"Like Minds, Chapter 3" By Bloodshade Shadowclaw ========================== =EARTH, Japan, Lady of Karumeru Hospital= Chizuru and Benimaru were relieved that Red hadn't sustained any serious injuries, but the doctors were making such a damn fuss over Red himself they were starting to get more than a little miffed...Red seemed to be taking it in stride, but Beni and Chizuru just wanted to get the hell out of there without any further attempts at publicity-whoring. Red had been in a room across the hall with a few medical experts, who were absolutely baffled. They didn't know what the vulpin was, let alone where he came from or how he got his powers... Chizuru had had enough. She banged on the door, trying not to yell, "Are you done in there!? We'd like to get him back sometime this year!!" The door cracked. Chizuru didn't wait for an invitation, nor did she receive one. She practically threw the door against its hinges behind her as she stepped through. "Red, we're leaving...Get your stuff together--What the HELL!?!" =Earth, Orochi's Lair= Goenitz walked down the corridor to Xenif's quarters. There was no more putting it off, the tournament was almost upon them. He wouldn't bother knocking this time, he was usually alone anyways... The door burst open as Xenif sat in his chair, looking for all the world like a long-haired, 20/20-vision Gendo Ikari, contemplating whatever it is that anthro-phoenixes-turned-human would contemplate, as Goenitz walked up with a no-nonsense look etched on his face. Xenif glanced up. "Something wrong?" Goenitz merely said, "The next King of Fighters tournament is upon us. Vice and Mature are willing to go, but we will need a third member for our team to be eligible for competition. Seeing as I am too valuable to Orochi to be lost, and you have not exactly earned your keep.......I have chosen you to go with them to the tournament." "...That's that K.O.F. thing I hear people keep rambling about, right...? I can see why you would say I haven't earned my right to stay here...And from what I can gather, you think I may be able to by participating in this tournament. Correct?" Goenitz nodded, but said, "I have consulted Orochi himself on this matter, and He has found you.....interesting. I am not one to deny such a request. Your training will begin immediately." "Training?" Xenif arched an eyebrow. "Yes. You will learn to accept Orochi through the regimen He and I have planned for you...come with me." =Alden= Kyo jumped high to dodge yet another of Walice's forcewaves, barely skimming over it as he came down with his R.E.D. Kick, the attack almost cracking Walice's collarbone on impact as Kyo spun and kicked out with the other leg at his ermine opponent's chest as he landed, oblivious to Pandora as she rushed back into the fray, the back of her sword stabbing out at Kyo's right hip as she passed him. Phenix and Warfare watched the brawl from a corner of the medium-large-sized training room as they commented on Kyo's fighting abilities. "He's pretty good with one-on-one fights, but he's getting better at the one-on-multi. Speaking of which, where's Artica?" Phenix quipped as she scanned the ongoing fight with her amber eyes. Her question was answered seconds later as the arctic vixen backflipped over Kyo, grabbing him by the collar of his green jacket as she yanked him with her to a one-on-one. She seemed to be doing that a bit lately. Maybe she was starting to take a liking to Kyo, or maybe she was just testing the control he had over his flame. Who knew? She flicked her hand as her cryokinesis flickered into view, looking like blue-white, cold fire, even smoking like it was as she grinned, eager for another chance to duel with Kusanagi. To find out if his flame could match the one he had seemingly taken the place of...if that was indeed the case. Kyo rose to his feet, smirking too as he raised his fire-encased hand into the air, the back of it facing Artica as he said those immortal words for the second time since they met... "Miseteyaru... Kusanagi no kobushi yo!!!" They ran toward each other, hands ablaze with fire and ice... =Earth, Japan, Outside Lady of Karumeru Hospital= Red was still scarlet under the fur of his face as he rode down the street in Chizuru's Honda Accord. Chizuru had walked in on him in naught but his birthday suit back at that hospital. With Benimaru right behind her, no less. That was bad enough, but Beni just HAD to be a smartass and crack a bunch of anatomy-related jokes at Red's expense. That was embarrassing, not to mention adding insult to injury... Beni was still smirking, trying not to laugh aloud while covering his mouth with a gloved hand, but the Zeta-like thoughts kept bringing the funny back, at least to him. He was giggling, silently for the most part. Chizuru was unnerved by it all, more by Benimaru's immaturity than the sight of, for lack of a more vague descriptor, "all of Red". Silence hung like a golden curtain over the car interior, save for the Dir en Grey single on the radio and Beni's periodic muffled snickering. Chizuru pulled into the parking lot of a nearby mall as she turned to Red and said, "I think we may need to get you some new clothes. What're your measurements?" Red glared at Benimaru as he snorted from mirth audibly, then counter-questioned Chizuru with "Why?" Chizuru just said, "We'll need to make you look decent for the tournament, now, won't we?" Red blinked as the 4-1-1 hit him like a