I'm not so sure it was a good idea, but since I did the last chapter from Xiaoyu's point of view, I thought I would emphasize Hwoarang this time around. Guess I'll leave it up to you whether it was a good idea or not. Enjoy!
TWO YEARS LATER...
Hwoarang ran his head through his spiky red hair as the sweat poured down his temple and stained his green combat armor. He let out short, shallow breaths as he took cover behind the flaming wreckage of the armored personnel carrier that had transported him and his squadron to the area only five minutes ago.
"Damn, another operation botched..." Hwoarang whispered to himself. "This military shit just ain't for me..."
After scanning the area one last time to confirm he was alone, Hwoarang finally slumped over and let out a loud sigh. He looked up at the starry night sky as nostalgia flooded his mind; this just wasn't the life he had envisioned for himself.
"Ah, what happened to the good old days..." he reminisced out loud. "Everything was so simple back then, when I was king of the streets. I didn't have any responsibilities, no people relying on me to keep them alive... I was just a man who kicked ass and commanded respect. And I had old Baek to bail me out of any trouble. Ah sensei, I really wish you were here right now..."
Hwoarang closed his eyes and thought back to The King of Iron Fist Tournament 3... man, those were the days. He made it quite far before losing a very close match to Jin Kazama. But there was one thing that he would never forget: that first fight he had with that little brat. She ran off crying and he won by default! Strangely, he found himself thinking about the girl more and more lately. He couldn't help but wonder what she was doing now...
"What a weird girl that was... ahhh why can't I get her out of my head?! Damn weirdo, coming all that way just to run off crying. I can't help but feel that I've seen her before! What was her name again? Xia... Xiao...?"
"Sergeant!" a voice crackled on the radio. Hwoarang snapped out of his daydreaming and grabbed his nearby radio.
"That you, Corporal? Did you guys retreat to the LZ?"
"Yes sir! We're waiting on you, sir!"
"Look, just secure the LZ and radio for evac already. No point in getting all you guys killed for my stupid mistake."
"B-but what about you?"
"I'm finishing the damn mission, that's what!"
"B-but sir-"
"Those are your orders, soldier. Get the hell outta here!"
Not even bothering to wait for a reply, Hwoarang smashed the radio and shot to his feet. He readied his K7 and charged headfirst, not even bothering to be stealthy. For some strange reason, he felt a fire burning inside him...was it from the memories? He couldn't tell whether the feeling was anger, sadness, or... determination.
"Alright, assholes! LET'S PARTY!" Hwoarang screamed as he ran headfirst into the heavily guarded compound and started firing. The assailants seemed endless, but their numbers meant nothing to Hwoarang. He mowed them down with newfound determination; if he survived this, he knew exactly what his next step would be.
"I don't need this shitty gun!" Hwoarang yelled as he tossed it to the ground. He swung around and brought his heel crashing into the face of an assailant that tried to rush him from behind. One more charged from the front with a knife. Hwoarang kicked the knife from his hand and slammed his foot into the man's chin, sending him to the ground immediately. This was it: the feeling he had been longing for!
The onslaught continued for ten straight minutes as Hwoarang mercilessly beat down every assailant only using his feet. The fiery passion of hand to hand combat was flowing through his veins, strengthening his every blow to bone breaking proportions. The void inside him was filling at long last, but... it still wasn't enough. Something was missing, and Hwoarang knew exactly what it was. No matter how hard he fought, the military would never give him a sense of fulfillment.
"Thank you so much! YOU SAVED MEEEEEE!" a voice shouted as a young teenage looking chick ran after Hwoarang with her arms extended. But before she could embrace her rescuer, Hwoarang shoved her away.
"You're the rich guy's daughter, right?" Hwoarang asked.
"Uhhh... yeah?"
"Good! Then take this and signal the chopper. Bye!"
Hwoarang tossed the girl a green flare and then immediately stared running in the opposite direction of the LZ.
"WAAAAAIT! Where are you going?!" the kidnapped girl asked.
"That's classified, sweetheart!" Hwoarang called back.
"But I don't know how to use this thiiiiiing!"
Hwoarang laughed triumphantly; this was the break he was looking for! He couldn't have planned it better; now he had a straight shot to escape the military for good. He was all alone, and the rescue team would be too preoccupied with extracting the client's kidnapped daughter to come looking for him. He was finally free! And just in time, too; if the rumors he had heard were legit, it was time once again for his pursuit of glory.
"Next stop, Japan!" Hwoarang yelled to himself with another laugh. "I got a date with The King of Iron Fist Tournament 4!"
MEANWHILE, IN JAPAN...
