Hi everyone, this is a story my friend has written (another mad tekken fan! lol) Anyways I offered to upload it onto my account. Its very good so please R&R! If you have any questions her mail address is karma_chick14@hotmail.com.

Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer

By Hwoarang 4eva

"Oh Jin. I love you soooooooo much!" Ling Xiaoyu stared up blissfully, completely dough-eyed.

Jin Kazama grudgingly smiled and trying not to shudder, forced himself to say, "Same."

"Oh, Jinny! You don't know how much it means to hear you say that!" She gushed.

Jin shook his head in annoyance. "Please don't call me that, Ling."

Ling smiled obliviously, unaware of the dark undertone of his voice, "Whatever you say, my darling Jinny!"

Jin sighed in irritation and turned away.

Why did all girls have to be like this? Clingy, giggly . . .totally brainless.

He sighed again as he watched Ling take down one of her pigtails. She straightened it out, tied it back, decided it was horribly wrong and redid the whole process again.

"I look forward to the day when I'll finally be able to understand girls," he muttered to himself.

But, he had to admit Ling was not bad to look at. She was a pretty, petite girl of Chinese ancestry. Her clothes reflected her ethnic background and her hair was always in two immaculately perfect pigtails at each side of her head.

However, despite her alluring presence, Jin, disappointingly, had found out she was just like every other girl he had met. Annoying and dim-witted.

He had never wanted to go out with Ling in the first place, he had only been trying to please his grandfather. Who had suggested that Jin concentrate more on the social aspect of his life, rather than just shut himself away from the outside world just to focus on training for martial arts fighting tournaments.

Although he had many female admirers adoring his every move, they were also greatly afraid of him. In fact most people were, mostly because of his status of being the grandson of Heihachi Mishima. Jin's foreboding presence made it difficult for people to approach him.         

 He was a man who kept himself to himself and expected everyone else to do the same. He rarely spoke to females of any sort, let alone go out on an actual date with any of them! He just never had been able to connect with a girl, not just physically, but spiritually as well.

"It's gonna be a long day," Jin sighed as he watched Ling in half amusement and half pity. The poor girl had just started arguing with herself.

Julia Chang smiled. She loved days like this – bright, fresh and cool. It reminded her so much of her home back in Arizona, USA. She sighed deeply and tried not to think of beloved homeland. It only made her want to cry her heart out.

Japan was so different than back home. She was fascinated by all the hustle and bustle. But leisure was definitely not what she was here for. She was on a mission to find her mother, who had set out to Japan in search of Heihachi Mishima and had never returned. Thinking that Heihachi had done something to her mother had instigated Julia to travel here.

She had enrolled in a local school so she could spy on the Mishima residence and keep a lookout for any clues that would aid her in her search.

She had only been in Japan for a few days and what she had seen so far of this strange land intrigued and delighted her.

She walked down the steps of her new temporary school, and mused at how everything was so different.

"Hi Julia!" A few girls who she had become friends with waved at her.

Julia waved back but not wishing to join them, continued walking on her own with her thoughts for company.

Suddenly, she heard an infuriating shriek of laughter behind her. Julia cringed; she knew that laugh all too well; Ling Xiaoyu.

For some reason, completely unknown to Julia, Ling had taken it upon herself to make Julia's school life here hell.

"I mean, look at the way she dresses!" Ling gave another shriek of laughter.

Julia felt her blood begin to boil; she knew Ling was talking about her.

She turned around to face Ling. Ling looked in her direction and smirked.

Julia felt like stuffing that smirk right back down her throat.

"Don't take any notice," Sakura Yao said, putting her hand on Julia's shoulder.

Julia smiled, gratefully. Sakura was a really nice Japanese girl whom she had befriended.

"Hah, look at that, Julia Chang has to get others to stand up for her!" Ling laughed.

Julia felt her face flush angrily, "You don't know anything about me," she said, through clenched teeth.

"I know all I have to. And the truth of the matter is I don't like you," Ling sneered.

"Deal with it. I'm here to stay whether you like it or not," Julia turned and started to walk away with Sakura.

"In that case, try not to get dressed in the dark every morning!" Ling called after her.

Julia stopped and looked down at her clothes. They were inspired by her Native American origin. She felt her face burning up with anger. 

