Title: The Prodigal Prince

Disclaimer: I own nothing but this story. Tekken and its characters belong to Harada and a bunch of nameless people who shall not be named.

Summary: You wonder with me, if I could believe in myself. In what I am and in what I will become

Author's note: There's quite a few people I'm going to include in this story, as it's AU and it's a different take on Tekken 3, I will be setting the Alternate universe to a time and place where Royalty mattered.


*~*Chapter One*~*


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Jin Kazama was leaving everything behind; his face is ashen with grief as he stops by the river bank where he waits. His sensei's shogun waits with him in the thick green canopy of Yakushima. He knows he has to avenge her, otherwise the murderer would be left unpunished and Jin will lose his chance of redemption. It is his purpose for which he is leaving his home, his world, Yakushima.

The new knight addresses the dark, while his men wait in line behind him. A figure appears, belonging to a man of Chinese decent. His hair was thick and long, kept together in a low ponytail. His attire was a royal blue shirt, made from raw silk, just as his black pants were. His name is Lei Wulong and he bowed his head in respect to the 19 year old knight. The cop is an old friend of Jin's mother, Jun. But their meeting is not going to be an informal visit like before. The knight needed help and the officer was to provide that.

"Follow me," He sweeps his hair back and calls forth his white horse.

The knight returns his own while the officer reaches the saddle. The night is thick and heavy with anticipation and dread. Lei Wulong leads the young knight and his men to a secluded prison fortress.

While his men wait outside, the young knight and the aged officer enter the rusty iron prison and many officers bow in respect to Lei Wulong. They acknowledge the young dark haired man beside Lei. Such samurai warriors were hardly paid attention too if it was not for the knight's cool demeanour and Lei Wulong's presence that accompanied him.

The two men are silent until they reach a room known as "The Cage".

"Here is where prisoners must battle each other for assessment. We see who is stronger and who needs extra caution." Lei Wulong explains, before unlocking "The Cage".

The room is divided into three segments. Across the stages, there are police officers sitting and recording their observations on paper. The room was dim and gritty; he could smell the filth which grew on its greasy corners. The musky scent of sweat accompanies the reeking of burnt leather. With a pulsating need to withdraw back into the cool air of the fresh night, the young man holds his breath to resist. It is as if the young man had never seen this side to his earthly paradise before, the stark nature of the rest of the world which infiltrates his only safe retreat had been a punch to the gut.

"Why is this happening?" The knight whispers as if to find the answer within himself, his eyes are dark with remorse.

Lei doesn't reply and instead leads the knight to a specific stage and they watch a young woman engage in combat with a much bigger opponent. Her hair is long and blonde, tied up in a similar manner to Lei Wulong's. She is in a plain purple kimono, cleaner than the rest of the prisoners. Jin watches her, befogged by her quick agility and vigorous palm strikes. It is during the match that the blonde suddenly turns her blue eyes towards Jin and smirks right at him. Jin narrows his eyes in that second and she turns back around.

"This is her, the woman who might interest you in your pursuit," Lei informs, watching the prisoners fight against each other.

The blonde was sharp, quick and resourceful in her combat skills. She moved with the wind, daring her opponent with her speed. The bigger opponent screams and lashes out in fury but the woman remains cool and within a string of bone crunching arm locks, grabs and throws, she has her rival on the ground with a foot on their chest.

"Better luck, next time," Her accent is American, Jin notices.

The cage is unlocked by Lei Wulong himself, upon seeing the Chinese cop, the blonde gives a witty remark, "What now Wulong? you want to get your spine snapped too?"

She cocks her head to the side, acknowledging the silent knight with an amused grin, "What's this? You brought me another one of your 'strong' opponents?"

She makes the gestures with her fingers and Lei Wulong ushers the knight to come forward while he leads the woman back to her cell.

She is one of the notorious sisters, finally caught and arrested by Wulong himself two years ago. Spending the start of her twenties in Jail was something she had always held against Lei and her sister had been just as unfortunate to spend her teen years in Jail, all for the sake of so-called justice. She and her sister are unwelcomed immigrants, instead of deportation; the king had decided to issue a death sentence which would be due this year. The King himself had no interest in welcoming foreigners of no use. She and her sister are as good as dead here.

"I may have something that will interest you" Lei begins while another cop approaches to handcuff the woman.

"What? A few days of roaming by the riverside?"

"No-"

"What's the use? I'm tired of your cop games. I just want out," She yawns.

Lei dismisses the junior cop and accompanies the woman to her cell, he unlocks her cuffs and notices the young knight appear beside him. "Shall I?" Lei looks at the young man, waiting for a signal.