Xiaoyu ran her hands through her hair as the water washed away all the dirt, sweat and blood of her intense day of training. It was another fulfilling day; ten hours of nonstop training, followed by her daily shower. Every day she stood underneath the steaming hot water, she felt more than just grime washing away; her old self was washing away with it. Her weakness, her hesitation... each new day was one more day of her past self shedding. She had molded into a strong, confident, beautiful 18 year old.
She stepped out of the shower and threw off her towel, then slipped on her night clothes. She looked in the mirror at her flowing wet hair; she actually looked pretty good with her hair down.
"Hey Panda! It's time for our meditation!" Xiaoyu eagerly exclaimed, shaking her pet from her slumber. Panda awoke with a loud groan; she hated this time of day so very much. But she wanted to make Xiaoyu happy, so she stifled her displeasure and sat down on the floor with Xiaoyu with her legs crossed. The two of them closed their eyes and took a deep breath.
"Now remember, Panda... silence."
Panda nodded and the two of them sat in silence as Xiaoyu set the timer on her alarm clock for one hour.
This was the most important hour of Xiaoyu's day. It was an hour of reflection; an hour to take in the reality around her. The past, the present, the future... emotions, experiences, the good times and the bad... they flowed through Xiaoyu's mind like a gentle breeze. Two years had passed since the day she had made her vow, and since then, she had truly achieved enlightenment. She wasn't bitter or remorseful about what had happened, there were no feelings of hatred towards Hwoarang and the cruel things he had said. Instead, there was...
Suddenly Xiaoyu let out a gasp and her eyes flew open. As soon as she thought about Hwoarang, a tingling warmth engulfed her chest. Almost as if to tell her something...
"Panda!" Xiaoyu whispered, shaking Panda gently. Panda's eyes shot open and she looked at Xiaoyu with a confused grunt.
"I thought about Hwoarang! I think... he's finally coming back to Japan."
Xiaoyu stood up and went over to her calendar. She looked closely: The King of Iron Fist Tournament 4 was in two days! She had let time get away from her. Suddenly she felt unprepared... what would she say to him after all these years? What would he say to her?
No... I must remain calm. I've prepared for this ever since that fateful day. I'm ready... I know I am.
"Panda..." Xiaoyu said, turning to her counterpart. "...It's finally time."
NEXT DAY
"HYAAAAAH!" Hwoarang yelled as he struck the sand-filled bag with another thunderous kick. He threw another, and another after that, the sweat dripping from his crimson hair and trickling down his bare chest all the way to his abdomen. After a few more well placed kicks. Hwoarang collapsed to the ground, his chest and firm pecs rising and falling rapidly with each gasp of air.
"Huff...huff...huff... whew, I think I'm ready to face him again. That spiky haired pretty boy won't know what hit him, heh heh heh..."
Hwoarang laid there on the gym floor for a while, deep in thought. He thought about Jin Kazama, about settling the score once and for all. But for some strange reason, that wasn't the only thought on his mind. His thoughts dwelled to another: that Chinese girl!
"Ugh, there I go again... why do I keep thinking about her?!" Hwoarang yelled aloud, ignoring the strange looks he was getting from the others.
"I'll never forget the way she looked at me... like I was some god to her or something. Ah, chicks are so weird. I just don't get em..."
Hwoarang sighed loudly and got back to his feet. He put his hands in his pockets and walked out of the gym, still thinking about the weird girl from that day.
He made it back to his hotel room in Shinjuku and immediately started stripping off his sopping wet clothes. Tossing them on the floor without a care, he stepped into the bathroom and hopped in the shower, not even bothering to wait for the water to warm up.
"Ahhhh shit that feels good!" Hwoarang said with a relieved sigh. The water was giving him goosebumps all over, but the rush of coolness felt like heaven after his strenuous workout. He just stood there under the shower head and let the water trail down his body, washing away the sweat and blood of his day.
"Ah who needs chicks anyway?" Hwoarang said aloud. "I'm a loner. Ain't got time for that shit. I'm a man of simple pleasures: motorcycles, a good fistfight, and a relaxing shower after it's all over. What more could a man want in life?"
By the time Hwoarang finished his shower, night had fallen over the city. Not even bothering to get dressed, he slipped on a pair of boxers and collapsed on the bed. Hwoarang was content; Xiaoyu had finally left his mind. All he wanted to focus on tomorrow was being the number 1 fighter...and smashing Jin Kazama's face under his heel.
TOURNAMENT DAY
Hwoarang felt the fire of anticipation inside him as he rode towards the site of the King of Iron Fist Tournament 4. Today was going to be a good day; he felt stronger, faster, and more determined than ever before. As long as he kept a clear head and didn't think about...
"Dammit, stop it Hwoarang." Hwoarang muttered to himself. "Pssh, what are the odds that I'll have to fight her again? She probably won't even show up this year."
