"Have you finished the preparations yet?"

The woman reflected in the rearview mirror asks her driver while she touches up her lipstick.
"The arrangements for the invitations were prepared one week ago. And I've just completed the preparations for the meeting. We'll be arriving at the meeting place in five minutes. Please be ready."
"Is that all that's on today's agenda?"
"Yes. I've heard nothing of any special options. Do you have any plans with your family?"
"Yes, we have reservations for dinner. But it's okay. It looks like we can do this without having to cancel it."
The woman finishes her preparations as she looks toward the hall from her car window.

The heat of the assembled mass is overwhelming. Among these members must be one who no one foresaw coming.
In spite of the hall being able to handle two to three thousand people, it's quite overwhelming when everyone is pickled into it like this. Even more, the majority of them are crazy with excitement at the event taking place in the hall before them. Not only is it hot in here, the heat of the bodies also takes its toll. For K' (K-Dash), at least, this is the worst situation imaginable.

"Is this some sort of torture?"
Not looking anywhere in particular, K' puts the question to Maxima in his usual surly matter.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Do you want something to drink?"
Maxima, not looking particularly fazed by all this, offers the glass of beer he's taken a sip out of to K'.
It's clearly misunderstanding. But it puts an end to K''s listlessness.
"...That's not what I meant!"
"Care for another one?"
"Don't yank me around. That's not what I said.... How are we going to put an end to their plans?"
"You mean NESTS? Ah, I've got it under control. Once this little chore is over, that is."
Maxima answers K''s queries matter-of-factly and once again takes another gulp of beer.
"Chore...?"
"A meeting with our new teammate."
A suspicious expression seizes K''s face as Maxima offers him an envelope.
"An invitation...KOF? What is this?"
"We've been invited again. It requests our participation as invited athletes on the Special Team. I was accessed by our other teammates yesterday. And they told me to meet them here at this hall."
"Are you going to enter?"
"It seems that the finals are to be held in Southtown."
"Southtown...here?"
"It's just a stone's throw from here. There's evidence of their handiwork somewhere over there. No matter how you look at it, something is just not kosher about the tournament. I think it's best to check out anything dubious, don't you? ...So that's why I've entered."
The growing cheers signal the entry of the participants in the main event. The cheers well up, as if in waves. But as the participants near the ring, the cheers turn into a steady roar. Hidden by the onlookers, K' and Maxima are unable to make out what's going on. After a short while, some masked men spring into the ring. One, then another...one wrestler after another, wearing the same mask, climb into the ring. Before one knows, the roaring cheers change to laughter.
"This is hilarious! Aw, man, that's funny!"
K' stands beside the amused Maxima. K' looks even more bored than before.
"What a yawnfest!"
A gong chimes outside the pandemonium of the ring. Among the throng of small masked men, a larger hooded figure stands out, and he jumps at the smaller combatants as he removes his mask.

IT ENDS IN AN INSTANT.

The conclusion was as expected.
An explosion of cheers is directed to the man with a patch over his eye, standing in the ring.
"How stupid."
Maxima shoots a blunt look at his companion's blunt interjection.
"Oh, pipe down. Enough negativity. Some people here are actually enjoying themselves."
"I don't have the time for such amusements."
"Amusement? That guy? He does have a flare for presentation, but quite the contrary. He's quite a piece of work that man is."
Oblivious to K' who ignores this comment, Maxima takes readings on the man wearing the eye patch in the ring. The readings that register prove the man's extraordinary capabilities. The moment he attempts to examine the other traits, an alarm appears on the monitor.

"!"

A look of anxiety seizes Maxima's face. Next to K' sits a woman, her chin resting on her hands, in the seat that should have been open.

"Hi."

"Who are you?"

