I hate finals! I've just been studying forever! I have a comparative essay, memorization, a math test, a science project, a World history quiz, a Spanish quiz, and a Christmas Concert coming up! Sorry about the very long lack of updates, I'll try harder to get them more on a regular schedule, but it's really hard! Whenever I start writing I remember that I need to do something else. Reviewers will be thanked next chapter since I only go a one hour break.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tekken.

Bonds of Love

Jin and Hwoarang headed back towards the main building, each preoccupied with their own troubled thoughts. Every day seemed to be more and more troublesome to the ragtag group, and every member was stressed out by the sadistic events that seamed to follow them around the world.

Devil gene! No wonder Heihachi used me! That bastard, I'll kill him! Jin stomped down the hall, ignoring Hwoarang's scared and mistrusting face. To much was going on around them for them to not trust each other, and Jin decided to make that fact known.

"Hwoarang, I'm not going to bite your head off or anything," Jin muttered to Hwoarang. Hwoarang nodded and steppe closer to Jin, but despite his cool dispose, Jin could practically feel the nervousness radiating off his companion. With every step the redheaded Korean took, his nervousness seemed to increase. Jin's resisted the urge to whack some sense into his acquaintance, but with his anger building at a very alarming rate, it was getting more difficult. Finally he couldn't take it anymore.

"Look! If I can stand your presence after you shot me, then I think you can stand to be in my company despite a stupid little legend!" Jin snapped. He watched as Hwoarang's face smoothly changed from cool and composed to fiery and angry in an instant. Inwardly, he smiled.

"You think I'm scared of you Kazama? I could still kick your ass back to Japan, right here, right now, no matter what any stupid legend says!" Jin rolled his eyes and walked away. That stopped when an arm grabbed his shoulder and flipped him around. He just dodged a punch aimed for his face before he backed away.

"Is that all you got, Hwoarang? You must be out of shape," Jin taunted. Hwoarang lunged at him again, and throughout the mansion you could hear the two of them screaming insults at each other, along with the occasional sound of shattering objects.

"So, that's the legend." Julia finished with a strained smile. Ling studied her carefully, but the girl appeared to be telling the truth…not that she actually knew how to detect lies in the first place but…

"Thanks Jules!" she exclaimed, before racing off down the stairs towards CC. She leaped over the railing and landed elegantly on her feet before setting off a sprint towards the room she was supposed to meet CC at. She was running by the main entrance when she saw Jin and Hwoarang sparring. She raced past them to the wooden door that lead to the medical center. Even though she knew she had until tomorrow morning to deliver the information, she somehow felt an odd sense of urgency in delivering her message.

Soon she reached the room, but as soon as she touched the door knob, she screamed in pain. Clutching her stomach, Ling fell to the floor, curling herself up into a fetal position in an attempt to stop the pain. The faint red light that Ling had seen before was now shining brightly enough for her to see it through the fabric of her shirt. She let out another bloodcurdling cry of pain as the pain seemed to overwhelm her senses. Her stomach seemed to erupt, and she hurried over to a near by trash bin before she emptied the food from her stomach. Slowly, the pain vanished, and Ling sat herself up, clutching her sore abdomen.

The door before her swung open to reveal a smug CC. She raised her head weakly to meet CC's gaze. "What have you done to me?" she asked breathlessly. CC just laughed.

"I'm just making sure you don't run away from me. I don't like disobedient servants like that. Oh, and as for what you were going to tell me, I already know. Not that it matters, my ignorant daughter lied to you. It doesn't really matter anymore though. I've had a sudden…change of plans."

She took a small pendant from around her neck. The gold gleamed in the white light of the room, and Ling realized that it was almost identical to the key she and Jin had stolen. She gasped and slowly backed away froom the mad woman.

"You see, now that I have all three parts, it doesn't really matter what the map says. I've even picked out the four volunteers who're going to take me to my treasure. They'll need a little encouragement, but I think I have that settled also.

She pulled out a small object with a bright red button on it. Sahe pushed the button, and Ling collapsed in pain.