Simultaneously, Xiaoyu was riding atop Panda towards the same destination. As Panda sprinted at top speed, Xiaoyu closed her eyes and allowed her mind to focus. This was what she had prepared for for two years... this was her redemption. She was going to dominate this tournament, and anyone who stood in her way or belittled her would get their nose broken. Even him...
"Do you think he remembers me?" Xiaoyu asked Panda, who was just crawling along at a casual pace. Panda replied with only a grunt.
"What if I have to fight him again? Do you... do you think I'm strong enough to face him this time?"
Another series of unintelligible grunts.
"You're right, Panda. I won't lose faith. I'm strong... stronger than I've ever been."
Finally, all the fighters had arrived at the tournament site. It wasn't an impressive turnout this year: excluding Heihachi Mishima, less than 20 fighters seemed to be participating. This competition would be more close knit, and that only increased the odds of Xiaoyu and Hwoarang's inevitable rematch.
"Now where is that damned Kazama..." Hwoarang muttered as he looked around. He could see the usual faces: Paul, Law, Nina... and then there were some new faces, like a beautiful girl with caramel skin, a blonde boxer, and a behemoth of a man with dreadlocks. There was also a man sitting in the corner, his face hidden by a blue jacket hood. Another man with black spiky hair and sunglasses. But of all the faces, there was one he didn't see...
"Huh, guess she didn't show up after all. Ah well, that eases my mind."
Little did he know, Xiaoyu WAS there. She could see him quite well, even though he couldn't see her.
"Panda... he's still as hot as ever." Xiaoyu whispered with a tiny giggle.
"Alright, everyone SHUT UP!" a very familiar obnoxious voice boomed. Everyone turned in anticipation as their host Heihachi Mishima came trampling down the steps. To everyone's horror, he was wearing nothing but a white fundoshi.
"So, another year another tournament! I won't bother going over the details because I'm sure you all know by now. Come get your fight schedules, they'll tell you when and where your fights take place. Now hurry the hell up! I got some very important things to take care of, that I don't feel like talking about."
Hwoarang grabbed his schedule and looked carefully. His eyes widened when he saw that he was once again the first fighter!
"Just my freakin luck... I wonder who my opponent will be this time? I didn't see Kazama anywhere. That girl isn't around either..."
Hwoarang made his way to his designated fight location: the desolate rooftop of a huge structure. There were no spectators around, but helicopters with cameras circled the area to record the match live.
Hwoarang took a deep breath and took off his shirt, allowing the cool air to hug his skin and relieve his tension. With a few motivational slaps to the head, he turned around and got into stance.
"Alright! I dunno who you are, but come on out! Let's do this shit!"
Hwoarang squinted in the distance as his opponent came into view. It only took a few seconds before he realized who it was... much to his bewilderment.
"Holy shit on a..."
Hwoarang's eyes nearly popped out when he saw the figure approach: she was much taller, and no longer dressed in that ridiculous red outfit. She was wearing white pants with a black stripe and a pink and white jacket that was wide open, revealing underneath nothing but a black sports bra. Hwoarang couldn't help but blush when he looked at her chest and bare abdomen. She had really developed... in more ways than one.
"You... you... you're..." Hwoarang stammered.
"I've been waiting for this, Hwo." Xiaoyu said with a giggle. She reached onto her head and pulled off her glowy pink braids, allowing her long black hair to flow freely in the wind. She then removed her jacket and tossed it aside, getting into stance.
"Oh... shit..." Hwoarang squeaked. The last two years had worked wonders on that little girl; damn she was hot now!
What are you doing, Hwoarang! You don't care about chicks, remember? Keep your eye on the ball and quit getting distracted by this brat's... insanely... hot... body...
"Prepare yourself, Hwoarang." Xiaoyu said in a serious tone as she lunged towards the blushing redhead, completely catching him off guard.
"W-w-wait a minute!" Hwoarang stammered. "I-I-'M not ready y-AUUUUGH!"
He couldn't finish his sentence before taking a palm to his stomach, knocking the wind out of him.
"What are you waiting for, Hwo? Afraid to attack a beautiful girl?" Xiaoyu teased.
"Sh-shut up! I'll show you a thing or two!" Hwoarang retorted, still gasping for air. He leapt to his feet and threw a flurry of kicks with his right foot, which were all easily evaded by his opponent.
"You little- hold still!"
Hwoarang threw two more right kicks before completely surprising Xiaoyu by bringing his left heel down on her with an overhead strike. But to his amazement, she cartwheeled out of the way and his heel struck the hard ground.
"Oww! Shit!"
Xiaoyu grabbed Hwoarang's face and pulled him so close to her that their noses were touching. Hwoarang couldn't have hidden his fluster if he wanted to.
