The Start of Something Big

by

RobertCop3

So, I was only expecting to write one alternate timeline fic, but as I was organizing my notes for "Sliding Doors," I got another idea that also takes place in the same timeline, after Andy and Mai have been living in South Town for almost a year. This story is about Mai's first meeting with Yuri Sakazaki, and is my take on how the two of them became friends. Few things are more easily recognizable in King of Fighters than the OG Women Fighters Team, but I don't think SNK has ever given a backstory on how Mai, Yuri and King met. I mean, the opening story in one of the KoF games covers how the Women Fighters Team was formed, but I don't think it really explains how they all know each other in the first place. So I'm doing my own take on it.

This is set in my alternate timeline, which deviates from the main timeline set up in my fic "Family Ties," a deviation that was first explored in "Sliding Doors."

And lastly, I apologize for the length, but I just couldn't find a good place to put a chapter break. So for those of you with hearty constitutions: I hope you enjoy. And as always, feedback is welcome.

All characters are the property of SNK/Playmore. I don't own them, the video games or the anime.

South Town, USA – Monday Morning, July 1997

The day was shaping up to be a hot one, but it was Florida, so summer days in South Town were always hot. The girl making her way down the sidewalk amidst the bustle of a new working week was quite comfortable, however. She was dressed in tight purple leggings, white and red sneakers, a sleeveless white dogi with a black sports bra on underneath, and with a red headband tied around her forehead.

The people she passed by as she walked seemed to be trying to keep their distance, while at the same time trying not to look like they were. They assumed she was a fighter due to her style of dress (and they were right), so they were no doubt afraid that she was on her way to meet someone for a public brawl. Even though the mayor had banned public street fighting (except for certain designated areas such as the new fighting gym that had recently opened), the occasional lawless ruckus still happened from time to time.

She passed a police car that was parked at the curb, and the officer behind the wheel glanced up from his morning coffee to give the girl a look as she walked by, no doubt silently telling her to watch her step. She responded by giving him the goofiest grin she could muster, her tongue hanging from one side of her mouth, and flashing him a "peace" sign. The officer shook his head as he went back to his coffee, though he couldn't help but smile. He thought the girl looked like a fighter, but there was just something so peppy about her...

The ironic thing was, even though she was a fighter, she also knew the townspeople had nothing to fear from her. She was still working on a reputation, and even though she didn't have as much recognition as people like her father, her brother or Terry Bogard (due in part to the fact that she needed to keep her fighting prowess a secret from her family), someday she was planning to be famous in her own right.

And maybe today I can start moving in that direction, Yuri Sakazaki thought as she reached into her sports bra (her leggings were comfy but sadly lacking pockets) and pulled out a folded newspaper ad. The picture in the center of the ad was that of a voluptuous redhead, clad in a very loose-fitting gi that tapered off to a loincloth in the front, with twin tails hanging down her curvy backside. She had a fan in each hand and was holding them in a very alluring pose. Printed alongside the woman was information on their dojo (the types of classes offered, as well as their "reasonable" rates) written in three different languages: English, Spanish, and Japanese. Yuri looked at the address in the ad again, then crumpled it and tossed it into a wastebasket on the street corner. She was getting close. Should be less than a block away...

Sure enough, she soon came to a two-story building that had once been a ballet studio, but had since been converted into a fighting school. Painted on the glass doors in large black letters was written: GAROU AND MOERU HANA DOJO OF SHIRANUI-RYU NINJITSU. Underneath that, in small print, was written: HOURS OF OPERATION: WEDNESDAY – FRIDAY, 1 PM – 7:30 PM; SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, PRIVATE CLASSES BY APPOINTMENT ONLY (INQUIRE WITHIN); MONDAY AND TUESDAY, CLOSED.

Yuri attempted to peer through the glass, and even though the lights were off inside, her trained eyes could make out a figure laying on one of the mats, doing sit-ups. The light was too dim for Yuri to notice any distinct features, except for the long auburn hair tied back in a ponytail.

Perfect, Yuri thought to herself. She cast a quick glance up and down the sidewalk, but human traffic seemed to have died down a little as most of them had started their working day in whatever shops or businesses they were employed at. No one was around, but more importantly, no one was watching. Yuri started to walk away casually, then quickly ducked into the alley around the side of the dojo and soon found herself at the back door. It was locked, but there were ways around that.

Yuri smiled as she reached a hand into the long braid of chocolate-brown hair that ran down her back, and pulled out a small bundle of lockpicks. After casting another quick glance around to make sure no one could see her, Yuri set to work on the lock and soon had gotten the heavy door open. She slipped inside the building and closed the door carefully behind her, trying not to make any betraying sounds.

Once her eyes had adjusted to the dimness, she moved cautiously down the hallway on the toes of her sneakers, going in the direction that she was pretty sure the main studio was in. Sure enough, she soon came to the end of the corridor and peeked cautiously around the corner. She saw a wide-open area with tatami mats spread across the floor. Along one wall were wooden benches, along another were a few racks of weapons common in the martial arts: folding fans, tonfa sticks, sais, nunchaku, bokkens, and shinai. Meanwhile, the sharper weapons, such as kama, shurikens, and tanto, had wisely been put behind a locked glass case. In one corner of the vast studio she saw doors leading off to the locker rooms, and in another corner a doorway that looked like the entrance to an office.

The woman she'd observed through the front door was no longer on the mats, and was now standing by what appeared to be a reception desk, talking on the phone while jotting notes down on a legal pad. Her back was to Yuri, so the wiry brunette took a few cautious steps forward.

"Okay, so you can squeeze us in at one PM tomorrow?" Mai Shiranui was saying to the person on the other end of the line. "Great! Just give me the address... okay, what is that close to? Gotcha. We'll find it, then. Okay, tomorrow at one... Did you say complimentary champagne? Well, you already have bonus points with me. Yeah, it's always a good strategy to bribe potential customers. Now, if your cakes are just as good, maybe we'll talk prices. Yup, we can't wait to taste some. Okay, thanks for calling back so soon. See you tomorrow!"

Mai hung up the phone, and continued to write on the pad, her back still to Yuri. Without looking up, Mai suddenly called out: "We're closed today and tomorrow. The hours were on the door. Come back Wednesday if you want to sign up for classes. We'll also need you to sign a liability waiver."

For a moment, Yuri stood there like a deer in the headlights, not knowing what to say or do next. Then, she managed to ask: "How did you..."

"I have ears, and this is a school of ninjitsu." Mai turned around, then, to face her intruder. Even though Yuri had seen plenty of ads for this place, the dojo's sensei was even more gorgeous in person: reddish-brown bangs and forelocks perfectly framing her heart-shaped face, large deep brown eyes that sparkled with a lust for life (and just the tiniest hint of mascara to make their natural color seem to leap out), and full red lips (with the barest hint of gloss to make their natural fullness stand out), while Mai's exercise outfit perfectly highlighted the rest of her: black, hip-hugging spandex shorts that showed off her long legs, toned thighs, and tight round glutes, and a red sports bra that struggled to contain a bosom most women would have to pay a small fortune to possess. But Mai was also a trained fighter, as evidenced by the hard, lean muscle in her arms and her bare stomach.

For just a moment, Yuri felt the old feelings of inadequacy (which had not plagued her since high school) creep back again. Then she regained control and said defiantly to Mai: "Maybe you're not just another pretty face, then. I wonder if you can fight as well as you can hear."

Mai regarded the intruder for a moment. She could tell by the way the girl was dressed that she was obviously a fighter, or at least interested in the arts. But Mai was still a little annoyed that her dojo had been broken into. "Come back Wednesday. I'll give you a demonstration, and then if you want to sign up for lessons, you can either do regular classes on the weekdays, or we can arrange something private. The rates for both are reasonable, more reasonable than that ninjitsu school on the north side of town."

