Tekken: Kings and Queens
Stage 9
In another part of town, Jin Kazama sat in the waiting room patiently, leaning on the chair's armrest as he watched the doctors and nurses pass by. According to the doctors, the diagnosis was good. In spite of the wounds inflicted, Nina would make a full recovery and be on her feet very soon.
Just in time for the Iron Fist Tournament.
The Irish woman was a tough individual to say the least. Nina had seen it all over the years as an assassin and bodyguard. Still, Jin was worried about her condition given the amount of blood she had lost, along with the added shock from his attacks. Three days later, however, one could hardly notice she fought tooth and claw with a demon.
Yes, Nina was a very tough individual. It also helped, of course, that Jin still had connections to the best physicians in the world.
While the former Mishima Zaibatsu CEO pondered these things in his mind, a doctor walked over to where he was sitting and greeted him courteously.
"How is she doing, Tanaka?" Jin asked.
"Miss Williams is doing just fine, Mr. Kazama," the doctor replied happily. "It will still be a couple more days before we can finally remove some of those stitches, but she is otherwise fully recovered. She is quite the woman."
Jin smiled slightly and nodded in agreement. "You have my thanks, Tanaka."
"Nonsense," the doctor shook his head. "If it were not for you, I wouldn't be a doctor in the first place. You have my gratitude."
Jin patted Dr. Tanaka on his shoulder and chuckled. "We've had this discussion too many times," he said. "Let us cut this short before it becomes an hour long debate."
"I couldn't agree more," Dr. Tanaka replied. "Your friend is waiting to see you, and she is tired of seeing my face."
"Finally," Nina groaned, buttoning up her jacket.
"Tanaka just needed to be sure you're alright, that's all," Jin assured the blonde woman.
"I've been fine the moment you carted me in this forsaken place," she muttered. "No offence to you, doc."
"None taken," Dr. Tanaka shrugged. "I get that a lot."
"I'm sure you do," Nina said.
Dr. Tanaka could only smile. "I will leave you two alone," he said, and walked out of the patient's room, shutting the door behind as he left.
Jin watched while Nina continued to get dressed, waiting for the right moment to speak. "Are you alright?" he finally asked.
"Like I told the doctor, I'm fine," she replied evenly.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure," Nina sighed out of annoyance. "Please, give me some credit here. I am tougher than the average human being."
"Maybe so, but you are still a human being," Jin said.
Nina looked at her employer with a perplexed look. "And what exactly does that mean?"
"It means…" Jin's voice trailed off. He looked away from Nina for a brief moment, choosing his words carefully. "Even the toughest man…" his words trailed off again.
"Yes, I get it, I still bleed and die like the rest," Nina finished his thought with a snort. "Just so you know, I've been in these life and death situations well before you were born. I may be a 'mere' human, but I can still take care of myself."
"I'm not saying you can't – "
"So, while your concerns are touching, you don't need to worry about me," she continued, and walked towards the door. As her hand reached over and grabbed the handle, the blonde woman paused on front of the door and lowered her head. "Besides… you're the one I'm more worried about," she uttered.
Before Jin could reply, Nina opened the door and left the room.
The ride back home was mostly quiet.
Though both managed to make some small talk to break the monotony of silence, Jin and Nina found it difficult to speak to each other throughout the entire trip. While Jin never outright said it, Nina knew he was still feeling guilty for putting her in the hospital in the first place. It didn't take a genius or a mind reader to figure that one out; the blonde assassin could read it in his expression.
"I need some air," she suddenly told him.
Immediately, Jin pulled the car up to a curb and stopped. Nina opened the door and stepped out of the vehicle, inhaling the crisp, cool air into her lungs. Jin also stepped out of the vehicle, though kept his distance from the Irish woman.
"Ahh… nothing like fresh, toxic, polluted air to make you feel alive, don't you think?" Nina joked.
Jin chuckled quietly at her humor, but said nothing otherwise.
The Irish woman turned and smiled back. "And here I thought you lost the ability to laugh," she said.
"I'm glad you're in good spirits," he replied. "Truth be told, I was worried over the past few days."
"Like I couldn't tell."
