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Yokohama- Jacky's rented apartment, Door 70'
The room Jacky chose fitted the image of a warm and comfortable place to reside in. Although it was quite small and nothing really extravagant or lavish, the apartment seemed to feel almost like home.
That was the kind of space Jacky liked provided he was in a good mood. The Racer took a small glance at the state everyone was in and sighed. The atmosphere immediately felt quiet and distant, almost as if a funeral was taking place. The recent incident with the Yuki Budokan dojo being difficult for many of them to stomach; especially Akira who took the loss of his most valuable dojo to heart. Jacky sighed in sympathy. Despite his goofy attitude, he often found many effective ways to calm down his hot-blooded friend; but for the first time in years, Jacky felt genuinely stuck on how to comfort him.
"Man…" Jacky thought. "Not since the incident of the eight stars has he ever felt this down…yeeeeshhh…! I don't know why anyone would want to get under Akira's skin so bad. This Donovan guy obviously has no soul…..I mean why even blow up the Yuki Budokan in the first place?! That was just out of order!"
With an intent growl, Jacky clenched his fists with silent rage. "Grr…..these bastards really know how to piss me off! First Judgement 6 with my racing career and now this Donovan guy with Akira and that Kasumi chick; do these people simply get scot free profit from other's pain?! That's seriously screwed up! W-wait a minute…what am I saying?! Homicidal attacks like that are always screwed up!"
Akira on the other hand kept silent. Unlike Jacky or Natsu to some extent (the latter was sitting in a chair alongside Kasumi), he felt no anger or rage coursing through him. His gaze stared at the floor below him, his posture wracked with guilt. Akira was static, almost kept in place. The vague image of his beloved dojo being blown to pieces was enough to engulf the Hakkyouku-Ken grandmaster with silent grief. Hints of anger were there, but it could not compare to the amount of shame Akira held within him.
Sensing her friend's period of sadness, Pai stretched out a hand and patted him on his left shoulder, with a sympathetic look. "Akira? Are you gonna be okay?"
"I guess so…" Akira wavered in his speech slightly as he took a deep sigh.
"You sure?" Pai questioned, a little suspicious of Akira's depressed state. "You're letting this situation get into your head a bit y'know?"
Akira nodded in agreement. "I know, Pai. But….this dojo was something Grandpa fought to preserve for years….now that it's gone….I can't help but feel like I've let him down….."
Pai let out an indignant huff. It was not haughty but rather one of symbolized maturity. "Look, I'm pretty sure your Grandpa won't chew you out for the burning of the Yuki Budokan just because some lunatic blew it to pieces. If anything, he'd be even prouder of his Grandson trying to defend what was his and that is something to consider. So please, don't blame this incident on yourself because it's not your fault really. And hey…at least we're here! That's something to consider, right?"
Noticing Pai's giggle, Akira could not help but crack a smile. Taking in Pai's comfort, he felt a little relieved, and the remaining sadness he previously felt immediately started to wash away. "Yeah….I guess so…when you put it that way."
"Remember, Akira. As long as you have us, we'll never say you've let us down. Ever."
Akira turned and faced his friend with said smile. "Thanks, Pai. You've helped me a lot! I really appreciate it!"
Meanwhile, Natsu kept silent throughout the entire conversation, yet he took Pai's words of advice into account.
"Defending what we stand for till the end, huh? I understand Akira's reasons quite well, but…for some reason, I feel…..a little; lost. I know I have a clear goal but defending someone along the way…I never exactly thought about that or even considered it. This does sound fami….wait; it's the same with Kasumi isn't it? Good grief is this relating back to the guardian promise again? Spare me….this is getting me nowhere..!"
"Is something the matter?"
Kasumi's soft voice instantly broke Natsu's trail of thought. The young man instantly jumped a little bit by what was said. It only took him a second to regain his composure. "No, no. It's nothing."
The young kunoichi instantly turned to Natsu's direction, wearing a face of concern. "You seem a little troubled. Is everything okay?"
"Yeah…" Natsu replied. "I just think about various things whenever I'm on my own."
"I see." Kasumi sighed, taking a deep breath. "I sometimes feel the same."
"Meaning?" Natsu quietly questioned, slightly raising an eyebrow in curiosity facing the Kunoichi next to him this time.
Kasumi remained unfazed, her calm but warm attitude intact. Slowly, her head stared down the floor slightly. "I suppose we both think about…..uncertain futures in a way. What awaits us in the long run. It's the same with you and your path and me with my….m-my…."
"Homesickness?" Natsu finished.
Kasumi only gave a subtle nod as her reply, a lump in her throat making her resist the urge to cry. "In a way, yes. It just feels….distressing… now that I have no home go back to. It pains me to think how a family can fall out so quickly….more importantly…how a family can be broken within only a few months…"
Her voice faltered at the mere mention of her family. Kasumi did not know why she brought up the issue with her current predicament. She was quite sensitive when it came to dealing with family. Even now with her status as an exiled Ninja, Kasumi still felt no comfort. She had grown stronger mentally, but one thing that could not change was the attitude her younger sister had towards her.
"If it pains you that much, then don't speak." Natsu spoke, his tone being a combination between bluntness and genuine concern.
"I'm sorry.." Kasumi hastily replied, realizing she spilled her inner thoughts a little early. "I guess I got a little carried away. Still, there must be a reason why you are silent with everyone. Is it uncertainty?"
"….Somewhere along those lines." Natsu said quietly.
"I see." Kasumi responded. "About your path or is it something else?"
"I prefer to take time with my decisions." Natsu concluded. "That's all."
The Kunoichi of Destiny took his response into consideration with a simple nod. "I understand."
Before the two could continue their conversation, they were interrupted by a small knock on the door. Everyone in the room had their eyes lit up in curiosity.
"Don't worry." Takashi stood up in a slightly energised posture. "I'll get it." As he walked towards the door, a package suddenly slipped through the letterbox and into the doormat. Even with that in mind, the young Kaido took a small glimpse at the item before him. Takashi could immediately tell that the package hid indeed a tablet. Everyone in the room kept a very close eye keeping ever vigilant of what was to happen should the worse come to happen like last time.
"Oh shit…!" Takashi exclaimed mentally. "If Donovan finds out we're in Yokohama, we're in big trouble! He may have a lack of resources at the moment, but the chances he might come back are still possible."
"May I see that package, Takashi-San?" Haruko interrupted the young Kaido boy's train of thought, her eyes keeping a vigilant eye on the door in front of her.
"Ummm….sure Haruko-San. Why not?" Takashi replied, slowly holding out the packaged material in front of her. Gently taking it from his hands, Haruko began to notice a strange stamp on the right side. It had the exact address of Jacky's apartment, but only this time; there was no DOATEC logo. Only the name and logo of a different corporation
"The Bryant Conglomerate?!" Haruko thought, slightly shocked though somewhat undaunted. "Now this seems odd. Why would they of all people want to focus their attention on us? And more importantly, if this was sent to us today itself then I can only assume that she knows of the incident in the Yuki Budokan. But, how would they know of our situation the same day we fled? Unless they knew of Kasumi's whereabouts during the incident of the Tri-Towers…."
Takashi eventually found out from a slight glimpse of the stamp. He then took a slight glance at the Spiky haired racer just behind him. "The Bryant corporation?! Jacky-San; do you know of this by any chance?"
"Of course!" Jacky replied almost instantly. "It's the corporation that my family have run for generations. It's a company that practically rivals the bigwigs including DOATEC, in terms of being financially successful and crap…the only thing it hasn't got are Spec-ops team that every friggin' company seems to use nowadays…"
"No Spec-ops?!" Takashi was taken aback a little. "Wait a minute..! If it's that big of a corporation then how come it has no priority on self-defence?! Doesn't every big company usually need those to protect their economy or somethin'?"
"Well, it kinda does…" Jacky tried to explain, his fingers stroking his blonde stubble. "But it prefers to keep a low profile…possibly due to the fact that Donovan guy doing heinous crap and the worldwide war that occurred roughly around the same time."
"Well….I guess you're right…" Takashi pondered. "But still…"
As the two were lost in conversation, Natsu finally stood up, facing the person who held the package. "Haruko? May I take a look?"
"Hmm..? Oh, sure." Haruko replied, handing over the tablet to her friend. She looked towards the other two Virtua Fighters, Akira and Pai; then back to Natsu. "Do you want me to call them over?"
"If you insist…." Natsu sighed. Haruko nodded in approval and then waved a hand to Pai and Akira, beckoning them to come over.
"Ahh, Haruko." Akira said as he walked towards them alongside Pai. "What is it…wait..? Could it be?!" To make sure his suspicions were confirmed, Akira took a sharp glance at the logo of the back of the tablet as Natsu opened the package. "The Bryant Conglomerate!? You mean Sarah's getting involved?! Wait a minute….I'm confused…how could she know about our battle back at the dojo and our retreat within one day?"
"What I'm more concerned about is the fact that Sarah might've known the seedy side of DOATEC long before we did, Akira." Pai deducted. "In fact the only time we've ever heard about him was on the news coverage last week!"
"Never mind." Haruko interrupted the then on-going commotions in the room; the only silent ones being Kasumi and Natsu. Shocked at first, the rest of the group eventually faced the woman's direction. "Shall we all calm down and listen to what the CEO has to say?"
Haruko took a deep sigh of relief as they all nodded in agreement. With that in mind, she then slid the switch to ON. Strangely enough, unlike the first tablet they received from Donovan, the screen did not fade or fuzz. Instead it had very clear picture quality, and loaded within less than one second.
"Hello, there." A feminine voice spoke through the screen. "Y'know, I was wondering if you were ever gonna pick up at all considering the fact you kept me waiting for a good while."
