Jin walked out of the temple in deep thought. So many worries swam around in his head, each one demanding more attention than the next. He wondered if he'd be caught and killed by Hehachi before he could figure it out. He went back to his quarters and lied on his bed, but he dared not fall asleep for fear of being plagued by nightmares.
"Your not gonna lay in bed for the rest of the day are you? There are a few good hours of sunshine left!" said a perky voice. Jin looked over to see Xiayou, peeking her head in his doorway. Jin sat up slowly.
"Why what is there else to do." He asked.
"Nothing fun really, but come on! I'll show you around the place." Jin got up walking towards the doorway. Xiayou clasped his hand and pulled him along, as if he would run away. For a moment, Jin wondered if he should.
Xiayou's tour consisted of them walking about the gardens pointing out nearly every flower in the garden and fish in the brook. But strangely enough Jin found himself listening to her. Xiayou's youthful innocence and excitement for everything in life could be annoying at times, but at times it seemed a bit appealing. Jin didn't have to muse long to know exactly what he found attractive in her, the fact that she was fresh and young, untainted by hatefulness of others, untouched. It was a basic instinct, he thought, to strive for new things. Even if you are going to mess it up in a future, knowing it was yours first gives you a certain pride, a sense of security even. Or could it be he was catering to a more evil instinct to take away innocence and defile what was pure…
"Jin, are you listening?" she said knocking him out of his train of thought, which was just as good because he didn't think it the least proper in context to Xiayou.
"Uh, yeah." He said, "Xiayou, how old are you?"
She rolled her eyes giving an exasperated sigh.
"Fifteen."
"You don't like that age?"
"No I don't like that question, whenever someone asks me my age it's either because they are trying to put me in my place, or in the case of a guy, he's wanting to know if I'm old enough to date." Jin chuckled,
"Is that so?" This young girl was wiser than she let on. Xiayou only rolled her eyes.
"Here we are!" She said making a grand motion toward the barn like structure they were standing in front of. Before Jin could question, she grabbed his hand pulling him inside the building.
"I saved the best for last." She said excitedly. It took a second for Jin's eyes to adjust to the dim inside lighting, but nesting snugly, snoring away in the far corner of a stall he saw a panda.
"This is Panda. Aww she's sleeping! Isn't she darling?" said Xiayou. Darling? Jin had seen this bear fight at the tournament and she had been anything but.
"You must have seen her fight at the tournament. That old jerk Hehachi! He made me do it. Said he wouldn't let me compete even after I'd paid my entry fee if I didn't let Panda fight. I would have dropped the whole deal, but Panda said she wanted to." Panda said? Jin refrained from commenting on that last bit of information.
"You know what else? He promised me an amusement park, and then when I got there what did he show me? Hehachi land! Of all the dirtiest, low brained schemes! I'll tell you now, I socked that old man right in the jaw!"
"Let me get this strait," asked a highly amused Jin, "you struck Hehachi?"
"Knocked his dentures clean out of his head!" said Xiayou proudly, "I don't care if he is an elder, he was, and still is, a jerk. He got what was coming to him. And I'll have you know that place didn't last for a hot minute. Millions of dollars all down the drain, cause nobody wants to go to Dirty Old Man Land!"
Xiayou giggled and Jin found himself laughing to, for the first time in a while. After a couple more minutes of them looking at each other and busting into fits of laughter, they finally composed themselves and Xaiyou continued.
"Not that I didn't pay for my little tantrum. Spent six days in a jail cell afterwards, but Hwoarang came and bailed me out." She said. It was then that the sounds of a motorcycle could be heard in the distance, growing increasingly louder as the perpetrator neared.
"Hwoarang must be back!" Xiayou squealed, as she ran towards the exit.
"We'll come and bother Panda some other time when she's awake." Said Xiayou looking back at Jin who followed. Jin pushed the heavy door open, allowing Xiayou to scamper out. Hwoarang had parked and dismounted his bike some twenty feet from the building Xiayou and Jin emerged from.
"What were you two doing in the barn?" Said Hwoarang, half playfully but with some hint of concern in his voice.
"What's it to you?" said Xiayou tauntingly.
"Nothing short of looking at a sleeping bear." Said Jin, giving Xiayou a stern glance.
"Sleeping bears can only rouse one's interest for so long." Said Hwoarang.
"Were it you in the barn instead of me, I'm sure that would be true." Said Jin coolly.
"What's in the bag! What did you bring me huh?" said Xiayou, calling all attention to her, as she dug through the pouch affixed to Hwoarang's motor vehicle.
"Hey! What are you- get outta there!" said Hwoarang attempting to snatch an item from her that had been taken from his bag.
"Oooooo, your gonna get in trouble!" said Xiayou clutching the package close to her stomach as she turned every which way to keep Hwoaang from getting it.