He watches the exchanges between prisoner and cop, amused by such a bitter reality. The women in his village were womanly, pristine and shy. This woman was outspoken, vulgar and unladylike. Yet Jin gave her his attention, he wanted to grow accustomed to this woman if he was going to work with her.

He then wonders if he could trust her? Would she stab him in the back for a better offer knowing that he was just a mere son of a widowed woman that had retreated into the far reaches of Japan? Or would she laugh at his ways, tempting him to overcome any fatal mistakes?

"Well?" The blonde scoffs towards the young Japanese man, her patience was short and so was her temper. There was nothing more interesting than resting after a fight.

Her face was covered in dirt and her hooded eyes looked black in the blinking dim lit halls. The young Japanese brought his own eyes to find hers, looking at her properly for the first time.

"I'm Kazama Jin." He pauses, waiting for the woman's response, when he didn't get one, he continued.

"They say that you were looking for Ogre just before your arrest. Is that true?"

"If it is, why does it bother you?" She rests against the wall and yawns.

"I'm trying to look for Ogre."

"So?"

"You and your sister were the only ones who had solid leads on Ogre, while no one may believe you- I have hope in your findings and I wish for your co-operation in my search for Ogre."

The blonde laughs, "Knight, you truly do amuse me. Had you understood the concept of justice, you would know that I am bound behind these rotting iron bars. I am in no condition to assist you or do I have any interest in helping others."

"I would guarantee you and your sister the same freedom you had before your arrest," The blonde's eyes light up on the one word she had yearned to make a reality.

"I would also ensure complete protection, food, shelter and anything that is required just for you both to assist me. Being the prisoner of a Knight would benefit you better than being a prisoner here." Jin tries not to imagine the wandering cockroaches and rats fighting over the rotting fleshes of leftover bread stuffing in the cracks of this crumbling building.

"And what about him?" She points at Lei.

"I would allow this if it means to hunt that beastly Ogre down and defeat him from destroying more innocent lives," Lei agreed with a rising tone.

It would be a risky procedure to convince his peers for the release of Nina and Anna because it meant having to persuade them to bring their execution dates quicker and then having them killed solely by Lei Wulong himself in private who had never taken another person's life.

"You think about it, a new life without the hassles of constantly protecting yourself." Jin explains, "Without staying in such conditions. By helping me find Ogre, you will be free again."

"Hmmmm..." The blonde opens her eyes and stands up straight to meet Jin's gaze. "The deal isn't much but it's satisfying."

"There's nothing greater then freedom." Jin responds, money was at a limit these days. He would not cut short the food of his men just to satisfy a woman who he may not be able to fully trust. He was desperate in his mission yet he would not bend to the demands of unworthy people.

"You're right," She agrees and turns her attention to Lei.

"I'll take this offer if you promise me that you'll never go after me and my sister again and that we start afresh."

With a tight lipped response, Lei agrees, "But that doesn't mean other officers can't. You can't have everything, Williams."

"I can have the world," She taunts, "If I want too."

She speaks in nostalgia of the moments she had the world at her fingertips, society had been both kind and cruel to her then. The glow lasts a second in those blue eyes of hers and Jin wonders about her anonymous past. No one knew much about the Notorious sisters apart from the fact that they were really expert thieves and dangerous fighters.

"Well unlike some, we don't have all the time in the world," Lei sighs, frustrated.

"I say yes," Nina replies and turns her eyes back to Jin.

"Don't worry about my loyalty. I hate not finishing a job and I certainly do not like the feel of owing someone something so trust me, Knight. My sister on the other hand, will be some work."

"I'm sure Little Anna won't be a problem. She isn't as much as difficult as you," Lei snorts, folds his arms and looks away.

Nina ignores him and asks Jin, "So when do we start?"


V


He was grateful to be met with the welcoming air, the horrid stenches left in the cesspool known as Yakushima Central Jail was too much to bear. Coughing and spluttering into the night air, Lei pats Jin's back and offers him some water.

"How could they live like that?"

"There's some things in the world Jin that we can't understand or change," Lei begins, the guilt flushing across his cheeks.

"When I was brought here, I had seen some of the most awful things and some of the most beautiful things. Like your mother's friendship, saving many innocent lives and feeling like I belong," Lei smiles, staring up into the night sky.

Jin closes his eyes, remembering all the great moments of his own life where he had assumed his one was normal. Through the distant chatters of his men, the sighs of horses and Lei Wulong's own words of wisdom, he has hope in himself because to carry out his mission, he might to have meet the King of Japan.