A/N: Hey guys, I'm back with the next chapter after months of finishing off my spring semester of school and after having surgery. So I hope you guys aren't too upset about the delay.

This chapter is another filler, but you can't make a pie without filling right? haha

Disclaimer: I do not own the popular Namco fighting series Tekken or any of its characters. I do own the rights to this story since I am the soul creator of its plot and all of the original characters featured. ; So please, NO STEALING MY IDEAS. Please and thank you.

"Crush"

Asuka opened her eyes and sighed as her eyes focused in on her surroundings. She was lying in the bed of her hotel room, the sheets sprawled out around her while the sun filtered through the closed curtains, casting a dim glow on the mattress. Only when her eyes fully opened did she realize how much pain she was actually in. She sat up slowly, her muscles straining as they pulled and stretched into their new position. Asuka peeled the remaining sheets off her body before stepping out of bed and heading to the bathroom.

She caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror and was disgusted by the sight of dried blood staining her lips and parts of her skin that weren't hidden beneath bandages. If the paramedics were nice enough to bandage her up and bring her back to her room, the least they could have done was clean her up a bit. She shook her head before stripping off her clothes and peeling off her bandages. She bit back a string of curses as the bandages were removed from opened wounds and she made a mental note to give Yoshimitsu a piece of her mind when she saw him. Just who the hell did he think he was using a sword in combat when everyone else used their fists?

After turning on the shower, she stepped in and ignored her pain as the water rained down on her skin, rinsing away the blood from yesterday's victory so she could start a new day. Just as she finished rinsing the shampoo out of her hair, a knock could be heard outside the bathroom. She raised an eyebrow and shut the tap off before sliding the glass door open and leaning out into the bathroom. She could hear the knocking again, the knocks a little louder this time. With a raised eyebrow, she snatched a fuzzy white towel off the bathroom rack and wrapped it around her bare torso before stepping out of the bathroom to answer the door.

A third set of knocks had started by the time she reached the door and she pulled the door open in a swift motion, ready to give her visitor a piece of her mind for being so impatient, but to her surprise, Hwoarang was standing on the other side. His face looked annoyed, but melted into a look of embarrassment when he saw the younger brunette clad in nothing but a bath towel, her hair damp and hanging over her shoulders, dripping onto the floor. Asuka cleared her throat and adjusted her towel to ensure it was wrapped securely around her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as she averted her gaze to the floor, her cheeks a light shade of pink.

Hwoarang tried to look at something other than the practically naked girl in front of him and sighed before shoving his hands in his pockets. "I saw your match yesterday."

"Oh, so you came to say I got off lucky, right?" Asuka asked with a roll of her eyes. "Well, come on then. Let's hear it."

"That's not what I was going to say at all. I actually wanted to say that I was wrong about you."

Asuka raised an eyebrow and quickly turned her head so she was looking directly at him. He didn't look too happy about what he'd just said, but he had meant it. She could tell by his demeanor.

"You were wrong about me?" she repeated, making sure she had heard him right.

"What, are you deaf?" he snapped.

Asuka smirked and crossed her arms over her chest. "Just wanted to make sure. Well, this is certainly a surprise coming from you. So, do you finally believe I can make it through the tournament?"

Hwoarang stepped into the room and Asuka stepped aside and watched as he walked over to take a seat in the open kitchen area. Asuka shut the door and turned to face him.

"Look, I've seen what you can do now Asuka, but I still don't think it's enough." Hwoarang said as he leaned back in the chair and folded his arms behind his head. "There are a lot of tough competitors here, some even tougher than Yoshimitsu. Hell, I'm pretty tough to beat and even I can't manage to stand up against these guys. I think you should back out while you have the chance."

"I'm not quitting." Asuka said straight-forwardly. "Feng Wei put my father in the hospital and he's caused so much pain and damage to so many people. I am not going to let him hurt anyone else. That bastard should have stayed out of Osaka."

