[center][h3]The Seekers Initiative[/h3][/center] [center][b]Word Count:[/b] 3440 (+4) [b]Level 5 Captain Falcon:[/b] 67/50 [b]Level 9/10 Terry Bogard:[/b] 37/100 [b]Level 8 Amaterasu:[/b] 57/80 [/center] After a pause to order (easier said than done for the divine wolf), Cap, Terry and Ammy headed outside, along with Mai. The latter was on her way out anyway, while the former trio headed to sign up at the registration combot that was found outside of the restaurant. Given they were cutting it fine with the deadline, it was lucky that this one seemed to be out of the way enough to not have the biggest queue, the new team only having to wait on a self declared [url=https://i.imgur.com/NY5Xj9J.png]Goddess of explosions[/url] to get through her sign up before their turn would be up. Which did raise the question, courtesy of Mai, of what this new team was going to be called. It wasn't exactly something Amaterasu could have any input into on the creation side of things, so she turned her snout to the two humans to see what their suggestions would be. As she waited in a queue, Mai pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. She’d grown impatient by each passing moment. The brunette kunoichi was standing right behind Terry and his team, just wondering if she’d ever make it in time to register her own team, considering the time limit was nearly up. It didn’t help her cause when she’d been searching for Yuri and King prior to going to Pao Pao Café 7, yet somehow, the girls were nowhere to be found. Weird, she thought, but she was planning on registering their names, anyway, despite their absence. “Hmph! How much longer is it?” Mai grumbled, her face cutely grumpy. Terry snickered, glancing at his brother’s sweetheart past his shoulder. [color=1E90FF]“Relax, Mai,”[/color] he reassured. [color=1E90FF]“It ain’t gonna take long. When this so-called ‘Goddess of Explosions’ is done, best you bet it’s gotta be our turn next.”[/color] “Yeah, yeah…” Mai rolled her eyes, even more exasperated now that she had to give ear to the self-proclaimed goddess’ obnoxious ramble. As was mentioned, she did, in fact, take interest in what Terry’s all-new, all-different team was going to be called. “So, you guys, what do you have for the team’s name?” she asked, the fan in her grasp pensively poking her mandible. “Because I still haven’t decided between ‘Team Women Fighters’ or ‘Team Super Heroines’ for my team yet. Is yours still going to be ‘Team Fatal Fury’ or do you have other names in mind, hmm~?” [color=1E90FF]“Well, that certainly is a fine question, Mai,”[/color] Terry admitted, then tilted his head, thoughtfully scratching his blonde temple. His mind was racing with possible names as we speak, and since Andy and Joe would most likely skip this year’s edition of KOF, naming it ‘Team Fatal Fury’ was, unfortunately, no longer a must. [color=1E90FF]“Both you and I know we usually go by the name ‘Team Fatal Fury.’ Or ‘Team Italy’ during that one time we gotta represent a country. You used to be in my team, though, so you got the gist. But hey, different members, different vibe, amirite? So, yeah, I think we could as well come up with a new name, right, guys?”[/color] His blue eyes darted between Cap and Amaterasu, clearly gesturing at them to brainstorm with him as the trio waited for their turn. [color=1E90FF]“Actually, I’ve come up with a bunch of names. ‘Team Hero,’ ‘Team Mark of the Wolves,’ ‘Team Art of Fury,’ ‘Team Smashers,’ ‘Team Maximum Mayhem,’ ‘The Wolves ‘n’ Falcon Connection, and, uh…”[/color] He hesitated, briefly stifling his mouth before quietly mentioning [color=1E90FF]“Team Seekers”[/color] to both of his teammates and teammates only. [color=1E90FF]“Whaddaya say, Cap, Ammy? Maybe you guys have better names in mind or should we just stick with ‘Team Fatal Fury,’ anyway?”[/color] “Huh?” Mai narrowed her big, brown eyes, curious as to why Terry had to seemingly hide the last name suggestion from her. His voice was so low, she couldn’t even catch what he said past the word ‘Team.’ “Say that again,” she asked the hat-wearing bruiser. “I mean, maybe I can help you with naming the—” [color=1E90FF]“Say what? ‘Fantastic’?”[/color] Terry asked with a teasing voice, feigning obliviousness. He could’ve sworn he nearly let out a cackle at her puzzlement. Mai sighed. “I always knew you’ve been hiding something from me,” she said with a dropped voice, pouting and puffing her cheeks adorably. Amaterasu, with her much sharper than human hearing, had heard it just fine, and, frankly, she’d have been just as fine with that name. Ironically, the divine wolf in disguise was not one for hiding in the shadows. Let these ‘Consuls’ come, she thought, and she would show them the might of the sun! Still, even if she didn’t hold any fear, that didn’t mean she had zero thought for subtly. Just not very much. Hence why when she paused time and scrawled on the nearest wall with her celestial brush she wrote down "Seekers of Fight” instead of “Seekers of Light” before giving a bark to get their attention. [color=1E90FF]“Yes, Ammy?”