"Dan! You Son of a-"
"Young lady! Watch your language!" Dan interrupted.
"Don't tell me how to speak! Your not my dad!"
"-And thank gawed for that!" Dan added.
"Can't you just follow the directions?!"
"Will you two shut the hell up?!" Shockwave interrupted Sakura and Dan's millionth discussion that mutated into an argument. Sakura sighed,

"All I'm saying is the map says to follow this road!"
"-But I've been to this town before, that map is WRONG!"
Sakura scoffed,"What is it with guys and directions?! -Why can't guys just pull over and ask for directions!"
"I don't need directions! I have it all up here…" he smirked and pointed to his head.

"I'm scared…" Sakura muttered falling back into the backseat. "Look, what was supposed to be a two days trip has turned into a life long journey! -At the next town, we either stop for directions or you can consider yourself a person short!" Sakura bellowed.

"I guess it'll just be you and me, eh Shocky?" Dan smiled glancing over in the passenger seat.
"-Don't call me that," Shockwave flatly spoke gripping his weapon. -At that Dan sighed,
"I think we all need some fresh air…"
"I say we need a new driver," Sakura snapped her thought in the open.
"I say we need a new car," Shockwave coldly added.
"Na ne?" Dan shrieked. He gripped the steering wheel, "You two ungrateful kids!"

"Your a kid too!" Sakura shot back. Dan looked back at Sakura,
"Why is it you only show your positive straitlaced side to Ryu and when it comes to me your-"
"Dan watch out!" Shockwave yelled grabbing the steering wheel and dodging the oncoming car. Dan gasped regaining control of the car,
"Sheesh… they should have better driving skills!"
"Stop the car!" Sakura ordered.
"What?" Dan asked.
"I said stop the car or I'm jumping out!" She increased her tone.

"Hai Sakura-chan," the pink fighter finally succumbed to the girl's orders. She forced her self aggressively out of, in her opinion, the tacky looking car.
"Dan, let Shockwave drive," Sakura ordered putting her hands on her hips.
"Why?" Dan shrieked, "This is ma baby!" Dan pet his car joyfully.
"You guys, you guys… relax. The next town is only 5 kilometers away."

"Na ne?" Dan and Sakura asked in unison. Shockwave pointed to the sign only yards away from the car's bumper.
"Ohhhhh," The two Japanese fighters nodded.

"Well, my Shotokan beauty, allow my gracious apology and let us forget such drivel bickering," Dan spoke cordial and outstretched his hand. Sakura, at first, rolled her eyes, but the second thought she looked at the road sign. Tonight definitely had to be their last night before getting themselves into this tournament. She didn't want to end her possible last night of freedom on a bad note with them.

She slipped her small, but powerful hand in the pink fighter's palm and allowed him to help her back into his car. He could actually be quite decent if driving directions weren't the main topic of discussion or argument.
"Are we all cool now?" Shockwave took a glance at both Shotokan warriors.
"Ummm…" Shockwave muttered ^ Is Sakura actually blushing? She's as pink as Dan's gi- ^
 

"Hey, Shocky boy," Dan interrupted his thoughts,
"You mind getting me that map?" Shockwave grumbled,
"Don't call me Shocky, Shocky boy, anything to do with Shocky… My name is Shockwave and- "

"Ok, I'll get it myself," Dan spoke reaching across the dashboard grabbing the map. Sakura turned on the car light,
"Les see, we are here. Since the city is just right there, we only have hmmm… 'bout 30 kilometers until we get to the island. Great, we can get there tomorrow! What do you think Dan?" Dan couldn't think, he was caught in a blushing daze from the warm, sweet breath of his fighter friend against his neck.

"Embassy Suites eh?" Shockwave asked tightening the his grip on his quarter staff,
"We're fighters, not tourists…"
"Awe, who gives a rip? This is the last night of our quote on quote "normal lives" we should atleast sleep somewhere nice," Sakura spoke up. Shockwave countered,
"We can sleep in the…" he turned around seeing the endless array of pink then faced the comely hotel setting, "I'm tired…" Shockwave lead his fighter buddies into the hotel.

"[Hello, welcome to Embassy Suites, how can I help you three?]" The front office asked. Sakura and Dan stopped in their walking.
"Anyone here know how to speak…um… that language…"
"The language is Mandarin and yes," Shockwave stepped up to the front desk making reservations.
"-hehe…I knew bringing the kid along would be helpful in some point or another," Dan stretched slyly placing his arm around Sakura. She glared back,
"Your looking for a beating aren't ya?"