"Why, your partner, of course."
"Weren't you supposed to be a man?"
"Your manager contacted me yesterday. Did I surprise you?"
"No, I'm Maxima."
Maxima extends his hand, as if letting everything slide. The woman responds.
"The name's Vanessa."
"The other...Ramon, when will he grace us with his presence?"
"He already has."
The cheers drown out Maxima as he asks where Vanessa's partner is. When Maxima looks at the stage, the monolog of the man with the eye patch begins.
"I believe I sufficiently displayed my true abilities, but I'm think all of you aren't satisfied, huh? Maybe a further demonstration is necessary, so do not hesitate to try again! ...I dedicate my next victory to all of you in the audience!"
The man with the eyepatch points to the far-removed Vanessa. Vanessa responds with a wave.
"So he's Ramon?"
Maxima, seized by amazement, checks on Vanessa. Continuing to wave, Vanessa responds.
"Something wrong? I think I'm on the right track."
Before their exchange ends, K' rises from his seat. Vanessa looks over to K'.
"Are you leaving?"
"I have an errand. Maxima, I'm leaving."
He brushes by Vanessa as he passes. She whispers,
"How about learning a bit more amiability? It would make you more attractive, kiddo...."
"Put a sock in it, toots."
Without looking her in the eyes, K' bids these final words of farewell and leaves. Following his lead, Maxima rises from his seat.
"Sorry about that. My partner just hates being told what to do."
"Don't worry about it. If he weren't like that, he wouldn't be interesting. Do you think this is a good idea, you and us?"
"Let's hope so."
Unlike his partner, Maxima leaves the hall with a smile.
Vanessa removes a cell phone from her waist pocket as she sees him off.
"They've left now. Don't lose them."
Vanessa, too, leaves the hall, breaking into a jog.

It is underground, where the visibility is anything but satisfactory.
Following down along a line of a number of bunched up cables, a large object that is beyond K''s understanding emits a low hum. Maxima arrives late.
"This again. Just what time does that make it?"
"Near the area of the exhibition match there's an inexplicable object that lets out a moan. This is quite a piece of work, this is."
Touching the cords, K' mutters,
"But there's something different about this. It's the first time something like this has been placed in the center of a KOF venue."
Nearing the device, Maxima attempts to examine the data through the jack pin in his fingertip.
"It doesn't matter. Have you understood anything? Anything about its contents?"
"I'm working on that now. ...Hmph. It's the same. It has a transmitting device...that's all I know."
"Is it theirs?"
"No doubt. It's a product from NESTS. I recognize all the parts in it. But having one of these lying around a KOF venue.... Something must be up."
The alarm emitted by Maxima's sensors and the flashing is almost the same type.
A bullet zips by the eyes of K'. Maxima's sensors begin to count the number of enemies in succession.
"It looks like we got company today. A lot of them."
Rising up, he tugs at his thigh with his glove. The right hand of K' is burning red.
"Maybe they think if they group together they can win."
"Yeah, they just never learn; that's for sure."
Countless red points from laser gun sights light up the two.

Vanessa, returning to her car, gazes at the monitor installed in her seat.
The camera and K' continue to glare at each other momentarily.
And all of a sudden the image on the screen abruptly changes to snowy interference, and then it goes dead. The driver waiting for the end to the picture speaks,
"I'm sure you've already become aware of this. Someone came straight from the exit of the hall. He's lifted the back of this car and there's nothing I can do..."
She thinks about it a little and answers quickly.
"DO WHAT YOU CAN."
For Vanessa, this is the only option she can agree most with.
"It's OK, just go with it."
"Are you sure?"
As she tries to answer, Vanessa's voice is cut off by the sound of an explosion. The car shakes violently.
"What...?!"
The sound of the explosion is not one that occurred close by. But the smoke that climbs from the manhole visible from her car, however, indicates the force of the blast.
"Wow, that kid can really do the job."
"I was right to let him take a shot."
Maxima whispers as he returns to the arm responsible for the blast.
"Do you have anymore ammo left?"
Keeping his back to him, K' responds:
I have about two or three for the Vapor. What'll we do?"
"Give me all you got. I still have got this baby with me."
At the other end of K''s line of sight, he sees one of the objects that withstood the blast. Maxima loads the cartridge.
"Be careful there...Hey, what's the big idea?!"
K' shoots Maxima a sideways glance as he burns the KOF invitation.
"I can't just punch it directly, can I?"
"That's right, but if I don't have this..."
"We can't enter? As long as that woman's around, it should be no trouble."
Pondering his words for a moment, Maxima soon agrees.
"Yeah, I guess you're right."
They place the cartridge inside the object and fling in the burning invitation.

It doesn't take long until the sound of another explosion is heard.
This time around it is a little smaller, but it is sufficient enough to be heard.
"Things look like there going to get pretty interesting from now on, eh?"
Vanessa does nothing more than look in the direction where K' and Maxima must be.