The backdrop was once again reminiscent of an office albeit a less fancy one. The walls had a sleek colour of black yet for some strange reason, there were no high glass windows like other, newer companies had. What got the group's attention however was the woman behind the camera.
Sarah Bryant was a woman with an athletic figure and youthful facial features. She was quite tall, standing at 5'7; although not as tall as Christie, it was still enough to feel almost intimidating. The outfit she wore surprisingly was her trademark blue sleeveless jumpsuit along with her black high heel boots. At the minute, Sarah's posture was quite laid back and relaxed, her legs and arms crossed as she sat on her computer chair with a smile, holding a great deal of confidence. Although her appearance was generally quite youthful, it was hard to believe that she was in actuality, two years shy of being forty.
"Sarah!" Jacky exclaimed, suddenly excited about his younger sister's arrival. "Could it be?! Boy am I glad to see you! How are things with the company? More importantly, is everything okay on your end so far?"
Sarah slightly giggled as Jacky's response. "It's good to see you too, big brother. And yes I'm doing fine. Work has become a little hectic though; being in the shadows is starting to bore the hell outta me nowadays. What about you? Is your racing career picking up?"
"Well, I guess you can kinda say that…." Jacky said in the same laid back tone as his sister, wearing a bit of a smirk. "At least the good news is that J6 haven't killed anymore of my sponsors; yet, so our financial and mental problems are solved for now! Hooray!"
Sarah's face immediately faltered into a faux frown. "You mean your mental block, right?"
The words thrown at the racer immediately soiled his brain with slight embarrassment. Jacky returned back said frown back in full force, albeit with a bit of jest. "Jeez….ya' didn't need to rub it in, sis…."
Sarah giggled a little bit at her elder brother's reaction. One thing she hadn't got tired of over the years was her constant teasing of her brother; something Sarah picked as up on as a new habit. "Haha..! I'm just messing with you, Jacky. Don't worry! Besides, I'm pretty sure your career is slowly making a comeback, right?"
"Bingo!" Jacky beamed with pride. However, his facial expression momentarily changed towards his trademark grumpiness. "Now, that you think about it coincidently I had my last race in San Francisco; which thanks to my idiotic luck happened to be 24 hours away from the Tri Tower Shenanigans! Heck, I even noticed CIA helicopters and artillery when I was sleeping one time!"
"I see." Sarah took in, feeling slightly worried about her brother's previous predicament. "You sure you were okay, back then?
"Ahh, don't worry about me, sis!" Jacky smirked. "Y'know I almost always get the pull position! Anyways, why not introduce yourself to the crew? They haven't seen you in a loooong while!"
"Saaarraahhhhh!" Pai yelled in relief, her excitement of seeing her best friend being evident with her wide grin. "How's everything?!"
"Pai!" Sarah spoke with a slightly excited tone. "It's so nice to see you! How long has it been!?"
"Well, we hardly get to see each other as a group let alone hang out together so that's a bit of a killjoy right there…." Pai muttered although she still kept her joy intact. "I guess it's due to the corporation busywork, right?"
"You got it." Sarah clicked her fingers as her reply as she said so. "Likewise, how's the acting business holding up?"
Pai took a deep sigh, possibly signifying disappointment. "Sadly, no one's been asking me for roles yet for the past year, mainly due to the ensuing chaos going that was happening, mainly with the war of the Mishima's and such….."
"Man…." Sarah leant back on her chair in sympathy while taking a deep breath. "People these days often enjoy screwing us up the wrong way nowadays, don't they?"
"I guess so…." Pai took a deep breath as she began to pace herself. "Well, at least we managed to beat in some heads so I guess all is well…."
"Sarah! Hello!" Akira waved, a big beaming smile spread across his lips. "It's been awhile!"
"Akira!" Sarah exclaimed, holding her palms together in excitement. "I almost forgot you were there for a second! It's good to see you again!"
"It's good to see you too, Sarah." Akira said, albeit with a formal tone to his voice; possibly to avoid embarrassing himself or earning another death glare from Jacky.
Regardless, Sarah like Akira, also had a shift of tone. Her expression changed, from a big cheery smile, she suddenly wore a sympathetic face, her voice lowering in concern. The chairwoman took a deep breath and sighed. "Listen, by the way….I'm really sorry about your dojo…I had no idea this Donovan guy could be so…merciless….."
Upon those words, Akira's face immediately drooped slightly. He wasn't exactly sad per-say nor was he brooding about the incident immediately, but he nonetheless appreciated Sarah's sympathy for him. "I know…..but; nobody's at fault here. If anything, it's that martial arts corrupter you mentioned! Besides, Grandpa won't exactly yell at me for this one incident, right. If anything, he would've told me that at least I tried to uphold my home with pride and in the end, that's what matters; protecting something you hold dear until the very end."
"Your old man is pretty wise." Sarah face immediately fell back into a smile, taking Akira's reply into account. "Am I to believe that his wisdom is slowly rubbing off on you?"
"I wouldn't go that far!" Akira immediately sweatdropped in embarrassment, scratching the side of his head. "I consider myself a seed compared to his flowered and fruitful philosophy."
"Well, Akira, c'mon….. let's face it. You're currently 42 years old now, so you can't be that too far behind, right? Jeez…you're being too modest here!" Sarah concluded. Before the Hakkyouku-Ken master could even protest, she immediately focussed her attention to the younger fighters whom all felt a little lost and baffled over the Virtua Fighter's little reunion.
"Oh! My sincerest apologies for ignoring my new guests! May I know your names by any chance?"
Taking a deep breath, the young woman with jet black hair responded first, with a very passive and polite smile. "My name is Haruko Hoshiyo, Sarah-Sama. It's an honour to meet you."
"Haruko, huh?" Sarah inspected her closely. "Am I to safely say that you are a Samurai trainee judging from those clothes?"
Haruko only gave a subtle nod as her reply. Sarah gave in return only gave a smile in affirmation. Next up was the young Kaido boy's turn to speak.
"Umm…my name is Takashi Kaido, Sarah-San. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Takashi spoke with confidence although there was a tint of shyness in his voice.
"Kaido, huh?" Sarah pondered as she inspected him carefully. "I actually know of a family of the same name a few years back. Could you possibly be related to them by any chance?"
"I think you might've known my dad back when he was from the police force, huh?" Takashi inquired, his confidence rising but his voice slightly trailing.
"Mmmhmmm…." Sarah nodded as her reply. "Your dad was actually one of the best of his kind although I never knew anyone who's able to wield the element of fire as abnormally as he could."
"If that's the case, I might not be too far off…" Takashi spoke, a little surprised at Sarah's praise of his father. Regardless, he still held his ground.
"I wonder what he's doing nowadays…" Sarah pondered aloud, stroking her chin. "I was hoping I could meet him again someday."
"Unfortunately…..my dad's in a coma…." Takashi responded, his voice a little shaky and somewhat gutted. No matter how many times he heard of this fact, it still pained the young Pheonix that he may potentially not see his father ever again. "I don't know when he'll ever be back or if I can even talk to him at all….especially considering the fact that my mom's now gone….and my brother disappearing off the face of the earth for several years now…."
"Takashi-Kun…." Kasumi instantly felt a little wound deep within her soul. Even though the situation did not involve her, the Kunoichi of Destiny still felt scarred. The very thought of losing family was simply unbearable to her.
What pained her the most was that it reminded her of two things; Natsu's experience of neglect and isolation and her relationship with Ayane. The latter especially scared her since she knew that her half-sister's hatred held no limit. Although her calm and collected demeanour did not show it, inside, Kasumi was in complete turmoil. The very idea that she might face Ayane in a life or death duel again was enough to almost break her spirit in two. Kasumi would not bring herself to take a life but at the same time also feel scared; although she accepted that death was a natural part of life, the very fact that she might be forced to kill her beloved half-sister was enough to make her soul run dry with grief.
"Wait…what am I thinking?!" Kasumi scolded herself mentally. "Pull yourself together! Think positively for once! You're letting this get into your head! You have friends that look out for you even now!! And your family still loves you deep down!! Maybe it's best not contemplate on my situation too much. Focussing on the present will do me better credit than just focussing too much on the past…."
Slowly but surely, Kasumi regained her calm with a deep breath, washing away the sadness from within, her eyelids slowly lifting up.
"Oh…" Sarah felt a little shocked and somewhat surprised. "I'm really sorry about your loss…."
"It's nothing…" Takashi replied a little hastily. "Don't worry about me. I'm okay."
Next Sarah turned her attention to the auburn haired Kunoichi herself much to the latter's initial shock. However, unlike the others; she was able to recognize her right away.
"And you must be Kasumi, right? The winner of the first DOA tournament?"
The young Kunoichi immediately jumped in surprise at the mere mention of her name. Nonetheless, she managed to form a steady reply.
"I guess you could say that…" Kasumi spoke meekly. "You are Sarah Bryant, CEO of the Bryant conglomerate, correct?"
"That I'am." Sarah replied. "Y'know, I never realized my hairstyle was that popular. Did you visit my designer outlet or something?" She inspected the young kunoichi closely with a curious eye.
"I might have…" Kasumi giggled, jokingly. Her brief expression of laughter however slowly turned towards confusion. Slowly she turned towards Natsu for help "Wait a minute….Natsu? Does she have such a thing by any chance?"
"Well, the Bryant Company is involved in almost everything so maybe…." Natsu quickly cleared up for Kasumi. "Although I'm sure both your hairstyle are only coincidently similar…"
"Oh, I see now…" Kasumi sighed in acknowledgement, her lips curling into a light smile. "Thank you for clearing that up. I was almost a bit worried there…hee hee.."
