Ling skidded to a halt in front of the swimming pool. The brilliant blue surface was sparkling in the morning Sun, and Ling's reflection revealed she was wearing an orange swimsuit. It was as orange as her fighting attire, of course. Everything she owned was orange because orange reminded her of Jin. Not because Jin and the colour orange had anything in common, but because everything reminded Ling of Jin. She had problems.

"Wow, it's so… wet and… blue!" She said with glee, her eyes sparkling as brightly as the water.

Panda joined her, also wearing a swimsuit. Anyone that wasn't Kuma would be traumatised by this sight.

Jun, Alisa, Asuka and Lili followed.

Jun was wearing a modest one-piece. Alisa had no use for swimsuits as she was a cyborg. Asuka was ready to punch anyone who dared comment on her appearance, and Lili was wearing a hat and sunglasses that were much too large for her.

"Aw, Alisa," Ling said, looking her friend up and down, "where's your swimsuit?"

"I have no need for swimsuits," she confirmed. "Plus, I would shortcircuit if I went in there."

"Panda, you'll have to tell me where you bought your swimsuit," Jun said, admiring the bear's taste in fashion.

"Grrraargh (I stole it from Lili's wardrobe)!"

Luckily for Panda, Lili couldn't speak bear, and she had so many swimsuits—around one thousand—she didn't even recognise it.

"Ugh," Lili said, her nose wrinkling at Asuka, "even that filthy bear looks more presentable than you!"

"I'm going to drown you," Asuka said through gritted teeth.

And all of this time, Heihachi was standing beside them posing as a statue.

Jin emerged on the other side of the pool. He was wearing a badass pair of shorts adorned with flames. His chiselled torso and rippling abs were slicked with sweat.

Ling fainted, landing painfully into the pool face-first.

"Ouch," Jun said, wincing.

"Someone better get her out before she fills the pool with blood," Asuka said.

"Wait, did she hit her head on the side or something?" Jun asked.

"I mean from a nosebleed."

"Ew!" Lili said, "Save her, Jin! This is your fault!"

"Dammit," he said. "Why do I have to be so attractive?" He dived heroically in after her, soon emerging with a passed-out Ling in his arms.

While Jin attempted to breathe life back into Ling, Lee stepped out of the house. He was wearing a rose-patterned pair of trunks. "Excellent!"

"What's excellent?" Jun asked.

"Oh, nothing," he said. "It's just my catchphrase and I haven't had an opportunity to say it, yet." Lee snorted all of a sudden. "Remember when I forced my father to wear a pair of trunks and serve me drinks at my pool?"

"No, but now I'm worried," Jin said in between giving Ling CPR.

"What father doing, anyway?" Lee asked, pointing a rose towards Heihachi who was still posing as a statue.

"Who knows?" Jun shrugged.

"You're conscious, aren't you, Ling?" Jin asked, staring accusingly at her as he removed his lips from hers.

"No," she lied.

Kazuya exited the villa next but he was wearing his casual clothes.

"Aren't you getting in the pool?" Jin asked, who was now sitting next to a pouting Ling on the side of the pool.

"I hate swimming pools," he said. "Too much fun."

Lars and Kuma were the last to exit.

Lars' eyes widened at the sight of Lili.

"Look at that!"

Alisa jumped at the voice in her ear. Somehow, Ling had slipped behind her without anyone noticing.

"He can't keep his eyes off of her!" She continued. "This is why you should've worn a swimsuit! Then he would've been all over you like Jin was all over me."

"But that was only because you fainted at the sight of his bare torso," Alisa said.

"N-no, it's because he can't resist me! Just like Lars can't resist Lili!"

"Watch this," Lars said. Everyone watched him perform a double somersault triple spin. But he overshot the pool by an embarrassing distance and ended up a tree. At least the cat was finally down.

"Why did he do that?" Lili asked, holding her sunglasses halfway down her nose.

"To save the cat, perhaps?" Jun suggested.

"Oh, well, that was kind of sweet, I suppose."

Lars gave a satisfied nod even if was a complete lie.

Ling offered Alisa a shrug that said "see? I'm always right" and Alisa wanted to chainsaw her friend's pigtails off.

"Ugh," Lili said… again. "You filthy, flea-ridden bears aren't going in my pool, are you?"

"Of course they are!" Ling said. "And stop insulting them! Well, stop insulting Panda, at least."

"No, I won't allow it! Bears are banned from my pool!"

"Whoops," Asuka said, nudging Panda in the back with her hip, forcing the bear to go crashing into the pool. Asuka waited in anticipation for Lili to rage at her.

"Oh, I was just joking about banning them!"

Asuka punched the Heihachi statue in the thigh and he had to bite on his bottom lip to confine a scream.

Morning had come and gone and finally, the sounds of water splashing and laughter were a cacophony in the air.

The only ones not in the pool were Alisa and Lars. The former was standing at the edge, content with watching the others have their fun, while the latter was still stuck up a tree. Ironically, he was scared of heights and was struggling to get down.

"J-Jin, I'm drowning!" Ling spluttered, her arms whipping at the water in a struggle.

"Nice try," he said.

Lars appeared at Alisa's side, causing the robot's head to fall off with surprise.

"You've finally decided to join us, Lars?" Jun asked.

Numerous twigs and leaves were stuck in his ridiculous hair. They had to be removed. Instead of performing a triple somersault twisty-thingy to get in the pool, he simply climbed in and sank to the bottom. He emerged several moments later, his ridiculous hair sopping wet and hanging over his face and shoulders.

Everyone burst out laughing at once. Even the creepy bush guy popped out to point and laugh. And Heihachi, who had been doing a stunning job of pretending to be a statue, broke out into a guffaw.

"This is even f-funnier than th-that t-time Lee worse those sh-shorts!" Kazuya struggled to say.

He was referring to last year when Lee had dressed up in generic explorer gear so he could explore a cave. Lee was too busy spitting rose petals from laughter to take issue with Kazuya's words.

"Ooo, your laughter has awoken the spirit of the poool!"

The laughter vanished as did every occupant of the pool—besides Kazumi.

As everyone ran in terror, they bumped into Heihachi who was knocked from his feet. His bald head cracked against the side of the pool and he flopped into the water.

Seconds later, he emerged just as Kazumi had. "I remember now! I'm a ghost!"

"That's only room for one ghost around here!"

"You tell him!" Said creepy bush guy.