If it is in normal style, then it is speech.

If it is in italics, then it is thought.

If it is in bold, then it is the individual's natural tongue.

If it is in underline, then it is Devil.

Don't own any characters except Razer, Detective Burton and the rest of the gang (excluding Hwoarang).

All other characters belong to Namco.

Chapter Eight: Broken Cover

"Will you turn that crap off?" Razer asked, glaring at Xiaoyu, who was listening to Paramore, loud for all.

"Paramore is better than your bands. Hayley's hair is so awesome. Besides I'm trying to calm Mi down."

A sigh came as she rested her head in her hand, again from pressure from Devil, taunting her. A hand arrived, roughly placed on her back, careful to avoid injury, before with retaliation, it was violently thrown off. It took a moment to realise that Hwoarang was the one establishing comfort, seeing as he was the only one who knew such source. She apologized and grinned slightly when she was pulled into a one armed, gentle hug, rested her head on his shoulder, remaining that way as Miharu stood up and turned to face all of them.

"Alright look," Hirano began, "Its pretty clear I'm about to be beaten to a bloody pulp. So before I get knocked out, I'd like to say that firstly, I love you all. Secondly, you all rule. Thirdly, I want jewels on my coffin."

"You're not going to fucking die," The Blood Talon growled, almost yelling.

"And I suppose you're gonna be the one running to take me back to the hospital if I get KO'd?"

"Fucking hell I will be. I'll also be the one knocking on that guy's door later to kick his fucking ass."

Razer's eyes drifted to Hwoarang, and picked up that he was deadly serious, and was also grinning slightly. With slight blush on his cheeks. She almost laughed, and wondered why she didn't pick it up sooner. He likes Miharu. Well, nice to know that the brotherly-sisterly feeling between him and her was now definite and enforced.

She noticed too that Miharu's voice broke slightly, and noticed as her eyes drifted to see her opponent walking towards the ring. Dull green eyes followed them, and who it was stunned her, causing her to stare back.

"Oh this is fucking perfect!" Hwoarang bellowed, "It's that ass who was staring at us a while back!"

A yelp came as sienna eyes turned to see Razer's hand withdraw from a pinch, "Don't."

He obeyed and relaxed slightly, watching as Miharu walked up to the ring and stood there in her school uniform, her hands behind her back, clearly nervous. All eyes watched as the hooded number 13 hesitantly broke his gaze from one of their party, and walked up to the arena, standing face to face with Miharu.

It shocked all, particularly Hirano, when he spoke, though some didn't understand, "Miharu, I'm sorry."

"Who are you?" She asked, folding her arms across her chest.

Number 13 shook his head, "It doesn't matter… Good luck. Watch your Fortune Cookie attack."

Miharu's eyes widened as number 13 fell back into his stance, she stepped forward slightly, "Are you –"

"Number 12 v.s. number 13. 3, 2, 1, FIGHT!"

Number 13 didn't attack. Instead, he waited for Miharu to attack first. He already felt bad enough for having to hurt his old friend just to get to some stupid goal in ridding certain people. She charged with her X Marks The Spot attack, her arms raised in the air, and then coming straight back down. He let it hit him.

Hirano furrowed her eyebrows and snarled at her opponent, "Please, fight me properly."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"I need to know what I'm in for."

"I will hurt you too much. Remember when –" He cut off, "It doesn't matter."

"Please… tell me who you are."

"I can't, Mi."

She took up her stance again and nodded, swallowing, "I think I know anyway."

"Keep your knowledge to yourself…" He pleaded, taking his stance, "I am sorry."

Miharu smiled and attacked with Bayonet Thrust, throwing her hands forward individually twice, then her right hand alone once again. The first two measly hits connected, and the final one was blocked. He attacked with Switch Blade, punching her without too much force, and sending a sweeping kick to her head, watching as she fell, wincing as she did.

As Hirano stood to her feet, he spoke again, "Please… Don't make me do this."

"I have to," She copped two punches and a kick before staggering back, grabbing number 13, and hurling him to the ground with the Ruby throw, attacking him quickly with two sweeping kicks, and being tripped over herself with a sweeping kick upon his standing. Miharu stood to her feet and returned to her stance, trembling just that little bit.

A sigh followed as he attempted to charge with Laser Cannon. Miharu predicted the move, now knowing for sure who it was, and blocked it. She turned her back to number 13, punched him twice, and performed her Mistrust Kick, though excruciatingly painful, watching as he was flicked into the air, and then came back down.

"That's improved… Good on you, Mi," The voice sounded as if the person was smiling, standing up.

"It is you…"

"Please keep your knowledge to yourself," He asked once again, tightening his fists in his gloves, sending a direct punch to her stomach, the new move entitled Corpse Thrust, and stood taller, throwing his right leg and his body into a Spinning Flare Kick, standing to his feet upon the scream, jumping back slightly, making sure his hood was still over his head. She was not ready to fight at this stage in the tournament. All this showed was that she was better than the amateurs that were in the preliminaries before, "Please give up, Miharu."

"What's he saying? What the fuck is he saying??" Hwoarang was asking, watching as Hirano stood again.

"I don't know, Hwoarang," Xiaoyu remarked, her eyebrows furrowing, "He is talking too quietly."

