Chapter 7: Angel's Training Part One

Jun asked that she might be taken off the case. She could deal with the puzzled stares and all her boss's attempts at convincing her to reconsider. There were larger things she had to do and she needed time off. When she requested it, her boss was unable to deny her. She had worked tirelessly since the day she had begun to work at WWWO. She had taken no vacation since then—she was long overdue for one. With this done, she could focus on Angel's teachings.

She had not known the full extent of her abilities. She knew that she had an uncanny ability to read people—it was something that helped her on her job. She could sense if a person was "good" or "bad". She innately knew the prevailing emotions that people, animals, any living thing around her were exhibiting. But she did not even begin to consider that her abilities could go much deeper than that. That was what Angel had come to teach her.

Purification. It was the one technique she needed if she wanted to help Kazuya. She spent days upon days in meditation. Purification required a certain state of mind, one that could not easily be explained. Jun was always too tense. Her mind was always on a million and one things, always worrying about something. These were the natural tendencies of her mind and Jun found them hard to curb. She had to worry. She had to think of everything all at once. It was the only way her brain knew to think. Angel certainly had her hands full. Changing someone's thought patterns were difficult and Angel knew that Jun could be at this for months. Kazuya did not have that long.

Angel was always aware of Kazuya's conditions, whether he had more control or less control. When Jun had left in such a hurry, Devil's influence had come rushing back and nearly broke the little resistance he still had against it. She watched as Kazuya's consciousness was pushed further and further into utter darkness. Kazuya was so spent mentally that he did not bother trying to retake control. She began to wonder if he would ever do so again. As things stood, it did not appear that he would. Angel was not in a position to tell Jun any of this. She could only go so far as teaching Jun how to fully use her abilities without overstepping her boundaries or breaking the contract with the one who had sent her. But even without such reasons, Angel certainly didn't want to be the one guilt-tripping someone into submission. Jun being the way she was, if Angel told her that someone would die if she didn't give them two liters of blood, Jun would do so without a second thought. Love shouldn't be wrought out of convenience or pity; it should be something that both parties wanted regardless of the situation. So Angel out of necessity and personal desire did not tell Jun anything.

On Jun's part, she worried nonetheless and that did not make things any easier. Somehow she knew that she was on some type of schedule even if Angel would not disclose such things to her, but sometimes she'd tried to calm herself with logic—the only other reliable source of information she could obtain. If it was true that Kazuya had been dealing with such an evil spirit since he was five, then might he be an expert by now at controlling its influence? That was what Jun began to think. Maybe there wasn't a rush after all—at least, not as much as she had thought before. Couldn't he do what he's always been doing up until that point?

"Jun, you are thinking too much," the disembodied voice of Angel spoke in weary tones.

"Sorry, I'll try again."

"Do you understand what you are supposed to do?"

"For the most part."

"And what is it?"

"I guess, think about nothing."

"Incorrect."

"What are you saying? That's what I've been trying to do this whole time."

"No human can simply think of nothing. It is impossible. Humans were given a brain to think with. I would no sooner tell you to be blind if you can already see."

"You keep speaking in riddles. I'd appreciate it if you just tell me plainly."

"It is the state of your mind I am trying to get at. That is doable. I want you to calm yourself. That is all I want you to do for now."

"I am calm. I've been calm for the past few weeks."

"No you haven't or else I would not have you sitting here day in and day out. Being in a calm position does not mean that your mind is the same way."

"So you don't want me to think of anything."

"No. I told you, that is impossible."

"Then what is it? What am I doing wrong?"

"Jun, can you honestly say that you are calm? Can you say that you are not worrying about the next person or what you'll be doing tomorrow or how long you actually have to try and learn this technique? Try concentrating on something that you like."

"Is that what I have to do?"

"I do not know your mind. Whatever it is that calms you—think only of that."

"Alright," Jun replied quietly.

There was one thing that came immediately to mind: nature. It seemed almost simplistic after that. Her life had become busier over the years, but she remembered the carefree days of her youth. She'd spend hours on end in the woods near her house on her own. Animals were everywhere and the small insects or birds or even deer that resided there would fascinate her every day. But Jun was a social creature; she was only truly at peace when there was also someone who she could talk to or at the very least listen to what she had to say.

