Cordelia is a bit miffed at you right now, for reasons you don't quite get at the moment, and you've just upended another piece of Tatsuki's world-view with some rather disturbing information; both girls want their space (from you), and you decide to let them have it. You're quite certain that when they're ready to talk to you again, they'll let you know. Maybe then you'll be able to find out what it is that Cordy's so upset about. In the meantime, Briar can keep an eye on them, and you can hang out with some friendly ninja-girls who have shown that they're willing to talk to you. Maybe they know something about the other fighters? At the very least, you can get some conversation and brush up on your magically-acquired Japanese language skills.

The kunoichi trio turn out not to have too much background info on the other fighters. This is largely up to the fact that all of the participants are quite young, and simply haven't had the time to do much of note - for most, this is their first major public appearance. You do pick up a few things here and there, however. As you guessed, the boys Krillin and Liu Kang both have ties to the Shaolin monks, with the latter training at something called "the Temple of Light"-

You see an aged but hearty Hylian man in full formal robes, his eyes reflecting wisdom and determination.

-in China, where his grandfather is apparently one of the newly-selected elders. On the other hand, the symbols on Krillin's gi proclaim him to be a student of the Turtle Hermit School, a fighting style founded by its legendary namesake, the Turtle Hermit. Although over two centuries old, the school has very few adherents; until the appearance of Krillin and his fellow student, the last known practitioners were the reclusive Son Gohan - the apparent grandfather of Monkey Boy, whose name is Son Goku - and the Ox King, the ruler of a tiny "realm" which consists of little more than his ancestral mountain-top castle, the nearby village, and the surrounding fields. Your three companions also have a fair bit to say about Kurokami Medaka. The girl is infamous in Japan, having broken pretty much every academic or athletic record within her age group, and several outside of it. There is a persistent rumor that her family hired a series of Nobel Prize winners to be Medaka's tutors, and that each and every one of them quit within the week and gave up practicing the disciplines for which they had earned such acclaim. Some are said to have committed suicide out of sheer despair at how easily Medaka mastered and then improved on their knowledge.

As for the two boys fighting right now, there isn't much the girls can tell you, except that Sabin and Vargas are both students of a master named Duncan Harcourt, who is also Vargas's father. You do get some informative commentary on the techniques and tactics the boys use as the match progresses, which helps further expand your vocabulary.

Gained Japanese F++

After almost seven minutes, Vargas manages to break through his opponent's defenses and get Sabin in a pin, which the somewhat smaller boy proves unable to escape before a full count. To his credit, Sabin offers a bow and cheerful congratulations to his victorious partner, but Vargas brushes it off with a comment about how it's only natural that the master's son should be the better fighter. It would seem that Vargas Harcourt is a bit full of himself.

In any case, the next match is up. "Good luck," you tell Ayane, as her name is called.

"Thank you," she replies over her shoulder as she walks away.

"Do you know anything about her opponent?" you ask Kasumi and Taki, as the boy in queston, Kagekaze Tenma, hops lightly into the ring. Both girls shake their heads, and the three of you are left to observe, and learn.

At first, the match appears normal enough. Tenma is a good match for Ayane in skill, but the girl is the more aggressive fighter, taking and holding the initiative for the first forty-five seconds of the bout. She pushes Tenma into a corner and begins to close in - only for him to disappear in a burst of black feathers, and reappear on the far side of the ring.

"Another company kid?" you ask, as Ayane whirls about to face her opponent.

"He could be," Kasumi admits with a slight frown. "Kagekaze is an obvious assumed name, and that technique... wait, what is he-"

Rather than trying to attack Ayane or get into a safer position away from the edge of the ring, Tenma has folded his arms across his chest and bowed his head, eyes closed. You suddenly sense the presence of building magical energy, and a moment later, the "boy" is engulfed with a flash of smoke - no, you correct yourself, not smoke. Feathers. Hundreds of black feathers. Then his arms fly open, and they're no longer arms at all, but black wings. The boy's long nose has become a beak, and his dark eyes are now even blacker and beady, squinting at Ayane from opposite sides of a crow-like head. His feet are now the three-toed talons of a bird, and you can see similar slashing digits unfolding on the ends of the stubby arms that now extend from beneath the unfurled wings.

"A transformation technique!" the Announcer shouts. "Ladies and gentlemen, it seems that Kagekaze Tenma is in fact one of the legendary tengu! How will young Ayane deal with such a foe?"

"Oh, no," Kasumi murmurs.

Ayane, for her part, seems to have frozen in shock. You can't make out more than her profile from this angle, but she is definitely staring. Then the surprise passes, and is replaced by an expression that is one part rage, and one part savage glee. It's deeply unsettling to see on the face of a seven year old. With a ferocious scream, she flies across the ring at the startled Tenma, and begins beating the unholy hell out of him.

You turn and stare at Kasumi, silently asking for an explanation.

"Ayane isn't well-liked at home," the brunette sadly sighs. "Her hair and eyes are strange, she's an orphan who was taken in and trained personally by Master Genra, which is an honor most of our neighbors don't feel she's worthy of - and she's a very good student. I'm one of the only other children our age who can spar with her, and the others don't care for that at all. So they call her 'Tengu,' to mock her skill."

"Winner by knockout!" the Announcer cries. "What an amazing display! Let's hear it for Ayane, folks!"

The small girl stands over her opponent for a moment, then bows to the applauding crowd.

"And now she's gone and beaten up an actual tengu," you conclude. Kasumi nods. "Well, that's either going to put an end to the nickname, or make it permanent."

"As it happens," Taki speaks up, "there are different types of tengu. From his appearance, Kagekaze Tenma would seem to be one of the lesser ones."

"Permanent it is," you say as Ayane approaches, looking tense. "Congratulations."

"...thank you." She and Kasumi exchange a long look, after which the violet-haired girl turns aside. "You have a match, Kasumi. Don't be late on my account."

Kasumi regards her friend a moment longer, then nods and walks quickly to the ring. Cordelia is already there waiting for her, minus Briar, who has flitted over to take her usual place on your shoulder. You glance over at Tatsuki, who you are relieved to note has moved somewhat closer to you - close enough to be in easy reach if something happens, while still far enough away to give the impression of privacy. Evidently whatever her feelings are on your discussion about demons, she hasn't let them overshadow your earlier suggestion of safety in numbers.

"I hope you won't hold it against us when Kasumi beats your friend, Alex," Ayane says.