Revival
 
 
 

Chapter Four: Confrontation
 
 
 

  'I wonder if I'll get to see her again...' Lei thought to
himself as he looked mindlessly out of the window at the
bustling city streets that the small taxi cab passed by.
'...she sure was cute. I nearly went head over heels for her
when I first saw her.' He rested his head back onto the car
seat as he reminenced on the days of a long ago past that
had trailed behind him and time.
 

  He was in his 20's, and participating in the second Iron
Fist tournament. That was where he met her...Jun Kazama...
 

  'She was a really sweet person. She too had business with
Kazuya Mishima as I did. She wanted to investigate the
supposed crimes of illegal smuggling of endangered animals
that the Mishima Financial Empire was responsible for. She
liked nature a whole lot, and she seemed as if she would
devote her life to protecting it...then why? How did things
end up the way they turned out to be?'
 

  "Hey, Jun! What's up?"

  "Hmmm? Oh...hello Lei."
 

  Lei looked at her and could instantly see that something
had been bothering her; she was spaced out. He saw that her
eyes were concentrated on nothing but the setting sun, and
the statement of her face was quite serious.
 

  "Something wrong?" He finally asked, but Jun shook her
head.
 

  "No...everything is fine." She replied steadily. But Lei
was not convinced.
 

  "C'mon, you expect me to believe that?" He accused
playfully. "I know that something happened, and it's got you
down. Maybe you'll feel better if you tell me."
 

  Jun looked over her shoulder to face him. "But if I did,
you'll hate me, just like everybody else!" She cried. Lei,
stunned, was now more worried about Jun. He never heard such
anguished words come from her soft voice before, and what
bothered him was that he didn't know what was the cause of
them. He seated himself beside Jun on the grass and tried to
calm her.
 

  "Hey, I won't force it ougta you if you don't want to tell
me. If you want me to go, then--"
 
 

  Jun hugged her knees tightly as she shook her head in
denial. "No...you don't have to go, Lei. I'm sorry for
yelling at you."
 

  Lei smiled at her. "Don't worry about it." He then placed
his hand on her small shoulder. "You sure you're okay?"
 

  "...I'm in love with someone." She blurted out, and Lei
saw that her cheeks were blushing faintly.
 

  "...really? Who?" He inquired, and Jun sighed deeply.
 
 

  "...I...I'm in love with Kazuya Mishima." She answered.
 

  "...WHAT?!??" Lei released her shoulder and stood up
instantly. "Kazuya Mishima?! But...why?"
 

  Jun hugged her knees even tighter. "I just do, Lei. I
can't describe it. My mind tells me that I am wrong to love
him, and I know that that is also what the whole world would
tell me. But...my heart says differently. I can't forget
him; I'd be lying to myself if I said that I hated him just
like every person that is participating in this cursed
tournament. I'm just so confused..." She trailed off as her
hands released themselves from around her knees so she could
bury her face in them. Lei still remained dumbfounded; he
kept asking himself why would someone like Jun ever find a
place for a cold-blooded killer such as Kazuya Mishima in
her heart.
 

  This was the same Kazuya Mishima who was involved with the
killing of his partner. This is the same one who took
countless lives and destroyed so many homes. This is the
same Kazuya Mishima who poses as a threat to the entire
world...and yet, this is the same man who Jun loves. It
didn't make any sense to him, and jealousy began to take
root inside of his own heart, for he had posessed emotions
for Jun as well. But it seemed that her affection had
belonged to another man who Lei felt didn't deserve a second
of it.
 

  'After all that man has done, Jun actually loved him. I
didn't understand why, I still don't...' Lei thought to
himself as his memories began to fade away. 'But she really
meant what she said, I could tell. I was jealous, I'll admit
it; the woman that I had feelings for was in love with the
murderer responsible for my partner's death. Still...
 

  Lei looked at Jun in silence as she continued crying. He
wanted to say that she was crazy, that she didn't know what
she was talking about. But that would be cruel. He would be
saying those words out of his own bitterness, and not for
the benefit of Jun. Even though he seemed to despise Kazuya
Mishima more than ever...that did not change the fact that
Jun was his friend and moreover, that he cared about her.
 
 

  He sat beside Jun once again and set his hand on her
shoulder as he had done a few moments earlier. "Hey, quit
crying all right? It's not going to do you any good." He
comforted her, and he could hear Jun trying to stifle her
sobs. "You say you love this guy, right?"
 

  "Y-yes...I do." She replied, wiping her tears.
 
 

  "Then that's all that matters, Jun. Don't worry about
anything else; just do what you feel is right for you. Yeah
sure, some people aren't going to approve of what you're
doing, but that's not important. Even as much as you might
want to, you can't deny your own heart, Jun, so you should
listen to it."
 