"Hey, Shock-meister… why don't you be a good lil boy and get some ice for your successor?" Dan smirked laying lazily on the bed. Shockwave inhaled annoyed.
"It's ok… it really is… there is no good in beating up opponents before a tournament," Shockwave slowly exhaled hoping to hold his self control.

If he lost his self control at someone as annoying as Dan, then how could he stand up against evil lords obviously hosting the tournament for their scheme to take over the world.
"How pinky and brain-ish," Shockwave muttered.
"Na ne?" Dan asked, "Something on your mind?"

Shockwave smiled getting up grabbing the ice bucket,
"Here, the most merciless, ruthless killers of the world host a tournament to grab the best fighters to work for them… and… experienced, honored and respected fighters actually come… I just think it's ironic. How good is supposed to conqueror evil when we play the devil's game in his house and using his rules… the chances are slim."
"-But good always prevails, lil buddy. That's why there are people like Ryu, Ken and Chun-Li still around. Hmmm… I wonder how they're doing?"

"…Ryu…" the voice echoed deep in the man's brain.
"…Wake up, Ryu… it's time…" The Shotokan fighter opened his eyes… black surrounded him; it's obvious he wasn't truthfully awake.
"Na ne?" Ryu asked jumping up into fighting stance, "W-Whose there?"
The voice laughed cordially,
"Oh Ryu, your such a sweety." -Seconds after the compliment he felt two small hands cover his eyes, "Guess who?"
Ryu quickly grabbed the hands and turned around facing the voice,
"Y-You…"
The woman smiled, "You got it… you better wake up sleepy head!" She shook her finger at him and raised an eyebrow, "Whether you like it or not, we need you in the next tournament."
"Tournament?" The woman approached him closer and raised herself on her toes and whispered his ear, "They're new fighters… new opponents… new lives… we must help them. There's a new Generation awaiting us. Wake-up sleepy!"

She stared fading away. "N-No… wait… what do you mean new generation?" His arm outstretched to grab hers, but she moved too fast… as usual. "Chun-Li! Come back!" Ryu called. -At that Ryu sat up fully awake in bed,
"Chun-Li! Chun-Li w-where are you?!"
 

"Oh my gawed! Someone get into patient room 103 STAT! Hoshi finally woke up!" a random nurse yelled. "Chun-Li!" Ryu called out, "Chun… Li…" the warrior finally shook himself sane and fell backwards hitting his comfy feathery pillows.

***Less than ten minutes later*** The doctor walked down the abandoned hallway. Chun-Li passed the repetition of an artificial light coming from all directions. "My apologies Ms. Xiang, but your name was the first and only he called since he woke."

"I understand," Chun-Li responded, "-How is his health?"
"Very well… his emotional stability, though, is under question. It must have been a shock being ambushed by baneful snipers of an world renown evil overlord."
"Not really… happens all the time," Chun-Li added casually. The doctor raised his eyebrows not really expecting such an answer, but dismissed it just as quickly. His only job was to nurse Ryu back to health.

"This is his room, Ms. Xiang," The doctor escorted her into the room. Chun-Li swiftly promenaded in, yet her eagerness was slapped in the face with the sight of Ryu.
 

She gasped, "Ryu!"
The Shotokan warrior appeared mauled and his health condition didn't improve. This worried her greatly. She rushed to his side, her ribbons in her hair flowing freely. He creaked his eyes open and smiled at her sight, "C-Chun…" She slipped her hand fluently into his.
"D-Don't tell me, this happened b/c of a dream…"
"Chun-Li… tell me… who is this new generation? -These new fighters…"

Chun-Li's gaping eyes stared deeply into Ryu's,
"W-What did you say?"
"T-This tournament… it's not like any other, is it?" He asked his fighter friend. Chun-Li didn't know how… -but she didn't question. The Wushu fighter sighed,
"It's more than I expected… The Air Force military is in on this too. Guile, Charlie, Ken and this new kid investigator Volpe… -we're all in on Bison's motives." She bit her lip,
"Ryu, we need your help."

"Sou ka," (I see) Ryu, under his breath, muttered. "If the US Air Force and Interpol Agency is looking for my aid, I would be more than honored to help." Chun-Li's expression altered from a faulting face to a beaming smile, "Arigato!" She tightened her grip on Ryu's hands as a sign of her enthusiasm. Ryu squeezed her hand back, "Now tell me, Chun-Li, who are these new fighters? Who are these new enemies other than Bison and Akuma?"
 

Chun-Li nodded and took out a heavy set load of a manila folder and placed it on the Ryu's hospital bed. She opened it up seeing the flap,
"These are the fresh meat for the grinder."
"Fresh meat for the what?" Ryu questioned.
"Metaphor…" Chun-Li winked. She took out the very summed up profiles of many new fighters. Ryu's expression fell,
"These are just kids!" Chun-Li nodded,
"Yes, many sacrificed their whole lives for this path. I bet none really know what they're getting into." Ryu smiled and looked up at Chun-Li,
"-Sounds like dejavu, doesn't it?"
 

