Chapter 10
Louse. That is what she is. A bothersome little louse. Exterminate her like the pest she is.
I've already decided who's to die by my hand. And no-one is dying by yours.
She is the source of your chagrin. She is throwing herself at you to kill. Just grant her wish. Or I will grant it for you.
She doesn't know any better. I'm not killing anyone. And neither are you.
I want to kill her. And you want me to as well.
You're a creature of lies.
You did not even attempt to fight me this time.
That's not true.
You were willing to let me take over.
Liar.
You wished I would solve your problem.
Liar…
You wanted her dead as much as I do.
I'm not like you.
Liar.
I'm not…
Liar.
I'm…
You and I are the same. We exist to bring misfortune and rally together the demons of this world. We have a purpose that you continue to deny.
We share nothing.
Among the two of us, you are the creature of lies.
…
There is no redemption for the likes of you.
I won't…
You have already accepted me. You have already killed so many.
I…
Kill her. She stands in our way. Everything will become easier if you heed my words.
…
You will become stronger if you listen to my words. Let yourself experience euphoria again.
When Asuka came to, it took her a few seconds to remember what had happened. She sat up, her limbs pulsating with pain and the metallic taste of blood prevalent on her tongue. It surprised her briefly before she spotted Jin a few feet away from her in the arena's gym.
The sight of him brought everything rushing back. Her want to beat the shit out of him resurfaced and she slowly got to her feet, spitting the blood out of her mouth and approaching him with heavy steps. With her eyes locked on his figure the entire time, she noticed that he wasn't unconscious either.
He had propped himself on one hand, facing the floor, with his other hand again on his bicep. On the black tattoo.
Although she couldn't see his face at all, his ragged breathing and his stiff posture gave away that he wasn't in the best of conditions. And it made her stop in her place, not out of concern or fear (that was stupid) but out of bewilderment and suspicion.
She would've just chalked it up to their fight since she had managed to get a lot of good hits on him, but he had been doing the same thing before their fight too. Also, she was pretty sure she didn't strike him on his tattoo.
She hadn't ever gotten a tattoo, nor did she plan on getting one (they were often found on the kind of people whose fights she'd break up), so she wasn't too sure if they ever ached after you'd get them. It seemed a bit odd to her.
Maybe he has a skin condition, was a thought that popped up in her mind. Again, she wasn't very well-versed in dermatology so she could only make assumptions.
But then another thought voiced itself in her head. Who the hell even cares what his problem is? The more pain he's in the better!
Arms akimbo, without thinking, she decided to throw a few words his way. "Had enough have you? I knew you were all talk. Nothing to back up that huge-"
Her taunts were cut short when she was lifted high off the ground, her opponent's hands wrapped around her neck in a crushing grip and her head angled upward. It took her a second to recover from the surprise from both his quick movement and the fact that his hands were cold to the touch. The amount of pressure on her trachea was overwhelming and it became difficult to breathe.
"What- the hell?!" she choked out, her legs thrashing around in an attempt to land a blow on him while simultaneously grabbing at his hands. She pulled at his hands with all the strength she had but his hold was unrelentingly strong. Hell, it felt like it was getting stronger with every passing second as if he planned on literally crushing her windpipe instead of just incapacitating her.
What the hell is he doing?! Is he trying to kill me?!
She had kicked his (she assumed) torso plenty of times but she might as well have poked him for all the help it did. The lack of oxygen was starting to affect her as well, with her head feeling light and the energy in her limbs fading. Panic welled up within her and she abandoned trying to attack him, instead shifting her focus on prying his fingers off her throat.
It occurred to Asuka that she could freaking die here and that thought scared her. It scared the shit out of her.
She couldn't die! That wasn't an option for her! She'd done so many things that were more likely to kill her and she survived! This wasn't how it was supposed to end!
Her dad was waiting for her!
Red-stained saliva flowing down her lip, she clenched her teeth, which pulled taut the muscles in her neck as a pathetic, last-ditch form of defence, stubbornly refusing to give up even though all her attempts were futile. Her vision beginning to fade and all she could do was tightly clasp onto Jin's hands.
A bright light suddenly erupted in her peripherals. Was this the bright light that one saw when they were approaching death? It really was over for her, wasn't it? And yet she still couldn't let go.
Then, just when she was certain it was over for her, his grip loosened.
Not questioning why the hell he did that or wasting any time, she ripped his hands off her. Her legs felt like jelly and buckled under her weight. She doubled over as she coughed and greedily gulped down as much air as her abused throat could handle.
"What…?"
Her slowly improving vision was locked onto the floor but she could hear Jin wheeze as if he was out of energy, "What… was… what was that?"
Even though she was still pretty light-headed, she pushed herself up and trudged over to her assailant. Since he appeared preoccupied with mulling over what just happened, he didn't notice her moving until she decked him, her fist digging into his solar plexus with what remaining strength she had left and Jin let out a pained grunt.
"Asshole," she croaked, wiping her mouth with the back of her glove, as he repeated her earlier actions of flopping to the ground and attending to the site of injury. "… the hell were you trying…?!"
She stood there, awaiting a response from the man on all fours at her feet. His head was angled toward the floor so she couldn't see what kind of face he was making right now. She could, however, see that his complexion had taken on a greyish tinge.
