The King of Fighters Tournament

To the airport!

"So we have landed," Heavy sighed as sat down on the crisp bed. "Keep your invitations safely, boys. There are many psychos around."
"I won't be surprised if those whacks suddenly appear, nope, I won't be," Lucky shook his head. "Nope, not ever."
"We really need to keep an eye out," Brian frowned. "I heard the K9999 whack is here too, changed his name to Krohnen or something."
Lucky burst into laughter. "Krohnen McD!"
Heavy and Brian couldn't help but laugh too.
"Should we grab some weapons or something?" Heavy asked. "I'm scared they might ambush us or something."
"Aww, come on, man!" Lucky groaned and sat beside him on the bed. "We're weapons enough! Just look at us! This bed ain't even big enough for either of us!" He patted the bed he was sitting on.
"You're right, man, we giants!" Brian snorted. And then he groaned. "Great, how we gonna sleep tonight in these puny beds?"
"With dangling feet and a tiny blanket," Heavy sighed. "I hope we don't break the beds."
"Nah, that ain't our problem," Lucky smirked. "Who asked the hotel to provide such small beds? Kinda inconsiderate, don't you think?"
"Lucky, this is Japan," Heavy pointed out. "Do you see locals as big as us?"
"No, I don't think so," Brian shook his head. "Even the doors are too small for us..."
Lucky frowned and rubbed a sore spot on his head. "Even when I bend double, I'm still too tall for them doors..."
"Poor you, you're the tallest of us," Heavy laughed. " I'm not sure how that Daimon guy avoids himself from getting hit in the head whenever he walks through doors."
"He's probably used to it, but he ain't all that tall compared to us, though," Brian shrugged. "Anyway, who's hungry?"
Lucky groaned and held onto his grumbling stomach while Heavy gave him a comforting pat.
"All of us..." Heavy snorted.

***

"Ahh... nothing like a ride in a private jet," Ash sighed as he sat leaned back in his seat, he turned to his sister figure. "Don't you think so, Betty?"
"Yeah," Elisabeth smiled, sipping a glass of wine. "Joining a tournament with you in the team is really refreshing."
Shen came over and perched himself beside Ash, stealing some of his crepes. "Yeah, don't take more than two glasses of wine, you'd already be legally drunk."
"I know..." Elisabeth frowned. "I'm just drinking for the taste."
"That's what she says all the time," Ash whispered to his Shanghainese friend.
He suddenly spotted Adalene sitting quietly in a corner and looking out the window. Ash got up and went over to her.
"Like the plane?" Ash asked, sitting down beside her.
Adalene turns to him excitedly. "It's amazing! I've never been inside a private jet before." She suddenly frowns, as if thinking. "Your cousin didn't come?"
Ash frowned, not sure about it himself. "I'm not really sure, actually."
"Does he know about the tournament? You said he comes from a very secret village?"
Ash shrugged. "I told him about it the last time he was here, but I'm not sure." He pauses a moment. "I hope he comes, though. He's the only kin I have. Biologically, I mean."
Elisabeth's eyes met his and he smiled.

