came to pass. Shoving past the reporters, he again began his route towards the street.
"I don't want to hear anymore of this nonsense." he spoke to the pursuers. "There IS no winner. The tournament's cancelled!"
"DOES THIS MEAN YOU'RE FORFEITING TOO?"
"CAN I GET THAT ON RECORD?"
"THAT WOULD MAKE CHIZURU KAGURA, THE THIRD RUNNER UP, THE WINNER!"
"She can have it!" Adelheid blurted to the relentless crowd, before making the final successful push out of the parking lot. "Taxi!"
He was lucky enough to snag one quickly, as it screeched to a halt in front of him, and he wasted no time opening the door and crawling in. "Take me to Castle Stronheim. Hurry."
CASTLE STRONHEIM
Things were much livelier at Castle Stronheim on the final day plus one, everyone having checked out of the hospital or gone home altogether. The remaining cast of the Twilight Tournament had gathered around for one last hurrah, raiding whatever Krauser had left in terms of food. The Earl surely wouldn't be sad to see them go, and he was probably wondering why they weren't gone already. Regardless, he upheld his conviction, and his creed to serve his guests with the utmost hospitality.
"How many should I put in, milord?" Laurence requested the final word on the glazed strudel about to go in the oven.
"Put em all!" Krauser boomed. We'll feed these ravenous cretins one last time! Hold nothing back! This will be a terminal feast!"
"Yes, milord." Laurence sighed wearily. "At least we have help. Very, very... attractive... help."
Laurence's eyes couldn't help but cut to the rear of the dark-haired Japanese maid, who had just bent over to pick up a fallen vegetable. When she rose back up and saw him looking, she flashed an adorable eyes-closed, lips-wide smile.
Laurence blushed madly and waved at her with a stupid grin...but he felt an ominous chill behind him, and turned to see a fearsome German butler staring at him, those spectacles shimmering with terror.
"I implore you focus on the task at hand...Mr. Blood."
Laurence wiped a visible drop of sweat. "Y-yes...right."
Back outside in the grand dining hall, the consumers hopeful all gathered, with empty stomachs and free minds. The burden of the tournament, this week, was theirs no longer...it was over. They would drink to its bones.
"Mmm mmm, brat, brat, bring on the brat!" Xiangfei pounded the table in anticipation. "Nothing heals a wounded soul like some thick, succulent sausage!"
"...tee hee hee..." two blonde troublemakers snickered.
"Shut up, Jenet. Shut up, Malin." she glared Chinese broadswords at them.
"I'm with you there, Xiang." Kensou, the other food enthusiast, took a deep, savoring whiff of the fumes emanating from the kitchen. "Man something smells good in there. Krauser knows how to live."
"He's pulling out all the stops." Shingo declared. "I hear he had a wild boar in his freezer. I bet he hunted and killed it with his bare hands!"
King rolled her eyes. "Seriously? Look, Krauser is not some Superman, he's a rich bigwig like the rest. He probably imported it...or at least used a rifle."
"I just wanna get drunk. Let's raid his wine cellar!" Vanessa, checked out from the hospital with a neck brace, pumped her fist.
"Mare says we're not allowed in there." Ramon chuckled nervously, rubbing his head. "She uh.. threatened me with a Taser."
"...So who won, anyway?" Shingo opened with a puzzled look.
"There was no winner, doofus." Shen Woo informed. "It was Iori and Kula, and they're here with us now."
"...so basically, Iori." Benimaru deadpanned.
"I wouldn't knock Kula's chances." Hinako shrugged. "She took down Chizuru-sama after all."
"Hey hey heyyyy, now look...I KNOW Chizuru. She was having an off day. Anyone with eyes could see it." King was quick to rebut when it came to her former teammate, who she held in high regard.
"Well, there's also the fact that the little shit is the antithesis of flames. Probably why K' hopped a plane to get away from her." Angel casually inserted herself, much to the ire of Diana and Foxy. Kula stuck her tongue out at her.
"The Yagami whelp's flames don't abide by the laws of nature." Saisyu spoke up, sporting a neck brace and an arm sling.
All of this babble and speculation finally attracted the attention of the "man of the hour"... who angrily slammed his fist on the table, startling everybody to a temporary silence. He spoke.
"Listen jagoffs...I've got a massive hangover. So if you birdies would stop tweeting before I rip off your feathers, I'd sure appreciate it. The tournament is over. Rose got what she wanted...her brother's the big, shining champion she's had wet dreams of all week."
"IORI!"
A loud voice that managed to match Krauser's in authority echoed through the dining hall, silencing the engaging conversation. They turned to find the source: it was the very man in question, the "champion", who limped over to where Iori was sitting with a fierce scowl on his face. Chizuru was contemplative of whether she should intervene...