He remained silent, so she followed with a "Well?!"
"I…" he began, and then stopped to reconsider his words. Asuka, being the impatient one that she was, went ahead and kicked him while he was down. Literally.
"Let that be a reminder," she said, loudly, as Jin fell onto his back. "I don't appreciate people trying to kill me!"
"I wasn't trying to kill you," Jin impulsively shot back, though his voice still lacked any strong emotion.
Asuka just scoffed in response.
"Sure, just like how you didn't start a war. You really think I'm stupid?!"
Propped on this elbows, he spared her a look of disdain before he said, slowly and deliberately, "Believe me, it wasn't-"
But those words sounded so wrong coming from him, so annoyingly incongruous, that she couldn't help but cut him off right then and there.
"Believe you?! I have NO good reason to believe you! What kind of dumbass are you?!"
Jin averted his eyes, but it was plainly visible that her words had hit him hard. But she didn't much care if he was distraught or offended. After getting saddled with him, then having to search high and low for him, fighting to the point of exhaustion and almost be robbed of her life, only for him to be spouting the shit he was…
It was too much for her now. Her patience was long gone now. The dam holding back all her frustration and anger since day one had broken down.
"Do you really think you're capable of being trusted?! After everything you've done?! After starting a war and ruining everyone's lives?! And after making me go through this shitty chase?! Are you just that stupid?!"
Her fists were at either side of her, shoved backwards as she yelled at the top of her lungs, the fire within her being fuelled by the fact that he was taking in every word, and that they were indeed having an effect.
And it was incredibly satisfying.
After losing the chance to avenge her father, after having to endure all of the pressures of managing everything while her father was in the hospital, after being the target of jeers and taunts just because of their relation, after everything spiralling out of her control, it felt so good to finally give the source of most of her trouble a piece of her mind.
"You're the kind of scum I deal with 24/7! The kind that thinks they're above everything and everyone just because they think they're tough! Think you can just do whatever you want and no one can do a God damn thing! And then you take it a step further and vanish before you can face justice! You're chickenshit! That's what you are! It sickens me that we're even related! It sickens me that I have to work with you if I want to get anywhere in this tournament! And, to think, I was willing to overlook all of that crap!"
The last sentence took both of them by surprise, with Jin even sparing her a wide-eyed glance, yet she didn't stop there.
"Even if you're a piece of shit criminal that deserves to rot in jail, I still tried to find you! I still tried to make this work, even though I should've dragged you to the police myself! Just because I need to win this tournament! Just because this is something I can actually do for my dad, I considered partnering-"
Her voice cracked at that point. Her hand rushed to her throat instinctively and, for a while, the only sound in the room was Asuka's ragged breathing. And when Jin continued to stare at her, Asuka turned her back to him because her eyes were burning again.
She could feel the weight of his gaze on her back and though she had an urge to beat him again, it was much more subdued. The emotion that prevailed this time was disgust. She didn't want to look at him, or talk to him, or even be in the same room as him anymore.
"You…" she croaked, almost wincing at how rough her voice sounded "… Forget this. You do what you want."
And she stomped away from him and out of the room.
"A draw! To think, after all my effort, the match resulted in a draw!" Lili exclaimed, pacing here and there, while Sebastian calmly listened.
"You did marvellously Miss Lili! Do not be discouraged," he reassured her, and she stopped moving at his words. Her hand ran through her honeyed tresses in frustration, her eyes focusing on the red drapes and velvet that surrounded her.
The two of them were currently in one of the balconies overlooking the stage, one that closed off the din of the crowds and was decorated in lavish colours and furniture that was not unlike her home in Monaco.
But, of course, that was because this was her own personal space, bought and paid for by her father.
That thought reminded her of how miraculous it was that she was here and without any guilt nibbling at her. She didn't know what Sebastian had said to her Father but it was thanks to him that all of this was even possible.
She could feel that rush of elation that welled within her whenever she exchanged blows with another, clear and unadulterated.
"You're right, Sebastian," she spoke, clearly, while walking to the window at a leisurely pace. "I should be grateful that I am here, to begin with."
Lili's eyes took in the mass of lively individuals, recalling the way her heart soared when they recognised her, and her tongue loosened behind her flushed lips.
"Thank you."
After a hasty second, she added "And fetch me my opera glasses. I wish to judge the competition."
Though she was not privy to it, Sebastian's face wrinkled even more as he smiled at the young lady before him. He knew better than to comment on her inability to express her feelings proper and instead obeyed her order silently yet heartily. Within seconds, a striking pair of binoculars were in Lili's possession, designed for paramount analysis.
Angling the rod in her hand slightly, the binoculars were situated in front of her eyes and she observed the proceedings.
Though she did not know them by name, the fighters were recognisable to her. As she scrutinised their moves and countless words spilt on the sides of her vision, she pondered when she would be able to face Asuka Kazama again. After all the training she was doing, she was eager to find out if it was enough to surpass her rival this time.
The thought of the Japanese girl made her shift her gaze to the rest of the arena, bored of whatever was happening on the stage.
And that was when she noticed someone standing on the side of the arena, hidden from all the others yet clearly visible to her. Curious, she fixated the binoculars on the mysterious figure. As the screen began to display varied stats, Lili was able to notice that the person was a woman, albeit an unfamiliar one.