"No problem…" Natsu simply replied his expression stoic but still watchful of any teasing that might occur.
"Which of course brings me to the main event; well sort of…" Sarah continued, she then pointed towards the young man in the red jacket next to Kasumi. "You're Natsu Kaneshiro, right?"
Initially shocked at first, it only took one second for Natsu to completely regain his composure. Calmly, he began to reply. "Correct. You're Sarah Bryant of MMA, formerly of Jeet Kune Do, are you not?"
"You're pretty sharp aren't you?" Sarah smiled, easily impressed by Natsu's answer. "Then I might conclude that according to my data; you are the son of Akemi Yukimura, right?"
Only two of the Virtua Fighters were in immediate surprise after hearing this sudden revelation; well at least one anyway.
"The son of Akemi?!" Akira replied, quite shocked at the revelation. "Really?! Pai? Did you know about this!?"
"Well, yeah of course!" Pai responded to Akira's question as if it was common sense. "Although judging from Natsu's behaviour, it kinda makes sense. He does resemble his mother personality-wise after all."
"Hmm…" Akira pondered in thought, inspecting Natsu closely. "Now that you think about it, I can actually see the resemblance somewhat."
Jacky on the other hand did not share his friend's exact reaction. "Awww….good grief! Don't remind me..!"
"Why not Jacky-san?" Takashi cut in, immediately curious on what was going on.
"Tell him, Akira." Sarah spoke a little bluntly, despite a devious smile creeping across her lips much to Jacky's annoyance.
"Well…" Akira tried piecing together his reply based on the fact Pai told him two years ago. "Put it this way….Jacky actually tried to court Akemi one time about 17 years ago….and according to what I know from Pai's knowledge….she coldly rejected him…."
Haruko, Kasumi, Natsu and Takashi instantly paused for a moment to let that fact sink in. Five seconds later, they immediately roared with laughter. Natsu especially was surprised and could not stop smiling, his stoic mood almost completely disappearing.
Jacky on the other hand was immediately fuming with embarrassment. As the laughter ensued, the racer finally had enough. At an instant, ten seconds into the laughter Jacky immediately towered over the group, his head suddenly becoming abnormally large and his teeth now representing sharp fangs. "THAT'S NOT FUNNY! CUT IT OUT, YOU TINHEADS!"
With Jacky's immediate outburst, the group immediately ceased their moment of joy. Kasumi and Haruko still giggled a little from their little moment of fun; Kasumi especially. There were still some things her mother apparently didn't tell her about her best friend apparently; possibly as a way to preserve dignity. This event was one of them.
"Anyway…." Sarah interrupted. "Sparing our little reunion party, it's not exactly the reason why I called you guys."
"Would you mind telling us, Sarah-san?" Kasumi spoke politely yet curiously.
"The reason why I called you here was because of a particular individual that has quite frankly been a thorn in my behind for far too long." Sarah explained.
"Meaning Donovan, right?" Natsu pointed out.
"Bingo!" Sarah snapped her fingers with a smile as a reply. "Since the man practically can't sit still on his ass for even one second, I just wanted to inform you all of you that because the deranged maniac is starting to walk the Earth again, I wanted to just point you in the right direction and inform you of some news."
"That could be useful…" Natsu said, his head slightly perking up. "What news do you have for us exactly?"
"Well, at least the good news is that I have a messenger by my side in order to keep things in check." Sarah seemed happy to say this fact, though her smile was a mix between a either a really happy child and a devious chess player. "Like me, he has also his suspicions of Mr Victor Frankenstein himself."
This fact instantly piqued Kasumi's curiosity. Only one person came to mind according to Sarah's description. It did not stop her from asking however. "And who might your messenger be, Sarah-san?"
"Good question, Kasumi." Sarah answered with a slight bit of excitement. "Hayabusa? Why not introduce yourself to the camera!"
With that said Sarah immediately reached towards the camera and turned it around towards the right side of the room. To Kasumi's immediate shock, the man presented in the room was an all too familiar face wearing his trademark black falcon outfit. His arms were crossed and his facial expression was calm, as if this was just another formal meeting or an ordinary conversation.
"H-hayabusa-San?!" Kasumi exclaimed, taken aback by his sudden appearance. Out of all people, she least expected him to be here of all places. Why here? And why now? Although Kasumi's suspicions were true, it did nothing to prevent her shock from fading. "Y-you're working with the Bryant Corporation!?"
"Indeed I am, Kasumi." Hayabusa said bluntly as if it was simple fact. He then immediately detected the young Kunoichi's expression in advance. "You seem surprised. What's the matter?"
"N-nothing…" Kasumi spoke, pacing herself despite her initial reaction. "I was just wondering…if you are working with Sarah Bryant…then….wait…..does brother know of this by any chance?"
"No." Hayabusa stated very bluntly as if it were common sense. "He doesn't; and I have no intention of letting him know either."
A frown curled across Kasumi's strawberry lips. "And may I ask why?"
Her voice was had a bit of hidden contempt and was slightly raised. She could not believe this! Had Hayabusa suddenly lost faith in his own best friend; the one he considered a close comrade and even blood brother for many years?! Kasumi almost felt a little insulted, especially considering that this was her brother he was addressing here; it almost felt like the Super Ninja didn't trust her as well.
Despite Kasumi's slightly raised voice, Hayabusa remained calm and quiet. "I thought my intentions were obvious. If I inform him of what I'm doing or what I plan to do, there's the potential risk that he might bring Ayane along with him; and if I let her kill you, I would ultimately fail my promise to Hayate. Plus, I have a personal score to settle as well judging from what Sarah has told me about this particular mission."
"I see…" Kasumi replied, a little bit more lenient with his reasoning but still a tiny bit sceptical.
Natsu was also a little taken aback with Hayabusa's introduction. "So Ryu Hayabusa is involved in this as well I see. Wasn't he the same guy who fought Tatsumi Oga back at the bridge? I also had a feeling that spied on me in the alleyway not two days ago. What is he doing here of all places?"
Meanwhile, Akira immediately felt a bit of a migraine. Seeing Hayabusa was enough to bring back bad memories. Noticing her friend's immediate disturbed state, Pai immediately rolled her eyes. "Aww, what now Akira?!"
Akira groaned. "This guy brings back bad memories….."
Hearing that sentence, Pai immediately facepalmed in annoyance. "Kage-Maru again?! Oh, Akira, give it a rest will you?! It's been years since you last fought him! Look, Kasumi here is a Ninja herself and yet I don't see you complaining!"
"W-wait..?! Is she really, Ninja?!" Akira gasped, half shocked at this revelation.
Following Pai's tactic, Jacky immediately facepalmed himself as well. "Really? It took you that long to find out?!"
"Man, you are so bleak..!" Pai exclaimed. "Didn't she tell you she was a Ninjutsu practioner beforehand?"
"Well, she never told me that she was a full blown Ninja per-say…." Akira slightly smiled, sweatdropping a little.
"Well, to be fair, it was made quite clear a while ago, Akira." Natsu quietly replied.
Hayabusa looked towards Sarah and whispered. "Does Akira Yuki always compare Ninja like me to Kage-Maru all the time?"
"Only if they're wearing masks." Sarah whispered back.
"Getting to the point at hand…" Haruko interrupted, raising her hand. "If Donovan's on the loose as you say, then it's safe to say that DOATEC might possibly be involved?"
"You got it." Sarah simply replied. "In fact, since Helena is still currently the legal president of the company, it's safe to say that she definitely could be involved with this as well as I."
"I see…." Haruko took in, immediately becoming quite curious of the whole situation. "If she's involved as you say, then do you know of any potential plans she may have?"
"As a matter of fact, I have." Sarah immediately reached a for a paper right under her desk. "According to the report Hayabusa has given me, Helena's also out to collect Kasumi; possibly as a personal messenger or something…."
Upon hearing this fact, Natsu immediately turned towards Kasumi. "Do you always attract that much attention to yourself?"
"Trust me, Natsu, I do not know why that happens." Kasumi responded with genuine sincerity. "To be honest, ever since my capture in DOATEC Germany it's enough to escalate to unnecessary hassle…."
"I see. So I take it that that incident with your capture inspired that madman's dream to finish the perfect soldier using your DNA?" Natsu asked.
"Yes." Kasumi reluctantly nodded. "He plans on using me to finish Alpha-152."
This time, it was Pai's turn to interrupt. "Wait a minute, Sarah! If what you are saying is true, then could it be that Helena has sent Takeshi to do the job?"
"That is correct, unfortunately." Sarah sighed in disappointment.
At that moment, Pai's nerves were struck and severed as if it were delicate string. She was not livid per-say, but she was definitely annoyed and somewhat angry. "That infernal woman! What is she thinking?! Sending my own pupil back on the public front again! Does she not care that he might die?! Has she no shame?!"
At that point, Pai was resisting the urge to cry. The very fact that her own adoptive son and student was being sent out on the public front so willingly, was enough to hit a chord emotionally. Noticing her beginning to shed tears, slowly but surely, Akira wrapped his arms around Pai, massaging her shoulder as a way of calming her down.
Hayabusa sighed sympathetically. He felt Pai's pain a little bit and understood her anger quite well. In fact, Hayabusa himself was also not happy with his predicament. "To think I'd be on the opposite side of my student, Momiji. Fate must be very cruel."
"Actually, when it comes down to it, your student actually chose to tag along with Takeshi on his supposed quest when it comes down to it." Said Sarah. "Besides, if she is your student then I'm pretty sure she will not even consider betraying you."
