Chapter Seven: Preparations
Author's Note: Okay…I got half way done writing this chapter before I decided that it was absolutely terrible so I scrapped it and decided to start over…don't worry Shadowsin…you're request will be fulfilled…just in a sort of different way…alrighty…this chapter takes place during Tournament Orientation…all sorts of wackiness will ensue in this chapter so hold on to your hats folks! Oh, and by the way, the tournament will start soon…in about two chapters! Sorry if I'm delaying it a little...please forgive me!
Sleep…something that seemed unattainable by any teen…especially to Jamie Parker…if he had an addiction to anything it was slumber, and right now he was getting his fix.
The early morning sun filtered through the window intrusively, and Jamie groaned as he burrowed deeper under the covers.
It can't be morning…crap…it's not fair…
"…Jamie…Jamie…JAMIE!"
"NNFFGGHHHHPTYH" Jamie gurgled.
"I can speak three different languages fluently and I still have no idea what you said."
It was Mina's voice…and then it all came rushing back to him…quick nightly patrol, then met up with everyone at a dance club…Kazuya was detained last night, so research was postponed until later on today…the group had partied last night and hadn't made it home until three or four in the morning…Jamie and Kaori switched rooms for the night to be with their respective partners.
Jamie remembered some stuff…and as he slowly regained consciousness he was remembering others…certain stuff that had happened between him and Mina…certain x-rated stuff.
"C'mon," She said gently, "time to get up!"
"Jus' a few more minutes…jus' a few more minutes…" He chanted sleepily.
"No can do…today's orientation remember? We've gotta get our headshots and interviews done…then we gotta meet the fans and stuff." Mina said practically.
Slowly, Jamie opened his eyes and sat up…getting out of bed was the hardest part for him…if he could just manage to get in the shower he'd be able to function…then if he could get some food he'd be ready to face the day.
He glanced over at his girlfriend and realized how beautiful she looked in the early morning light…her red tinged hair tousled from sleep, and her beautiful flawless skin looked radiant…even without make up. She had instinctively covered herself with the blankets.
"Look, Kaori's gonna be back any minute…and the others are probably up too…you need to make yourself scarce fast!" Mina advised.
"Why?" Jamie asked rubbing sleep out of his eyes.
"I don't think poor Kaori deserves a walk of shame…and with her cousin Xiao in the Tournament…and how protective she is of her…and the fact that all of Kyo's family is around…I think it's best."
"You're right…as always…" Jamie nodded.
And with that he quickly got up and wrapped the blankets around his frame…he grabbed his heap of clothes, kissed Mina goodbye and went off to his room.
New Scene…
If I can just make it down to the other end of the hall and around the corner I'll be fine…only the newbies are down me and Kyo's hall anyway…
Jamie Parker carefully crept down the carpeted hall…his sensitive; Nephilim ears were attuned to the sounds of the closed doors flanking the halls…showers being turned on, toilets flushing…various coughs and sniffles…
Ah the sounds of early morning…makes chirping birds sound like a pile of crap…
Jamie thought sarcastically.
As he turned the corner he heard other footsteps pad down the hall…before he could react the person turned the corner…Kaori Mitsaki and Jamie Parker stared at each other like deer caught in the headlights. Kaori, like Jamie, was clad in bedsheets and held her clothes from last night under her arms.
"Oh…hey…Kaori…" Jamie said blushing.
"He…hey…Jamie…" Kaori said nervously.
"Um…"
"Yeah…"
"I'm going to go…this way…now…riiiigggghhhhhtttt…." Jamie mumbled.
"Yeah…sounds good…I'm going…down the hall…see you lat-"
Before they could finish the door opened, and Hwoarang stared wide eyed at the two.
"Oh…my…" His face broke into a grin as he saw the two "walk of shame-ers".
Quickly, Jamie fumbled in his jeans pocket and fished out a wrinkled twenty.
"Here…I'm giving you this if you shut up and don't tell anyone you saw us…and I'll also 'forget' to tell the hotel staff who exactly stumbled drunk into that priceless Ming Vase in the main hall."
Hwoarang snatched the money. "You've got yourself a deal Sir Nephilim!" He said. "You and Mina? And you and Kyo! MY EYES MY EYES!" Hwoarang joked as he glanced from Jamie to Kaori.
"Hwoarang…please…keep it quiet okay?" Kaori pleaded.
"Arright aright…see you guys later…" Hwoarang said with his arms raised.
He chuckled and muttered to himself as he closed the door…Jamie didn't hear all of it, but he did hear Hwoarang comment "…kids today…"
New Scene…
"So you guys must've had a wild time last night…" Kyo said to Jamie as the two stood near the buffet table guarding the donuts with a vengeance.
"Not nearly as wild as you did! I saw Kaori in the hall." Jamie responded.
"Yeah," Kyo turned as red as his hair. "You think Hwoarang's going to keep quiet?"