One day she had ventured further into the woods until she came upon the Mishima Estate. She had not known as much back then. All she could see was freshly cut grass as far as the eye could see with small hills scattered sparingly. Mesmerized, she walked further and further onto the property, but stopped when she heard shouts. Deciding that she did not want to be seen, she began to crawl up a small hill that dropped a little into a mainly flat grassy field. There was a large muscular man standing almost in the center shouting out orders. Jun's eyes could just barely make out a much smaller figure jetting around the perimeter of the flattened grounds. When the older man would shout something, the small figure would change the position of arms that appeared to hold dumbbells. She waited for the figure to come closer before realizing that it was a child—a boy to be more exact who looked to be around her age. That was when she laid down flatly on the ground instead of just squatting. She waited and waited for their activity to end. She did not know exactly why she had decided to do such a thing or even to watch the excruciating work of the child. Curiosity might have been the answer. Many hours passed before the man took his leave. By then, it was late in the afternoons and Jun was just beginning to fall asleep. When Jun knew the coast was clear, she stood up and walked down to the area below. She found him sprawled in exhaustion and obviously asleep. Then she had sat down cross legged in wait because certainly he could not remain in that way for very long. Yet he did. She had tried to wake him, but he would not budge.

Jun went back to the same area day after day always met with the same scene of the mysterious sleeping child. She found out from the kids at school that he was not so mysterious only locked up in the mansion. She heard plenty of horror stories about the goings on at the Mishima Estate. No one dared even to step upon the property. Jun knew better than to believe these stories since she had been there several times before. Sure the older man that always seemed to be up there was a bit intimidating, but surely the child couldn't be the same way.

One day she noticed that he had not simply fallen asleep. That was when she had officially met him. The only question on her mind was whether he wanted to play and he had. From there, she would drag him along everywhere and he would rarely protest against it. Her first impression of Kazuya?—cautious, almost overly cautious.

"Look, Kazuya, a caterpillar," Jun exclaimed when she spotted one crawling through the dried broken leaves.

She heard as Kazuya sauntered over. She felt his shadow come over her before he squatted down to her level. Already she had maneuvered the green spotted insect onto her pointer finger.

"A cater—pillar?" Kazuya asked slowly in his usual mild interest.

"Yeah, see?"

Jun had seen plenty of caterpillars before. She definitely knew one when she saw one. She searched for one of Kazuya's hands which happened to be resting on the ground. Then she took one of them up. It was an action that more than startled the other and he might have snatched it back if she did not give him a calming look.

"Don't worry. It's fine," she said as she placed her finger on which the caterpillar crawled and connected the bug as if it were a bridge to his palm.

"Does it bite?" he asked cautiously.

"It's never bitten me," Jun said with a shrug, "There, see that wasn't so bad, right?"

He did not know what exactly to do with a crawling green thing. For a moment, all he did was hold his hand very motionlessly until it got too far up his arm. Then, in a fashion similar to Jun, he would move it to his other hand.

"I know! Let's feed it some leaves."

"What's that gonna' do?" Kazuya asked with a hint of apprehension.

"I don't know—I just wanna see it eat. But caterpillars don't hurt people."

On his own, Kazuya lifted the caterpillar into the air to see it more closely. Its hind parts dangled in the air as its small feet hung on to his finger. It squirmed a little when he ran a gentle finger down the fine hairs on its back. When he touched its small feet, they clung to his skin quite easily. It took a little bit of force to detach its hold.

"That's how it can climb trees," Jun said when she noticed what he was doing.

She came over to him with a bright green leaf and placed it in front of its head. The caterpillar as it crawled back onto his hand paused momentarily on the leaf but then continued on its way up one of Kazuya's fingers.

"It's supposed to eat it. Maybe it's not hungry. What do you think, Kazuya?"

He simply shrugged as he placed his other hand under where the caterpillar was crawling so that it could move to his next hand. It seemed he was fascinated by the small wormlike creature having never seen anything like it.

"Now, aren't you glad you came with me?" Jun watched as he continued to let the caterpillar move from one hand to the next. "Hey, are you even listening?"

"Yes," he said simply.

"Well, let's go look for some other stuff."

Jun did find other animals which she pointed out to him. He was always interested even if it was mildly. They'd seen a skunk, toad, and a few birds before she got an actual rise out of Kazuya.

