A/N: Hey guys, I'm back with the next update after weeks of editing and I have to say that I am finally pleased with the results. Thanks to the five readers who left me a review, I really appreciate it since reviews are what encourage me to keep on with a story.

So this chapter is basically a filler chapter before the placement match begins and it is pretty lengthy- but it is very entertaining if I do say so myself. After all, this story is a romance/adventure story, so I have to throw in some filler chapters in order to get the cannon romance going for this fanfic.

Another quick side note before you start reading, there is an actual timeline for when all of the Tekken tournaments take place during the game's storyline. So for those of you who are unaware of the time constraints:

First Tournament (1985), Second Tournament (1987), Third Tournament (2006), Fourth Tournament (2008), Fifth Tournament (2008), and the Sixth Tournament (2009).

Disclaimer: I do not own Namco's popular fighting video game series Tekken- but if I did, that would be the greatest feeling in the world!

"Pre-Gaming"

Asuka pushed the door to her suite open and stomped over to her bed, collapsing in the middle of the plush mattress. Her body was swallowed up by the blankets and pillows as she rolled over to lie on her back. She yelled in frustration before shoving the palms of her hands into her eyes. A few seconds later, she heard the door open then close again. Realizing she was no longer alone, she sighed. There was only one person she could think of who would be stupid enough to follow her when she was so worked up- Christie.

"You shouldn't let him get to you." Christie's voice floated over to her softly as she walked over and took a seat at the foot of the bed. "I had to learn that lesson first-hand. Hwoarang uses his mouth to fight more than he uses his fists. He likes to get his competitors all worked up so they lose focus. Most times, it works."

Asuka sat up quickly, the mattress bouncing beneath her as she glared at Christie. "I don't give a damn what his strategy is. I hate the jackass. So far, all he can seem to do since I met him is yell, scream, and test my patience. I pray to Kami we are matched up during this tournament so I can kick his sorry ass straight to hell."

Christie blinked, clearly shocked by Asuka's rage, but she cleared her throat continued to speak. "Do you want my advice on getting through this tournament?"

Asuka sighed before falling back to stare up at the ceiling. "What?"

"If you have a personal agenda during the tournament, just focus on that. Nothing else should matter to you. Don't let anyone get into your head and distract you okay? Just focus on yourself and you will do fine."

"I already know that Christie. Why are you telling me this?"

Christie sighed before resting a hand on Asuka's knee. "Asuka, if you were really focused on this tournament, you wouldn't have allowed Hwoarang to get you so worked up."

Asuka stood from the bed and headed over to the kitchen area of her suite. She pulled the fridge door open and was amazed at how much food was inside. She skimmed over the contents of the fridge and mentally noted that she had enough food to make a few decent meals.

"Let's not talk about the tournament anymore." she said. "What do you say I whip us up something to eat and we can focus on something other than the stress of this tournament?"

"That sounds great." Christie said with a smile. "But, would you mind if I invite a friend? I kind of promised her we'd have dinner tonight first."

"If you have other plans, don't let me stop you."

"No Asuka, it will be fine. Xiaoyu is a cool person. I can tell you guys are going to get along just fine. You already have one very important thing in common."

"We do?" Asuka asked as she set a package of fish on the counter top.

Christie nodded her head. "Jin Kazama."

Hwoarang walked through the sliding doors of the training room, his drawstring bag hanging over his shoulder as he strode across the room and over to a wall of lockers on the adjacent walls. He spied Marshall Law sitting on the floor in a half lotus position, his back to the rest of the room as he meditated peacefully, ignoring the sounds of fists and feet colliding with the punching bags throughout the room. Hwoarang looked to his right and spied another man in the same position facing in the opposite direction. He was a black man with a scar in the shape of an X across his face, hidden behind a pair of aviators. He smiled, impressed by the custom buzz cut style the man was sporting.

Hworang read over the names listed on the lockers until he found his own and swiped his card through the provided scanner. He opened the locker and he stuffed his bag and shoes inside before removing his clothing, revealing his white gi beneath them. After sliding his blue finger-less gloves onto his hands, he headed over to an unoccupied punching bag and raised his arms to take his starting position. He stared at the bag for a while, contemplating which move to make first. His mind then ventured towards his opponent for tomorrow's match, Ganryu. He had to defeat the guy in record time to please his fans and to gain a higher ranking for the tournament. The only problem was figuring out the guy's moves, his weaknesses, and how exactly to take him down. He had never fought him before and the last anyone had seen him, he had entered the second Iron Fist Tournament back in 1987. That was way over twenty years ago and the guy's skills could have improved without a doubt.