Hwoarang watched Asuka as she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply as she tried to calm down. His eyes couldn't help but to roam over her towel-covered body. Her skin was creamy and smooth, but it also held a roughness to it. He could clearly see how strong her calf muscles were just from the way she was standing and her arms had quite the build-up too. In spite of being muscular, she was still very small and that's what amazed him. How could someone so tiny hold so much power within them?

His eyes moved up to her face as Asuka continued to ramble about the attacks on the dojos across Japan, but he couldn't focus on her words as he studied every detail of her face- how smooth her jawline appeared to be. How her lips had a natural pink hue to them in spite of her wearing no makeup. Her eyes and their chocolate brown irises that seemed to hold so much warmth and determination. For the first time since he'd met her, he finally realized how pretty the little firebomb was.

"Now do you understand why I have to compete?" Asuka said, her shoulders heaving.

Hwoarang snapped out of his thoughts and shrugged his shoulders. "If you want to compete, go ahead. I guess I can't really stop you. Don't say I didn't warn you."

He stood to his feet and walked over to her, resting his right palm on her left shoulder. He could feel her stiffen beneath his touch and he smirked. She appeared to be flustered, her cheeks turning a bright shade of pink but she shook her head before stepping away from him to go open the door.

"I have to finish getting dressed." She said quickly, her gaze falling to the floor.

Hwoarang's smirk remained on his face as he shoved his hands in his pockets and walked over to her. Asuka tried her hardest to remain focused on the floor as he stopped right in front of her, his shoes within her line of sight.

"Right then. I guess I'll see you later." He said slowly before stepping out of the room.

Asuka shut the door quickly behind him and took a shaky breath before leaning back against the door and sliding down to sit on the floor. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear while her other hand clutched the towel to her chest right over her racing heart.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" she said to herself as she tried to catch her breath. Asuka was suddenly reminded of the other night at the club when Hwoarang had rested his hand on her thigh, their faces a few inches apart. She had felt a strong attraction towards him then and she had felt it just now. She had dated only two guys in her nineteen years of age and not once had she met someone who had the power to make her flustered and light-headed just with a single touch; but she couldn't possibly feel anything for Hwoarang.

"That arrogant jackass? There's no way in hell." She said as she glared down at the plush carpet beneath her. Her glare slowly softened though as her mind turned towards the calloused fingers that had been on her shoulder a few moments before and she sighed. "He's just finding a way to distract me so I'll lose the tournament. If he thinks he's gotten the best of me, he's wrong."

Hwoarang stepped off the elevator and sighed before crossing his arms behind his head and heading towards the dining room. He could hear the clanking of dishes down the hall and the murmuring of a small crowd. It was going on seven in the morning and the dining hall was already filled to capacity. He made his way through the crowd of hotel guests and competitors and over to the bar seating area. He climbed onto a stool and motioned for the waitress's attention.

The waitress was very attractive- a brunette with long, wavy hair that reached her shoulders and olive-colored skin. She walked over to Hwoarang, her hips swinging seductively as she leaned towards him, her elbows resting on the bar top. Her chest seemed to grow as she leaned closer towards him, the pathway into her shirt more visible to the martial artist and she gave him a smile.

"Good morning." She said as she flashed him a smile. "What can I get you?"

Hwoarang cleared his throat and moved his attention from her chest to her face. "For now, I want an orange juice and a menu. I'll let you know if I think of anything else."

"Sure thing." She said before leaning up to retrieve the items he'd requested.

Under normal circumstances, Hwoarang would flirt casually with the girl and ask her basic questions- where she's from, her age, her hopes and dreams, and end their conversation with a phone number or a request for her to head up to his hotel room after her shift, but his mind wasn't in the game today. He was still thinking about the towel-clad brunette a few floors up who was getting ready for her day.

When the waitress returned and set a glass on the table beside him, he thanked her before flipping his menu open and scanning over the large selection of breakfast options the restaurant offered. After placing an order for a bacon and cheese omelet with the works and a large order of flapjacks, he passed his menu back and took a sip from his orange juice. As he set his glass down, the volume of a nearby television was turned up, gaining his attention.

