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 underlined, then it is Devil.
Generally, if it is in italics and has singular quotation marks ( ' ' ) then it is Mental Speech.
Don't own any characters except Razer, Detective Burton and the rest of the gang (excluding Hwoarang).
All other characters belong to Namco.
Chapter Fourteen: Feminine Adventure
When dawn broke, Razer Athane left the safety of Hwoarang's arms, and went to train immediately in an attempt to contain the frustration of more haunts, which were only dispelled upon the Korean waking her. He didn't sleep, apparently, and she felt very guilty for that. So the 20-year-old Greek left early during the time he actually managed to fall asleep, and went off without breakfast to quench her desire for another adrenalin rush.
When she had arrived, she found Christie there, her body gracefully whipping through the air as if it were nothing. She stood on her feet after performing the Mirage move, and smiled at her 'friend', waving her over. Reluctantly, the Hybrid Martial Artist went over and spoke with her for a while, before the Brazilian successfully showed Razer how to do the handstand properly (Athane remembered her shameful attempts two years ago and laughed at herself after she managed to do it right this time), after an hour or so of one-on-one practice. Silently, she thanked God that someone like Marduk wasn't around to tease her. It was deserted. Just the two of them.
"Just keep doing it right and then you'll be able to do some of the other moves, okay Razer?"
"I feel like a whore presenting myself… considering my legs are fucking apart like this."
Christie laughed and watched as Razer fell back on her ass happily, and look up at her through dying green eyes, "You're kinda fun you know. You're not as bitchy as I first thought you were. Steve was telling me you're actually an interesting character. And well, you are."
"Thanks Christie. You're quite a hyper character yourself. At least you control it, unlike Xiao."
"Is that the little girl who likes pink…?" She asked, sitting cross legged in front of the Hybrid Martial Artist.
"Yeah. She was an annoying motherfucker two years back, but she's settled down a bit now, which is good."
The 19-year-old nodded, somewhat understanding, and continued to speak, "Hmmmmm. I was kinda wondering why the hell she was complimenting my shirt… I personally hate it. I dunno why I packed it. Feels like my boobs are gonna fall out any second, even now, considering I'm wearing it, despite the fucking clip!!"
Razer grinned and swung her legs to the side, "You and I are going to get along reeeeally well."
"I don't know about your other friends, though… I feel like a bit of an outcast."
"You'll get along with Hwoarang really well. Dunno about the others, though. Maybe Miharu too."
"Hwoarang and Miharu?" She queried, furrowing her eyebrows.
"Hwoarang is the guy that always is with me. The redhead. And Miharu is the girl with Xiao all the time."
"Ohhhh. That's the guy you were being weird with, right? Not in an offensive way but I mean… Girl, you were saying the exact same things at the exact same time with the exact same tone of voice. Do you know how fucking scary that was!? It was weird and awesome, all at the same time!!"
She smirked a little and looked from Christie's face and looked to the floor, "Yeah. That's him."
"Why the long face…?"
Razer shook her head and looked back up a little, attempting to smile honestly, "It doesn't matter."
"No really, tell me."
After at least ten minutes solid of explanation to her new friend, the Greek had found herself scratching at her palms again, indicating her restless mind. Christie absorbed all of this newly acquired information carefully, asking questions where she felt necessary, and feeling sympathy at certain times for this situation.
"I don't know what to do…" Razer finally said, resting her head in her hand, completely lost.
Christie put a hand on her shoulder and looked at her in the eyes, "Honey, you got to tell Hwoarang the truth. You can't hide your relationship with Jin forever. It's gotta come out sometime, and you need to do it in a way so that you will all remain friends, so that he's not tearing Jin's head off, so that he'll still care about you as much as he does now, only different, and so most important of all, he doesn't get hurt. Six years… is a long time to have such strong feelings for someone. If you don't tell him in the most suitable way, it could destroy him."
She smiled a little, "Four years was painful enough…"
The Brazilian grinned a little, "Try eight years, then come and talk to me. My crush is a handful!"
"Who?"
"Eddy Gordo."
If Razer had a keyboard, this is what she would've probably typed up: 'a-er090h8trh8renh09t8hubn t WHAT THE!?' EDDY!! She glared at him, amazed, shocked, astonished, surprised and all, "Eddy? You know Eddy?"
"Yeah. He taught me Capoeira since I was eleven."
"Cool."
"You and Eddy went to the last tournament… Did you know him?"
"Yeah. He was complaining about his fight against old man Mishima. I quote: 'He's gonna kill me five times before I hit the ground!! I'm a thousand percent sure I'm screwed…'. I'm surprised I remember… His facial expressions were hilarious."
"I just want to find him and make sure he's alright. He has disappeared."
Razer frowned unhappily, "Aw that sucks… I'm sorry."
Christie pulled her legs up against her chest, "I don't know if I feel the same anymore, though. I do a little, I think… But it doesn't matter. I care about him and still want to be friends. I guess that's all that matters."
"Do you like Steve?" The 20-year-old suddenly found herself asking.
"A little… Why?"
"No reason. I just picked it up on how you acted around him a bit."
Christie furrowed her eyebrows, her dangerous temper flaring slightly, "Acted around him?"
"Kinda clingy, ya know… What, were you expecting me to say whore-ish? Please."
There was a pause, then loud howls of laughter from both ends. The Capoeiraist was the first to gain control of it, "Ohhhhh, I'm gonna have a lot of fun here. Screw losing to Heihachi! I've got funny friends!!"
Razer smiled and stood, turning to leave, "I'm gonna go now, okay? I'm a little hungry."
