Disclaimer: I do not own any Tekken characters, they are the property of Namco.
Author's Notes: I guess this story can fall on the alternative universe side although it keeps everyone in character. It's a one shot story with no more chapters coming at all. I've re-written this to fix all issues with it and I thank everyone who pointed them out to me. This takes place directly after Julia Chang's Tekken 5 ending.
Forest Dreams Continued
One seedling, one small ray of hope was now a reality. Her research wasn't a failure, her homeland can be restored to it's beautiful ever green state. Holding the container now Julia feels like she almost there, surrounded by the tall healthy tress, the shrubs, and the wild flowers. "So it wasn't a dream, it was a sign," Julia whispers to herself.
Julia gets off her knees and places the container back on its pedestal. Smiling happily as she fixes her frames sliding off her nose, she still can't believe the dreams of reforestation are coming true. She laughs out loud recalling what she has been through just to get to this point. "Now what am I going to do?" she chuckles as her life has been completely devoted to this project.
How could I possibly do anything else? Was is there to do? "And what's my hobby again?" Julia chuckles. "I need to get out more." Julia halted as she couldn't relish in her revelation any further. The distant sound of breakage and the uncertainty of what's causing it prompted an investigation with Julia on the defensive.
Passing through the halls, the clashing of fists replaced the earlier intrusive noises, but it died down as soon as Julia drew near to its source. In the archway to the laboratory's entrance, Julia was horrified to see Michelle lying helpless on the floor. Julia raced to her mother's side to aid her. "Michelle, Michelle!" Julia called panicking.
Michelle was breathing heavy and held a tight grip on her arm that bared no scars. In spite of what happened, Michelle stood on her own using the nearby wall for support. Julia's lip quivered. "Michelle what happened? Who did this to you?" Julia asked. They can't be far.
"That tortured soul," Michelle uttered. "I wanted to see if you . . . were okay. And I found a woman . . . trying to destroy your laboratory."
"She's not getting away!" Julia pivoted on her right foot and ran out the door.
"Wait Julia," Michelle said reaching out to grab the air. With Julia gone out of her eyesight, Michelle leaned back against the wall and held her arm once more. "Vengeance is not the way. It never is. And on that poor girl it might as well be wasted."
Julia was in hot pursuit, kicking up dirt as she looks around. Why would she want to destroy my lab? Julia thought. What a way to make yourself my enemy! Julia stopped to catch her breath before trying to make heads or tails of various prints in the dirt.
Wailing and the sound of a beastly howl came from the north. Julia looked up. "That way!" Julia continued on the path running into to blocks of people fleeing in the opposite direction. She came to a halt in an abandon square which housed only one soul. Oozing with slime underneath her and similar purple substance on her body was an Unknown Asian woman with piercing yellow eyes, pulling herself up with a stick for support while legs wobbled back and forth.
"Such eyes . . . what is she," Julia wonder. The answer raced through her mind. Michelle's trembling and shaky response, "A tortured soul." The Unknown woman ditches the stick and nearly stumbles forward trying to keep her balance. Julia sighs, "It will just be a waste of time."
A piercing howl of a wolf rushed into the area. Julia only just blinked before she saw Unknown laying on the ground with three slash marks embedded onto the slimly substance that covered her chest. Julia sees it now! It's the figure of a prismatic anthropomorphic wolf with no legs whatsoever. It just hovers there above the ground. "Impossible!" Julia said.
"A forest demon!" cries Michelle from behind as she caught up to Julia. Forest demon? Julia looks around at the fallen woman on the floor. It must be after her. Julia raises both her fists. She may have attacked my mother but she doesn't deserve to be killed by a demon. Julia slips off into action creating a wall between Unknown and the Forest Demon.
"Julia!" cries Michelle from the sidelines. The Forest Demon looks behind Julia then brings its eyes back to her. Another howl from the beast and then a violent swing of its right fist. Julia brings up her left leg blocking at its wrist. And before it could grunt, she punches it in the jaw with a quick right hook. The beast was brushed back but recovered quickly. It rushed right back in with another violent swing of the fist and Julia knowing just what to do, right foot to block, left fist to counter back.
The beast was again knocked back but came right back at her again. Just as dumb as animal, Julia thought deflecting and attacking the demon in this rhythmic pattern. After a couple goes the Forest Demon let's out another beastly howl before gaining a few inches in height from floating higher. It flexes it's muscles before deciding on an attacking fist. Julia grits her teeth. Yeah baby just keep on sending them! I don't tire easily, Julia thought.
The beast threw another right punch and Julia instinctively blocked with her left leg, though she came up a few inches short. "This one's going to hurt," Julia said throwing a hard left punch at the beast, landing in its chest, with part of her arm sucked in. "What?"
Julia looked up at the beast seeing its drool drip from it's teeth as it snickered. He's gotten taller! Oh No. Julia pulled back to get her arm out of the beast's chest but was being drawn in further.
"Julia!" called Michelle running forth.
The Forest Demon took a brief notice of Michelle but coming back to Julia. But the next thing it saw was a binding flash and slimly knuckles before it was propelled backwards. Julia fell to the floor as her was separated from the Beast's body and Unknown landing softly on her feet beside her. "You?" Julia said looking up from the ground at Unknown seeing a strange tattoo on her right arm light up.
An agonizing howl is heard before the Forest Demon spontaneously explodes, and oozes out slime all over the area. Michelle made it to Julia in enough time to help her on her feet before they watch Unknown collapse to the ground. Michelle goes over to her as Julia takes a gander at all the slime slipped onto the floor. What just happened?
Michelle sits the unconscious Unknown upwards as she exams the area too. "The forest demon must have been a tough adversary for her. I don't bare grudge against her," Michelle states.
"I understand," replied Julia arms crossed lightly tapping her finger against her cheek. Forest Demons huh? All this slime would be great research material.
"Restoring the forests must not be enough huh?" asked Julia.
Michelle held Unknown in her arms as she looked at Julia with arched brows. "Perhaps not but what do you intend on doing?" Michelle questioned.
Julia clasped her hands together and slowly closed her eyes. There's so much more to do. Her eyes popped open and lips curved. "More research!" she smiled mirthlessly.
"Oh! Of course," Michelle replied with an indulgent smile of her own.