*Knock knock*

 Volpe raised a heavy eyebrow in the general direction of his wooden door. “Fair Maidens Kumori and Natalie, plus Sir Crimson, I shall be ready to voyage with ye as soonest as I complete the wonderous task of polishing mine left Combat Boot of mightiness. 5 Mikes at most.”

 “Mikes?” A very beautiful face with purple hair cascading about revealed our hero’s visitor, standing little beyond five foot , but well worth every inch of it. Though for some reason Ayame poked her head into the confines of Volpe’s shack with an almost worried expression.

 “Mikes, as in a surname for a minute.” Volpe grinned, nodding towards his guest. “Military dialogue, lass. How may I be off service?” He laughed while somehow managing to reveal a toothy smile at the same time. He was good at that. “All you see here is at thy disposal. The world itself shalt never stand a chance.”

 Ayame smiled tentatively, closing the door softly behind her. “If it’s alright, I just need to talk to… um… you.”

 “Ara?”

 Ayame’s hands attempted to tie themselves in knots. As painful as this sounds the reader will be gratified to note she was largely unsuccessful at this. “I need advice.”

 Aaron grasped a nearby chair (actually, the only one still able to stand on it’s own original four legs) and set it front of her, motioning for her to sit. “Counsel I am delighted to give, provided the student is willing. Perchance, what dost you require knowledge off? Martial arts? Pink towels? Armed Weaponry? Iwa’s measurements? Following that, local hospitals of note?”

 “Kay.” Ayame’s face was hidden within the mass of her purplish hair. She blinked as the military man brushed back her massive bangs with an expansive smile, too startled to blush.

“Thou art among friends. Relax, little one.” Volpe leaned back once more, resuming his job at shinning the boot construct of leather. “What about Sir Kay dost thou wish to know?”

“….How… do … um… well…. I want…to.. um… Kay…is..” Ayame blew a tuft of her own hair out of sheer annoyance. “What I’m trying to say is…”

Volpe yawned with a sheepish grin. “Ah, thou art enthralled with the good Sir Kay, yes?”

 “Um… hai…”

 “There is that. What is thy quest?”

 Ayame leveled her brilliant eyes with the eerie silverish ones of our hero. “…How can I get him to like me? I mean, I lost everything I belonged to… I have nothing here.. and he’s been so kind… I need to know how I can pay him back…. And I…. I……”

 “Hmmm…” Volpe rubbed his squarish chin absently. “I know little in these matters, lady Ayame. I have yet to have anything marginally resembling the title of successes in matters of heart, save my own. I wouldn’t know love if it smote me atop my mighty forehead.”

 Just then the entire shack rocked due to some unknown explosion, sending most of Volpe’s files flying about, the heavier files and other assorted objects landing on his head with a solid *Thunk*. Aaron removed a familiar gauntlet grafted with artwork of a glorious phoenix from just above his forehead, smiling at Ayame’s tittering laughter.

 “I do wish they wouldn’t spar so close to my homestead.”

 “Who?”

 “Sir Dan and Cody.” He studied the leather item with a soft smile, his index finger trailing the intricate designs. “So be it. You want advice, Lady Ayame?”

 She nodded, still struggling with a fit of giggles.

“If the feelings the beat so boldly inside thy breast, budding from the heart are indeed true..”

 Ayame nodded, blushing. “I think so….”

 “With nary a doubt?”

She set her face with determination. “Yes, they are.”

Volpe donned his nearby sunglasses after dropping the boot, the steel toe connecting solidly with the ground, her soft smile perfectly mirrored. “Then act true to thy self, moreover, thy feelings. We live only once in this world, lady Ayame.” He blinked. “Most of the time. Some of us have help. But do thyself no such disservice…. Follow your heart. Can you do that?”

 Ayame blinked. “Yes.”

“Then I suggest ye speak to the ally of justice Crimson and the fair lady Victoria for the pursuit of knowledge in the ritual of dating…” Volpe nodded towards the young woman. “Good luck. May you find thy way as ye chart thy course in the sea of emotions, or something like that.”

 It could have been our pink-clad hero’s imagination, but he could have sworn there were tears in her eyes. “Thank you.” She breathed, kissing Volpe softly on the cheek, then turning to leave.

 “Ayame.”

 The young woman paused.

 “Have fun. Tarry not with Sir Kaze, be bold and direct. ‘Twill be difficult, for I fear he has as little knowledge of women as even I.” He blinked. “Ye gods.”

 “Hai.”

 The beaten door closed gently behind her receding figure, leaving Volpe whistling the theme to Conan the Barbarian. “Methinks..” Aaron stood, gazing at his reflection from within the confines of his cracked mirror, echoed by his newly polished boot, his scars decidedly out of place with his unnatural smile. “That alone makes this life worth living. What say you?”

