A Story of Destined Love (For King of Fighters)

~Chapter Two: A Story of So-Called Training~

Two months have passed since Emi's release from the hospital, and now she has fully recovered... but it would've been sooner if Keiko hadn't lost her mind and screamed at Kyo every time that he came to visit her... it really added stress to her pain, and lots of it. She even tried to break their battles so many times... it felt like she was the only sane person in her home... well, that was after her mother, of course.

As Emi silently slept in her bed, the alarm clock startled her, and her reaction was to burn the blasted thing... then she noticed two familiar figures standing beside her bedroom door. One clapped while she sat up, and the other simply laughed a bit.

"Hey, that was cool, sis!"

"Well, Miss Emi... you really outshine Tsuki-sama when it comes to grouchiness there..."

"Oh, shut up, Kusanagi-baka." Keiko snapped.

"Hey, I'm only stating the obvious here... you freaking nuisance."

"I would bite your behind..."

"Then I'd be at a high risk for contracting rabies..."

"Jeez... when will you guys stop fighting? Maybe if the grass is naturally red, it'll stop..."

"Not unless I stain it with--"

"I said naturally red, Keiko."

"Yeah, listen to your sister... you dumbass."

"Bite me."

"I'm not doing that. I'm trying to be... well, you know... disease free."

Emi lightly shook her head, since she knew about Kyo's nature when it came to people... caring towards his friends, but arrogant and cold to those who he deems as bothers. She could take herself and Keiko for a perfect example...

"Well, I really want to know why Master Kyo is here at this time of day..."

"Simple, he wants to train you in controlling those untamed flames of yours."

"That's nice. Oh, and while I get ready... why don't you two go kiss and make up somewhere?"

"I wouldn't do that sort of shit unless Hell freezes over." Kyo mumbled and shut the door to Emi's room. The young girl laughed to his response while she got dressed in her school uniform... on a Sunday.

Of course, some people considered that it was kind of strange for them to wear their uniforms on their days off... but the young heiress really didn't care too much. She really liked her uniform, and she always wore it every day... well, unless it was a special occasion or something.

'Oh my... I'm actually going to spend the entire day with my master...' Emi thought as she slipped her shoes on and headed to the bathroom to take care of her needs. For the older girl, it took her at least 10 minutes (20 at the most) to clean herself up, but for Keiko... well, Emi said that "she will get out when I will grow a beard."

Afterwards, the young girl stepped into the kitchen, curious about what was for breakfast... and she wasn't impressed with it.

"Keiko... what is this stuff supposed to be?"

"Um... oatmeal."

"No offense, but it looks like dried-up plaster."

"Well, it is. I was saving that for Kusanagi-baka... but he found out."

"He's not as stupid as you think, sis. Well, gotta run..."

"Without breakfast?"

"Yes, without plaster." the young heiress said and left her home, then she heard something...

'A motorcycle engine...?'

She looked ahead and smiled at the sight of her master revving the engine.

"Oh... I didn't know that you had a motorcycle, Master Kyo..."

"Well, now you know. Hop on." he said and she did what she was told.

"Eh, I'm a little nervous about this..."

"Hey, don't worry about a thing. And besides, if you get too nervous, you could hold on to me if you..." he said, but couldn't finish... since she was already holding onto him.

"Sorry about that... it's just that I get a little nervous when I try stuff for the first time."

"I can see that... we didn't even leave your house yet. And besides, you weren't nervous when those guys made those nasty little cuts from the Varsity Volleyball team and you survived them."

"Oh, yes I was... even my friend Miyuki was scared senseless when she also survived the cuts."

"I see... so, are you ready to..."

"Go? Yeah..." she said in a slightly shaky tone as her master revved the motorcycle's engine once more before leaving. As they sped through Osaka's streets, Emi felt the wind going through her long hair, and it caused her to laugh a bit, since she was enjoying the feeling.

"Hey, are you okay now?" Kyo asked after they had stopped at a light.