"You'll have to be quicker than that, hot stuff." she said with a wink before driving her elbow into his gut and smacking his nose with her wrist.
"Guh!" Hwoarang cried as he tumbled to the ground. Xiaoyu walked up to him until her shadow loomed over him. With a smirk, she put her hands on her hips and bent over, looking him in the eyes (even though his eyes were fixated on her cleavage).
"You seem a little nervous, Hwo. What's the matter? I thought a little girl like me wasn't worth your time."
Hwoarang couldn't believe what was happening. This felt like some kind of a dream; how could that crying brat have changed so much in just a couple years? She was confident, sexy, and assertive. The closer she got to him, the more she spoke to him... the wilder his heart raced. She wasn't a girl anymore... she was a woman.
"X-Xiao..." Hwoarang whispered. "I c-can't fight you. It's just that... well I... you're driving me crazy."
"Oh really? And what about me is driving you crazy?" Xiaoyu asked, leaning over even more and emphasizing her breasts.
"Guh... e-everything! You, it's just that... you've changed so much..."
"I changed for you, Hwo. Because I wanted you to look at me. Like you're doing now..."
Hwoarang stared panting as Xiaoyu knelt down and crawled right on top of him.
"X-X-X-Xiao..."
She pressed her chest against his as her hands trailed up his bare abdomen. Her face got closer to his until their eyes were locked and their noses were touching.
Hwoarang gulped; he was going mad right now. If he didn't taste her lips in the next second, he would literally die. He couldn't wait another second; closing his eyes, he inched his mouth towards hers.
But suddenly, he felt a strong pair of hands pinch his lips. His eyes opened and saw Xiaoyu with her hand on his mouth.
"Hmm?" Hwoarang grunted.
His confusion was replaced by horror when he saw the evilest of looks spread across Xiaoyu's face. Without warning, she wrapped her arms around Hwoarang's leg and bent it in a way that it was DEFINITELY not supposed to bend.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAH! WHAT THE F*** ARE YOU DOING TO ME, YOU LITTLE DEMON!" Hwoarang cried out.
"That's not the response I'm looking for, Hwo."
"AUUUUGH! WHAT DO YOU WANT? I'LL DO ANYTHING! ANYTHING!" At this point, tears were forming in Hwoarang's eyes from the pain.
"I want to hear you say that I'm not a little girl anymore. I'm not weak, and I AM worth your time."
"GAAAH FINE! YOU'RE NOT A LITTLE GIRL!"
She tightened her grip, causing Hwoarang's voice to get higher and higher.
"Cmon Hwo, you can do better than that. Apologize for being mean to me while you're at it."
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOU-GAAAAAAAH! ALRIGHT! I'M SORRY I WAS MEAN TO YOU! I'M SORRY I NEVER PAID ATTENTION TO YOU THAT YEAR I WAS AT MISHIMA POLYTECHNIC! YOU'RE NOT A WEAK LITTLE ANNOYING BRAT! YOU'RE A STRONG, SEXY, CONFIDENT WOMAN AND YOU'RE MAKING ME NUTS JUST BY LOOKING AT YOU!"
Suddenly, all the pain left Hwoarang's leg in an instant. He collapsed on his back, breathing a huge sigh of relief.
"Hee hee... that's all I wanted to hear." Xiaoyu said with a giggle. She crawled back on top of Hwoarang and finally pressed her lips against his. In that instant, Hwoarang completely forgot about her nearly snapping his leg. With a smile, he put his arms around her and held her tight as the two of them kissed passionately on the rooftop. Not even caring if the whole world watched, they rolled around on the ground in a tight embrace with their lips perpetually locked together.
"Ummmm sir, how do we declare this one?" a Tekken Force officer asked. "S-SIR!"
"What? It's a good show." Heihachi muttered.
"Sir... the tournament."
"I dunno, sheesh! Just declare a double KO or some shit."
With a shrug, the Tekken Force officer put on his headset.
"Double KO." he whispered to the announcer, who gave a nod. The announced grabbed his microphone and turned it up to max volume.
"DOUBLE KO!" he said in a powerful voice. "BOTH FIGHTERS ARE OUT!"
Neither Xiaoyu nor Hwoarang were very fazed by the message. Even though they both had their reasons for entering the tournament, their emotions and hormones had gotten the better of them. At this moment, they couldn't care less as long as they could be in each other's arms.
"You wanna get out of here?" Hwoarang whispered between kisses. "We can go back to my place."
"Only if I can ride on your motorcycle." Xiaoyu whispered with a smile as she placed kisses on his chest. "I've always wanted to."
"Really? I've always kinda... wanted to ride on your panda."
"Wanna fight about it?"
Needless to say, they ended up taking the motorcycle.
THE END