Upon noting this, the woman slowly turned her head, her sharp eyes staring right at the blonde and the image began to distort.
And before Lili could question it, a charge of electricity surged through the binoculars. She heard Sebastian yell urgently and that was when the item exploded in her hands. She immediately sank to the ground, her hands shielding her face, as the shards of glass and metal flew through the air in all directions.
Sebastian was instantly at her side, calling out "Miss Lili! Are you alright?!"
When Lili recovered from the shock of what just happened, she searched her face for possible injuries while replying scattily "Yes, yes I'm fine."
Surprisingly, apart from the slight pain in the fingertips of her left hand, she had managed to be unscathed and that relieved both of them. Sebastian helped her to her feet before scurrying away to find burn medicine and a broom, and Lili forgot all about the strange woman in the scuffle.
"K.O.!" the announcer bellowed after Steve Fox fell to one knee, his fist unable to support his weight and ultimately helping little when he hit the floor.
Leo maintained her stance for a good five seconds before she eased up and wiped her sweaty brow with the back of her glove, brushing aside a few drenched locks that stuck to her forehead. Despite how infectious the crowd's enthusiasm could be, she knew by now to remain grounded. This was just the first round, and Steve and Miguel weren't really down for the count just yet.
Nevertheless, she used the two-minute intermission to flap her jacket and allow some much-needed air to embrace her. She glanced at Steve, who was panting and struggling to rise, before looking at Zafina, her skin glistening but her stance not nearly as rigid as Leo's.
They shared a look before they checked on Steve, both of them perhaps coming to the same conclusion. After all, that victory was not entirely because of the effort of the two women.
Leo had noticed how his expression changed from a focused stare to a pained grimace during their spar, despite the fact that neither she nor Zafina had landed a blow on him then. She deduced it must've originated from his arm, considering he had retracted said limb during his brief moment of weakness that she then took advantage of.
She tried to recall whatever info she knew about him that could explain what happened. The only thing that came to mind was the unusual yet large scar he sported on his arm. Perhaps it was the result of some larger-than-life injury that she didn't care enough to research.
While she cooled off and waited for her opponents to recover, her eyes unconsciously skimmed through the people in their seats. Unbelievably, she ended up discovering a familiar face sitting on one of the flights of stairs interspersed between the rows of fans.
Asuka noticed her as well, or maybe she had been looking her way the entire time, as one-half of her mouth turned upwards in a broken grin and she lifted her hand in a small wave. Leo returned this with a small smile, feeling incredibly glad that she did indeed show up. The brunette then offered a thumbs up, most probably complimenting her performance, and Leo noticed the jacket that she had on, zipped all the way up to her chin.
She was not allowed to dwell on this further when Zafina smacked (though she would insist it was a pat) her shoulder, snapping Leo's attention back to Miguel and Steve.
Having been left feeling (for lack of a better word) messed up, Jin departed from the arena while escaping everyone's notice, a feat that was easy to accomplish at this point.
He walked with no end in mind, his legs moving simply because they could. The hazy light of the streetlamps, the chilling air clinging to his cheeks, nothing deterred his monotonous march. He was too distracted by the immense melancholy that had grasped him, causing his chest to seize up and his throat to ache. But of course, his eyes were still coated in dust.
It was a depressing low, unlike anything he had felt in recent memory, yet still not as severe as when he lost his mother. So thick was this cloud of sorrow that he could not register anything from his surroundings. He instead staggered in the cold, soaked to the bone from the grey fog.
Yet, despite being lost in his sorrow, he did note that he walked and ached in silence. For the first time in what felt like a lifetime, he was truly alone. There were no looming figures, no chilling voices ghosting their way to his ears, ripping off his flesh with every word and deriving strength from his weakness. He could breathe freely.
Perhaps this is what they called a mixed blessing.
Then, lightning struck through the mist. He was grasped firmly by the shoulder, the hand's owner unknown. He jumped from the shock, a shiver rippling down his spine as his senses recovered, his sight no longer blurry and his hearing no longer annulling. His heart slowed when he heard a familiar voice.
"Jin."
He let out a gust of breath.
"You're going to get lost at this point."
"I'll be fine," he reassured her, his voice low as he looked over his shoulder at his guest. "I have you stalking me."
"Old habits," Nina responded, releasing him and shrugging. "And I have nothing better to do."
Wordlessly, Jin resumed his walk. The two of them were walking side by side, a respectable distance between them.
"So, how'd it go with the brainless wonder?"
"I have no idea who you're referring to," he said, giving her the benefit of the doubt. She scoffed in reply.
"She's about my height and is one of your many fangirls."
"Nina," he addressed her, his air humourless. "You were the one who led her there."
The blonde didn't even break stride. "Honestly Jin, why would you think that? I can barely tolerate the child as it is."
"That was a statement, not a question."
The two of them had a short staring contest, Jin's severe and Nina's casual. But eventually, she sighed and folded her arms across her chest.
"I'm in no position to ask anything of you, but I don't want any more surprises. Of any kind."
"I get it," she acknowledged, before chuckling. "Your tender heart can only handle so much."
At that, the planned retort died in Jin's throat and the sentiment of feeling lost returned. He finally averted his gaze, stuffing his hands in his pockets. If Nina noticed, she was certainly doing a good job of making it vague.