"Even so, I pray it does not come to a confrontation." Hayabusa contemplated. "Though I have a feeling that she followed that kid out of the goodness of her heart and her principles rather than siding with Helena in particular. I just hope that Momiji's conscience won't be used against her."
While the Super Ninja was busy contemplating to himself, Takashi was the one to speak up. "Pardon me for asking, Sarah-san, but now that you have mentioned Helena, could it be possible that Zell Natsumoto is also involved in any way?"
"He is." Sarah responded. "According to the information Hayabusa has acquired, Helena has in fact allied herself with the Shadow clan. However, unlike the objective Takeshi the Death God is partaking, your friend in particular is set with another task; watching over Donovan."
"Aha….knowing Maria, she's probably blocking off Dononvan's trail by using Zell for potential sabotage." Takashi pointed out, piecing together what was going on. "But wait….if Donovan is still rebuilding as you said he is…then won't that mean that Zell has nothing much to neutralize considering the state he's in?"
This time it was Hayabusa's turn to speak. "I wouldn't count on that theory if I were you. Knowing Donovan, he might've recruited Christie again as a first step to regaining his work. Not to mention, since Alpha-152 has not been destroyed, it might be safe to assume that it is also under Donovan's control and he might use it to wreak havoc once again."
"Yikes!" Jacky whispered quietly. "And I thought this cliché ended along with the Durals!"
"It did.." Akira whispered back. "But considering the events with DOATEC, I'm afraid that this Alpha clone might be even worse than any Dural we could ever face…."
"This situation has just gotten worse…" Kasumi contemplated with a deep sigh. "Kami-Sama, what am I supposed to do…?"
"Natsu?"
"Yeah?" The young man responded.
"I figured that since you are next on the hitlist for Donovan, you might want to listen to what I have to say."
"Go ahead." Natsu said in his trademark blunt tone.
"Ahh…awesome!" Sarah responded as she pulled out her touch pad from her desk drawer. "Because I figured that this might interest you since I heard that you are going on a martial arts journey, right?"
Natsu gave in to a simple nod as his reply. The smirk on Sarah's face could hardly contain her excitement despite her calm demeanour. "Tell me, would you happen to know a fighter named Ryu?"
"Ryu?" Kasumi responded in Natsu's place. "I don't understand, Sarah-san…isn't he the one standing right next to you?"
Natsu's irritably sighed as he facepalmed. Hayabusa on the other hand responded with a bit of an equally confused tone. "I don't think Sarah was referring to me in particular, Kasumi."
"Perhaps this might help." Sarah at an instant held out her touchpad, revealing a clear portrait of the man she spoke about taken recently about two months ago. He had a torn white Karate Gi that was sleeveless and slightly open in the chest area, showing his very thick, muscular figure. He had brown eyes along with medium length black hair with a red headband tied around his forehead. Although it was slightly hidden, a black stubble formed around his chin slightly. Every single person in the room instantly recognized this one man, including Kasumi despite initial confusion at first.
"That's Ryu; the wandering warrior!" Akira pointed out, a wide smile hardly containing his excitement. "I was hoping to meet him in a match again someday!"
"I'm happy for you, Akira!" Pai patted Akira's shoulder in order to help calm her friend down. "Although…just don't get any ideas of learning to shoot Ki from your hands okay?"
"The world's strongest hobo returns, huh?" Jacky' ears lit up with burning vigour, now that the World Warrior's name was in the mix. "Now this is getting kinda' interesting! I like it!"
"Ryu Hoshi, the wandering warrior?!" Kasumi exclaimed, more than shocked to see a picture she hadn't seen in long, long time. "Father often used to tell me stories about him when I was younger. You must be pretty excited to meet him in person. Right, Natsu?"
"You bet!" Natsu grinned. "I have to admit, you gave me an interesting direction to go in. Do you know where he is by any chance?"
"With pleasure." Sarah returned the grin. "According to my knowledge, he should be around somewhere in Germany. Basically, if you see a guy even remotely like this picture and completely barefoot, it's definitely gonna be him. And I figured that since Donovan's gonna hunt you down if you stay here anyway...I have booked and paid for your flight tickets to Germany. You'll be safe over there."
"Thanks." Natsu replied, his tone being slightly enthusiastic.
"I'll give you a hint though, just because I'm feeling generous." Sarah smiled. "He's heading towards the Buchfink dojo just for a heads up!"
"Buchfink Dojo?" Kasumi took in, the name instantly bringing some form of nostalgia. "Are you referring to Hitomi, Sarah-san?"
Sarah gave a small nod as her response. Kasumi at that moment gave way to a small grin. She and Hitomi were close friends ever since the 3rd DOA tournament. Although they knew each other due to their connections with Hayate, it was because of their similar interests and Hitomi's cheerful personality that they immediately became fast friends. There was just something about her upbeat attitude and positive stride that gave Kasumi the strength to be a little bolder towards life.
"Oh and Jacky!" Sarah yelled. "Do you still have your Cell Phone collection?"
"Yeah, I still do!" Jacky responded as he reached for his backpack behind him. "Why do you ask?"
"Just for keeping in touch." Sarah elaborated as if it were common sense "We don't want things to escalate to the point where it's a pain in the ass to even contact each other."
"I agree." Haruko responded with a nod. "By the way, Kasumi?"
"Yes?" The young kunoichi immediately spoke up. "Would you mind keeping an eye out on Natsu for me?
Kasumi instantly bowed in acknowledgement towards the young samurai's request. "It'll be my pleasure Haruko-Chan."
"I swear you're doing this just to torture me, Haruko." Natsu sighed irritably.
"Natsu!" Haruko hissed. "Don't be rude! I told you that Kasumi can be a great asset to your journey. It's a good learning experience to get along with others you know so you might as well get used to it."
"If you insist." Said Natsu, realizing the futility of arguing at this point.
"Hey everyone!" Jacky yelled, his hands filled with a pocket full of Cell phones. "Catch!"
He threw a few phones to several members of the group one at a time. Coincidently, Natsu had a red coloured phone whereas Kasumi had a milky pink version. The Cell phones themselves were quite modern and sleek, with the thin screens and keypads putting a twist to the otherwise classic flip-flop design.
Akira strangely enough took a look at his Cell Phone with a bit of scepticism. Noticing this, Jacky instantly began to frown. "What's wrong, Akira? You look like you've never used a cell phone before in your life or somethin'.
"Well of course!" Akira panicked. "How am I supposed to figure out how to use this thing? I even have trouble using the ones with Antenna's on for cryin' out loud!"
"Aiyaiyai…" Jacky sighed. "Pai, why don't you teach him?"
"Sure thing!" Pai replied to Jacky's request as she tended towards Akira's cluelessness.
"Takashi?" said Sarah. "I was going to ask you a favour. Do you mind?"
"Yes, Sarah-san?" Takashi responded, a little curious to what the CEO had in store for him.
"I'd like you to work alongside, Hayabusa for a special assignment." Sarah spoke with a professional and confident tone yet still retaining her smile. "Are you game enough for it?"
"Really!?" Takashi exclaimed, a little shocked at first. To be honest, he felt a little disappointed, mainly because he had planned on joining Kasumi first. But he had to admit that even though he did not get the full blown reward, a chance to save the world didn't exactly come knocking on your doorstep. "I suppose so….okay, I'll see how it goes; provided I don't exactly get grilled by Zell for this."
With that said, Takashi immediately teleported from the flat, leaving only a small trail of flame in his wake. By the time Sarah switched off her vidcam, everyone was gone; out on their separate ways. The last thing seen in view was Natsu and Kasumi walking to the distance in the trail to their new destination.
A/N
Oga: BOORRRRRINNNNNGGG!
Berubo: Aidapuuhhhh! (Bored, Bored, Super bored!)
Kaneshiro-Sama: Huh?! What?! Why?! Whaddya' mean bored?! Seriously!
Oga: This episode has no violence, hammy. Seriously, how am I supposed to get interested when it's just people spouting out filler crap. C'mon….
Berubo: Aidabuu! (Agreed!)
Furuichi: What I'm more concerned about is that how the hell can a Ferrari drive all the way from Tokyo to Yokohama?! It ain't exactly the bullet train ya' know! AND YOU PROMISED ME PANTY SHOTS LAST TIME IN THE AUTHOR'S NOTES! C'MON, MAN! THAT'S SERIOUSLY NOT COOL! AND IN A DOA STORY OF ALL THINGS!
Kaneshiro-Sama: *seething* Just start narrating, will ya?!
Oga: Hello, fellow DOA fans and yada yada yada! Sorry about the long wait! We basically had a ton of shit to plough through and practically not enough time to do it! Oh, well just be grateful that the writer got out his sorry ass to do this chapter! So anyways, tune in next time to Dead or Alive Alpha where we meet the guest of honour….I kinda forgot his name….what was it..? Ryo? Rye? Ryi?
Berubo: Ryu Damah! (It's Ryu dumbass!)
Kaneshiro-Sama: Also, guys; I'm sorry I did not include extra plotlines for this Episode but rest assured; they are not gonna be aborted and I have no intention of abandoning them. I hope this chapter is worth the wait people! And to LittleMissyDOAgalpal, I hope this appearance of Ryu Hayabusa satisfies you! If not, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO BUTCHER ME WITH EITHER THE JINAN MARU, DRAGON SWORD, FUMA KODACHI, TORN SKY BLAST OR WHATEVER!
Oga: Riiiiggghhhhtt….So, any last words to the readers, Berubo?
Berubo: Dab, Daa, Abaahh, mahhh! Uma Dam Dabah Dabah! (Read, Review, Milk and continue supporting Beelzebub….and the DOA community!)

