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[h3]Dinner at Kyokugen BBQ[/h3][sub][u][b]Feat.[/b][/u] [color=1E90FF]Terry[/color], Yayama, & [color=00A651]Kim[/color]
[@Terry Bogard] [@Chevaleresse] [@Eviledd1984]
[b]Word Count :[/b] 6,574 [img][/img] | [img][/img] [b]EXP Gained :[/b] +7 pts.
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As they’d agreed earlier, Terry guided Yayama to one of the dining places around the Mid Tier, and it was the Sakazaki family’s very own Kyokugen BBQ. It was a fairly new restaurant situated right next to the Fatal Fury Dojo, just a couple of feet across from the prior alleyway. After crossing the quiet street together, Terry approached the entrance, his leisure strides falling just in front of the lalafell’s. The front doors glided out of each other rather reflexively, paving way for the two Seekers to step in.

[color=1E90FF]“Yup! This right here is the place,”[/color] Terry introduced to Yayama, his open hand gesturing forward. [color=1E90FF]“Yeah, I know, it might not be that crowded around here, but it’s quite cozy, don’t you think? Calm and cozy, yeah… The food ain’t that shabby, either. I tell you what, they got the best steaks and wheat noodles ’round the Mid Tier.”[/color]

As he yapped, Terry took a pensive glance around his surroundings, noticing that the restaurant seemed to be slightly quieter than it was the last time he paid a visit. Granted, he couldn’t remember the last time he ever hung out at Kyokugen BBQ, but he knew for sure that it used to be packed from corner to corner. So much had changed since its grand opening. He remembered when the interior used to contain a number of Kyokugen Dojo’s leftovers on display the last time he visited the now neatly maintained restaurant, such as the scrubbed training schedules on the walls and a handful of scrolls strewn all over the place. After all, this restaurant was supposed to be a rival dojo to the Fatal Fury Dojo, but much like the latter before the failed comeback, it was discontinued following the Kagura Enterprises’ buyout.

[color=1E90FF][i]Nightmares do come true, huh, Ryo? For both of us…[/i][/color]

He could still remember the face that his rival made when he started deprecating himself the last night they talked. Even though he tried as best as he could to hide the pain, he knew that Ryo was still hurt about his dojo’s closure even after years had passed. As much as Terry was against the notion of Geese running the newly revived Fatal Fury Dojo, Ryo, too, was against his family’s decision to give up on their dojo business and turn it into something they believed to be more profitable. The restaurant business did work almost as expected, surely, yet Ryo was never satisfied. He was more devastated than he was grateful. After all, he’d dedicated his whole life to master and teach his father’s Kyokugen style of karate to upstart fighters—even managing to reach the pinnacle of karate by earning the title of the second Mr. Karate—and for what? For nothing. His achievements felt even more hollow now that his team had rarely advanced past the Pools in every KOF tournament.

As he strolled further, Terry broke out of his reverie when an intriguing sight welcomed him. It was [url=https://youtu.be/mdrKlgFTflk?si=MAxoLUK1nJKDz4hr]a display of strength[/url], demonstrated by [url=https://snk.fandom.com/wiki/Marco_Rodrigues]one of Ryo’s best students[/url] working for his family’s restaurant. The gi-clad man with dark pompadour was in the midst of finishing his ‘Bottle Breaking’ challenge when the brawny blonde arrived—the dojo’s tradition that the former still performed even after its closure. With a bare knife hand, he chopped the tops of every beer bottle provided to him on the counter, crushing them all at once and spoiling their alcoholic contents. Some might say that it was for a show, but in actuality, the Kyokugen practitioner was merely practicing for the day his mentor recruited him to his Team Art of Fighting.

At the demonstration, Terry went [color=1E90FF]“woahhh…”[/color] for a moment before whistling and waving a bandaged hand at the familiar fellow. [color=1E90FF]“Yo, Marco! Nice chop!”[/color] he complimented him. [color=1E90FF]“Sounds like Ryo’s taught you well, huh? I’m impressed!”[/color] Yayama nodded after he spoke, indicating her own appreciation of the display. 

Marco—already noticing Terry’s earlier reaction—inhaled deeply, then took a karate stance, subsequently hunching his shoulders in front of the fellow bruiser. He tightened his black belt, a smile partly showing. “Heh. I see… If it isn’t the so-called Legendary Wolf, my master’s greatest opponent!” he reciprocated with a raised, enthusiastic voice. “Looks like you now know the power of the Kyokugen fist. What can I help you, Terry?”