With this information in mind, Hwoarang spared a glance at Law who was still meditating across the room. Rumor has it, Law was one of the oldest and greatest fighters in the history of Tekken. He had entered every tournament that had been held, with the exception of the third. Maybe he could shed a little light on this Ganryu guy?

Just as he prepared to head over to him, the doors slid open revealing Steve Fox. He gave Hwoarang a cocky smile as he passed by and headed to place his own things in his designated locker.

"I figured you'd be in here." he said as he slid his shirt over his head so he was bare chested, wearing nothing but his red, white and blue shorts and shoes.

Hwoarang smirked as he leaned back against his punching bag and folded his arms over his chest. "What did you expect? The competition has gotten tougher by the looks of it and I have to stay on top of my game if I have any hopes of winning this thing."

Just then, the punching bag moved back against Hwoarang's weight and Hwoarang fell flat on his back. Steve laughed as he closed his locker and moved to help his friend onto his feet. Hwoarang took Steve's hand and stood up to brush himself off quickly to rid himself of his embarassment.

"That's what you consider being on top of your game?" Steve said as he tried to control his laughter.

Hwoarang brushed Steve's comment off and turned to steady the punching back. "Who are you up against tomorrow?"

"King." Steve said as he slid his hands into his boxing gloves. "Should be an interesting match."

"If you say so. The guy is a power house. He never tires. I was ready to call it quits after he body slammed me onto the pavement."

"How'd you beat him?" Steve asked.

Hwoarang closed his eyes as he thought back to the match between him and the infamous wrestler a few months ago. They were fighting on the street of Shinjuku while several onlookers and shoppers passed by, cheering their heads off as they watched the intense Iron Fist match.

"I spent a majority of my time blocking his attempts to grab me, and tried the rest of the time to get a few decent kicks in here and there. I finally managed to get an opening with a right jab to his face and knocked him to the ground with a spring back kick. We wrestled for a bit, but I knocked him out with a single axe kick to the chest. I knocked the wind right out of him."

"Impressive." Steve said. "But in case you've forgotten, kicking isn't my forte. I'm a boxer"

"Then I wish you the best of luck my friend. King uses both his fists and his legs to fight. So whatever you dish out, make sure it's powerful."

Steve nodded before turning his attention to a nearby punching bag to execute a few combos. Left, right, jab blow, repeat. Left, right, jab blow, repeat. Hwoarang watched him in silence for a moment before turning back to his bag to run through a few combos himself. They remained like that for nearly ten minutes, completely focused on their attacks, only pausing when Law and the unknown stranger made their leave from the room. Hwoarang stopped as the door slid shut behind them and rested a hand against the swinging bag as he took a few breaths to calm his racing heart. Steve stopped a few seconds later as he did the same.

"So, what's up with you and the new girl I saw you with earlier?" Steve asked. "She looked ready to rip your head off."

Hwoarang smirked as he headed over to the provided fridge in the room to snag a bottled water. "Nothing's up. I just wanted to see what she's made of, you know? She's got a temper on her, that's for sure."

"Look who's talking." Steve said with a laugh as he began to try out a new combo on the bag.

"Hey, I am nowhere near as short tempered as she is." Hwoarang said as he defended himself. "Anyways, that's not the most interesting thing about her. Turns out, she's a Kazama."

"She's related to that jackass?" Steve said, pausing his combo to take in the new information.

"Unfortunately. I guess they're cousins or something along those lines. All that matters is the fact that they are both related, meaning she is connected to those damn Mishimas in some twisted way. Anyone associated with that family in any shape, way, or form is automatically bad news in my eyes. She thinks she has this whole tournament figured out. Says she can handle anyone who gets in her way. Well, I'm going to watch her match tomorrow and we'll see if she truly has what it takes to be an Iron Fist fighter."

Steve smirked. "Worried she might affect your rankings in the tournament, huh?"

Hwoarang laughed. "If anyone should be worried here, it's her."

Asuka smiled as she put the finishing touches on her Hamachi dish- a teriyaki glaze. Even though the dish paled in comparison to her mother's cooking, she had to admit that she was very impressed with how it turned out. She was in need of a good home-cooked meal after all the stress the day had brought on, and she knew it was going to taste amazing. As she moved from the table to rinse out the teriyaki dish, there was a light knock on the door.

"Come in." she called out, not bothering to look up from the sink.

"Hey, we're here." Christie said cheerfully as she and Xiaoyu stepped into the suite, the door closing with a thud behind them.