"Is that my best friend whose awake?!" An all too familiar voice expressed from the entrance of the room. Chun-Li and Ryu turned,
"Ken!?"
The blond man nodded and waltzed in carrying a bouquet of flowers.
"Awe, Ken… that was so sweet of you to give Ryu flowers," Chun-Li smiled.

"Na ne?!" the two guys said in unison. Ken thrusted them out to Chun-Li,
"For all your hard work in tracking Ryu down and getting him to help us out." Chun-Li nodded,
"It makes more sense now…"
"So, did you tell Ryu what we're facing, who we have to find, and how we're going to-"

"Whoa, whoa… lem me breath first," Chun-Li said placing the flowers down and picking up the pictures,
"These men you know… but him." She pointed to a new characters, "His name is Man Sei… he's teamed up with Bison in hopes to crush a new guy called Wai Lim."
"Bison's using him…" Ryu muttered.
"It's obvious," Ken added.
"That's our latest nut case along with Bison and Akuma. Now, let's start on the new fighters."
"This outta be fun…" Ken flatly spoke.

"You dumbass sorry excuses for pathetic maggots! I've seen girl scouts move quicker than you! You guys are pitiful!"
"Ouch…" the lady from the passing car commented at the drill sergeant instructing the latest newcomers.
"My husband went through that?"
"Yes ma'am," Charlie smiled remembering the doggy days of Air Force,
"Guile and I only wished life were still that simple."
"Where is my husband wondering off to now?" She asked.
"It seems we have a new mission off the coast of China. Some man-made island."
"Made by who?" "Bison…" Charlie growled under his breath.

"-And this time, he's changing the rules. It seems press and news crew is allowed to broadcast from the island freely.
"-This is how your getting in?" Charlie smiled,
"If it were that easy, ma'am." Charlie parked and escorted the woman to meet her husband.
"Dear!" She exclaimed running into her husband's open arms.

"What are you doing here?!" Guile questioned as if she had walked in on enemy territory.
"Don't think I'm letting you go so easily, this time… Last time you went out for Bison, you left without word and… and…" Guile nodded holding his wife's hands,
"My flight leaves tomorrow. Charlie and I are going to rendezvous with Agent Li, Mr. Masters and Mr. Hoshi on a city outside the island."
 

"Where is this island located, in particular?" Charlie took this cue and pressed out the computer imaged map. A holographic image popped up in the middle of could be categorized as a big hunk of 21st century state of the art technology. Along the coast of China has many cities… Bison, even though broadcasting this tournament to the world, choose a remote place in between the two cities of Haimen and Yueqing. It's borders to the south are the larger city of Wenzhou and the East China Sea is this large body of water," Charlie spoke motioning to the a large blue area off the coast.

"The island itself is man made like said earlier. -No flora or fauna. The usual earth and grass is replaced with heavy built titanium alloy rock." "That's the metal used to build space ships," Guile added giving his wife an idea of the grounds. "Yet the architecture is as traditional as any other previous tournament." Charlie zoomed in on one particular building,
"This for example is an exact replica of an ancient Chinese hot spring training ground… minus the springs."

From behind the three people came a wiser more experienced voice, "Sharing information to civilians, Major Guile?" Charlie and Guile smiled at the voice, "General…"
 

"Shhh… just be a good little girl…" the soft relaxed voice ordered,
"Yeah… that's right." The girl trembled in the man's grasp.

***Elsewhere****

"So how far is this hotel again?" Night asked his company.
"-About half a mile…" Crista replied checking the map.
"Mile?" Night asked,
"Oh yeah, I keep on forgetting, your American."
"-hehe, is that a compliment or an insult?" Crista smiled still looking at the map.

"Hey, I have a joke for ya," Night smiled.
"-As long as it's tasteful…"
"Ok, what do you call someone who speaks two languages?" Night asked.
"Bilingual…" Crista replied.
"Ok, three languages?" "Trilingual…"
"Good, ok, one language?"

Crista stopped and looked up at him oddly. Night laughed, "American! His laughter echoed throughout the barren street. Crista just shook her head sadly,
"Je crois que mon amie a plus problems…" [I think my friend has problems]
. "Eh, what does that mean?"
"I'll tell ya when your older…" she patted his shoulder and started walking again.

"No, tell me!" Brian yelled catching up with her. Crista smiled looking up at Brian, she had to admit, the attention he unconsciously gave her made him more attractive.