 *SNAP*

 “Eh?” Volpe blinked, then swiftly poked his head outside the door. “Hark and beware, this errant knight is armed to his pearly white teeth with witty dialogue, a tattered blanket and half an unused bar of pink bathing soap. Evil, assault at thy own peril.”

 “We need to talk.”

The investigator gazed skyward, his eyes finally meeting those of Iwa Hoshi, twirling a lock of hair absently, currently resting easily on one of the uppermost branches of a massive oak. About three stories up. “Faith, how dost ye do that?”

 “Trade Secret.”

 Volpe nodded, grinning from ear to ear. “As I have come to expect from lady Iwa of the fabled Hoshi lineage, prithee, what may I--”

 *CRUNCH!!*

 *WHUDAWHUDAWHUDA!!*

 *THUMP!!*

 “Ow?” Volpe blinked as he shook his head free of grass and dirt, a good distance from his original position. “That was considerably different. ” It may have been is imagination, but..

He turned to Iwa Hoshi, who now stood mere feet from him on the ground, scaled gloves on hand, right palm lightly grazing the hilt of her ornate sword.

 Volpe blinked. “Did you just kick me in the head?”

 “HADOKEN!!!!”

 Volpe dove headlong out of the way of the searing legendary Chi blast, casually observing the ground underfoot being reduced to a grilled cinder. “Mayhap that ‘tis a yes?”

 Iwa rushed towards the pink clad fighter, fists and legs flaring out with deadly precision, each strike barely being blocked or evaded in time. To Volpe’s credit it was about the eighteenth or so lightning kick lashing out when Iwa’s heel solidly struck the side of Aaron’s face, sending the man tumbling in a heap.

 Groaning he pushed himself up to a prone position. “Up.. getting up would be a good thing.” gasped he, his vision swimming.

 Iwa cocked her head, a ghost of a smile on her face. “Do I have your attention yet, Sergeant?” With that she drew the polished blade, bringing it horizontally level just below her eyes.

 “Gleep?” Was our hero’s intelligent response, just before the melee was begun anew. Iwa’s blade pierced the air next to Volpe’s twisting midsection, then lopped off a tree limb Volpe gallantly hid behind. Her left palm flicked outward once, then was outstretched in Aaron’s general direction, whereupon a manifestation of energy spiraled into existence and slammed into his midsection, sending him flying once more.

“Is that all you got?” Iwa’s eyes narrowed as she pressed the attack, kicking Volpe directly in the kneecap. As he stumbled for balance she drove her fist into the side of Volpe’s face, causing him to cry out. “If you don’t fight back, you aren’t going to survive you know.” Iwa smiled, just before she brought the weapon overhead and blurring in a downward arc towards Volpe’s fallen form.

 “Enough.”

Iwa’s eyes widened as a gloved beefy fist seemingly warped into existence right between her eyes at a really undesirable amount of speed. At least in her opinion.

Volpe wiped the blood from the side of his mouth, silver eyes unblinking at the young Iwa’s now rising form, however swaying several feet away. “Perchance, whateverfor happened to diplomacy?”

 Iwa just rolled her eyes and leapt into the battle once more, attempting several slashes about the waist, arms, legs, and just about anything else in view. Volpe twisted and rolled out of the way, his right hand snaking outward in a rapid motion, metal object in hand….

 *SNICK!!*

 Where it extended several feet across and assumed the form of a large metallic baton, which was then immediately twisted about to block a savage strike at neck level. “Even my patience wears thin with the passage of time, lady. Especially with a foe of thy caliber. En guarde.”

What happened after that was a rather long and prolonged duel, complete with melodramatic theme music and flashy special effects (which were mostly provided by Iwa Hoshi, despite the fact that most of them were blasts being lobbed at Volpe’s head).

Iwa for the most part would attack any exposed opening with every ounce of skill at her disposal…. which would explain Volpe’s now heavily bleeding form currently taking a knee; creating interesting crimson colored puddles in the grass..

Volpe on the other hand would parry as best he could and strike home with several brutal, bone crushing attacks and incapacitating counters ….. which would explain Iwa bruised and beaten form resting heavily against the tree, which notably had several fist sized holes ripped out of it.

“Listen well lass.” Volpe stood once more, raking a bloodied hand through his hair. It seemed like a good idea at the time. “I tire off this conflict, nor do I consider myself able to stand much longer due to blood loss.” He smiled, baring full teeth. “I knowest thy plan lady Iwa..”

The young Hoshi in name and in deed shook the cobwebs out of her head, baring the now bloodstreaked blade towards you-know-who. “And what would that be, exactly?”