"Look, it's eating," Kazuya said interrupting whatever Jun had been speaking on at the moment.

"You still have that caterpillar?"

Jun walked over and peered down at it. Sure enough, it was chewing away at the leaf. "It must be really hungry. I thought I said put it down. It's not good to move around animals like that."

"Sorry. I just…wanted to see it eat."

"It's alright, I think it'll make it back."

It took quite a bit of time for the caterpillar to finish up its leaf. When it did, Kazuya carefully placed it on a tree that had similar leaves. He watched it for a little as it climbed at a moderate pace up the trunk.

"There's other insects too," Jun said. She was always keen of noticing Kazuya's interests and compared to all the other things she had shown him, he seemed to pay more attention to that one caterpillar. Perhaps small things that he could hold drew his attention.

Jun knew when Kazuya had to get back home. She knew that he had to be up at the crack of dawn. When it was getting to that time after the sun began to set, she began to move back towards the Mishima Estate.

"I don't get it," Jun said thinking aloud.

Her voice broke the silence that had persisted for the past five minutes. Kazuya did not respond immediately. She began to think that he wouldn't at all.

"Get what?" he finally replied.

"You live so close to here and you never come by yourself."

"Father…he doesn't want me to."

"He said that?"

"No…but I can tell. He wants me to train, that's all."

"Then why'd you come with me?"

There was another pause; an almost unsettling one. "I don't know."

Jun was a little confused by this. "I still don't get it."

But Kazuya had left it at that; Jun wasn't overly surprised with this. He often never attempted to articulate his thoughts and Jun would be left in the dark as usual. When they made it out of the woods again, they parted ways.

"I hope I didn't get you back too late."

"It's fine."

Many nights, in fact, it would be just a little too late. Kazuya still had a few miles before he made it back to the mansion, but he never mentioned this to her. Jun, on her part, who had actually been to the house once or twice, knew as much. He never complained, Jun realized. Even when, by all accounts, he should have, he was closemouthed. He remained a stranger even after all the time they spent together. Try as she might, she could hardly get him to divulge about himself. Yes, everyone knew about his father Heihachi, everyone knew that he trained every single day without fail, but that was all. What did he like to do? What did he do in his free time? These were all questions that he either didn't want to answer or simply didn't have an answer for.

Jun doubted that Kazuya would ever venture away from the house in the first place had it not been for her. Mostly, he was quiet. She'd show him things and talk about virtually everything and he would have little to say back unless she specifically asked for his opinion. He did not understand conversation, but she worked to change that. Eventually, he would reciprocate her efforts, but before she ever truly got to know him, he disappeared. But that was how their relationship had always been. He'd be there for a while and then he would disappear without a trace.

Back then, time had seemed limitless. The Kazuya who she had once known—the shy almost awkward Kazuya—was the one which she truly adored. That was what made her peace complete. She knew that that Kazuya was gone forever. Life had been cruel to a degree that was astonishing to Jun. She did not know the details, but now at least, she knew of his struggle. It wasn't a struggle that would occur every now and then; some days he could put it behind him. No, it was a daily continuous struggle that never ended. How could she have missed such a thing? Why hadn't she sensed it at least? Why had she simply turned a blind eye? She thought of all the times they spent together at Jinpachi's mansion. Even then when she wasn't around, was the same thing happening? Was it still happening after she left for college and left him to fend for himself? It was almost too much to think about.

"You idiot," Jun said under her breath.

He must not have known then; how much she cared about him. That was the only explanation she could think of. He must have been completely oblivious. Jun took a deep breath. She wanted to change that. She had always wanted to change that. And now as mature as he had become, she felt that she was willing to try once again for old time's sake. Maybe now, he might reciprocate.

"You're ready," Angel said steadily startling Jun from her thoughts. "Now for the next step."

/

AN: Yep, another chapter. Sokka2Me, technically, yes, Tekken 3 is ALL about Jin, but the Kazuya story is not about Jin—it's, you guessed it, about Kazuya. Jin probably won't even show up in the third one since they had no interactions together. I'll put other characters in sure, but only if they affect or have dealings with Kazuya. Kazuya isn't even aware of Jin until at least the fourth game. Thanks, huannguyen, for your critique. I'll certainly keep that in mind if I do something similar in the future. AniDenDav; fried chicken? Nice word association therelol.