The airplane carrying the Fire Nexus members touched down at the Tokyo airport at precisely twelve-forty five, a touch after lunch. The mere thought of lunch made Will’s stomach rumble. He hadn’t eaten a few hours, and that had been a rather poor-quality airplane meal, so he was quite keen to get some good food in his stomach. With this firmly in mind, he got to his feet quickly, Charlisa also rising from where she’d sat beside him. They both stretched for a few seconds, letting their stiff muscles get used to being used again after such a long time sitting down.

“Excited to be visiting Tokyo again?” She asked, smiling up at him.

“You know it,” he grinned back. “If we have any free time, I can visit Kenta.”

“Your friend?” She asked. When he nodded, her eyes shined. “I hope to meet him too. Are you sure he won’t act weird?”

“Why?” He asked. Then he caught the meaningful look on her face. “Oh. Hadn’t thought of that. I don’t think it’ll be a problem. He’s not like Ben.”

“I see,” she said. She made no further comment on the topic, sliding her arm through his own, and hoisted her backpack up a little higher. “Well, let’s go then.”

So saying, they made their way to the entrance of the aircraft, and stepped into the long portable tunnel that led into the airport proper. They couldn’t make out the true size of the place, of course, but Will’s ears could already pick up the sound of the packed airport. This was the nerve center for all travel into and out of Japan, after all. Plus, he remembered, it was the most secure checkpoint for catching potential dangers. The Soul Nexus base was less than a mile away, and there was a lot of armed security that could respond to any threat at a moment’s notice.

Many of these security officers were visible the instant they stepped out of the gate. It was a bit of a shock for Will to see a dozen men and women, dressed from head to toe in concealing black clothing, each holding automatic rifles. They weren’t hostile, but their purpose was obvious. They wouldn’t hesitate to fire if the Fire Nexus attacked. Taking a deep breath, Will continued forward. Two Japanese women were standing on either side of a security checkpoint, their blue uniforms a bright splash of color against the gray and black backdrop.

“Welcome to Tokyo,” the woman on the right said in a thick accent as Will and Charlisa approached her. Her face brightened a degree as she peered at Will. “Will-san!”

Will frowned, not sure where he remembered the woman from. She definitely looked familiar. He decided to hedge on politeness. “Konnichiwa.”

He offered a shallow bow, which the woman returned gracefully. She smiled at him. “Are you traveling with the Fire Nexus, Will-san?”

He decided to let the scanner tell her what she wanted to know. As he hesitated to answer, her eyes flicked over the display, and widened. “Oh! I’m so sorry for assuming!”

“It’s okay,” he replied, switching to Japanese so that Charlisa couldn’t understand. “Pardon, where do I know you from?”

If she was disappointed by the fact that he couldn’t remember her, she didn’t show it. She replied, also in Japanese. “I am Yado’s mother. We met after your match.”

Now the memory came back to him. “Oh yes, of course. My apologies. It’s nice to see you again.”

“The pleasure is mine,” she said smoothly. “Please, deposit your bag here.”

“Of course,” he said, doing so. He turned to Charlisa, who had been watching the exchange with interest. “She’s the mother of someone I fought at the tournament.”

“Oh,” Charlisa said, looking faintly surprised as she put her bag on the table in front of Mrs. Moritsuki. “Are you likely to be recognized a lot?”

“Probably not,” he said. “I don’t know many people in Japan.”

Mrs. Moritsuki searched through their bags quickly, occasionally lifting an item to examine it closer. She checked the inside of containers, the lining of their bags, and even ran her hand across the straps. Another employee, a lanky man, came into view then, directing Will to step forward for a personal search. He was quick and efficient as he patted Will down, then waved him forward through a metal scanner. Much more thorough of an entry process than his last visit, he thought. He picked up his and Charlisa’s bags as they came through the scanner, then turned to wait.

He was a little uneasy as Charlisa was patted down by the same man, but she held an even, uninterested expression. The man was just as quick with her as he was with Will, and was soon directing her through the scanner. The buckle of her jeans caused the machine to go off, which resulted in another check, but then she made it through. She accepted her backpack with a quiet word of thanks from Will, and they both turned to see another woman facing them.

“Welcome to Tokyo,” she said, offering them a bow. Only Will returned it, out of habit. “Do you require any assistance?”

“No, we should be fine,” Will said. The machine went off again behind them, and Will turned back to see Edward removing his cloak, an exasperated look on his face. “I’ve never visited as a Nexian. Are there any restrictions?”

“Yes,” the woman said. “In addition to the Nexus Laws, you are also forbidden from fighting. An attendant will remain with you at all times, and will use force to restrain you should any violence occur.”

“I understand,” he said seriously. “But we are free to go where we’d like, yes?”

“Certainly!” She said brightly, and handed him a bright yellow folder. “Your rooms are already provided for by the Soul Nexus! A driver will also take you anywhere you’d like to go.”

With a polite bob of her head, she bid them farewell, and stepped past them to speak to Edward, who was the next through the checkpoint. The instant she was gone, a stocky young man stepped forward. He bowed politely. “Greetings. I am Kada, your attendant.”

Will eyed the man up and down as he returned the greeting. “Good afternoon, Kada-san.”

Edward came to stand beside them quickly. Of course, this wasn’t his first visit, so he hadn’t needed the full explanation. He looked down at Charlisa and Will’s hands, linked together, and a tiny frown crossed his face. “I’m hungry. Do you know any good restaurants nearby?”