Asuka looked over her shoulder and smiled before motioning her head towards the table. "You guys can have a seat. I just finished cooking before you got here. I hope you like fish."

"Oh wow, Hamachi." Xiaoyu exclaimed as she inhaled the fresh scent and took a seat. "I haven't had Hamachi since I was a little girl. My parents used to cook it all the time before they passed away."

Asuka smiled as she brought the rest of the food to the table and took her seat. "Xiaoyu, I hope you don't mind that I put a damper on yours and Christie's plans."

"It's okay Asuka. When Christie said she had met a new competitor, I was very excited to meet you. So, is it true? Are you and Jin really cousins?"

Asuka could tell that Xiaoyu was excited to know, but she didn't fail to notice how the girl's eyes saddened as she spoke the man's name. She nodded her head slowly.

"I don't remember too much about him. He was a little bit older than me and I was six last I saw him. He and my Aunt Jun lost contact with my family after our reunion that year and the next time anyone spoke about them was when we learned that my Aunt Jun had been murdered. My parents thought about taking Jin in, but they learned he was staying with his grandfather Hehachi Mishima. So, how do you know him?"

Xiaoyu grabbed hold of her chopsticks and popped a piece of fish into her mouth. "We went to Mishima Polytechnic High School together. He was a senior when I enrolled as a freshman and we became fast friends. We used to hang out all the time- him, me, and Miharu...but things changed when he dropped out a few weeks before he was going to graduate. We haven't really spoken much since then. In fact, the only time I ever see or hear from him is during the tournaments."

An awkward silence crept over the table as Xiaoyu frowned, the pain of the memories becoming to much for her.

Christie cleared her throat quickly to try and relieve some of the tension. "So Xiaoyu, who scheduled to fight tomorrow?"

Xiaoyu sighed. "My grandfather, Want Jinrei. I swear, it should be against the rules for competitors to fight against their own flesh and blood. It's not that I'm afraid of hurting him or anything. I'm afraid he's going to hurt me. He's the one who's been raising me since my parents' passing and he's also my martial arts instructor. I have yet to beat him in any of are sparring matches. What makes the tournament any different? He may be old, but he's still got some whip in him."

Asuka and Christie couldn't help but to laugh at Xiaoyu's frustration.

"Sounds like the competition is pretty tough." Asuka commented as she began to push the food around on her plate. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm a little on edge. I can usually hold my own. I'm one of the most feared fighters in Osaka. But with this tournament, I'm up against the world's greatest and toughest fighters. I entered this tournament so I could beat the jackass who attacked my father and my family's dojo, but I have this dark feeling that Feng Wei isn't my biggest threat. Something about this tournament seems, I don't know..wrong."

"Wrong?" Christie repeated with a raised eyebrow.

"I feel like there's something more to this tournament. Something we aren't seeing. Do either of you know who called this tournament to take place?"

"Now that you mention it, there wasn't a name on the flyer like usual." Christie said as she set her empty bowl on the table top. "All of the flyers usually have one of the Mishima's names in huge print on the bottom as the host, but his tournament didn't say. With Hehachi being dead, who else could have called this tournament? Could it be Kazuya Mishima?"

Xiaoyu thought over the situation, her mind venturing back to the third Iron Fist Tournament that Hehachi had called to order with the intentions of bringing Ogre out of hiding. She shivered as she recalled the sight of the hideous, ungodly creature on her television screen back at the hotel as she collected her things, having been defeated by Bryan Furry during the tournament.

"Maybe we do have something to worry about." she said. "I guess we won't find out until the tournament starts."

"That's if we even make it to the final round." Christie said as she pouted.

"Come on Christie, don't flake out. Didn't you tell me earlier to keep my mind focused on my goals so I can make it through the tournament?"

"Hey, that pep talk was meant for you." Christie said.

"Let's not worry about any of that right now." Xiaoyu said. "It's the night before the placement matches and two nights before the tournament officially begins. So, what do you say we have a little fun to celebrate the fact that we're even here?"

"What do you have in mind?" Christie asked.

Asuka frowned at the happy grin plastered on Xiaoyu's face. For some reason, she knew she wasn't going to like this.

