I've been to hell… And I'm still there! -_-
Seriously.. it's the last year in hicgh school (I think it's high school in English :B) and right now… It's hell times 10.
We have work in every subject plus (!) a project that just HAVE TO be perfect.. Arrgh…
So I worked my ass out to get finished with a job or two so I got the time to update…
It's been long since last I know… And it might be a while until the next.. but it'll happen! Promise! (And the more happy reviews the faster it's bound to happen :) They give me total boost of happiness ^_^)
So I Still don't own Tekken, but Ryuu is still MINE!
Chapter 26 Can a panda really fight?
"So… why did you seek me up?" Hwoarang asked as he and Sora was sitting at a table in a bar. "Couldn't wait to see me?" He smirked.
"Your self-esteem is higher than what's good for you. Besides that you're an arrogant smug bastard. You don't have descent job… You make a living by breaking the law. You beat people up and my guesses is that you have a different woman in your bed every night… Why would I want to see you?"
"Such harsh words." He kept smiling.
"You know why I seek to you and want to catch your eye. It's not your personality or your way of living."
"It's my history… right?" He leaned back to light up a cigarette.
"Right."
What was this? Sora was being straight? No covering up her past anymore? Was she going to try to cut her strings from Heihachi? No no… she wouldn't be able to do that. As long as she was in the city he would have eyes and ears everywhere.
"Why did you leave Korea?" She asked zipping on her strange blue drink, everything around her seemed blue.. didn't it…
"Me?" He asked surprised and his eyes sought to the roof. "Mr. Rich guy did." He muttered.
"Who?" She slightly frowned.
"Kazama."
"Jin? What do you mean?"
"You don't know the story?"
"Never heard of it."
"The Mishima Zaibatsu was in Seoul once. Of course we didn't hesitate to screw them. Only the fight didn't work out, as we wanted."
"Jin beat you?" She smiled mockingly.
"No." He answered quick and glared at her. "Up until that day I was unbeaten… He forced me to a draw."
He sighed silently. It had been quite a while since he had been home. And he couldn't bring himself to even buy a ticket home. Maybe someday he would find himself on the streets of Seoul searching for his old friends and visiting the dojo again. Maybe one day when he had redeemed himself. But to head home… his real home where his mother and father waited… He couldn't go back there.
"Earth to big redhead guy…Hello?" Sora waved her hand in front of him.
He caught it and looked at it at first before he turned his eyes into hers. He cracked a smile as if the thoughts he just had never had entered his mind.
"Hey… Don't make fun about the hair." He raised an eyebrow.
"Hehe" She smiled. "Well, I'm not here to figure out your history. Even if it probably would be interesting. I'm announcing your next match of the tournament. And it'll be your last before the finals."
"The last?" He questioned a little surprised. "Wasn't there supposed to be three games before the final?"
"Yes… But there have been casualties… Stra~nge casualties. The final will start on Saturday. And today is Thursday. You'll have your next match tomorrow."
"So… tell me who it is…"
"Lei Wulong. The location is right outside the Mishima Zaibatsu hotel. And the time will be 15:pm. Think you can get there?" She smiled vaguely.
"I'll try and manage."
"Can I have that back now?" She asked hinting with her eyes on her hand, which he still was holding.
"Nah… I think I'll keep it."
He smiled lightly and she tried to squirm it out of his grip. She didn't accomplish her mission though. Suddenly someone sat down next to her and watched their hands. The person was Akirakaze and when Sora met his eyes he just smiled.
"Don't mind me. Although I can't figure out what you're doing."
"Nothing really." Hwoarang let go of her hand, but not with his eyes, and leaned back.
"Sora?" All of then heard a surprised female voice.
"Julia?" Sora questioned after zipping on her drink again. "I thought you didn't talk to me anymore."
"I don't." She said with a weak smile. "You seem to find rather… strange friends." She said looking at Hwoarang and Akirakaze.
Hwoarang turned his head to see the features of this slender woman. In less than a second a smirk was on his face. Is if he totally forgot about Sora he turned towards the woman and leaned his head backwards knowing that the look often worked for him.