  Jun stared at him with awe and her tears seemed to have
stopped. Lei had an aching in his heart at the moment, since
he had just told her to forget about everything else and go
ahead and be with the man that she loved. That meant that
she should not take into consideration Lei's feelings for
her, but still, deep down inside he felt that he had done
the right thing.
 

  'Kazuya had just better take care of her.' He said to
himself.
 

  "...thank you, Lei. Thank you so much..." Jun said in all
of her gratitude, and although his heart was wounded, he
smiled back at her.
 

  "Don't mention it. Hey, you look a lot prettier when you
smile... Kazuya's one lucky man." He remarked, and Jun
blushed.
 

  'And he remained lucky 'til his death...' Lei thought.
'Jun still loved him; I never thought I would see her so
happy before...but I wonder if things would've worked out
differently...'
 

  He sighed thoughtfully as the taxi cab neared the hotel.
'If I told Jun about how I felt about her...would everything
change then?' Lei scolded himself in response to his own
question. '...no. She loved him more than anything else in
this world, and my thoughts wouldn't have changed that.'
 
 

  Lei snapped out of his thoughts as the taxi came to a halt
in front of the hotel that he was to temporarily live in. He
tried to forget about his past and attempted to cheer up.
 

  'I should concentrate on my job overall...besides, Tokyo's
pretty big. Maybe I'll go sightseeing later on.'
 

---

 

  Jun opened her eyes and she was greeted by the shards of
sunlight that scattered onto the room. She stretched her
arms and looked over to her side to find a sleeping Kazuya.
She smiled as she kissed him on his cheek and changed into
her clothes. She crept quietly from the bed and exited the
room. Once Jun was in the hallway, she walked to the
staircase and went down the steps. The house was empty; she
did not see anyone else. But then again, it was a bit early
in the morning and Kazuya didn't wake up until about two
hours later to get ready for work. Since it seemed that she
was the only one awake, Jun decided to take a walk in the
garden. She would come back before Kazuya would wake up.
 

  Jun went into the courtyard and her shoes padded softly
against the paved path as she admired the beaty of the crisp
morning. Beads of dew decorated the flowers and grass, and
birds have begun to sing. The sky was a mix of rosy clouds
floating across a faint crimson sky. She could still see the
vague stars as they were slowly being engulfed in the waking
sun's light, and the moon was still visible in its corner of
the vast sky.
 

  The refreshing scent of the morning swayed through Jun's
hair as she continued to walk. Fallen leaves twirled
gently at her feet as the cool air surrounded her. She was
so caught up in the peaceful solitude that she did not hear
someone calling her name.
 

  "...Jun!" Lee called to her, and he had failed again to
attract her attention. He then approached her from behind
and addressed her again. Jun finally turned around to face
him.
 
 

  "Oh, hello Lee. What are you doing here so early?"
 

  "I need to speak with Kazuya." Lee spoke urgently. "Do you
know where he is?"
 

  "He's still sleeping." Jun answered. "Why? What's wrong?"
 

  "...I can't tell you." Lee replied. Jun, puzzled, stared
back at Lee in confusion.
 

  "Is something the matter, Lee? You look kind of worried."
 

  "It does not concern you, Jun." He responded hastily. "I'm
sorry, but I must speak with Kazuya."
 

  Jun was more bewildered then ever; it was as if Lee was
trying to hide something from her. But what could it be? Jun
wanted to find out, but she knew that she could keep asking
and he would give her the same answer. Besides, Lee's
intention to speak with Kazuya seemed to be important, no
matter how suspicious it seemed to her.
 

  "...wait right here. I'll wake him." Jun said, and she
went back into the house. She walked up the staircase and
entered Kazuya's chamber. He was still sleeping, so Jun had
to shake his shoulder.
 

  "...Jun, what is it?" He asked groggily, his weary eyes
half-opened.
 

  "Lee is here to see you," Jun started. "It seems urgent."
 

  Kazuya's face showed no hint of surprise or annoyance as
he immediately got up from the bed and dressed into his
robe. If Jun was confused before, she was now more than
ever. Kazuya's hastened actions led her to wonder what Lee
had to tell him that was so significant. As he was about to
leave, Kazuya looked back at her.
 

  "Please stay up here for a little while." He said, and was
about to close the door until Jun spoke up.
 

  "Kazuya, what is going on?" She asked, frightened. "Has
something happened?"
 

  "I have no time to explain. Wait here." He responded
coldly, and shut the door. Jun could hear a small clattering
noise in the keyhole, and realized what it was. She rushed
to the door and twisted the doorknob but it wouldn't budge,
for Kazuya had locked her in.
 

  He rushed down the stairs and into the courtyard where Lee
was waiting. His brother heard his footsteps and Lee
approached him. Kazuya folded his arms across his chest with
an unfriendly statement on his bold face. "What did you find
out?"
 

  "He's somewhere in Tokyo." Lee responded. "Some guys said
that they saw him walking around a few times down at the
harbor."
 

