A/N: Heyhey, ya'll. Just thought I oughta finish off this fic. Last thing I wanna do is totally duck out of the fanfic world leaving a fic unfinished. Dw, this isn't the last chapter or anything. This fic still has a few more chapters, but I am gonna speed things along so I get this done on time. Hopefully it doesn't turn out totally crap, or anything. But we'll see how it goes. Hope you enjoy! Oh, and I don't own the piece in this chapter! Onwards!

Chapter 5: Talent Quest

A couple of weeks have passed since Xiaoyu's musical encounter with Jin. The tournament looked more menacing and real as it drew closer to D-Day. Xiaoyu had been training almost everyday by herself, as the tournament is one of the biggest moments in her life. But she is also enjoying her time at Mishima High School. Xiaoyu had become close friends with Miharu Hirano, and she felt that she had made more progress with Jin. The Chinese youth was in a good place at this moment in time. And it was about to get better.

The school bell rang, initiating the start of lunch break. Xiaoyu and Miharu casually strolled down the hallway towards the main entrance of the building to have lunch outside. However, there seemed to be a large swarm of students blocking the way out.

"What's happening over there?" Xiaoyu questioned inquisitively, standing on her tiptoes to try and see over the numerous heads.

"Looks like there's something new on the notice-board," Miharu observed, pointing to the right of the corridor where there was a big poster pinned up on the notice-board.

"I'm gonna go check it out," The Chinese youth notified her friend before pushing and prodding her way through multiple bodies to get to the notice-board. She eventually pushed through the very front of the mob and looked up at the poster.

"Talent Quest," Xiaoyu recited the words printed onto the A3 poster in fancy lettering along with silhouettes of a singer with a microphone stand, a dancer and a guitar. Xiaoyu's eyes lit up as a fresh idea popped into her mind. She tore off an entry form from the pad that was pinned beside the poster and manoeuvred her way back through the mob to find her Japanese friend.

"So, what's the big deal?" Miharu asked as Xiaoyu emerged out of the crowd.

"There's a talent quest on next week," Xiaoyu explained, handing her the form to read over.

"Oooh, sounds fun," Miharu looked back up at Xiaoyu. "You gonna go for it?"

"I was actually thinking that me and Jin should go for it," Xiaoyu revealed her idea, which wasn't greeted with as much enthusiasm as she had. Miharu responded with a look of scepticism.

"I know you said that you've been making progress with Jin, but do you really think that he would go for something like this? With the tournament coming up and everything?" Miharu questioned.

"Well, it might take some convincing," Xiaoyu admitted. "But I reckon that he would. He really does have a gift for playing the piano. And I won't rest until he performs with me at the Talent Quest," Xiaoyu concluded with determination, placing her hands firmly on his hips.

"Yeeaahh," Miharu said with uncertainty. "Good luck with that," She added with a thumbs up, causing Xiaoyu to pout at Miharu's lack of faith.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Xiaoyu replied wryly.

"Ahh, there he is," Xiaoyu said as she spied her housemate from the other side of the courtyard, preparing to pitch her talent quest idea to him.

"Xiao, are you sure about this?" The still unsure Miharu asked.

"Well, there's only one way to find out," Xiaoyu said confidently, and before Miharu could stop her, she marched over to the solitary Jin Kazama, who was leaning/half sitting on the small concrete wall that curved around from the stairs. He shifted his attention from his shoes as Xiaoyu approached from his right.

"Hey Jin!" Xiaoyu greeted enthusiastically.

"Hi, Xiaoyu," Jin replied, almost like he was caught completely off guard.

"I have a proposition for you," Xiaoyu unfolded the sign up form in her hand and showed it to Jin. "There's a talent quest next week,"

"And?" He scanned his eyes briefly over the entry form and then cast his eyes back at Xiaoyu.

"I reckon we should go for it," Xiaoyu suggested, causing Jin to raise an eyebrow.

"And do what?"

"A flute/piano duet?" Xiaoyu answered slowly. Does he have any recollection of us playing together? Jin cast his eyes up towards the sky.

"Why do it?" Jin asked rhetorically. "I don't know if you've noticed, but we have a tournament coming up. We won't have time to practice for some talent quest," He turned his head to face Xiaoyu again. "I need to train constantly. I thought you would understand that, since you need to more than I do,"

Xiaoyu felt like he had slapped her. Did he just imply what I think he just implied? Xiaoyu's blood began to boil. Calm down, Xiao. Don't go ape on him, Xiaoyu's inner peacekeeping voice silenced all notions to hit him with a powerful kick to the crotch. You'll show him eventually, but just keep it together for now.

"Come on, it'll be fun," Xiaoyu recovered, beaming up at him to further advertise the cause. "We'll win it hands down. It'll be good morale for the upcoming tournament," Xiaoyu added, hoping that putting it in context of the tournament will help change Jin's mind. He looked down for a few seconds, contemplating the idea. He's actually thinking about it! This could work! Xiaoyu thought hopefully as she anticipated his final answer. When he looked back up at her, Xiaoyu's smiled faded as Jin's expression said it all.

