Chapter Seventeen: Crank Up

"This can't be right," Julia said, peering at the screen of her laptop critically. "It says here that the next match is going to be between Lee Chaolan and Kazuya Mishima. The winner will face the Tournament sponsor, and battle for both the title and control of the Mishima Corporation." She sat back and folded her hands behind her neck, leaning back in the chair and staring at the ceiling. "It makes no sense, though. We all know Heihachi Mishima is alive. He wouldn't just hand over his company to someone else without a fight."

Hwoarang scowled, flicking a playing card out of his hand restlessly. It landed on the floor, next to the scattered mound of other cards piled around the bed. He leaned over and studied the fallen card. "Suicide king," he muttered, glaring at the red suit as though it was the one refusing answer the myriad of questions left behind by the tournament. "He's just lettin' it slide because he doesn't want anyone to know he's not pushin' up daisies yet."

Julia sighed and rubbed the back of her neck, then sat up and returned her attention to the flickering monitor before her. "You're right. I'm certain he's going to go public as the Tournament host after the last battle is decided. It's just theatrical enough to suit his style. People will simply believe the whole thing was his latest publicity stunt, and it will give him the opportunity to openly take control of the Corporation again."

"Yeah, but Raven already told us old baldy isn't the one plannin' all this crap," Hwoarang answered, holding another card up between his fingers and tossing it over the side of the bed. "Maybe everyone else will believe what they see on TV, but Mishima ain't pullin' the strings up there."

"As I said, it doesn't make any sense," Julia answered, rubbing her forehead. She gave an irate sigh as she caught sight of the flying card, and glanced at the floor. "You're going to pick all of those up, you know. And get your filthy boots off of my bedspread," she scolded him in a clipped tone.

Hwoarang smirked at Julia. "Bite me," he told her crossly, tossing a card in her direction. "What about that gung-ho chick Kazama? I didn't hear about her losin' a match yet."

Julia tapped at the keyboard, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Disqualified," she said with a note of surprise, staring at the screen. "You're right, she hasn't lost yet. Officially, it says that her father pulled her from the competition, citing her age as a minor." She frowned and leaned on her chin, closing her eyes. "I can't imagine Asuka letting herself be removed by anyone, especially when she was doing so well. Something's fishy about this whole thing."

"That information is a load of crap," Hwoarang said, tossing the last card out of his hand with a growl. "Sunshine here started when she was sixteen, nobody had any problems with minors fightin' back then." At the mention of the name, he glanced at the windowsill of the small hotel room, where Xiaoyu had curled up. She hadn't bothered to change out of her costume from the fight, reacting almost robotically to Julia's gentle commands. A blanket was draped over her shoulders, but against the dark silhouette of the window frame, she looked pale and thin, like a lost child.

Julia noticed Hwoarang's gaze and turned around. She sighed slightly and stood up, approaching the younger girl. "Maybe we could use a break from all of this thinking," she said with false cheer. "What do you think about going outside and getting a bite to eat?"

"I'm not very hungry," Xiaoyu answered listlessly, not bothering to turn her head away from the window.

Julia shook her head and turned away, pacing back towards Hwoarang. "Maybe you can talk to her," she said to the redhead quietly. Hwoarang glanced away and snorted, and Julia's questioning gaze turned hard. Pinning him under her glare, she pointed at Xiaoyu. "Get off of my bed and go talk to her," she demanded, her voice ominous.

"Huh," Hwoarang grunted in response, pushing himself off of the bed reluctantly. "Fine, but you're picking up the cards," he said, striding over to the window. He stopped before Xiaoyu and looked down at her. She didn't give any outward sign that she had noticed his approach and her fingers continued to play across her feather necklace absently. Hwoarang's scowl grew deeper, and he crossed his arms. "Sore loser," he taunted.

Go away, Xiaoyu thought to herself. She didn't feel spirited enough to rise to their usual verbal repartee and let Hwoarang's hidden offer to spar pass her by. "I let them down," she said instead, clutching at the necklace. "What if Miharu dies now?" she continued in a tiny, uncertain voice.

Hwoarang grimaced and ran a hand through his hair. "Hell…" he muttered. "I never figured you for a coward," he said after a moment of contemplation.