Lei ran a hand over his face to try and wipe away the sleep from his eyes as he stared at the screen of his laptop. Four hours. For for long hours he had been reading a re-reading the case files that his department had managed to gather on Feng Wei's attacks back in Osaka. He had to make sure he had all of his details right and his facts straight just in case he would be executing the arrest of the power-crazed man. He stifled a yawn as he finished re-reading the last file before closing the lid of his laptop and standing to take a break. He sauntered over to the large-faced window to the right of his bed and twisted the blinds open to gaze out upon the beauty of the late-night Kyoto sky. The city was illuminated with the glow from thousands of lights and he could hear the distant sound of music playing at one of the nearby clubs. It was going on ten-thirty and the streets of Kyoto were just as lively as they were during the day. There were a few drunken college students stumbling down the block along with a few happy couples heading home after a long romantic evening together. He smiled before turning and heading out of the room.

"I wonder if Asuka's awake?" he wondered out loud as he made his way down the hall. He could hear the sound of female voices giggling excitedly as he rounded the corner. He smiled when he noticed that it was Xiaoyu and Christie waiting just outside of Asuka's door.

"Good evening ladies." he said with a smile as he admired the two girls dressed in rather promiscuous clothing. He had to clear his throat and look away to ignore the sight of Christie's cleavage ready to burst out of her sleeveless, lime green crop top.

"Hello Mr. Wulong." Xiaoyu said politely as she tugged at the pink miniskirt she was wearing, embarrassed that she was dressed in such a manor in front of an older gentleman. She shuddered at the thought of what her grandfather would think if he were to see her dressed like this.

"It's good to see you Lei." Christie said with a smile. "I saw your name on the ranking chart earlier and couldn't wait to see you."

"It has been a while, hasn't it?" he said with a polite nod. "So, what are you ladies getting into tonight?"

"We're going to see what Kyoto has to offer us." Xiaoyu said cheerfully. "We deserve to have a little fun during this tournament after all. We shouldn't have to constantly stress out over our personal endeavors in Iron Fist."

"Good point. So, I take it Asuka's going with you?"

Christie nodded. "She didn't want to go, but after promising her we'd train in the morning, she agreed to tag along."

"I see. Well, you guys have fun. I'll see you in the morning then."

Just as he prepared to leave, Asuka's door opened. She groaned, demanding to know why she had to wear the outfit Xiaoyu had picked out for her. Lei looked up and his breath caught in his throat as he took in Asuka's appearance. She was no longer the young school girl he had brought with him to Kyoto, she looked like a groan woman. Whether it was a good thing or a bad thing, he wasn't sure at the moment. Asuka was dressed in tight, black, leather pants with matching black heels, and a peacock-colored crop top with long sleeves. It was a V-neck with see-through material covering over the center of her chest area, revealing the path just above her cleavage.

"Detective Wulong, what are you doing here?" Asuka asked nervously as a blush burned her cheeks.

"I just wanted to check in on you, but I can see you have other plans tonight." he said quickly as he began to retreat down the hall. "You ladies have a good time."

Asuka cleared her throat before tugging at the bottom of her top to pull it down. "Well, that was awkward."

"Don't worry, you'll forget about it." Christie said waving the situation off. "Come on, we're going to this awesome club a few blocks over. They serve all Iron Fist competitors free drinks."

"Wait a minute Christie, we aren't legally old enough to drink." Xiaoyu pointed out. "We're only nineteen."

"Yeah, but we're celebrities now you guys. We're three of the seven female fighters who entered this tournament. We're all over the television and tabloids. People will be begging for our autographs and phone numbers all night. The bartenders will be more than happy to have us in their club if it means we'll bring good publicity and attract good crowds. Trust me."

"If you say so." Xiaoyu said as she slid a white jacket over her bare arms, leaving it unbuttoned so her yellow, sequined halter-top could still be seen. "Let's go then."

Asuka followed a few steps behind Christie and Xiaoyu as they made their way towards a long line extending just outside of a popular nightclub. The brick building had a large neon sign above the door displaying the word Kai Ayashi- The Supernatural. Asuka raised an eyebrow before moving to stand in the long queue line behind the other eighty people who were eager to get inside. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself. It was her first visit to a nightclub and not only was she underage, but she wasn't used to this kind of setting at all. Her idea of fun was racing through the streets of downtown Osaka and kicking the sorry asses of lowlife thugs who would rather pick on and exploit the weak than do something productive with their lives like getting a job, finding the time to start a family, or making a difference in their community. When she wasn't doing that, she was helping her father and mother around the dojo or doing something related to school. Dancing the night away to unnecessarily loud music while intoxicated wasn't exactly her thing, but Chrstie and Xiaoyu seemed so happy. Besides, they had agreed to train with her in the morning in exchange for her going out with them; so, there she was, standing outside of a packed club in the middle of the night, dressed like a skank with makeup caked on her face and her usually flat hair curled- courtesy of Ling Xiaoyu.

