Yuri and Iwa arrived around 8am that morning. Upon reaching the taxi stands they were spotted by the younger members of the Inner Circle. They rushed over on seeing the two.  

“Guys!” Iwa called out. There was the usual routine of the secret handshake that comprise of slaps and punches.  
“Claire? I thought you were in Europe with Chris and the rest?” Yuri asked  
“Our business was settle and so I came back first while Chris and Jill went else where.” She was twirling her finger around when she mentions the word ‘business’.  

“It’s so wonderful being home!” Yuri exclaimed as she took a deep breath. The rest of the gang helps them with their luggage.  
“Hey I heard you guys mess around with Gouki. Tell me more about it.” Kyo said as they moved along.  
   

Before they could cross the street to the carpark. A red Ferrari skidded to a stop right in front of them. The tall pony tailed Italian got out of the car with a bouquet of red roses in one hand. The gang raises one eyebrow and look at Yuri in a slightly puzzled manner.  

“Yuri. Glad you came back. I was wondering where you were the last couple of weeks! I went down to the Shotoken – Wushu dojo. But Pai and the rest refused to answer me much.” hugging Yuri as he spoke.  

“Guys wait for me at the car park. I’ll be along in a short while.” Yuri said disengaging herself from the hug. There was another round of eyebrow raising before the gang left.  
“Get in the car Yuri. I want to take you somewhere.”  

“Robert we need to talk.” Yuri said in a serious tone as she headed to a quiet resting area that looks a lot like a garden. Robert drove up and park at the curb making sure his car didn’t obstruct traffic he got out and stood in front of Yuri.  

“Yuri how could you just leave like that?! You used to tell me where you were going. Now you just up and disappear! I had to ask Sensei just to know where you have gone. And your brother kept saying that I have become too possessive rather lately and that I should let you see the world?!” stopping a while to rest  

“You‘ve change a lot. Becoming distant over the last few years ever since your kidnapping. We have drawn apart since then, the tournaments changed you as well ” Robert was clearly upset. He knelt down in front of her and took out a diamond ring.  

“Yuri. Marry me.” he said.  
“No.” Yuri answered in a flat tone.  
“No? why no? Was it something I said. Or something I didn’t do?” clearly scratching his head  
   

“Robert. It seems to me that my own abduction had opened my eyes to the world around me. I know that Daddy, Ryo and you used to protect me from this big bad world by keeping me ignorant of many things. Studying the Kyokugenryu taught me independence and to defend myself, the tournaments allowed me to prove to my skills."  

"It’s just that I had only recently come out of collage. I’m now on a vacation before I start work at Kusanagi Corporation. During my travels I found that there are still a lot of things that I was not aware of. I still have lot of things that I want to do. I want to explore more of this world."  
   

“Yuri, with me you don’t have to worry about a job. I can afford the both of us. I can even start a dojo down in Italy if that’s what you want.” He was trying to find where he went wrong.  

“Robert I don’t mean that. What I want to do is see the world, improve my skills, get a job that I know I can work hard for. I don’t think I’m ready to be tied down at this early in life. The last few weeks made realize that I’m not ready for a commitment that would require a lifetime of dedication.”  

“Yuri if you think that it’s because of the fact that you are an Apprentice and I’m not. I’ll prove it to you! I’ll go challenge another Apprentice!”  
   

“Robert. I don’t want everything given to me just like that. I want to challenge myself and push my own limits. Don’t you see I’m no longer the weak little Yuri who always need someone to save her. I want to prove to myself that I can do things on my own.”  

“Yuri please reconsider.”  
“No. I know I’m not ready now. Robert I have always treated you like a brother. I know my own mind. If you are really serious about this, give me a few more years to decide. Don’t even try to push me or we might even have difficulties remaining friends. Maybe I have grown up much during the last few years. We all have to walk to the paths we choose.”  
   

“Yuri do you know you are starting to speak like those Martial arts fanatics (Ryo, Ryu, etc,). Stop this foolishness before you end up being hurt. We can always start anew.”  

