Part 1: Forgiveness is Divine
(Note: This was originally a fanfiction I posted elsewhere on the Net. Curious about reaction, I have decided to repost it here. Knowledge of the Dead or Alive video games and characters will help, but isn't absolutely necessary for enjoyment. I hereby acknowledge that I do not own any of the Dead or Alive characters, which are all property of Tecmo, Team Ninja, and all those high rollers. Please, don't sue, I have only $2.75 to my name today anyway.)
*
It was day four of a sunny tropical vacation on Zack Island. The female fighters from the past Dead or Alive tournaments had been lured here unknowingly, seeking new opponents to battle in hard-fought single combat. What they had found upon arrival had been...a little different. The island was a paradise, with long, smooth beaches, a lush jungle, and a simply decadent hotel, complete with a pool filled with cool, icy blue water. The only competition to be found seemed to lie in the various volleyball nets that were planted around the island, and a handy supply of different volleyballs at one of the stores. And so, the fighting femmes had shrugged, thanked their luck that the entire two weeks was on Zack's tab, and proceeded to enjoy themselves.
Hitomi approached the net, her long, light brown hair flowing behind her as Christie passed the ball upcourt to her. Kasumi moved up to face her, light on the balls of her feet. Hitomi knew a point was inevitable. She had studied Kasumi's style of play the other day. She could put a surprising spin on a hit, to make it arc past an almost-certain block, but her own defense was weak. If only her partner, Lisa, had been closer, this shot would have been a challenge. With a loud "Haa!" Hitomi leaped, and spiked the ball cleanly over the net, her lithe, powder-blue bikini-clad body arching gracefully. The ball sent Kasumi to the ground with a loud THWACCK! and she gave a pained cry.
Hitomi landed lightly, and pumped her fist in victory. "Yes, gotcha!" she cried happily, but then blinked, noticing that Kasumi wasn't getting up. She laid on the sand yet, one hand cupped over her mouth and nose. Something red seeped out from between her fingers, and had even spotted on her pale pink bikini top. Blood. Hitomi ducked under the net at the realization that she'd actually hurt Kasumi, as Christie just folded her arms just under her full bosom and sniffed, turning up her nose.
"Tch. You're too soft to play in my league, Hitomi. I'll find a better partner than you. See you." she said in her icy voice, idly brushing her frost-white hair away from her left eye as she turned and strode off the court, firm muscles rippling gently under her black one-piece swimsuit. Hitomi glanced back, but then looked to Kasumi again, even as Lisa rushed to her side as well.
"Kasumi, my God, I'm so sorry, I didn't know I was gonna..." Hitomi began, her words coming in a panicked rush. Kasumi lifted a hand and waved at her, looking at her with watering, golden brown eyes. She slowly got to her knees, and pulled her hand away, letting a few drops of blood fall from her nose to the sand, where they sunk in, dark. She pinched her nose in between her thumb and forefinger, and stood, leaning on a ready, red-suited Lisa for support.
"Thanks a lot, Hitomi. You just ruined our game, and maybe broke her nose at the same time. What do you do for an encore?" Lisa snapped angrily, steering her injured partner, who hadn't had the chance to say anything through her soft, wounded sobs, away towards the hotel. "Cmon, Kassy, we'll get the folks at the front desk to break open the first aid kit for you." she murmured softly, one hand stroking over Kasumi's back in comfort. Hitomi looked around, bewildered. She lowered her head, wiping at her eyes, and scuffed one foot in the sand before dejectedly trudging along the beach until the sun sank halfway into the ocean. When the last light began to pale, she headed for the hotel herself, barely looking up from her own bare feet the whole time.
Hitomi angrily stuffed one swimsuit, then a towel, into her suitcase. This had been a rotten idea, she'd decided, angry, self-damning tears streaking her face. She had never been the type to make enemies on purpose, but she trembled, despairing of any other light that Kasumi could see her in. She paused for a long, shuddering breath, and looked at herself in the mirror above the vanity in her room. Her young face was flushed and tense, her light, cloud-grey eyes darkened by her tempest of emotions. She wiped the back of a hand across her eyes, sniffling, then rubbed off the tears on the hip of her snug, faded blue jeans. She took another breath, tugging a finger at the neckline of her black, spaghetti-strapped tank top, trying to cool herself somehow. 'If only there was a punching bag in here...something I could really HIT...' she thought to herself, when she was jolted out of her thoughts by a sudden sound. The gentle rapping of knuckles on her door, only twice.
She took another deep breath, trying to hit the same mindset as when she did her Karate katas, reaching for relaxation, and opened the door with a lightly trembling hand. There stood Kasumi, her nose red and swollen, but unsplinted. She held her hands up to her yukata-wrapped bosom, wringing her fingers together nervously. Hitomi blinked for a second in her surprise.
"K-Kasumi? Come in." Hitomi offered, stepping aside, then closing the door after Kasumi had timidly stepped into her room. "I'm kind of surprised, that you'd want to see me, after...earlier."
"Hitomi, I want to talk to you about that. I just-" Kasumi began softly, but was cut off by Hitomi, who had gone back to angrily packing.
"I know, you want a chance to tell me off, before I leave here and quit upsetting everyone." Hitomi said quickly.