"Why don't you join us?" He asked showing the empty seat beside him with his hand.
Julia, thinking that Hwoarang was someone more than just a friend for Sora, looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Expecting her to knock him or something. But fact was that Sora hardly even acted. She just stirred her drink with a -whatever- look on her face. She didn't even meet Julia's face.
"I think I'll pass on that offer." She declined him with an I'm-to-good-for-you-anyway face. "I hope we meet in the tournament." She said looking at Sora before she walked away.
Now Sora looked up and met her eyes. Julia was participating in the tournament as well? She had no idea of that. The other woman didn't got too far away though. Hwoarang had slid out to the edge and took a grip around her wrist, he wasn't going to accept defeat that easy.
"Come on Sweetheart, it'll be fun." He smiled cunningly.
She abruptly turned towards him. Sora was expecting a hard knock to his face. She knew of Julia's self respect, even though she seemed young. But this time she didn't act that radical. She leaned down somewhat towards him with a smile.
"You just got yourself some trouble Mr. self-confidence." And without giving Hwoarang time to react she screamed on top of her lungs. "HELP! HE'S HARASSING ME!"
And 'luckily' a man reacted in the corner of the bar. He took action faster than anyone expected. And soon a Chinese man, around middle aged, had separated Julia's hand from Hwoarang's grip. Both of them were fairly surprised.
"Are you alright Miss?" He asked with a strong Chinese accent.
"Nice work, Talon." You could hear Akriakaze's sarcasm dripping voice in the background. His leader just glared at him.
"Uhm, yeah. Now I am. Thank you." She smiled
And he turned to face the group at the table. He looked sharp at Hwoarang.
"I think you better go down to the local police station."
"And I think you have another problem first." He said smiling extremely secure of his thing.
Everyone frowned. What did he have in mind? What did he know that none of the others knew? Well, from his point of view he had a very clear sight of the bar. And right now the bartender was refusing to serve a customer, a very drunken one. But he was also extremely well built, his hair was silvery and a very distinct scar ran over his right eye.
"Aah!! Let go of me! Please Don't Kill Me!" The bartender soon pleaded.
Of course this Chinese policeman had to do something about that situation before he dealt with Hwoarang. He frowned badly before he quickly made it for the counter.
Hwoarang smiled leaned over towards Sora and whispered in her ear.
"I'm expecting you to cheer for me tomorrow."
And after those words he just quickly glanced at Akirakaze before they both disappeared out of there in the speed of light. Sora smiled a little for herself where she still sat calmly and stirring her drink. Julia looked down at her and raised an eyebrow.
"What's wrong with you're judgment, really? First the Mishima's and now some punk?"
"Admit it…" She said then paused to take a large chug to finish her drink and she rose from her seat. She dropped some money on the table and then turned her face up towards Julia's and smiled mighty. "You're just jealous."
And to make a good sortie she walked away before Julia had any chance to reply. Just when the door shut the policeman came over as the normal police had stepped in with help and had managed to take this strange man in their custody.
"Err, where did everybody go?" He asked confused.
The woman just rolled her eyes and turned around to walk away.
* * *
Jin woke up again. The day after he had been out in the forest. He stared at his roof. This night had also been calm. No uneasiness to sleep, no dreams… no devils. He blinked and turned towards the windows instead. He'd forgotten to let the blinds down last night so he could look straight through them. Though the view wasn't much. He sighed as he closed his eyes and let his head sink deeper into the pillow.
So his grandfather had decided to let the tournament start earlier. He still didn't know how the tournament should be held. He knew from reading the protocols that the second tournament had been like a race. The one who managed to get to the end first and beat the one who waited there would win. It was possible the third tournament would be held in the same spirit. He wondered what kind of people there would be. There wasn't just anyone who would throw themselves into something like this.