"No, I didn't come for classes," The girl said to her. "I'm a student of my family's martial arts style, so I don't need lessons from you. I want a challenge!"

Mai Shiranui regarded the slim, yet well-muscled brunette with a look of confusion. "Wait, you want a what?"

"A challenge!" The girl repeated. "I've come to challenge you!"

Mai looked confused for another moment. Then, to Yuri's surprise, she started to laugh. "Ooooh, I get it. This is all a misunderstanding. You really wanna challenge the Lone Wolf, don't you? Well, you've come to the wrong place, but I understand your confusion. He's my fiancé's brother, you see, and they both have the same eye and hair color. But if you leave me your phone number, I'll pass it along to Terry, and he'll get in touch with you about where and when you can fight him."

The karate girl's brow crinkled in confusion. "What? No, I didn't come here to challenge Terry Bogard, I came to challenge the master of this dojo. That's you, right?"

Now it was Mai's turn to look confused. "I'm one of them, yes. But you're SURE you want me and not my fiancé?"

To Mai's surprise, the other girl nodded. "I want to challenge the woman whose face is in the advertisements for this place. You look exactly like her. So you're the one I want!"

For a moment, Mai couldn't help but swell up a little with pride. Someone is here to challenge me and not one of the Bogards! I am moving up in the fighting world. Wait till I tell Andy about this!

"Well, I'm sorry about the confusion," Mai told her guest, trying and failing to keep the excitement from her tone. "I'm used to everyone always wanting to challenge Terry or Andy. I'm not used to having one of my own! I have to say it's a little flattering. I... I don't really know what to say! Except... why me? I do something wrong to you?"

"No, it's just... like I said, I've seen your ads around town. We have a lot of dojos in this city, but there's never been one with a female sensei before. As a fellow fighting woman, I wanted to see if there's more to you than just boobs and ass."

The kunoichi laughed again, pulled a fan out from inside her sports bra and smirked at the other woman from behind its folds. "There's a lot more to me than that, honey! You want a free lesson? You've got one!"

"Hah!" The other girl retorted. "I'll be the one teaching the lessons. You'll learn what it's like to go up against Yuri Sakazaki, daughter of the great Takuma Sakazaki, the grand master of Kyokugen-Ryu karate!"

Mai went back to looking confused. "Sorry, can't say I've ever heard of him."

"Really?" Mai noticed that Yuri seemed almost excited by this. "You've never heard the name Mr. Karate?"

Mai shook her head. "Nope. Doesn't ring a bell. And anyway, even if I did, it would take more than that to intimidate a kunoichi who studied Shiranui-Ryu ninjitsu under the great master Hanzo Shiranui!"

Yuri cackled with delight. "So you really don't know who my dad is? That's awesome! You just made my day, but I'm still gonna kick your ass!"

"Talk's cheap," Mai said with a cackle of her own, then leaped from her place by the desk over to the large tatami mat that took up most of the floor. She quickly assumed her fighting stance and pointed with her fan to the mat's other end. "Take up your position and come at me! But... shoes off, please."

Yuri looked down and noticed that Mai was barefoot, so she did as asked and soon stood on the opposite end of the mat in her own fighting stance. She noticed that Mai was on the balls of her feet, rocking from side to side as she shifted her weight from one leg to the other. She also couldn't help but notice that Mai's ample breasts were bouncing rhythmically in time with this movement, underneath the tight fabric of her sports bra.

"What is it?" Mai asked, noticing Yuri's smirk of amusement.

"Nothing," Yuri answered. "It's just... aren't sports bras supposed to stop that from happening?

Mai gave a small shrug. "Hey, I've tried four different brands of them now. If you can think of a solution that doesn't involve tape, I'm all ears." Mai's expression became serious, then, and she raised her fan slightly. "Now, before we begin, some ground rules. First: the match is over when one of us gets knocked down and is off our feet for longer than three seconds."

"Agreed."

"And second: this is hand to hand only. No chi abilities."

Yuri laughed at that one. "Why? Afraid I'll burn you?"

"I'm more worried about you, honey!" Mai laughed back. "Shiranui ninja have been cooking with fire for centuries! But it doesn't matter. If we cause any chi damage to this building, we violate the terms of the lease."

Yuri gave a loud sigh. "Guess we have no choice then. Okay, no chi attacks."

Mai tightened her stance. "Chin up, girl! I'm sure it'll still be fun for both of us! Now... let's begin!"

For a few moments, the two women fighters remained at opposite ends of the mat, just staring each other down. Yuri's feet were apart in what appeared to be a traditional karate stance, but her fists were raised in front of her face, and Mai knew enough about karate to know that was not part of the stance. Interesting, the ninja girl thought.

Mai then decided to start things off by somersaulting high into the air. At the apex of her jump, Mai tossed one of her fans at Yuri, and then came down at an angle with her right leg extended in a flying kick. Yuri had to pivot her body to the right to avoid the fan, then dropped to the mat and rolled forward to avoid Mai's kick, springing back to her feet as the kunoichi landed. Yuri stepped forward quickly and caught Mai in the lower back with a right jab, then tried to follow it up with a left, but was not prepared for Mai to counter so quickly. Before the left fist could connect with her, the kunoichi spun around with her right arm extended, and Yuri had to quickly block with her right forearm to avoid the back of Mai's fist connecting with her face.

Yuri then swung her left leg at Mai in a high kick, but Mai ducked it by dropping backwards, catching herself by planting her left arm on the mat, then swinging her right leg up at Yuri. This time, her foot connected with the karate girl's hip. Mai tried to follow this by moving quickly into a crouch and swinging her right leg around in a sweep, but Yuri flipped backwards to dodge it. Mai flung another fan as Yuri was retreating, but Yuri caught it as she came out of her move.

For a moment, the brunette regarded the weapon curiously. "I thought we said hand to hand," she told Mai.

"I remember saying 'no chi attacks,' and my fans aren't chi-based, unless I charge them," Mai retorted. "But if you think you need a handicap, I'll put it away for a while."

Yuri shrugged and tossed the fan back to Mai. "Hey, if you don't think you can win without it, I won't think less of you. At least, not much, anyway."

Mai laughed as she caught the fan and tucked it back into her sports bra. "You know what? I think I will fight without it for a bit. Just so you can eat those words."

Yuri moved forward cautiously, one fist raised in a defensive stance, the other cocked back behind her head, ready to throw a punch. She tried a series of jabs, but Mai dodged them all, taking small steps backwards as she did. Yuri thought she was gaining ground and began to throw more jabs, both high and low. Inwardly, she felt a rush of exhilaration as she pushed Mai backwards towards the wall. True, Mai was dodging her blows, but the ninja girl would soon have a solid surface to her back. Once she could no longer retreat from Yuri's jabs, Yuri would own her.

Which was exactly what Mai wanted Yuri to think. As she got close to the wall, Mai did a sudden flip backwards, planting her feet against the vertical surface for a split second, using it to give herself momentum as she launched her body forward. She streaked towards Yuri head-first in her Musasabi no Mai attack, flying through the air like a graceful human missile.

Yuri was not prepared for this, and gave a loud grunt as Mai plowed into her, knocking the karate girl to the side. After it connected, Mai tucked her knees up towards her chest and did a half-somersault, righting herself so she could land on her feet. One... she counted silently in her mind. Back on the ground once more, she turned towards her opponent. Two...

...And saw that Yuri was also standing, having done a handspring to her feet. Good, Mai thought to herself. I was hoping it wouldn't be that easy. The kunoichi was still high on the fact that for once, she was the one who had a challenger, so she wanted this fight to last a bit longer.

Yuri smirked at Mai, and took her stance back up. "You caught me by surprise. Now it's my turn!"

"We'll see," Mai said with a smirk of her own.