[/color] When the furred deity barked, Terry’s attention instantly shifted towards the worn down wall with the words ‘Seekers of Fight’ beautifully written across its bricked surface. His opinion remained unchanged: that, for a ‘wolf,’ Amaterasu wrote immaculately well. His clear, blue eyes darted between the deity and the artistically written name suggestion before eventually fixating on the name on the wall with awe. [color=1E90FF]“‘Seekers of Fight,’ huh?”[/color] Terry asked, narrowing his eyes a little. [color=1E90FF]“I dunno about you guys, but that sounds a hell lot like me. I actually like that, Ammy.”[/color] He grinned and nodded in approval before shifting his attention towards Cap and Mai—with the latter finally discovering part of the name Terry quietly suggested earlier. [color=1E90FF]“‘So, um… Cap, Mai, whaddaya say? Do we agree to use that name right there?”[/color] he questioned, his thumb gesturing at the painted wall. The Captain didn’t have any particular objections. The name was simple, snappy, and potentially marketable. All the things that typically made for a good team name. “Wow, that’s… that’s beautiful!” Mai chimed in, finding herself mesmerized by how the name on the wall was painted, instead. Her eyes glistened, her expression one of astonishment and admiration. “It’s like… one of those Japanese calligraphy paintings in our dojo, Terry! Actually, I thought of ‘Seekers of Fury,’ but this one has a better ring to it. Did you write it all by yourself, Ammy?” It was a touch belittling in the phrasing put, but the wolf still decided to look smug at her handiwork regardless. Terry giggled, peering over Mai. [color=1E90FF]“She sure did. She’s a [i]special[/i] kinda wolf,”[/color] he told her, then leisurely approached the combot right in front of them. Thank God, he thought, the yapping annoyance was done with her registration. [color=1E90FF]“Alright, so, it’s a deal, right? ‘Seekers of Fight’?”[/color] the hat-wearing bruiser questioned, dropping his duffle bag before taking a pen and a piece of form provided by the combot. He didn’t forget to inform them earlier that he’d be signing up for the new KOF tournament with Cap and Amaterasu. He began by filling out the names of the members, his handwriting scratchy and barely readable. [color=1E90FF]“Terry Bogard, Captain Falcon, and, uh… Am– Amaterasu! Yeah…”[/color] he repeated what he’d written, quietly and absently. [color=1E90FF]“And for the team leader, who do you guys think should lead the three of us?”[/color] “Oh, I thought you always registered yourself as the leader, didn’t you?” Mai teased, playfully poking the tip of her folded fan against Terry’s back. Terry snickered, tickled by the playful gesture. [color=1E90FF]“What if I told you, Mai, different members, different vibe?”[/color] he asked back, repeating what he already said while nearly swatting the fan. [color=1E90FF]“Which means different formations and different strategies. But I dunno, you guys, should I be the one in charge of the team or should it be somebody else?”[/color] Amaterasu had her pride, yes, but also the good sense to not try and suggest herself given that, well, all the issues that would entail in communicating anything. Also people would just assume she was a team mascot or something. So instead she glanced her snout at the runner up to the leadership race that had happened for the overall team, cocked her head to the side in inquiry. It would certainly be less confusing if the man who went by Captain Falcon was also their team captain, but other than that she didn’t really mind either way as long as they could do the talking part of these things. [color=1f66b2]”Well…”[/color] Cap hummed with consideration, [color=1f66b2]”...I guess I already [i]am[/i] answering to the title of Captain, aren’t I?”[/color] In all honesty, this was something the bounty hunter had not taken into consideration. It certainly could cause confusion with viewers and fans to have a team member called a captain who isn’t the actual captain. But at the same time, Falcon wasn’t nearly as familiar with the rules and intricacies of the KOF like Terry was. [color=1f66b2]”I admit I’m also not especially familiar with the rules.”[/color] The Captain added, [color=1f66b2]”But I suppose I don’t see any reason why I can’t learn them as we go. Terry? Any thoughts?”[/color] [color=1E90FF]“Hmm…”[/color] Terry stopped scribbling, giving both of his teammates’ notions and Mai’s a consideration. From the very beginning, he’d made himself aware that changes in formation were expected, given that this was an all-new, all-different team. They were even going under a completely different name, instead of the usual ‘Team Fatal Fury,’ so the shift in leadership was easily expected. He’d been a chief throughout his fighting career, after all, leading his prior team to semifinals more times than not. Perhaps, this was the right moment to pass the torch, he believed. [color=1E90FF]“Well, you do look like a million bucks, Cap, I’ll give you that,”[/color] he admitted. [color=1E90FF]“So if you think you can handle the job, then… I guess why not?”