The alarm clock went of. He frowned and rolled over to grab it, instead of turning it of he threw it straight into the wall. Well… it stopped, at least. He wasn't in the mood for 'another day'. I guess you could understand him. A lot had happened in the last few days. Not only had he met someone he never thought he'd see again, he hadn't just picked up the rivalry between him and the Korean, he had found out that he was part demon. Or a demon was a part of him… of which he wasn't sure. And on top of everything there was someone who wanted to see him dead after him.
He sighed and ignored the knockings on the door. Today he didn't care, he had a will of his own and right now he was set on following it. He ogled down on the mark on his arm. What kind of mark was that? He reached for it with his other hand. With his fingertips he could feel the slight raise of his skin. Like it was a normal tattoo. And from the features of it, it was to. However he could _sense_ it was something different. And that creature he had seen at the same time. It had whispered to him.
"I'll be waiting for you."
From where the voice came from or who/what it belonged to he couldn't understand.
Anyway… the tournament… It was only two days left. It was mostly the people he was curious of. He hadn't seen so many of them. Either they were like Ryuu, fighting for fun. Or like him, for revenge. Or maybe both… like Hwoarang. He also expected to see that woman there, she, he figured, was probably fighting for money. Money… of course… the high price probably lured quite a few to make an appearance. Most of them had probably been sorted out in those finals.
Finally he rose from his bed. He pulled on a pair of trousers and covered his shoulders with a shirt. He sighed once more before he walked up to the door to the balcony. He opened it and walked out, casting a glimpse on the demolished clock lying in a heap by the door. He yawned as he placed his hand on the rail. First he watched the surroundings and then his eyes sank to the ground. On the sidewalk he noticed a girl. She had been slowing down when Jin was in her sight and now she stopped completely and met his eyes. Firstly she just looked at him, a little surprised that he looked back at her. Suddenly she smiled widely and turned her head backward so fast that the horsetails, she had one on each side of her head, followed her hastily so they hit her face.
"Come on Panda!" She shouted and waved her hand towards who ever she meant.
Strange little girl, he thought. But he recognized her. He was a little surprised when it actually was a panda that caught up with her. She looked at him shortly before she threw her schoolbag over her shoulder and started to walk again.
"Hey wait." Jin shouted at her.
"Uhm… what, me?" She stopped looking at him a little nervous and surprised.
"Yeah, I know you don't I?"
"I don't know…" She said and smiled, holding her schoolbag in front of her again. "Do you?"
"We worked together on a school project. We're in the same class. Right?"
"Yeah, so?"
"Skip school today." He said, surprised of his own words. What the hell was he doing?
"W-What?" She slightly laughed.
"Spend the day with me."
She stayed quiet for a while, not knowing what to answer. And her actions were fairly understandable. Jin had never been the one who just said things like that. Like loneliness had been his best defense. Well she had to admit, he had never been rude or mean or anything like that. To work with him on that project had been fun. She remembered it well. The day after she wanted to ask him to go do something with her after school, he probably hadn't said no… but she had been too afraid to ask.
"It can't be more boring than math now could it?" He smiled, remembering that she was the girl who always picked a fight with the math teachers.
"When you put it that way… Hell yeah!" She smiled.
"Alright, just wait and I'll come down."
And Jin disappeared from the balcony. He didn't know what he was doing or why he was doing it.
"Can you believe it Panda?" She turned to her animal. "This whole year I'm been to scared to ask him to go do something and now he asks me!" She smiled. "Guess it's a bad timing though… Since we might meet each other in the tournament…" She put her finger to her mouth looking up the sky in thought while the panda growled.
After a while Jin walked out from the front entrance. He walked towards the girl and the panda and smiled vaguely, making a quick scan of the area, hoping that if the assassin was there he would spot her. But he caught no sight of her or anything else. It made him relax a bit at least.
"What do you want to do?" She asked as they started walking along the sidewalk.
"I don't know." He shrugged. "I just needed to get away from everything for a while I guess."
"Then I know a great place. Only it takes some time to get there."
"Cool… I have time. Oh, your name is Ling Xiao-"
"Yu." She finished when she noticed he had some problems with the pronunciation. "My friends mostly just call me Xiao.