[color=1E90FF]“Oh, not much,”[/color] Terry said, his darting head gesturing at the empty table behind him. [color=1E90FF]“Why don’t you get over here and take our orders? We’re starvin’ right now.”[/color]

Marco—still with a smirk below his moustache—surprised both Terry and Yayama by leaping past the counter, bare feet touching the tiled floor simultaneously. He approached both Seekers, hands holding a pen and a small notebook each.

“Well, then, take a seat,” Marco told them, gesturing at the prior table with his pen. Terry allowed Yayama to sit first before he eventually did right across from her position. “Let’s see… what can I get for you two, eh?” He briefly snickered, standing next to their table. “Well, it looks like the Legendary Wolf’s got a little daughter now, hasn’t he?”

Terry chuckled, waving his bandaged hand down dismissively. [color=1E90FF]“Nah… She’s just a good friend,”[/color] he revealed, then took a brief look at a menu book provided on the table, flipping every page. Even without checking each of the delicacies listed, he’d already known what he came here for. [color=1E90FF]“And y’know the deal, Marco. Just make me a flank steak and a glass of cold beer, is all. Say, what about you, Yaya?”[/color]

“The decorated war hero aiming at retiring from all this world-saving business soon will have the same steak he’s having,” the lalafell said pointedly in the direction of Marco. “And just get me some water to drink, if you may.” She trusted Terry, of course, but not necessarily any of his friends enough to order something that could mask the odor or taste of a sedative. “Oh, and I’ll take the steak medium rare. No need to mask the natural flavors.”

Terry smiled, amused by the way Yayama spoke. [color=1E90FF]“Well, that’s a fine speech there, buddy,”[/color] he complimented before darting his sky-blue eyes back at the Kyokugen practitioner. He pointed a thumb at the knight. [color=1E90FF]“You heard her, Marco. Get my friend a medium rare steak and some water, alright?”[/color]

“[i]Yosh[/i]! Noted,” Marco reciprocated, then wrote down everything that Terry and Yayama had told him, taking notes of the latter’s special request to keep the natural flavors as they were. He drew his shoulders up—a gesture similar to a shrug. “Anything else?”

[color=1E90FF]“Hmm… I guess that’s all,”[/color] Terry said to Marco, peering over Yayama, [color=1E90FF]“right, Yaya?”[/color] She nodded in response. 

Marco smirked. “Heh. Well, then!” he slightly exclaimed, tucking the pen behind his ear. “These won’t take long. I’ll get them done as soon as possible. Right now, why don’t you enjoy our band’s performance over there?”

As the goofy Kyokugen practitioner struck his thumb out, Terry followed where he was gesturing at, his keen gaze eventually falling upon the not-so-sizable stage situated farther ahead of them. There, he caught a clear glimpse of [url=https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/aeb9d7fdfa6e.png]a familiar young lady[/url] entering with her trademark hair band and flowing violet hair, her beautifully adorned maid outfit nearly matching the color of his eyes. Surrounding her on the stage was her own band, and among her bandmates was [url=https://snk.fandom.com/wiki/Sie_Kensou]another familiar figure with curtained brown hair[/url] hurriedly swallowing a comically large meat dumpling in his hand. The brunette seemed to act as the guitarist for the famed idol, as he started readjusting his electric guitar not long after.

Terry—recognizing who the fellow KOF participants were—gave both the idol and the guitarist a big, warm wave from his table, his lips parting in a broad smile. He was so fixated on the upcoming performance he didn’t notice that Marco had returned to the counter to prepare his and Yayama’s orders.

[color=1E90FF]“Hi, Athena! Hi, Kensou!”[/color] Terry greeted, his voice slightly muffled by the next wave of customers occupying the restaurant.

Seeing Terry, Athena returned the warm welcome with a light yet gracious waving hand, her smile nearly as wide. “Oh, hi, Terry!” she called back through the mic in her hand, her voice softly echoing. “I hope you enjoy the show.” She giggled. As for her [i]boyfriend[/i], Kensou, he only gave Terry a nod and a thumbs up since he wasn’t holding a mic to allow him to talk back from a far, managing a wider smile that left his teeth bare.