"Well…" Jin scratched the back of his head. "I just wanted to say…"
"No need to say anything," Nina interrupted. "As I said the very first day you brought me to that doctor of yours, I completely understand."
"Do you really?"
"No, not really," she sighed. "Nitpicking aside, you weren't in control of yourself, and that's all I needed to know."
Jin was at a loss for words. He wasn't too sure how to take her response, save to hang his head down in shame. It still amazed him how quickly Nina can forgive him, especially given her usual temperament.
"Seriously, stop that," she chided. "Every time you pull that expression, I get all gloomy and depressed. After that, I get worried you'd pull something stupid not too far into the near future. After that, I want to go punch furry little animals. I like furry little animals. I'd rather not go punch furry little animals. Please let it go."
"So I guess getting you that stuffed grey cat was a bad idea…" Jin pondered jokingly.
"No, don't you dare touch my little Tom," Nina pointed at him. "Jerry, you may burn, but don't you dare touch Tom!"
"But I thought the mouse was kind of cute – "
"Uh-uh… don't you dare say that!" Nina waved her finger. "Don't you ever say such blasphemy, especially in front of Tom! Poor kitty gets abused by that mouse…"
"Fine, fine," Jin laughed and waved his hands in mock surrender. "I won't touch your cat – "
"His name is Tom."
"And I won't say anything bad about… uh… Tom no more," he quickly corrected himself. "Happy now?"
"Ecstatic," Nina grinned. "Aw, you're laughing," she added with enthusiasm, swaying like a child as she spoke. "You're happy again. Now I don't have to go punch furry little animals."
The former Mishima Zaibatsu CEO smiled back, feeling some of the tension being lifted from his shoulders. "I'd like to remain outside for a little longer," he said. "You take the car back."
Nina's enthusiasm evaporated. "Tell me you're not going to do something stupid," she said with a look of worry in her face.
"For the sake of the furry little animals, I won't," Jin assured her. "I just need some time alone, that's all."
"Are you sure?" Nina folded her arms across her chest.
"Yes, I am sure," he answered.
"You better," she huffed, and, shutting the passenger side door, stomped over to the driver's side door. "And you better hurry back. I'd rather not be stuck by myself with either Kazuya or that stupid minx."
"You won't need to worry about that," Jin pointed out. "Apparently they're out for the night on some sort of… date, I guess," he shrugged.
"Wait – what?" Nina gasped. "They… he… she… never mind." The Silent Assassin stepped into the car and shut the door. Rolling the window down, she added, "Just get back home when you're done. Call me if you need a lift."
"Yes, mother," Jin rolled his eyes.
Nina scoffed at the remark, and drove off.
"Alright, what just happened here?" Anna muttered to no one in particular.
Dusting herself off (while crying inwardly at the ruined dress), the brunette managed to prop herself into a sitting position and looked around. Even after the dust settled, it was pandemonium all over. Many people in the crowd managed to escape the carnage, yet several people still remained. As far as Anna could tell, no one was seriously injured save for a small handful of 'suits' and 'uniforms' (which she found utterly tacky), yet there was a sizable number of people that laid unconscious on the ground, while the rest were either screaming or running for their lives or both.
"Anna," a voice called out her name.
The brunette looked around, trying to pinpoint the direction of the voice. "Kazuya?" she answered.
A strong hand quickly reached out and, grabbing her firmly by the arm, hoisted her back on her feet. She appreciated the gesture, even if it was a little on the rough side.
"Thanks," she said.
"You're welcome," Kazuya replied. "This… wasn't what I had in mind for our night out," he added. Anna could almost swear he sounded apologetic, though he would deny it, of course.
"At least it was exciting," she laughed. Anna then looked at her ruined outfit. "The dress…"
"Don't worry about the dress," he told her. "We must leave here at once."
"You don't have to tell me," Anna agreed. As Kazuya escorted her out, Anna turned to look back at the tangled web of bodies and what was once left of the ring below. At second glance, the damage looked far more extensive than she initially thought. She felt a tinge of regret for leaving the panic-stricken audience behind, and even felt some remorse for the owner of the establishment, albeit a fleeting one.