“Robert. This is one of the reasons why I’m still unsure. It seems that when I’m with you, I don’t seem to get the choice of making my own decisions. Do think about it as well. Maybe we both had grown up and apart.” Yuri got up and walked away.  
   

Down at the car park Yuri rode with Iwa whose bike had being brought over from Shadowlaw. Along with fellow bikers: Claire, Kyo, Terry, Jin. The stuff they had brought from Greece was in Andy’s car. The song ‘Born to be wild’ was blaring away as Andy had the sunroof down. They were heading back to the Sakazaki estate. At the same time they were speeding down the quiet road that led pass the beach.  
   

Reaching home the gang headed into the pavilion in the courtyard Takuma and Saisyu were playing chess.  

“Daddy!” Yuri called out.  
“Ah. Good to have you back. I can sense you have grown stronger in the last few weeks. Little Flower. “Patting his daughter on the head.  
“You are aware that Robert had being looking for you.” Takuma added, taking Yuri aside  

“Yes…I met him earlier. I rejected his offer. I’m not ready yet.”  
“Yuri. You are now an adult. I can no longer make decisions for you. Just know that whatever your final decision is you will always have my support.”  
“Thank you Daddy.” Yuri hugged her father.  
“Go change. I’m sure that Kyo and gang wants to take you out.”  
Taking leave from the rest, she headed back to her room.  
   

“Iwa. The Grand Masters wants to talk to you. We will be at King’s Tavern at 9pm Tonight.” Saisyu said.  
“I thought you guys usually summon me to the Stone House for such meetings?”  
“It’s under fumigation. So We’ll just have to make do with the private room at King’s.”  

“Any idea on what we’ll be talking about tonight?”  
“There is a major disturbance in the force.” Takuma answered in a low booming voice. Star Wars fever went far indeed. With an one eyebrow raised in amusement at that comment Iwa took her leave and went inside the house.  
   
   

After a shower and a change of clothes Yuri went to look for Kyo and gang.  
“Yuri! Garcia’s on the phone.” Ryo came to her.  
“I don’t feel like talking to him.”  
“Okay.” He said something on the phone before hanging it up.  
“Yuri. He said that if ever you change your mind. He’ll be in Italy waiting for your call.”  
“Thanks. I owe you one.”  

“Yuri. Whatever your choice is. I’ll always be here for you if you need me.”  
“Okay. When would you be free to spar with me again?”  
“When you wish it to be.”  
“Remember you said that.” Yuri grinned and headed out.  

“So where are we going? King’s not open yet.” Iwa asked before they set out.  
“Pao Pao Café. For lunch and a few bouts of Dance Dance Revolution.” Kyo said as he strapped on his black helmet with the fire design.  
“Kyo. Better make she don’t run off.” Jin called out.  

“Don’t worry guys. I don’t intend to.” Iwa said as she strapped her dark blue helmet that has the Chinese words ‘ Kuang Mo Long’ (Psycho Demon Dragon) written on it.  
“Wait for me! I wanna go too!” A young voice called out.  
Mel appeared followed by Shingo.  
“You were here all along?” Yuri asked  

“Yeah. You just didn’t see me.” Mel answered  
“Uncle Takuma and Uncle Saisyu said that we can take Mel along provided he don’t ride pillion.” Shingo added.  
“Then the two of you ride with me.” Andy said.  
   

---------  
   

Some time later  
“Hey you guys are early.”  
“Hey Bob. Is the Dance Dance Revolution in yet?” Kyo asked  
“No. But King loan me one from her place. Go ahead.”  

Getting up on the platform Kyo slotted in few tokens.  
“Come try it. You can’t be that bad? ” Kyo said.  
“Okay but don’t laugh.” Iwa said.  
“Okay the I pick ‘My Fire’.” Kyo said.  
“How predictable.” Terry said. Kyo shot a 'So What' look at Terry who stuck his tongue out at him  
   

The music starts and the two started stomping on the directional pad on the platform. There was a large amount of ‘Doh!” coming from Iwa as she miss quite a lot of steps. By the end of the song, Kyo achieved a grade of ‘S’ while Iwa scrape through the to the next level with a ‘D’  

“Ah Ha ha ha! You were right when you said you can’t dance. Ah ha ha!” Jin was trying not laugh to hard.  
“If you can do better than why don’t you try it. And I bring Xiao-Yu over as well.” Kyo said. Jin shut up immediately.  