When he didn't return her searching gaze, she shifted her vision to the dimly lit asphalt. "I just thought– No, it doesn't matter what I thought. It won't happen again, Boss."
After a moment of more silence, Nina snapped her head in his direction again. Her voice was slightly urgent when she spoke again. "Did that idiot say something? Because you don't need to listen to her Ji-"
"Nina, don't worry," he interjected, stopping the both of them in their tracks.
She was staring at him as if trying to see through to his mind, but her lips didn't even twitch. He ran a hand through his hair, causing his hood to slip off. This voice was exceedingly sombre when he attempted to articulate his feelings.
"It's… Everything seems clear. I can breathe freely… I don't feel trapped..."
His arm dropped to his side and he chanced a glance at his companion. Her thoughts were unfathomable from her expression. She reached out tentatively and he stayed still. She placed her hand on his forehead, brushing away his dark bangs, and he waited for her response.
Her hand was only slightly warm.
"You…" she trailed off, retracting her hand. Her hand then disappeared into the pocket of her jacket. "Then… why are you so sad?"
His throat throbbed as if forcing him to stay silent. They stood together, the ground attracting their attention.
"What does it feel like?"
That question certainly surprised him. He didn't think Nina would ever be curious about such things, but maybe they both had caught each other at vulnerable moments.
"It…" he trailed off, thinking of what to say. "… It's… crushing."
She closed her eyes, letting out a "Huh," in affirmation. He lifted his chin, taking in the sight of the sky. The starless, empty, and clear sky.
"And it's liberating."
She followed his example, the blue of her eyes dark and stormy. "That sounds a bit contradictory."
"It feels contradictory," he disclosed.
"And it's because of her?" Nina asked, facing him fully. He didn't reply, reminded of the force of her blows and the blunt cruelty in her words.
"Jin."
"I can't be sure."
That was a lie. He knew very well that it was all because of her.
He was sure that the brief moment where he could remember nothing was when the Devil had taken over. He didn't even have time to fear for her safety or the safety of the surrounding area. But the fact that he eventually came back just as quickly and she was still alive and conscious was baffling.
What had she done to survive?
But then he couldn't even question her because then she began her tirade.
He didn't know why her words affected him so badly. Lars had criticised his methods before, but it was easy for him to dismiss the man because he was speaking simply from opinion. Lars had involved himself in this whole mess only because of his own sense of good, something that Jin could quite easily rebut (not that either of them could ever adopt the view of the other).
But she yelled at him with the rage and loathing of someone who had been personally affected by misfortune. She didn't shy away from shouting every detail, throwing at him every accusation she could think of, half of which were valid terms. And it all somehow made him feel like even more of a waste of space.
And, most peculiarly, there was something else associated with this shame. Pity for her.
Of course, that feeling was still tiny compared to the gloom he felt, but there was a part of him that sincerely felt bad for her. The part that wanted to make up for it. Except this time disappearing from her life couldn't be the way to do it.
And he still needed to find out how she was still alive.
"That's not really a 'no'," Nina pointed out with an unamused face.
"What can I do about it?"
His tone wasn't even harsh, but Nina stopped. Only now realising how constricted his chest was, he released a sigh. He turned on his heel and called over his shoulder, "Let's get back."
Sure enough, the clacking of her heels followed him. Even when money was no longer on the table, she still acted like he controlled her.
"Before you disappear," the blonde woman began. "I wanna know something else."
Not even waiting for his approval, which actually comforted him more than he'd let on, she stated "Those two, Hwoarang and Ling Xiaoyu. When was the last time you even let them near you?"
Once again caught off guard, he couldn't answer straight away.
"You'd think after you had one jailed and the other escorted away, they'd have lost interest in you. But no, they've become the most prominent members of your fan club, more so than your moronic partner. Care to explain why that could be?"
"I honestly don't know," he admitted, shaking his head. "Your guess is as good as mine."
"Odd," she mused, less vindictive than before. "I thought you'd say something like 'We were friends once' or something equally cliché."
"Whether they considered me a friend, I can't say," he said, kicking a stray pebble absentmindedly. "But I only remember having one friend."
Nina did a brief double take, her face expressing her suspicion.
"I never told you," he acknowledged. "That was because I never considered it important enough to disclose."
She hummed in response, but he knew by now that that could mean a million things. The sounds of night-life became apparent soon enough as they approached the hub of the city.
"Nina," he muttered, catching her attention. "I'm afraid I have nothing to offer you this time around but… I could use your help."
Her countenance was impassive as she said, "I thought you didn't need any help from me?"
"After the position you put me in, I've realised it's better to keep you engaged than to leave you to your own devices," he explained, closing his eyes in annoyance. As such, he didn't catch her sneer.
"Well, I have been jobless these days," she intoned, shifting her weight to one leg before giving him a slight smile. "And, lucky for you, I'm not really hurting for money. Pleasure doing business with you again, Boss."
The fog was dispersing now. But once the wisps of smoke dissipated, his vision also cleared up. In the distance, he could make out a figure approaching, with eyes an icy silver.
"Thank you," he blurted out while he still could.
The ice pack was no stranger to her.
In fact, her attachment to the ice pack was second only to her attachment to her bike. Throughout the years, Asuka and the ice pack had established the closest of bonds over the many injuries she had acquired in her life. Though she had been seeing less of it in recent years, the familiarity was still there.