 Volpe sighed. “You wish me to utilize all my abilities, my strengths, to prepare for the battle one day to come. To show you just what I am capable of from my intertwining with the Yang essence. For when they skies rain of brimstone, the seas boil from non-biblical origin, and creatures of darkness roam free in search of the just to slay.” He pulled out his ornate massive revolver, which managed to glint in the sunlight without blinding either of them. Aaron shook his head. “Hopefully that is many a day from now. Should that day come, however, I shall be ready.”

He smiled now. “So many people have been hurt…. Some lost. Why? I know not the answer. But life is precious. Briefly with the lady Crista’s sudden departure I almost forgot that.” His gloved hand snapped back, allowing the military man to examine the chamber and barrel of the heavy revolver. “But Kumori and Natalie, among others reminded me. Wai Lim had one idea right. I will do no more harm then justified, Iwa. Even at the risk of my life.” With that he tossed his weapons heavily aside landing heavily in a haphazard pile, while regarding her with an amused expression.

 Iwa’s eyes flashed with rage. “THEN YOU ARE A FOOL VOLPE! AND YOU WILL DIE BY MY HAND BECAUSE OF IT! PREPARE YOURSELF!”

 The young woman screamed like a h*llish banshee of old, shoulder-length hair streaming about as her entire body smoldered with blazing energy, bringing the blade back for one final, deadly stroke. The ground itself trembled and split in the mere seconds she ran towards Volpe, thrusting the sword directly towards his heart.

 Volpe’s expression never changed as the seconds somehow seemingly expanded into minutes, time itself in a lull, his eyes fully intent on the young woman and her weapon. The sword stemmed forward, glinting magnificently in the sunlight, driving closer and closer towards his torso….

…. Until it quivered scant millimeters from being his breast. A small rip in the pink fabric of the shirt was apparent. Time resumed.

 Iwa’s entire lightshow vanished in an instant, the young woman sighing deeply. “Well, crap.” She gazed at Volpe with half lidded eyes, a smile threatening to overtake her features. “You couldn’t possibly have beaten me holding back the way you were.”

 He nodded, then smiled. “Art thou so sure I was holding back?” For no apparent reason a massive gust wind ripped dramatically past our hero, causing what was left of his garments to dance.

 “I’m going to ignore that. So why did you chance it? I could have killed you if even blinked wrong!” She paused. “You know what I’m capable off… if I lost control, well..” she gestured absently, searching for the appropriate words. She was pretty darned unused to prolonged conversations, especially with eccentric ones like before her now.

 He shrugged. “I trust in the fates of chance. Lady luck always favors the romantic, methinks.”

 “You can’t be that lucky. Nobody is.”

 “Art thou so sure of that? Worry not, lady Iwa. I shall be ready when the time comes. ‘Tis my mission, after all, aside from protecting..” He blinked, then chuckled. “D*mnation, I hath managed to ruin all our collective efforts of healing, have I not?” He dropped his knees unintentionally, legs suddenly weak.

Iwa stared at him, then sighed. “You need to take this seriously. I mean it.” Absently she wiped the blade on the last remaining green patch of grass nearby, then sheathed the weapon. “Nadie is coming from the north, I can hear her footsteps.” Really. She was just that good.

 “Hence thou art departing?”

 Iwa actually smiled. “Yes. Cops and I don’t get along that well.”

 Aaron smiled. “As I recall. Present company included. Oh, could you tell Crimson his mighty partner of justice is due tomorrow at the land known as the airfield, just in time for his match?”

 “An entry this late to the tournament?” Iwa querried.

 “Dan Hibiki vouches for him, and from my heart feels his steps are sure, his soul pure. Claude will be a good ally to Sir Crimson.”

 She rolled her eyes. “If you say so. I can’t believe they are changing the tournament to two person teams.”

 The pink clad hero laughed as best he could. “There is little limit to the schemes the tournament shalt utilize to make larger amounts of funds. T’will be quite a show, methinks.”

 She nodded. “I’m off to go check the roster to find out who was drawn for my partner. Unless you’d spare me the trouble and tell me?”

 “And the fun in that wouldest be..?”

 She sighed. “Good luck Volpe, with however foolish you are, you’ll need it.” With that she turned to leave, calling Maru and Brand to her side, appearing almost too fast considering never being mentioned once in the current chapter. Ah, the glories of the narrative loophole…

 “Thou hast progressed, Iwa!!” Volpe called.

 The young woman had already broke into a full run, despite her injuries, and no gave no indication to hearing his words. But Volpe knew better. “Luck.” He smiled towards the clouds looming overhead…. Then he collapsed, eyeing the distant form of Natalie. “I do wish lady Iwa would endeavor to find another way to propose her point of view….”