Good morning everyone. I am Kyosuke Nakamura, your M.C. for the King of Iron Fist Tournament Five. Iron Fist kicked off yesterday with some amazing matches that displayed the talent of this tournament's competitors. We saw some old and familiar faces like Lei Wulong, Yoshimitsu, Ganryu, and the Williams' sisters Nina and Anna who have all been competing in the Tekken tournaments since it was first founded. We also have some familiar faces from the previous two tournaments like Ling Xiaoyu, Julia Chang, Hwoarang, and Eddy Gordo. What I am the most interested in are the new competitors to the Tekken realm- Asuka Kazama, Raven, and Feng Wei. These three competitors have never appeared in a tournament prior to this one and they all displayed some amazing strength during yesterday's matches.

Hwoarang watched as scenes from Asuka, Raven, and Feng Wei's matches were displayed on screen while the reporter discussed some of their techniques in the background. Feng Wei was onscreen fighting against Bryan Furry and the Chinese Kempo fighter appeared to be untouchable. Bryan was swinging at him in a blind rage, but Feng was dodging every swing with ease, his face void of any emotion. He managed to side step and get behind Bryan, his arm wrapping around his torso before he tossed him with enough force to send him at least fifty feat across the Dragon's Nest stage. The clip changed and Hwoarang could see the end of the match in which Feng tossed Bryan up into the hair like a rag doll before crushing his foot against the cyborg's ribs slamming against the pavement with enough force that the ground cracked beneath him, rendering him unconscious.

As the fight playback changed to Raven and Christie's match in the Urban Jungle, Hwoarang looked away from the screen and back down to the glass of orange juice in his hand as thoughts of Asuka fighting against the guy filled his head. Asuka had surprised him yesterday with her hidden abilities. It was shocking to say the least when he noticed the spiritual power that was used in her attacks. It was impressive, that he will admit, but Feng Wei appeared to be an unstoppable force. If she was lucky enough to make to the Chinese Kempo fighter, he doubted she would fare well in the match.

"Why am I not surprised to find you sitting at a bar?" a voice called out to him.

Hwoarang was pulled from his thoughts as Steve walked over to him and took a seat. Christie was a few steps behind him and sat on the other side of Steve.

"I'm not hitting any liquor man, it's too early in the day." Hwoarang said as he held up the glass to show them the contents inside. "What's up?"

"I wanted to grab a bite to eat before getting a workout in." Steve said. "They're supposed to be posting our official matches sometime today. Christie thinks we should head out and do something today since we have no scheduled fights."

"I don't see why not. What did you have in mind?"

"Since the matches are going to be posted soon, I don't want to leave hotel grounds." Christie said. "There are a few things we can do here. There's a pool so we can always relax there. We could even hang out in the arboretum for a little bit. I'm all up for spending another night out on the town, but I don't think Asuka and Xiaoyu are in the mood to go clubbing again."

"I'm up for a swim." Steve said. "What about you Hwo?"

Hwoarang shrugged before finishing off his glass and motioning to the waitress for a refill. "I don't see why not. It's not like I had anything planned for today other than a training session."

"Hey, I've got an idea." Steve said. "What if we all have a sparring match? There's a training room connected to the gym. It could give us all the chance to get some one-on-one practice. I don't know about you, but I could use a little practice against a moving target."

Christie smiled. "I don't see why not. I'll ask Xiaoyu and Asuka if they're up for it."

"Are you sure about Asuka?" Steve asked. "She's got a lot of injuries from her match yesterday."

"She's a tough girl Steve. Besides, from what I've seen, she never backs down from a challenge."

Hwoarang smirked, suddenly liking the idea of showing off his strength to the Kazama. "Let's do it."

Christie stared at her reflection in the full-length mirror of her bedroom as she ran a brush through her hair. Her usual fighting outfit of sequined silver pants with her tan top was still dirty from yesterday's match and she didn't want to wear any of her street clothes at the risk of ruining them. Thankfully, she had packed an older pair of silver pants and a purple bikini top that she had worn during the fourth tournament. She smiled as she slid her index finger on the other side of the rim of the pants to make sure she had enough room to move around. They stretched willingly before snapping back against her skin. She was pleased that she hadn't gained any weight since the last tournament. Deciding to leave her hair down for a change, Christie set her brush on the vanity before snatching up her drawstring bag and heading out the room.

