A/N: Okay, I'm back! During these past months I must have had a Tekken mind blockade or something. I started writing other stories, among them there are some of my own and I really got into it. This story, or the first chapter to be more precise, was written a long time ago, but I couldn't bring myself to write more. For me it's a big project (considering the fact that I usually write one-chapter stories) and I think the idea must have grown up in my mind for some time. But now I feel ready to finish it (I've already started writing the second chapter) and so here I am! Hope you will enjoy it, 'cause it's a little different from what I wrote previously, but still, the general idea stays the same - it's going to be Xiaoyin, but in a different way. Anyway, I've been working on my grammar, so if you could tell me whether I have made some improvements or not, I would greatly appreciate it!
Oh, and just for the record - I have changed my pen name.
I hope I would be able to finish this story...
Tekken belongs to Namco.
Title Tropical Heat was used without permission.
Tropical Heat
Chapter One: The Fight
Ling Xiaoyu have always loved the sunsets; the red oval hiding behind the horizon, surrounded by fluffy clouds formed in beautiful shapes and painted in thousands of colors have infected her imagination and soothed her mind. She loved sitting outdoors in the warm evenings and just watching this simple phenomenon, thinking about everyday's matters and enjoying the gentle waves of summer air. The beauty of the hiding sun was the best way for her to end a day.
And adding to that view the tropical climate of the island and the azure of the ocean, it could have been the complete satisfaction. Unfortunately, the place where Xiaoyu was in wasn't appropriate to admire the setting sun. The island was the property of Heihachi Mishima, the president of the Mishima Zaibatsu company, for which the Fourth Iron Fist Tournament was on. At least that was the official reason for its opening. Xiaoyu knew that something else was behind it.
She was walking the concrete road, rimmed by long and luxuriant grass, towards the main building complex. She was wearing a tracksuit pants, crop top, a sport zipped jumper and trainers. Her two pigtails jumped lightly in the rhythm of her steady pace. She was returning from the training hall, when she had spent couple of hours preparing herself for tomorrow's fight. She didn't look very tired; she got used to everyday's physical exertion. Apart from that she couldn't afford showing a sign of weakness, not during the Tournament. A few minutes ago the fights chart for tomorrow was hung on the main notice-board, and Xiaoyu was making her way to see who would be her opponent. She didn't want to show it, but she was a little bit nervous. She did so well and reached a high position in general ranking and above all she didn't want to let herself down by losing tomorrow's fight. And it all depended on whom she would be fighting.
She stepped into the huge main hall and headed left to a corridor, at the end of which a large notice-board hung. She passed by Paul Phoenix, a veteran of Iron Fist Tournaments, who gave her a weak comforting smile. What? Am I fighting Jin or something? she though, while returning the smile. Everyone around knew they were close friends. To Xiaoyu her relationship with Jin was hard to clearly define. They had always been best friends and were often seen together. But she had to admit that her feelings towards him were stronger than friendship. Sometimes she even thought that Jin didn't want to be just a friend to her as well. Nevertheless, she never had an occasion to tell him how she felt about him, because one day he just disappeared. It was at the end of the Third Tournament. He didn't leave trace of where he left, but one day Xiaoyu received a message from him. It was clear that he would be participating in the Fourth Tournament. And he came back, after two years. Her feelings didn't fade, on the contrary, they became even stronger, but Jin had changed. He seemed so lost; something was hunting him deeply inside, and Xiaoyu felt that right then he needed a friend. She would wait, no matter how long.
Without slowing down she came up to the notice-board, took a deep breath, and begun her search for her name. She found it after a few seconds but just then her eyes opened widely.
Right next to hers was the name of Kazuya Mishima.
Something run down her body. Xiaoyu couldn't precise if it was a shiver of excitement or creeps of fear. She kept looking at the board as if she didn't want to believe the words written black on white. She then slowly turned round, trying to change the expression of her face in order not lo let anybody see how wobbled she was. She smiled weakly at Christie Monteiro, who was just passing her by, hurrying to see the list. Xiaoyu walked straight to the door and didn't see how Christie turned her face to Chinese girl after she had read the names. Maybe it was even better, because she didn't see Christie's concerned look. Everyone knew how Kazuya fought – ruthlessly. Eddy Gordo until then had stitches on his face, not mentioning the broken ribs.