Yuri came at her again, this time with two jabs followed by a kick to the midsection. Mai dodged the first two, and then avoided the kick by moving into a crouch. She tried to counter with a leg sweep, but Yuri hopped backwards out of the way. As Mai moved back into a standing position, Yuri quickly jumped towards her again.

When her feet were level with Mai's chest, Yuri began to kick rapidly in mid-air, pummeling Mai with her Hien Hou'ou Kyaku. Mai instinctively raised her forearms to block her face, but still took several kicks to her torso. Yuri finished the move by planting her right foot against Mai's body and using that leverage to push herself backwards, landing back on the mat a few yards from her opponent.

The move was not as strong as it normally was with no chi to enhance it, and Mai's generous bosom had provided some padding, but the kunoichi was still reeling from the attack. I need a minute to shake that one off.

Yuri did not look like she was going to give Mai that minute. She came forward again, this time catching Mai in the stomach with a quick jab. She tried to follow this with an uppercut, but Mai jumped up to avoid it and somersaulted backwards in midair towards the other side of the mat, trying to put some distance between her and Yuri. As Mai landed, she decided to break her rule and launched several fans rapidly at her opponent, not trying to hit her, merely to slow her down so Mai could recover.

As Yuri moved forward, one of the fans caught her on the arm, and she spent the next several seconds dodging the other ones. She paused in her advance, more out of confusion than anything else. That had to have been at least six or seven fans Mai threw. And yet, all she wore was a sports bra and tight shorts. "Okay," Yuri said out loud. "Where did all those come from?"

"Trade secrets," Mai answered, once more steady on her feet. She took her stance back up, extended her right arm, and gestured to the other girl with her index finger in a "come hither" motion.

Yuri was eager to accept, and did a forward somersault jump through the air, leg extended in a flying kick. Mai pivoted her upper body to avoid it, and the karate girl flew past her. She caught Yuri in the back with a kick of her own. Yuri let the kick's momentum carry her to the ground, then she rolled a short distance and quickly sprang back up to her feet.

Just in time, as Mai was dashing towards her. The ninja girl tried to land a chop to Yuri's collarbone, but it was deflected by the other girl's forearm. Yuri then swung her opposite arm around in a haymaker, which Mai barely managed to block with her own forearm. Yuri followed this with a quick jab that caught Mai in the chin. She tried to follow it up with another, but Mai brought her raised forearm down in another quick chop, diverting the jab. Mai used her other arm to catch Yuri with a body blow.

The kunoichi attempted to follow this up with a high kick, swinging her right leg up so that it was above her head, almost perpendicular to the floor. Yuri had to move her own head to the side to avoid the kick, but still felt the rush of air as Mai's foot sliced upwards. However, she was not prepared for the second part of the attack, as a split-second later Mai's leg came back down, her heel slamming against Yuri's shoulder. Mai then lunged with her left knee. As soon as it connected, Yuri grabbed Mai's shin and allowed her body to drop backwards, bringing Mai down along with her. When Yuri's back hit the floor, she twisted her body and thrust upwards with her left leg, flinging Mai across the room.

Mai hit the ground rolling, but rolled a little farther than she would have liked and almost didn't get to her feet by the count of three. Yuri was back on her feet as well, having regained them with a handspring.

"Clever move," Mai conceded with a curt nod.

"I thought so too," Yuri said smugly, and took up another defensive stance.

Such attitude, Mai thought with a shake of her head. I think I'm starting to like this girl. Then she charged at Yuri again, jumped into the air, and then folded her shins up towards her back and lunged at Yuri in midair with both knees. Yuri barely managed to avoid it. As Mai landed, she launched two kicks, one mid-level, one high.

Yuri ducked under the high kick and tried to counter with another uppercut, but Mai danced past it, closing the distance between them. She then planted her left foot on Yuri's chest, and brought her right leg up a somersault kick, grazing Yuri's jaw. Mai finished her flip, doing a full three-sixty turn in the air before landing gracefully back onto the tatami mat.

Now Yuri was the one who needed a few seconds to recover. She took several hops backwards, avoiding Mai's kicks, and after dodging a low one, she spun on her heels so her back was to Mai. Mai paused in her advance, wondering what was going on. Without warning, Yuri did a hop in Mai's direction, launching herself ass-first at the kunoichi.

"What the hell...?" Mai started to say. She had never seen an attack like this before, and was too startled to try and dodge it. A second later, Yuri's buttocks struck her dead center. Mai had no idea what Yuri's exercise regimen was, but it must have been a good one, as her ass hit hard enough to send Mai flying several feet, where she sprawled on her back.

Mai was so startled by what just happened, she almost didn't get up in time. Right before Yuri counted three, Mai did a quick handspring back into a standing position. She then shook her head and laughed at her opponent. "Yuri, honey, I've gotta tell you. I have been trained to distract my opponents, so I myself don't fall for the same thing easily. But today, you did what no else has ever been able to do, and distracted me. Enjoy it, because it probably won't happen again!"

"Thanks," the other girl said with a smirk. "Little move I've been tinkering with. Now, don't tell me we're finished already."

"Not even close!" Mai said with another laugh, and charged at Yuri again.

Forty minutes later, both women were standing on opposite ends of the mat, unsteady on their feet. So far, they had been evenly exchanging blows, with neither one having a marked advantage, but it was taking its toll on them both. All it would take was one misstep to let the other fighter get in a lucky strike, and the match would be over.

Both girls knew this. I've gotta end this before I collapse, Mai thought to herself. Hit her hard and fast right in her central line. A plan quickly formed in her mind, and the ninja girl started forward, throwing a fan as she went. Yuri dodged it easily, but Mai never meant to hit her. Only to distract her, and to line her up for Mai's coup de grace.

Mai picked up speed, closing the distance between them, then did a cartwheel and launched herself elbow-first at Yuri in her Deadly Ninja Bee attack. This time, it did not have any of the chi fire that would have made it Super, but it could still knock an opponent out if it connected.

Yuri saw Mai shooting towards her across the mats, and did not have time to think, only to react. She raised her forearms in front of her face, elbows level with her chest, but Mai's own elbow broke through her defense, hitting just to the right of Yuri's breastbone.

As Yuri realized her defense was failing, she moved on instinct, bringing her knee upwards as Mai's elbow connected. Mai's own momentum carried her into Yuri's knee, which slammed into her solar plexus, pushing the air rather violently from her lungs. Mai continued forward as Yuri flew backwards, and both women crumpled to the floor.

Losing her air that suddenly caused Mai to black out for a few seconds. When she came to, she felt that she was flat on her back on the tatami mat, staring up at the ceiling and trying to catch her breath. A few feet away, she could hear that Yuri was also flat on her back, doing the same.

Several minutes went by, and once Mai's breathing and heart rate had slowed, the ninja girl moved into a sitting position on the mat. "I don't have a stopwatch," Yuri said as she also sat up. "But I think that was longer than three seconds for both of us."

"Looks like a stalemate," Mai said with a laugh. "Guess that means our schools are equal."

"No," Yuri said. "It means that we get to have a rematch some time."

Mai laughed again. She's got a lot of spunk. Yeah, I think I definitely like her. "Well, I'd be up for that. Next time, we'll go to that fighting gym that just opened."

"You mean the one where you can use chi abilities? That sounds like fun. You can experience my real moves!"

"Likewise," Mai countered, and then got to her feet and offered Yuri a hand. "You said your name was Yuri?"

Yuri nodded as she was pulled to her feet. "Yup. Yuri Sakazaki, of the Sakazaki dojo of Kyokugen-Ryu."

"Well, I'm very pleased to meet you, Yuri. I'm..."

"Mai Shiranui," Yuri said as the two of them shook hands. "I know. I've seen the ads for this place, remember?"

