A TALE OF TWO SEEDS

Chapter 1 – A Seed Lost

It was morning. A young Kazuya Mishima awoke with a start from his bed. His head is covered in sweat and the sheets are slightly damp and smelly. "I can't tell father," the young boy thinks with a fright. He slowly gets up out of bed and prepares to clean up once again. "I hate it, I hate it, I hate it," mumbles the boy.

"This happens every time I have that dream."

His mind still reeling from the nightmare he was so used to, Kazuya strips his filthy nightclothes and proceeds to wash. The colorful images still seem to appear before him and he can still feel the oppressing darkness that surrounds his dreams every night. That thing reaching for me....through me. Then........................nothing. The young boy shakes his head and reaches for his one security from the dream. It is a small nut that a beautiful woman had given him. He had only seen her once, but she made him feel at peace. Every time he held that small shell it makes him feel safe and secure. It is the only thing that does.

"KAZUYA!!!"

Startled the boy quickly grabs his clothes and pockets the nut. Running as fast as he can he approaches the doors to the main training center in the Mishima complex.

"KAZUYA!!!!!!"

The roar from his own fathers voice nearly drives him back from entering the doors, but he knows it will be much worse for him if he does not comply.

"KAZ...." Heihachi stops in mid-sentence as Kazuya enters the room with eyes down. He immediately runs and kneels at his fathers feet.

"You are late." Coolly Heihachi walks around the boy.

"WHY?"

Knowing better than to make an excuse the boy slowly responds,

"There is no excuse, father."

"I ASKED YOU A QUESTION BOY! "WHY?"

Kazuya trembles at the thought of what might come next.

"I had the dream again."

"STAND UP!!!!!!!" Quicker than the eye can see Heihachi grabs Kazuya by the hair and drags him to his feet. "I told you about that dream." The tension in his voice was apparent as well as the anger. "You are to forget it. IT MEANS NOTHING!" Dropping the boy to the ground the older man crosses the room to the one large window and looks out over his complex.

"Perhaps you need to see the doctor again."

"No father," begs Kazuya, "not that again. Why do I ha...."

SMACK!!!! The sound rings thorough the empty room as the boy's small form flies through the air and lands in a crumpled heap in the corner.

"SILENCE BOY!!! You will do as I say! We leave in an hour. GET OUT OF MY SIGHT TILL THEN!"

With tears in his eyes Kazuya rushes out to the river. He slowly kneels on the soft ground. "Why father," he sobs, "why me!." Slowly he reaches into his pocket for his one reassurance. He holds it close to his heart. One tear falls down his cheek and onto the nut in his hand. "Why doesn't he love me.... WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!" With that load scream he unconsciously flings the nut far across the river. "No!" he screams as the realization of what he has done sinks in. He tries to cross the river, but the current is too strong. "Now I am all alone," he says as he pulls himself out of the river. The water mixes with his tears until he can cry no more. "I can't take it. Why am I here. I just want to die."

Suddenly the world around him turns dark. The sun is gone. There is just blackness. A voice from the dark speaks quietly, "you are not alone now."

"Wh wh wh who are you?"

"I am a friend. Why are you crying?"

Suddenly very angry Kazuya screams, "My father is taking me away from here to a horrible doctor and and I I HATE HIM I CAN'T I WISH HE WERE DEAD" Shaking with anger Kazuya drops to the ground and begins beating it with his fists.

With a soft chuckle the voice replies, "It is good to hate him. I understand. I will help you if you ever need me. All you have to do is ASK." With that last word the darkness fades and day shines bright on the land once again.

Kazuya screams out, "WHAT IS YOUR NAME"

In the back of his mind a small voice whispers, "you will know" then it is gone.

Kazuya stands and looks across the water. "Grow Strong," he says to the nut. "Be like me. I will never cry again."

With that Kazuya slowly walks back toward his destiny, and across the river a small seed takes its first root. It is not the only seed that has taken root that day. Another has planted a seed in the mind of a young boy. What will become of these two seeds. Only time will tell.