Just as she began making her way towards the elevators, she spotted someone up ahead wearing a loose, purple flannel shirt and a pair of black slacks. She knew it was Eddy when she spied a familiar head of braids pulled back into a ponytail.

"Eddy?" she called out to him.

He stopped walking and looked over his shoulder slowly. She was surprised that he wasn't wearing aviators like usual. She approached him nervously, having not seen him in nearly two months. After the fourth tournament, he had stuck around with her and her grandfather for a while; but the minute the old man got sick, Eddy took off again in spite of Christie's pleas for him to stay.

She slowed her pace as she neared him and she began playing with the purple feather belt attached to her pants as she looked up nervously to meet his gaze.

"Christie." He said, sounding surprised. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"I could be asking you that same question." She said.

The two of them stood in silence for a few minutes, nothing but the sound of the air conditioner running and the occasional sounds of doors opening and closing around them. Christie sighed before speaking.

"Where have you been Eddy? I've been trying to get in contact with you for months now. Do you have any idea how worried I've been?"

"I had some things to take care of."

"Bull." She said, her eyes narrowing. "The minute grandpa started getting sick, you took off and abandoned me yet again. I know that it isn't easy for you to see your master in pain, but it hasn't been easy for me either. My grandfather is the only family I have left in this world and he is dying Eddy. The only reason I am entering this tournament is to have a shot at winning that prize money. He needs surgery and I can't afford it. So why the hell wouldn't I enter the tournament?"

Eddy was silent for a moment before sighing. "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" Christie repeated, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Is that all you have to say to me? Sorry isn't going to fix any of this Eddy. Why did you leave? Tell me."

"Christie, this tournament is too dangerous. I want you to go home."

Christie gasped, her eyes widening with shock at the coldness of his tone. She studied him intently for a moment. His hands were balled into fists, his jaw clenched tight. His eyes betrayed him however and she could see how much it was hurting him to be so mean and cruel.

"I'm not leaving." She said as she folded her arms across her chest and looked down at the floor. "I know that Iron Fist is risky, you've told me that time and time again. But I can take care of myself. If I lose, so be it Eddy, but I'm not leaving here without giving it my best shot. I know that you're here for the very same reason."

"Then let me handle it." He said. "I don't want you getting mixed up in this mess."

"That's not for you to decide." She snapped suddenly, her voice ringing throughout the halls.

The two of them held another silent exchange before Eddy sighed and turned away from her. He began walking, leaving Christie behind with a dumfounded look on her face.

"Wait a second, where are you going?" she called after him.

"I don't want you to compete, but you aren't going to change your mind." He said as he continued walking.

Christie blinked a few times before running after him. Just before he could walk through the doors of his suite, she wrapped her arms around him from behind. She could feel him stiffen from her touch, but she didn't care. She wrapped her arms around him tighter, hugging him from behind, before resting her head against his back.

"I know you're hurting." She said quietly. "I know that's why you left. You didn't want me to see you so helpless and defeated. But Eddy, I'm hurting too. I need you to be my rock, not wind that breezes in and out of my life."

Eddy didn't respond, much to her dismay, but she gasped as she felt him rest his hands on top of hers, holding them close to his chest. Her words had sank into his mind and she was grateful. He turned around to face her and pulled her into a hug as he rested his head on top of hers.

"I'm sorry." He said once more, only this time, she could hear the sincerity in his voice. She looked up at him, her eyes wide and curious as he stared down at her with a gentle, loving look on his face. He reached a shaky hand up slowly and caressed her cheek gently. Christie shuddered from the touch, her eyes sliding closed at the gesture. He then leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead. Her eyes shot open.

"Hey Christie, are you ready to…go…" Christie looked over and spied Steve standing a few feet away dressed in his red pants and opened white top. He had a look of surprise on his face at the sight of her standing in Eddy's embrace, but the shock wore off and was quickly replaced with disappointment.

