~*~Chapter Two~*~
[Tokyo: The King's Throne Room]
The King of Japan was a man who evoked a range of reactions from his people. Some had feared him, always bending to his commands and followed them blindly. Such were his Tekken force members; these men had no names and wore a mask to cast away whatever identity they used to have. In a game of Chess, they would be the king's pawns. Some would detest the king and perform rebellious acts; the most known one was the Punk Guerrilla which held mutual loathing- a disease that the King would love to eliminate.
While some would adore him, his favorite kind of people would be those ones- the ones who were blind to his selfishness or never let it bother them. He would enjoy it when he looked at that gold statue of himself at his Mishima High school; he would imagine young Japanese people look at it and praise him as if he was God himself like those Indians and their idols. Had it not been the idea of a young bright girl, King Heihachi would have never fallen across the idea of having a gold statue of him. That young girl had adored him, ignorant and naive to his wicked ways. He had fallen in adoration of her innocence, her citrus tainted youth drawing him into her zestful world.
He also detested it, as she reminded him of how old he was- He was nearly pushing Seventy-three.
Oh the joys of time.
It would only be a miracle if a walking elixir would fall into his trap. He would drain the very youth from it and take it for himself. His latest project was Ogre, having dabbling in cultures here and there, the south American legend was what took hold of his interest. He left no stone unturned to devour knowledge of the Ogre; it was the solution to all his problems, The King of Japan reminded himself that this was the most useful option instead of having an heir. The only true heir to his kingdom was dead and gone. A mournful bitterness accompanies his thoughts until distraction occurs.
Wang Jinrei, the soiled gardener and his most useless butler appears, gliding towards him with a crooked back and a croaky throat. Ah, yes, The King had remembered that he wasn't the oldest potato in the sack.
An old friend of his dead father, now a complete old bitch, King Heihachi addresses the man with a sour tongue.
"What the hell do you want now?"
There was no end to Wang Jinrei's whining, the King thinks.
Of course, he would never speak to him in this way in front of the man's exuberant grand-daughter. Wang himself knew of his master's ill intentions and had held the same disdain for him.
Wang Jinrei stops twenty feet from Heihachi and bows in the throne room, a courtesy which must be carried out when addressing the Emperor of Japan. If not, it could mean imprisonment and possibly death.
"I have come to your permission to plant Orchids on the south field, your highness." Had it not been for his pushy color obsessed grand-daughter, Wang Jinrei would never have come begging to this Royal beast.
The fields were usually saved for crops, anyone who had eyes for his fields would be severely dealt with- unless of course if it was someone who the King liked.
"It's for my grand-daughter, your highness." Wang adds in a tormented haste.
There was no pleasing either of them without mentioning each other's names. This beast had the rank of Grandfather in his granddaughter's stupid world. Wang was helpless but to oblige himself to both their commands.
"Go ahead." The king smiles, upon the mention of his favorite youth. "Make sure it's exactly as she wants it."
Wang swallows the order, for his grand-daughter. But before he would be able to leave the Throne room, the doors burst open and some of the Tekken guards arrive to deliver the news.
King Heihachi rises from his throne and curses at the boldness of his soldiers. They collapse twenty feet away from his throne, like a pack of dominoes. "Your highness, we have news on Ogre."
"You, speak." King Heihachi points at one guard, warning the others to remain silent.
"Ogre has attacked yet again, this time in Yakushima." The young soldier takes a breath, excited of having the chance to speak to the King himself.
"Who he attacked, it is unknown but it is being heard of that Ogre plans to reach you next, possibly participating in the third King of Iron Fist Tournament."
"Go, on." The king urges with impeccable delight.
"It's rumored that he is starving for the strong martial artists' powers so he may combine them and become a beast. A stronger beast which will come to combat you-"
"A stronger beast you say?" Heihachi cuts the babbling man off, He ponders on this thought for a moment, not anywhere in the damned South American texts did they mention on another version of Ogre. All Heihachi knew was this beast would select some fighters and drain them of their energy to clone their strength and moves. Most of Ogres victims had been drained to the point of death was Ogre strong enough to turn into a bigger and a more vile beast then he already was?
"-Yes, Milord."
"Then what are you waiting for? Get out there and find him before he finds me. I want him alive."
Heihachi knew that his soldiers would be useless to the Ogre but a distraction would be needed in order to ensure that Heihachi's Mishima strength was more then Ogre's increasing strength.
"And don't let the beast encounter powerful martial artists if you ever catch sight of him." Heihachi adds, hoping that no one powerful enough would stand in Ogre's way apart from him.
"Now out with you all!"
The men scrambled away, faster to avoid the older man's ruthless wrath. Wang Jinrei was the last of all men to flee the room.
"You too, Wang, get lost." Heihachi groans and falls back onto his throne.
Yes, the King of Japan evoked many reactions from his people and sometimes, it would be all kinds at once.
[Yakushima: Mystical Forest (Tekken 6)]
"You are to hereby vow to put yourself under my commands, whether you find it disagreeable or not until your contract ends."
Nina Williams, a twenty one year old woman was talented at many things. Anyone who was lucky enough to know her would realise that she never left a job undone. She was a real go-getter and if she put her mind to it, she could be one of the first set of women to climb up the corporate ladder of success. For business was her forte, her game and her stage. She thrived in her work and prospered in her skills. She had been listed as one of the smartest thieves, even smarter then the Manji Clan and for that, Jin Kazama knew fate had favoured him by allowing him to employ her.