kick from King. "Oh, yeah...almost forgot." He mumbled as he stared at his torn hoodie and tattered jeans, glancing quickly at Benimaru's cut-off black t-shirt and white jeans. He wanted to say something about how Beni looked gay in that top, but he kept it to himself. Mostly because Beni had dirt on him, and Red didn't want to sour an already sweet friendship by saying something of that nature. Plus, he knew Benimaru liked the ladies. He'd seen the respect he gave them a few times. Question was, if he had to fight a woman, would he hold back because of her gender? The answers he sought were probably on their way. Chizuru was planning to register the three of them at the KOF come the last stop... =Alden= Since the training session, Walice had been rather wary of Kyo, and Cee Cee's proposal to have him accompany them to a night on the town was making the brown erminean even more so. He was doing a good job of hiding it, though, as the three of them turned a corner and entered an arts and crafts shop to nab some supplies. Kyo was leaning against a shelf of sketchbooks, drifting around in his thoughts when Cee Cee tugged on his sleeve and asked, "You want to get anything to munch on? You look kinda hungry..." Kyo thought then replied, "You think there's a good chinese place around here? I'm actually itching for something like in my world." Walice walked up to them and said "There's an oriental market just around the block. We'll hit it up when we get done here..." A ringing noise sounded from Kyo's pocket. Cee Cee and Walice looked around, thinking it was an alarm until Kyo pulled a clamshell-type cell phone from his pants, thinking aloud under his breath, "Who the hell got this number?" He glanced at the blank display, then flipped the phone open, hesitating before putting it to his ear. "Hello...? Scarlet!? How the hell did--Wait, what? .......I see. And you want me to meet them?...OK, but can it wait? I gotta eat something...OK. See ya when we get back...Later." Kyo flipped the phone shut as he turned to the two weasels paying for the art stuff and said, "Katherine, Scarlet and some guys named Max and Jacob are waiting, so we might wanna make it quick. Let's get moving..." Kyo's stomach growled softly, as if it was trying to add an afterthought... Max and Katherine sat with the rest of the team as Scarlet explained recent events to Max, Kat, and Jacob "Micro" White-Eye, who had been holed up in the interweb, spending time with Rokki at the instance of Kyo's arrival and hadn't met him yet. "...From what we can gather, he doesn't seem to be like the other humans, and he seems to be on our side...It hasn't been verified where he came from, he doesn't know where Red went either..." Scarlet continued as she paced back and forth, her tail swishing slowly. "He does have powers similar to Red, though to a lesser extent, and he doesn't have to recharge them...But he's pretty nice overall." Max and Jacob were a little uncomfortable at the thought of having a human in their midst, despite Scarlet's claims. Katherine chimed in, " I don't know whether to trust your judgement, or wait till I get to know him personally...But I guess you and Phenix would know what's best...still, I'm kinda torn here." Scarlet did her damndest to hide her hatred of felins as she replied, "That's your decision to make, Katherine. I'm not trying to influence you or anything. It's just that--" The loud creak of a doorhinge interrupted her statement as Kyo, Walice and Cee Cee stepped through the door with Kyo bringing up the rear, eating a hand-sized box of white rice with a pair of disposable chopsticks and wearing an unusually happy expression. Scarlet stifled a laugh as she said, "Jake, Max, Kat, this is Kyo Kusanagi..." Kyo nodded as he greeted them, still smiling slightly as he waved with his chopsticks, then wandered over to the dresser by the bed, still munching on the rice but trying to carry on with conversation or small talk. Max was first to start... "So, uh, Kyo...Scarlet told us you fight in tournaments for a living where you come from awhile back...ya play any other sports?" Kyo gulped down another mouthful of rice as he shook his head, "Nope. Basically, all I can do is fight. Why not stick with what works, you know? What about you, cat?" Max scratched head with claws as he answered, "I play netball from time to time, but it was called something different to you, I heard. They changed the name because we, uh... kinda found it offensive." "...Huh. So are you and her...'together'?" Kyo gestured with his chopsticks at Katherine. "Yep. For about a couple years...still going steady." Kat smiled gently, hugged him as the sentence finished. Cee Cee was sketching away with a pencil, composing a slice-of-everyday-life scene as the early night waned on... =Earth= Red gave himself a once-over in the mirror, wearing a freshly-bought gray dress shirt with a red tie, his tail poking under the belt and through the seat of a pair of black jeans...It just wasn't the same as his Solarfox uniform, though...pity he left it behind...with Scarlet. God, how he missed her... Benimaru's voice wafted through the door. "Hey, Reddo, you done in there? 'Cos we're starting to run outta time. Tournament registration is closing for the day in 2 hours. So shake the brush, Puppeh! Chop-fuckin'-chop!" Red cinched up on the tie as he stepped out the door and thought, *I'll get back to her...hopefully soon...Wait for me, Scarlet.*