Eddy released his hold on her before slipping back into his room quickly. Christie's mouth fell open in shock as she stared at the closed door before turning back to Steve who was now staring down at the floor. She walked over to him slowly and unsure of how he had interpreted the situation.

"I'm…sorry about all of that." She said quietly as she scuffed her foot across the carpet beneath her feet. Steve sighed before turning around to head towards the elevators.

"Whatever, it's fine. Let's go." He said, his tone cold.

Christie felt a pang of guilt in her heart as she watched him walk off. She spared one final glance at Eddy's door before following after Steve.

Xiaoyu walked into the training room wearing a stylish pair of white sweatpants with black trim and a matching sweat jacket that was mostly yellow with a black sports bra underneath. She tossed her duffle bag onto the floor and waved at Hwoarang who was across the room practicing a few aerial kicks.

"Where is everyone?" she asked as she looked around the empty room. "Christie's text said to meet up here at eighty-thirty."

"Christie and Steve had to run upstairs and change." Hwoarang said as he began another set of combos. "I had an extra training gi in my locker so I came straight here. Asuka said she'd be down in a bit too."

Xiaoyu nodded before walking around the room and assessing the space. The room was very large, possibly fifty by fifty feet. There were no windows in the room, but there were several large-faced mirrors on the right wall. There was a giant fan hanging on the ceiling overhead turning slowly behind a protective gate. The floors was almost like a giant wrestling mat, cushioned with a smooth blue material. There was plenty of space and Xiaoyu had already begun assessing what attacks would be safe to use inside it. She walked to the center of the room and began stretching. The doors opened a few minutes later and Asuka stepped in wearing a black and white Aikido uniform, a white ribbon tied around her head. Hwoarang stopped his training as soon as she stepped in. He smirked.

"Well, look who decided to join us. I was hoping you wouldn't use your injuries as an excuse to cancel."

"My injuries weren't that bad." She said with a roll of her eyes. "Even if they were, I'd still come here to kick your ass."

"Alright you two." Xiaoyu said. "Calm down would you? We're just here to have a little fun testing the waters out with each other. No need to get all worked up."

"He started it." Asuka said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

The doors opened another time, interrupting the conversation and Steve and Christie stepped into the room. Asuka gave them a worried glance as she noticed the upset look on Steve's face and Christie staring at him pleadingly.

"Is everything okay you two?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We're fine." Steve said. "Let's just get this over with."

Steve walked away from the two girls and over to Hwoarang. Asuka turned to Christie who was playing with the belt of her pants nervously.

"What's going on with you two?" Asuka asked. "You couldn't seem more tense."

"I don't want to talk about it." Christie said.

"Alright, who wants to go first?" Xiaoyu asked excitedly. When no one spoke up, she placed her hands on her hips and pouted. "Come on, this was you guys' idea. I could've stayed up in my room and slept for another two hours if you guys weren't serious about some hand-to-hand combat training."

"I'll go." Steve said as he slid his blue fingerless gloves on and swung his arms back and forth to loosen them up. "I'm in need of a good match."

"Fine then." Xiaoyu said as she walked to the center of the room. Steve followed after her and the two took their fighting stances. Xiaoyu propped her left leg up slightly, the ball of her foot on the floor giving her leg a little leverage while the right leg remained slightly bent and planted on the floor behind her. Her right arm remained in a ninety-degree angle in front of her, her palm straight and aimed towards Steve while her left arm was raised upright within line of sight. Steve's left leg was ahead of his right, both legs on the ground and his fists up in the air as he began rocking back and forth.

"You both have sixty seconds to try and win the match." Hwoarang said. "The rules are the same as those in the tournament, but we're limited to space, so try to keep this room in tact."

"No problem." Xiaoyu said with a smirk.

A/N: And so ends another chapter. I decided to end things here because the practice matches are all in one chapter and I didn't want this update to be too long. However, I am almost done with the sparring matches and will be posting the chapter either later on today or sometime tomorrow, so you shouldn't have to wait too long to read what's going to happen next.

So, leave me a review and I'll see you at the next update!

-KairiAngel13