"Let me go! Stop! AHH! HELP!!!" A voice screamed down a dirt alley. Crista's sense zoned on the voice, "What the- ?"
"STOP! SOMEONE! HELP!!! Please… help me!!!" Crista gasped hearing the little girl's troubled voice. Night's tone changed. He grabbed her hand,
"Come on!" He ran with her following the screams of despair.
"S-Stop!! P-Please… Leave me alone!!" *SMACK* The man's palm slapped the girl across the face,
"Don't tell me what to do! I bought you and you will do what-ever I wish!"
"N-No…" she trembled falling on the ground hopeless and shaking throughout her entire body. The man smiled towering over the kneeling girl,
"That's more like it…"

"Yamete!!!" Screamed Crista.
"Umm… Crista, this is China…" Night reminded her.
"Oops, ma bad… oh well, I'll just get straight to the point."
The man smiled seeing the two young pair,
"Stupid kids… you all need to be punished." He grabbed the frightened girl and wrapped his arm around her throat in a back choke hold.
"Mandarin…" Night muttered. He stepped forward,
"What has the girl done?"
"She's mine! I can do what the hell I please with her!" the man answered kissing her head. Night balled his fists, "Sick bastard…"

Crista, seeing the man treat the girl as he wish, couldn't stand such inhumane behavior.
"N-No… S-Stop it…" She clenched her teeth trying to fight the reoccurring memories, but it was useless…

^ Flash ^
"No!!!" Crista yelled screaming at the top of her lungs.
"Let her go!" The man held the woman highly in the air with both his arms. Crista jumped tackled the man, "Listen to me dammit!"

The man quickly got up and responded to Crista with a right hook. Crista fell rolling into the wall. -But she was far from out…and this fight was far from over.
"Drunken asshole!" She yelled. She grabbed a nearby lamp.
"C-Crista don't…"
the woman begged.
"No! I'm sick of him! When he wakes up, not only will he not remember this, he expects us to live through another night of his gawed damn faults!"

"Young lady… are you really going to attack your father?" the man asked smiling wiping off the blood from his busted lip. -He had no idea how his lip got busted. Crista hesitated, but no, this man had to be stopped… whether he was her father or not. She stepped on the light bulb and broke the balance of the lamp up against he wall creating a long brass bow-type fighting weapon,
"Bring it on… dad…"
^ End Flash ^

"DIE!" Crista yelled running at top speed.
"What?!" Night gasped. The man holding the little girl seemed shock himself. His grip loosened causing the girl to slip to freedom. She ran down the alley calling help for the police.
"Blast!!" Crista yelled upper cutting the man. The man fell back knocking over numerous trash cans. His screams were muffled by the sound of clanking tin and Crista's martial arts call.

"Crista!" Night called, "What the hell are you doing?! Stop once this instant!" He went up and grabbed her arm whirling her around. He gasped luridly,
"Crista?!" She breathed heavily
, "Leave me alone!" She ordered pushing him away. Crista turned back around seeing the man still lying there, now, unconscious and vulnerable to any attack. She slowly approached him stealthily like a lioness attacking her prey. Night back away… he tripped over a trash can lid and fell down,
"C-Crista??" He couldn't believe his eyes… W-what did he just see? Crista… her eyes… her tears… she cried red blood…

Crista stood over the man, chi held prominently in both hands. Her face was dripping with blood from her eyes… her blood?
"You… You think you can control those inferior as you wish? Scum like you don't even deserve to walk the earth or breath air." She smiled,
"I can certainly fix that." She crossed her arms infront of her.
^ What the hell is she doing?! ^ Night thought,
^ I have to stop her! ^ He jumped up and ran straight for her, "Crista!" She recognized the voice and turned around to yell at him. -But instead greeted by his gentle face, he came across her stomach with his fist,
"Fire ball!"

The hit to her face felt like slow motion. She knew she could have easily blocked it. -But then she would have countered and hurt her friend. Why didn't she? He obviously didn't understand her reasons for defending those incapable. Now, though, it was too late. Brian caught her before she hit the ground. He never before in his life had hit a girl. Hell, his whole life had changed the second he rescued her. He just tried to help her out… why? So many people had suffered under his arch rival and of all the people, he had to save her.

^ Of course… ^ he reminded himself, ^ This girl is different… ^ Ha!
At that his mom would say,
"Of course new girls that you meet are different, they always are!"

Yet, now was not the time to reminisce his reasons for staying with this woman. He had to get him and her to safety before.
"Sir…" A small voice came from behind him.
^ Shit! ^ he thought, ^ We're already caught! ^ He turned around ready to run carrying Crista, again. He gasped, "You!" The little girl that Crista had rescued now stood before him.
"Follow me mister… I know a place where you and her can get help." She slipped through the torn fence, Night followed with Crista in his arms.