"You can waste your time with the talent quest if you want. But I don't plan to," With that, Jin picked up his schoolbag, slung it over his shoulder, and strolled away from Xiaoyu. The pig-tailed youth stomped back to Miharu.

"I take it didn't go well?" Miharu asked smugly, ready to pounce into the 'I told you so' lecture.

"I don't get it, Miharu," Xiaoyu said suddenly, catching Miharu by surprise. "I was doing so well with him! Why'd he have to go and take a giant leap backwards?"

"I told you that Jin's not the people type," Miharu answered. "Lots of people have tried. What makes you any different?"

"Well, I have a secret weapon," Xiaoyu boasted confidently. Miharu raised her eyebrow in interest. "We live in the same building, man! I can…push the idea," A sneaky smile crept onto Xiaoyu's features. Miharu mirrored Xiaoyu's expression.

"You better hope that works,"

"Come on, Jin. It'll be a nice break from fighting," Xiaoyu hopped out of the limo to follow Jin to the Mishima mansion after school had ended. "I bet you will have fun," Xiaoyu continued to push the idea. Jin's patience began to reach its limits. He immediately stopped before he went inside to confront Xiaoyu.

"My answer is still NO!" Jin stomped into the mansion, leaving a dumfounded Xiaoyu. She crossed her arms and rubbed her chin in thought.

"I'm gonna need a different approach,"

Later

He always seems to be in a better mood when he's on the piano, Xiaoyu thought to herself as she approached the double door that led to the Grand Piano. The melody wafting through the door indicated that he was there right now, so this was the best time to ask him about the talent quest. She pushed down on the handle as quietly as she could and edged inside the room, careful to not alert him to her presence. When the piece ended, she clamped two pieces of paper she had with her between her hip and her elbow and clapped her hands (with her flute in hand) in applause. Jin spun around on his seat to see her.

"I'm not interested, Xiaoyu," He stated as a pre-emptive strike.

"That was beautiful," Xiaoyu commented, ignoring his words, walking towards him. "If I could play like you, I'd still be playing the piano,"

"You used to play?" He asked, relieved that she didn't come to pressure him some more.

"Yeah, well. Back home in China, most parents forced their kids to learn. I got sick of it so I switched to flute when I reached Grade 5,"

"Well if you were being forced to play, it would seem less fun. It's the best when you playing from free will," Jin said, staring at his dark reflection on the shiny surface.

"Anyway, I was kinda hoping," Xiaoyu took hold of the pieces of paper she had and spread them across the music stand on the piano. "Do you think you can play this for me? It's one of my favourite pieces on the piano,"

"I'm not a very good sight reader," Jin warned as he scanned through the sheet music, though the music was quite simple.

"Please?" Xiaoyu put on her best adorable-eyes, which have worked quite well in the past. Not even Jin was immune to it. He sighed.

"Okay, but I hope I don't ruin it." He took a deep breath and placed his hands on the keyboard. He furrowed his eyebrows in concentration and slowly began to play Lifestream from the Final Fantasy VII OST. His eyes constantly moved from the music to the keyboard, ensuring that he was playing the piece right. The simplicity was staggering for a piece that carried such magic. When the melody was about to be repeat itself an octave lower for the first time, Xiaoyu began playing the melody at the original octave on her flute, the two textures complementing each other perfectly. The piano then began to play supporting chords. Xiaoyu took the opportunity for a simple variation on the melody line, careful not to overcomplicate the piece or it will lose its magic.

The melody of the piece returned to the piano, and Xiaoyu improvised echoing phrases of the melody during the tied semibreves. When the piece ended, the two musicians remained silent for a few minutes, taking in what just happened. Jin looked up at Xiaoyu.

"That's an incredible piece," Jin finally said, causing Xiaoyu to grin.

"It just takes you away, doesn't it?" Xiaoyu mused, her flute at her side now.

"It's so simple, yet it's so powerful," Jin further commented, turning his head back to look over the music. "Can I keep this?"

"Yeah, of course you can," Xiaoyu said as if he didn't even need to ask. "So Jin, still don't wanna do the talent quest?" Jin froze as he piled the sheet music together and looked back up at Xiaoyu. Xiaoyu cocked her head sideways, looking at him expectantly. He cast his eyes downward, now reconsidering the offer.

"Well, we wouldn't do this piece. It's much too simple. We need something that'll wow the audience, you know?" Xiaoyu continued, sensing Jin's change of heart.

"Yeah, I wouldn't want to play this piece anyway," Jin looked back up at Xiaoyu. "This is now my piece," A smile touched Jin's features.

"Hey, that's not fair. It was my favourite first," Xiaoyu teased, sitting down on the piano bench next to him.

"Too bad, it's mine now," Xiaoyu chuckled. Wow, he really loosens up when he's at the piano. "So, what do you say?"