"About what?" A voice interrupted.
Jamie turned to see Jin and Xiao standing behind them.
"About…" Kyo began, searching for an answer.
"Spam!" Jamie offered weakly.
"You want Hwoarang to keep quiet about…spam?" Xiaoyu asked uncertainly.
"Yeah…well...y'know…I just love it so…much…" Jamie trailed off.
Xiao smiled. "Alright, what'd you two kids do last night?"
"Kids? Hey, you guys are only like…five years older then I am!" Jamie argued lightly.
"So, when we were seniors in high school you were in 8th grade." Jin countered.
"Anyway, whatever you two have been doing with Mina and Kaori is none of our business," Xiao began. "As long as you all play it safe and use protection then I'm fine with it."
"I wouldn't go telling dad though…he'll give you this long embarrassing talk that has way too much information in it about him and mom." Jin advised Kyo.
"Wasn't gonna." Kyo said to Jin.
"Besides, it's completely obvious what they all did! Did you see in the club?" Christie asked.
"And I thought Hwoarang and I were bad!" Julia commented with a laugh.
"So, now everyone knows…where's my twenty?" Jamie asked Hwoarang.
"Um…what twenty?" Hwoarang asked. "And besides…not everyone knows…Asuka and Billy are still pretty much clueless…until they're done getting their pictures and interviews done that is!" Hwoarang finished with a grin.
"Our lil' Jamie is all growed up…do we have to have a talk?" Steve asked.
"The day I take sex advice from Steve Fox is the day that the world will officially be sucked into hell!" Jamie replied, causing everyone to laugh.
"Well, now that that's out in the open…if you're allergic to latex then how do you and Mina-"
"I'm on the pill," Mina interrupted as she walked up. "And Jamie uses non-latex."
"They make that?" Hwoarang asked.
"Of course they do!" Julia said
"Anyway, I'm all done, and you're up!" Mina said gesturing to the other side of the ballroom…which was filled with dozens of photo stations and information booths.
"Alright…see you guys later!" Jamie called.
New Scene…
Kyosuke Kazama watched the various contestants get their pictures taken...headshots for the roster mostly, but others were used for other means of merchandising…this tournament got most of its income via merchandise…and they made Iron Fist everything! Lunchboxes, posters, video games, trading cards…DVD box sets…action figures…and soundtracks…every contestant was asked to list about fifteen songs that best described them, and every Iron Fist Tournament…for however many fighters were in the tournament, that number of soundtracks came out!
Every fighter was also contractually obligated to lend their voice, face, and name to this marketing ploy…even to lend their voices to the video game! Kyo laughed when he remembered Jamie complaining how many takes it took to get his "death yell" perfected for the game.
As he watched the pictures being taken he saw Grey in the middle of his photo shoot…and who couldn't notice him? His black t-shirt with garish, blood red lettering read: Fuck the KKK! He wore a pair of skin tight black jeans, and a pair of scuffed and marked up converse high tops.
The photographer was complaining because Grey kept using obscene hand gestures for each photo being taken…finally; it seemed as if Grey was bored, so he took a decent one just so he could leave.
Kyo felt a rush of anger boil inside him as Grey walked towards him…Kyo did have somewhat of a temper that was a little hard to control since he was the polar opposite of his Nephilim friend…but he did do his best to keep it in check.
Still, this was the person who hit his girlfriend…and badly wounded one of his best friends…maybe a Nephilim wasn't the best thing to fight him…maybe one had to fight fire with fire?
"Hey, couldn't help but notice you staring," Grey said as he approached Kyo. "S'matter? Not satisfied with little miss innocent? I could definitely teach you a thing or two."
"I don't like you…"
"I seem to be hearing that a lot lately…oh well…" Grey shrugged. "And hey, if you ever feel like you need a little something extra, let me know okay?" Grey winked and began to walk off…but Kyo grabbed him.
"You hit my girl…you hit my friend's girl…and you nearly killed my best friend…I am going to put you in so much pain that you're gonna wish you were never born." Kyo snarled.
"Really? That ain't happenin'!" Grey quickly headbutted Kyo in the face and started to walk off. "You sure talk big…but when it comes right down to it, you don't have the guts to stop me…why don't we continue this one later…without you're super friends around and we'll see who's better?" Grey asked.
"Fine!" Kyo snarled…as his friends ran up to see what was the matter.
He'd go later tonight…but he couldn't tell anyone…if he told them they'd all say that it wasn't wise and wouldn't let him go…but that wasn't going to happen…Kyosuke Kazama was going to end this Grey thing once and for all…even if he had to lie to his loved ones to do it.
Author's Note: Okay, sorry it took so long to write a new chappie but I had originally gotten halfway done with it, then decided it was utter crap so I had to rewrite it all! And…looking back on it, this chapter sucked too…so I'm truly sorry, and please don't flame me! MUCH LOVE TO EVERYONE AND PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!