"-You've got to believe me! I'm telling ya! I stood the…um… pair of eyes face to er… you get what I'm saying, right? Iwa, come on, do I ever lie to you?" Kumori bit her lip. Iwa raised a not-so-curious eyebrow at her close friend,
"Your attempts to persuade me to believe your very whimsical dreams are useless."

-At that, Kumori sighed and plopped down in the seat beside her,
"Why do you always have to be so stubborn? You know, it's going to be that which will prevent you from your goal…"
"Eh?" Iwa asked now completely confused on Kumori's drivel. Kumori sighed,
"I know I don't make sense… but speaking generally, it's always one's greatest fault that prevents them from attaining their highest goal, dream, inner peace, serenity… all that good stuff."
"Ah, I see," Iwa nodded understanding,
"Then let me say this." She turned to Kumori with a half grin, "I know your not a liar."
Kumori smiled. Iwa leaned her head back,
"So tell me about this so called dream with these so called eyes and this so called TS."

"How dare you do this to me! I could get fired for such acts!" the hotel personnel yelled at the little girl. She bit her lip,
"Please, if it weren't for them… if it weren't for her," she motioned to the unconscious Phoenix bearing woman, "-Then I would be in much terrible condition. Please, it's just for one night."

Night understood every word and his hopes were high… as usual. His faith was high… he was a faithful man. Brian believed in all that destiny, the threads of life, eternal peace, a higher power. The contradicting part… He sighed and looked down in at the woman who'd changed his life and he would always be grateful for. He knew she believed in none of that. -Of all the most unlikely pair. It were as if they were never to meet, never to speak to one another, never to consider their opposite ever existed on this planet… but they did meet, they conversed, and now…

"Please," Brian interrupted the bitter argument, "We will be the least amount of trouble. I'll pay anything you wish… any price… name it and it's yours. I just want her to be safe." The hotel employee paused considering… then smiled.

"Just get some ice please, for the love of-"
"All right! All right!" Shockwave gave up. If it were a rematch, he wouldn't have backed down so easily… -but seeing a whining fighter in a pink gi…
"I'll be back in a couple seconds," Shockwave spoke leaving the room, ice bucket in hand, for the second time tonight. It's obvious Dan liked to drink… he drank so much, Shockwave was beginning to assume he was forced to befriend some sodaholic… Shockwave chuckled,
"-He maybe a joke, but no alcoholic could get to his level in being a world warrior." -And those words rang true.

"Hurry, get as much ice as you can!" The little girl rushed Brian. Night nodded grabbing the bucket and scurried out the room. He dodged many people in the hallway and beat some guy in a jacket to the ice machine. "Excuse you!" the jacket man called out in English. Night didn't have time to be proper… but he wasn't rude. Night ignored the man standing beside him waiting in line for the hotel complementary ice.

"Sir, you should learn some manners." Brian rolled his eyes and sighed hoping the bucket would fill faster; did it look like he had time to stand and meddle with some stranger over ice? Night finished and attempted to cut through past the jacket man. Shockwave wouldn't let him off so easily. He stepped right infront of him.

Night didn't have time for this, but if this man wanted to make a huge deal over ice…
"Calm down man, I'm just in a hurry," Night spoke in perfect English. This slightly surprised Shockwave, "Oh, so you do understand what I'm saying."
"Yes, but I don't have the time to stand here and having a staring contest. My business is much needed elsewhere." Night moved to leave and brushed Shockwave's shoulder roughly,
"See ya 'round boy."

Shockwave jerked his head facing the stranger,
"My name is Shockwave… remember it." Night smiled and turned around,
"I will. -Then remember my name is Night." Shockwave smiled,
"I think I just saw your enemy around the corner." -At that Night's expression fell… as did the bucket of ice. Shockwave stood confused,
"Dude… I was just going to say I saw "day" around the corner…"
Night sighed and shook himself.

He kneeled down the pick up the ice. Shockwave helped him.
"No thanks, I can do it by myself," Brian assured.
"It's the least I can do," Shockwave replied. After the seconds of silence and gathering, Shockwave stood and outstretched his hand to Night. Brian smiled and took his sign of friendship.