CC lifted the teenagers chin so that she was staring directly into her captor's eyes. The cold brown depths forced her to repress a shiver.

"Tell me," CC began, "How does it feel to be used as bait for your friends?" In response to her question, Ling spit in her face. CC's face became red with anger.

"Wrong answer. Guards tie her up!"

Several men surrounded her, but Ling managed to get into a fighting stance. The first man who came at her was the unfortunate of a Dragon Fall. After sending her first pursuer to the ground, Ling once again collapsed. Two men grabbed her by each arm, and Ling started screaming.

"Jin! Hwoarang! Julia! Help me! Please! Help!" A man tried to cover her mouth, but Ling bit his hand and continued to scream. Suddenly, the pain in her stomach became so intense that her screams were halted. Her arms, which the guards had been struggling to hold onto halted their desperate motions and stilled. Ling felt like she had been stabbed a hundred times in the same place. Tha agony was unbelievable, and it was taking all her strength just to stay conscious. Black dots blinked at her from the front of her eyes, and her limbs felt as if they were on fire. Finally, she gave in to the darkness that surrounded her as her worn out body tiredly slipped into unconsciousness. The last thing she heard was somebody calling her name.

Julia allowed her false frown to slip off her face as Ling left with a smile. She decided to follow her. After all, if her hypothesis was correct, she needed to discover who Ling was giving out information to. When Ling jumped over the stairs and broke out into a sprint, Julia did too. She followed Ling past Jin and Hwoarang. They were concentrating so hard on their fight that they didn't even notice that their two girlfriends had just ran past them. She watched as Ling finally pulled to a halt in front of a door. Julia took a moment to observe her surroundings before she realized that the place Ling had lead her to looked like a hospital or a lab.

Suddenly, Ling let out a cry of pain, and Julia almost ran to her side. Almost. She saw a bright red light gleam from under Ling's shirt, and when she heard the door open, she quickly hid around a corner.

Her mother, CC, was the one who opened the door. Her usually warm eyes were filled with coldness and cruelty, and Julia watched as her mother threatened Julia. She was to far away from them to actually hear what they were saying, but when Ling started to scream that didn't matter.

Hwoarang was right. By bringing them here she had put them in danger. And somehow she knew this was only the beginning. Julia watched as ling knocked the first guard unconscious, but the next two grabbed her from behind and shoved her hands behind her back. The red light shone brighter than before, and Julia watched in horror as Ling fell unconscious. She couldn't take it anymore.

Forsaking her hidden corner and running towards her best friend, Julia screamed, "Ling!"

The guards turned towards her, and after roughly dropping Ling to the ground they charged at her. The first was the unlucky recipient of a forward lateral kick, and the next a roundhouse kick. Julia was so focused on making her way to Ling that she didn't notice the guard behind her.

Suddenly, the sickening sound of bone being crushed echoed behind her, and she turned to see Hwoarang and Jin. Hwoarang looked mad, but there were no words to describe Jin's anger.

"Let her go," Jin's voice commanded attention, and Julia gulped. She had never heard him this angry. CC just laughed. The horrible croaking sound was almost to horrible to listen to, and for a second, Julia wondered why she loved this woman as a mother. Even now, she probably wouldn't be able to hurt her, and looking over to Hwoarang, she sensed that he would have a hard time fighting his surrogate mother too.

"It wouldn't matter if I let her go," CC explained. "I would still have control over her body, and unless you want to watch your friend die a very painful death, you'll do as I ask." As if to emphasize that statement, she pulled Ling against her. Julia watched as Jin's anger intensified, but along with anger, there was desperation in his eyes. I guess he cares for her more than he lets on, Julia thought to herself.

"I'll do whatever you want," Jin pleaded, "just let her go." Julia watched as her friend approached CC. His voice was desperate, and Julia felt helpless.

"Perfect." CC replied. She glared at the three of them with eyes that shone with evil, and Julia gulped. Whatever they had to do wouldn't be pleasant, but she'd be ready to face it, after all, Ling was always there for her and it was time for Julia to pay her back.