  "He must have finally come to participate in the
tournament. We must get to him before my father does."
 

  "But what if Heihachi already knows that he is in the
city? What if we are too late?"
 

  "That's not going to happen." Kazuya answered confidently.
"You must find him before any one of the scumbags that works
for that old man does. And when you do, send him to me."
 

  "Yes, Mishima-sama..." Lee replied, and a thought suddenly
occured to him. "Where is Jun? I want to apologize to her
abou--"
 

  "Don't worry about her." Kazuya demanded. "Just go." Lee
nodded reluctantly and departed the Mishima home. Kazuya
remembered Jun and he went back to his chamber inside of the
house. He took out the key from his pocket and unlocked the
door, and found Jun standing towards the window with her
back facing him. Kazuya noticed that she had pulled the
curtains away to allow the faint sunlight to pour in. He
walked to her and spoke.
 

  "Lovely morning, isn't it?" He asked while his hands
wrapped around her small waist.
 
 

  "Yes," She started, and turned to face him. "Kazuya, what
are you hiding from me?" She inquired and he could tell that
she seemed to be angry at him.
 

  "Are you mad at me?" He questioned, but she shook her head
and walked away from the window.
 

  "No. I'm just...a little scared..." She responded as she
began to make the bed. Kazuya watched her as she pulled the
covers neatly over the mattress.
 

  "Of what?" He asked as Jun started to fluff the pillows on
both sides now.
 

  "I don't know. I'm just uncertain about...everything, I
guess."
 

  Kazuya did not know what she was talking about, for her
answer was a bit puzzling, but before he could speak she
faced him. "Why did you lock me in, Kazuya?"
 

  "Because my business does not concern you." He replied.
But Jun glared at him as if she caught him lying to her.
 

  "That's the same thing Lee told me. Did you tell him to
say that if I had any questions?"
 

  "As I said, it doesn't concern you." He repeated. He then
caught Jun's hurt look in her eyes, and he suddenly
regretted his harsh response. She was about to turn away and
go out of the room until he stopped her by grabbing her
wrist gently.
 
 

  "Don't go." He pleaded. "Stay with me."
 

  Jun, suprised at Kazuya's gesture, stared at him for a
while. After a few moments, he took her into his arms and
held her like he had done so many times before.
 

  "Kazuya, please tell me what is going on." She said as he
touched her face.
 

  "...alright then." He gave in. "Our son is in Tokyo," He
bluntly answered, and Jun's head shot up from resting
against his chest. "But," He started again before she could
even say anything, "you cannot go looking for him as of yet.
There is a possibility that my father was informed as well,
and he probably might start a search for him. And if he
finds you..." Kazuya held Jun by her arms firmly so his dark
eyes directed themselves towards hers. "He will kill you."
 

  "But what about Jin?" She exclaimed. "What if Heihachi
finds him first and harms him? That man has murdered before,
and I know that he will do it again!"
 

  "I know that, Jun." Kazuya calmly responded. "But I cannot
allow you to risk your safety. I do not want my father to do
anything to you."
 

  Jun fought back her urge to bolt out of Kazuya's chamber
and start to look for her son. "And what of Jin's safety?
What about him?"
 
 

  "I have already sent Lee to search for Jin. I promise that
he will be safe, Jun." She stood in silence, contemplating
with her thoughts. She started to ask herself what if Jin
would already be dead by Heihachi's hand before Lee got to
him. What if Lee was too late? Kazuya was aware of her
disbeliefs in his answers. He knew that she was still
uncertain of his intentions as well as his actions. But Jun
would not understand him anyway; he could explain to her all
she wanted, but that would only be a waste of time. Kazuya
had to trust his instincts on this, even if Jun did not
agree with them.
 

  "I am doing this for your own protection." He spoke. "I
will never forgive myself if I let something happen to you
or our son. But I cannot allow you to search for Jin because
I know that my father will find you, and then that would
mean both yours and his death. I'd hate myself for that,
because I would have lost my own family to that bastard..."
 
 

  Jun sensed the anger in his voice, and after a few moments
she returned to his arms. "I know what he has done to you,
Kazuya. I know that it is very hard to forgive him for his
cruelety in the past. If it makes you feel relieved,
then...I will remain with you." And indeed Kazuya was
relieved, for Jun could tell easily by his sudden relaxed
statement. He instantly kissed her as her fragile arms
embraced his strong neck.
 

---

 

  "What'll you have?" The bartender asked as he wiped off
the counter.
 

  "Give me something strong!" Paul demanded
enthusiastically.
 

  "And you, son?"
 

  "Uh...I'll just have a glass of water." Forrest responded.
The bartender was then occupied as he went to go get their
drinks as Paul scoffed at his friend's order.
 

  "A glass of water? Lemme guess, your dad doesn't approve
of you drinking?"
 

  "No. I just don't feel like it."
 

