Author's Note: GASP?! Its Razer, back with another multichap fic! This one's short though. And I just could NOT wait to get it out. I won't update this again until its finished, and at the end of the whole story, you will understand why :P
Disclaimer: I do not own the Tekken characters involved in this story. No further disclaimers will be put into the story, as it ruins the story's pace.
I WILL NOT BOW
"Rise."
I'm forcibly pulled to my feet. Moaning in pain, I'm shoved forward by the two of his guards, his soldiers, dragged by the chain around my throat. My arms are bound behind my back, and I've tugged at them throughout the night, trying to slip my hands through, but I can't. I'm trapped. He knows it, I know it, they know it; and we all know I can't escape. We all know I've tried, if the marks on my wrists are anything to go by.
He smirks at me, watching as I'm pushed by. It's not like I can move on my own regardless. My body is so beaten and broken that it's a miracle that I'm standing at all, in my opinion. His arctic, bitter eyes follow me, and he walks behind me, shoving me along as well, though it is for his enjoyment, not to actually have me moving forward. I can feel his hatred and anger radiate from him, and I smirk uncontrollably, because I'm the one who fuelled it to such a state; and I'm glad, because I know I've damaged him.
His left arm still isn't right, particularly from where I dislocated his elbow. He shoves me again, and I trip over my own feet due to the harshness of the move. Jin laughs, eyes narrowing. Taking the single chain from the soldier's before him, he pulls up hurriedly and vehemently, causing me to choke, cough and stand again, or be killed by the strength of the pull. Breathing in shakily, he pulls forward again, making me move, and throws the chain at his two soldiers, commanding them to walk once again.
I close my eyes and allow myself to be led like a lamb. I've been broken, in body and mind. I cannot fight him anymore. I cannot fight for the freedom of the people. I cannot fight for the freedom of myself. I cannot fight for the freedom of my friends. I cannot fight for the freedom of you. The fallen have no freedom, for they are already free.
The sunlight is blinding, as I'm led out of the dungeon and onto a large platform. I open my eyes again and take in the sight before me. It is a large, light grey platform, in an oval shape; and it hovers atop a large tower. There are soldiers lining the door we just came through, and I can hear helicopters overhead, a splash of dull colour streaking through the orange sky. There's a light wind, and it ignites chills beneath my tattered and bloody clothes.
I see cameras at the edge of his large podium, set on me, because I'm the celebrity here. I'm their target, I'm the big 'thing' that's going to happen in a few minutes. I'm what the world gets to see, involuntarily. My eyes narrow, and I turn my head to the left, seeing the skyline of Tokyo. The sun is slowly dipping behind them, and it peeks out from the taller buildings, streaking my face an eerie orange, blinding me as I'm forced forward more so, almost at the edge of the podium.
He's gripping me by my hair, and he's thrown me onto the of the podium floor, the world stage. I look up, scanning the audience. His legions of fans, those who are terrified to challenge him, stare up at me with open eyes. Some are holding their breaths, others are pointing at me and laughing at what will happen, but I care not, because I know I've done all I can, and I know that I almost had it. I almost had it. I almost took him down. Almost almost almost – but I never did.
But it doesn't make the pain any less real.
"Look before you," Jin commands with an arrogant smirk, "Look at all of these people who believed you could do it. You set about trying to stop me, with your little band of friends, and not only did you end up killing them and yourself, but you have doomed everyone else here. What do you have to say for yourself, Hwoarang?" He squats down to my level, still pointing out at them, looking amongst them, before grabbing me by the jaw and forcing my head to look at him. His twisted, sinister smirk is still there, and I want nothing more than to wipe it off of him, "Do you feel guilty that you've condemned them? That you've failed them?"