"But he's speaking, isn't he? That fucking mouth of his is moving?"

"Calm down," Ling said, looking to him with a smile, "Miharu will win."

Razer sighed, thinking to herself, still in the comfort of Hwoarang's arm, Not as this rate…

'She won't surrender.'

She looked up again to see the number 13 looking at her again, and then turning away back to the fight, his opponent's Fortune Cookie attack catching him, getting him to stagger back. He ran forward and tackled her to the ground, wincing himself as she did, knowing it was due to her head slamming into the concrete, and remained on top of her, seizing her left arm and pulling at it gently yet hard, not enough to remove it from the socket. Razer could see that this person didn't want to fight Miharu.

A whimper, then a scream, then angry yelling, "OW!! FUCKING OW!!"

"Get away from her, asshole!!" Korean.

"He does not want to fight. Calm down Hwoarang. He is going easy on her," Greek.

"You speak like you know him," Came the growl.

Razer sighed and looked to her hands, "Whatever you think, Red…"

As the 18-year-old Japanese girl stood to her feet shakily, she found her left arm had been grabbed again, this time number 13 throwing her over his shoulder. She screamed in pain again, her arm already fucked up.

Julia stood from her seat, crossing her arms, "Miharu, just give up. Not worth it. Live to fight another day."

Number 13 looked from Chang to Hirano, crouching down in front of her trembling body, "Julia is right."

"Do you think I should?"

"I trust you will make the right decision for yourself."

Miharu looked up, seeing past the darkness, and at the person. Her suspicions were confirmed as she stood, standing with him, watching him back, as she raised her voice, cradling her fucked arm, "I… I forfeit!!"

"Number 13 wins!" the announcer crowed.

Number 13 took Miharu's arm and looked at it, wincing, "Forgive me."

"There are reasons you are like this… right…? Then I can forgive you, and so can everyone else… Except someone who almost killed herself because of the loneliness your absence, as well as Red's, blessed her with…" She watched as her opponent successfully made the arm a little better.

"I can't –"

"You WILL."

Number 13 sighed and spoke hesitantly, shoving his hands in his pockets, "…I will try…"

Miharu nodded and smiled, "Thank you."

"Can I at least take you to get your arm fixed properly?"

"Yeah. I need to nag some sense into you anyway… Jin."

He shivered at hearing his name spoken by another after so long, and nodded, walking off the arena with her, despite Xiaoyu running to give Hirano a hug, despite feeling sienna eyes burn him as a Korean approached with her to make sure the young girl was okay, despite Lei and Julia obviously wondering who he was.

"You're a big fat meanie, number 13!!" Ling yelled, looking at the bruises he left her with.

Miharu waved her hand at her friend, "At least he's taking me to the hospital. Go away, go away. I'm fine."

She blinked and backed off, following Lei and Julia as they left. Hwoarang moved his head around the hooded man's body to see Miharu for himself, "Mi, you doing okay there? Nothing too badly damaged?"

"I'm alright Red," She smiled at him, smiled at the care.

They were actually having a small conversation, occasional glances back at Jin, Miharu seeing him stare at someone he had missed for so long, and for Hwoarang to see whether he was worth beating up due to her loss.

Jin looked down at his feet, hands still in his pockets, 'Hello.'

Razer growled lowly, questioningly, even scared, "…Koidito…?"

He looked back up and nodded slightly, 'Yeah.'

"…Asshole," came the low response. She smiled to herself and looked away, "…Say something…"

"What do you want me to say?"

"That was enough…" She looked back and pointed to her head, and to him and back, "How do you…?"

He walked a little closer and let his fingers run over her mark, looking at it, "I think you know."

She pulled back instinctively, then realising no one had taken any notice of their own conversation, much to her joy. She looked up, trying to see past the darkness, trying to look at him, "Where… have you been…?"

"I cannot say here and now…" 'But I will tell you later. Meet me at the park at eleven. Tonight.'

"Promise me."

He nodded, glad to be found out by two of his friends, and turned away, 'Good bye… And forgive me.'

As Jin and Miharu walked away, Hwoarang pestered, "What the fuck did he say to you?"

"Nothing worth repeating," Razer snarled, walking towards the hotel with him by her side.

"Tell me."

"It is nothing, okay? He was just… saying he had seen me around before."

"Who is he?"

A lie immediately sprung forth, "I don't know, Hwoarang."

He scowled, finally looking away from number 13 and Miharu, who seemed to be talking, "What now?"

"What time is it?"

"…Around… five in the afternoon I think."

"Then time for sleep…"

"You never used to sleep so much."

"Things change, Hwoarang."

'Don't tell Xiao I'm here. I love you.'

Razer shivered again and looked back at him, noticing his head was turning away. With a smile, she continued to walk, noticing that Hwoarang's mood had changed, and was now angry and ready to pounce at anything, to protect certain people. She grabbed his short hair and tugged at it, "Relax."

"Can we get you looked at later?"

"Maybe. I'm gonna visit Steve at around ten or so at night. I'll go get myself checked out then if you want."

"Thanks."

"Hwo?"

"What?"

"I think you and Miharu would look cute together."

His eyebrows furrowed as he looked up, away and around, "Pfft. I don't like her."

"Of course you don't," She drawled sarcastically, seeing him smile a little.