CHAPTER THREE: PHILOMATH

"The lover of learning."

❥ ๑━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━๑ ❥

Be careful making wishes in the dark

Can't be sure when they've hit their mark

And besides in the meantime I'm just dreaming of tearing you apart

She allowed the music to blare in her eardrums, giving her a strong sense of motivation to improve more on her training. Cold, but warm droplets of sweat fell from her face, continuous outcries leaving her lungs with every punch and kick she threw at the wooden wing chun dummy she had brought with all the money she had saved up from her given allowances.

I'm in the details with the devil

So now the world can never get me on my level

I just got to get you out of the cage

For nearly a year or two, Honoka had secretly kept the training dummy hidden away in a mysterious place in her room from her grandmother. Being the sweet woman that her grandmother was, she had zero tolerance for violence. Although she loved her granddaughter unconditionally, she disapproved of her passionate love of fighting. She didn't want Honoka to end up getting hurt by recklessly entering the tournament, so she forbade her from ever doing so. But little did her grandmother know, there was a tiny rebellious streak that lived inside the sweet and air-headed girl, and against her wishes, Honoka had told her she was going to spend the weekend at a friend's house; that way, she could secretly enter the fifth DEAD OR ALIVE tournament and return home without her grandmother knowing her REAL intentions.

Gonna need a spark to ignite

My songs know what you did in the dark

So light em up up up, light em up up up,

light em up up up, I'm on fire

So light em up up up, light em up up up,

light em up up up, I'm on fire

Her punches and kicks became harder and much faster as she allowed herself to succumb entirely to the flow of the music. Ever since she received an invitation to partake in the KOIF tournament, Honoka had been training for almost four days straight. As silly as it was, from day one of her training, she immediately got down to studying different fighting styles and skills through most martial arts matches she had recorded on her old VCR and every film she owned from her collection. While watching them, she would carefully examine how each fighting technique was executed before maneuvering it herself.

She was not only excited about having the opportunity to fight in the tournament, but she was also ecstatic that she was going to meet some legendary fighters that partook in it. Maybe she'll meet some of her favorite fighters aside from DOA, like King II, Nina Williams, Marshall Law, Heihachi Mishima...

Honoka abruptly froze at the thought of that famous name.

Heihachi Mishima. The actual King of Iron Fist and the former big boss of the Mishima Zaibatsu. A bright smile came upon Honoka's face, her insides swelling up with delight at finally having her dream of shaking hands with the glorious Mishima amongst the clan fulfilled. What thrilled her even more was getting to have a friendly spar with him and possibly being taught the Mishima Fighting Style Karate by him.

"Oooh, that'd be sooo awesome! Having a combination of moves from THE Heihachi Mishima would be fit good in my fighting style." Honoka practically gushed dreamily, clasping her hands together in her chest. Of course, Bass Armstrong would always be her childhood idol along with his daughter, Tina, and Kasumi, but Heihachi most DEFINITELY took the crown in her heart.

A loud ringing noise blared against her eardrums, breaking her fantasy entirely and bringing her back to the harsh reality. Honoka dug her phone from her back pocket and tapped the "STOP" button on the touch screen.

She looked at the time that said 5:30 and then looked to the sky, once a light shade of blue, now yellow mixed in with orange and red. Her palms then found themselves on her knees, her breathing hot and heavy from exhaustion. For four days straight, Honoka had been training outside in the backyard of their home for three to five hours.

It was a pity that she didn't have a training buddy or personal trainer. Honoka knew if one of the two were standing next to her, they would've sternly suggested she'd take breaks in between because, as of now, she felt like her limbs were practically about to break off. The soft pounding in her eardrums was proof of that.

However, this kind of thing wasn't really anything new to Honoka. A year ago, before entering the fifth DOA tournament, she had made extra sure she was aware of different fighting techniques within each unique fighting style and, as a result, pushed herself further to train harder.

A pained wince left her lips when she laid a hand on her arm. Maybe it was her imagination, maybe it wasn't, but Honoka could've sworn she saw her right hand shine a red shade of ray. Just like in her dream...

"Ugh...I'm so beat. My arms are friggin' killing me!" she said, completely standing up to stretch and walking into the house. Wanting the intense pain to fade, she happily fell onto the couch and plopped her legs on the cushion.

After an hour of resting on the sofa, Honoka decided it would be a good idea to make a trip to a local Onsen to relieve stress.

Onsen.

One mere mention of that word and anyone and just ANYONE would have an ecstatic Honoka to deal with. If anyone besides her grandmother were to offer her to tag along, it would be immediate "yes." Going to hot baths was another one of her hobbies she enjoyed. They forever implanted the fond memories of going to them with her grandmother in her head.