Mai gave her a nod. "Yeah, I bet they're hard to miss. My fiance and I split the teaching duties equally, but we both decided I should be the public face of our dojo."

The two women started to move towards one of the benches, as their leg muscles were still aching from their match. "I can see why," Yuri said. "That outfit I saw in your ads: Do you... wear it when you teach classes, too?"

"Absolutely," Mai said with a hint of pride in her voice. "It's a traditional kunoichi uniform. Shiranui women have worn something similar to it for centuries, whenever we fight."

"That, and sex sells," Yuri said with a laugh as she plunked her seat down on the polished wooden bench.

There were a few things Mai thought about saying, but in the end she rolled her eyes and conceded: "I guess that's true." Before sitting down, Mai walked to another corner of the spacious studio, where a mini-fridge sat with a towel rack alongside it. She took two bottles of water out of the fridge, grabbed a pair of towels off the rack, then made her way back to the bench where Yuri sat.

"It's actually kind of amusing," Mai said as she sat back down, and offered Yuri both a water and a towel. "Andy - that's my fiance, by the way - and I have been building a solid core of students since we opened. But there are still those who sign up just so they can ogle me. Fortunately, they're easy to spot. And they get issued an ultimatum: if they don't show improvement in their studies inside of a week, they get kicked out to the curb with no refund."

Yuri nodded, and took a long sip of water. "Harsh."

Mai shrugged. "Hey, my grandfather didn't suffer slackers, so I don't either. He also never bought that line about how there are no bad students, only bad teachers."

"My dad would definitely agree with that. So, is your grandfather the great master you mentioned earlier?"

Mai gave a nod, and for a moment a hint of sadness could be seen in her otherwise vibrant eyes. "He is. I learned almost everything I know about ninjitsu from him. That's one of the reasons I love to practice it, and to teach it to other people. It makes it feel like he's still here."

Yuri was able to grasp the meaning behind that quickly, and put a hand on Mai's shoulder. "So I guess that means he's..." She said. "I'm sorry."

Mai gave a sad smile and put her hand over Yuri's. "It's okay. It's been a few years since he passed, but he went in his sleep, which I think is a luxury for a ninja. And I can still feel his presence every time I teach a class. I try to remind myself what he would do in any situation."

After a moment, Yuri took her hand away. For a while, they silently sipped their water. Then, in an effort to find something else to talk about, Yuri added: "I am sorry about breaking in. I don't get the chance to spar with other people very often, and I just... really wanted to see what you were capable of, and I didn't want other people to distract us."

"It's okay, Yuri," Mai said. "I had a feeling you just wanted a match. I'm good at reading people. If I got the vibe that you had broken in for any other reason, I'd have called the cops. But I'm honored that you wanted to face me. I haven't had a good fight like this with another woman in a long time. I've tried sparring with Terry's girlfriend, but those don't last as long as I want them to, since our fighting styles are so different. And our students are still learning the beginner's katas. It will be another few months before I start teaching them defensive moves, and at least a year before I feel comfortable letting any of them have a spar with their sensei. The only other person I can really spar with is my fiance. So it's nice to know there's someone else out there who can give me a good fight."

"Cool!" Yuri exclaimed. "So, you definitely want that rematch sometime?"

"Absolutely. You've got some skills. The King of Fighters tournament is next month. I'm hoping that Andy and I can compete. I've already told our students to watch the tournament, so they can really see what their senseis can do. Have you gotten an invitation to it?"

"No, they wouldn't have sent me one," said Yuri. "But I know about it. I was thinking of entering, anyway. There's lots of reasons I should, but at the same time, I can think of reasons not to. Also, they have that annoying new rule..."

"Yeah," Mai said with a nod. "I know about the rule. That's why I'm hoping Andy and I can still compete. But as for your reasons not to compete, that sounds like a story. Tell you what: my apartment is above this place. Do you want to continue this conversation upstairs, where it's more comfortable?"

Yuri seemed taken aback by that. "You... you're sure I won't be imposing?"

Mai laughed aloud. "Yuri, you broke into my school! It doesn't get much more imposing than that! But seriously, you wouldn't be. Andy is off at that fighting gym having a match with his brother, and they can go at it for a while. So I wouldn't mind having some company. It's not often I get to entertain guests. Do you want to come upstairs?"

Yuri thought for a moment. Her father and brother did not know she was here. As she was leaving her family's dojo, Yuri told them she was going shopping. They might get suspicious if she was gone too long. Well, I could always tell them that I had to stop at more than one marketplace, since the first two were completely out of nori sheets. After another moment of thought, she nodded. "Thanks, Mai. I'd like that."

Mai gave a small squeal of delight. "Great! Follow me, then!" With that, the two girls got up from the bench and Mai led the way back down the hall that Yuri had first entered from. There was a door in the wall, behind which was a staircase that led up. At the top of the stairs, Mai led Yuri down another small hallway, which ended with the door to her apartment.

As Mai opened the door and led them into a cozy-looking kitchen, the first thing Yuri heard when she stepped inside was a horrendous sound filling the air: deep, throbbing bass, thrashing guitars, and a gruff growling that was supposed to be vocals.

"Oops, I left this on again," Mai said, and walked over to the counter, upon which rested a small stereo playing the Pantera album "Far Beyond Driven." She pressed the power button on the deck and shut off the music.

"You... actually like that music?" Yuri asked her.

"Sure, I listen to it all the time," Mai said with a small shrug. "At least when Andy's not here. You sound surprised."

"Oh, well, you just... don't look like the type who listens to metal."

"I don't look like the type for a lot of things," Mai said. "Another reason I love being a ninja. People just see a pretty face, and have no idea that I could break every bone in their body. That's why women are better fighters."

Yuri laughed. "Won't argue with that."

The kunoichi then led them into the living room, and gestured to the sofa. "Make yourself at home, Yuri. I just need to go change out of these sweaty clothes. Be back in a sec." Mai left the living room and started down the hall towards her bedroom, leaving Yuri by herself momentarily.

Yuri cast a quick look around the living room, which was decorated with a tasteful blend of both east and west. The large sofa and the coffee table resting in front of it felt very much American, as did the table that the television rested on. However, the white curtains on the windows were decorated with large black kanji characters, the shades on the lamps were similar to Japanese paper lanterns, and the wall hangings and figurines that adorned the room definitely looked made in Japan.

To the left of the television, Yuri saw a worn easy chair, and an old writing desk, side by side to each other. Even though the chair did not look like it was for guests to use, it was still being carefully preserved. The surface of the desk had a framed photograph resting on it. Yuri stepped over to it, looked at the picture inside. The little girl in the photo, who appeared to be about five or six, and was dressed in a pink kimono, was obviously Mai. She sat on the knee of an elderly man, Yuri assumed that was her grandfather. Next to that picture was a letter, also in a frame, written in Japanese characters. Yuri started to read it, but after a few lines, she realized it sounded rather personal, so she stopped and went off to look at something else.

She glanced down the hallway leading to the bedroom, saw that the bedroom door was shut, and heard Mai humming cheerfully on the other side. There were more framed photographs on the wall, so Yuri busied herself by looking at them. One was a picture of Mai in a pink and gold fighting outfit, standing on what looked like a practice field next to a man with long blond hair that hung loosely around his shoulders, who was dressed in a red and white dogi (Yuri assumed that was Andy). They both looked to be in their mid-teens when the picture was taken. Mai was glomped onto the blond man, her head resting on his shoulder, smiling broadly for the camera as her eyes gazed wistfully upwards towards Andy, while Andy was blushing profusely, and looking like he'd rather be doing something else.