But she had to admit the familiarity only ran so far.
She wasn't accustomed to the cold sensation spreading through her neck. But, she thought as she lay on her bed with the pack situated on her collar, it was necessary. It certainly helped with the pain, but she would've also appreciated it if it made the bruise fade faster. Its presence was embarrassing to her, its existence tangible proof of what she could have lost.
Hell, she felt like a loser, even if she was the last one standing.
Maybe it was because she was as exhausted as he was at the end, maybe it was because she ended up talking a little too much and revealed some things that were better left unsaid, or maybe it was because she ultimately got no closure regarding her debacle.
Whatever the reason, she hated feeling like the loser. It was one of the worst feelings in the world.
Her wallowing was interrupted by a sudden and quick knock at her door. She wasted no time in answering, the pack slipping from her neck and landing on her bed as she rushed to her feet. At this point, she would've been happy to see even happy-go-lucky Xiaoyu.
She fumbled with the lock in her haste but eventually managed to open the door. Asuka only had enough time to recognise her visitor before they took it upon themselves to enter her room.
"Good to see you! I thought for sure you'd stick around after the fight but I couldn't find you anywhere. I assumed you'd come back here so that's where I went. And it turned out I was right!"
Asuka didn't have the chance to say anything when Leo started again "Wow! Your room looks really different from mine! Here I thought we all got the same structure, but then again I haven't been in any room apart from mine."
She then proceeded to check out every nook and cranny of her temporary abode, letting out the occasional comment of appreciation. And Asuka felt herself fuming again.
"So, is there a reason you came here or…?" Asuka trailed off, her ire leaking into her tone despite her attempts at control. Leo, however, didn't seem to catch it as she began to admire the curtains.
"I didn't think I needed an excuse to see a friend," Leo stated, nonchalantly, while running her hands across the fabric. "Wow, is this velvet? My room doesn't have velvet curtains. Lucky."
When she finished playing around with the curtains, Asuka thought she would bring her attention back to where it should have been. Instead, Leo walked over to the side table beside the bed, examining the table lamp. Asuka was sure her astonishment was plainly visible.
And yet, instead of confronting her directly about her distractedness, instead of blowing up over Leo not paying her attention after avoiding her for a week, she trudged over to the bed and retook her place, ice pack once again on her bruised neck.
Maybe it was because of her asshole partner, but the anger that normally followed frustrating things had been replaced with sadness. She couldn't feel indignant about the lack of attention her friend paid to her. She could only feel sad for herself. Sad about the lack of closure and the uncertainty of the future. And as a result, she just lay there with burning eyes.
Mere seconds ago, she would've preferred any company over being alone. Now, she wasn't sure what she would've wanted.
A few minutes went by, during which Leo continued her antics (she even rolled under her bed at some point) and Asuka just gave the occasional nod, hum or affirming word while staring at the ceiling. At some point, she wasn't really sure when, Leo let out a sigh and said "Alright, it's done. We can have a real conversation now."
Startled, Asuka sat up and latched her vision on Leo. The ice pack had fallen on her lap, threatening to give her exposed thighs frostbite, but she didn't particularly care at that moment.
"What does that mean?" Asuka probed, watching as Leo eased into a spare chair. Leo looked up, her flaxen locks shaking as she returned Asuka's gaze. Contrasting spectacularly with before, her countenance was that of seriousness.
"Asuka, let me start by saying I'm really sorry," Leo said, truly looking apologetic. "I'll let you talk but first let me get one thing out of the way. I was acting the way I was because of security."
"Security?" Asuka repeated, not liking the tone of the conversation at all. Leo nodded.
"Yeah, I was checking the room for bugs. I didn't want anyone listening in on our conversation."
This threw Asuka for a loop, and she essentially jumped to the edge of her bed. "What? Bugs?! Like the spy movie kind of bugs?! But, why would there be-"
"I happened across one in my room," Leo interjected. "No doubt, there must be more. Searching here though, I realised that this may only be the case with a few rooms. But there's a camera in yours as well as mine. So, it may be that they're on to me alre-"
"WHAT?!"
Asuka's hand slipped across the bed sheets as she jumped in surprise, causing her to tumble from the bed onto the floor in a heap. Leo was struck dumb from her display and remained silent as Asuka righted herself. The brunette was too preoccupied with clutching her aching head to notice the change in Leo's visage.
"Asuka, what happened to your neck?" she asked when Asuka sat down on the bed.
"Uh," she let out, momentarily distracted by the concern on Leo's face. But she recovered quickly, responding with "Yeah, interesting development. I'll tell you, but first… camera?!"
Leo still looked concerned when she spoke.
"Yeah, they have cameras installed in the room. They're some new type that the Zaibatsu has developed, really tiny-" she brought her forefinger and thumb close together "-so they're hardly visible. I found out about them during my investigations. But, seeing as they had planted bugs in my room, they don't seem to catch any sound."
Leo made to continue but Asuka quickly cut her off with "How could you not tell me this?!"
The blonde made a guilt-ridden look and looked at the carpet. "I'm so sorry. I should've told you as soon as I found out. I should've told all the other women too. But, I was too caught up in my work and there weren't any cameras in the bathrooms so I just assumed you all would be fine."