Her sister on the other hand preferred to use an alternative option of getting things done. Not as thorough as her elder sister, the nineteen year old would make ends meet through welcoming smiles and sultry illusions of promises which entice her victims. Although she could not control everything, this sister was in control of her own destiny and had a way with men that her sister would never be able to achieve, a trait which was useful towards those who she worked with.
Both sisters also knew Japan in a way that Jin hadn't. His vision of Japan was through his mother's teachings and his Sensei's stories. Jin hadn't set foot outside his home city, until today.
When Jin finishes briefing the sisters, Nina feels the excitement running through her entire body. She loved adventure and the thrill of hunting. Although disappointed on not being able to kill Ogre in her pursuit, Nina would satisfy herself by getting into potential combat with enemies. She and victory were usually attached to the hip. Winning was one of Nina's hobbies and she made sure she did a damn good job on achieving victory. Plus, it would be a pleasant change to cast away the loss of being trapped in prison for two years.
"Understood, Knight." Nina confirms, readying herself for this new mission.
She could pretend Jin wasn't her boss and that she was her own boss, even though it was going to be difficult to adjust to this new position in life, at the end, she would be completely freed. This promise of adventure was the start of a new life, or so Anna says to her.
"Jin. Just call me Jin." The young knight's words ring her out of her thoughts.
Nina preferred to address others by X or Y, it detached any emotion towards them and not being able to stick around for long, Nina had no memory space to store names of unimportant people. Jin, however felt it was essential to know everything about his surroundings to avoid unfortunate mishaps. If he was going to be working with the sisters, they must address him by his name. It only felt right to him.
"Okay, Jin." Nina shrugs, unfazed.
She looks at Jin, addressing him as some inexperienced knight. Nina would never admit that Jin seemed like a genuine knight much to the eyes of onlookers. She herself had fallen for the assumption that he had indeed been a knight for long. She couldn't imagine how delighted she'd be when Jin confessed that this was his first mission as a knight. She would take the reigns and steer the ship, it was her calling.
"Can we go now? I'm starving." Anna whispers to Nina, trying to cut out the occasional stomach rumbling. It was very unladylike and these good looking samurais would be turned off.
Anna had never seen such good looking men in her entire life and she knew that this adventure would provide her with a lot of entertainment. But first, she had to polish up her ladyship.
While the food was laid out for everyone, Jin retreated to a secluded pond to clear his thoughts. But instead found himself thinking more and more about his sordid torment. Ogre had caused enough grief to last decades; Jin himself had been horrified at the burning damage left behind. Everyone back home had lost their serenity and cried for salvation, it was only one day his mother had sat him down, telling him half a story that Jin still couldn't make sense of.
(Flashback)
"Ogre is after me." Jun Kazama told her son, sitting in their living room while it was lashing out with rain outside. "I want you gone take Kichida-San's men and flee somewhere safe until Ogre is found and defeated."
Still fresh and inexperienced to the life of hardship, Jin had been in the last months of eighteen and had never understood what danger really was at the time. He was amused of his mother's words, shrugging them away as her illusion.
"Mother, I don't think Ogre will be after you." In his eyes, his mother was weak and gentle. He could never imagine the nature embracing woman to be a powerful being through physical strength, yes he knew she had a great endurance and a strong mentality but her frail body was too small to withstand pain and give pain.
But in a small corner of his heart, he knew she was right. He wanted her to be incorrect.
"You don't understand, son." Jun continued. "You're not a normal boy and I'm not a normal woman. I have powers which interest Ogre and you have some strong powers within you too, it'll be more of use to Ogre then all of his victim's powers combined. I can't let him get to you."
Jin frowned, frustrated. "Mother, then why can't I defeat him?"
His hunger to destroy something with his fists was at it's peak in that moment, he had felt that hunger before but washed it away through guilt, his mother taught him to make things, not break things. His mother spoke of his power as if he had been carved out to make a difference that would shake the Earth of it's very foundations.
"You power does not match my own." Jun slipped out in haste, trying to win Jin on her side. "You may be my son but you didn't inherit my power."
"Then my fathers?" Jin voiced what she would not say; Jun rarely spoke of his father and never gave his father a name.
Her silence gave him his answer.
"He must have been-"
"Jin, there's no time for that." Jun cuts him off, becoming stern with him now. "You need to promise me, you'll not give into any evil entity- the Ogre or the Devil himself."
(End of flashback)
Jin closes his eyes; memories of other times overlapped each other. He could hear his voice as a child and his mother scolding him, her repetitions of the Kazama teachings drilled into his very soul, she would not let him forget. He could repeat them himself, each and every one as if they had just been told to him. Each of her morals embedded into his actions. He assured himself that he was doing the right thing, by helping the William sisters to gain their freedom to fight in his cause. Trust wasn't just an issue here. It was his responsibility; could he become a leader when he was governed by such pain and torment? Would he be able to accept the loss of another life?
"So Knight, what's up?" The blonde appears by his side, staring into their reflection which shimmered in the clear pond.
It was really tranquil here, the green of the forest looked down into the water, multiplying its beauty for the sky to fawn over it. The fragrances of flowers aided the natural beauty, calming both Nina and Jin down.
"Nothing." Jin breaks away, joining Nina in watching both their reflections.
How the pond painted them so beautifully? He could no longer see the dirt faced foul mouthed prisoner and the young stupid boy he once was in the pond. Now it was two people, a beautiful blonde by the side of a budding knight ready to take on the world. It was in this moment; he could smile a little and hope for the best.
"Let's go."