The picture next to that had been taken more recently. It was also of Mai and Andy, but this time he had his arm around Mai, and they were both smiling. Mai was holding up her right hand to the camera, showing off her engagement ring to whoever was taking the picture. The photo next to that was of Mai and Andy seated with three other people around a table at some fancy restaurant. Yuri recognized the blond man with the cap as Terry Bogard, but she could not put names to the blond woman in the green jacket (who had her arm around Terry) or the man with spiky brown hair, though they both seemed familiar.

"We took that picture two years ago," Yuri heard Mai's voice as the kunoichi stepped up alongside her guest. "A few weeks after we successfully defeated Geese Howard and stopped his plans for immortality." Mai had changed into a pair of cutoff jeans with so much leg cut off that they were practically underwear, and a white button down shirt that looked to be a size too big, with the top four buttons left open.

"I had to borrow a shirt from Andy," Mai explained. "I really need to do some laundry today. Anyway..." She pointed again at the picture. "You probably figured out that the guy I'm wrapped around is Andy, and I assume you also recognize Andy's brother. The other two are Terry's girlfriend, Mary Ryan - she's a private investigator – and Andy's friend, Joe Higashi."

"The exhibition kick-boxer?" Yuri asked, remembering now where she'd seen him. "Yeah, I watched one of his matches on Pay-Per-View once. He's pretty good."

Mai nodded. "Yeah, he's a bit of a pig at times, but you can count on him to have your back in a fight."

Suddenly, Yuri also realized why the blond woman was familiar. "Wait, you said she was a PI? You don't mean Blue Mary? I've seen her ads, too."

"Yup, that's her."

"Wow, is there anyone you don't know?"

Mai thought for a moment, then answered: "Mr. Karate?"

The two girls shared a laugh over that one, then Mai put her hand on Yuri's shoulder. "Come on, let me give you the grand tour."

The "grand tour" did not take that long, as the apartment was a standard kitchen/living room/two bed/two bath/washer and dryer. Soon they were back in the living room, seated on the sofa. "Can I get you anything?" Mai asked her guest. "We've got tea, coffee, juice, water, soda. Maybe something stronger?"

Yuri giggled a bit at that. "Um, Mai, it's eleven in the morning."

Mai shrugged. "So? I don't know what your habits are. I'm just trying to be a good hostess. I don't get to do this very often."

"Well," said Yuri. "What kinds of soda do you have?"

"We have Sprite and Dr. Pepper."

"Dr. Pepper?" Yuri's eyes lit up. "That's my favorite!"

"Me too!" Mai said excitedly. "Well, I guess that's decided. I'll be right back." She bounced into the kitchen, then returned a minute later with two glass bottles in hand. She twisted their tops off and gave one to Yuri, then sat back down on the sofa. "Here's to a great fight!" Mai exclaimed as she offered her bottle in a toast.

"And what will surely be an epic rematch when it happens," Yuri said as she clinked her bottle against Mai's.

After they had each taken a sip, Mai remarked: "You know, I never tried this when I was living in Japan. And now, I wonder how I ever lived without it." A small belch suddenly escaped her mouth without warning, as she'd taken a bigger sip than she normally took. "Oops, 'scuse me," Mai giggled and put a hand over her lips.

Yuri responded by taking another sip of her own soda, and then cutting loose with a belch of her own. "Don't worry about it," she said. They both spent the next minute laughing hysterically.

After they both caught their breath, Mai asked her guest: "So... how long have you been practicing your family's karate?"

"Oh... about six years now," Yuri answered.

Mai raised her eyebrows in awe. "Really? Only that long? I've been studying ninjitsu since I was old enough to walk, and you put up a great fight against me! I could have sworn you'd been studying a lot longer! I can't imagine why you wouldn't want to try and compete in KoF!"

Yuri decided to ignore Mai's second comment, for the time being, and just explain the first one. "Well, for a while, my dad was only training my older brother, because... well, he's old school Japanese, and my brother is obviously the heir to our family's dojo. Even though I was forbidden to train, I still watched from a distance, and secretly took a lot of notes. And then... about a year before Terry Bogard took down Geese Howard, I was... kidnapped."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Mai. "I really am. I know how much it sucks to get captured and tied up. If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to."

Yuri shook her head. She hadn't known Mai long but the kunoichi seemed to have a trusting face. One that said Yuri could confide in her. Not what she expected from a ninja. "No, it's fine, really. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. But first, let me ask you: how much do you know about South Town during the time Geese was running it?"

"Not a lot," said Mai. "Andy's told me about his childhood, and about what happened the first time he came here to avenge his father's murder, but he wasn't living here the ten years in between, so we don't know a lot about Geese Howard's actual reign in that time."

Yuri set her soda bottle down on the coffee table, and leaned forward slightly. "Well, there were a few lesser mob bosses operating in South Town during that time. Geese allowed them to carve out a little piece for themselves, as long as it didn't interfere with his own business, and as long they paid him a cut of what they made every month. The most successful of these was a boss named Mr. Big. He operated on the east side of town, which is where me and my family live.

"Big was aware of my dad's reputation as Mr. Karate, and didn't want him starting any trouble. So... he had his men kidnap me in order to try and blackmail my dad into turning a blind eye to his criminal activities."

Mai gasped. "Wow, what a scumbag!"

"Yeah," Yuri went on. "But like I said, it was secretly a blessing. I was rescued by my brother and my brother's best friend, who's also one my dad's students. After that, my dad felt that I should know how to defend myself. So he and my brother have been teaching me the defensive forms of the Kyokugen style ever since."

"Looks like they've been teaching you more than that," Mai pointed out. "You were using moves on me downstairs that were the exact opposite of defensive!"

"Ah, that..." Yuri said. "Well... promise me that what I'm about to say stays between us."

"I promise."

"Okay. For the last few years, I've been doing my own training in secret. It's why I taught myself to pick locks. Late at night, after everyone is asleep, I'll sneak into the dojo's archives, which my dad has the only key to. It's where he keeps all the old writings on Kyokugen. I've been reading them on my own, learning offensive moves, and also putting my own spin on a few of them."

"Oh," Mai nodded in understanding. "You mean, like the butt attack?"

Yuri laughed. "Yeah, like that."

Mai reached over and gave Yuri a pat on the knee. "Well, there you go, girl! That's exactly why you should compete in the tournament! Once your dad and your brother see what a kickass fighter you are, they're bound to start treating you with more respect!"

"It isn't that simple, Mai. Like I said, my dad is old school Japanese. I'm sure you know the type. He believes that the master should know everything that goes on under his roof, and that it reflects poorly on himself if he doesn't. So if he finds out that I've been studying my family's fighting techniques for several years on my own, without his approval, he'll be humiliated in front of his friends, students and colleagues. That's the type of thing that could permanently damage his reputation."

Mai gave a slow nod. "Yeah, I do know what the old school Japanese are like. So... maybe don't let him find out at the tournament? Come clean with him in private, before the tournament starts. Then no one has to know you've been going behind his back."

"I don't see how that's much better, Mai. If I'm lucky, all my dad will do is disown me."

Mai nodded slowly again. "Yuri, I don't know you that well, but I can tell you there are times in your life where I think you should throw caution to the wind and just follow your heart, because it never steers you wrong. I could have ignored my own heart, and if I had I'd still be living in Japan, but I'd be utterly miserable: married to a man I didn't love, someone who had the approval of my clan, and he would probably be running my family's dojo while I'd be expected to act like a proper Japanese wife, ie submissive. Instead, I listened to my heart, and it got me exiled from my clan, but today I couldn't be happier. I'm engaged to the man of my dreams, who sees me as an equal, not a subordinate, and we had to leave my home country, but we're masters of our own dojo, and we're earning a living by doing what we both love to do."

For a few moments, Yuri was silent. Then, she said: "Wow. I didn't know you were an exile. You've clearly got perspective, then. I mean, I was born in Japan, but we moved here when I was six, so I don't really remember it. I can't imagine what it must have been like for you to have to leave that behind."