  "Uh huh. And then you're supposed to go to bed before
nine, huh?"
 

  "Shut up!" Forrest snapped. "I don't want to get plastered
tonight, okay?"
 

  "Why the hell not? Live a little!" Paul exclaimed.
 

  "...you do realize what tomorrow is, don't you?" Forrest
curiously inquired.
 

  "Nope." Paul answered as he started to chug down the drink
that the bartender set out for him.
 

  "...you idiot! Tomorrow's the day of the tournament!"
 

  "Your point being?" Paul ignorantly asked.

  "We gotta fight tomorrow, Paul!" Forrest shouted. "How the
hell are we gonna participate if you have a hangover the
next morning?!"
 

  "Aw c'mon, I ain't gonna drink that much. Hey bartender!"
Paul yelled as he set his empty glass on the counter. "I'll
have another one!"
 

  "God, please let there be a drinking limit..." Forrest
said to himself.
 

  "You say anything?" Paul asked as he waited for his drink.
Forrest just shook his head.
 

---

 

  "You're such a moron." Nina scolded her sister as she
unpacked her clothes.
 

  "Well, how should I have known that this was a tag-team
tournament?" Anna asked in her defense.
 

  "Because it said so on the pass!" Nina snapped.
 

  "Then why didn't you read it?!"
 

  "Because I was too busy deciding on how I should defeat
you!"
 

  Anna smirked arrogantly. "Admit it, sister! This is as
much your fault as it is mine! You know it too, don't you?"
She remarked, and Nina fought back her desire to throw her
suitcase at Anna.
 

  "I already hate myself for not reading that damn pass
throughly; now I can't find the fun in this tournament since
I'm not even allowed to fight you!"
 

  "...well, since we are partners..." Anna began. "Why don't
we call a truce until the end of the tournament? And then we
can decide who is the better--and more beautiful--woman?"
Her sister's statement seemed an awful lot like a challenge
to Nina, so she thought it over.
 

 "Of course, we both know that I am the more gorgeous
sister, and that I can defeat you any day of the week." Anna
boasted, and that fueled Nina with a comeback.
 

  "How can you? You are always too busy sleeping with
someone different each day." That caused Anna to glare coldy
at her sister with immense hatred, and Nina knew it too.
"Oh, and by the way little sister, I have decided to call a
truce as you said. And we will settle our little rivalry at
the end of the tournament. Under one condition: the loser
has to treat the winner to a shopping spree the next day,
and pay for EVERYTHING."
 

  Anna smiled with full confidence. "Fine." The two sisters
then shook hands in agreement. "I have been looking forward
to getting a brand new oufit anyway."
 

  "You mean an outfit that doesn't make you look like a
slut?"
 

  Anna chuckled. "You better keep your little remarks to
yourself soon, Nina, because I will beat you."
 

  "We'll see." Nina replied and she continued unpacking her
clothes as Anna went to her own room.
 

---

 

  "We can't stay out very long, Hwoarang." Baek informed his
student as they walked down the sidewalk as the streetlights
glowed faintly. "Tomorrow is the day of the tournament, so
we must get up early the next morning."
 

  "Yeah, I know Master. But I just want to drink something
before we go back to the hotel." Hwoarang reassured him. He
spotted an empty soda can among the sidewalk and kicked it
out of his way.
 

  "Fine, but don't drink too much."
 

  "Don't worry, I won't." Hwoarang responded as he stopped
in front of a bar and entered it.
 

  The lights were somewhat dimmed, and wisps of smoke
twisted in the air from lighted cigarettes. Of course,
the scent of alcohol was present and empty bottles were
scattered over some of the tables. Some of the customers
were playing pool on the other side of the room as other
ones were seated and talking to each other. Hwoarang spotted
the bar and approached it to order a drink as Baek followed
him.
 

  "Hi," the bartender greeted as he cleaned the inside of a
glass. "What'll you have?"
 

  "Two beers." Hwoarang ordered and the bartender left to
get the drinks he wanted. Both himself and Baek engaged into
a conversation, unaware of two other customers present at
the time.
 

  "Hey, it's that red-headed kid!" Paul muttered to Forrest.
"Remember? We saw him at the last tournament."
 

  Forrest's attention, however, was not directed at
Hwoarang. It was directed at Baek.
 

  'I know him...' He thought to himself. 'That's the man who
destroyed Dad's dojo...' A sudden jolt shocked inside of his
head. He remembered when he was about five or six years
old...it was a chilly autumn night and he was playing
checkers with his father. He had won the third game, the
only one in which his father had lost to him that night, and
his mother told him to get ready for bed. He recalled
brushing his teeth and saying good-night to his parents
before he retired to sleep. It was about thirty minutes past
eight then.
 