Xiaoyu blinked and turned her focus away from the window. Her cheek stung as it left the coolness of the window pane and was hit by the warm air within the hotel's interior. "What?" she said in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"I called you a coward," Hwoarang said more confidently, crossing his arms over his chest again and glaring at Xiaoyu. "You're too scared to solve your problems on your own. You're ready to let this goddamned tournament do all the thinkin' and decision makin' for you. Always followin' the straight and narrow like a good girl, right Xiaoyu?"

Xiaoyu blinked and slowly uncurled her stiff arms and legs, turning to face the Korean completely. "What are you talking about?" she mumbled, pinching her cheek slightly where the skin tingled. "I'm not in the mood for your stupid games right now, Hwoarang."

"Who's playing a game?" Hwoarang answered carelessly. "Maybe I'm missing something here, but how exactly would being the head of the Mishima Corp help you solve your problems?"

Xiaoyu frowned and opened her mouth, and then paused. I never really thought about that, she suddenly realized. "I… well, I was guessing that maybe there'd be a few scientists who could…"

Julia stood up, coming to Hwoarang's side. "I'm a scientist," she said simply. "I'm also a very spiritual person. And I can tell you as both that I don't think science is going to provide the answers you're looking for. Jin is possessed, Xiaoyu. He needs the kind of help that can't be studied, measured, or classified."

Xiaoyu hung her head. "So what do I do next?" she asked miserably. "If everything I've been striving for wouldn't have helped anyway, what else is left?"

Hwoarang shrugged slightly. "Whatever you do, just throwin' in your towel won't help." He crouched down and peered into Xiaoyu's face, catching her eyes. "Besides, it's not all about you anymore," he said with a grin. "So… are you a coward now or what?"

Xiaoyu met his eyes, struggling with her own feelings. She glanced over his shoulder at Julia, who had planted her hands on her hips and was smiling gently at her. They believe in me, she realized suddenly, for the first time. Julia and Hwoarang… they'll back me up no matter what I do. The small stirrings of something like hope fluttered in her breast, and a tiny smile worked at the edges of her lips. "No," she said finally, shrugging off the blanket around her shoulders. "I won't run away, no matter what grandpa or anyone else says."

"Thatta girl," Hwoarang grinned as he stood up and backed away. Then his face dropped. "Eh, so what do we do now?" he continued, scratching his head.

Julia furrowed her eyebrows and pursed her lips. "You said Wang told you to lose the battle to your uncle," she stated. "Did he say why?"

Xiaoyu jumped off of the windowsill and stretched her arms, trying to work the blood back into her limbs. "I think he was trying to protect me from something. He didn't explain what, though," she said with a small pout. She thought over the match, and then let out a tiny gasp. "Wait a minute; he did say something else to me." She closed her eyes and tried to remember his instructions. "He mentioned fields of white and a ruined cathedral. I wasn't paying much attention, though, I was really mad at him. I think he said to come there when the moon was up." She glanced out of the window at the dusky twilight sky. "Fields of white? I have no idea where he meant," she said apprehensively.

Julia returned to her laptop and began to type rapidly. "Well, let's go with what he told you," she explained logically, entering the information into her computer. "An area with both a large field and a ruined cathedral. There aren't that many cathedral ruins in Japan, so it shouldn't be too hard to find." After a few moments, she smiled slightly. "Now this is interesting. There's a special cultivation reserve for Swamp Foxtail and other reed plants located on the outskirts of the city. Nothing specific about a cathedral, but there is a brief mention of some old ruins in the area. Get this, though…" she said excitedly. "The entire radius of approximately sixty square kilometres is owned by the Mishima Corporation and has been sealed off from public entry. I don't think that it's a coincidence."

"Well what are we waitin' for?" Hwoarang said, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Let's go have that talk with gramps," he said with an evil grin.

Xiaoyu's mouth dropped open. "We are not going there to beat up my grandfather!" she yelled at him. Rolling her eyes, she glanced out of the window again. "He said to arrive when the moon was high."

Julia nodded, swiftly snapping the computer shut and standing up. "I have the address. If we leave now, we'll make it by the time the moon is high overhead," she smiled, grabbing her jacket and shrugging it on. "Prepare yourselves for a little bit of hiking though," she instructed the other two as they headed out into the corridor. "Even if we catch a taxi, we're going to have to break into the compound on our own, and those fields are pretty large."

"Break in? Now you're talking," Hwoarang said with a large smile, slamming the hotel door shut behind him loudly.