“To put it in a nice way. Jin is very much like you. He’s a fighter not a dancer.” Kyo added  
“One more time. Try not to focus on your mistakes and try to be in tune with the music okay? I’ll let you pick this time.” Kyo said ignoring Jin’s laugh.  
“Okay…. Hey.. I’ll take ‘ Kung Fu Fighting’.”  
“How cliché.” Kyo mumbled.  

This time following Kyo’s advice Iwa improved a little, by the end of the game she improved from a ‘D’ to a ‘C’.  
   

“AANNDDIIE?!”  
A high pitch female voice called out. Under that little jacket was a plunging neckline, midriff-baring tanktop, a micro mini skirt that show off her thighs that were clad in black stockings, was the brown hair, fiery temper, well-endowed girlfriend of Andy Bogard.  

Following quietly in with her are Yuki and Blue Mary. Blue Mary headed towards Terry and took his cap after hugging him. Terry turned to where his brother was but Andy was long gone from his seat.  
   

“Yuki. Good you’re finally here.” Kyo said and gave her light kiss on her cheek. “This one here is Mel, son of Ken.” He introduced.  
“Awwww. He’s so cute. Can I take him home?” Yuki teased.  
“And this here is Iwa. Ryu and ChunLi’s disciple.” Kyo added.  
“Ah. So this is the lovely young lady that Kyo always talk about non-stop. Finally I get to meet you in person.” Iwa said. Yuki blush a little.  
   

“AHEM! Has everybody forgotten I exist? Ohh Dance Dance Revolution! Can I go up against you?” Mai squealed as she took over Iwa’s side of the platform. The rest shrugged as Kyo got back up on his side.  
“She seem to have a short attention span.” Mel said.  
   

“Aye yay yay. My little butterfly. He he!” Mai chose the song ‘Butterfly’  

Although Kyo tried his best not to get distracted, he kept missing a few steps to a song he had no problem with. By the end of the song Kyo ended up with a rating of ‘B’ and Mai had the rating of ‘S’. But it was a good thing that Yuki didn’t notice why he was distracted.  

<  Wait a minute? Why am I here? Oh yeah. Andy-poo.  > Mai thought  
“Er.. Have you all seen Andy? I saw his car outside so I thought he could be here.”  

<<  She actually thinks?  >> Kyo sent to Terry.  
<<  I’m not really sure about that. You should ask my brother instead.  >> Terry answered.  

“No. Maybe he went elsewhere.” Jin said.  

“WAAAAHHH! HE DOESN’T LOVE ME ANYMORE!!!!! WHY WHY IS MY LIFE SO MISERABLE!! WAAHHHH!!! WWHHYY?!! ” Mai burst into a bout of tears.  

<<  I thought she took Li Jie’s advice to behave in a more mature way?  >> Iwa asked  
<<  Yeah she did. But right after the tournament she slipped back into her old habits.  >> Terry said with a shrug.  
   

After what seem like an eternal one-minute of high pitch squealing, she stopped and looked around. Then the tears stopped immediately  

“Phooey! He’s really not here. I wasted this act for nothing. He he. If you see Andy tell him I’m in town. Oh! I’m late for my hair appointment!” Mai ran off.  
   

<<   She gone yet?   >> A voice asked  
“How can put up with something like that? Blackmailing you and all that.” Jin asked.  
“Well she does have some good qualities.” Andy defended as he came out of the toilet.  
“Like what?”  
“……”  

“Come on. It’s time for lunch. “ Terry said breaking them apart. “After lunch we all can go down to the pier to fish.”  
“Can I join you?” Blue Mary asked, Terry just nod.  
The gang followed him out.