They had been standing in line for almost twenty minutes when they finally reached the bouncer. He was a rather large man- built with a cleanly shaven head and a goatee. He looked down at the three of them and raised an eyebrow with an amused look on his face.

"You three must be out of your mind if you think you could pass for twenty-one. You do look nice though."

Xiaoyu and Asuka exchanged a worried glance, but Christie was already on top of things. She strode over to the man, her hips swaying with each step she took. She rested a hand on his shoulder and gave him a seductive smile before looking him over slowly.

"Now come on papi, I know you don't want to be the one to spoil a perfect evening for me and my girls. We have a big day tomorrow and want to ease the stress by having a little fun, you know what I mean?"

"Big day?" he repeated.

Christie nodded and smiled. "Oh yeah, it's a pretty big event. You see, we're three competitors in Iron Fist. So, do you think you can make an exception just this once?"

"Nice try doll, but you're not getting in. You must think I'm stupid."

"You don't believe me? Fine, then maybe this will convince you."

Everyone watched as Christie stepped out of line so she was still within view of the bouncer, but away from any pedestrians that would get in her way. She smiled at the bouncer before starting her Capoeira dance and executing a few moves midair, stunning the bouncer and a few onlookers. The bouncer blinked a few times, stunned by what he was seeing. When Christie finished of her impromptu routine with a backflip, she adjusted her skirt that had started to ride up during her dance before strutting back over to her friends.

"Now I recognize you, you're Christie Monteiro." the bouncer said as a smile graced his lips. "I watched your match during the previous tournament. You're one badass chick."

"Thanks." Christie said as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. "So, what do you say? Are you going to let me and my friends inside?"

The bouncer stepped aside and motioned for them to head into the building. Christie smiled and blew the guy a kiss before heading inside with a stunned Xiaoyu and Asuka on her tail.

The music volume increased in volumes as they entered the club and Asuka couldn't help but to be amazed by the entirety of the room. There were strobe lights flashing throughout the neon-lit room and smoke machines filled the room with a purple fog as hundreds of sweaty bodies danced about to American artist Madonna's "4 Minutes" as it blared through the overhead speakers. There was a bar in the middle of the room with an island counter where a crowd of people were gathered as they passed their money to the four working bartenders as they hurried to fill as many drink orders as they could.

"This place is awesome!" Christie shouted over the music as she pumped a fist in the air and cheered.

Xiaoyu smiled excitedly as she looked around the room. "I've never been to a club before. So far, I'm pretty impressed."

Asuka smiled softly when Christie turned to her, and she gave her a thumbs up instead of verbalizing her opinion. Christie laughed before motioning for her friends to follow her through the room. They eventually found a vacant booth and Christie motioned for them to have a seat.

"I'm going to snag us a couple of drinks. Don't move." Christie said before taking off through the crowd. Xiaoyu smiled before turning to her new friend.

"So tell me Asuka, what do you really think about this place?"

Asuka scratched the back of her head. "I'm way out of my comfort zone right now. I mean, look where we are. We're sitting in a room filled with sweaty, drunk college kids who are way too loud and obnoxious."

"They're just having a little fun, that's all."

Asuka pointed across the room towards a couple who were busy grinding away near the bathroom hallway and rolled her eyes. Xiaoyu laughed at her friend before leaning back in the booth and bobbing her head to the music. Just then, a loud, obnoxious laugh could be heard approaching the table. Asuka and Xiaoyu both looked up and saw Hwoarang stumbling across the dance floor with Steve Fox in tow, the two of them singing along with Justin Timberlake loudly while clutching beer bottles in their hands. Asuka's eyes narrowed as she glared at the red-head and Xiaoyu didn't fail to notice.

"What's the matter Asuka?" she asked.

Asuka shook her head before turning to face her friend. "It's nothing."

"Well look who it is Steve." Hwoarang's voice reached their ears as he and Steve stopped in front of the booth. "It's the little firebomb I was telling you about earlier. How are you Asuka?"

"I don't know if you're aware, but this table is off limits to overrated, egotistical jackasses." Asuka said as she slapped her palm down on the tabletop. Hwoarang smirked before taking a seat beside her in the booth. Steve walked to the other side to sit beside Xiaoyu.

"Well Asuka, I don't listen to rules, I break them." Hwoarang said, the arrogant smirk on his face never faltering. "So, you two ladies are out having a good time huh? I almost didn't recognize you Asuka. You clean up pretty good."