[/color] He shrugged, hands spread, giving the bounty hunter a smile of approval. [color=1E90FF]“And don’t worry about the rules, though. Sure, they look complicated at first, but they ain’t exactly rocket science once you get the hang of ’em. I can show you both the ropes.”[/color] [color=1f66b2]”You got it.”[/color] Cap said with a thumbs up. [color=1f66b2]”I’ll do my best.”[/color] With that in mind, Terry continued scribbling on the form, writing down Cap’s name as the leader of the newly formed Seekers of Fight. After the form was submitted, he gave both of his teammates a thumbs up, his smile so wide it revealed the glistening teeth beneath. [color=1E90FF]“Alright, we’re all set!”[/color] he told Cap and Amaterasu before offering each of his hands to them for a [color=1E90FF]“high five!”[/color] Mai snickered, hiding her glistening, parting lips behind the now spreading fan. “Well, well… Guess whose turn it is now?” she asked the trio teasingly. “Now, if you excuse me, let me just—” “Hold it right there!” “[b]Huh??[/b]” There was a deep yet feminine voice calling from the east of the registration booth. Was it intended for Mai or was it for everyone else? Nobody was certain until the kunoichi’s brown eyes followed the source of the voice, only to find [url=https://www.fightersgeneration.com/nf8/char4/king-kofallstar-kof95.png]a familiar tomboyish girl clad in violet tuxedo[/url]. She gasped behind the fan. “King??” “Mai??” “Ha! About time!” the kunoichi cheerfully exclaimed, dramatically pointing the spreading fan at King. “I’ve finally caught up with you. Care to team up, ‘Ms. Sakazaki’?” King flushed at the nickname since it was true that she was into Ryo, the oldest son of the Sakazaki family. Yet, despite the sheepish reaction, she chose to appear unfazed and tough like she always did. “Well, actually, Mai, I’ve been looking for you everywhere else for this exact reason,” she elaborated, rubbing the back of her head. “Though, before you ask, no, Yuri’s already with Ryo and Robert, so our third fighter will be…” Before King could complete her words, [url=https://snk.fandom.com/wiki/Chizuru_Kagura]a fine lady sporting a white hairband[/url] gracefully made her entrance to the scene, making herself known in front Mai and the likes. At first glance, she actually did resemble the Kazama lady Amaterasu had a chance to meet earlier, but in actuality, she was Chizuru Kagura, the heir of the sacred Yata Mirror and one of three chosen warriors to fight the Orochi during the aftermath of KOF ’97. “Greetings, everyone,” Chizuru greeted, then bowed, her voice calm and soothing. “I believe it has been a while since we last collaborated, won’t you agree, Mai and King? Especially now that I can sense the presence of Orochi somewhere in this town…” “Well, it’s always been a pleasure to help, of course,” Mai responded, her smile softening. “But… haven’t you sealed the Orochi with Kyo and Iori many many years ago?” “It is true, perhaps,” Chizuru confirmed, gently nodding. “We did seal the serpent a long time ago, but recently, I can sense that the seal has begun to crack. I’m still uncertain if this recent phenomenon has anything to do with the Orochi finally breaking free, but even if it doesn’t, we still have to be careful. For what we know, evil forces are always around the corner whenever KOF is held.” Nodding, Terry listened attentively, fixating on the newly arriving Sacred Treasure as she elaborated what she’d been sensing. While he’d always stayed in the background for the entirety of this ‘Orochi saga’ Chizuru had been dealing with Kyo and Iori, he couldn’t deny that something did feel off in the months leading to the new KOF. Not when most of his acquaintances had gone missing out of the blue, still yet to be found. [color=1E90FF]“Well, that sounds creepy. God knows how many peeps that cursed snake had killed during one of the earlier tournaments. We can’t let that happen, can we?”[/color] Terry finally chimed in, his voice one of concern. [color=1E90FF]“I know that I can’t help much, but if there’s anything my team and I can do, just let me know, alright, Chiz?”[/color] Chizuru nodded. “Hopefully. I do believe each and every one of us within the tournament needs to collaborate, eventually, especially now that—” She quickly stifled her mouth, realization sipping in. When her gaze fell upon one of Terry’s teammates, she seemed to recognize something. Something that felt… oddly connected to the myth of Orochi itself? “Good heavens! I can’t believe my eyes. You must be… Amaterasu in disguise, are you not?” she questioned, a mixture of awe and admiration in her voice as she bowed in front of the wolf goddess respectfully. Mai widened her eyes, nearly gasping. “No way,” she reacted. “She’s that Amaterasu from… the Japanese folklore?” [color=1E90FF]“Wait, wait, wait! Hold on a sec,”[/color] Terry said, puzzled, raising his hands over his temples. [color=1E90FF]“You mean to tell me that Ammy here really is a goddess?”