Description

Yokohama- Jacky's rented apartment, Door 70'
The room Jacky chose fitted the image of a warm and comfortable place to reside in. Although it was quite small and nothing really extravagant or lavish, the apartment seemed to feel almost like home.
That was the kind of space Jacky liked provided he was in a good mood. The Racer took a small glance at the state everyone was in and sighed. The atmosphere immediately felt quiet and distant, almost as if a funeral was taking place. The recent incident with the Yuki Budokan dojo being difficult for many of them to stomach; especially Akira who took the loss of his most valuable dojo to heart. Jacky sighed in sympathy. Despite his goofy attitude, he often found many effective ways to calm down his hot-blooded friend; but for the first time in years, Jacky felt genuinely stuck on how to comfort him.
"Man…" Jacky thought. "Not since the incident of the eight stars has he ever felt this down…yeeeeshhh…! I don't know why anyone would want to get under Akira's skin so bad. This Donovan guy obviously has no soul…..I mean why even blow up the Yuki Budokan in the first place?! That was just out of order!"
With an intent growl, Jacky clenched his fists with silent rage. "Grr…..these bastards really know how to piss me off! First Judgement 6 with my racing career and now this Donovan guy with Akira and that Kasumi chick; do these people simply get scot free profit from other's pain?! That's seriously screwed up! W-wait a minute…what am I saying?! Homicidal attacks like that are always screwed up!"
Akira on the other hand kept silent. Unlike Jacky or Natsu to some extent (the latter was sitting in a chair alongside Kasumi), he felt no anger or rage coursing through him. His gaze stared at the floor below him, his posture wracked with guilt. Akira was static, almost kept in place. The vague image of his beloved dojo being blown to pieces was enough to engulf the Hakkyouku-Ken grandmaster with silent grief. Hints of anger were there, but it could not compare to the amount of shame Akira held within him.
Sensing her friend's period of sadness, Pai stretched out a hand and patted him on his left shoulder, with a sympathetic look. "Akira? Are you gonna be okay?"
"I guess so…" Akira wavered in his speech slightly as he took a deep sigh.
"You sure?" Pai questioned, a little suspicious of Akira's depressed state. "You're letting this situation get into your head a bit y'know?"
Akira nodded in agreement. "I know, Pai. But….this dojo was something Grandpa fought to preserve for years….now that it's gone….I can't help but feel like I've let him down….."
Pai let out an indignant huff. It was not haughty but rather one of symbolized maturity. "Look, I'm pretty sure your Grandpa won't chew you out for the burning of the Yuki Budokan just because some lunatic blew it to pieces. If anything, he'd be even prouder of his Grandson trying to defend what was his and that is something to consider. So please, don't blame this incident on yourself because it's not your fault really. And hey…at least we're here! That's something to consider, right?"
Noticing Pai's giggle, Akira could not help but crack a smile. Taking in Pai's comfort, he felt a little relieved, and the remaining sadness he previously felt immediately started to wash away. "Yeah….I guess so…when you put it that way."
"Remember, Akira. As long as you have us, we'll never say you've let us down. Ever."
Akira turned and faced his friend with said smile. "Thanks, Pai. You've helped me a lot! I really appreciate it!"
Meanwhile, Natsu kept silent throughout the entire conversation, yet he took Pai's words of advice into account.
"Defending what we stand for till the end, huh? I understand Akira's reasons quite well, but…for some reason, I feel…..a little; lost. I know I have a clear goal but defending someone along the way…I never exactly thought about that or even considered it. This does sound fami….wait; it's the same with Kasumi isn't it? Good grief is this relating back to the guardian promise again? Spare me….this is getting me nowhere..!"
"Is something the matter?"
Kasumi's soft voice instantly broke Natsu's trail of thought. The young man instantly jumped a little bit by what was said. It only took him a second to regain his composure. "No, no. It's nothing."
The young kunoichi instantly turned to Natsu's direction, wearing a face of concern. "You seem a little troubled. Is everything okay?"
"Yeah…" Natsu replied. "I just think about various things whenever I'm on my own."
"I see." Kasumi sighed, taking a deep breath. "I sometimes feel the same."
"Meaning?" Natsu quietly questioned, slightly raising an eyebrow in curiosity facing the Kunoichi next to him this time.
Kasumi remained unfazed, her calm but warm attitude intact. Slowly, her head stared down the floor slightly. "I suppose we both think about…..uncertain futures in a way. What awaits us in the long run. It's the same with you and your path and me with my….m-my…."
"Homesickness?" Natsu finished.
Kasumi only gave a subtle nod as her reply, a lump in her throat making her resist the urge to cry. "In a way, yes. It just feels….distressing… now that I have no home go back to. It pains me to think how a family can fall out so quickly….more importantly…how a family can be broken within only a few months…"
Her voice faltered at the mere mention of her family. Kasumi did not know why she brought up the issue with her current predicament. She was quite sensitive when it came to dealing with family. Even now with her status as an exiled Ninja, Kasumi still felt no comfort. She had grown stronger mentally, but one thing that could not change was the attitude her younger sister had towards her.
"If it pains you that much, then don't speak." Natsu spoke, his tone being a combination between bluntness and genuine concern.
"I'm sorry.." Kasumi hastily replied, realizing she spilled her inner thoughts a little early. "I guess I got a little carried away. Still, there must be a reason why you are silent with everyone. Is it uncertainty?"
"….Somewhere along those lines." Natsu said quietly.
"I see." Kasumi responded. "About your path or is it something else?"
"I prefer to take time with my decisions." Natsu concluded. "That's all."
The Kunoichi of Destiny took his response into consideration with a simple nod. "I understand."
Before the two could continue their conversation, they were interrupted by a small knock on the door. Everyone in the room had their eyes lit up in curiosity.
"Don't worry." Takashi stood up in a slightly energised posture. "I'll get it." As he walked towards the door, a package suddenly slipped through the letterbox and into the doormat. Even with that in mind, the young Kaido took a small glimpse at the item before him. Takashi could immediately tell that the package hid indeed a tablet. Everyone in the room kept a very close eye keeping ever vigilant of what was to happen should the worse come to happen like last time.
"Oh shit…!" Takashi exclaimed mentally. "If Donovan finds out we're in Yokohama, we're in big trouble! He may have a lack of resources at the moment, but the chances he might come back are still possible."
"May I see that package, Takashi-San?" Haruko interrupted the young Kaido boy's train of thought, her eyes keeping a vigilant eye on the door in front of her.
"Ummm….sure Haruko-San. Why not?" Takashi replied, slowly holding out the packaged material in front of her. Gently taking it from his hands, Haruko began to notice a strange stamp on the right side. It had the exact address of Jacky's apartment, but only this time; there was no DOATEC logo. Only the name and logo of a different corporation
"The Bryant Conglomerate?!" Haruko thought, slightly shocked though somewhat undaunted. "Now this seems odd. Why would they of all people want to focus their attention on us? And more importantly, if this was sent to us today itself then I can only assume that she knows of the incident in the Yuki Budokan. But, how would they know of our situation the same day we fled? Unless they knew of Kasumi's whereabouts during the incident of the Tri-Towers…."
Takashi eventually found out from a slight glimpse of the stamp. He then took a slight glance at the Spiky haired racer just behind him. "The Bryant corporation?! Jacky-San; do you know of this by any chance?"
"Of course!" Jacky replied almost instantly. "It's the corporation that my family have run for generations. It's a company that practically rivals the bigwigs including DOATEC, in terms of being financially successful and crap…the only thing it hasn't got are Spec-ops team that every friggin' company seems to use nowadays…"
"No Spec-ops?!" Takashi was taken aback a little. "Wait a minute..! If it's that big of a corporation then how come it has no priority on self-defence?! Doesn't every big company usually need those to protect their economy or somethin'?"
"Well, it kinda does…" Jacky tried to explain, his fingers stroking his blonde stubble. "But it prefers to keep a low profile…possibly due to the fact that Donovan guy doing heinous crap and the worldwide war that occurred roughly around the same time."
"Well….I guess you're right…" Takashi pondered. "But still…"
As the two were lost in conversation, Natsu finally stood up, facing the person who held the package. "Haruko? May I take a look?"
"Hmm..? Oh, sure." Haruko replied, handing over the tablet to her friend. She looked towards the other two Virtua Fighters, Akira and Pai; then back to Natsu. "Do you want me to call them over?"
"If you insist…." Natsu sighed. Haruko nodded in approval and then waved a hand to Pai and Akira, beckoning them to come over.
"Ahh, Haruko." Akira said as he walked towards them alongside Pai. "What is it…wait..? Could it be?!" To make sure his suspicions were confirmed, Akira took a sharp glance at the logo of the back of the tablet as Natsu opened the package. "The Bryant Conglomerate!? You mean Sarah's getting involved?! Wait a minute….I'm confused…how could she know about our battle back at the dojo and our retreat within one day?"
"What I'm more concerned about is the fact that Sarah might've known the seedy side of DOATEC long before we did, Akira." Pai deducted. "In fact the only time we've ever heard about him was on the news coverage last week!"
"Never mind." Haruko interrupted the then on-going commotions in the room; the only silent ones being Kasumi and Natsu. Shocked at first, the rest of the group eventually faced the woman's direction. "Shall we all calm down and listen to what the CEO has to say?"
Haruko took a deep sigh of relief as they all nodded in agreement. With that in mind, she then slid the switch to ON. Strangely enough, unlike the first tablet they received from Donovan, the screen did not fade or fuzz. Instead it had very clear picture quality, and loaded within less than one second.