"No…I'm…NOT!" grunted Hwoarang as he finally finagled the packet out of her hands. He held his trophy high taunting Xiayou with it as she flailed her arms jumping wildly to get it back. Jin observed the desired object to be a plastic bag wrapped around a fist-sized amount of dried up leaves.
"Whose gonna bust me, the fake ninjas? Ain't no cops round here."
"Looks like Jin's gonna bust you." Said Xiayou. The two turned to look at Jin who returned their looks with one of contempt. Giving marijuana to a fifteen-year-old? Had he no shame!
"Puh-lease! If you don't want none that's more for me! Now I'm heading to the kitchen to get some chow, getting the munchies just thinking bout blazin'!" said Hwoarang pulling Xiayou along by her waist toward the direction of the dining hall. Jin seemed though, to be steadily going in another direction. Xiayou turned around,
"You're not coming Jin? Where you going?"
"Where ever you two aren't," said Jin under his breath. Xiayou didn't get to confirm exactly what Jin said before Hwoarang tugged her again nearly causing her to stumble.
"Rrraaw! I'm hungry!" he said playfully biting at her shoulder.
"Okay, alright!" she said, and the two jogged towards the dining lodge.
Jin opened his eyes to find himself underneath a blinding assault. The sun. Had last night passed that quickly? Apparently yes. Ewww. There was a most foul taste in his mouth, no doubt from the weed he had smoked. Jin rubbed his forehead with his palm, but it didn't make his image any clearer. Just how long would it take this stuff to wear off? Jin was sourly disappointed in himself. For though physical strength comes and goes, strength of character is the mark of true virtue. He couldn't think of a time in his life when he wasn't completely adverse to any type of drugs or alcohol, but when it came right down to it, he buckled under peer pressure like the average loser high-school kid.
"What's done is done." Jin thought, "But I have bigger worries to think about."
Jin looked about room with large pillow cushions that covered nearly the entire floor of the small room, annoyed at how he had managed to fall asleep in the one corner with out a single soft item. He could Xiayou and Hwoarang sleeping somewhat soundly. Groggily, Jin stretched then let out a monstrous yawn.
"Damn man! Could you yawn quieter?" said a now awakened Hwoarang. He to stretched out, taking notice of the sleeping angel at his feet.
"Aww she so cute when she's asleep." Said Hwoarang.
"She's cute when she's awake." Said Jin. That last comment earned a sharp glance from Hwoarang. Jin then stood up, which seemed to send the world around him into chaos, as the room started spinning before his eyes.
"Wow, you really are trying to get up there, buddy." Said Hwoarang, commenting on Jin's attempt at standing up. Jin sighed, holding his head with his hands,
"Well, I know I should get up and shower now, that is if I want to leave today." Said Jin. Upon hearing this, Hwoarang stood up sharply, experiencing much of what Jin had in his previous attempt at the same act, but Hwoarang did not waver from the subject.
"You're not seriously considering going back to your home are you? I thought you were just tripping man." He said.
"Yes I am, and no I wasn't." said Jin. Hwoarang stumbled a bit over Jin's response before he continued,
"What the hell do you think you're going to find there?"
"I'm not sure yet, that's why I'm going."
"You think you're going to find Hehachi there? You're probably going to find Hehachi there, I mean common sense I guess, they're looking for you, they always steak out your house don't they."
"Then I'm going to find Hehachi there."
"Now that's the part where all logic fails you. You are running from Hehachi, why would you go to where you think he might be."
"Because I'm not running any more. Eventually Hehachi will hunt me down and kill me. Why not face him and see who the better man is?"
"If you wanna get the big guy, there's not doubt in my mind you can do that. But it's not done by rushing into traps. It's done by sitting back, planing, and observing what the next best move is. You can't just walk into his house and expect to kill a powerful guy like Hehachi. Face it, you were tripping last night and you still are now."
"No," said Jin firmly, "I came to a conclusion, I just happened to be high at the time, it doesn't make it any less valid."
"The fuck it doesn't! Dude, you were FUCKED UP last night! You get me? Any idea you came up with should seriously be considered before you go out and try it. Shit, why am I still talking to you, you're still high! Once you come down, I'm sure you'll see there's no point in leaving the temple not when Hehachi's' hot on your trail. Chances are there's nothing there, just your old house, and maybe a new family living in it. What's the point, you'll travel all that way for nothing."
Xiayou stirred beneath them, obviously waken by the aggressive voices of the two young men standing above her.
"My house was burned to the ground," said Jin, he then walked out of the room silently.
"Where's he going?" said a weary Xiayou.
"Nowhere if I can convince him of it." Said Hwoarang.