Being someone who played by the rules sometimes, Honoka took a quick shower and went to take a dip in the onsen. A long and heavy exhale released from her lips as she steadily seated herself in the hot pond. Her salmon-pink hair was free from her skull ponytail holder and falling past her shoulders. A smile graced Honoka's face, falling into a state of contentment as the hot water removed all the soreness and knots from the muscles in her body.

"~Ahh, that feels sooo amazing." moaned Honoka as she leaned back to let her back touch the rock. "I really wish Grammy was here to enjoy this with me. I forgot how awesome it felt bathing in here."

In Honoka's little mind, her own method of intense training, along with the aching pain in her muscles, was all worth it in the end because she rewarded herself with a nice long soak in the hot spring.

The wavy water acted as a substitute mirror for her, her beautiful reflection staring back at her. Very much absorbed in her thoughts, she turned her attention to the moon that hovered over her.

'Five days, Honoka.' she pondered, her eyes never leaving the lovely moon. Deep underneath the water, she curled her hands into fists with determination. Before her grandmother landed in the hospital, Honoka only wished she had received that invitation sooner. Then again, maybe it was a good thing she received it relatively late. If her grandmother wasn't in the hospital and it was her getting the mail instead, Honoka would've NEVER gotten the chance to lay eyes on that letter, let alone even find it. Talk about the butterfly effect.

Unexpectedly, the temperature of the pond increased. Honoka wiped away the forming beads of sweat from her forehead because of the rising heat. 'Whew, why did it get so burning hot in here so suddenly? It feels like I'm being cooked,' she inwardly questioned.

It wasn't a joke, nor did she mean for it to be an expression. It truly felt like she had stepped in one giant cooking pot and was literally being boiled alive. Only the head chef and a colossal ladle were missing. 'Is it normal for hot springs to get this hot?'

Honoka ignored the increased warmth and just remained seated. 'Y-Yeah, five more days until the tournament. With some more practicing and improving my fighting style, it should be a piece of cake winning the prize money, right?' she mused to herself. After beating everyone in the competition, if she came out on top, they would reward her with enough money to pay for her grandmother's treatment and possibly get them a brand-new home.

It wasn't that Honoka didn't like the home or was unhappy about having to live in it for the next 365 days each and every other year. She just thought it'd be good for the both of them to live in a better one without nosey and disrespectful neighbors for once—mainly her grandmother.

'With my grandma's life in my hands, I just know I can't afford to lose. I have to win!' Honoka vowed to herself, her face becoming serious. She was so engrossed with her musings that she didn't even pay attention to the bath growing hotter than it was. Her confidence was then replaced with doubt. 'B-But...what if I screw up?'

The million-money question Honoka wanted a straight answer to. Her stomach churned with anxiety. Honoka didn't even want to imagine how embarrassing it would be if she lost the tournament, especially with all the effort she put into her training. It would only prove to her that it would be all for nothing.

It was bad enough that she had a poor reputation amongst the fighting community. She didn't need another loss making it worse. However, disappointing her grandmother is something she would forever be ashamed of. Failing to save her even.

Wanting out of the high temperature of the water, Honoka made it clear by going to the other side to remove herself from the hot spring.

Shivers crawled all over her body from the cool air hitting her wet skin. Not that she was complaining. Honoka had learned to temporarily appreciate the cold during the seventeen years of her existence as it made the burning sensation fade away, but just barely.

Now fully clothed, Honoka walked along the quiet roads to her home. The town was asleep with a few lights flickering in the night. Nothing but the sound of crickets played their tune amongst the town. Pulling out her phone, she saw that the time said 9:40 PM. She hadn't realized that it was this late. She was too busy enjoying her time in the hot spring to keep track of the time.

'It sure is quiet tonight. Good thing I brought my earbuds with me, so it wouldn't be boring on the way home.' she mused, slipping in only one earbud just in case.

As her grandmother always told her, walking out during the night was dangerous. There were many hidden dangers in the night, and that was a fact. If one had all the money in the world or a young woman blessed with beauty traveling late at night, they'd be exposed as easy prey for the worst to come. Once a predator concealed in the darkness targets its prey, it would be too late and the only thing to avoid the worst to come is using self-defense.

"Hey, there, cutie." slurred a raspy voice. Honoka took out the earbud and looked to find a strange man leaning against the wall. The male was slim but had a little muscle painted with multiple tattoos. His red-colored chair was spiked into a mohawk while his clothes were ragged and patched, making his appearance more intimidating. A crafty smile was plastered on his face, his dark intentions for her unknown.