- x – x – x -

Xiaoyu blew her bangs out of her face noisily, resting her hands on her hips. "This is more than a little bit of hiking!" she complained loudly as she caught her breath. "If I had known we were going to come here, I could've told that taxi driver to drop us off a heck of a lot closer to the mountaintop!" she yelled.

"Here" was in the middle of a seemingly endless stretch of field, surrounded by tall reeds on all side. A small winding dirt path was leading them presumably towards the cathedral ruins that Jinrei had spoken of, but that was not what Xiaoyu had been pointing out. The Mishima reserve, as it turned out, also boasted the location of Heihachi's former residence, the one that had been blown to smithereens in the fourth tournament. The ruins of the old building had long since stopped smoking, but they were still visible in the distance, a lonesome rocky wound that stuck out sorely in the middle of the lush green mountainside. The entire compound was still a good distance above the gently sloping fields that the trio were making their way through.

"I think we're almost there," Julia called out over her shoulder. The tall reeds swayed around her waist, and with the moon high overhead, it made it appear as though she was swimming through a translucent white sea. "There's definitely something up ahead." Pointing, she directed her companions' eyes towards a jagged dark mound that rose in the distance.

Hwoarang struggled his way through the reeds, slapping at their delicate heads in irritation. Whereas Julia seemed to float through them, the redhead looked more like he was bulldozing his way through a massive pile of feathers. He stopped and waved a few bits of grass away from his face, glancing over the fields cautiously. "Hey," he called out to the others, narrowing his eyes. "We're not alone," he mentioned, gesturing towards a pale figure that was separating itself from the reeds a short distance away.

"Grandpa?" Xiaoyu called out uncertainly.

"What are you guys doing here?" yelled a shrill female voice. The figure broke into a run, and soon her familiar unruly mop of hair shone in the moonlight, revealing her identity.

"Asuka?" Xiaoyu cried out as the other girl approached them. "We were told to come here! What are you doing here?" she asked.

Asuka stopped, appraising the trio with surprise, then planted her arms on her hips with an angry glare. "I was told to come here too," she said. "I can't believe this! Disqualified from the tournament! Me!" she yelled, forming a fist. "It's all a big lie, my dad's not even out of the hospital yet! Somebody's gonna pay for this, I swear it."

Xiaoyu backed away holding her hands up before the livid girl. "Hey, we're not the ones who did it!" she said nervously.

"Who told you to come here?" Julia interrupted warily.

Asuka stopped glaring and blinked. "Him," she said, pointing behind the trio. "That's him, that's the guy. He said he had something important to tell me about this tournament."

The three spun around, and Xiaoyu wasn't surprised to see Jinrei standing behind them. "Grandpa! How do you do that?" she asked him with exasperation, to which Wang only chuckled.

"There are many things you can learn with age and patience, my dear child. Given your tendencies, only the latter should prove to be a challenge." Jinrei laughed at his granddaughter's pout and approached the group, giving Julia and Hwoarang appraising looks. "I see you brought your friends with you, Xiaoyu." His tone was disapproving.

"This guy is your grandfather?" Asuka said with disbelief. "You mean your family is mixed up in this fraud?" Her tone turned menacing and she smacked a fist into her palm. "You better fess up about what's going on right now, Xiaoyu! I thought we were friends!"

"Hey, back off, supergirl," Hwoarang said, stepping up to Xiaoyu's side and glaring down at Asuka. "We don't know what the hell's goin' on either. But if you're lookin' for a fight, you got one right here," he sneered, pointing a thumb at his chest.

"You will stand down young man!" Jinrei said coldly, quickly scooting up to Asuka's side.

"Make me," Hwoarang said, directing his glare to Jinrei.

Jinrei shook his head. "Young people these days," he mumbled as he held two fingers stiffly together. Then, before Hwoarang could form another insult, he reached up and poked the redhead in the neck. There was a pop as the Korean bent and stiffened, his face frozen in an expression of surprise. "Always much too hasty for their own good," he finished, tucking his hand back behind his back.

Xiaoyu winced and tiptoed under Hwoarang's nose. His eyes followed her, wide with shock and fury, but he couldn't move. "You really shouldn't insult my grandfather," she told him matter-of-factly. Then she turned to Jinrei. "Grandpa! I think you'd better start talking! Why'd you call us here? Why are you really in Japan? What's going on?" There was a strangled noise behind her, and she let out a loud sigh. "And will you please let Hwoarang go?"