Steve and Xiaoyu froze as the tension surrounding Hwoarang and Asuka intensified to the point they could literally feel it crushing them. Asuka's right eye twitched as her hands curled into fists, her knuckles turning white from the amount of restraint she was using. It was her first night out at a club, and she'd be damned before she started a brawl and got kicked out. Deciding to go with an easier option, she took a deep breath and stood up.

"I'm going back to the hotel." she said abruptly. "I knew this was a stupid idea."

Before she could climb over Hwoarang's lap and out of the booth, he grabbed hold of her wrist to stop her.

"Look, I'm sorry okay. I didn't mean to upset you."

"Like hell you didn't." Asuka snapped. "You clean up pretty good. What the hell was that supposed to mean?"

"Look, let's just forget about it and enjoy the rest of our night." Xiaoyu said quickly as she attempted to diffuse the situation. She rested a hand on Steve's shoulder. "This is Steve Fox Asuka. I don't think you two have met yet."

Asuka gave Xiaoyu a questioningly look, but Xiaoyu just smiled sweetly. Asuka sighed before sitting back down and reaching across the table to shake Steve's hand.

"It's nice to meet you." she said. "I think I caught one of your matches during the fourth tournament. There aren't too many boxers who compete in national fighting championships. You're really making a statement by participating."

"Thanks, I'm glad you find it appealing." Steve said.

The two of them began a light conversation about a few of Steve's matches and Xiaoyu sighed with relief that she'd managed to diffuse the situation between Asuka and Hwoarang. While Steve and Asuka chatted away, Xiaoyu watched Hwoarang who seemed to be focusing on Asuka the entire time she spoke. His eyes watched her intently as she spoke, almost as though he were studying her. Xiaoyu was pulled from her observation when Christie returned with three glasses. She set them on the table and passed two of them to Xiaoyu and Asuka- two cosmos.

When Christie noticed Steve and Hwoarang sitting in the booth, a smile broke out across her face. "Well, it looks like we picked up a couple of stragglers. What's up guys?"

"Nothing much." Steve said as Christie took a seat beside him. "I hope you don't mind us dropping in on your girl's night."

"Not at all." she said with a smile before taking a sip of her drink and sighing. "Oh wow, that's good. Want a taste?"

Steve shook his head before raising his beer bottle in his hand. "You shouldn't mix your liquors if you don't want a severe hangover in the morning, you know? I'm just going to stick with my Bud if you don't mind."

"Not at all." Christie said as she smiled and took another sip.

Asuka stared at the cocktail glass in front of her, observing the lime wedge hanging over the glass containing the pink drink. She took it into her hand and raised it to her lips to take a small sip. The taste was incredibly overpowering at first, but slowly, she found her taste buds reacting to a sweet, citrus taste that made her smile. She took an even bigger sip and could immediately feel the vodka taking effect. She had never drank before and the feeling she had gotten from taking a few sips from her Cosmo made her feel like she was floating.

Just as she prepared to take another sip, the beat of Jane Jackson's "Feedback" began bumping through the speakers and everyone who was out on the dance floor began cheering and dancing like wild maniacs, their fists pumping in the air. People began grabbing the person closest to them to dance as the dance floor filled once more. Christie threw her head back and downed the rest of her drink before grabbing Steve's arm and pulling him onto his feet.

"Steve, dance with me." she said excitedly as she tugged on his arm.

"Christie, dancing really isn't my thing." he said in his thick British accent, but Christie wasn't letting up.

"Come on Steve, it's easy. All you need to do is sway your hips. I'll handle the rest."

Xiaoyu giggled as she watched Christie pull Steve through the crowd towards the center of the dance floor. She then turned back to Hwoarang and Asuka. Suddenly, a strange feeling crept over her almost as though someone were watching her. She felt cold as she looked around the room to try and find the source of her sudden discomfort. She briefly scanned over the faces of the dancers and a few people hanging out by the bar when she spotted someone on the other side of the room dressed in a very familiar blue and white sweat suit with flames running up its back. She gasped as her hands began shaking. Hwoarang and Asuka turned to her as she set her half-emptied glass down on the tabletop and slid out of the booth.

"I'll be right back." she said, her voice quivering as she made her way through the crowd.

Asuka and Hwoarang watched her as she left, confused by her suddenly strange behavior. They shrugged before turning their attention to each other.

"I'm sorry I spilled coffee all over you earlier." Asuka said as she wrinkled her nose, unsure as to why she suddenly felt like talking to the loud-mouthed jerk. "I should've been paying more attention to where I was going. The way I acted was pretty...childish."