"Hello, there." A feminine voice spoke through the screen. "Y'know, I was wondering if you were ever gonna pick up at all considering the fact you kept me waiting for a good while."
The backdrop was once again reminiscent of an office albeit a less fancy one. The walls had a sleek colour of black yet for some strange reason, there were no high glass windows like other, newer companies had. What got the group's attention however was the woman behind the camera.
Sarah Bryant was a woman with an athletic figure and youthful facial features. She was quite tall, standing at 5'7; although not as tall as Christie, it was still enough to feel almost intimidating. The outfit she wore surprisingly was her trademark blue sleeveless jumpsuit along with her black high heel boots. At the minute, Sarah's posture was quite laid back and relaxed, her legs and arms crossed as she sat on her computer chair with a smile, holding a great deal of confidence. Although her appearance was generally quite youthful, it was hard to believe that she was in actuality, two years shy of being forty.
"Sarah!" Jacky exclaimed, suddenly excited about his younger sister's arrival. "Could it be?! Boy am I glad to see you! How are things with the company? More importantly, is everything okay on your end so far?"
Sarah slightly giggled as Jacky's response. "It's good to see you too, big brother. And yes I'm doing fine. Work has become a little hectic though; being in the shadows is starting to bore the hell outta me nowadays. What about you? Is your racing career picking up?"
"Well, I guess you can kinda say that…." Jacky said in the same laid back tone as his sister, wearing a bit of a smirk. "At least the good news is that J6 haven't killed anymore of my sponsors; yet, so our financial and mental problems are solved for now! Hooray!"
Sarah's face immediately faltered into a faux frown. "You mean your mental block, right?"
The words thrown at the racer immediately soiled his brain with slight embarrassment. Jacky returned back said frown back in full force, albeit with a bit of jest. "Jeez….ya' didn't need to rub it in, sis…."
Sarah giggled a little bit at her elder brother's reaction. One thing she hadn't got tired of over the years was her constant teasing of her brother; something Sarah picked as up on as a new habit. "Haha..! I'm just messing with you, Jacky. Don't worry! Besides, I'm pretty sure your career is slowly making a comeback, right?"
"Bingo!" Jacky beamed with pride. However, his facial expression momentarily changed towards his trademark grumpiness. "Now, that you think about it coincidently I had my last race in San Francisco; which thanks to my idiotic luck happened to be 24 hours away from the Tri Tower Shenanigans! Heck, I even noticed CIA helicopters and artillery when I was sleeping one time!"
"I see." Sarah took in, feeling slightly worried about her brother's previous predicament. "You sure you were okay, back then?
"Ahh, don't worry about me, sis!" Jacky smirked. "Y'know I almost always get the pull position! Anyways, why not introduce yourself to the crew? They haven't seen you in a loooong while!"
"Saaarraahhhhh!" Pai yelled in relief, her excitement of seeing her best friend being evident with her wide grin. "How's everything?!"
"Pai!" Sarah spoke with a slightly excited tone. "It's so nice to see you! How long has it been!?"
"Well, we hardly get to see each other as a group let alone hang out together so that's a bit of a killjoy right there…." Pai muttered although she still kept her joy intact. "I guess it's due to the corporation busywork, right?"
"You got it." Sarah clicked her fingers as her reply as she said so. "Likewise, how's the acting business holding up?"
Pai took a deep sigh, possibly signifying disappointment. "Sadly, no one's been asking me for roles yet for the past year, mainly due to the ensuing chaos going that was happening, mainly with the war of the Mishima's and such….."
"Man…." Sarah leant back on her chair in sympathy while taking a deep breath. "People these days often enjoy screwing us up the wrong way nowadays, don't they?"
"I guess so…." Pai took a deep breath as she began to pace herself. "Well, at least we managed to beat in some heads so I guess all is well…."
"Sarah! Hello!" Akira waved, a big beaming smile spread across his lips. "It's been awhile!"
"Akira!" Sarah exclaimed, holding her palms together in excitement. "I almost forgot you were there for a second! It's good to see you again!"
"It's good to see you too, Sarah." Akira said, albeit with a formal tone to his voice; possibly to avoid embarrassing himself or earning another death glare from Jacky.
Regardless, Sarah like Akira, also had a shift of tone. Her expression changed, from a big cheery smile, she suddenly wore a sympathetic face, her voice lowering in concern. The chairwoman took a deep breath and sighed. "Listen, by the way….I'm really sorry about your dojo…I had no idea this Donovan guy could be so…merciless….."
Upon those words, Akira's face immediately drooped slightly. He wasn't exactly sad per-say nor was he brooding about the incident immediately, but he nonetheless appreciated Sarah's sympathy for him. "I know…..but; nobody's at fault here. If anything, it's that martial arts corrupter you mentioned! Besides, Grandpa won't exactly yell at me for this one incident, right. If anything, he would've told me that at least I tried to uphold my home with pride and in the end, that's what matters; protecting something you hold dear until the very end."
"Your old man is pretty wise." Sarah face immediately fell back into a smile, taking Akira's reply into account. "Am I to believe that his wisdom is slowly rubbing off on you?"
"I wouldn't go that far!" Akira immediately sweatdropped in embarrassment, scratching the side of his head. "I consider myself a seed compared to his flowered and fruitful philosophy."
"Well, Akira, c'mon….. let's face it. You're currently 42 years old now, so you can't be that too far behind, right? Jeez…you're being too modest here!" Sarah concluded. Before the Hakkyouku-Ken master could even protest, she immediately focussed her attention to the younger fighters whom all felt a little lost and baffled over the Virtua Fighter's little reunion.
"Oh! My sincerest apologies for ignoring my new guests! May I know your names by any chance?"
Taking a deep breath, the young woman with jet black hair responded first, with a very passive and polite smile. "My name is Haruko Hoshiyo, Sarah-Sama. It's an honour to meet you."
"Haruko, huh?" Sarah inspected her closely. "Am I to safely say that you are a Samurai trainee judging from those clothes?"
Haruko only gave a subtle nod as her reply. Sarah gave in return only gave a smile in affirmation. Next up was the young Kaido boy's turn to speak.
"Umm…my name is Takashi Kaido, Sarah-San. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Takashi spoke with confidence although there was a tint of shyness in his voice.
"Kaido, huh?" Sarah pondered as she inspected him carefully. "I actually know of a family of the same name a few years back. Could you possibly be related to them by any chance?"
"I think you might've known my dad back when he was from the police force, huh?" Takashi inquired, his confidence rising but his voice slightly trailing.
"Mmmhmmm…." Sarah nodded as her reply. "Your dad was actually one of the best of his kind although I never knew anyone who's able to wield the element of fire as abnormally as he could."
"If that's the case, I might not be too far off…" Takashi spoke, a little surprised at Sarah's praise of his father. Regardless, he still held his ground.
"I wonder what he's doing nowadays…" Sarah pondered aloud, stroking her chin. "I was hoping I could meet him again someday."
"Unfortunately…..my dad's in a coma…." Takashi responded, his voice a little shaky and somewhat gutted. No matter how many times he heard of this fact, it still pained the young Pheonix that he may potentially not see his father ever again. "I don't know when he'll ever be back or if I can even talk to him at all….especially considering the fact that my mom's now gone….and my brother disappearing off the face of the earth for several years now…."
"Takashi-Kun…." Kasumi instantly felt a little wound deep within her soul. Even though the situation did not involve her, the Kunoichi of Destiny still felt scarred. The very thought of losing family was simply unbearable to her.
What pained her the most was that it reminded her of two things; Natsu's experience of neglect and isolation and her relationship with Ayane. The latter especially scared her since she knew that her half-sister's hatred held no limit. Although her calm and collected demeanour did not show it, inside, Kasumi was in complete turmoil. The very idea that she might face Ayane in a life or death duel again was enough to almost break her spirit in two. Kasumi would not bring herself to take a life but at the same time also feel scared; although she accepted that death was a natural part of life, the very fact that she might be forced to kill her beloved half-sister was enough to make her soul run dry with grief.
"Wait…what am I thinking?!" Kasumi scolded herself mentally. "Pull yourself together! Think positively for once! You're letting this get into your head! You have friends that look out for you even now!! And your family still loves you deep down!! Maybe it's best not contemplate on my situation too much. Focussing on the present will do me better credit than just focussing too much on the past…."
Slowly but surely, Kasumi regained her calm with a deep breath, washing away the sadness from within, her eyelids slowly lifting up.
"Oh…" Sarah felt a little shocked and somewhat surprised. "I'm really sorry about your loss…."
"It's nothing…" Takashi replied a little hastily. "Don't worry about me. I'm okay."
Next Sarah turned her attention to the auburn haired Kunoichi herself much to the latter's initial shock. However, unlike the others; she was able to recognize her right away.
"And you must be Kasumi, right? The winner of the first DOA tournament?"
The young Kunoichi immediately jumped in surprise at the mere mention of her name. Nonetheless, she managed to form a steady reply.
"I guess you could say that…" Kasumi spoke meekly. "You are Sarah Bryant, CEO of the Bryant conglomerate, correct?"
"That I'am." Sarah replied. "Y'know, I never realized my hairstyle was that popular. Did you visit my designer outlet or something?" She inspected the young kunoichi closely with a curious eye.
"I might have…" Kasumi giggled, jokingly. Her brief expression of laughter however slowly turned towards confusion. Slowly she turned towards Natsu for help "Wait a minute….Natsu? Does she have such a thing by any chance?"
"Well, the Bryant Company is involved in almost everything so maybe…." Natsu quickly cleared up for Kasumi. "Although I'm sure both your hairstyle are only coincidently similar…"
"Oh, I see now…" Kasumi sighed in acknowledgement, her lips curling into a light smile. "Thank you for clearing that up. I was almost a bit worried there…hee hee.."