If the advertisement shown by the gigantic banner he came across earlier was to go by, Athena was, indeed, scheduled to perform at the Kyokugen BBQ as part of her ongoing ‘Athena In Wonderland’ tour. Somehow, just seeing her band in action took him back to the brighter, better days of the past. While brief, he still remembered when he, Athena, and several other KOF participants formed [url=https://snk.fandom.com/wiki/The_Band_of_Fighters]The Band of Fighters[/url] in their leisure times with Athena acting as the lead singer and Terry as the drummer. Although it didn’t really take off, the band did garner quite a sizable fanbase even years after they’d been disbanded. Then, the World of Light happened, and none of his former bandmates remembered that BOF was a thing. It couldn’t help when he didn’t have the best relationship with one of the band’s guitarists in his second life.

As Athena danced and sang her [url=https://youtu.be/wvoi4-sUKoA?si=6CQo_LmDH0X492Dp]hit song[/url], Terry shifted his attention back at the new acquaintance sitting right across from him, beginning to yap again as they waited for their orders. [color=1E90FF]“The song rocks, don’t you think? The good ol’ J-Pop track that’ll just lighten the mood up a bit,”[/color] Terry remarked, subconsciously swinging his head a little. Even though he was more of a rock and country guy, he could always appreciate good music when he heard one, regardless of the genres. [color=1E90FF]“So, how was your world? I honestly had no idea I reminded you of your lady.”[/color] He grinned, nearly giggling, amused by the thought.

“Well, depends on which part you mean. I’ve been all over and then some, from Ul’dah all the way to Garlemald, to the moon, and even to the end of the universe. Do you wanna hear about where I’m from? Weirdest place I’ve been? Petra’s home? I’m an open book and I love the sound of my own voice, so ask away.” 

Terry slightly scratched his temple at some of the places mentioned by Yayama. They sounded alien to his ears, but that was to be expected. After all, they came from two radically different realities with different sets of rules.

[color=1E90FF]“Oh, man… Now I dunno what to start with,”[/color] he admitted with a giggle. [color=1E90FF]“Sounds like you’ve been through more adventures than I have if you’ve been to the ends of the universe. What were your adventures like, though? Bet they were fun, weren’t they?”[/color]

It was evident that the brawny blonde wasn’t expecting himself to meet somebody more adventurous than he was. He’d been traveling to all sorts of places in both his prior and subsequent life, but never to the ends of the universe. And judging by the latter words that came out of the lalafell’s mouth, she seemed quite delighted to recall the stories from her own world as much as he would’ve loved to recall his own.

“Terrifying, mostly. At first for myself, but most of it was for the people I was fighting for. I hadn’t exactly expected to be facing down primals, at least not in a way that didn’t immediately result in my being immediately tempered. Primals being, essentially, manifestations of gods given form through belief and aether, by the way. It was take them down or be killed myself. Worse, if it was the latter, then they’d come for everyone else. I couldn’t stand the thought of my family being tempered or enslaved by the Garlean Empire.”

“Fun, though. . . Yeah, I’d probably have to say that. Between the mortal terror and fights to the very brink, you see a lot of things and meet a lot of people. Tell you what, there’s not a lot funnier than watching a posh Ishgardian noble who thought foreigners were no better than beasts six weeks ago try to negotiate trade agreements with gobbies without putting both feet in his mouth.” She laughed a bit at the memory. 

“I’d be lying if the thrill of battle wasn’t part of the appeal, too. I’m pretty sure I don’t need to explain to you how satisfying it is to overcome a challenging opponent in combat, or how alive you feel after a brush with death. I’m a damn good fighter, and proud of it, even if I’m not exactly the most suited to a martial arts arena.” Yayama didn’t exactly try to hide that her loss to Sakura was still on her mind, somewhere in the mix of concerns, though it didn’t seem to bother her. “Sometimes you meet people who are too into it, though.”

“I think the worst thing I ever encountered was Zenos. He was also a lot like Petra, but in all the wrong ways. I hated it, she hated it. The man only cared for combat. Every word he said, every step he took, every breath and every action was in service of finding a fight that could actually challenge him. He had no morals, no loved ones, nothing but the hunt, as he called it. He would kill without any thoughts save for how disappointingly trivial it was for him. I wish we could have left him there, at the end of the end, to really think about how hollow his existence was.”

Yayama sighed. “So, I suppose the short answer to ‘what was it like’ is nothing. I can’t compare anything in that decade to the time that came before it, not really. That answer your question?”

[color=1E90FF]“Well… I guess?”[/color]

Face dropped, voice trailing off, Terry lowered his gaze in an almost contemplative manner. It appeared that living in Yayama’s shoes didn’t sound as exhilarating as he would’ve imagined, and he felt sorry about that. As horrifying as all the conspiratorial events taking place within the KOF tournament series were, at least he didn’t have to worry about savage creatures lurking around the corners of his hometown every now and then. Thankfully, there was no such thing as the ‘primals’ in his world, but it wasn’t to say that it was vastly better than hers was, either.

