Once Upon a Time
By: Mako-chan

>> --Mako-chan ogles over Dante and his DMC3 look-- huh, Jin? Who 'Jin'? Oh, Jin!!! Sorry, now you know the reason for my late updates. I wrote this on a scrap of paper while sulking in my International Law class, so my apologies for not typing it right away. And I may have to apologize again, since this chapter seems to be shorter than usual. But please do not take it as a sign that I'm slacking off and taking this story for granted. With such nice reviews how could I not possibly be inspired? ;) Plus, let me take this opportunity to make a shameless plug - if you're looking for some R-rated, angry, dark, gloomy, angsty, tragic piece, I have recently posted a story called 'Romancing the Devil.' And it is my hope that I'm just overreacting when I say, "Please don't have a heart attack." But enough of that. Here you go!

>>Don't own no Jin Kazama or Ling Xiaoyu, but it would have been nice if I did :P

Chapter 4 - He was a knight in shining armor

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and go to your room. Take a good look at the closet yourself," Jin chided.

Hesitating slightly, Xiaoyu headed for the door and back to her room. As if the boogieman had started existing in her closet, she cautiously opened the folding doors...then gave a gasp. It was nearly exploding with expensive suits, dresses, and scarves, anything and everything she needed, everything she had always longingly dreamt of having. Actually, it was beyond her imagination. Completely enchanted, Xiaoyu brought a delicate hand to touch them, all the while trying to supress a smile.

"Thought you'd like it," Jin spoke out of nowhere, standing in the doorway. "Here," he said as he handed a large and elegantly wrapped rectangular box to her. "Some more. Took me a while to choose, so I'm looking forward to seeing you wear it."

"Thank you," she said in a small voice. "I have never had such things in my entire life...I never thought I will."

Hearing these words, Jin couldn't help but feel warm and fuzzy. He felt his heart soften a little. With folded arms, he decided to leave and let her enjoy what he got for her.

"YOU SICK PERVERT!"

"Trust me, if I see you in those, you'll know," Jin replied smugly, his grin from ear to ear as he continued to retreat to his room.

Xiaoyu stared incredulously at the articles of "clothing" before her: brasserie made of silk and lace with matching thongs and chemise. In a fit of anger, she called out to Jin once again. "YOU SICK MAN!"

He stopped on his tracks and raised his hands up in a shrug. "Would you rather that I relish in knowing that you'll walk around virtually naked? Since its pretty clear to me that you don't want to wear any single one of them."

"Go to hell."

"Don't worry, I'll be sure to bring you along with me," Jin countered, leaving a gaping Xiaoyu. "And you can be my hoe."

-----------

"No matter what you do, stay with ME," Jin said firmly as they went out of the Rolls Royce and entered the hotel.

All Xiaoyu could manage to utter was an "uh huh," scarcely paying attention to what Jin was saying. "I've never been to a place like this," she said, completely awestruck. "So many lights...so many people."

"And that's exactly why you should stick with me," he instructed callously yet again as he continued to drag her towards the elevator.

Xiaoyu gave a little squeak as they waited for the elevator to arrive at the 4th floor where the convention was being held. "I feel funny," she blurted like a child, tugging at her cuffs.

"You'll get used to it," he said. Jin was trying to hide his smile for hours, it was the biggest torture of his entire life. He was honest enough to admit that he blushed at the sight Xiaoyu made as she stood in his doorway. She had a pout on her lips, her graceful brows knitting showing a sign of discomfort. She seemed wary. Or was she, really? Once in a while he'd amusedly watch her from the elevator's mirrors, tugging at her crisp Prada suit one moment, then looking at her tresses as she discreetly whirled it. It was so cute that Jin could feel himself starting to cringe. A flower could just practically pop out of my head any moment now, he told himself.

"Can we go back?"

"No."

"Well, you can always go and send me back."

"No," Jin replied. He swore veins were beginning to be visible on his temples.

"Then command me to go back."

"No!"

"Why not?!" Xiaoyu whined.

"Because my word is law, that's why!"

"You don't need me."

"Shut your trap, we're already here," Jin dismissed as the doors opened.

Xiaoyu grumbled inwardly, steadily growing antsy with the strange stares on her. She just had to go out or she'd vaporize. Then all of a sudden, she felt a hand softly squeeze her own.

"You'll do just fine," Jin assured with a warm smile.

For no reason at all, she felt her confidence build up. Maybe it won't be so bad after all, she mused. A good hour passed and Xiaoyu found the event to be quite interesting. Though on few ocassions, it had been hard to keep up with Jin's pace, nevertheless, it was fun. Plus, she was able to display her excellent organizing, social and language skills. The look on Jin's face was priceless when she had been asked by one of the executives where she studied. She said she was a Beijing University scholar.