She smiled at him and the two of them walked for a long time. Talking mostly about school and never coming in on their own history. Neither a word about the tournament was spoken. Suddenly Jin stopped and watched where he really was.
"Wow…" He was slightly stunned.
"Hey we're there!" She said and grabbed a branch of a large tree.
What she had meant was this gigantic tree, an oak. With the many branches that stuck out everywhere it was very climb friendly. Xiao climbed up about two meters before she sat down. She didn't want to climb to high since Panda would start to worry.
"It's… huge…" Jin stated, still surprised.
"No really you think?" She said sarcastically to tease him.
"It must be ancient to have grown so big." He said while he walked up to it and climbed up to sit slightly below Xiao.
"Well trees aren't my expertise area exactly."
Jin smiled and looked down at the animal.
"Why are you taking care of a panda anyway?"
"It's mostly she that takes care of me nowadays." She giggled slightly. "Since Heihachi learned her fight-"
"Wait… Heihachi?" He asked surprised and looked up at her.
"Yeah, don't you know? He gave me a room at the Mishima School so I could participate in the tournament."
"He did?" He looked down at the panda again. "No, I had no idea… So you're in the tournament?"
"Yeah, Panda was to… at first. But she lost her first and second match." She heard a growling from her and smiled. "It's not your fault Panda! Besides, it's my dream, not yours." She added.
"What dream?" Jin asked leaning towards the tree and let a sigh slip out of his lungs. It truly was a soothing place.
"To build the Best amusement park In the World!" She exclaimed in a very exiting voice.
Jin just laughed. That was a reason he least of all expected. She really was simpler than he expected. And he found himself liking it. She was a simple girl, fighting for a simple and good reason. Unlike Ryuu, who he compared her with. They were like opposites of each other.
"What? Is there something wrong with my dream?" She asked standing in front of him as she had jumped down to one of the lower branches.
"No… In fact I think that your reason to join this tournament is the best."
"Really? You think?"
He opened his eyes while he turned his head towards her. He was a little stunned that her face was so close. But kept smiling nonetheless.
"Yeah, really."
She blushed slightly and avoided his eye contact. She seated herself hastily on the branch that she stood on. Her hand fell down and she patted Panda that started purr a little (if panda's can do that… I honestly don't know…).
"So… what about you then?" She asked.
"What do you mean?"
"What's your reason to fight in the tournament? Cause you are fighting… right?"
"Yeah…" He sighed slightly as he thought of his reason. "My mothers life was taken wrongfully when I was fifteen. I have reasons to think that her murderer will be in the tournament."
"I'm sorry…" She almost whispered. "I didn't know your story was so sad."
"It's alright. It's nothing I'm proud of… but I've learn to live with it."
"Where… Where's your father?" She asked hesitatingly, she didn't know if he had suffered the same fate.
"You mean Kazuya… I don't see him as my father. But from what I know… he's dead."
"Then you must be Heihachi's grandson." She said surprised.
"And you must be the only one that didn't know that" He slightly laughed. Suddenly his cellular rang; it almost never did that. Heihachi, and maybe some more, were the only ones who had his number. "Yes?" He answered.
Sora: Where the hell are you?
Jin: What, Sora? How did you get this number?
Sora: Who cares… I need to talk to you. Where are you?
Jin: Don't mind it I'll come to you. Why can't you take it over the phone?
Sora: I probably can, but I don't feel like it. I'm bored. Where are you it can't be too far away?
Jin: I don't know…
Sora: Jin… What's the matter?
Jin: Nothing. I said I'd come to you instead, you'll be at your room I guess?"
Sora: Yeah *sigh* I guess.
And she hung up. He looked at the phone and frowned. What was that all about? He sighed as he placed the phone in his pocket again. He stayed quiet for a while, forgetting that Xiao was even there.
"Who was it?" She asked modestly.
"Oh sorry." He said waking up into reality again. He jumped down on the ground and patted Panda carefully. "Sorry… but it seams that I have to go back."
"It's okey. I'll follow you back."
He waited for her to climb down the tree and for Panda to rise. And then all three of them started to walk away.