"Hmm," Jinrei answered mildly. "Your friends need to learn some manners. Perhaps I've left you alone for too long. You're falling in with the wrong crowd," he said disapprovingly.

"I'm very sorry for my friend's behaviour," Julia interrupted carefully, giving Jinrei a low bow. "He might be a buffoon—" she paused as Hwoarang grunted loudly. "But I assure you, he means well. Please, forgive us."

A pleased smile spread across Jinrei's face. "Ah, perhaps I was too hasty in my judgement," he said as he returned Julia's bow. Then, leaning over on one leg, he tapped Hwoarang behind the knee with his toe. There was a crack, and the Korean collapsed to the ground, cursing and gasping.

"You son of a OWWW!" Hwoarang yelled, as Xiaoyu stomped on one of his hands and Julia stepped on the other.

Jinrei ignored them and strolled forward, pausing directly before Asuka. "I summoned Asuka Kazama here for one specific purpose," he said loudly. "The public tournament may be almost over, but the real battle must continue."

"You mean I'm not really disqualified?" Asuka asked suspiciously, planting her hands on her hips.

"No, my dear," Jinrei answered her. "You see, I am your next opponent."

"What?" Xiaoyu yelled in shock. "You weren't even on the roster! Grandpa, what are you doing?"

"Quiet, Xiaoyu," Jinrei said firmly, unclasping his hands from behind his back and holding them out in his guard. "Take your friends and stand back. I wish for you to observe this fight."

Asuka shook her head. "I still have no idea what's going on here, but I know I'm sick of this!" She stood back and held her arms low, opening and closing her fingers in preparation as she glared at Jinrei. "I don't know what you're trying to accomplish, old man, but you're gonna get hurt!"

Jinrei chuckled, squinting his eyes at Asuka. "Such a fresh, lively young spirit you have!" he told her. "Do your worst, my child!"

Xiaoyu and her companions backed out of the way quickly, watching the unusual fight commence. Though Julia had fought her, Xiaoyu never had the chance to see Asuka in action. She squinted as she studied the other girl's pose, and then let out a gasp as the young girl sprung forward, her motions fluid and graceful, almost like a dancer. "That looks like Jin's old style!" she murmured, watching Asuka attempt to land a few hits and punches on Jinrei. She blinked and squinted again as Asuka dipped and spun gracefully, her leg coming up for a high kick. "No… it's not really Jin's old style," she noted after a while.

"That's Kazama-style self-defence," Julia explained. "My mother explained it to me once, she called it the deadly dance. Jun Kazama mastered that style. It was said that she was the only one who could beat Kazuya Mishima in the second tournament using that technique. Of course, when the time came, she chose not to fight him, and the result was Jin."

"Jun Kazama!" Xiaoyu whispered, her eyes growing wide as Asuka danced across the moonlit fields. "It's… it's beautiful," she breathed as Asuka lunged again, twirling and smashing her elbow backwards, following it with a graceful kick.

Jinrei's laughter rose up into the air, and reaching out, he caught Asuka's outstretched leg and tossed it upwards. The motion was simple and unassuming, but Asuka let out a cry of surprise and went spinning out of control, landing heavily on her stomach. "Kazama!" he cried out. "I have fought this style once before, and it was as much a pleasure then as it is now." His light-hearted tone grew reprimanding as he continued. "But you are not fighting with your full potential. You hold back! Why? Do you fear injuring an old man?" He leaned back on one leg and raised his arms again. "You must attack with all your heart if you wish to defeat me! Now come!"

Asuka pushed herself up, slamming a fist into the ground angrily. "If that's the way you want it!" she yelled, springing to her feet and rushing at Jinrei.

"Amazing," Julia whispered, and Xiaoyu looked up at the Native American. Her hands were clasped in front of her chest, and she was watching the fight intently with wide eyes. "I had guessed she was strong, but I never knew…" she trailed off.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Hwoarang interrupted. He was kneeling on the ground, also watching the battle intently, but with a perplexed scowl on his face. "I don't understand how that old dude can block all of her attacks. He must be taking some pretty goddamn intensive geriatrics classes."

Xiaoyu looked back and forth between Julia and Hwoarang, who were on each at her side. Between the worldly and the intangible, she suddenly thought, taking in Hwoarang's cynical scrutiny and Julia's spiritual rapture. That's where I am. Grandfather told me to observe the fight. Maybe he didn't mean just to watch it, she realized. Turning her attention back to the battle, she allowed her eyes to drift shut. There is something here.