***

"I'm glad you let me bring my old clothes for this... tournament of yours," Ukyo remarked as he inspected the blade of his sword before packing it. "I'm really glad that you let me stay with you." He bowed humbly.
"Aww, come on, Ukyo-san," Nakoruru smiled as she bowed too. "I'm very glad that the universe brought you here. You're finally being cured of your illness."
Ukyo sighed. "I suppose that's the only good thing that happened."
A ringing noise suddenly came, followed by Rimururu running to them with a phone in her hands. "Ukyo-san! Kei-san is calling!"
"Rimu, what are you doing with Ukyo-san's phone?" Nakoruru rolled her eyes.
Rimururu handed the phone to Ukyo and turned to her sister with a frown. "You didn't let me have yours, so Ukyo-san gave me his."
"Well, yeah, I don't even know how to use that... smartphone," Ukyo chuckled. "Let her use it, I don't even mind."
"Answer the call," Nakoruru smirked, pushing her sister into another room. "We'll wait in the room until you're done."
"We are?" Rimururu questioned innocently.
Ukyo sighed, shaking his head, before looking at the screen of his phone. Kei's name stared at him, written in modern katakana. He thought the writing looked strange, oddly neat with straight lines, and swiped the green icon to the right just as K' had taught him.
"Uh... moshi moshi?" Ukyo greeted, not sure what it even meant.
"Ukyo-sama!" Kei exclaimed on the other end. "I'm already at the airport, where are you?"
Ukyo's eyes widened. "I... I'm not there yet, still on my way."
"Hurry up, there's almost only an hour left!" Kei exclaimed. "I'm sorry if I sound too impatient, Ukyo-sama, but I'm just very excited to see you in the tournament! My sensei in a tournament, how cool is that?!"
Ukyo didn't understand half the words she said, but nodded as if she could see him. "Yeah, cool. Very cool. I'll be there in a while."
He hung up and frowned, looking for the sisters. "You can come out now."
The room door opened and Rimururu's grinning face appeared.
"What did she say?" Rimururu asked excitedly.
"She's at the port and she's waiting for me," Ukyo points out. "While we're still messing about here."
Nakoruru gasped and quickly grabbed her bags. "Shoot! She's earlier than us!" She checks if everything's in order inside her carry-on bag before turning to Ukyo. "You packed your medicines, right?"
Ukyo nodded. "Yes, it's inside this..." he looked at the rectangular bag in his hand and frowned. "Pouch..."
"You've taken them, right?" Rimururu asked. "Because I'm not sure if we can do it on the flight."
"He can, but I think he already took his meds during breakfast earlier," Nakoruru said before frowning, realising something. "Oh wait, we haven't had any breakfast."
"I have some in my pocket," Ukyo stated. "I can take it after we eat breakfast at the food place."
"It's a restaurant, Ukyo-san," Nakoruru chuckled. "Kinda like a Ryōtei back in our day."
Ukyo nodded. "I see... let's get going."

The three of them took a taxi to the Haneda Airport and got in front of the terminal. Nakoruru carefully took her keyboard out and made sure she didn't bump anything before helping Ukyo out.
"I'm still not used to this car thing," Ukyo sighed as he pulled his stuff out. "But I'm glad I didn't wear my hakama. That would've made things more difficult. Maybe that's why people of this era wear these simpler, slip-on clothes instead."
The driver gave him a strange look but Rimururu loudly shut the door behind her before giving the driver a bow.
"We should go," Rimururu pulled Ukyo's arm. "You're gonna cause some suspicion, Ukyo-san."
Ukyo nodded and followed the sisters into the airport, making a beeline for the counter to check their baggage in. They had to show a special license for their swords but were allowed to bring them anyways.
"They allow since we're bringing them for a tournament, we're allowed to," Nakoruru explained as Ukyo stared at his sword. "But I think you have to put it in your checked baggage."
Ukyo nodded and secured it tighter around his duffel bag. His phone suddenly dinged with a text from Kei and he showed it to Nakoruru. "What does it say? I cannot understand what's written."
Nakoruru laughed at her shortened language. "She's telling you to come to the sushi restaurant at the other end of the terminal."
"You should go, we'll wait for you," Rimururu grinned.
Ukyo shook his head. "No. I told her that I'm bringing my sisters with me. You guys are my teammates, after all."
Rimururu giggled and pulled Nakoruru's arm. "Lead the way, sister."
Nakoruru chuckled and brought them to the sushi restaurant.

Kei immediately stood up to greet the samurai warriors when they entered the shop.
"Oh, come on, no need for such formality," Nakoruru bowed slightly and sat down in front of her. "We're so glad that you're gonna join us!"
Kei smiled. "Oh, the pleasure is all mine."
Rimururu grinned and slipped beside Nakoruru, leaving Ukyo to take the only vacant spot beside Kei.
"Ukyo-sama!" Kei stood up and bowed at him before sitting down.
Ukyo nervously smiled. "You don't have to greet me like that..."
Kei chuckled and sat down. "Can we still train, even with your tournament? I brought my sword too."
"I have no objection to that," Ukyo nodded. "My sisters can join us too."
Nakoruru quickly shook her head. "Uh. No. I rather train with Rimu instead. Ukyo uses a katana while the two of us use kodachi. So yeah... different weapons."
They started taking their orders with Ukyo receiving help from the others.