"Yeah."

"You may want to open your eyes to make sure of that."

"They are open, Master Kyo." she said as soon as the light turned green.

"Good... now if you can hang on..." he responded as they sped down a couple more blocks before coming to another stop... his house. After Kyo got off of his motorcycle, he noticed that Emi was a little shaken after the ride, so he decided to carry her inside.

"Um... I have legs, you know."

"But you're not using them now." he said as she blushed lightly.

"Oh, you're so funny (and handsome)..."

"If you can manage to walk inside and by yourself, you'll see a nice breakfast waiting for you in the dining room--"

"Really?!" Emi cried as she jumped out of Kyo's arms and literally ran inside his house... but she almost forgot the common courtesy to remove her shoes before entering someone's house. After she tried her best to search for the food, she was disappointed that she couldn't find anything. And behind her, her master was lightly laughing.

"Where's the food...?"

"It wouldn't hurt to look on the kitchen counter..." he said as she ran to the breakfast that was sitting there, and she happily scarfed it down... while he stared at her in amazement.

"Um... is your stomach a bottomless pit or something...?"

"Heh, that's what Nikaido-san and Yabuki-san said to me the other day... they saw me eat seven sandwiches... and a fruit cup."

"Okay..." Kyo mumbled, then went into his room to get something for her. While she was still eating away, she failed to notice that her master was behind her... then he tapped her shoulder, causing her to jump slightly and stop eating.

"Ah... why did you do that...?"

"I wanted to give you something..." he said and gave her a pair of...

"Ku... Kusanagi gloves...?" she whispered after she had finished the last of the food and looked into his eyes.

"Yeah... you can have them."

"Ah... Domo arigato gozaimasu. (Thank you very much.)"

"You're very welcome. Oh, and we will start our first training session in a couple of hours." he said and left for the backyard.

'Huh... these things are a little tight...' she thought as she slipped them on. She stared at the fingerless gloves and the Kusanagi clan symbol for a while before she began to concentrate on her flames.

'I hope that this works...' she thought as she created a small flame in the palm of her right hand, and this time, she had controlled it.

"Cool." she said as she snuffed the small flame, then she tried again.

"All right! Serpent whip!" she cried as she whipped her flaming right wrist down then merged it with a flaming uppercut.

"If I had to use the Kusanagi gloves to control my flames properly... does this mean that I'm somehow connected to them...?" she said to herself, but Kyo wasn't too far from her, so he heard and saw everything.

'Hmm... she's good at figuring things out... I guess she'll be happy when she finds out who she's destined to be with...'

After a few hours, Emi quietly stepped outside and looked at her master who was completing his kata.

"Um... I'm ready, Master Kyo..."

"Really...? Then come here." he said as he turned around and faced her. The Tsuki heiress took a deep breath and slowly walked towards him, a nervous expression was easily seen on her face.

"Hey, it's okay."

"...All... right..." she whispered and walked back a bit so that they were a good distance apart.

"You ready, Miss Emi?" Kyo called as he adjusted his gloves a bit.

"Hai. (Yes.)"

"Come and attack!"

"But I don't want to..." she shyly said but obeyed his order. Her master blocked her quick attacks with very little effort, until something stunned him...

Her sharp nails tore his left arm slightly, causing a good amount of blood to seep through the cut, but he didn't cry out in pain.

He felt that before, so he probably shoved it off.

But it's such a nasty scratch... and she had to take care of it.

"Master Kyo! Are you okay?" she said and held his arm.

"It's nothing... and Emi..."

"Yes?"

"Why did you stop?"

"What?"

"Why... did you stop?"

"I couldn't continue... not while you're like this."

"You would if you were in an actual battle... then you'd gain the upper hand."

"Oh... gomen. (sorry.)"

"Don't... you tried, right?"

"Yeah."

"That's all I need to hear. Now let's get this little injury overwith..."

"Okay..." she whispered as they walked inside.

'She really needs to toughen up...'

~end of chapter two~