"No problem…" Natsu simply replied his expression stoic but still watchful of any teasing that might occur.
"Which of course brings me to the main event; well sort of…" Sarah continued, she then pointed towards the young man in the red jacket next to Kasumi. "You're Natsu Kaneshiro, right?"
Initially shocked at first, it only took one second for Natsu to completely regain his composure. Calmly, he began to reply. "Correct. You're Sarah Bryant of MMA, formerly of Jeet Kune Do, are you not?"
"You're pretty sharp aren't you?" Sarah smiled, easily impressed by Natsu's answer. "Then I might conclude that according to my data; you are the son of Akemi Yukimura, right?"
Only two of the Virtua Fighters were in immediate surprise after hearing this sudden revelation; well at least one anyway.
"The son of Akemi?!" Akira replied, quite shocked at the revelation. "Really?! Pai? Did you know about this!?"
"Well, yeah of course!" Pai responded to Akira's question as if it was common sense. "Although judging from Natsu's behaviour, it kinda makes sense. He does resemble his mother personality-wise after all."
"Hmm…" Akira pondered in thought, inspecting Natsu closely. "Now that you think about it, I can actually see the resemblance somewhat."
Jacky on the other hand did not share his friend's exact reaction. "Awww….good grief! Don't remind me..!"
"Why not Jacky-san?" Takashi cut in, immediately curious on what was going on.
"Tell him, Akira." Sarah spoke a little bluntly, despite a devious smile creeping across her lips much to Jacky's annoyance.
"Well…" Akira tried piecing together his reply based on the fact Pai told him two years ago. "Put it this way….Jacky actually tried to court Akemi one time about 17 years ago….and according to what I know from Pai's knowledge….she coldly rejected him…."
Haruko, Kasumi, Natsu and Takashi instantly paused for a moment to let that fact sink in. Five seconds later, they immediately roared with laughter. Natsu especially was surprised and could not stop smiling, his stoic mood almost completely disappearing.
Jacky on the other hand was immediately fuming with embarrassment. As the laughter ensued, the racer finally had enough. At an instant, ten seconds into the laughter Jacky immediately towered over the group, his head suddenly becoming abnormally large and his teeth now representing sharp fangs. "THAT'S NOT FUNNY! CUT IT OUT, YOU TINHEADS!"
With Jacky's immediate outburst, the group immediately ceased their moment of joy. Kasumi and Haruko still giggled a little from their little moment of fun; Kasumi especially. There were still some things her mother apparently didn't tell her about her best friend apparently; possibly as a way to preserve dignity. This event was one of them.
"Anyway…." Sarah interrupted. "Sparing our little reunion party, it's not exactly the reason why I called you guys."
"Would you mind telling us, Sarah-san?" Kasumi spoke politely yet curiously.
"The reason why I called you here was because of a particular individual that has quite frankly been a thorn in my behind for far too long." Sarah explained.
"Meaning Donovan, right?" Natsu pointed out.
"Bingo!" Sarah snapped her fingers with a smile as a reply. "Since the man practically can't sit still on his ass for even one second, I just wanted to inform you all of you that because the deranged maniac is starting to walk the Earth again, I wanted to just point you in the right direction and inform you of some news."
"That could be useful…" Natsu said, his head slightly perking up. "What news do you have for us exactly?"
"Well, at least the good news is that I have a messenger by my side in order to keep things in check." Sarah seemed happy to say this fact, though her smile was a mix between a either a really happy child and a devious chess player. "Like me, he has also his suspicions of Mr Victor Frankenstein himself."
This fact instantly piqued Kasumi's curiosity. Only one person came to mind according to Sarah's description. It did not stop her from asking however. "And who might your messenger be, Sarah-san?"
"Good question, Kasumi." Sarah answered with a slight bit of excitement. "Hayabusa? Why not introduce yourself to the camera!"
With that said Sarah immediately reached towards the camera and turned it around towards the right side of the room. To Kasumi's immediate shock, the man presented in the room was an all too familiar face wearing his trademark black falcon outfit. His arms were crossed and his facial expression was calm, as if this was just another formal meeting or an ordinary conversation.
"H-hayabusa-San?!" Kasumi exclaimed, taken aback by his sudden appearance. Out of all people, she least expected him to be here of all places. Why here? And why now? Although Kasumi's suspicions were true, it did nothing to prevent her shock from fading. "Y-you're working with the Bryant Corporation!?"
"Indeed I am, Kasumi." Hayabusa said bluntly as if it was simple fact. He then immediately detected the young Kunoichi's expression in advance. "You seem surprised. What's the matter?"
"N-nothing…" Kasumi spoke, pacing herself despite her initial reaction. "I was just wondering…if you are working with Sarah Bryant…then….wait…..does brother know of this by any chance?"
"No." Hayabusa stated very bluntly as if it were common sense. "He doesn't; and I have no intention of letting him know either."
A frown curled across Kasumi's strawberry lips. "And may I ask why?"
Her voice was had a bit of hidden contempt and was slightly raised. She could not believe this! Had Hayabusa suddenly lost faith in his own best friend; the one he considered a close comrade and even blood brother for many years?! Kasumi almost felt a little insulted, especially considering that this was her brother he was addressing here; it almost felt like the Super Ninja didn't trust her as well.
Despite Kasumi's slightly raised voice, Hayabusa remained calm and quiet. "I thought my intentions were obvious. If I inform him of what I'm doing or what I plan to do, there's the potential risk that he might bring Ayane along with him; and if I let her kill you, I would ultimately fail my promise to Hayate. Plus, I have a personal score to settle as well judging from what Sarah has told me about this particular mission."
"I see…" Kasumi replied, a little bit more lenient with his reasoning but still a tiny bit sceptical.
Natsu was also a little taken aback with Hayabusa's introduction. "So Ryu Hayabusa is involved in this as well I see. Wasn't he the same guy who fought Tatsumi Oga back at the bridge? I also had a feeling that spied on me in the alleyway not two days ago. What is he doing here of all places?"
Meanwhile, Akira immediately felt a bit of a migraine. Seeing Hayabusa was enough to bring back bad memories. Noticing her friend's immediate disturbed state, Pai immediately rolled her eyes. "Aww, what now Akira?!"
Akira groaned. "This guy brings back bad memories….."
Hearing that sentence, Pai immediately facepalmed in annoyance. "Kage-Maru again?! Oh, Akira, give it a rest will you?! It's been years since you last fought him! Look, Kasumi here is a Ninja herself and yet I don't see you complaining!"
"W-wait..?! Is she really, Ninja?!" Akira gasped, half shocked at this revelation.
Following Pai's tactic, Jacky immediately facepalmed himself as well. "Really? It took you that long to find out?!"
"Man, you are so bleak..!" Pai exclaimed. "Didn't she tell you she was a Ninjutsu practioner beforehand?"
"Well, she never told me that she was a full blown Ninja per-say…." Akira slightly smiled, sweatdropping a little.
"Well, to be fair, it was made quite clear a while ago, Akira." Natsu quietly replied.
Hayabusa looked towards Sarah and whispered. "Does Akira Yuki always compare Ninja like me to Kage-Maru all the time?"
"Only if they're wearing masks." Sarah whispered back.
"Getting to the point at hand…" Haruko interrupted, raising her hand. "If Donovan's on the loose as you say, then it's safe to say that DOATEC might possibly be involved?"
"You got it." Sarah simply replied. "In fact, since Helena is still currently the legal president of the company, it's safe to say that she definitely could be involved with this as well as I."
"I see…." Haruko took in, immediately becoming quite curious of the whole situation. "If she's involved as you say, then do you know of any potential plans she may have?"
"As a matter of fact, I have." Sarah immediately reached a for a paper right under her desk. "According to the report Hayabusa has given me, Helena's also out to collect Kasumi; possibly as a personal messenger or something…."
Upon hearing this fact, Natsu immediately turned towards Kasumi. "Do you always attract that much attention to yourself?"
"Trust me, Natsu, I do not know why that happens." Kasumi responded with genuine sincerity. "To be honest, ever since my capture in DOATEC Germany it's enough to escalate to unnecessary hassle…."
"I see. So I take it that that incident with your capture inspired that madman's dream to finish the perfect soldier using your DNA?" Natsu asked.
"Yes." Kasumi reluctantly nodded. "He plans on using me to finish Alpha-152."
This time, it was Pai's turn to interrupt. "Wait a minute, Sarah! If what you are saying is true, then could it be that Helena has sent Takeshi to do the job?"
"That is correct, unfortunately." Sarah sighed in disappointment.
At that moment, Pai's nerves were struck and severed as if it were delicate string. She was not livid per-say, but she was definitely annoyed and somewhat angry. "That infernal woman! What is she thinking?! Sending my own pupil back on the public front again! Does she not care that he might die?! Has she no shame?!"
At that point, Pai was resisting the urge to cry. The very fact that her own adoptive son and student was being sent out on the public front so willingly, was enough to hit a chord emotionally. Noticing her beginning to shed tears, slowly but surely, Akira wrapped his arms around Pai, massaging her shoulder as a way of calming her down.
Hayabusa sighed sympathetically. He felt Pai's pain a little bit and understood her anger quite well. In fact, Hayabusa himself was also not happy with his predicament. "To think I'd be on the opposite side of my student, Momiji. Fate must be very cruel."
"Actually, when it comes down to it, your student actually chose to tag along with Takeshi on his supposed quest when it comes down to it." Said Sarah. "Besides, if she is your student then I'm pretty sure she will not even consider betraying you."