"You never told me you were some prodigy," he hissed into her ear.

"That's because you think that you're the smartest man on the face of the planet, and everybody else is dumb," she snapped.

Another hour passed, Jin was done and over with the formalities, engaging in casual conversations that just bored her to her rump. All the glamour had started to wear off on Xiaoyu. "I'm getting hungry," she complained.

"The buffet table's just across," Jin pointed over his shoulder. "Go stuff yourself as you wish."

"Thank you. That's exactly what I had in mind."

"What would you like, Ma'am?" the waitress politely asked.

Xiaoyu had to stop herself from chewing her nails. There were so much food that she wanted to try all of them, but at the same time she was a bit hesitant. After all, she didn't want to go on chewing what she didn't know was actually monkey brain or some endangered animal's internal organ all along. Last time that happened was when her uncle insisted that they go to the popular restaurant downtown...she ended up eating some lizard. She gave a shy smile. "Honestly, I don't know what these are..."

"I can tell you one thing - the beef is excellent."

Surprised, Xiaoyu turned around. A man who looked a few years older than Jin stood before her, a charming smile on his face. He was handsome, but not as handsome as Jin, she thought.

"Here," he took two glasses of champagne and handed one to her.

Xiaoyu looked at the sparkling drink as if she saw the future in it. Beaming a smile, she took the offer, gulping it like water. She felt overwhelmed at first, but she thoroughly liked it. He handed her one glass after another. Terribly intolerant to alchohol, Xiaoyu felt lightheaded and dizzy in a short span of time. She took a tentative step, placing her hands on top of the table to keep herself upright. "I-I think I should go now," she told him. Xiaoyu started to walk away, but after one step she wobbled horribly, threatening to fall flat on her face. She gave her head a firm shake.

"Whoa there, little miss!" The handsome man caught her by the shoulders.

"I need to go back to my master? Do you know my master?" she asked in a slur.

"Master?!"

"Master Jin!"

"Oh Jin," he repeated, his voiced tinged with malice. "But wouldn't it be better for you if lie down for a little while? You wouldn't want your Master Jin scolding you, would you?" he suggested, stirring her away from the crowd and towards the backdoor of the convention hall.

Jin was engaged in a deep discussion with other corporate bigwigs when he noticed somebody taking Xiaoyu away. What was more peculiar was that the young Chinese wasn't exactly putting up a fight, she seemed out of it. She was acting exactly like her Uncle Wang -- a drunk.

"So as we were saying Kazama---"

"I'm sorry but will you please excuse me," Jin hurriedly told his seniors, leaving them baffled. He took strong strides and waded his way through the sea of people.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Sssh, honey. We're almost there."

"Take me to my master, NOW!"

"Your master?" the stranger drawled sarcastically, "Cute lil thing, aren't we?" He kicked open one of the hotel storage rooms and shoved Xiaoyu inside.

"What are you going to do to me?" she asked, moving away until she backed against the wall.

"You and I are going to have some fun." Trapping her, he tore at Xiaoyu's blouse, buttons flying and scattering all over the cold floor.
Xiaoyu thrased about, then gave an unexpected punch that hit the man squarely in the face.

"You bitch!" He choked her a bit, then started to kiss and pull at her slacks.

She cried for help, but before she could shout any more, his hand covered her mouth. But he released it all too quickly, only to attempt to replace it with his mouth. Xiaoyu closed her eyes in horror, waiting for the next assault...but she felt nothing. The next thing she knew she gave a little yelp when she heard a loud crash.

"You should know better than to touch my woman," Jin hissed, his words as pure and deadly as acid. He held the man by the collar, and with one hand lifted him from the ground. Jin threw the culprit yet again, this time making him land on a bunch of cleaning materials, the lights evidently out of him. Jin got out his celfone and started to punch some numbers, contacting the hotel management. A few moments passed and he flipped his phone close, turning his full attention to Xiaoyu.

The Chinese girl was sobbing uncontrollably, and she has never been so happy to see Jin until now. Like an infant, unmoving, she extended her arms to him.

Xiaoyu looked pathetic and pitiful. Her hair was in total ruin and her silk blouse was open, exposing much of her to him. Jin never saw anything so heartbreakingly beautiful in all his life. He knelt before her, letting himself drown in her sweet embrace.

"I was so scared," Xiaoyu told Jin shakily, crying into his chest.

She was cold. Unable to help himself, he held her tighter, stroking her hair and planting a lingering kiss on her forehead. "Hush. I'm here now. You'll never leave my side again. Promise." (Oops, couldn't help it, I just had to add Zhou Yu's line from DW4 - don't own 'em either!)