He’d addressed the question without a clear target, but Will answered. “There’s a great yakisoba stall outside the airport.”

“What’s yakisoba?” Edward asked.

“It’s a noodle and soup dish. It’s really good.”

Edward only stayed back long enough to give a quick order to Noratuk, then followed Will and Charlisa, Kada silently taking up the rear. The gate they’d entered through was close to the exit, thankfully, which made their trip a very short one. Their driver met them right outside the door, and helped them load the luggage into the trunk. Then, at Will’s request, he took them to the stall he’d mentioned. They enjoyed a quick and delicious meal, then got back in the car, headed for the hotel.

The Kitano Hotel was an impressive sight to behold, even before they got in. Yet more guards were visible here, carrying heavy weapons and watching the Fire Nexians intently. The hotel staff, though as professional and courteous as could be, still couldn’t entirely conceal their nervous attitudes. By now, Will was starting to get a little tired of the tension that always followed Nexus members, and so tried to make the interaction as short as possible. He spoke with the desk clerk in Japanese, speeding through the check-in process, and declined their offer of assistance with the bags.

They were led up to their rooms by another hotel employee, almost to the direct top. Edward, as the Alpha, was given the suite at the very top. He looked more than a little tired, and told Will and Charlisa to go on without him. He’d wait for Noratuk, then go to sleep. With a final ‘behave’ to them, he closed his door and vanished. Will shared one slightly concerned look with Charlisa, then followed the employee, who led them to Charlisa’s room first. It was a very comfortable looking room, Will thought.

“For you, Andrews-san, this is your room,” the woman leading them said. “If either of you need anything, please press the one button on the phone, and you will be connected to the front desk.”

“Arigatou,” he said briefly. He entered the room at once, and, eager to separate himself, closed the door quickly. Under his breath he said, “Jesus christ. How am I suppose to relax like this?”

He was no more than ten feet from his door when there was a knock. He moved back to it, trying to conceal his irritation, but his mood brightened at once when he saw that it was Charlisa. She was still carrying her backpack, and she slipped past him as soon as the door was open. She went straight for the bed, tossing her bag onto it.

“Right,” she said. “There’s no way in hell I’m sleeping alone tonight.”

“Are you sure?” He asked, though he understood the sentiment. The meticulously clean white walls of the room put him on edge as well.

“Yes, I’m sure,” she said crossly. She folded her arms across her chest. “Do you not want me to share a bed with you?”

“I never said that!” He answered quickly, lifting his hands in a gesture of innocence. “I’ll never say that.”

The corners of her mouth twitched, and she flopped down across the massive bed, stretching out across the cover. “Well alright then. We have the rest of the day to ourselves.”

“I wonder what we could do,” he said absent-mindedly, moving to sit beside her. He couldn’t help but admire her petite, curved frame from this close up. “There’s an arcade downstairs, but I don’t really wanna go down there. Wanna watch TV?”

She looked up at the wide flatscreen on the wall opposite the bed, looking a bit thoughtful. Then she turned her head towards him, a small smirk on her face. “I know something we could do.”

“What?” He asked, raising his eyebrows at the playful air she’d suddenly affected.

“Oh come on,” she said. She sat upright and pushed him onto his back, sitting across his hips. “You’re with the girl you love, in a fancy hotel, and we’re alone. What do you think I’m talking about?”

“Oh,” he said, his face flushing. “Okay. But can I do something else first?”

With one hand, he picked up the telephone that sat beside the bed. “I want to call Kenta and let him know I’m in town. We can go and visit him later, or he could even come here.”

“Oh, fine,” she said, mock-pouting. “But make it quick, or I’ll lose interest.”

She flopped back down on the bed to free, him, and he got to his feet, adjusting his pants slightly. Trying not to let the flood of images flashing through his brain distract him, he quickly dialed Kenta’s home number, which he’d remembered for several years now. He watched Charlisa lying on the bed as the phone rang, taking a deep breath. She grinned at him, and struck a pose, one hand on her hip. He snorted with laughter, then cleared his throat as the line connected.

“Moshi moshi,” a female voice said on the line in Japanese. “Takamura house.”

“Hello, Ms. Takamura,” he said. “It’s Will Andrews, Kenta’s friend.”

“Will-kun!” She sounded delighted. “It’s so wonderful to hear from you!”

“It’s nice to talk to you too,” he said, smiling widely. “Is Kenta there? I just got to Tokyo.”

“Back so soon?” On the bed, Charlisa was moving, and it drew his attention. He gulped as he realized that she was undoing the buckle of her jeans. He fell silent watching her, and nearly forgot that he was on a call. Kenta’s mother’s voice brought him back to reality with a sharp jolt. “Kenta’s away right now. He’s got a big test tomorrow, so he’s training.”

Will licked his lips, trying to keep focused. It was especially difficult, because Charlisa had just peeled her shirt off, leaving her in her underwear alone, and that damned coy smile was back on her face. Just as before, he felt a tingle run down his spine, and knew he couldn’t resist.

“Okay,” he said hurriedly. “I have to go now, but can you tell him I called? I’m in room seven-eighteen at the Kitano hotel.”

“The Kitano!” His mother exclaimed. “That is a very nice hotel. Okay, I will tell him. Welcome back to Tokyo, Will-kun. I hope to see you before you leave!”

“You will,” Will said. “Goodbye now.”