[color=1E90FF]“Gosh, I dunno… Just the thought of being hunted down by some [i]god-gifted[/i] creatures sounds scarier than it is fun, I think. That’s just more intense than having to survive a city ruled by criminals. And that Zenos guy you told me? He sounds a hell lot like the guy who killed my dad and Lily many years back, but even… worse! I know Geese. He can still show a bit of decency when he wants to, especially when it comes to his loyal [i]followers[/i],”[/color] he remarked, lifting his gaze upon Yayama again. Now was his turn. [color=1E90FF]“And as for me? Well, as you could probably tell, I lived in a world where everybody was addicted to competitions. I’d been to a lotta places, too, back in my first life. I’d faced some of the toughest fighters around the world and even won tourneys after tourneys as years went by. Can say that I was having a blast for the most part before… all of this happened.”[/color] His gesturing hands stuck out as if to emphasize his point. [color=1E90FF]“Hell, as much as I dislike how South Town’s turned into, I’d be lying if I didn’t miss my world. Like, absolutely, I’d do anything if that means bringing back all those memories I shared with Andy, Joe, Mary, Mai, my [i]rookie[/i], and several others. But then again, you shouldn’t dwell on the past, should you? What’s comin’ is better than what’s gone, they said…”[/color]

When Kim came with the thunder god of Mortal Kombat himself, Raiden, Terry returned his waving hand, his smile a little wide. [color=1E90FF]“Yo, Kim! You’re comin’ with us, too?”[/color] he asked, his voice muffled by the cacophony of noises caused by the visitors and the music performance.

Kim found it hard to hear what Terry had said. He didn’t want to holler back because Terry wouldn't be able to listen to what he was saying. He excused himself from the table. Raiden didn’t seem to mind Kim leaving to speak to his friends. The detective made his way over towards their table. Taking a moment to look over at Yayama. He didn't know who they were or if they were a Seeker. [color=00a651]” Nice to see you again, Mr.Bogard. I’m sorry, but what did you say?”[/color] Kim turned to Yayama. [color=00a651]”Hello I am Detective Kim Kitsuragi. Pleasure to meet you.”[/color] Kim extended his hand out for Yayama to shake. 

Yayama returned the handshake, with a perhaps over-firm grip. “Yayama Yama of the Stalwart Sword, former Scion of the Seventh Dawn and current seeker of adventure.” She combined this last with a wink, though with her eyepatch on it was more of a blink. “Good to meet you as well.”

When asked by Kim, Terry raised his shoulders in a shrug, watching as the fellow Seekers shook hands. [color=1E90FF]“Oh, nothing. Just saying ‘hi,’ is all,”[/color] he reciprocated. [color=1E90FF]“And Kim, Yaya here is the newest member in our club. She told me she’s had experiences combating beasts and traveling to the ends of the universe. Sounds rad, right?”[/color]

Not long after, a [url=https://cdn.miiwiki.org/a/af/TL_Artwork_Mii_Waitress_with_Sandwich.png]Mii waitress[/url] approached their table, serving their orders. Terry took his own plate of steak, then the cold glass of beer, a half smile curling by his lips.

[color=1E90FF]“Thank you,”[/color] he told the waitress, prompting the latter to hunch her shoulders. He picked a fork and a knife, beginning to slice the grilled beef. [color=1E90FF]“Hope you enjoy the food, Yaya.”[/color] With his fork, he pierced and stuffed the sizable slice into his mouth, savoring the juicy delicacy. Yayama wasted no time herself, attacking the steak as if it had taken her best friend prisoner. She put it away at a startling rate, as if she were three times her actual size.

[color=1E90FF]“Hmm… So, Kim, I see that you’re buddies with Raiden now, eh? Bet the Elder Gods see something special in you,”[/color] Terry joked, half grinning, swallowing the chewed beef slice as swiftly as he shoved it into his mouth. [color=1E90FF]“Say, uh, have you and Mr. Thunder God ordered anything? I can help y’all place your orders if you wanna. I’ll be the one paying… again.”[/color]

Kim nodded to Yayama. Studying her, trying to figure out what her “deal” is. Wondering if she was freed from Galeem’s influence, and if she was a Seeker or not. But his attention was turned towards Terry.  [color=00a651]” Not that I know of, I just asked him to answer some questions about the Four Kings.”[/color] Kim didn’t think that Terry would want to pay for their meal again. He turned to speak to Raiden about that. But as he turned, he noticed that Raiden was standing behind him. 