"Nice grip," Night complimented, "You have the strength of a fighter."
Shockwave smiled at his recognition,
"Your a natural… sorry I can't say the same for you, though."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah, especially since when I mention the word "enemy" and your entire body goes into shock. -Yet of course your spirit tells otherwise."
"Many say I'm a contradiction," Night spoke turning around. "Maybe I'll see you at the tournament," Shockwave called out to his newest comrade. Brian smiled,
"Maybe…"

Sakura yawned looking up at the slowly rotating hotel fan in her room. Attached to one protruding piece of the fan stood an ABC gum. Opposite held an abandoned spider's web. -Atleast she thought it was abandoned. She sighed sprawled out on her bed,

"Why can't I get to sleep." Moaning to herself, she rolled over on her stomach and caught a glimpse of the alarm clock,
"3 am?!" She sighed, "Well… I know of one person who is up this is early in Japan." She giggled picking up the phone and dialed quickly the memorized number of her "sensei",
"Come Ryu… pick up! I know you just woke up!"
 

"Moshi-Moshi (How Japanese peeps answer the phone), This is Ryu leave your message… beep…" Sakura sat in silence for the longest time, then finally hung up without saying a word."

She paused sitting upon her bed… finally,
"Chikuso! (General cuss word used in interjection form: Wow! OMG! Dammit! Shit!) "He never does this! -Not even to me! He didn't tell me he's off training elsewhere! What tournament could he be off to now?!" -At that she gasped,
"Whoa… could he really be coming to…-"
*BANG, BANG, BANG!*

"Hey, Saky-chan! Open up!" Sakura gasped in shock,
"What the-!" "Hey hurry up before any sees me out here!" She rolled her eyes at that voice,
"Dan… why should you worry?"
"-Cause I dun want strangers seeing my pink hearts boxers…" he whispered in the crack of the door. Sakura reluctantly dragged herself to the door, "I should let you sleep out there? What happened? Shockwave kick ya out?" "Sorta…" Dan mumbled. Sakura laughed and opened the door, her purposely annoying laughter halted immediately at the sight of the pink boxer fighter.

"Whoa… you just sleep in that?" "Hey, I like my pink silk boxers thank you very much!" Dan made his way inside carrying an extra pillow. Sakura slowly shut the door hiding her blush… for some reason she hated the pink gi, but she liked the -
^ Stop thinking about Dan like that you baka! ^ She yelled at herself.
 

Sighing, she turned around walking back in her room seeing the Dan-man himself already asleep in 'her' bed, "Na ne?! What do you think your doing?!"
"Sleeping!" Dan roughly snapped back.
"In my bed?! If Shockwave kicked you out of your room, why should I have to put up with you." Dan sat up quickly, "If you want to share a room with a guy that snores louder than an oncoming freight train behind schedule, knock yourself out!" …Then silence… Sakura never seen such a grouchy pink lover before. -Obviously a new side to Dan.

Dan paused and sighed, "Gomen Nasai… It's very rude of me to barge in on you 3 am…" He got out of her bed and plopped down on the love seat couch. "I-It's ok… I understand. I'd be grumpy to I bet…" Dan, attempting to stretch on the sorry excuse for a couch, made himself some-what comfortable to catch the last three hours of his sleep, "Good night, Sakura." Sakura smiled, ^ This is definitely a new side of Dan I haven't seen before. ^

After turning out the lights, she pulled the comforter off her bed and placed it carefully over Dan. "Eh?" he asked. "Go to sleep…" she whispered. Tip toeing back to her bed she couldn't help, but smile… she would have never suspected Dan bring out a humane side in her, ^ This is going to be an interesting tournament. ^
 

"Tell me…" Crista spoke face to face with Night, "You do this often?"
"Never in my life." "There are more simple and economic ways to get to the island, ya know?"
"Yeah… but if we teleport it'll seem like intruding. If we fly slowly coming in on radar, we'll act as if we're normal participants in the tournament." Crista looked down onto the swiftly passing ocean,
"Brian, this doesn't make sense. To any average air craft, there need be no sudden hesitation for entrance. -But I doubt your flying and an air plane will fall under the same category."

Night nodded…
"-Like I said, I've never literally flown to a tournament before… -hehe… I've never been to a tournament before." "-That's I still can't believe."
"I still can't believe you heal so quickly. After all, I did attack you with a great deal of energy. It's like you and death have some sort of agreement. You don't die yet…"
"-I go on some mad rampage when I find similarities between my past memories and current situations causing me to hurt whomever I wish?0"
"Uh… yeah," Night agreed. Crista grinned,
"Death… I do take advantage of that experience."