  But after a few hours, he heard a loud knocking noise.
Forrest woke up and looked at his clock. It was about
fifteen minutes past ten. His ears detected a rummaging
sound in his parents' room and he could hear his father
walking past his own room and opening the door. A familiar
voice spoke to his father frantically, as soon as the door
was opened. Forrest could make out the words 'destroyed' and
'dojo', and that was when he began to clasp his blanket
tightly in fear. But his child-like curiousity forced him to
get out of bed and go to his father to find out what was the
purpose of the stranger's visit. He stepped out of his room,
and what he saw at the door scared him half to death.
 

  He could make out who the young man was; he was one of his
father's students who trained at the family's dojo. But he
was in horrible shape; his face was smeared with blood with
an opened scar streaked across his forehead, his arms
hanging like lifeless branches against the sides of his
body, his knees looked as if someone shattered them, and his
limbs were entirely bruised and demented. Forrest saw the
blood falling from his father's student onto their carpet,
and he nearly whimpered at the gruesome sight.
 

  He could hear a door opening from behind him, and he knew
instinctively that his mother had awakened as well. He could
hear her yawn alter instantly into a small cry when she saw
the injured man at the door, and that was when his father
demanded that she call the hospital and take Forrest with
her. She did as she was told and immediately took Forrest by
his wrist to the kitchen, where she dialed the emergency
number with quivering fingers. As she waited for someone to
answer her call, Forrest's mother patted him on the head and
tried to reassure him that everything was all right. But he
knew better. If nothing had happened that was worth
mentioning, then there would not be a bleeding man at the
door, and his parents and himself would be soundly sleeping.
Everything wasn't all right, and it didn't progress from
there, either.
 

  The ambulance came and also stopped at the dojo because
his father's student said that there were many others
injured there. The police were involved and Forrest's father
was questioned by them. His mother kept keeping Forrest
close to her, smoothing his brow and trying to calm him. So
many students had to be hospitalized, and word of the
destruction of the family's dojo was the talk of the whole
town. Never had Forrest felt so scared or worried.
 

  The man who was responsible for the accusations was never
found around the neighborhood. But the only reason why
Forrest was positive that that certain Korean was the one
who thrashed both the dojo and the students was because he
remembered seeing his father being visited by a man, who
looked exactly like the one across the bar, for reasons
unknown. Forrest never saw that man again; he seemed to have
disappeared from the neighborhood the instant the
unfortunate event had happened.
 

  Paul noticed the solemn gaze in Forrest's eyes. "You
okay?"
 

  "That's him, isn't it Paul?" He asked, not bothering to
answer Paul's question. "That's the man who destroyed the
dojo when I was a kid, isn't he?"
 

  Paul raised a brow and looked across the bar. His blue
eyes turned stormy when he saw who sat next to Hwoarang.
"...yeah. That's him."
 

  That was all the proof Forrest needed. He stood up from
his seat and paced right over to the other side of the bar
where Baek and Hwoarang were talking. He tapped the elder on
the shoulder, and when Baek had turned around, he punched
him right across the face. The Korean was sent right onto
the dirty ground after falling off of his chair.
 

  "What the hell are you doing?!" Paul shouted as he ran
over to Forrest and restrained him. Hwoarang was busy trying
to help Baek up, who was wiping the blood off of his mouth.
 

  "You bastard!!" Forrest nearly bellowed. "You'll pay for
what you've done!! Let me go, Paul!" His arms tried to break
free of Paul's hold as the American struggled to keep his
young friend from lunging at Baek.
 

  "What the hell's your problem?!" Hwoarang questioned after
helping his master up. "Had too much to drink?"
 

  "Keep out of my way, punk!" Forrest snapped back as he
attempted to escape from Paul. "Or I'll send you back home
in a friggin' coffin!!"
 

  "I'd like to see you try..." Hwoarang replied as he
cracked his knuckles.
 

  "Keep at it, kid, and I'll let him go!" Paul threatened,
noticing the menacing gleam in Hwoarang's eyes.
 

  He scoffed. "Bring it on, then! He's gonna pay for what he
had just done to my master anyway!"
 

  "Then I'll just rip you limb from limb then if you even
try to stop me!" Forrest responded angrily through clenched
teeth.
 

  "Hey, take it outside, fellas!" The bartender broke in.
"I'll have none of this in my bar!"
 

  Hwoarang answered, "We'll do just that."
 

  "No..." Baek suddenly spoke. "Hwoarang, don't do it."
 

  The young man looked at him as if he were crazy. "But
Master, I--"
 

  "I mean it, Hwoarang." He interrupted, then turned to
Paul. "Please leave with your friend. I do not wish to fight
him."
 

  "What, you are already satisfied with beating up my
friends after all these years?! I'll never forget what
you've done!!" Forrest shouted.
 
 

  "Geez, get your friend to a nuthouse. He's totally lost
it." Hwoarang jeered.
 

  "How could you do what you've done? The people you injured
were my friends, they were still young...how could you live
with yourself?!"
 