Two hours later everyone had showered, and packed whatever items they wanted to bring into the golden sedan they would be driving on their road trip to Jin's home. Hwoarang had given up arguing the trip long ago, feeling if he couldn't beat him, he would join him, and accompany Jin on the trip. Xiayou said her good-byes to her panda and headed back to the car before the boys left her behind, which she didn't doubt they would try to do. Her argument for this one had been clean, clear, and concise. If there was no eminent danger, then there was no reason she couldn't come. If there was, then they needed her to help them fight. Leaving her behind, because it was too dangerous, would be denying her fighting ability, which was not something either of the men wanted to test her of at the moment. So she was coming. Though she didn't understand why they had to leave at noon, they couldn't wait until the next morning so they would have more light to travel by?
"Men," Xiayou sighed, leaning her head on the window in the back seat of the car as it rolled out of the temple grounds. She couldn't begin to fathom their pride and ignorance.
Somewhere along the way Xiayou had closed her eyes and dozed off. When they opened again, the car had come to a stop. It wasn't quite pitch dark yet, as she could see a hint of navy blue in the sky.
"Get out of the car already." Said Hwoarang, as he opened the door that she was leaning upon. She grumbled at her stiffened muscles as she pushed herself of the car seat.
"Where are we?" she asked.
"We're here." He replied. Xiayou rolled her eyes.
"Oh yeah, that's a lot of information. Are we at Jin's home yet."
"We're in his home town. Come on, we're gonna check into this inn for the night."
It was a strange group indeed that walked in that evening. A trio in the form of two brawny young men and a stout but lean girl. The first man, the black haired man, had entered very inconspicuously, cautious even, glancing about as if to check the surroundings. But this tone wasn't long lasting, as directly behind, the door burst open with abnormal energy, from what the host was used to seeing having worked there for the better part of her young life. A bright red head was the first thing to catch her eye, followed by the toned body to which it belonged. Rather unseemly looks were exchanged between the two, but before any real tensions could surface, a distraction walked between them in to form of a young shapely girl. A girl, which the hostess thought, looked much to young to be hanging with these young, strong looking men. Unconsciously, their gazes locked upon her as she walked past then stopped to twirl around to wink and blow a kiss at them both. Comic relief having relived all tensions, the crew headed towards the front desk of the lobby.
"Rooming for three?" said the black haired gentleman, the girl was currently having a tickle war with the red head young man. Jokura, only nodded, bringing up the information on the monitor.
"That's him, that's really him." Jokura's heart and mind raced in unison. "I thought- we all thought, he was dead…"
"How much?" asked Jin, pulling the girl out of her thought.
"Oh yes, um, we don't have any such rooms, um, with three beds that is, you could rent a two-bed and a one-bed?" she said. By now even more distrubing thoughts were plaguing the hostess' head. Could this be some type of sick dream? They said no remains were found in the fire, could Jun and Jin Kazamaa have faked their deaths? Could Jin have burnt the house down killing his mother and come back for unfinished business? Jin nodded his head,
"That will be fine-."
"Hey money bags you forget who's treatin' this time round? A two-bed room will be fine." Overruled Hwoarang, "I'm sure he can sleep on the floor in the corner of the room or something." He motioned to Jin, who motioned back, scratching his jaw line with his middle finger prominently displayed- to Hwoarang.
"AH-hem." Hwoarang then coughed, seeing it fit to cover his mouth with a fist in which his middle finger was also prominently displayed- to Jin. Hwoarang turned his attention back to the young, pretty, inn worker taking the room-keys from her.
"Thank you so much, miss, and it would be my pleasure to come back down here and pester you about all the cozy little details of the charming place, if its not an inconvenience to you in any way." He flashed his killer smile.
"No problem to me at all, ask me anything any time, I'll be here all night." She smiled back. Jin rolled his eyes.
"If you're done here, we like to find our rooms now?" Jin said pulling his arm around Xiayou.
"The elevator up is down the hall way to your right. Your room should be indirectly across from it once you reach you floor." Said Jokura.
"You know that chick?" said Hwoarang to Jin in their elevator ride up.
"Jokura Hashiba. Tom-girl turned pretty-girl in sixth grade once the hormones hit her. This inn has been in her family for generations, it's famous for the hot-spring baths out back." Said Jin.
"Hmmm… sounds goooood. I think I'll be checking that out later on." Said Xiayou.
"Cute chick," said Hwoarang referring to the lobby hostess, "She seemed to know your face pretty well Jin- you bang her or something?"
"NO! She was apart of a group of kids that practically hated my guts." Said Jin "And everyone knew everybody in this town; I'm not kidding." Hwoarang chuckled,
"Ha, you were a dork Jin! I bet you didn't have an friends at all." He laughed out loud. Jin growled, his memories of social exclusion in his home. It wasn't easy being the town bastard. His mother being a new comer to the sheltered town, alone and unmarried and none the less a teacher at his own school. Not that it mattered to him; he loved his mother, and loved being around her. Jin sighed, he didn't look upon his childhood memories as that happy, but what he wouldn't give now, to be back there again, spending his recess eating lunch with his mother.