Iwa slowly opened her sleep-full eyes and yawned. Kumori turned from viewing the window and grinned at her, "Sweet dreams?"
"Never…" Iwa spoke stretching,
"Awe, why can't that TS dude pop in my dreams. I'd love to finally meet the guy that brings us together. -Like some Miko gathering her seishi." (allusion to Fushigi Yuugi ß very good anime) "-Or some teacher gathering a bunch of scattered kids all over the play ground," Kumori sighed sipping her freshly brewed coffee. "-Morning ye lovely lasses…"

Iwa and Kumori, at that voice, responded with opposite tones, "Hello Volpe…" "Wow… the sun rises get better and better each day for some particular reason," Lilly commented, her hand against the plane window as if she wanted to reach out and grab the dawn.

"This is your pilot speaking," The voice over the intercom spoke, "We will shortly begin our dissension within the next hour to the tournament." Everyone nodded and gathered their things. ***Within "very" far, but viewable eyesight away*** "Look, another plane now," Night commented motioning. He couldn't very well point, he would have dropped Crista several hundred feet killing her in an instant.

Crista turned seeing the 'very' far away plane and hesitated, "What an unusual plane." "Eh?" Night asked. "Usually, hosts of tournaments wouldn't fly their participants directly to the place of battle." "Why is that?" "Why Bison do that to us, then?" Crista asked Night. "I'm still confused…"

"Bison obviously didn't want Man Sei to find us, so he helped us out to a certain extent. -But with this plane… well… it's a pretty good size. -Probably carries half a dozen participants or so… why would he grant them so much ease while us two, less to take care of may I add, are only bumped forward." "I see," Brian hesitantly answered. "Tell me, what purpose would he have to bring them all on one plane? So many warriors with limits on their fighting potential… it serves as an easy…-"

"-Oh my gawed!" Crista and Night said in unison. "Hurry!" Crista yelled pointing to the plane. "No! We have to get to the island and-" "Screw the island Brian! I bet you any minute now that plane is going down into the ocean!" "Why would Bison do such a thing?!"

"Do I have to explain all the details now?! How many tournaments have there been with undercover agents, with people having grudges against him… all out for his blood. He may have already assumed their potential and have found it unnecessary… or maybe he knows there are really awesome fighters that he knows will be unable to control for him! Brian, there are a million reasons… but a bunch of fighters huddled on a small plane is suspicious!

-Especially since we're proof Bison doesn't just do things for our benefit!" "No, first we need to get to the-" *Fizzle… fizzle… scratch…* Crista gasped and Night slowed his flight to a stop. The dissonant noises were no louder than a screeching mouse, but echoed in both fighter's ears. "Brian… let's go…" Crista whispered. "Y-You were just hearing things…" he muttered. "Oh, so you were hearing those exact things too…" She added. "-Exactly," Brian finished.

Both analyzed, both predicted, both were correct. The plane slowly… snap, crackle, pop by pop began literally falling apart. Crista covered her mouth with her free hand, the other wrapped firmly around Night's neck for support, ^ Oh gawed… this is NOT happening… ^ -And it happened. The plane slowly, but surely, began descending… far from the island. Crista swore she heard the cries and screams.

She bit her lip so hard until it drew blood. The plane, suddenly, went into free fall… Night's pale complexion now complimented his augmented eyes. The plane, falling faster and faster toward the vast ocean, showed now compassion for it's inhabitants. The weak were going to die from impact… the others were to die from the explosion. "NO!!" Crista shrieked out.

She grabbed Night by the collar, "Fly dammit!" "You want me to interfere with a psychopath?! Your insane!" "You've been around me how long and you've finally realized that!" She yelled, "If you don't go after them-!" "What?! What are you going to do! Fly over there yourself!"

Crista shook her head, "Dammit, you better hope those people survive." -And at that she raised her free hand in a clenched fist high in the air. "What the hell are you doing?!" Night yelled. ^ She's going to punch me when I'm the only thing keeping us from not free falling ourselves?! ^ Crista came down quickly and swiftly… cracking both her arm bands. Night, slowly opened his eyes, "Crista… what the…" She smiled and kissed his cheek. "W-What?" he stammered.

She then grabbed a hold of Night's neck, "Blast!" "AH!!!!!!!" Night screamed flying backwards away from Crista. The follower of Kim Soo, on the other hand, fell rapidly towards the earth. She, also, went into nose dive position, "Here we go again…" ***At the crash site*** Iwa had been through a lot in her life. From having girl talk with her best bud, Kumori… to being brainwashed by Bison.

-But she had never been in an airplane crash… and now that she thought, a predictable one as well. Swimming to the surface she had a million thoughts on her mind. "GASP!" She breathed heavily her first breath of air. She saw a floating air plane wheel nearby and grabbed a hold of it, still gasping for breath. After ten seconds, "Kumori! Lilly! Volpe! Crimson! Guy! Anyone! Answer me!" …Nothing… "Shit… oh gawed… please, let them…" She dove back to the watery grave that possibly held the end for her newly formed fighter friends.