Seriously.. it's the last year in hicgh school (I think it's high school in English :B) and right now… It's hell times 10.
We have work in every subject plus (!) a project that just HAVE TO be perfect.. Arrgh…
So I worked my ass out to get finished with a job or two so I got the time to update…
It's been long since last I know… And it might be a while until the next.. but it'll happen! Promise! (And the more happy reviews the faster it's bound to happen :) They give me total boost of happiness ^_^)
So I Still don't own Tekken, but Ryuu is still MINE!
Chapter 26 Can a panda really fight?
"So… why did you seek me up?" Hwoarang asked as he and Sora was sitting at a table in a bar. "Couldn't wait to see me?" He smirked.
"Your self-esteem is higher than what's good for you. Besides that you're an arrogant smug bastard. You don't have descent job… You make a living by breaking the law. You beat people up and my guesses is that you have a different woman in your bed every night… Why would I want to see you?"
"Such harsh words." He kept smiling.
"You know why I seek to you and want to catch your eye. It's not your personality or your way of living."
"It's my history… right?" He leaned back to light up a cigarette.
"Right."
What was this? Sora was being straight? No covering up her past anymore? Was she going to try to cut her strings from Heihachi? No no… she wouldn't be able to do that. As long as she was in the city he would have eyes and ears everywhere.
"Why did you leave Korea?" She asked zipping on her strange blue drink, everything around her seemed blue.. didn't it…
"Me?" He asked surprised and his eyes sought to the roof. "Mr. Rich guy did." He muttered.
"Who?" She slightly frowned.
"Kazama."
"Jin? What do you mean?"
"You don't know the story?"
"Never heard of it."
"The Mishima Zaibatsu was in Seoul once. Of course we didn't hesitate to screw them. Only the fight didn't work out, as we wanted."
"Jin beat you?" She smiled mockingly.
"No." He answered quick and glared at her. "Up until that day I was unbeaten… He forced me to a draw."
He sighed silently. It had been quite a while since he had been home. And he couldn't bring himself to even buy a ticket home. Maybe someday he would find himself on the streets of Seoul searching for his old friends and visiting the dojo again. Maybe one day when he had redeemed himself. But to head home… his real home where his mother and father waited… He couldn't go back there.
"Earth to big redhead guy…Hello?" Sora waved her hand in front of him.
He caught it and looked at it at first before he turned his eyes into hers. He cracked a smile as if the thoughts he just had never had entered his mind.
"Hey… Don't make fun about the hair." He raised an eyebrow.
"Hehe" She smiled. "Well, I'm not here to figure out your history. Even if it probably would be interesting. I'm announcing your next match of the tournament. And it'll be your last before the finals."
"The last?" He questioned a little surprised. "Wasn't there supposed to be three games before the final?"
"Yes… But there have been casualties… Stra~nge casualties. The final will start on Saturday. And today is Thursday. You'll have your next match tomorrow."
"So… tell me who it is…"
"Lei Wulong. The location is right outside the Mishima Zaibatsu hotel. And the time will be 15:pm. Think you can get there?" She smiled vaguely.
"I'll try and manage."
"Can I have that back now?" She asked hinting with her eyes on her hand, which he still was holding.
"Nah… I think I'll keep it."
He smiled lightly and she tried to squirm it out of his grip. She didn't accomplish her mission though. Suddenly someone sat down next to her and watched their hands. The person was Akirakaze and when Sora met his eyes he just smiled.
"Don't mind me. Although I can't figure out what you're doing."
"Nothing really." Hwoarang let go of her hand, but not with his eyes, and leaned back.
"Sora?" All of then heard a surprised female voice.
"Julia?" Sora questioned after zipping on her drink again. "I thought you didn't talk to me anymore."
"I don't." She said with a weak smile. "You seem to find rather… strange friends." She said looking at Hwoarang and Akirakaze.
Hwoarang turned his head to see the features of this slender woman. In less than a second a smirk was on his face. Is if he totally forgot about Sora he turned towards the woman and leaned his head backwards knowing that the look often worked for him.