There was the chirping of the crickets under the moonlight, and the rustling of the tall reeds. There was also, Xiaoyu noted with some surprise, a feeling of something broken, as though the fields teaming with life all around them just stopped, as drained of energy as the graveyard had been. It was like a loose thread in a piece of fabric; though hardly noticeable, the energy of the area around them was slowly unravelling, and the source was somewhere nearby. There was a faint, ugly pulse coming from the mountainside, but it was overwhelmed by the much more potent and immediate presence that emanated from the old cathedral ruins. Jin! That's Jin! she suddenly realized, growing distracted. He's here, he's in that cathedral! The urge to spring to her feet and run to the temple was overwhelming, but as she tensed up, she felt someone squeeze her shoulders firmly.

"Relax," commanded a voice from overhead.

I'm not done yet, Xiaoyu realized slowly. With a small sigh, she willed herself to ignore Jin's presence, trying to feel the spirit of Asuka and Jinrei as they fought instead. She grew aware of Hwoarang next to her, a flickering candle flame not yet stoked to the intensity she knew he could reach when he felt threatened. Julia's presence was also there, as gentle as the flowing fields that surrounded them, almost unnoticeable but ever present, with an undercurrent of strength that belied her gentle demeanor. She reached out further and recognized the soothing touch of her grandfather's aura. It was almost second nature to her; Jinrei had raised her just as much as her own mother had, and his aura was gentle and comforting, like a warm blanket settling over the corners of her mind. She stretched more and tried to feel Asuka's presence, furrowing her brow in concentration.

"I don't feel anything," she murmured to herself. "Why can't I feel anything?" She searched harder, but as she concentrated, once again she felt the strings of control slipping away, along with her awareness of her grandfather, her friends and the land.

"Don't concentrate," Julia's gentle voice interrupted, shocking Xiaoyu's eyes open. The tall girl had put her hands on Xiaoyu's shoulders and was regarding her with a knowing look. "To feel at one with the energies of the earth, you have to relax and let yourself go. If you keep on consciously trying, you'll only chase those feelings away."

Hwoarang glanced away from the fight to eyeball the two girls suspiciously. "Shit. Don't tell me you're both goin' spacey on me now."

Julia narrowed her eyes and sighed at Hwoarang, then turned her attention back to Xiaoyu. "Close your eyes and let go. Believe in yourself," she said soothingly.

Xiaoyu took a deep breath and let her eyes flutter closed. This time, she tried to forget about the battle, about the strange sensation she was getting from the land, even to ignore the presence of her friends. Just relax, she thought to herself. Let go of my worries. I've had so many lately… The sound of the fight grew more distant, and the rustling of the wind through the reeds louder. Xiaoyu slumped over, feeling like she was sinking through a warm ocean, safe and cushioned from the outside world. The rushing breeze grew stronger. Why is the wind so loud? Xiaoyu wondered as she drifted through the comforting darkness of her mind. The blowing wind was now a howling tornado, and tentatively, Xiaoyu forced her mental eye open, trying to locate the source of the disturbance. And what she saw brought her up short.

It's not the wind, she finally registered, shock filling her. It's Asuka, it's her soul. It's always been Asuka!

The gentle spiritual breeze had become a gale-force tempest, spiralling out of the young girl in a frenzied maelstrom of energy. Her aura was so bright, so pure, that Xiaoyu was sure that she was going to be blinded when she opened her eyes. Reflexively, she raised her hand to protect them with a small cry and came out of her trance.

"You can feel it," Julia said softly, still leaning on Xiaoyu's shoulders, holding her upright though her eyes were locked on the fight. "Your grandfather is setting her power free. Incredible!"

As Xiaoyu looked up, she was surprised to see only moonlight, not the blinding white light she had expected to radiate out of Asuka's body. But having touched it, she couldn't shake off the awareness of the other girl's presence anymore. Asuka's aura was everywhere, a beacon of light tearing through the darkness. And as she watched, Xiaoyu saw something she never expected to see.

Asuka yelled, her fists coming forward together to hit Jinrei in the chest. The old man was fast enough, his own arms forming a cross and blocking her strike. But the energy was there, the raw intensity of her soul powering the strike, and Xiaoyu gasped in disbelief as Asuka broke through Jinrei's guard and sent him sailing onto his back.