"I'll come with ya! Maybe we can grab some food from down town or something."
"Alright, we'll give it a whirl."
"I gotta warn you, Razer… I can't read Japanese."
"Neither can I."
"Doesn't matter, let's try anyway!! It'll be fun. Besides, you need to loosen up a bit."
She rolled her eyes and walked out with the Brazilian girl, glad to have someone with such a positive outlook on her side, because really, since the last tournament's events… everyone had gone down hill.
"This is fucked, doesn't anyone here know English?!" Christie crowed, folding her arms.
Razer shook her head and smirked a little, "No. Not even at the last tournament."
"Christ, ya would've thought by now that SOMEONE WOULD SPEAK ENGLISH!!"
"Should I just end our torment and call someone?"
"No. It's fun anyway."
"The only place I know is the ice cream store, and it is closed."
"Well, damn."
Razer's phone rang. Knowing who it was, she picked it up and answered with her normal greeting, "What?"
"Where the fuck are you?"
Her eyes narrowed in slight agitation, "I'm out Hwoarang, with Christie. We're looking for food."
"Room service," He quipped, his voice still rather groggy, indicating to the Greek he had just woken up.
"Room service food is disgusting."
The Blood Talon spoke with a slight chuckle, grinning. She could hear movement in the background, like he was turning on the TV or throwing the covers back over her bed, "And you're going to find something better on your little feminine adventure, considering you, and probably Christie as well, can't read or speak Japanese?"
"We will find something."
The sigh that came was unquestioningly accompanied by eye rolling, "Go five shops right from the ice cream store. They speak English and give standard breakfasts, like toast, bacon and eggs and what not."
"Oh, I love you."
"…I'm sure you do…" He replied bitterly, with heavy elements of sarcasm, hanging up thereafter.
Razer blinked for a moment before her face turned into a scowl. She texted him a message and slipped her phone hastily into her pocket, turning to the waiting Monteiro girl, "Follow me. Asshole gave me directions."
"Asshole?"
"HWOARANG. Geez."
"Oh. Sorry, I was a bit preoccupied. I didn't hear you mention him in the conversation."
They started to walk, looking for food, "Preoccupied with what, fantasising over Eddy and Steve porn?"
She laughed and then shook her head, "No. I just never realised how pretty the morning is here in Japan…"
Razer came to a stop and looked behind her, seeing the sun shine brightly but low in the sky. The mist in the air reminded her of the early mornings at the dojang, and how often she would just stand there to watch it dissipate. She used to truly love those times, but at the moment, hated it for the memory it brought back.
She turned away and continued walking to the given area, feeling the mist still around.
"Mist is annoying," Hwoarang retaliated blandly, battering it away from his face.
Razer raised her eyebrow and looked at him, "Are you on crack? It's cool!!"
"Pfft."
"Hwo –"
"P-fuckin'-fft."
"C'monnnnnn."
He growled, looking at her briefly from the corner of his eyes, "It's fucking up my view of the sunrise!!"
She smiled a little and looked back to the scenery, "Mmmmkay… Whatever you reckon."
Around a minute or so later, the smile couldn't help but grow further and spread to the other person, as he gently took her left hand into his right, and stayed there together, leaning against the walls of the dojang outside on the veranda, continuing to watch the sunrise majestically.
He inhaled more of his cigarette, something he had managed to secretly start up due to the stress of the army, disregarding the sms that read 'what's wrong', before cursing his brain for conjuring up that fucking memory. It just made everything harder. Hwoarang furrowed his eyebrows as he leant his head against the wall and allowed the smoke to trickle from his lips slowly, still in thought.
To be honest, he was scared. Not pissed off, as he had sounded, but scared. His fucking fears were letting out in his mind, and were starting to come across verbally, though silent and disguised. Very disguised indeed.
Something else was going on between his best friend and his rival, which was shit. Screw the whole 'he understands me' stuff, the Korean already knew that. Jin would understand Razer at levels he wouldn't be able to ever comprehend, unless he too managed to acquire the Devil Gene. That leads to being able to speak to each other through their heads, and probably the care in which Kazama looks after Athane where necessary.
The cigarette flew up to his mouth, where he inhaled some more of that intoxicating smoke before blowing it out once again, still thinking. He remembered the look on her face she used to sometimes get whenever she'd look at a particular other Tae Kwon Do student that used to train with Baek every so often, even if he was only there for about three months. It was the 'crush' face, he called it… He was so fucking jealous –
What the hell was he to be jealous about this time!? She doesn't love him!! She doesn't love him the same way she loves he, the Blood Talon!! She doesn't fucking love Kazama at all!! Not one. Motherfucking. Bit!!
Then why is it so hard to believe that…? Hwoarang thought quietly, throwing his cigarette on the pavement, crushing it with his foot. He looked up, seeing King pass by, and Nina a little while after. He looked into the distance to see two female figures approaching the hotel, one withdrawn, the other outgoing.
Back from the feminine adventure already? That was a bit fucking quick, but what-fucking-ever.
As much as I want to believe it… I won't be able to…
"Hwoarang!!" Christie yelled, waving one arm rapidly, smiling, still a fair distance away, but not too far.
He turned away from the hotel's wall, from her, and went back inside, breathing in the threat of tears.
…because I know I'm wrong.
Author's Note: Kerblah! –fails to scare you- lol. Anyway. For the sake of being technical, I'm aware that Eddy and Christie haven't known each other for that long… -.-; So don't start running around like a headless chicken going 'OH MY GOD YOU MADE AN ERROR' and stuff, kay? I know. So until next time –waves-