"Even so, I pray it does not come to a confrontation." Hayabusa contemplated. "Though I have a feeling that she followed that kid out of the goodness of her heart and her principles rather than siding with Helena in particular. I just hope that Momiji's conscience won't be used against her."
While the Super Ninja was busy contemplating to himself, Takashi was the one to speak up. "Pardon me for asking, Sarah-san, but now that you have mentioned Helena, could it be possible that Zell Natsumoto is also involved in any way?"
"He is." Sarah responded. "According to the information Hayabusa has acquired, Helena has in fact allied herself with the Shadow clan. However, unlike the objective Takeshi the Death God is partaking, your friend in particular is set with another task; watching over Donovan."
"Aha….knowing Maria, she's probably blocking off Dononvan's trail by using Zell for potential sabotage." Takashi pointed out, piecing together what was going on. "But wait….if Donovan is still rebuilding as you said he is…then won't that mean that Zell has nothing much to neutralize considering the state he's in?"
This time it was Hayabusa's turn to speak. "I wouldn't count on that theory if I were you. Knowing Donovan, he might've recruited Christie again as a first step to regaining his work. Not to mention, since Alpha-152 has not been destroyed, it might be safe to assume that it is also under Donovan's control and he might use it to wreak havoc once again."
"Yikes!" Jacky whispered quietly. "And I thought this cliché ended along with the Durals!"
"It did.." Akira whispered back. "But considering the events with DOATEC, I'm afraid that this Alpha clone might be even worse than any Dural we could ever face…."
"This situation has just gotten worse…" Kasumi contemplated with a deep sigh. "Kami-Sama, what am I supposed to do…?"
"Natsu?"
"Yeah?" The young man responded.
"I figured that since you are next on the hitlist for Donovan, you might want to listen to what I have to say."
"Go ahead." Natsu said in his trademark blunt tone.
"Ahh…awesome!" Sarah responded as she pulled out her touch pad from her desk drawer. "Because I figured that this might interest you since I heard that you are going on a martial arts journey, right?"
Natsu gave in to a simple nod as his reply. The smirk on Sarah's face could hardly contain her excitement despite her calm demeanour. "Tell me, would you happen to know a fighter named Ryu?"
"Ryu?" Kasumi responded in Natsu's place. "I don't understand, Sarah-san…isn't he the one standing right next to you?"
Natsu's irritably sighed as he facepalmed. Hayabusa on the other hand responded with a bit of an equally confused tone. "I don't think Sarah was referring to me in particular, Kasumi."
"Perhaps this might help." Sarah at an instant held out her touchpad, revealing a clear portrait of the man she spoke about taken recently about two months ago. He had a torn white Karate Gi that was sleeveless and slightly open in the chest area, showing his very thick, muscular figure. He had brown eyes along with medium length black hair with a red headband tied around his forehead. Although it was slightly hidden, a black stubble formed around his chin slightly. Every single person in the room instantly recognized this one man, including Kasumi despite initial confusion at first.
"That's Ryu; the wandering warrior!" Akira pointed out, a wide smile hardly containing his excitement. "I was hoping to meet him in a match again someday!"
"I'm happy for you, Akira!" Pai patted Akira's shoulder in order to help calm her friend down. "Although…just don't get any ideas of learning to shoot Ki from your hands okay?"
"The world's strongest hobo returns, huh?" Jacky' ears lit up with burning vigour, now that the World Warrior's name was in the mix. "Now this is getting kinda' interesting! I like it!"
"Ryu Hoshi, the wandering warrior?!" Kasumi exclaimed, more than shocked to see a picture she hadn't seen in long, long time. "Father often used to tell me stories about him when I was younger. You must be pretty excited to meet him in person. Right, Natsu?"
"You bet!" Natsu grinned. "I have to admit, you gave me an interesting direction to go in. Do you know where he is by any chance?"
"With pleasure." Sarah returned the grin. "According to my knowledge, he should be around somewhere in Germany. Basically, if you see a guy even remotely like this picture and completely barefoot, it's definitely gonna be him. And I figured that since Donovan's gonna hunt you down if you stay here anyway...I have booked and paid for your flight tickets to Germany. You'll be safe over there."
"Thanks." Natsu replied, his tone being slightly enthusiastic.
"I'll give you a hint though, just because I'm feeling generous." Sarah smiled. "He's heading towards the Buchfink dojo just for a heads up!"
"Buchfink Dojo?" Kasumi took in, the name instantly bringing some form of nostalgia. "Are you referring to Hitomi, Sarah-san?"
Sarah gave a small nod as her response. Kasumi at that moment gave way to a small grin. She and Hitomi were close friends ever since the 3rd DOA tournament. Although they knew each other due to their connections with Hayate, it was because of their similar interests and Hitomi's cheerful personality that they immediately became fast friends. There was just something about her upbeat attitude and positive stride that gave Kasumi the strength to be a little bolder towards life.
"Oh and Jacky!" Sarah yelled. "Do you still have your Cell Phone collection?"
"Yeah, I still do!" Jacky responded as he reached for his backpack behind him. "Why do you ask?"
"Just for keeping in touch." Sarah elaborated as if it were common sense "We don't want things to escalate to the point where it's a pain in the ass to even contact each other."
"I agree." Haruko responded with a nod. "By the way, Kasumi?"
"Yes?" The young kunoichi immediately spoke up. "Would you mind keeping an eye out on Natsu for me?
Kasumi instantly bowed in acknowledgement towards the young samurai's request. "It'll be my pleasure Haruko-Chan."
"I swear you're doing this just to torture me, Haruko." Natsu sighed irritably.
"Natsu!" Haruko hissed. "Don't be rude! I told you that Kasumi can be a great asset to your journey. It's a good learning experience to get along with others you know so you might as well get used to it."
"If you insist." Said Natsu, realizing the futility of arguing at this point.
"Hey everyone!" Jacky yelled, his hands filled with a pocket full of Cell phones. "Catch!"
He threw a few phones to several members of the group one at a time. Coincidently, Natsu had a red coloured phone whereas Kasumi had a milky pink version. The Cell phones themselves were quite modern and sleek, with the thin screens and keypads putting a twist to the otherwise classic flip-flop design.
Akira strangely enough took a look at his Cell Phone with a bit of scepticism. Noticing this, Jacky instantly began to frown. "What's wrong, Akira? You look like you've never used a cell phone before in your life or somethin'.
"Well of course!" Akira panicked. "How am I supposed to figure out how to use this thing? I even have trouble using the ones with Antenna's on for cryin' out loud!"
"Aiyaiyai…" Jacky sighed. "Pai, why don't you teach him?"
"Sure thing!" Pai replied to Jacky's request as she tended towards Akira's cluelessness.
"Takashi?" said Sarah. "I was going to ask you a favour. Do you mind?"
"Yes, Sarah-san?" Takashi responded, a little curious to what the CEO had in store for him.
"I'd like you to work alongside, Hayabusa for a special assignment." Sarah spoke with a professional and confident tone yet still retaining her smile. "Are you game enough for it?"
"Really!?" Takashi exclaimed, a little shocked at first. To be honest, he felt a little disappointed, mainly because he had planned on joining Kasumi first. But he had to admit that even though he did not get the full blown reward, a chance to save the world didn't exactly come knocking on your doorstep. "I suppose so….okay, I'll see how it goes; provided I don't exactly get grilled by Zell for this."
With that said, Takashi immediately teleported from the flat, leaving only a small trail of flame in his wake. By the time Sarah switched off her vidcam, everyone was gone; out on their separate ways. The last thing seen in view was Natsu and Kasumi walking to the distance in the trail to their new destination.
A/N
Oga: BOORRRRRINNNNNGGG!
Berubo: Aidapuuhhhh! (Bored, Bored, Super bored!)
Kaneshiro-Sama: Huh?! What?! Why?! Whaddya' mean bored?! Seriously!
Oga: This episode has no violence, hammy. Seriously, how am I supposed to get interested when it's just people spouting out filler crap. C'mon….
Berubo: Aidabuu! (Agreed!)
Furuichi: What I'm more concerned about is that how the hell can a Ferrari drive all the way from Tokyo to Yokohama?! It ain't exactly the bullet train ya' know! AND YOU PROMISED ME PANTY SHOTS LAST TIME IN THE AUTHOR'S NOTES! C'MON, MAN! THAT'S SERIOUSLY NOT COOL! AND IN A DOA STORY OF ALL THINGS!
Kaneshiro-Sama: *seething* Just start narrating, will ya?!
Oga: Hello, fellow DOA fans and yada yada yada! Sorry about the long wait! We basically had a ton of shit to plough through and practically not enough time to do it! Oh, well just be grateful that the writer got out his sorry ass to do this chapter! So anyways, tune in next time to Dead or Alive Alpha where we meet the guest of honour….I kinda forgot his name….what was it..? Ryo? Rye? Ryi?
Berubo: Ryu Damah! (It's Ryu dumbass!)
Kaneshiro-Sama: Also, guys; I'm sorry I did not include extra plotlines for this Episode but rest assured; they are not gonna be aborted and I have no intention of abandoning them. I hope this chapter is worth the wait people! And to LittleMissyDOAgalpal, I hope this appearance of Ryu Hayabusa satisfies you! If not, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO BUTCHER ME WITH EITHER THE JINAN MARU, DRAGON SWORD, FUMA KODACHI, TORN SKY BLAST OR WHATEVER!
Oga: Riiiiggghhhhtt….So, any last words to the readers, Berubo?
Berubo: Dab, Daa, Abaahh, mahhh! Uma Dam Dabah Dabah! (Read, Review, Milk and continue supporting Beelzebub….and the DOA community!)