Xiaoyu left the building and stopped for a while to draw some fresh evening air into her lungs. She looked around to make sure nobody had seen her like that. Definitely she didn't want to make everyone see she was a little frightened by the way things had turned out. After she assured herself that there was nobody in her purview, she started her way with slow pace, trying, as hard as she could, to make it look calm, in the first direction that came into her mind. She didn't wish to see anybody on her way; soon everyone would know, and Xiaoyu wanted to avoid any conversations about it. As much as she didn't want to see the gazes and smiles filled with compassion. She may make it, she wasn't a sweet child who played at the arena anymore, her skills had improved much since then, and she knew that if she tried really hard, maybe nothing serious would happen to her. But how the hell was she supposed to win with Kazuya Mishima? The only way was to find a weak point in his technique, but to find that she would have to recall every detail of his fighting style. She doubted Heihachi would allow her to see the tapes with fights' recordings. She sighed heavily. And held the air in her lungs when a sudden thought came into her mind. Jin was used to fighting practically the same style! Xiaoyu knew some of his weak points and maybe she could use them against Kazuya. The expression on her face brightened when a light smile of triumph appeared on it. But then quickly faded, when she realized another fact.
„Jin" she whispered.
She stopped. Again, thousands of thoughts begun to hunt her mind. She wondered if he already knew. And if so, what would he do? She knew what the relations between them were, she knew how much he hated his father, and the only thing she didn't know was why. Damn. She found herself in the middle of that conflict. When Jin had found out that his father was also in this Tournament, he told her to stay away from him. None of them considered the possibility of fighting him. It was a situation without exit.
She walked like that lost in thought and only after a while she realized that she was at the end of the road. There, before her was a precipice, over which there was something that looked like a terrace, with a view on the ocean. But nobody seemed to come here. They were practically only fighters on this island, and they were too concerned about the Tournament to admire the beauty of the ocean.
The sun was setting. The light breeze was skimming her face making her pigtails move in a frantic dance. The waving wind and a gentle sound of water calmed her mind, giving her a few moments of relaxation. She stopped thinking about anything.
She didn't know how long she was standing there. The sun had already hidden behind the horizon leaving only reflections of the light on dark water. The weather got cooler, so Xiaoyu crossed her arms around her chest in order to keep warm. After a while she lowered her head and turned round slowly with the aim of coming back to her room. She loosened her hands and when she looked up, she stopped mechanically, feeling her heart beating faster when she saw someone standing motionless a few feet from her. It was Jin, in that dark jacket of his. She calmed down and sent him a light smile. He tried to smile back, but the expression on his face almost didn't change. He made a few steps, passed her by and came up to the rail, leaning his hands over it. He started looking at the ocean. Xiaoyu stood behind him for a while, staring at his back, but then came up to the rail as well and rested her back against it. She was looking at him, but Jin didn't turn his head round. She kept observing him for some time, waiting for him to react. His dark hair were falling on his eyes, obstructing his view, but he didn't seem to care. After a few moments she turned her sight from him to trees in the distance. The silence was getting heavier.
„I don't want you to fight Kazuya," he said finally, not looking at her. He never spoke of Kazuya as a father.
Xiaoyu tightened her fingers around the rail. She knew he was going to say that.
„You don't think I can handle it?"
This fight was a challenge and some parts of her wanted to take that risk, just to check if she was able to win. But she knew that Jin wished nothing else but good for her, and although he knew how great fighter she was, he didn't want to put her in danger. And that conclusion brought her to another matter.
„I don't want you to get hurt", he answered, turning his head in her direction, with a serious look on his face.
Xiaoyu knew he really meant that. But she also knew that it wasn't just about the fight and potential injuries. She had spent enough time here to know that the Tournament wasn't all what going on this island. The e-mail she had received, Jin's mysterious behavior, the way he looked at his grandfather; she just had to add two and two to get know anything what was going to happen. And it was connected to Jin, his father and Heihachi Mishima.
„Jin, it's about something else, isn't it?", she asked, facing him.
They were looking at each other for some time, Xiaoyu with a firm look in the eyes. Jin neither moved nor spoke. He looked as if he was fighting with his thoughts.
„There's something going on, I can see that," she said after few moments of total silence. The only sound was that of the ocean.
„Why don't you want to tell me?" she asked in a low voice, when he still didn't say anything. She moved a step closer to him and only then saw how much pain there was in his eyes. It was the first moment since the Tournament had started when he let her be so close. Their conversations during that time were short; in fact, she was the only person he had ever spoken to. It hurt her to see him like this and she hoped she would find a way to help and comfort him; the constant sadness on his face and loneliness, to which he condemned himself, tore her heart into pieces.