"You're damn right, but it's okay." he responded as he took another swig from his bottle. "Seeing how you responded to me showed me that there's a little spark and challenge to you. Maybe, just maybe, you'll do alright in this tournament after all."

"Shit, you actually said something nice to me today." Asuka said with a smirk as she drank from her glass. "I didn't think you had a soul for a while there."

Hwoarang shrugged and set his empty beer bottle down on the table before turning towards her. "Don't get too excited Kazama. I don't show my compassionate side very often. It's a one time thing."

"Oh, I see." she said with a smirk. "Trying to butter up the competition before the tournament starts so I'll go easy on you, is that it?"

Hwoarang leaned towards her, their noses just barely touching. "You said it, not me.""

Asuka also found herself leaning closer and smiled. "I'm still trying to figure you out. Are you that threatened by me that you would result to such childish games?"

"I'm not threatened by you in the least." he said. "If anyone should be feeling threatened during this tournament, it's you."

Asuka stiffened as she felt Hwoarang's hand resting on her thigh. Her eyes moved down and rested on his hand before moving up and locking with his. Under normal circumstances, she would clock him in the jaw and declare him to be a pervert, but she was currently buzzed after having only one Cosmo and for some odd reason, she found this arrogant asshole to be rather attractive. She cleared her throat before scooting away from him and sliding all the way around the booth to stand up on the other side.

"I need some air." she said quickly before turning and rushing into the crowd of clubbers.

Hwoarang blinked a few times before leaning back in the booth and taking a shaky breath to calm himself. "What the hell just happened?"

Xiaoyu moved through the crowd, apologizing as she bumped into an occasional partier. Her eyes remained focused ahead on the flame-designed sweat jacket, but the closer it seemed she was getting to the unknown person, the farther away it seemed to be. Finally, she scrambled out of the end of the crowd and saw the figure positioned at the ATM, their hood up masking their face from sight. Xiaoyu took a deep breath and walked so she was standing beside the man. She leaned against the wall casually and waited patiently for the guy to notice she was standing there.

The man took the money as it dispensed through the slot and stuffed it into his wallet before placing it in his back pocket. He then turned to leave, stopping as he caught sight of Xiaoyu leaning against the wall, a hopeful look in her eyes. She couldn't see his face, just warm, golden irises staring back at her, sending a chilling feeling through her small frame. The man said nothing and walked past her before heading out the back door into the alley. Xiaoyu blinked, confused by his actions before running out the door after him.

"Jin?" she called out his name as the doors slammed shut behind her, but the hooded figure was nowhere to be seen. She frowned at the realization that he was gone and wrapped her arms around herself with a sigh. She turned around to head inside, but just before she could reach for the door handle, a hand rested on her shoulder. She froze for a moment before turning around slowly to find Jin standing behind her, his hood down. He dropped his hand from her shoulder when he realized she knew it was him and he shoved his hands in his pockets. Xiayou cleared her throat before tugging at the hem of her skirt to pull it down further to cover her exposed legs.

"I'm surprised to see you here." she said nervously as she averted her gaze to the trash littering the ground. "I didn't think you were one who enjoyed the nightlife scene. Whatever the reason, I'm glad you're here."

Jin closed his eyes and sighed heavily as he began to think of the right thing to say. "What are you doing here Xiao?"

She raised an eyebrow, surprised at his question. "What else would I be doing in Kyoto? I'm entering Iron Fist Jin. I heard what happened to your grandfather and it hurt me deeply. Hehachi was a friend of mine and even though the two of you had a falling out, he was still your grandfather. Look, I met this scientist at one of the research facilities near Polytech and he told me he can build a time machine. I think I can help prevent the ambush that killed Hehachi."

Jin shook his head before staring up at the night sky. "The past cannot be changed Xiao. Hechaci is dead and that is how it should be. All of the pain and the suffering that he has caused in this world has finally been avenged. Once I dispose of that spawn known as my father, I can put an end to the Mishima bloodline once and for all. Now please, go back to the hotel, gather your things, and leave Kyoto at once. I don't want you involved in this tournament."

"Jin, I'm staying." she said forcefully. "I have to win this tournament and win that prize money so I can complete my mission. Don't you remember the last thing you said to me?"

Jin stared at her for a moment as he recalled the conversation they had in the emptied arena at the conclusion of the fourth tournament.

"You told me that if I had a dream I wanted to come true, I had to make it happen myself. Well, this is a dream of mine Jin. If I want to prevent Hehachi's murder, then I have to win this tournament. I'm sorry if you don't see things the way I do."