"Damn right you should apologise!" Asuka exclaimed, visibly shivering. "To think that I have people watching me sleep! God, that's creepy!"
"I know, I-"
Leo stopped, lifting her face up. Incredulity was all that was visible on her face. It prompted Asuka to ask, somewhat defensively, "What?"
There was an extended and awkward silence before Leo decided to respond.
"That was just… you know what, never mind. Not important," Leo shook her head. "The point is I had to make sure we weren't being listened in on before I told you what I was up to. So I'm sorry I was acting weird."
Once she had gotten over the shock of people spying on her, she felt herself physically relaxing at Leo's apologies. Her chest and throat didn't feel restricted, but her eyes were burning worse than ever and she ultimately scrunched them shut.
"Asuka?! Are you okay? I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to make you-"
"Leo, it's okay," she choked out, burying her head in her hands. "I just– Oh God, I've had such a shitty time lately…"
Asuka then relayed everything that had happened to Leo. She told her about the embarrassing defeat at the hands of Lars and Alisa, of the mad hunt for Jin with Xiaoyu, the blow-up between Xiaoyu and Hwoarang, the out-of-nowhere meeting with Miguel, the subtle taunting from Lili and, finally, the confrontation with Jin.
Asuka didn't leave anything out, elaborated on every feeling and thought that had plagued her during Leo's absence. And Leo listened to it all with only the occasional comment or reassuring word. By the end of it, Asuka definitely felt lighter and incredibly tranquil. She was reminded of how good it felt to get everything out.
"Wow," Leo hooted once Asuka ended her rant. "Quite the eventful week. But, in all seriousness, I'm really sor-"
Asuka held up a long since dried hand to stop her.
"Don't," she stressed. "You can make it up to me by telling me what the hell you've been up to. Especially since it's amazing enough to be warranting bugs in your room."
"Ah, right," Leo said, leaning forward in her seat. "Well, remember how I told you I was looking for anything related to my mother?"
Asuka nodded.
"Well, I've been stalking our beloved sponsor and hacking into a few G-Corp databases just for that," Leo stated casually, eliciting raised eyebrows and a low whistle from Asuka.
"So, you're like a spy?" Asuka inquired, her excitement obvious. Leo smiled sheepishly.
"I am what I have to be. But I've clearly been sloppy about it."
"So then, aren't you risking a lot by telling me this?" the brunette asked, the gravity of the situation sinking in.
"Maybe, but you deserve to know," Leo said, adding a slight smile to the sentence. And it was very effective at warming Asuka's heart. "Though, I don't think I'll be getting many opportunities to keep you updated. So, please don't assume the worst if I vanish again?"
Asuka hummed, eyes upturned in mock thought before she drawled "I don't know…"
"Asuka…"
"Alright, you've earned my forgiveness," she jibed. Leo rolled her eyes, but then they flicked to Asuka's bruised neck. This made her fumble for the ice pack.
"I really think you should see a doctor about that," Leo advised her as Asuka plastered the slightly wet pack to the affected site. "It might be restricting oxygen flow or something."
"It's only been a few hours…"
"Asuka, I'm serious."
"Yeah, I figured," she replied, slightly irked. Leo gave her a severe stare. "Alright, fine! I'll go tomorrow!"
"Good."
Asuka fell back onto the bed, tucking her arms under her bed as the cold slowly seeped through the muscles of her neck. She didn't like the idea of getting her bruise checked, as she really didn't want anyone else to catch sight of the injury, considering the humiliation she still felt at the thought of it and the one who caused it.
As if on cue, the bruise throbbed.
"What am I gonna do now, Leo? About the tournament… how am I gonna get anywhere now?"
Leo didn't respond, possibly because she couldn't think of any advice for once… which was an incredibly unsettling thought.
A part of her refused to accept defeat, especially considering what was on the line, but the (rarely vocal) rational side of her was trying to let her down gently. Bring her to terms with the idea that she was going to lose.
And she dismissed both of them, focusing instead on the chill spreading through her chest to her heart.
After a visit to the local infirmary, Asuka took her time walking back to her room. She had only gone on Leo's relentless insistence but was ultimately glad she had done so when she discovered the seriousness of that particular bruise. But even if she was grateful, she hid the few medicinal creams she had been recommended and bought within her bag and hid her injury from the world, her jacket having been zipped up fully.
God damn it, he just kept adding to her list of reasons to hate him. She'd definitely have to pay him back tenfold for it… that is if she ever saw him again.
He was impossible to find when she actively tried to find him yet was always in her face when she least expected it. And she essentially told him to get lost after their fight, but it wasn't like she expected him to listen to her. Oh God, what was she gonna do now that she was going to lose the next match for sure and she needed to stop thinking about this now.
Walking leisurely, she wondered what she would do now.
Leo would be busy, though Asuka wasn't sure what she was up to. Hwoarang had graciously decided to disappear, but she was somewhat okay with that. And she wasn't going to try to look for Xiaoyu, who would've approached Asuka herself if she was ready to speak to her. Training was something she decided not to consider today on account of her injuries, as minor as they were, and she didn't feel up to going sight-seeing.
Back to the room, it is, she thought with a little disappointment.
She eventually made it to the arena but froze at the sight of a thicker than usual crowd that lingered around the huge building. And when she caught sight of a camera around the neck of one of them, she automatically assumed the worst and fled the scene.