"Crista!!" Night yelled flying over the water surface. "Crista!!!" He saw a floating spec… "A piece of her arm band… NO!!!" He quickly dove under water. -He only hoped she was a damn good swimmer.

"KUMORI!!!!" Iwa yelled surfacing once again. -It had only been one minute and Iwa had already found The Bushin warriors and Lilly over by the tire barely hanging on by a thread. "Answer me dammit!" She yelled. Suddenly, she felt an entire heat surge up against her back. "What…" she muttered. She turned around looking directly into the sunlight, "-the hell…" The woman slowly sank into the water beside her, "Who else your looking for?"

"What?" Iwa asked. "Do you want to talk or do you want to find your friends?" The woman asked with an echoing voice. Iwa couldn't believe it… her voice echoed as if it held the power of a God. "Four… a pilot, a male Air force officer, a female wearing a trenchcoat, and a Korean guy…"

The woman nodded, "The pilot's dead… The Korean guy is on the tire over there… -Your other friends are still alive, though." "H-how do you know?" The stranger woman smiled, "You don't see their dead body's bobbing up and down in the water, do you?" -And after that, she dove under. "Oh gawed… who the hell was she?" -But there wasn't time to think about new faces without finding the familiar ones.

She dove under and scrutinized until she came upon a familiar, unconscious body. Carrying it back to the surface, Iwa held one confused thought now burned deep in her mind, ^ How the hell does she have glowing red eyes? ^ "Hey! Lady! You with the eyes! I found the military guy! Have you found-" "Iwa!" Kumori squealed swimming over and hugging her friend.

Crista, also swimming with Kumori, took the military man off her hands and swam with him over to the Bushin warriors. Seeing how everyone's safety was assured, Iwa sighed, "Kumori… do you know who that woman is?" "Yeah, that's Crista Smith. She's been to many tournaments. I've spoken to her before at previous tournaments, but not like this."

"Cool… now what the hell is wrong with her eyes?" "Eyes?" Kumori questioned. "Yeah, they're glowing red… see…" Iwa scoffed and swam forward, "Hey Crista!" Crista turned around looking at Iwa with her basic dark brown pupils, "Yes?" Iwa, taken aback, paused, "-But… but…" Kumori smiled patting her head, "Don't worry… I inhaled a lot of salt water myself."

Pacing back and forth provided no solace for the worrying fighter. -Even with his previous and newly made friends around him. "Look, Night… I'm sure she's safe. Like you said yourself, she's insane. Insane people just don't disappear like that…" Night glared at Shockwave and his comment. Shockwave held up his hands, "Whoa… I see how it is. Gawed, I didn't know you and her were 'that' close."

"We aren't…" Night answered abruptly. "Yeah, uh huh… sure," Dan finally commented. Shockwave smiled… but then he raised an eyebrow, ^ How come Dan and Sakura didn't talk to eachother let alone look at eachother? -Even in fights they atleast looked at eachother. What kinda fight did they have last night? ^

Shockwave shrugged and approached Brian, "Look buddy… has this girl ever let ya down?" "We've known eachother less than-" "So that's a no, right?" Shockwave cracked a grin, "Come on… any second… she'll probably come stumbling to shore-" "Hey!" A random voice echoed into the crowded dojo. "Ship wreck survivors are coming to shore!" Participants already at the tournament heard of the news, but most didn't care.

Few decided to view the survivors to gloat how they couldn't even survive a plane ride over. -But that was Night's cue to rush to the scene. Shockwave, Dan and Sakura quickly followed. "Hurry!" A familiar voice yelled, "We have wounded here!" Night couldn't see her, but knew it was her, "Screw this!" He flew up above the crowd and to the familiar voice… to Crista.

The crowd's "Ooo's and Awe's" of Night's extra gift were quickly dismissed by the man. He, at first, could only stare at the woman that scared him half to death. She stared back, ignoring the fact she was soaked in salt water and helping her newest friend, John Heagy to shore. A nearby paramedic took John to a stretcher.

"His left ankle is twisted and his right arm has a severe second degree burn…" she notified the medics. "Crista, atleast talk to me!" Night grabbed her bare forearm. She tensed up, but looked at him with fair eyes,
"I-I'm sorry…"
"Your sorry?" Night repeated. Crista nodded,
"Look… whether or not you except that or- Mfgh!"

Her speech was interrupted by Night embracing her tightly, "You scared me to death!" Iwa, helping Kumori to shore, noticed the two and cracked a grin,
"So… there's the guy that saved her from that Man Sei guy." Her flying friend smiled,
"Yep… contradiction isn't it."
"Him or them?" Iwa questioned.