“You do not have to worry about our meal, I will pay for it.” Raiden said before turning to Terry and Yayama. “Nice to see you again, Terrence. How are you doing? I hope you are not getting into any trouble. And who is your new friend?” 

[color=1E90FF]“Oh, her?”[/color] Terry asked Raiden back, pointing a thumb at the one-eyed lalafell who was still eating her own steak with gusto. [color=1E90FF]“Welp, her name’s Yayama. Yayama Yaya. She’s something of a knight and an adventurer herself. Also looks like somebody who can be part of that Earthrealm club of yours, too.”[/color] He grinned and raised his eyebrows, absently slicing the beef on his plate. [color=1E90FF]“And it’s nice meetin’ you again, Lord Thunder God. I’ve been doin’ okay myself. Kinda. What about you? Hope the Skeletor fella didn’t bother you much anymore.”[/color]

“Yama,” she corrected, before going back to her steak.

The thunder god sat at their table, with Kim following suit. The waitress came by asking what they would like to order. 

“Well, I was looking at your menu and I thought the pork belly with your vegetable side dish looked good. Kim what would you like?” Raiden turned to Kim, handing him the menu. 

[color=00a651]“Just a glass of water, please. Now what do you know about Heihachi Mishima?” [/color] Kim just shook his head and handed the waitress the menu. Once again, he pulled out his notebook and pen.

“From what I learned watching his fight, he has quite the hard head. I would know from personal experience.” Raiden moved a hand to rub his forehead. “He is a skilled practitioner in a particular style of karate, have you heard of Mishima Style Fighting Karate?” To his question, Kim shook his head.  “Heihachi recently is in quite a tiff with his son, Kazuya. If it weren’t for the tournament, the two of them would be in an all-out war. So, they use the tournament as an opportunity to try to kill each other. Usually, they do it by trying to throw each other into a volcano. Such a strange family.” The thunder god shook his head with a chuckle.  

While savoring his flank steak and its side dishes, Terry gave ear to each and every elaborate detail Raiden told Kim. Knowing how resourceful the god of lightning was, he knew that the detective found just the right person to inform him about all things Four Kings and even Esaka as a whole. At Raiden’s latter remark about the Mishima family feud, the brawny blonde snorted in a stifled giggle, shoving a fry then a bigger slice of beef into his mouth. A comical chomp was let out.

[color=1E90FF]“Aww, jeez… I dunno why, but the ‘throwing each other into something’ bit just sorta reminds me of what Geese and I often did. Just a never ending loop that’s gonna repeat itself over and over and over again,”[/color] Terry opined, then swallowed the chewed delicacies in a loud gulp, his smile turning wry upon realizing the irony of the situation. It was even worse, now that he thought about it, because once one of them was eradicated, a copy of themselves would rise at some point since some mightier-than-thou anomaly just loved maintaining the status quo of his sick, twisted world. [color=1E90FF]“See? This is exactly what’s off about this strange [i]new[/i] world we’re livin’ in. Just some shady, out-of-touch empire ruling over this lovely place, and the [i]stories[/i] that won’t just end because some sickos love watching us beat each other up to death.”[/color] Hopefully, the deliberate use of the word ‘new’ didn’t confuse Raiden, considering his—seemingly—gleaming state. [color=1E90FF]“Why, I dunno about you folks, but… do you think there’s a chance we might break the cycle in the next tourneys? Or are the wheels just gonna keep turning?”[/color]

“Well, that’s what I’m hoping for. Assuming Esaka doesn’t toss me out for being some tourist who ‘simply doesn’t understand their ways.’ Honestly, if they knew the half of what I’d been up to, they’d be singing a different tune.” The suggestion of cultural insensitivity clearly annoyed the lalafell, who punctuated her point with a particularly aggressive stab of her fork. “Or that I don’t just get myself killed in the brackets. The fighters around here are tough.”