No, not today… She just couldn't deal with the paparazzi today!
It was almost God sent that they hadn't badgered her the previous two weeks, since the spotlight was on the new wrestler, and she wasn't sure if they would hound her if they spotted her now. But, frankly, she wasn't going to take that chance.
She swerved through the masses of people going about their day and ducked into a side street, trying to be discreet while thinking about what to do next.
Getting into the arena was not going to be easy, but her room was still the best option for retreat. Any other area would have her discovered eventually. Asuka decided on taking the 'backdoor', a path she used whenever faced with this situation that led to a usually unoccupied section of the arena.
Taking a quick breath, she rushed through the streets, occasionally butting into a passer-by and giving a hasty "Sorry!" but otherwise keeping a steady pace. She also made sure to take a few extra twists and turns for the sake of shaking off anyone following her.
Eventually, she made it to the blind spot of the arena where a couple of dumpsters were situated and the smell of rotting trash was prevalent. Relieved, she made her way past the trash to the door that led to the storage. And it was because of her lack of caution that she forgot to check for other people.
Before she could grab the door handle, someone gripped her shoulder and she heard a voice speak "Wait."
But she was too startled by the sudden contact and grabbed the hand, her crushing grip relinquishing the person's hold. And before she could do anything else, the hand was wrested away from her grasp, making her turn around and face the individual fully. He was immediately recognisable, his dark bangs peeking out from under his hood.
"Before you go off again," Jin interrupted as Asuka opened her mouth to hiss at him, "I need you to listen to me first."
Bonus Scene
Ten months ago…
"…and so we'll have to station a few of us here, seeing as it has the shittiest defence out of all our options. And if that goes well, we should move on to the next."
"But wouldn't it be a safer bet to stabilise the few checkpoints we have acquired? That way, we'd be prepared for an ambush."
"We don't have time to revisit areas. If we want to win this, we have to act quickly."
"But still-"
The discussion was interrupted by the sound of a door slamming open, followed instantly by loud, distinctly female yells and screams mixed in with Joon-gi and Arty's deep and ragged voices.
The cacophony had done a good job of stealing the attention of everyone at the meeting, so Hwoarang knew he wouldn't be able to ignore this. He looked up from the paper-laden desk to see what the commotion was about and Baek stepped out of the shadows to stand beside his pupil.
"Boss!" grunted Joon-gi, his volume just barely loud enough to be heard over the continued shrieking. "We have ourselves a trespasser!"
Arty and Joon-gi stepped into the light, their hands wrapped tightly around the arms of a young woman who refused to let up in her struggling, thrashing violently in the air.
"-GO of me! I swear you'll be sorry in a few minutes-"
Hwoarang's heart almost stopped when he recognised the intruder, his face switching from nonchalance to disbelief. A million questions raced through his mind, with the most prevalent being 'How the hell did she get here?'
"Spirited one, she is," Arty commented with a grin. "Beat through half of us before we could pin her-"
"Jesus, put her down," said the chagrined Rusty over the woman's complaints, his scowl plainly visible even while he clutched at his head. "At this rate, I'll save the Tekken Force a bullet and blow my own brains out."
"I agree," said Baek, his voice bringing Hwoarang out of his shock-induced state. "Release her. She's not with Mishima."
At that, Joon-gi and Arty let go of the woman, more so out of surprise than from obeying orders.
"What? You say that like you know her, co-Boss. What's the deal-"
Arty was interrupted by a kick to the stomach, courtesy of the enraged woman, that sent him flying. Joon-gi made to react, only for the intruder to incapacitate him with a strike to the neck. Before anyone else could react, Hwoarang froze his subordinates in their tracks when he said, "That wasn't really necessary, Xiaoyu."
"Boss?" Saki called out from her position. She stopped glaring at the pig-tailed girl to spare him a confused glance. Baek shook his head at her and Saki thankfully took the hint. When Xiaoyu walked up to Hwoarang, Saki and Yong quickly moved to assist Joon-gi and Arty.
"You're one to talk," she retorted. He had to admit, she was doing really good at appearing intimidating despite her swishing pigtails and glowing armbands. "Sic'ing your guards on me wasn't really necessary either."
"Well, we have rules around here," he stated. "And I had no idea it was you, anyway. But why are you here, Xiaoyu?"
Xiaoyu seemed offended by the statement, but was quick to reply.
"I heard rumours of the 'Blood Talon' engaging with members of the Resistance working against the Zaibatsu."
She folded her arms, tears glistening in her eyes despite her harsh stare. "I was hoping they were wrong. But… not only are you here, they're calling you 'Boss'… I can't believe you're the one in charge of this."
Hwoarang was taken aback by her tears, though that was hardly anything new, and as such was unsure how to proceed.
Explain everything? Ask that they discuss this elsewhere? Dismiss her?
All the while, he could feel the stares of his subordinates and knew they would want explanations too. Rusty especially had a suspicious look in his eye from his perch, and that spurred him to act.
"Xiaoyu, you must have seen everything Jin has been doing. I can't just sit still and let that jerk do whatever he wants," he said, a little venom unconsciously slipping into his tone at Jin's mention. She didn't back down at all, however.