"What did you do?" he demanded.
Iori's sour face maintained. "Well, if it isn't big bro...I gave the people what they wanted. They wanted their hero. Not me."
"But you beat me fair and square!" Adel argued. "The people... won't accept this."
Iori snorted. "Ha. 'accept' it? They were ready to take my head off yesterday for what I did to your cunt sister. They'll not only accept it, they'll probably have a national holiday!"
Adelheid grunted with annoyance. "Iori...you shouldn't have."
Iori swatted the air. "I don't know what you're complaining about. Everybody wins this way. The people are happy, your sister gets what she wanted this whole time-"
"You say that like it's a good thing!"Adelheid interjected. "Rose doesn't deserve to win after all this! It'll just stroke her ego more!"
The whole room jumped when Iori sharply rose up, aggressively scooting his chair in the process. His hands found Adel's shirt, and he pulled them eye to eye.
"I didn't do it for your sister..." his voice was low, but firm. "I did it for the world. Do you understand? We were THIS CLOSE to getting f***ed... this is how we bounce back. Get in front of a camera, take your damn trophy, tell the world you're honored to bring gold home to Germany, whatever it takes. THIS is what they need to remember."
Adelheid saw the intensity, the passion in those close eyes...a rare showing from the Yagami...and he finally understood. What Iori was doing right now... transcended the sport. It was beyond a simple competition. He was bringing light back to Germany...back to the world. He was fulfilling his duty as one of the sacred families. Adelheid knew little about these things, but he didn't have to...Yagami knew his duty.
"...Very well then." Adelheid pried the hands loose, dusting off his torso. "But understand this...the public can accept this result, but I won't. As far as I'm concerned, you still have one battle left to fight. I'll do my political duty and bring honor to the tournament, and to my family name... but unofficially, I encourage you to take that final step, and claim what's rightfully yours, Iori Yagami."
The intense staredown continued, even after the words subsided, as if the two were having rematch without even throwing hands. It seemed like a minute of silence passed...before Iori's lip curled upwards with a smirk.
"If I feel like it."
The exchange ended there, with each having said their piece, and Adelheid walked back out of the dining hall, to wherever his destination would take him. Perhaps back into the public eye.
Iori sat back down, his arms folding behind his head as a cocky smirk spread across his lips. He turned to Chizuru and poured it on further.
"Don't ever say Kyo does his job better than me."
Chizuru giggled, reaching and pulling his head against hers in a small hug. "I'm proud of you. Putting the world before yourself."
"Yeah, I'm not a selfish cocksucker like he is!" he rudely spat, which earned a stammer from Chizuru.
"I-Iori!"
"In fact, next time I see him, I'm gonna deck him in the face with no fair warning!"
"I-Iori... cmon now, behave." She began to flush with embarrassment.
"So...that's it then?" Yuri asked what was practically a rhetorical question at this point.
"If you two care about the prize money that little, just let me have it!" Bonne Jenet whined in Kula's direction.
"What part of 'its gone' can't you get through your nautical brain?!" Mai insulted.
"Cmon Kula-chan, you must have an opinion on this!" Momoko urged the ice girl with a determined pump of fists.
The whole room went silent for a second as they awaited a statement from the girl in question, the other half of the "Finals" picture. Kula, just sitting there, scanned the room widely, capturing the gaze of everybody fixated on her, eagerly anticipating whatever she had to say about the matter.
And she finally made her opinion clear.
"...Meh."
The whole room let out what could have been the equivalent of a Charlie Brown groan.
"Great...we have the two least-motivated finalists in KOF history." Benimaru facepalmed.
"Cmon you two, we can't leave Munich like this!" Joe threw his hat into the ring. "We need an undisputed champion! After all the crap we've been through this week, I think we're entitled to that much."
"I could take it or leave it." Mary, sitting next to him, shot him down. Anton happily barked in agreement.
"I just wanna go home." Seth seconded. He grabbed his abdomen in pain.
"It won't take long, let's just have it out right here at Krauser's." Robert suggested. "Be done with it, here and now."
"I dunno... after Mr. Krauser showed hospitality towards us, housed us, fed us, it feels wrong to take advantage of him." Hotaru meekly spoke up. "R-right, onii-sama?"
Gato nodded firmly. "The two of them would wreck this place."
"Still, I'm with Robert." Ryo backed up his best friend. "Money or no money, I think we can't be content going home without a REAL winner."
"I CAN HEAR YOU GUYS!" a voiced boomed from the other room. In walked Krauser, who was looking none-too-pleased, his beefy arms folded. "I'm not gonna let you wreck my Castle anymore than you already have! If you wanna settle the score, you're gonna have to go back into town, or a rural area, or something! Anywhere but here!"