"I've never seen anyone break grandpa's blocks," she whispered, her mouth dropping open.

Jinrei winced and rose to his feet, holding out his hand as Asuka advanced on him. "Ah, my young one. You have proven yourself. Rest, and calm yourself. I forfeit this match."

Asuka stopped short, holding her fist out uncertainly. "Forfeit? What? I only hit you once! Why'd you even bother to challenge me?" she said, puzzled.

"Yeah," echoed Hwoarang, confusion still written across his entire face. "What the hell was the point of all that?" he asked to no one in particular, scratching his head.

Jinrei turned away from Asuka and waved at Xiaoyu, beckoning her to come forward. "Did you observe, my little sparrow?" he asked her calmly, untroubled by his apparent defeat. "Do you understand now?"

Xiaoyu rose to her feet shakily, feeling over-sensitized, as though someone had electrocuted all her nerve endings. Like Asuka was the electrician, she corrected herself. She felt jerky and energetic, but still exhausted, as if she had drunk too much caffeine to make up for a lack of sleep. But as she approached them and saw Asuka's face, one thing became apparent. She doesn't know. She doesn't even know what she's done, she's not aware of all that power she has! Another emotion coursed through Xiaoyu, and her hand came up to the feather pendant, gripping it fiercely.

"Xiaoyu," Jinrei interrupted, his tone gentle and understanding.

Xiaoyu lowered her head, closing her eyes. When she spoke, her voice trembled. "It's not fair," she whispered softly.

"My little sparrow, life is not—"

"I know it's not fair!" Xiaoyu screamed, looking up to Jinrei with tear-streaked eyes. "Don't you think I learned that already? Don't you think I know by now?" She calmed down, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. "It doesn't make it hurt any less," she said more quietly, sniffling.

"Hey, are you alright?" Asuka asked cautiously, reaching out to touch Xiaoyu's elbow. Xiaoyu flinched away, pulling her arm out of Asuka's grasp as though the younger girl had burned her. "Listen, I'm sorry about beating up your grandfather," Asuka began guiltily.

"Just leave me alone," Xiaoyu said, unable to completely stomp out the unreasonable surge of jealousy and betrayal she was feeling. Is this my punishment for letting go? For trying to forget about Jin? she thought bitterly. Her fingers tightened around the feather pendant, the silver chain digging into her hands painfully, and she sniffled again. She felt the leathery, cool touch of Jinrei's finger as he cupped her chin and stroked her cheek, and she was suddenly thankful that he had decided to spare her his usual lecture on sulking.

"My little sparrow," he told her gently. "There are things in this life that we are destined to do and to become. I am sorry, I truly am, but this was not your destiny."

Xiaoyu reached up, squeezing Jinrei's fingers thankfully, then pulled his hand away from her face. "I don't believe in destiny, grandfather," she said quietly. "Was it Jin's destiny to be cursed? Is it Miharu's destiny to die?" She released Jinrei's hand and turned away from him, looking at the jagged mound of the cathedral in the distance. "No," she said quietly, the old ruins growing fuzzy as tears blurred her vision. "I wanted to be the one to save Jin. It should've been me," she said sadly.

"Save Jin? What are you talking about?" Asuka asked, growing even more confused. "What's he need to be saved from? And are you talking about me? I've never even met him!" she said dubiously.

"The curse of the Mishima bloodline was awakened by the great evil that was unearthed here during the last tournament," Jinrei said, turning to face the mountainside and pointing at the bald spot on the summit. "The true enemy is there. Only a warrior of great spiritual strength can cure the illness which plagues this land."

Xiaoyu spun around, her sad resignation evaporating as Jinrei's words splashed over her head like cold water. "What? You mean you didn't do all of this to fight Jin?" Her grandfather remained silent, his face growing hard. "You're just going to leave him there like that, possessed?" Xiaoyu continued in disbelief. Her hands balled into fists. "You'd let Miharu die?" she pressed, her voice rising.

Jinrei sighed heavily. "Sometimes, my child, the greater good must come before our own selfish desires." He closed his eyes. "The fate of the entire world is at stake. What good is it to save only one, if many will die as the consequence?" He opened his eyes and looked at Xiaoyu. "Do not lose all hope, my girl. There is a good chance that if we rid this world of the evil that was awakened on the summit, the evil in your friend will also return to slumber."