Mai put her own soda down and shifted position on the couch, tucking her knees up under her chin. "Yeah, I was homesick for a while when we first got here. But I had an excellent support group. Plus it helps that this city is really diverse. Mary helped me find some great Japanese markets, where I could purchase the ingredients to make some of my favorite dishes. And I found a nice Shinto-Buddhist temple, where I could go on Sundays to light incense and say some prayers for the spirits of my family. That helped, too."

Yuri nodded. "Well, I'll be thinking really hard about what you said, Mai. I... need to be sure I'm making the right choice."

Mai gave the other girl a warm smile. "It will be, Yuri. Whatever choice you make." Though secretly, the kunoichi had a feeling she knew what Yuri would decide. The girl seemed far too spunky to just sit on the sidelines at King of Fighters, not when she knew she could throw down with the best of them.

There was another pause, during which time Yuri reached for her bottle and took another sip. "You know, IF I do say yes, we'll have another problem to deal with."

Mai let out an audible sigh. "Yeah, that stupid new rule they have." A few months ago, when Andy and Mai had gotten their invitations in the mail, they had learned that this year, only teams made up of exactly three people would be allowed to compete. "I'm a little annoyed by it. Terry and Joe are both pressuring Andy to form a team with them, so it's put Andy in an awkward spot. On the one hand, I know he feels a kinship with them. I mean, they did fight Geese Howard together five years ago, a fight I wasn't there for, and they formed a bond during that. But on the other hand, Andy and I agreed that we would always be a team. He has no idea which way to go, and I've told him to make whatever choice he thinks is right. If he does decide to go with Joe and Terry, I don't know who I'd enter with.

"Blue Mary is already on a team. She's working a very complex case right now, I don't have a lot of details because she can't share them, not even with Terry. Heck, she doesn't even know who she's working for. Her client has chosen to remain anonymous. What I do know is that this mystery person is paying her to enter the tournament with Billy Kane and some greasy psychopath named Yamazaki. Terry's not thrilled about that, but at the same time, he knows that Mary won't take shit from either of them."

Mai placed her feet back down on the carpet and reached for her soda, shaking her head dismissively as she did. "But, please, don't let my problems influence your decision, Yuri."

"I won't," Yuri told her. "But we'll still have a problem if I say yes. Where do we find a third member, since Mary can't do it? My dad, my brother, and Robert Garcia, he's the guy I told you about earlier, the one who helped rescue me... they're forming their own team."

"Well, I guess we'll worry about it if it happens," Mai said. "And even if I can't form a team, I'm still going to be there, so I can fight alongside Andy, Joe, and Terry against whatever evil force is secretly using the tournament for some sinister purpose."

Yuri raised an eyebrow. "You really think that will happen?"

"Seems to happen a lot at King of Fighters," Mai said with a shrug. She then told Yuri about the tournament that Terry, Andy and Joe fought in, then the one that Mai herself participated in with them a few years later, and how she and Andy were almost killed.

"Sounds pretty dangerous," Yuri said after Mai was finished. "Can't say this is really making me want to say yes." She then gave a nervous laugh.

Mai waved a hand. "Don't let that make you nervous, honey. I've been in some dangerous, life-threatening situations before that seemed impossible, and even though there's been some loss, things always turned out for the better. You just have to believe that good always beats evil. And also be ready to kick that evil in the ass."

"Really?" Yuri asked her. "Because news travels in the fighting circles, I knew that you had helped Terry fight Geese Howard when Geese returned two years ago, but you sound like you're talking about something else."

"I am," said Mai, her expression growing serious. "You confided in me, now it's my turn. What I'm about to tell you... can't be repeated to anyone, because some government stiff-shirts have told me I'm not supposed to talk about it."

"You have my word," Yuri said solemnly.

So Mai told Yuri about the Gaudeamus twins, the Armor of Mars, how Mai and her friends wound up getting involved, and the incident in the Dead Sea, resulting in the deaths of both Sulia and Laocorn. After she was finished, Mai's dark brown eyes took on a faraway look. "You know, sometimes I feel guilty," she admitted. "Andy became such a great boyfriend and lover after that adventure, and I couldn't be happier with him. But I still feel some guilt because... I know that it was seeing Sulia die that made Andy want to take a chance, and start letting me into his heart. If we hadn't been involved in that incident, I'd probably still be waiting for a ring. So I feel like my happiness came at someone else's expense."

Yuri reached over and took Mai's hand in hers. "You shouldn't feel guilty, Mai. We all decide our own fate. Your friend made a choice to sacrifice her life to save the people she cared for. No one else made it for her. You couldn't do anything except to decide what to do with your own lives in the aftermath of that. Andy chose to explore his feelings for you, and take a chance at letting you in. And he made that choice of his own accord."

Mai gave the other girl a sad smile. "You're right. I shouldn't feel guilty. I guess... sometimes I just miss my friend. But the important thing is that Terry found closure, and was willing to take another chance at loving someone. He and Mary really are a perfect couple. The happiest I've ever seen Terry is whenever he's in the same room with Mary." Mai was silent for a moment. Then she sat back on the sofa, and tucked her knees under her chin once more. "What about you, Yuri?" She asked. "Do you have a special someone in your life?"

"No," said Yuri. Then she quickly added: "Well, sort of, I guess? I really like Robert, but I don't know if he feels the same about me."

"Then ask him," Mai said.

Yuri blushed a little. "It's... not that easy, Mai."

The kunoichi gave a small shrug. "Why not? Does he already have a girlfriend?"

"No. I'm pretty sure he doesn't."

"Then just go up to him and say, 'hey, I just wanted to tell you that I really like you, and maybe we could go out sometime, and see if there's something more between us.'"

"It's really not that easy, Mai," Yuri insisted. "It's not just because he helped my brother rescue me from Mr. Big. He... comes from a wealthy family, so I always thought he was just one of those rich snobs who came to learn martial arts because it was 'cool.' It was shortly after my rescue that I realized his real reason for training was because he actually wanted to do something more with his life, and didn't want to grow up as some spoiled rich kid. It was then that I started to see him differently, and about a year ago, I realized that I actually had a crush on him.

"But we've been friends for a long time before that. So I don't know if he could ever like me in that way, or if we've known each other so long at this point that he only loves me like a sister, and can't ever see me in any other light. That's why I'm afraid to ask. What if he doesn't like me the same way I like him, and after the truth is out, it ruins our friendship? Then I won't have him in my life at all."

Mai sat there for a moment with her arms wrapped around her shins, staring up at the ceiling in thought. "I can relate to that. Sort of. Andy and I have known each other since we were in grade school. At first I didn't think much of him. I mean, he looked fascinating, with his blond hair and bright blue eyes. He didn't look like any other boy I'd ever seen at that point in my life. But he acted so stuffy, I figured all he cared about was his training. Then on my thirteenth birthday, he shocked me by giving me a present, an actual present that he had clearly put thought and effort into. That was when I started falling for him hard, and even though I flirted with him constantly, I was never sure of his feelings for me.

"I was planning on having a heart-to-heart chat with him, but he left Japan to come back here before I was able to get him alone for that talk. Eventually, after Geese had been taken care of and Andy came back to Japan, we finally managed to talk things out, and I found out that he'd always been physically attracted to me, as I was to him, but he kept shutting me out on purpose for... a lot of reasons, most of them related to his mission to avenge his father. My point is... I think you should have that same talk with your friend, just so you're not left wondering. And if he doesn't feel the same way, your friendship will survive if it's strong enough."

"You got lucky, Mai," Yuri pointed out. "Andy felt the same way about you that you did about him. It doesn't always work that way for everyone. And those friendships can't always be salvaged."

Mai actually giggled a little. "I have to say I'm a little surprised, Yuri. As someone who sneaks around studying Kyokugen-Ryu karate behind your family's back, I thought you'd have more self-confidence."