 

  "Forrest, cut it out!" Paul tried to keep him from tearing
Baek into pieces.
 

  "No, Paul what are you trying to do?!? This is the guy who
sent all of my dad's students into the hospital! Don't you
even care?!"
 

  "Just let it be! You can't do anything now...Forrest, your
dad's already dealt with him..."
 

  Hwoarang stared at the young man who had just struck Baek.
He then looked back at his master, whose sober glare was
directed to those of his attacker.

  "...Master, what is he talking about?" He inquired. To his
surprise, Baek approached the infuriated man.

  "...I am sorry for what I did. You can deal with me
sometime during the tournament." He then walked towards the
exit and looked over his shoulder. "Come, Hwoarang."
 

  "You bet I will! I'll make you pay!" Forrest retaliated as
he finally calmed down. Paul rubbed his tired arms from
holding his friend back; Forrest had his father's strength.
 

  Baek's student obeyed despite all of his confusion. Once
they were out walking in the cool night air, Hwoarang spoke.
 

  "Master, is what that man said true? Did you...injure his
friends?"
 

  Baek did not answer, but did not deny anything. As they
continued walking, Hwoarang could hear the soft chirping of
the crickets as the neon lights of their urban surroundings
glowed back at him.
 
 

  "...I will tell you eventually, Hwoarang. I promise." Baek
steadily replied. Of course this just made his student even
more puzzled, but he did not say anything. Hwoarang trusted
the words of his master like he had always done in the past.
 
 

 

---

 

  Flames. Everything was in flames. The home that he had
known ever since he was just a child had been reduced to
ashes. The licking fire continued to feed on the walls of
his very home that protected and housed him. And with it,
the body of the very woman whom he called 'mother'. He could
only hear her scream as he choked on the black smoke that
orginated from those flames as they took everything away
from him. He could no longer feel his arms or legs.
Everything went blurry, and all he could see was darkness...
 

  'I hate myself for that. I could've saved her...Mother...'
Jin looked back at the moon through his teary eyes. He could
make out its round, pale-cloaked figure as the soft breeze
ran through his black hair.
 
 

  'I should've trained harder, I should have taken fighting
more seriously! Then I would have become stronger, and
protect her...'
 
 

  He looked away from the moon and into the waters below
him. He could see his reflection clearly even though it was
nighttime. It became distorted from a teardrop that had shed
from his eyes, and ripples started to stretch upon the
surface of the waters.
 

  '...dammit, why am I still crying...? I won't be able to
do anything if I continue to act like a child.' He was going
to wipe his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt, but then he
heard something sound from behind him. He instantly looked
over his shoulder, and he was able to make out a figure
hidden in the shadows near one of the warehouses. He quickly
wiped his face, and decided to confront the stranger.
 

  "Who's there?" He asked coldly, but the figure remained
still. Jin thought he saw a glimpse of a pair of solemn
eyes, but he wasn't sure. He decided to inquire the identity
of the stranger again. "I am not foolish. Show yourself."
 
 

  "Sure thing," a surpsingly familar voice answered, and the
figure stepped out from the shawdows. His silver hair
shimmered in the moonlight, with a half-smile spread across
the thin lips of his friendly face.
 

  "Uncle Lee....!" Jin uttered, but Lee could hear him. He
bowed his head and smiled.
 
 

  "Yep. It's been a long time, Jin. Geez, you've grown." Not
wasting any time, his nephew rushed to him.
 
 

  "Where have you been?! Why did you just disappear from
home that day? Grandpa didn't tell me anything when you were
gone. What happened?"
 
 

  "Hey, hey, not so loud alright? We're not alone." Lee
cautioned Jin grimly, and this surprised his nephew.
 
 

  "...what do you mean?" He whispered.
 
 

  "The Tekkenshu...they're not far behind. C'mon, we gotta
go." Lee gestured Jin to follow him, and he did. They walked
side by side and entered the small alley nestled between a
pair of nearby warehouses. The clouds had moved in on the
sky and were engulfing the unfortunate moon.
 
 

  "Where are you going to take me?" Jin questioned as they
were close to leaving the alley. Lee remained silent. Jin
also noticed that he had stopped in his tracks. "...Uncle?"
Lee still did not answer, and Jin decided to try and detect
what he was listening to. He kept quiet, but he did not hear
anything that seemed significant, only the sound of a small
clicking noise...
 

  "GET DOWN!!!" Lee shouted frantically and Jin fell onto
the ground stomach-first like his uncle did. Above his head
he could hear bullets firing against the side of the
warehouse rapidly. After a few more showers of bullets, they
could both hear a voice.
 

  "Hey!! Someone's over there!" The voice was followed by
the sound of approaching footsteps.
 

  "Shit!" Lee muttered angrily under his breath. "C'mon,
Jin! Stay close and follow me!" He got up onto his feet and
ran with Jin close behind him. Every second that his foot
hit the street, Jin could hear the shouting get slightly
farther, but that did not stop him from running.
They continued to run although their feet started to sore,
past the long column of warehouses with the Tekkenshu close
on their heels.
 