"A good chance?" Xiaoyu said incredulously. "A chance? Miharu needs more than a chance!" she cried out. "And what about Jin? He still wouldn't be cured!" She backed away, turning her head towards the cathedral ruins.

"Xiaoyu," Jinrei said, his voice becoming strict. "Do not do anything foolish!"

Xiaoyu tried to let out a small laugh, but it escaped her throat sounding more like a sob. "Foolish? It's too late for that," she cried. "If you won't save Jin, then I will! I promised him! Just take your 'destiny' and shove it!" she yelled angrily. "I won't leave him! And I won't let Miharu die!" Turning on her heel, Xiaoyu fled, racing for the dark ruins at the end of the path.

"Xiaoyu!" Jinrei roared, stepping after her with his hand outstretched. "Come back here!" It was too late, however; Xiaoyu was already halfway to the cathedral, as fast ever.

"Fuck it, I just know I'm gonna regret this," Hwoarang muttered, ignoring the others and taking off after Xiaoyu.

"Young man!" Jinrei yelled angrily, but it didn't help. He spun around, glaring at the remaining two girls on the field. "You are forbidden to follow them!" he said quickly, moving in front of Asuka as she made to chase after the two.

"Why?" Asuka asked, reaching for Jinrei's shoulder to push him out of the way. Lightning fast, he grabbed her wrist and twisted it around, causing her to cry out in pain and sink to her knees. "Lemmie go!" she yelled, struggling against the old man's iron grip.

"You must rest before you face another opponent," Jinrei explained urgently. "I have released your potential, but at a cost to yourself. If you do not gather your strength before your next battle, there is a risk that you will be defeated!"

Asuka scowled and struggled, and Jinrei released her wrist. "Believe me," he said, suddenly sounding old and tired once more. "I wish there was some other way." His shoulders bowed and he sunk down slowly, folding his legs under him. At that moment, the old man looked every bit his age, the lines on his face standing out in clear relief in the moonlight. "It was never my intention to sacrifice my own granddaughter for the safety of this world. My headstrong little sparrow," he said sorrowfully, shutting his eyes.

"No one is going to be sacrificed today," a clear voice broke through, and Jinrei looked up to see Julia standing before him. She kneeled down respectfully, meeting his eyes. "Xiaoyu believes in the power of true love. Maybe 'destiny' isn't always the answer. Maybe it's not her answer."

Jinrei smiled slightly. "Wise girl," he said to her. "You are aware of things that even my granddaughter has yet to understand." Then his frown returned. "But Xiaoyu must know her own heart before she can save anyone." He looked up, surprised, as Julia smiled at him and pushed herself to her feet.

"She knows that," Julia said confidently. "I think she'll surprise you. You don't know how much Xiaoyu has grown these past few days." Adjusting her gloves, she glanced at the cathedral ruins. "Besides, even if she hasn't decided yet, I'll protect them," she finished.

"You aren't strong enough," Jinrei said simply. "And that Korean will be useless if you intend to rely on him for assistance. You would fight the Devil himself, do you understand?"

Julia pulled at her glove, then cupped her hands together and lowered her head. "I'll said I'll protect them," she repeated quietly. No matter what the cost, she told him wordlessly, meeting Jinrei's eyes.

There was a slight pause, then Jinrei nodded at her. "May the blessings of the Tao be with you," he said softly as he watched her sprint off towards the cathedral. "May they be with us all on this dark evening."

AN: "Swamp Foxtail" – I don't even know if this plant grows in Japan. Oh well, there aren't any real world gothic cathedral ruins in Japan either, so let's stretch our imaginations a bit. I'm a bit nervous about this chapter, and I hope it came across clearly. It was a little difficult to write, because I realized I'm dealing with some pretty abstract concepts here. I wanted to bring out the qualities that I love best in Xiaoyu, that she's not really mature, that she's not yet an adult, and that she's not "special" like so many of the other tournament participants are. This is what really endears her to me as a character, her… well, normality and humanity. There's a fine strength in being normal that I think a lot of people tend to overlook in this day and age of superhero worship. I really hope that is the message I conveyed with this chapter, and not just a sense that I was "nerfing" Xiaoyu. Ah well, please tell me what you think. Not even flames scare me! And as always, you guys rock. I can't express how grateful I am to you. 100 reviews! -author dies in a little fit of happiness- Thanks so much for your comments!