Honoka, completely oblivious, only smiled politely. "Well, hello. How are you tonight, mister? Are you out for a late walk too?"

The stranger chuckled in response. "You could kinda say that." he shrugged, pushing himself off the wall and stepping towards her. "Tell me, what's a smokin' hot babe doing out here all alone this late?"

For an odd reason, she was getting an eerie feeling in her gut from being near him. But not wanting to appear rude, she chose to ignore it. "O-Oh...I was just heading home. I mean, I lost track of time because-"

"It ain't safe for a girl like you to be walkin' out here in this hour of the night," he interjected, cutting her off mid-sentence. "Don'tcha know there're people out here who wouldn't mind harmin' a pretty little thing like you?" he asked, his eyes leering over her voluptuous body up and down.

"I-I know, I was just on my way to my house from the onsen. That's all."

A smirk returned to his face as he stepped closer to her. A little TOO close, she might say. "Oh really? Well, lemme be kind enough to make sure you make it home safe and sound," he suggested, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Her stomach fluttered with butterflies, becoming apprehensive when his hold on her shoulders tightened. His arm wasn't "reassuringly" wrapped around her either...

The man licked his lips at the thought of having his way with his 'helpless catch' this evening. Honoka seems like a helpless schoolgirl ripe for the picking from an outsider's perspective. However, the man will soon find out Honoka isn't some vulnerable schoolgirl any random person can take advantage of if they so desire.

Honoka wanted to tell the stranger she could make it home all on her own. She's nearly an adult, plus she's done this before multiple times, so she'll be fine, but it would be rude. She didn't want to hurt his feelings while he was being "nice" and offering to walk her home. If only Honoka knew his true intentions, this encounter would have escalated faster. Still, she felt more and more uncomfortable the longer she stayed around this stranger.

"C'mon let me take you home." said the man in a too friendly tone of voice.

"O-Ok." said Honoka, still feeling uncomfortable, but she pushed the feeling down as she pushed her other feelings down when she felt a type of way.

The stranger and Honoka walked down the road, his arm still on Honoka's shoulder. He tried small talk with Honoka, but all she replied with was "mm-mm" or "mm-hm," which annoyed the stranger a little, but it didn't matter cause in a little bit, he'll have her screaming in ecstasy. His breathing started getting ragged like he was in pain. Honoka immediately noticed this and tried asking him what was wrong.

"What's wrong? Are you in pain?" asked Honoka as her grandma taught her to help those in need.

He grabbed his chest and pointed to a nearby alley. "Let...me rest...over there for a bit..." panted the stranger, obviously acting to the keen eye, but it's Honoka of all people, so she fell for it.

Honoka supported the stranger into the alleyway, but he kept walking further down as if he wanted her too far away from the road, but Honoka pushed away these thoughts. She is worried about this stranger's health and well-being, but the stranger's thoughts of her were unpleasant.

"Here- *pant* is fine..." said the man, still acting.

Honoka sat the man down then pulled out her phone to call 119. She turned around to get better reception, but she felt something cold and sharp on her neck as soon as she turned around.

"Hello, what is your emergency?" the emergency operator spoke on the phone.

The stranger got close to Honoka's ear and said, "Hang up the phone..." in a soft yet demanding tone.

"Hello? Is anything wro-" *beep* Honoka hung up the phone.

"Now slowly turn around and hand over the phone," said the stranger who still had a blade against her throat.

Honoka did what he asked, but she remained calm on the outside. However, she was scared. She was scared for her life and scared that no one would take care of her grandmother if something happened to her.

'Think, Honoka, think! How can I get out of this situation?' thought Honoka, fighting away the tears that were trying to accumulate in her eyes. She stayed strong, but she didn't know how long she could keep it up.

"Good girl..." said the man pleased at how obedient Honoka was acting. 'What a perfect catch,' thought the stranger.

The moon lighted up Honoka's beautiful figure in the alleyway. The stranger decided on something else before he did the deed, with the young girl willing or not—some eye candy for him. The night is still young, so there is plenty of time for some extra fun.

"I want you to strip slowly from top to bottom while the moon is still shining down on ya," the stranger demanded from Honoka.

Honoka inwardly refused, but she will comply right now for her and her grandmother's sake, but if the opportunity arises, she will try to disarm him. So, with shaky hands, she took off her jacket then slowly took off her shirt. However, the shirt caught a piece that was on her bra. She still got the shirt off, but it caused her well-developed breast to jiggle up and down figuratively like jello.