[color=1E90FF]“Totally. Even a three-time champ like me hasn’t won a single KOF tourney in, like, forever,”[/color] Terry admitted, his voice frank. Even in his second life, he thought, he still had the same luck that he used to have in his first life since the moment Rugal changed the tournament’s format in KOF ’94. With his fork, he pierced and picked a cubed carrot, a pea, and a kernel plated close to the partly devoured steak, his movement a little rigid. [color=1E90FF]“Oh, believe me, Yaya, it ain’t just the outsiders who had it worse. They even rough up locals who look quite like me. You heard it yourself how they’d been callin’ me ‘gaijin’ back at Madam Bo’s Teahouse. And that’s just one instance because basically anybody who looks like my pal Ken has to endure the same insult for many, many years. Worse if you end up losing a fight. I know, I know, it’s unfair, but that’s just the way it is. All we are is just the ‘Player Two’ to the poster boys’ ‘Player One,’ no matter how many championships we’ve won along the way. Imagine putting your body on the line every year for some sickos’ entertainment, and all you got for the most part is just, what? Being treated like another copy cat of a fellow blonde dude in red?”[/color]

“I did have a similar feeling as well. A sort of deja vu where major events keep repeating in different ways. But I try not to dwell on it too much. I heard you had joined the King of Fighters tournament. What team do you have now? You have had so many over the years, it’s quite hard to keep up.”  Raiden shook his head while relaxing in his chair. 

[color=1E90FF]“I… guess you’re right, Raiden. We shouldn’t grieve all the time,”[/color] Terry hesitantly agreed, given that Raiden knew it better when it came to experiencing repeating major events. He gobbled the vegetable side dishes skewered by his fork, his teeth gingerly grinding. [color=1E90FF]“And as for my newest team, I’ll be having Captain Falcon and, um… Ammy as my teammates. Yeah, I know, you might not know who those guys are because they’re outsiders. We just trained back at your pal’s Teahouse, and I tell you what, they’re more than ready to throw down tomorrow. In fact, they look like they’ve been fightin’ their whole life.”[/color] He smiled, then swallowed, amused at his team’s prior performances. Perhaps, there was some truth to what Raiden said in regards to his team. Ever since his usual teammates went missing, he rarely had a consistent team like he used to back in his prior life.

“Perhaps you could tell me a bit more about the Tekken and Street Fighter tournament? I would like to know what my partner and I are getting into.” Kim interjected as he noticed the waitress coming in with their order. 

Raiden made a noise of realization, remembering the reason for their talk; he was supposed to answer Kim’s questions.  “Well, Tekken and the Street Fighter tournament is one-on-one combat. Really, most of the tournament is like this, except for the King Of Fighters tournament. However, there was another tournament from a long time ago where participants were in teams. However, that tournament was abandoned after a rather disastrous event.  The participants of the Tekken tournament are varied. You will be facing regular humans like yourself, but also kangaroos, dinosaurs, bears, and ninjas.” Raiden paused to start eating his food before continuing. 

“From what I saw, they are also angels, devils, and demons. But I do not think they are participating anymore, so you do not have to worry. For the Street Fighter Tournament, your partner will be dealing with sumo wrestlers, men who can stretch their limbs, and green men that has harnessed the power of electricity. Although not as well as I.” Raiden smiled, taking a bit of his pork belly. 

Hearing this made Kim a bit worried that he and Harry were a bit out of their element. Slowly, he took a sip of his water. [color=00a651]“And how will the fights be conducted?” [/color] He nervously set his cup down on the table. 

“Well, your name and the other fighters' names will be chosen, and you will be put into a bracket. If you win, you move on to the next bracket. Each fight consists of two rounds, and if there is a draw in the second round, a third round will be held to break the draw if one fighter has won a round. There is no prize for losers, so you will need to win a match to proceed in the tournament.” Raiden looked over to Yayama. “I don’t think you will have trouble. I have faith that you seekers of light will prevail. However, I would be remiss if I didn't have some concern for your friend Pit. The Mortal Kombat participants are much tougher than most.” Raiden finished his food, wiping his mouth with a nearby napkin. 

“Well, as it happens, that’s the tournament I came here for. I didn’t like the sound of it even before I, you know,” Yayama gestured with her head toward Terry, “as it seemed like the best way to get to the bottom of what’s going on there was to throw myself in. I’m not quaking in my sabatons at the prospect, but I’d be a fool if I didn’t admit to being caught off guard by how stiff the competition here is.” She finished her last mouthful of steak, then went for the glass of water. The adventurer gave it a careful sniff before downing it much as she’d done with the food. “If you’ve got any information about that one, it’d be of great assistance to me.”