"Xiaoyu, the piano is kind of like my thing. It's really private to me." Jin explained. "It's something I like to do to calm me down and it makes me feel at peace with myself. It's not something I would share with other people, you know?"

"Oh," Xiaoyu said as she looked down at the flute on her lap, clearly disappointed. "So it's your private thing. Not something you like to do with other people, huh?"

"That's not what I meant," Jin said in an effort to not offend her.

"No, I get it." Xiaoyu stood up and plastered a grin on her face, though her eyes said differently. "It's your thing. I thought both of us were enjoying playing together but I guess I was just imposing, so sorry." Xiaoyu quickly shuffled towards the door, leaving Jin behind at the piano.

Xiaoyu flopped onto her bed in her room.

"Guess he really isn't a people person, like what Miharu said," Xiaoyu said to herself, her eyes casually probing the ceiling. Looks like that's down the drain. Maybe he's right though. I should be concentrating on the tournament. Music should just be my thing, too. At that moment, there was a knock on her door.

"Come in," Xiaoyu's automated response took action as she lay on the bed in a daze. The head that tentatively popped through the door was someone she wasn't expecting though. She turned her head sideways to view the suspect.

"Jin?" Xiaoyu slowly sat up as he closed the door, came into her room and sat on the corner of her bed.

"I'm sorry, I did enjoy playing with you," Jin said. "It was kinda refreshing actually; not being just me in that big piano room,"

"Well good. At least I did something right," Xiaoyu responded. At that moment, Jin turned his head away and stared at the door.

"There's a reason why I don't get out there and play for groups or anything," He rested his elbows on his knees at stared at the floor.

"Yeah? What's that?" Xiaoyu asked.

"I've never told anyone this before, apart from my grandfather," Jin started, indicating the importance of what he was about to divulge.

"You can trust me," Xiaoyu reassured, inching closer to Jin. He sighed, and then began to speak.

"My mother was the one who taught me how to play the piano ever since I was about eight years old. She was the kindest, warmest and most caring people I know," Xiaoyu sensed pain in Jin's words. What happened to her?

"She played so well. I always wanted to play as well as she could. Her pieces would always make me feel good, no matter how down I was that day," The memories brought a sad smile onto Jin's face. "But then she was murdered by Ogre," Xiaoyu gasped at this revelation. "That's why I'm here. My grandfather is my only other relative because my father's dead as well," Jin's voice was laden with anger and sorrow as he talked about his mother's death.

"Jin…" Xiaoyu said sympathetically, not sure what she could say to comfort him.

"It's okay, I never really knew my father. He died before I was born. I'm told I'm the spitting image of him though," Jin chuckled, but there was no sign of genuine laughter. Seeing the truth now, Xiaoyu felt bad that she thought he was just an anti-social jerk.

"You've been through so much…" Xiaoyu made her way across the bed until she was kneeling beside Jin. "So is that why you haven't really become friends with anyone at school?" Jin positioned himself so that he faced Xiaoyu, resting his left hand on the bed.

"Well, my mother was really the only person I ever knew. We lived in a pretty remote place. I wasn't sure how to trust other people,"

"But you have such a following at school," Jin chuckled rolled his eyes.

"I wouldn't call it a following…" Jin attempted to make it sound less of a big deal than it was but to no avail.

"The rest of the world would! You have any idea how many girls I've had to beat away with a stick to stop giving me love letters to pass onto you?" Xiaoyu joked, the image she conjured in her mind making her giggle.

"I don't even know why those girls are so hell bent on trying to get my attention,"

"Bull, you fully know. I bet you love it too," Xiaoyu teased. The two talked for a few more minutes before Jin decided to go train.

"Oh, one more thing," Jin said before he left the room.

"Hmm?"

"I'll do it. The talent quest, I mean." Xiaoyu's features lit up immediately.

"Are you sure about this? I mean, it's your thing, after all," Xiaoyu asked.

"Well, it can be our thing,"

"Thanks, Jin," Xiaoyu grinned ear to ear, infecting Jin with a smile of his own. After he left, Xiaoyu flopped back onto her bed. You did it, Xiaoyu. You did what no-one else could: you became friends with Jin Kazama. Xiaoyu continued to stare at the ceiling, feeling quite proud of herself. I hope he doesn't go Mr Hyde on me though, Xiaoyu thought wryly, hoping this time he won't take a gigantic leap backwards again.

A/N: LOL! Awwww as I was writing this, I was thinking about what Jin would be like BEFORE all the betrayal and hatred towards his family. I think he'd actually be a really nice guy! And he still thinks that Kazuya is dead =P Awwww too bad what awaits him will change him for the worse! But OMG! I wasn't originally gonna have an actual piece in this, it was gonna be a random song…but when I found Lifestream (piano version) on Youtube yesterday, I was listening to it on repeat for AGES so I thought that would be the piece here! It's so magical and it really does take you away! It's not for everyone, coz its REAL simple and it might be boring, but I LOVED IT! But anyway, hope you liked this chapter. Review please!