[/color] He then glanced at Cap, remembering what the latter told him earlier. [color=1f66b2]”Of course.”[/color] Captain Falcon confirmed. [color=1f66b2]”I did tell you earlier that she’s a goddess in disguise, didn’t I?”[/color] The divine wolf had tiled her head to the side in confusion at Mai saying she was from ‘Japanese folklore’ but though given she had just met another goddess with her name and domain it wasn’t quite as surprising to know that there were other hers out there. What was much less pleasant news was that there were apparently other Orochis out there, the divine wolf’s fur having bristled at the name alone. Scourge of the celestial plain, devourer of maidens, her reality’s Orochi was a blight upon reality and perhaps her most reviled foe. Still, she had at this point recovered from the news, and upon being recognized and bowed too she raised her snout high and proud. Unfortunately there would be no clearing up the confusion about her being in disguise, a wolf was what she was, and the mortals not being able to see her divine trimmings was on them not her. It would take too many words. Writing ‘‘Orochi will fall’ on the same wall as she’d used to write the team name however was a much more simple message to convey. The writings on the wall only strengthened what Chizuru had sensed. This truly was Amaterasu responsible for sealing the Orochi thousands of years ago, she thought. Knowing that she was usually the one grouping the other Sacred Treasures to battle the wicked deity, at least both Terry and Mai could be reassured that Chizuru had a high degree of spiritual perception to recognize the sun goddess herself. “Indeed, Orochi will fall. I can sense it, and it’s imminent,” Chizuru agreed before shifting her attention from the writings on the wall to the hat-wearing bruiser in front of her. “I can’t believe I’m going to tell you this, Terry, but your team holds the key to seal the Orochi once and forever. She has a direct connection to the ancestors of the Kusanagi clan. Perhaps, I should inform Kyo and Iori about this.” [color=1E90FF]“Oh, erm… Okay… Sure! Why not?”[/color] Terry answered, then shrugged, hesitantly smiling at the mention of Kyo. It appeared that Chizuru was oblivious to the altercation that both he and the so-called Mr. KOF had earlier, and it was for the best that she didn’t know it at all. [color=1E90FF]“Guess we’re now the ‘Hero Team,’ huh? Who would’ve thought?”[/color] “Well, in the meantime, I believe we should be registering now. Time keeps running, and we don’t have much time left,” Chizuru reminded, clearly towards her future teammates as she gave them a serious glance. “Mai, King, you two will have to meet me at L’Amor shortly. We will discuss this matter further. As for you Terry, I wish you and your new team the best of luck.” [color=1E90FF]“Why, thanks a lot, Chiz!”[/color] Terry thanked, his smile bright and wide again. He picked his duffle bag. [color=1E90FF]“You, too. Hope your team and mine are gonna face each other in the next KOF. If there’s anything you wanna let us know, just hit us up at Pao Pao, alright?”[/color] “Surely, Terry,” Chizuru simply reciprocated, giving him one last nod. [color=1f66b2]”Best of luck, ladies.”[/color] Cap offered the women as well. Ever a good sportsman. [color=1f66b2]”May the best team win.”[/color] “See you at the tournament!” both Mai and King exclaimed simultaneously, waving their hands at the trio of Seekers. After smiling and waving back at the trio of ass-kicking women, Terry began walking towards the front door of Pao Pao Café 7 alongside Cap and Amaterasu, readjusting his duffle bag around his shoulder. From the sound of it, he could tell that there had to be an interesting conversation taking place inside, though he couldn’t quite hear what any of the other Seekers said. [color=1E90FF]“Ah, my bad… Sorry if I haven’t explained to y’all more about the tournament,”[/color] Terry apologized to his teammates, his strides steady yet leisure. [color=1E90FF]“Let’s just talk about KOF while we eat, should we? You can ask me anything about the rules and stuff if you’d like.”[/color] [color=1f66b2]”I know about the 3-man team rule.”[/color] Cap said, [color=1f66b2]”And that we’ll be fighting one after the other instead of in a tag-team fashion. Beyond that though, I could use a crash course.”[/color] Amaterasu barked in agreement. She’d already had to adapt on the fly with her match Vs the other Amaterasu, it'd be nice to be forewarned this time. Plus she was all up for filling up her stomachs while they did the talking. All the running around and fighting worked up an appetite.