The stranger wasn't expecting such a sight and for a schoolgirl to be this well-endowed. His grip on his knife noticeably loosened. Honoka immediately noticed and knew she had to act or risk being defiled by this stranger.

'It's now or never!' Honoka shouted in her head. With her mind already made up, she went to grasp the offender's wrist that held the weapon and twisted it, causing him to let out a grunt and release the blade. She took the golden opportunity to knee him in his abdomen, bringing him to his knees.

"...You little cunt..." he growled, holding his stomach.

While he was too distracted with enduring the painful blow she delivered to him, Honoka quickly went to put her shirt back on, only for her head to be pulled back by her hair and slammed to the ground. A yelp left her lips as the stranger pulled her to her knees by salmon-pink locks. Honoka quickly executed a leg sweep to knock him off balance and fall on his back.

Honoka covered her exposed chest and hurried to the wall, standing up on her feet. A shiver crawled down her spine as the rough, cold texture touched her skin. She watched the stranger stagger to his feet, wincing in pain.

"Damn...you got lady balls, I give ya that." he gritted, retrieving the knife into his hand. "I was bein' nice, but now you messed all that up and I'm gonna make sure yer' pretty little blood makes up for it." he grinned sickeningly, his grip tightening on the knife.

Her breathing became hitched in her chest. Her heart skipped with fear at realizing her life was placed on the line this time. But she wasn't going to allow herself to be another murder case in Japan. 'O-Okay, just stay calm, Honoka,' she inwardly said to herself. 'I-I'll be fine. I'm g-gonna be fine. I'll have to do is do what've I learned so far.' Honoka subdued her breathing and continued to stand her ground.

Putting her fast reflexes to use, she quickly dodged out of harm's way of the stranger swiping the knife at her. Once again, she dodged another oncoming strike from the blade. Luckily, she could catch a glimpse of her attacker raising the knife, so she swiftly clutched hold of his wrist. However, he overpowered her, using his upper body strength to push her against the brick wall, causing a cry to leave her throat.

The stranger slammed her free wrist against the wall, nearly scraping her skin. Honoka put all the strength into her arm to push his hand away, which held the knife. From looking at the angle where the blade was pointing, she realized he aimed to stab her in the heart. It would be a slow and painful death for her to endure.

'I...can't hold..!'

With a grunt, she could see her attacker's determined expression, forcing with all his strength downward as Honoka tried her hardest to force his hand away with only one hand. It kept descending lower and slowly, the shiny messenger of death barely to inches of her chest. It didn't help that he had more endurance than her.

It was all over.

The days she spent training for the upcoming tournament.

All those plans she made to care for her sick grandmother.

Everything she had ever dreamed of doing in the future.

Her life.

It was all going to end right here, but she couldn't give up. She had to stay alive for the sake of her grandmother. Her arm was at its breaking point, ready to give and let the sharp-ended blade pierce her body when out of the ordinary...

A red misty energy emitted from her hand. The intense burning sensation immediately made her attacker recoil and release her hand. While trying to tend to his wounded hand, he scrambled away from her, lost his footing, and fell on his backside.

The man gaped on the prey, now turned predator in pure terror. "T-T hell?! Just what the are you?!" he shuddered, trying to hurry away from her. Honoka examined her hand with both bewilderment and fear.

There was that feeling again. Like in the onsen, her body mysteriously grew increasingly hotter and hotter. "W-What's going on? My fist is burning!" she shivered while examining her hand that continued to release the red energy. "What's happening to me?" Her mind then retracted back to the dream she had. "S-So...it is real?"

A loud battle cry from behind interrupted Honoka's thoughts. Using her quick reflexes, she sidestepped out of the way of an oncoming punch from the punk. Honoka raised her hand in front of her and positioned it at her attacker as she turned around. Out of instinct, she pushed her glowing hand forward and shot a powerful blast of energy at her opponent, causing him to repel backward further into a wall and knocking the wind out of him.

Honoka stared in shock and amazement at what transpired. Her eyes inspected her hand as the aura slowly faded away before averting her eyes to the fallen stranger on the ground. To make sure he wasn't dead, Honoka made her way over to his body and, like what she learned in health class, check for a pulse.

A sigh of relief left her lips. Thankfully, he was alive. Even though this slimeball of a man had tried to rape and expectedly tried to kill her, she had no intentions of being the bringer of his death. Defending herself by fighting back, yes, but she wasn't a killer. Not now and not ever. Her movies taught her that.

TO BE CONTINUED