"Why don't you join us?" He asked showing the empty seat beside him with his hand.
Julia, thinking that Hwoarang was someone more than just a friend for Sora, looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Expecting her to knock him or something. But fact was that Sora hardly even acted. She just stirred her drink with a -whatever- look on her face. She didn't even meet Julia's face.
"I think I'll pass on that offer." She declined him with an I'm-to-good-for-you-anyway face. "I hope we meet in the tournament." She said looking at Sora before she walked away.
Now Sora looked up and met her eyes. Julia was participating in the tournament as well? She had no idea of that. The other woman didn't got too far away though. Hwoarang had slid out to the edge and took a grip around her wrist, he wasn't going to accept defeat that easy.
"Come on Sweetheart, it'll be fun." He smiled cunningly.
She abruptly turned towards him. Sora was expecting a hard knock to his face. She knew of Julia's self respect, even though she seemed young. But this time she didn't act that radical. She leaned down somewhat towards him with a smile.
"You just got yourself some trouble Mr. self-confidence." And without giving Hwoarang time to react she screamed on top of her lungs. "HELP! HE'S HARASSING ME!"
And 'luckily' a man reacted in the corner of the bar. He took action faster than anyone expected. And soon a Chinese man, around middle aged, had separated Julia's hand from Hwoarang's grip. Both of them were fairly surprised.
"Are you alright Miss?" He asked with a strong Chinese accent.
"Nice work, Talon." You could hear Akriakaze's sarcasm dripping voice in the background. His leader just glared at him.
"Uhm, yeah. Now I am. Thank you." She smiled
And he turned to face the group at the table. He looked sharp at Hwoarang.
"I think you better go down to the local police station."
"And I think you have another problem first." He said smiling extremely secure of his thing.
Everyone frowned. What did he have in mind? What did he know that none of the others knew? Well, from his point of view he had a very clear sight of the bar. And right now the bartender was refusing to serve a customer, a very drunken one. But he was also extremely well built, his hair was silvery and a very distinct scar ran over his right eye.
"Aah!! Let go of me! Please Don't Kill Me!" The bartender soon pleaded.
Of course this Chinese policeman had to do something about that situation before he dealt with Hwoarang. He frowned badly before he quickly made it for the counter.
Hwoarang smiled leaned over towards Sora and whispered in her ear.
"I'm expecting you to cheer for me tomorrow."
And after those words he just quickly glanced at Akirakaze before they both disappeared out of there in the speed of light. Sora smiled a little for herself where she still sat calmly and stirring her drink. Julia looked down at her and raised an eyebrow.
"What's wrong with you're judgment, really? First the Mishima's and now some punk?"
"Admit it…" She said then paused to take a large chug to finish her drink and she rose from her seat. She dropped some money on the table and then turned her face up towards Julia's and smiled mighty. "You're just jealous."
And to make a good sortie she walked away before Julia had any chance to reply. Just when the door shut the policeman came over as the normal police had stepped in with help and had managed to take this strange man in their custody.
"Err, where did everybody go?" He asked confused.
The woman just rolled her eyes and turned around to walk away.
* * *
Jin woke up again. The day after he had been out in the forest. He stared at his roof. This night had also been calm. No uneasiness to sleep, no dreams… no devils. He blinked and turned towards the windows instead. He'd forgotten to let the blinds down last night so he could look straight through them. Though the view wasn't much. He sighed as he closed his eyes and let his head sink deeper into the pillow.
So his grandfather had decided to let the tournament start earlier. He still didn't know how the tournament should be held. He knew from reading the protocols that the second tournament had been like a race. The one who managed to get to the end first and beat the one who waited there would win. It was possible the third tournament would be held in the same spirit. He wondered what kind of people there would be. There wasn't just anyone who would throw themselves into something like this.