"How dare you!" she shouted, "You have no idea how other people think or feel. You're just a ignorant, bitchy and totally clueless little school girl!"

Ling stared open-mouthed at her. "You have no right to speak to me like that!"

"Take your own advice," Julia replied angrily.  Inside Julia's head, a voice was screaming that this wasn't her, she shouldn't be shouting. Julia was an incredibly peaceful person who never said a bad word against anyone.

Ling narrowed her eyes. "Street fight. You and me. Here. Tonight," she snarled.

Julia stared at her. She knew recklessly fighting was incredibly stupid and careless. Her mother would be so ashamed of her.

Ling saw her thinking about it and laughed, "You're too scared!"

Something inside Julia snapped. She forgot all about her mother and pride took over. As she opened her mouth to agree, the words died in her throat as the most gorgeous man she had ever seen stepped up to Ling.

"What's going on?" his voice was smooth and comforting.

"I'm challenging this girl to a street fight, Jin," she smiled, looking up at him in bliss, and whispered, "She's the one I was telling you about!"

Julia jerked her head up indignantly. Ling had been talking about her to people?

The boy called Jin or was it Jim; Julia hadn't heard Ling properly, looked toward Julia. His eyes swept over her and finally locked with her gaze.

Julia shifted and looked away uneasily. Why did she feel so attracted to him? She was never like this with boys.

He turned back to Ling. He was probably her boyfriend, Julia noted, surprised at the stab of jealousy she felt.

"Fighting doesn't solve anything, Ling," he said rationally.

And at the same time, Sakura tugged at Julia's shirt and said, "Please, Julia. It's not a good idea. Let's go."

Ling heard her and grinned, "yeah. Run off home where you can't get hurt," she said mockingly.

Julia met Ling's gaze, feeling more hatred toward her than she had ever felt toward anyone, "Be here at sundown."

Jin stood with Ling after the beautiful Native American girl stormed away with her friend.

"Can you believe that American bitch? Just swarming in here like she owns the place and thinking she can get away with it," Ling fumed beside him, but Jin hardly noticed. He was too busy thinking about Julia.

School had just been declared out. Julia walked down the steps, feeling numb. She was regretting letting Ling get the better of her. Caught up in her thoughts, she hardly saw the handsome boy, the one she had seen earlier, run and stand in front of her.

She stifled a gasp. Up close, he was even more breathtaking than from a distance.

Stray strands of jet-black hair fell across his eyes, "It will be better if you don't fight here tonight."

"Is that an order? 'Cos, you know, I don't take orders from anyone," Julia glared at him. No matter how cute they are, she added silently.

He shook his head. "I'm only saying that it's a pointless battle over nothing."

"Did she put you up to this? I'm not backing down now. That would give her the satisfaction she wants."

"Then it would make you just as bad as her."

"Aren't you supposed to be her boyfriend? You're supposed to be on HER side," Julia looked at him.

"You seem different from her. More . . . gentler, I guess . . . " Jin stopped himself, hoping he was not blushing.

Julia was rather taken aback, she had not expected for him to give her a compliment. Not knowing what to say she stuttered, "Uh, thanks . . . Jim?"

"Jin," he told her, "Jin Kazama."

"Julia Chang," she smiled, then studied his face, "You know what?"

"What?"

" 'Jim' suits you so much better!"  She giggled.

Wow. She's laughing and I don't have a single urge to rip out her voice box, Jin mused silently to himself. He hated hearing the screeching sound of girls giggling hysterically. To him, it sounded like 15 cats running their claws down a blackboard.

No, her laugh is more like the soft chimes of a bell – like she belongs in heaven with angels, he thought, then stopped short. It didn't even matter that he felt so foolish thinking such adolescent thoughts, her smile made up for it.

"Yes. Jim is a much more western world name," he returned her smile with a laugh. He couldn't believe it – he, Jin Kazama was laughing with a girl and was actually having fun, "You can call me it from now on, if you like."

Julia grinned like a Cheshire cat, "It definitely suits you, JIM!"

He laughed again, but his face turned serious, "Please think about what I said – Ling will meet you here at sundown. But you have a chance of stopping it. I hope you'll do the right thing."