When Yayama gestured towards him with her head, Terry gave a knowing nod. [color=1E90FF]“Well, that, yeah… I feel you, too,”[/color] he agreed, sharing the same sentiment in regards to, not just the gorefest that was the Mortal Kombat series of tournaments, but also the Tiered City as a whole. He shifted his attention back towards the lightning deity, picking the last half of the steak with the sharp, narrow tips of his fork. [color=1E90FF]“Don’t worry about ’em, Lord Thunder God. Yaya here’s tough as nails. I’ve seen her fight one of the locals before. And I’d like to believe that Pit’s about as strong, too, because… he’s an angel, isn’t he?”[/color]

With his lips parting wide, Terry stuffed the large half of the tender, juicy beef into his mouth, letting out a louder chomp as he took his final bite. He quickly finished the side dishes decking a corner of his plate, then grabbed his glass of cold beer by its rounded handle, bringing its tip close to his lower lip. He swallowed the alcoholic beverage vigorously, belching aloud when he settled the now empty glass on the table. A residual foam clung by a corner of his lips, and he brushed it off, leaving a small, dull tint on the bandage shrouding his hand.

[color=1E90FF]“Alright! That was a fine dinner, amirite?”[/color] he asked, his weary face beaming. However, he began to lose his smile the moment he was reminded by what Cap told him back at the Banishing Flats. Gleaming or not gleaming, they only had ten years left to live, he said. The harsh realization that they couldn’t live much longer had been weighing on him lately, giving him a sort of existential crisis. All the things that he got to experience and enjoy now with his fellows would be no more once they reached the end of time. Such was the fate for the World of Light’s entire population, and he did wish there was any way they could do to extend their respective lifespans.

[color=1E90FF][i]That’s right, Terry, ten years. Ten years till the doomsday clock stops ticking. There’s only so much I can do in my second life, but… what should I do? No, no, no… I know what I [b]need[/b] to do. I know my purpose. I know my priorities. I guess the real question should be… what would I do while it still lasts?[/i][/color]

As he drew a long, deep breath, Terry gave each person at the table an alternating glance. He’d always been curious about what they thought regarding the matter, given that everybody aside from Raiden might’ve already learned the truth beforehand.

[color=1E90FF]“Hey, guys, I was wondering,”[/color] Terry initiated, shoulders hunching and hands folded on the table, [color=1E90FF]“what would you do if you were only given ten years left to live?”[/color]

Yayama’s expression fell almost immediately at the question. It was one she’d been avoiding thinking about. “Well, I guess that’s kind of a conundrum. I’ve seen a lot of the world, so I was hoping to get on with a normal life at some point. Start a family, build a house, maybe get serious about goldsmithing. Hard to justify doing the former if you know you’re going to leave the kid without a mom before they’re grown, though.” She sighed. “Suppose I’d just keep doing what I’ve been doing, in the end. There’s never a shortage of people that need help, and it’s not like I’ve got a lot to lose.” She was quiet for a moment, before halfheartedly adding “Hypothetically, of course.”

“Well, the Mortal Kombat tournament is much like the others. However, there are no rules, and fighters can use any means to win a match. Most of the fighters will be using weapons. Some batons, swords, or even guns. Even those who do not use weapons are equally as dangerous with just their fist. I would tread carefully when participating in the tournament.” As the waitress came by, he paid for his meal. “Indeed, it was quite good.” He took a moment to ponder Terry’s question.  “If I had only ten years to live, I would stick to my mission and assist you mortals as best I can.” The thought of an elder god dying was uncommon, but it had happened before. So he would try to help the Seekers Of Light succeed in their mission. 

When Kim heard his question he had his hands folded in front of him. Wondering what he would do with ten years. The most probably thing would be solving as many cases as possible.Try to get his affairs in order before passing.  Or in this case he would try to help Harry with defeating Galeem. 

“THE PALE IS COMING TO CONSUME YOU. THE CLOCK IS TICKING!” Kim’s Inland Empire said making him have a worried look on his face before speaking. 

“I would try to help my partner and the Seekers with completing their goal.” Kim took a deep breath before taking a sip of his water. 

Eyebrow drawing up, it concerned Terry for a moment when Kim started fidgeting and making a worried face upon being asked the question. The way he behaved, it was as though a loud, presumably internal voice had been whispering into his ear that gave him some degree of panic attack. Nevertheless, he did share the same sentiments that all three of them expressed, most notably Yayama’s and Kim’s. It was true that one of his main priorities as of now was to give Galeem a fine can of ass-whooping for making everybody’s second life unnecessarily rough, but he couldn’t deny that the notion of starting a family and raising kids was… tempting. 