The alarm clock went of. He frowned and rolled over to grab it, instead of turning it of he threw it straight into the wall. Well… it stopped, at least. He wasn't in the mood for 'another day'. I guess you could understand him. A lot had happened in the last few days. Not only had he met someone he never thought he'd see again, he hadn't just picked up the rivalry between him and the Korean, he had found out that he was part demon. Or a demon was a part of him… of which he wasn't sure. And on top of everything there was someone who wanted to see him dead after him.
He sighed and ignored the knockings on the door. Today he didn't care, he had a will of his own and right now he was set on following it. He ogled down on the mark on his arm. What kind of mark was that? He reached for it with his other hand. With his fingertips he could feel the slight raise of his skin. Like it was a normal tattoo. And from the features of it, it was to. However he could _sense_ it was something different. And that creature he had seen at the same time. It had whispered to him.
"I'll be waiting for you."
From where the voice came from or who/what it belonged to he couldn't understand.
Anyway… the tournament… It was only two days left. It was mostly the people he was curious of. He hadn't seen so many of them. Either they were like Ryuu, fighting for fun. Or like him, for revenge. Or maybe both… like Hwoarang. He also expected to see that woman there, she, he figured, was probably fighting for money. Money… of course… the high price probably lured quite a few to make an appearance. Most of them had probably been sorted out in those finals.
Finally he rose from his bed. He pulled on a pair of trousers and covered his shoulders with a shirt. He sighed once more before he walked up to the door to the balcony. He opened it and walked out, casting a glimpse on the demolished clock lying in a heap by the door. He yawned as he placed his hand on the rail. First he watched the surroundings and then his eyes sank to the ground. On the sidewalk he noticed a girl. She had been slowing down when Jin was in her sight and now she stopped completely and met his eyes. Firstly she just looked at him, a little surprised that he looked back at her. Suddenly she smiled widely and turned her head backward so fast that the horsetails, she had one on each side of her head, followed her hastily so they hit her face.
"Come on Panda!" She shouted and waved her hand towards who ever she meant.
Strange little girl, he thought. But he recognized her. He was a little surprised when it actually was a panda that caught up with her. She looked at him shortly before she threw her schoolbag over her shoulder and started to walk again.
"Hey wait." Jin shouted at her.
"Uhm… what, me?" She stopped looking at him a little nervous and surprised.
"Yeah, I know you don't I?"
"I don't know…" She said and smiled, holding her schoolbag in front of her again. "Do you?"
"We worked together on a school project. We're in the same class. Right?"
"Yeah, so?"
"Skip school today." He said, surprised of his own words. What the hell was he doing?
"W-What?" She slightly laughed.
"Spend the day with me."
She stayed quiet for a while, not knowing what to answer. And her actions were fairly understandable. Jin had never been the one who just said things like that. Like loneliness had been his best defense. Well she had to admit, he had never been rude or mean or anything like that. To work with him on that project had been fun. She remembered it well. The day after she wanted to ask him to go do something with her after school, he probably hadn't said no… but she had been too afraid to ask.
"It can't be more boring than math now could it?" He smiled, remembering that she was the girl who always picked a fight with the math teachers.
"When you put it that way… Hell yeah!" She smiled.
"Alright, just wait and I'll come down."
And Jin disappeared from the balcony. He didn't know what he was doing or why he was doing it.
"Can you believe it Panda?" She turned to her animal. "This whole year I'm been to scared to ask him to go do something and now he asks me!" She smiled. "Guess it's a bad timing though… Since we might meet each other in the tournament…" She put her finger to her mouth looking up the sky in thought while the panda growled.
After a while Jin walked out from the front entrance. He walked towards the girl and the panda and smiled vaguely, making a quick scan of the area, hoping that if the assassin was there he would spot her. But he caught no sight of her or anything else. It made him relax a bit at least.
"What do you want to do?" She asked as they started walking along the sidewalk.
"I don't know." He shrugged. "I just needed to get away from everything for a while I guess."
"Then I know a great place. Only it takes some time to get there."
"Cool… I have time. Oh, your name is Ling Xiao-"
"Yu." She finished when she noticed he had some problems with the pronunciation. "My friends mostly just call me Xiao.