I hiss, unable to get a reply out of me, and he kicks me viciously in the stomach, causing me to crumble. I feel like throwing up, but there's nothing in my stomach to dispose of. I already did that yesterday, when he hurt me more so. Unable to do anything else, I close my eyes and think of you, because in my hour of need, even though you're not here, you still provide the strongest form of comfort for me; and for that I'm grateful. And for a moment, I feel like you're holding me again. That you're alive. I can feel my eyes sting, and I do nothing to hinder the tears that'll come soon, because there's no point anymore. My pride is tattered and torn, and it is going to die with me.
Jin laughs, standing to his full height, and looks out amongst the crowd and the cameras all around us. His booming voice carries across the desolate area, waking the morbid masses of motionless men, who are like zombies, "People of the world… Before you I stand to set an example. Meet Hwoarang, a Korean man who thought he could rise and overthrow me. Who thought he could end my reign and bring peace to you all again," he turns, glaring at me, hastily shoving me over by the shoulder, "Who thought he was strong enough to defeat me."
They're silent.
"There were others with him," he continues, "and they have all met the same fate. Whether they were murdered, killed themselves or died by accident, they all met the same fate. They all fell to their knees, blood gurgling in their mouths, as they gasped for air, desperate for one last breath, one last smell, and one last touch. And they did not get it."
I'm shaking, because I can see you when I close my eyes, like before you died. Your eyes are wide open, your mouth is parted, and your entire body is shaking because I'm shaking you; because in my arms, you're shaking. I said to you that the image would haunt me for the rest of my days, and it has… and as it stands now, my days – minutes – seconds are numbered. But I take comfort in the fact that I'll be with you again, like I promised. Soon, soon.
"They tried to destroy the Mishima Empire from the inside, with a close accomplice of mine," he turns away, glaring down at me, "And it did not work. They tried to destroy the Mishima Empire by crippling its allies, and it did not work. They tried to destroy the Mishima Empire by attacking it directly, and it still. Did. Not. Work!" he kicked me again, and I growl, in pain. Satisfied, he turns back to his audience, "He has failed you! He failed to bring down bring down your King! He failed to bring down the monster… And if he cannot do it, then no one can. The Zaibatsu is an impenetrable fortress… and inside, I will rule you all forever."
I feel hands on my shoulders, pushing me down, making sure I cannot escape. He's pushed me into a bowed position, and I fight it, even though I know it won't do anything to help me, let alone delay my death. I open my amber eyes, and they flick towards the Japanese man, who opens one side of his leather, black trench coat, pulling out a hand gun from his hip. It sits in his smooth hand, and he runs his other hand along the metal barrel in an affectionate manner.
He takes a step forward, his finger on the trigger, and points the gun at me. At this range, he cannot miss, "Anything left to say?"
I hesitate, because I have so many thoughts and things I want to say, and I don't know which one to pick or how to say them. I want to declare my love for you, and how beautiful you are; I want to declare my hate for him, and how malevolent he is. I want to declare my care for my friends, and how it shouldn't have been you to die; and I want to declare that I know I did the right thing, even if it took me down this path, to an inevitable dead end. I want to inspire more people to rise and challenge him. Even after I die… I want to help. I have to stop him, even if it takes my death to make it happen.
I'm pushed down again. Enraged, I find inner strength and throw them back, so that I am sitting a little taller. The tears are falling now, because all I can think about is you. They're happy tears, because I'll be with you so soon. I can feel your soft skin brush against mine. I can smell you. I can smell your strawberry shampoo, your minty breath – the scent of bread, reminding me of home…
I look into the camera that is before me, my eyes narrowed. In the lense, I see Jin, awaiting my answer on my left side. I see the two soldiers still holding me down, trying to get me into a bowed position, as though to endorse my surrender. I swear I faintly see Baek, his arms folded across his chest, waiting for me. I swear I see you standing by his side, waving your hand, beckoning me to come to you. And I will.
"Yeah," I say, glancing at him for a moment.
"Then say it," he spits. I hear the gun click, ready to fire.
I look back into the camera, feeling that rebel smirk flower upon my face one last time. My last message of hope. My final words.
I'm coming.
"I will not bow."
He fires, and I feel the world shatter around me.