"It has nothing to do with that." he snapped. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into. Look, you have to trust me on this one. There is a dark force behind this tournament, one that goes beyond anything you and I have ever faced before and I don't want to see you get hurt."

"If what you're saying is true, then I don't want you to enter the tournament either." Xiaoyu said as tears welled up in her eyes. "You don't want me to get hurt and I would never want anything to happen to you. But even if I leave Kyoto and head home to China, you would still fight in this tournament and that's not okay with me. If you aren't going to back down, I'm not going to back down Jin."

Jin approached her slowly and reached a hand up to caress her cheek. Xiaoyu sighed and closed her eyes before leaning into his palm. Jin leaned down and rested his forehead against hers as he took a deep breath.

"Please Xiao, I don't want you to get hurt." he pleaded in a whisper.

"I'm not a little girl Jin. I can take care of myself." she said reassuringly.

Before Jin could respond, the door swung open and Asuka stumbled out into the alleyway spewing curses under her breath about Hwoarang being a creep. She stopped her moment of berating when she spotted Jin and Xiaoyu standing in front of her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone would be out here." she said as she scratched the back of her head.

Jin dropped his hand from Xiaoyu's face and turned away from her. "It's fine. I was just leaving."

"Wait a second." Asuka called out to him. Jin froze mid-step and looked over his shoulder towards the unfamiliar girl. "You're Jin Kazama...aren't you?"

Jin gave her a simple nod before turning and heading down the alley. Xiaoyu reached a hand out to stop him, but he was already gone. She frowned before bringing her hand to rest over her heart.

"Xiaoyu, I'm sorry." Asuka said as she took a cautious step towards her new friend. "I really had no idea you two were out here. Had I known you were in the middle of a private moment, I wouldn't have even bothered coming outside."

"It's not your fault." Xiaoyu said as she blinked her tears free and quickly wiped them away. She forced a smile before turning back to her friend. "You didn't interrupt anything at all. Jin and I were just clearing the air before the tournament. Let's just head back in and enjoy the rest of our night.

Asuka shook her head before offering Xiaoyu a soft smile. "Actually, I'm ready to call it a night. I gave this whole 'clubbing' thing a try and it just isn't my thing. I think I'll just head back to the hotel."

"I'll go with you then." Xiaoyu said with a defeated sigh before stretching her arms above her head. "All of a sudden, I'm not in a partying mood either. I'll just go and tell Christie we're leaving."

"She won't care?"

"Not at all. Steve and Hwoarang will keep up with her. They're pretty good friends, you know?"

Asuka smiled and nodded as Xiaoyu turned and headed back inside. She then leaned against the brick exterior of the building and stared up at the night sky. It was illuminated in an orange glow from all of the city lights, but she could just barely make out the sight of a few stars shining overhead. Just then, Jin appeared in front of her, startling her.

"You're still here?" she said as she placed a hand over her heart and tried to catch her breath.

"I didn't want to leave without speaking to you." he said, his voice low. "Something compelled me to come back here."

"Do you recognize me?" Asuka asked, her voice sounding hopeful. "Maybe that's why you turned around."

Jin shook his head before shoving his hands in his pockets. "I don't think you've noticed, but you possess a great spiritual energy, that of a caliber I haven't seen in a long time."

"Spiritual energy?" she repeated slowly with a raised eyebrow, not entirely sure of what he meant. "I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about. Look Jin, I don't know if you remember me or not, but I definitely remember you. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised that you've forgotten."

Jin raised an eyebrow, unsure of what Asuka was talking about. Asuka sighed, realizing she was going to have to explain herself further.

"The last time I saw you, we were just kids. I was probably six around the time and you were almost ten. The last time I saw you was at a family reunion and after that, no one saw you or Aunt Jun again. Do you remember me now? I'm your cousin, Asuka."

Jin's eyes widened and he took a step back and really took in her appearance- soft, delicate, cream-colored skin, narrowed eyes with irises the color of warm chocolate, and a smile that was identical to that of his late mother's. The devil gene began clawing at the inner corner's of his mind, screaming and pleading for him to run away from the overpower spiritual energy emanating from the girl. He backed away slowly and shook his head before taking off down the alley. Asuka watched him go, a look of shock on her face.

"So much for a family reunion." she said softly as she watched his retreating form disappear into the night.

A/N: And so ends another chapter. I really enjoyed writing this filler and there will definitely be more to come in the future. So what's going to happen during the next update? Well for starters, Asuka's placement match with Yoshimitsu is going to debut, so you don't want to miss it! So leave me a review, and I'll be back soon with the next chapter!

-KairiAngel13