  "Make a right!" Lee ordered and Jin hugged the corner of
the wide street and proceeded to follow his uncle into a
parking lot. Lee hopped into the driver's seat of a sleek,
white car and Jin went into the seat next to him. He
scrambled for the keys in his pocket and started the
ignition.
 

  "Don't even think about escaping!!" The voices ordered
menacingly.
 

  "Dammit, they caught up!" Lee cursed, and shortly a rain
of bullets came from behind them. Jin ducked as well as Lee,
and one of the bullets hit the side mirror near him.
 
 

  "Asshole! I just got this car fixed!!!" Jin heard Lee
mutter outloud. The car finally started, and Lee stepped
onto the pedal underneath his right foot and clasped tightly
on the steering wheel. Before another curtain of ammunition
was fired at them, Lee sped away with a bewildered Jin
sitting in the passenger seat. He drove madly away from the
docks into the streets of Tokyo as the colorful city lights
flashed past them like comets.
 

  After taking a deep breath, Jin looked at his uncle as he
drove. "Where are we going?"
 

  "Home." Lee answered plainly. Jin, at first puzzled, was
now doubtful of Lee's intentions. What if he just planned to
take him to his grandfather after all? Maybe the Tekkenshu
was involved in all of this: perhaps they fired at him and
Lee only to hide the possibility that his uncle was going to
take him back to Heihachi and leave him to be dealt with.
 
 

  "Your father's waiting with someone else." Lee added, and
Jin's head shot up as they continued to speed through the
streets farther into the city.
 
 

  "...who's waiting with him?" Jin asked, but Lee did not
give him any more answers. They proceeded the drive in
silence as they were close to exiting Tokyo.
 

---

 

  "Do you think Lee has found him yet?" Jun inquired Kazuya
before as he attended to some paperwork on his labtop
computer.
 

  "I am not sure. Lee has not called." Was the simple reply,
followed by more typing. Jun quietly sighed to herself as
she looked out the window. It was nighttime, she could tell.
Shadows plagued everything from being seen and the moon
proudly stood in its place in the dark sky. The pale
moonlight calmed her as her eyes searched for any kind of
sign of Lee or Jin.
 

  "What are you thinking about?" Kazuya's deep voice broke
the silence. Jun just sighed deeply.
 

  "Nothing really. I...I'm just..." She was so engulfed in
her worries that she could not even finish her sentence.
Kazuya took note of this, but continued typing. Eventually,
his brother would come back with their son, and then he
would see Jin for the very first time. He was certain of it.
 
 

  "He looks very much like you, you know..." Jun spoke as
she put back a strand of her hair away from her face. "He
even acts like you."
 

  For once, the typing stopped. Kazuya looked away from his
computer and focused on Jun. "Really?"
 

  She nodded. "Yes." She whirled around with a smile spread
upon her rosy lips. "He has your ambition and your pride."
And then she giggled a bit before continuing to speak. "But
he also has your arrogance and stubborness, too!"
 

  Kazuya smiled, and took a minute or two to examine Jun's
face. He had practically memorized every single feature of
it. He adored those brown eyes of hers that seemed to
sparkle whenever she laughed, and how her dark hair cascaded
gently against her soft cheek and how it almost touched her
slender shoulders. But he also had forgotten a few things:
he could not remember how many times Jun had brought a
certain warmth into his own being, or how many times he
had kissed those delicate lips of hers. In fact, whenever he
is around her, he cannot recall how his life was before he
met Jun. Everything about his abusive father and his
depression throughout a certain portion of his life seemed
to diminish with just one of her smiles, and his coldness
melted instantly when he felt her lips on his. He loved her.
He really loved her, and still did.
 

  Jun stared at Kazuya as he placed his computer on the
nightstand beside the bed and approached her. He wrapped her
securely in his muscular arms and she rested her head
against his chest.
 

  "I love you." He whispered softly into her ear. Jun looked
up at him fondly and caught the glow of affection in his
dark eyes. She smiled, and adoringly kissed him.
 

  "I love you, too." She spoke, and they shared another
tender kiss. A few moments later, Kazuya fell back onto the
bed with Jun in his arms.
 

---

 

  "Well, we're here. You can wake up now, you know."
 

  Lee's voice startled Jin from his short nap, and he opened
his eyes to be greeted by the enormous Mishima household. He
stretched his arms for a bit and stepped out of the car as
Lee had done.
 

  "It's been a while since I came here." Jin remarked
outloud, and Lee nodded.
 

  "I've only visit here a few times just recently."
 

  Jin directed his attention towards him. "But you've been
living in your own home, right? Why would you need to come
here?"
 