"I get that, but this way isn't right," she pleaded, shaking her head. "I want to stop Jin too, but more people will end up getting hurt your way! I'm sure if I just got to him, I'd be able to convince him to stop!"
At this, a few of his comrades laughed, but there was no mirth in their voices.
"Sorry, sweetheart," Rusty jeered, flipping his dirty blonde hair out of his eyes. "In the real world, the only persuasion that works is the non-verbal kind."
Xiaoyu faced him fully, hands on her hips, and exclaimed "You all don't get it! I know Jin! He's a good person, and I'm sure he's got a good reason for all of this!"
At that, the entire room made their thoughts known.
"Wow, this girl is nuts."
"Yeah, I take her about as seriously as I take Lucky Chloe…"
"How naïve can you be?"
The mutterings continued and Hwoarang saw the hurt flash in her eyes despite her indignant expression.
"Guys!" Hwoarang found himself yelling out. The room fell silent almost instantly, a few people confused at the command. He turned to her again.
"Look-"
For the second time that night, the doors slammed open. This time, Xiaoyu's Panda came barging in with at least four of his men clinging to her fur.
"What the hell?!" yelled Jubei as he held onto Panda's back for dear life. "What even is this day?!"
A few members backed up straightaway, but Hwoarang was quick to issue orders. "Jubei, you and the others let it go! The rest of you, stay in your positions!"
"But, Boss-"
"Panda!" Xiaoyu called out, running to her furry guardian. Panda, upon spotting Xiaoyu, instantly stopped growling and roaring and became as docile as a lamb when her master began to pet her.
Jubei and the others who had clung to Panda immediately scattered. Hwoarang heard Jubei hiss "A freaking panda!" from somewhere in the room. In all the confusion, no one noticed Hwoarang try to approach the teenage girl.
"Xiaoyu-"
"I get it."
She was facing Panda, with her back to him, so her expression was ambiguous. "Clearly, you're all the same as the rest of the world. And here I thought you'd be on my side, Hwoarang…"
The sheer disappointment in her voice floored him and he couldn't do anything when she faced the room at large and declared "I will get Jin to stop! So you might as well stop before more people get hurt!"
And with that, she stomped away with Panda at her heels. The door slammed one final time and the room was left silent in her wake until Arty broke through the tense air.
"Well, that was dramatic."
"Not the time, Arty," Yong reprimanded.
The rest of the group eventually filled the room with their buzzing, most of them discussing what just happened, a few of them waiting for Hwoarang to explain. But he was still caught up in Xiaoyu's exit.
Hwoarang's mind conjured up the image of a terrified and injured Xiaoyu at the feet of that monster. His feet made to rush after her, but a firm hand grabbed his shoulder and stopped him in his place.
Mentor and student exchanged a gaze, and Hwoarang was reminded of his position. He was a leader. He had his place here. Going after her would be putting the needs of the few over the needs of the many.
Hwoarang gave Baek a nod and, once his shoulder was free of Baek's grip, he walked back to the desk.
"Boss?" Yong asked, tentatively.
"Forget her," Hwoarang asserted, waving him off. "She's not important."
"But, from the sounds of it, she's skilled enough to lay waste to half of our men."
Hwoarang whipped his attention to Rusty, who had finally gotten off the warehouse boxes to actively participate in the conversation.
"How are we certain that she won't be a threat? We can't just take your word for it."
You should be able to, by now…
"If she ever does cause us more trouble, I'll be the one to deal with her," he declared. This seemed to cause a simultaneous swallowing of multiple questions.
"But you know, we should make sure everyone's okay. I'm sure a fair share of our vanguard needs attending to," Rusty continued, pointing at Jubei. "You, get a team to check-"
"Rusty," Hwoarang seethed, looking the man in the eye. "Who gives the orders around here?"
The room fell into silence, Rusty raising his hands in apology and staring at Hwoarang coolly. Feeling everyone's eyes, Hwoarang felt the urge to curse loudly.
God fucking damn it! It's all because of Xiaoyu...
Taking a deep breath, he reassured himself that there was no way she'd be able to get close to Jin. That thought comforted him slightly and he switched back to the present.
"Saki, Martin, Yong, I need you three to check up on everyone who was injured. Jubei, Arty, Joon-gi, take whoever is fit and go scout the parameters again. Make sure no one else snuck in…"
I HAVE RETURNED!
Yes, the release of Tekken 7 just gave me plenty of motivation to continue this! Bought the game as well and have been playing the shit out of it. My opinions of the story are mixed but are irrelevant to this story so whatever.
I will say, however, that I am disappointed with Asuka's story and I've concluded that she won't ever be important to the story. Sad, but that's what fanfiction is for ^^
On the bright side, Tekken 7 did inspire me with ideas for more fics, mostly involving a few of the new characters, of whom Shaheen is my favourite! Seriously, they need to add him to the character list on this website! Whoever can do something about this, please do something about this! Claudio and Katarina are there so why isn't Shaheen? T.T
On another note, I will be reviewing the previous chapters and fixing a few issues here and there but Chapter 1 will have to be re-written from scratch. I will replace the old version with a new one when I put up the next chapter so I guess that's something to look forward to?
Chapter title is a song lyric from 'Lithium' by Evanescence.
Thanks to everyone who favourited, followed and reviewed! You all are amazing and really make my day!
May Peace Be Upon You.