"Well, it's easy for you to be confident, Mai," Yuri countered. "I mean, look at you. You're gorgeous. You're so... so..." Yuri gestured at Mai's ample cleavage, which could be seen clearly between the open top buttons on Andy's shirt. Then she put her hands under the curve of her own B-cup breasts, beneath the fabric of her dogi. "...And I'm just so... so... small."

Mai glanced down at her own bosom, which still strained against the fabric of the shirt, despite how big it was on her. "Well, Yuri, there are some downsides to having really large breasts."

"Like what?" Yuri said with a snort.

"Well, for one, every time I shower, I have to remember to wash thoroughly underneath them, or I'll regret it later. Take the worst sweat rash you've ever had, and multiply it by a hundred. That's how painful it is. And also, it throws off your center of gravity. I have to be really careful when bending at the waist. Just a few days ago, I tried to pick something up off the ground, and the weight of my boobs just dragged me down. Plunk! Face-first onto the sidewalk. Andy couldn't even lift me up. We had to call the fire department, and they had to use... their heaviest... winch... to... to get..." The absurdity of what Mai was saying finally caught up to her, and she sputtered as she tried to continue. "To... get me... pffffht... what am I saying?" It was no use, however, and a second later the ninja girl exploded into gales of laughter.

In the end, Yuri relented as well. She couldn't help it. Even though she knew Mai was making it up, the mental image of her facedown on the ground, surrounded by firefighters, unable to lift herself up because of her breasts, was so ridiculous it was impossible not to laugh. So the two women just sat there on the sofa and laughed hysterically for the next several minutes, until their faces were wet with tears.

"Oh my God..." Mai finally managed to say, and wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her shirt. After a few minutes, she and Yuri finally caught their breath and were able to talk again. "But, seriously, Yuri," Mai went on. "Breast size alone does not beauty make. You have lots of strengths. You just need to learn to recognize them, and own them."

"What strengths do I have?" Yuri asked, convinced that Mai was just humoring her.

"Well," Mai pointed out. "You got some killer legs, girl. You can start by showing those off more. Leave the tights at home sometime and try wearing a miniskirt, or a pair of ass-hugging shorts. Because I know you have a nice ass. I've seen it up close and personal."

Yuri made a face. "I bet my dad or my brother would love it if I wore something like that."

"Who cares what they think?" Mai scoffed. "You're an adult, and it's your body, not theirs. If you've got it, there's no shame in flaunting it, and don't let anyone else tell you different. And that's why it's important to work on your confidence. Because beauty is more an attitude than anything else. Believe you're the sexiest girl in the room, then walk and talk like you are, because you know it's the truth!"

Yuri couldn't help but smile. She could tell Mai was sincerely trying to help, but still, it seemed easy for her to talk because puberty had clearly been very kind to her. "You still make it sound too easy, Mai..."

Mai then sat up a little in her chair, and downed the last of her soda with gusto, slamming the empty bottle on the coffee table. "I just had a great idea! The best way to work on your strengths... is for us to have a girl's day! Tomorrow I'm busy with wedding stuff, but next week we should totally get together! We'll start with brunch and mimosas, then we'll go to a spa, get massages, facials, mani/pedis... we'll have our hair done, buy some new dresses and shoes, and then that evening... we'll go on a double date! I'll bring Andy, and you can ask out your friend Robert."

Yuri backed up a pace on the couch, growing red in the face. "Mai... that's a little too sudden. I told you, I'm not ready to talk to him!"

"But you could be! You just need to get confident! And I can tell you, nothing gives a girl confidence like spending a day treating herself like a princess! Because that's what every woman really is."

"But, Mai..."

"Come on, Yuri, you only live once!"

Yuri still didn't like the idea, but she felt her resolve start to waver. Mai seemed like the type of girl who was used to getting her way, when she set her mind towards something. Fortunately, the conversation was interrupted by the front door coming open in the kitchen.

"Hello?" They heard a man's voice call.

Mai jumped up from her seat and ran towards the voice. Yuri followed cautiously and peeked in through the doorway. Terry Bogard was standing in the middle of the kitchen propping up his brother, who was leaning heavily against Terry's side. Andy Bogard's shirt was ripped, and Yuri could see a few small gashes on his face and arms.

Mai was busy fussing over Andy, and for the moment had forgotten her guest, but Yuri was all right with that. It also meant that Mai had forgotten about her scheme.

"Andy!" Mai cupped her fiance's cheeks gently in the palms of her hands. "Are you okay? Speak to me!"

"Mai," Andy groaned softly. "I... lost again..." Then his head dropped back down.

"Sorry, Mai," Terry said to her. "We... got a little carried away towards the end."

Mai shook her head and blew a sharp breath out through her nose. "It wasn't your fault. You didn't force him to get in that ring with you. His pride is to blame for this, as usual. Come on." She took Andy's other arm and draped it over her shoulders. "Help me get him onto the couch."

Yuri saw that they were coming and made herself useful by pulling the coffee table back, giving them more room. After Andy had been laid down onto his back on the sofa, Yuri asked Mai: "Should I call a cab? Or an ambulance?"

Mai thought for a moment. "Did the gym's doctor look at him?" She asked Terry.

"Yeah," Terry told her. "Said he didn't see signs of a concussion or other traumatic brain injury."

Mai got down on her knees next to the sofa, and held up three fingers in front of Andy's face. "Andy?" She called. "How many fingers do you see?"

Andy gave the correct number, so Mai then asked: "When's my birthday?"

"Um... New Year's Day?"

"No, Andy, the actual date."

"January first... Nine... teen... seventy-four?"

"What's your favorite song?"

"I... hate music."

Mai thought for the moment, then said to the other two in the room. "I'll check him for broken bones before I make a decision." She removed Andy's shirt (it was already too ripped for her to sew back up, so she simply tore it the rest of the way), then began to run her hands up and down his limbs, as well as across his pecs, trying to get her fingertips in between his ribs.

Terry finally noticed that Mai had company, and fiddled with his cap as he acknowledged her. "Um... hi," he said.

"You're Terry, aren't you?" The petite, but well-built brunette asked him.

"Yeah," the elder Bogard said, and offered a hand to her. "You're a friend of Mai's?"

"It's looking that way," she said. "I'm Yuri. Yuri Sakazaki." She then accepted Terry's hand, and shook it.

After a moment, Terry's blue eyes lit up with that realization that Yuri knew all too well. "Sakazaki? As in... the Mr. Karate? That guy was a legend even when I was a kid!"

Yuri blushed and pulled her hand away. "He's my dad," she said simply.

"Oh," Terry said, and tried to think of what to say next. He had more questions about Takuma, but Yuri had clearly been through this song and dance before, and hated it.

Mai then cleared her throat. "Terry, can you give me a hand?"

Terry turned back to his brother's fiance. "Sure, Mai. What do you need?"

"The cabinet down and to the left of the sink has my supply of healing remedies. Bring me the jar with the orange leaves, and one of those dried purple mushrooms. I also need my mortar and pestle, it's in the same cabinet, three clean washcloths, and a basin of cold water. The basin is directly under the sink. Also, can you put the tea kettle on to boil?"

Terry nodded. "Got it," he said, and left the living room.

After he was gone, Yuri mouthed THANK YOU to Mai. Mai nodded, then turned back to her examination. After a few minutes had gone by, Yuri got tired of standing there awkwardly and asked if she could help.

"Yeah," said Mai. "Can you go to the bedroom, get the blanket off our futon and bring it back here? I don't feel anything broken." She then put an ear to Andy's stomach for a few moments. "And this sounds okay. So I think I can take care of him here."