"Or we could just eat." Terry casually threw in, bringing an arm around Mary. "Some of us have no stake in this at all."
"Yeah, I'm sick of this." Kensou puffed. "I'm just here to stuff my face and forget my troubles."
Krauser sneered. "Don't dishonor KOF with such cowardice, Bogard! You're better than that! How about this then... if you parasites want to eat, then you'll work for it! Get out of here and go have your final match, and the food will be ready when you get back! Fair?"
"Oh come on, when did this become work?!" the Chinese glutton whined again. "I just want a free meal!"
Athena rolled her eyes, gently shoving her partner. She turned to where Iori was sitting and leaned over the table, flashing him her most enticing look. "It looks like the majority of us won't be happy until we give this tournament a proper end. Can't you fight one more time?"
Iori gave her the most discouraging snarl ever, as if the idea of fighting again made him sick to his stomach. "Oh for god's sake..."
"Cmon Iori... pleeeeeaasseeeee~?" Athena begged him, fluttering her eyes at him. Kensou wanted to bang his head against the table.
Iori groaned loudly. "Nng...dammit Athena, don't look at me with those goo goo eyes. So help me I'll smack you down."
"Quit crying and do it already, Yagami brat!" Saisyu called out. "If your better half were here, he wouldn't shy away from it!"
"Yeah, that's not a biased statement at all..." Benimaru mumbled under his breath.
"Cmon Iori, I'll root for you! Just like old times!" Shingo grinned.
The redhead finally had enough, slamming his hands on the table. "SIGH... FINE! If you can get the ice brat to agree to it, why the hell not. I've got a killer headache, but I've got one more in me. I'll do it, just so you guys will all shut up and leave me alone for a year."
One half of the spectrum was finally convinced, and it could be argued that he was the more difficult of the two. With him out of the way, all eyes turned once again to the ice girl, who was displeased to be the center of attention once again.
"Kula?" Foxy called her name
"K-Kula, you don't have anything to prove here..." Diana tried to dissuade her, for obvious reasons.
"No pressure, but if you say no, you're the bad guy~" Angel declared with a cat-like grin.
Kula let out a loud yawn... before clearing her throat, and speaking. "Last year I came close to beating Mr. Kyo, and he's the best. Since then I've gotten stronger. I've learned how to use my powers smarter, and in different ways. So maybe...maybe I'm good enough to beat a stinkyhead like Mr. Yagami. Fine, I'll do it."
Iori responded with a laugh. "Hehehehe... challenge accepted, kid. But just so you know, you just made an enemy of me... Kyo's not the best."
And thus, it was official. Munich, Germany would have a final battle after all... maybe one that would go largely unseen, and perhaps disappear from the history books, which were slated to write down Adelheid Bernstein as the champion... but to them, the ones who make it happen every year... this was their closure. This was their true ending.
NEXT CHAPTER: THE MOMENT YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR, 75 CHAPTERS IN THE MAKING... THE FINAL BATTLE BETWEEN IORI AND KULA WILL DETERMINE THE UNDISPUTED TWILIGHT TOURNAMENT CHAMPION! TUNE IN NEXT TIME! YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS!
...But first, a necessary Bonus Scene. Do not miss it.
BONUS SCENE
THE EVENING BEFORE...
Cold... so... cold...
Everything blurry... transitioning between darkness and color with each fleeting second...
Had to... concentrate... stay alive... just need... enough strength... to take over one... just one...
She stumbled into the nearby wall, painting a streak of red across the concrete. Her next steps forward were only thanks to the foundation, her back scraping across it to hold her middling strength up. Need... hospital...
She summoned what she had left and broke off the wall, staggering forward into open sidewalk. She had no other options but to accept hospital care. As soon as she was back to some semblance of power... she could start again. She'd done it before. It always starts with one... then it grows. It was a matter of picking the right ones... to multiply. To expand.
As long as she had her powers, she was never done. Every fresh start was harder than the last, but she'd never quit. Not until-
"YOU LEFT ME TO DIE!"
She felt something hard impact at her feet, and the shockwave collapsed her to her hands and knees. She crawled around, blurry eyes desperately scrambling to capture the source... darkness flickered in and out, and she could barely ascertain her surroundings...
Her senses returned to her for one passing moment, enough that her eyes were able to take in what lie before her... and they widened.
Two shaky feet clacked forward towards her... and a hand reached over, to clutch the handle of a red spear. The tip emerged from the concrete and aimed directly at her, her waning eyesight able to capture the glimmer of the steel...
Now, like Magaki before them, perhaps she was the next victim of that vengeful weapon, anointed in the blood of allies.