Jin sighed and tried to turn his eyes from her, but couldn't.
„Because it would put you in danger," he said, but with so quiet voice she could barely hear it. He lowered his head.
She tried to keep his gaze on her and made another step forward. He looked at her, and what Xiaoyu saw in his eyes made her regret she was forcing him to that.
„It's about Heihachi," she more stated than asked, trying to make it easier to him.
He sighed heavily and opened his mouth, trying to say something, but no words came out. His eyes were wandering on her face. She couldn't guess what their expression was.
„He's an evil man, Xiaoyu."
„But he's your grandfather!" she protested. „I don't understand it: two years ago you were family and now you're telling me he's dangerous."
„You will understand, but right now I can't tell you more. I'm sorry. Just trust me, because I know what I'm saying."
He was unyielding in his words and Xiaoyu realized she wasn't going to be told anything more. She turned her gaze of him and looked at her feet.
„And what about Kazuya?" she asked shyly, part of her not wanting to give up.
„Don't do this." He paused „Don't fight him."
She gazed right, avoiding his look. His left hand slowly raised and he lifted her chin, making her look into his eyes. They were so deep; she couldn't do anything but stare at them.
„Do you trust me?" he asked.
She felt her eyes were turning red.
„I do."
He pulled her closer and embraced her tightly.
„I want to keep you as far away from this as possible", he said quietly.
They didn't speak for a moment. No words could come out of Xiaoyu's mouth, anyway. She felt so safe in his arms and wished nothing else but to forget about everything. But it wasn't going to be easy, and no matter what was it, from which he was trying to protect her, she knew she had to be strong. She let a few tears fell down her cheek, realizing how much he really cared for her.
„Xiaoyu..." he started, but didn't finish.
She closed her eyes tighter, as she didn't want to hear what he was going to say.
„We can't see each other anymore."
She couldn't answer him. It frightened her even more; she didn't want to leave him, letting him deal with his problems alone, when all she wanted was to help him. As much as she wanted to tell him that, she just couldn't. She knew it would hurt him.
„You mean too much to me to put you in danger," he kept saying, and against her will Xiaoyu shed more tears.
„I don't want to lose you," she finally said, her voice breaking down.
„You won't lose me, I promise," he whispered into her ear. His voice was calmer than hers, but she knew it was hard for him too. Maybe even harder.
He gently pushed her aside, keeping his hands on her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. She tried to smile, but so much sorrow was in her heart that she only made a face. She wanted to believe that everything was going to be alright and while looking at Jin she knew he wanted so much just to protect her.
Without breaking the eye contact he reached for something inside his pocket and took out a small silver chain with a spiral pattern, which she had never seen before. He glanced at it.
„Here, take this," he said, turning his gaze on her. „Keep it for me."
With his free hand he lifted her palm and gently placed it there.
„It belonged to my mother."
Xiaoyu didn't know what to say. She recalled a weak image of his mother, whose face he had showed her in an old and half-burnt photo. Everytime he had spoke of his mother, there was so much love and respect in his voice. The chain must have been very precious to him. And now it rested in her hand.
„It's beautiful," she whispered. „But Jin, how can I leave..."
She couldn't say anything more, because Jin placed his index finger on her lips, and Xiaoyu realized she was making it even more difficult. She closed her mouth and let his hand move smoothly down her face. His touch made her whole body tremble. She closed her eyes when he leaned over and kissed her gently on forehead. She wished the time stopped.
„It's not a goodbye," he whispered.
„I know."
After that he pulled her away at the length of his hands. With her next step back his arm fell down leaving Xiaoyu on her own. She kept her eyes on his, which were full of doubts, sorrow and pain. He wanted her to leave, and there wasn't a thing she wouldn't do for him, but the feeling he was going to be all alone when she didn't even know what was going on, that she wouldn't be there to help him, that he didn't want her to be there to help him, made her feel like the world had just collapsed. She didn't cry, although deep inside her soul she wanted to scream. She tried to think that it was better that way, but the farer she was, the more she felt like running to him. It was the hardest decision she have ever had to make, but she slowly turned her head round, looking for the last time into his eyes, and walked away, her legs moving at their own. Thinking about how strong she would have to be, she shed an invisible tear. For him.
And so she left, leaving the man she loved alone, standing above the precipice of his destiny.
She left, followed by the red light of a camera, hidden deep in the trees.
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So how was it??