"Right," Yuri said, and started down the hall to the master bedroom. When she came back, Terry had finished in the kitchen and brought the supplies Mai had requested. The ninja girl was busy grinding several dried leaves and some mushroom up in her mortar. Mai absently waved a hand, not looking up from her work. "Thanks, Yuri. Just set it on the floor."

Yuri did as asked. Terry was standing in the doorway, looking slightly awkward. "Um, Mai," he said. "If you don't... need anything else... I should probably show myself out. I'll call later to... see how he is."

"Okay, Terry," Mai said, still focused on her work. "Thank you for bringing him home."

"Right," Terry said with a nod. "It was nice meeting you," he said to Yuri, and then he left.

Neither girl spoke much after that. Mai finished grinding her herbs, made a paste by adding a few drops of water, and applied it to the gashes on Andy's arms and his left cheek. She then covered them with clean pieces of gauze. She dipped the washcloths in the basin of water to make cold compresses, and laid them over the bruises on his chest. Around the time she was finished with that, she heard the whistle of the kettle on the stove. Mai got up from Andy's side and disappeared into the kitchen to remove it from the heat.

After she was gone, Andy slowly opened his eyes, sat up slightly on one elbow, and blinked in confusion when he noticed Yuri standing there.

"Um... hi," Yuri said with an awkward wave of her hand.

"Hello," Andy said weakly, looking even more confused. "Um... did Terry... bring me... to the right apartment?"

At that moment, Mai returned to the living room with a small cup of tea in hand. "Andy, try not to move. You'll disturb your bandages. Just lay back and let the herbs do their work."

Relief washed over Andy Bogard's features at the sight of his fiance. "Mai... it's good to see you. For a minute, I... thought you'd... turned into someone else."

Mai giggled a little as she knelt down by his side. "I'll explain later, Andy." She held the cup out to him. "Here. Drink this."

Andy accepted the cup and gulped down the hot brown liquid. As he gave the cup back to Mai, he said: "Mai... I almost had him. He was on... the ropes. I could have... knocked him out of bounds... if I'd only..."

"Ssshhh," Mai raised a finger to her lips as she caressed Andy's forehead. "I'm sure it was a terrific fight, Andy. Tell me about it later. For now, just lie back and rest."

Andy sank back down onto the sofa cushions, but he still regarded Mai almost curiously. "Is that... my shirt? It... looks good on you."

"Rest and heal, my love," Mai repeated. "I need you feeling better by tomorrow. I made us an appointment. I might have finally found the perfect bakery for our wedding cake. We're going to sample some of their stuff tomorrow, and I don't care how hurt you are, you're coming with me, even if I have to find some way to carry you."

"Okay, Mai," Andy said, shutting his eyes and letting out a weary sigh. "I'm... sorry..."

Mai leaned in closer and whispered: "It's okay, baby. You know I still love you. Even when your male ego causes you to do stupid things like this."

A few seconds later, Andy was snoring. Mai placed a gentle kiss on his lips, then draped the blanket over him, and gathered up her supplies. "Sorry we got interrupted," she told Yuri.

"It's okay," Yuri said. "I should go anyway. If I don't get home soon, my dad and my brother might think I've been kidnapped again."

"Okay," Mai said with a nod. The two women moved into the kitchen, and Mai set her things down on the counter. "I'll walk you out."

"Will Andy be okay by himself?" Yuri asked.

"He'll be fine. That tea I gave him had a sleeping draught mixed in, so he'll be out for a few hours. Come on."

They were silent as Mai led Yuri back downstairs and through the dojo towards the front doors, pausing to let Yuri put her socks and shoes back on. Finally, when they got to the reception desk, Mai put a hand on the other girl's shoulder. "Yuri... maybe I came on too strong earlier. It's just... I love Andy so much. Every morning I wake up next to him, and I'm so thankful that I have someone to spend the rest of my life with. It's the greatest feeling I've ever known, and so I guess... I just want everyone to have that feeling, you know? I would love it if everyone on Earth could find their special someone. So I guess that's why I was so eager to play matchmaker upstairs. But... I'm sorry if I freaked you out."

"That's okay, Mai," Yuri said. "I... was a little put off, but it sounds like you had good intentions. I'm happy for you and Andy, but... you just can't rush these things. Eventually, I know I need to talk to Robbie and get my feelings out in the open, but I need to do that on my terms."

"I understand," Mai said with a nod. "So forget my whole double date idea. We won't do that until you're ready. But I did have fun today. It's been so long since I've been able to just chat with another woman. I love Mary like a sister, but she's never been big into girl talk, and I can only listen to her go on about motorcycles or red meat for so long. I've liked spending time with you, and I would like it if we could do it again."

Yuri gave her a small smile. "I'd like it, too." Then she took up the legal pad on the desk, and a pen, and jotted down a number. "Here's my phone number." She ripped the sheet off the pad and handed it to Mai. "Give me a call sometime, maybe we can hang out."

Mai accepted the number and slipped it into the seat pocket of her cutoffs. "I definitely will. You know, there's a new bar that opened recently in South Town that I read about. Maybe we can meet there for a drink some night next week."

"I think I read about this place in the paper," said Yuri. "The owner has an odd way of dressing, but apparently she's a master at mixing drinks."

"We read the same article," Mai said. "I think the reviewer said that she was like 'Da Vinci with a cocktail shaker.'"

"Sounds like it's worth checking out," Yuri said with a laugh. "Call me." She was about to turn and leave when Mai stopped her.

"Wait a sec," Mai said, and jotted down her own number on the pad. "This is the number for my apartment." She tore the paper off the pad and gave it to Yuri. "If you want a place to come and practice your karate without your family knowing, you're welcome to use my dojo on the days when it's closed. Just call ahead first and let me know you're coming, so you don't have to pick the locks."

For a moment, Yuri was too stunned to speak. Then she took the sheet, folded it very carefully, and tucked it into her sports bra. "Thanks, Mai," she finally managed to say. "This means a lot to me." Then she stepped forward and wrapped the kunoichi in a hug.

Mai smiled as she hugged Yuri back. "It's my pleasure. Us fighting femmes have to watch out for each other, you know?"

Yuri laughed as she pulled away. "I hear that. Well, I'd better be going. It was nice meeting you."

"It was nice meeting you too, Yuri. Take care!"

After Yuri had left, Mai locked the door behind her, then paused for a moment, watching the Kyokugen student skip down the sidewalk. Then Mai laughed and started back towards her apartment. She still had time to do at least one load of laundry before Andy woke up, but first she would need to take that number in her pocket and put it in her address book.

"Yuri, honey," she said softly to herself. "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

The End?

ADDITIONAL NOTES

The name of Mai and Andy's school translates roughly into English as "Hungry Wolf and Burning Blossom," nicknames that I think fit the couple to a T. I assume you all know which is which.

I don't think lockpicking is a skill Yuri has in the games, but I kinda like the idea of her knowing it. I think it fits her whole rebellious, tomboyish image. And I know I made her boobs a little smaller than they are in the games. That's inspired by a scene in an episode of "KoF: Destiny," where Yuri is feeling inadequate while being in the same room as Mai, and Mai's legendary rack.

So, Mai was making up the story about the weight of her breasts dragging her to the ground, but she wasn't lying about the rash. I have a few friends who are gifted in the chest area, and they all assured me that the underboob sweat rash is a very real thing.

Once again, thank you for those who took the time to read. The word count is even higher than "Hot and Bothered" which until now was my wordiest one-shot. But like I said, I could not find a place for a chapter break, and I had such a hard time whittling down Mai and Yuri's girl talk, because this whole fic was a huge pleasure to write.

And I do have a sequel planned, which I teased at the very end. After all, the triumvirate is not complete without a certain blond kick-boxer. I don't know how long it will take me to write that, but I'll get it out at some point.

Thanks again for sticking through this wordy fic. Please review! I thirst for them.