  Lee shrugged his shoulders as he lighted the tip of his
cigarette. "I dunno. Maybe because it's been like the only
real home I ever knew." He confessed as he exhaled a puff of
smoke.
 

  "...I wish I had a home to go back to. But...it's all in
ashes..." Jin responded sadly, and Lee noticed that grim
tone of his voice. He looked at his nephew as he fought back
the misery he kept so hard to hide.
 

  "Hey, cheer up okay? It's all over now. I know it's not
much comfort...but there isn't much you can do now, Jin."
 

  "...yeah, you're right. I'm sorry."
 

  "There's no need to apologize. C'mon, don't you want to
see your dad?"
 

  Jin looked down at his feet. "...I'm not really sure if
I'm ready..."
 

  Lee chuckled. "What's there to prepare for? You nervous?"
 

  "I guess I am...tell me Uncle, is he a kind person?" Jin
asked curiously. Lee just took another puff of his
cigarette.
 

  "He's not the nicest guy in the world, but he's all right
deep down. Now are we going or what? We're gonna freeze if
we stay out here any longer."
 

  Jin nodded. "Okay. I'm ready." They walked to the front
door of the mansion, and to Jin's amusement, Lee immediately
put out his cigarette and crushed it with the sole of his
shoe upon the ground.
 

  "Your dad can't stand smoking, but I don't think he's got
to worry about you." He explained, and rang the doorbell.
There was no answer; all of the butlers must have gone home.
After a few minutes of silence, Lee rang the doorbell again.
Still no answer. He decided ringing the bell again, and when
no one came to the door, he began to knock loudly.
 

  "Geez, what can he be doing?" Lee asked as he continued to
bang his fist onto the door.
 

---

 

  "...Kazuya?"
 

  "Yes? What is it?"
 

  "I...I think I hear someone knocking on the door." Jun
said timidly. Kazuya dismissed her statement as he lowered
his lips to receive another kiss from hers.
 

  "It is no one, do not worry..." He assured her as he
tightened his hold around her.
 

  Jun rested in his arms for a bit, but she still could hear
the rapid knocking from downstairs. "Kazuya, listen..."
 

  Kazuya, after a few minutes of silence, could also hear
the knocking faintly.
 

  "Who do you think it could be at this hour? Is it Lee...?"
Jun asked.
 

  "I am not sure. Stay here, and I will go see." Kazuya got
up from the sheets of the bed and changed into his robe.
 

  "No, let me come with you." Jun stated, and she also got
up from the bed and tied her robe securely around her. She
then walked with Kazuya into the hallway and down the
stairs. Indeed, there was a person knocking on the door like
Jun had said. Kazuya gestured her to stay behind him before
he opened the door. Jun obeyed, and he twisted the door knob
to be greeted by their visitor.
 

  "Lee?!" Jun exclaimed after she saw a glimpse of his
silver hair. "Does that mean...?" She walked towards the
door to get a better look, and she almost lost her senses
when she saw who was beside him.
 

  "Jin...is that you, Jin?" She whispered, and Jin's heart,
upon recognizing his mother's voice, swelled up with
newfound hope.
 

  "...Mother?" To Jin's amazement, he could have easily
known that it really was his mother, except she looked
somewhat different than he had last seen her four years
before her untimely death. Her black bangs hung above a pair
of brown eyes that shone with a brighter glow than Jin had
recalled when he was fifteen. Her face was smooth and the
matured aged features that he had remembered from long ago
were nowhere to be seen in his mother's youthful appearance.
To Jin, she seemed only to be a few years older than
himself.
 

  "It...really is you, isn't it?" Jun asked, and although a
grown young man stood before her rather than the teenaged
child she had seen last before her passing into the
afterlife, she knew instantly that it was her son that stood
only a few feet away from her. She rushed to Jin with open
arms and embraced him. Although Jin was aware that his
mother was shedding tears of joy onto his shoulder, he did
not mind. He was just as happy to see the woman whom had
devoted all her life into raising him. Jin did not hold back
his own tears either as he held back at his mother, grateful
that for once in his life he truly had something to be
undoubtedly joyful for.
 

  "Well?" Lee asked his brother who was still standing at
the front door. "Aren't you going to say something to your
son?"
 

  Kazuya looked back at him. "I have nothing of any
significance to say right now. However, thank you for
finding him for Jun and me."
 

  Through his blurry eyes, Jin could make out a masculine
figure from the dim light on the insides of the Mishima
mansion. There, a man of muscular build stood motionlessly
with his uncle, and Jin could sense that this man was
connected with himself somehow. He could barely see the
sober statement on his face, and he compared his familiar
face from that picture in the newspaper he had once saw in a
darkened alley. Jin realized that the man was definitely no
stranger to him; the man was his very own father.
 

  'Father...I hope I will be able to know more about you
than I ever had as a child.' He thought to himself, and then
after his mother had finally released him, the reunited
family hurried into the house to be shielded from the cold
eminence of the night.