After he and his girlfriend had confessed to each other a long time ago, Terry did consider asking Mary to take their relationship to the next level, which means finally proposing to her. They could raise Rock together, even had their own children as years progressed. Growing old with her had always been a long-time dream of his, after all, but now? All he could do was just… drawing a wry smirk, realizing that Mary and Rock hadn’t even been around for so long. He wasn’t even sure of how they’d been doing lately, either. If only he had the barest hints of courage to propose to her while she was still in Esaka… Still, it wasn’t too late to rescue her just yet. No matter who or what had been holding her captive, eventually, he’d find her.

[color=1E90FF]“Well, those are some… fine answers, you guys. As for me, welp, let’s just say that, um… I’d just live my life to the fullest while it still lasted,”[/color] Terry voiced his thoughts, finally discovering the answer. [color=1E90FF]“None of us knows what’s gonna happen in the next ten or so years, so I guess the best way to spend it is to do the best we can with what we have now, won’tcha agree? ’Least, that’s what my old man used to tell me. What he’d want me to do…”[/color]

As the light tubes’ bright glare began to dwindle, Marco leisurely approached their table, disrupting the conversation. He held onto his duffle bag, its flimsy, dark strap hugging his broad shoulder. “I’m sorry, everyone, but the restaurant’s closing shortly,” he reminded the four, then fixated on both Terry and Yayama. “So, Terry, I’ve heard a bit about your habit from a good friend of yours. You’re not just going to leave this place without paying, are you?” He snorted in a snicker, then handed their bill, his voice more playful than it was scoffing.

Upon hearing Marco’s reminder, Terry drew his eyebrows up quizzically. [color=1E90FF]“Oh, really?”[/color] he asked, then looked around him, noticing that they were the only customers left in the restaurant. Not even Athena and her band were present anywhere within their vicinity, either, leaving the once vibrant musical stage empty. [color=1E90FF]“Time flies, huh?”[/color] He darted his sky-blue gaze back towards Marco and snickered along, shaking his head at the blunt joke. [color=1E90FF]“Yeah, yeah… just wait up, alright? I’ll be payin’ for both my pal and myself. I thought Richard might’ve told you that I’m a changed man.”[/color]

After accepting the bill in Marco’s hand, Terry rummaged in his back pocket, drawing out his bifold wallet. He unfolded and spread the wallet, then began calculating the notes deeply stowed beneath its wider slot, occasionally stealing glances at the bill sprawled atop the table. It surprised him when he discovered the total amount of zennies he had left in his possession. Once he paid for the dinner and a room at the Banishing Flats, he’d be stretched too thin financially. But not to worry, though, because the latest KOF tournament was around the corner. Winning or losing, he’d leave the competition with a load of prize money, eventually.

[color=1E90FF]“Here. The money,”[/color] the brawny blonde said to the Kyokugen practitioner, holding out a couple of notes he’d withdrawn from his wallet. He placed the latter back under his back pocket. [color=1E90FF]“You can keep the change. That was a fine steak, Marco. Takuma’s special recipe, ain’t it? And if you ever meet Ryo, just tell him I say ‘hi,’ alright, bud?”[/color]

Marco nodded, accepted the notes, then stowed them behind his gi, not even bothering himself to check the amount of zennies given to him. “Very well. I’ll let Master Ryo know that you’ll be seeing him tomorrow at the tournament,” he promised, hunching his shoulders in front of the more seasoned fighter one final time. “Glad you like the steak, Terry. Come back again whenever you wish!”

[color=1E90FF]“You bet!”[/color] Terry excitedly reciprocated, then stood out of his seat, tipping his cap and reciprocating the shoulder hunch. [color=1E90FF]“Good luck, Marco! We’ll see you again whenever that is.”[/color]

As he shifted against the table, Terry gave his fellows a glance over his bare shoulder, his bright eyes becoming noticeably puffy to remain wide open. [color=1E90FF]“Well, folks, let’s just call it a night, should we?”[/color] he asked, his head gesturing in the direction of the front door. [color=1E90FF]“We have lots of candy asses to kick tomorrow. Wish y’all the best of luck!”[/color]

After the brawny blonde gave everyone a high five, the Seekers left the restaurant alongside Raiden, readying themselves for the massive showdowns ahead of them tomorrow. Hopefully, there’d be one or more of them fortunate enough to confront the sponsors of their respective tournaments. A wild storm approached, a nightmare awaiting. Will the Seekers of Light prevail or will evil tighten its icy grip on the Tiered City of Esaka?

[b]FIN.[/b]