She smiled at him and the two of them walked for a long time. Talking mostly about school and never coming in on their own history. Neither a word about the tournament was spoken. Suddenly Jin stopped and watched where he really was.
"Wow…" He was slightly stunned.
"Hey we're there!" She said and grabbed a branch of a large tree.
What she had meant was this gigantic tree, an oak. With the many branches that stuck out everywhere it was very climb friendly. Xiao climbed up about two meters before she sat down. She didn't want to climb to high since Panda would start to worry.
"It's… huge…" Jin stated, still surprised.
"No really you think?" She said sarcastically to tease him.
"It must be ancient to have grown so big." He said while he walked up to it and climbed up to sit slightly below Xiao.
"Well trees aren't my expertise area exactly."
Jin smiled and looked down at the animal.
"Why are you taking care of a panda anyway?"
"It's mostly she that takes care of me nowadays." She giggled slightly. "Since Heihachi learned her fight-"
"Wait… Heihachi?" He asked surprised and looked up at her.
"Yeah, don't you know? He gave me a room at the Mishima School so I could participate in the tournament."
"He did?" He looked down at the panda again. "No, I had no idea… So you're in the tournament?"
"Yeah, Panda was to… at first. But she lost her first and second match." She heard a growling from her and smiled. "It's not your fault Panda! Besides, it's my dream, not yours." She added.
"What dream?" Jin asked leaning towards the tree and let a sigh slip out of his lungs. It truly was a soothing place.
"To build the Best amusement park In the World!" She exclaimed in a very exiting voice.
Jin just laughed. That was a reason he least of all expected. She really was simpler than he expected. And he found himself liking it. She was a simple girl, fighting for a simple and good reason. Unlike Ryuu, who he compared her with. They were like opposites of each other.
"What? Is there something wrong with my dream?" She asked standing in front of him as she had jumped down to one of the lower branches.
"No… In fact I think that your reason to join this tournament is the best."
"Really? You think?"
He opened his eyes while he turned his head towards her. He was a little stunned that her face was so close. But kept smiling nonetheless.
"Yeah, really."
She blushed slightly and avoided his eye contact. She seated herself hastily on the branch that she stood on. Her hand fell down and she patted Panda that started purr a little (if panda's can do that… I honestly don't know…).
"So… what about you then?" She asked.
"What do you mean?"
"What's your reason to fight in the tournament? Cause you are fighting… right?"
"Yeah…" He sighed slightly as he thought of his reason. "My mothers life was taken wrongfully when I was fifteen. I have reasons to think that her murderer will be in the tournament."
"I'm sorry…" She almost whispered. "I didn't know your story was so sad."
"It's alright. It's nothing I'm proud of… but I've learn to live with it."
"Where… Where's your father?" She asked hesitatingly, she didn't know if he had suffered the same fate.
"You mean Kazuya… I don't see him as my father. But from what I know… he's dead."
"Then you must be Heihachi's grandson." She said surprised.
"And you must be the only one that didn't know that" He slightly laughed. Suddenly his cellular rang; it almost never did that. Heihachi, and maybe some more, were the only ones who had his number. "Yes?" He answered.
Sora: Where the hell are you?
Jin: What, Sora? How did you get this number?
Sora: Who cares… I need to talk to you. Where are you?
Jin: Don't mind it I'll come to you. Why can't you take it over the phone?
Sora: I probably can, but I don't feel like it. I'm bored. Where are you it can't be too far away?
Jin: I don't know…
Sora: Jin… What's the matter?
Jin: Nothing. I said I'd come to you instead, you'll be at your room I guess?"
Sora: Yeah *sigh* I guess.
And she hung up. He looked at the phone and frowned. What was that all about? He sighed as he placed the phone in his pocket again. He stayed quiet for a while, forgetting that Xiao was even there.
"Who was it?" She asked modestly.
"Oh sorry." He said waking up into reality again. He jumped down on the ground and patted Panda carefully. "Sorry… but it seams that I have to go back."
"It's okey. I'll follow you back."
He waited for her to climb down the tree and for Panda to rise. And then all three of them started to walk away.