What ran rampantly through her mind, however, was the vision of that ghastly woman who caused the entire ruckus in the first place, and could only imagine what she would do now that she was no longer confined to the restaurant.
Hanako drifted out from the rear of restaurant menacingly, and darted through the shadows.
Where is she?
Her eyes darted quickly, searching out her prey while ignoring the onlookers. For several minutes, her prey somehow managed to keep her distance away from Hanako, well out of reach to be captured, yet still within sight to be followed. Finally, Hanako was lead into a secluded area of the neighborhood, away from the bustle of people and lights.
"Hanako," a voice called out to her.
Hanako's golden eyes snapped to attention at the sound of her name. The woman (along with every voice in her head) seethed at the sight standing before her.
"I missed you," Kalina, still clad in her elegant blue dress, smiled proudly at her 'creation'. "We were all worried about you." Dr. Romov then narrowed her eyes and leaned her head slightly forward. "Do you remember who I am?"
"You…" Hanako started to breathe heavily.
"So you do remember me," the doctor answered, her eyes locked straight into Hanako's golden orbs.
"Monster…"
"Now, Hanako," Dr. Romov shook her head. "It's not nice to insult others… especially since I was the one who gave you life."
Flushed with retribution, Hanako took a step towards her tormenter.
"By the way, Hanako…" Kalina said, not looking the least bit intimidated by the other woman's threatening demeanor.
As the doctor spoke those very words, Hanako was mere inches from Kalina. Just as she was about to deliver a punch to the doctor's face, something grabbed her by the arm. Hanako jerked her head around, and gazed directly into a pair of glowing red beads. A massive, mechanical hand enveloped much of her forearm, holding her back in a vice-like grip.
"…do you also remember Jack?" Kalina finished her sentence.
Jin stumbled in his footing as he suddenly felt a hot, searing pain burn through his mind.
"Ah!" he yelped, holding his hand over his face.
If it was any consolation, the Iron Fist champion was prepared for these sudden bouts. It still hurt like hell, but he was better prepared for it.
Bracing himself, Jin steadied his breathing, attempting to regain some semblance of composure without stirring the suspicion of onlookers, and, leaning over a fence, began to meditate. As it was before, Jin began hearing thoughts and distant voices in his head.
Hanako is in trouble, he thought.
Another wave of 'pressure' threatened to unhinge his focus, yet Jin stood steadfast and (barely) kept his composure as he continued to meditate quietly. It had been long since he meditated like this. Born of the Kazama bloodline, this was a technique passed down from one family member to another. To be able to focus his mind, body, and spirit, to heed the call of nature, to find balance within his emotions in order to achieve a certain balance.
Something along those lines anyways.
To say he was out of practice would be an understatement. This was a teaching that eluded him even while living in the forests of Yakushima as a youth.
Focus… breathe…
Jin was glad that he sent Nina away. The last thing he needed was another berserk frenzy in his demonic form and have Nina take the brunt of it again. As for his current predicament, he knew that at any moment, his mind would fray from the stress, and it wouldn't be long till he loses control again. He had to act fast, yet he didn't know quite where to start.
Hanako managed to cross her arms on front of her just in time as Jack threw a punch at her. The resulting blow sent the woman flying backwards, her balance barely maintained from the impact.
"Remember, Jack," Kalina reminded the android, "you are supposed to capture her alive, not beat her to a bloody pulp. Failure to abide by this order will result in the… termination of your dearly beloved. Do you understand?"
The giant glared at the scientist with contempt burning in his eyes. The memory of his defeat remained vivid in his memory banks, including the fact that the woman before him spared his life despite having the droid at her mercy. For whatever reason, Hanako suddenly just ran off, leaving the android behind to rot in the sewers. Now, he intends to make that woman pay for her mistake…
"Do you understand?" the doctor repeated.
Jack kept his gaze on the doctor and let out an audible growl. A second or two later, he turned away from the scientist and focused his attention back on Hanako. Jane's life was at stake, and his failure to capture the demon spawn the last time would have been very costly. If Jack believed in such a thing as fate, the android had no intention of tempting it again. Suffice to say, as much as he hated being threatened by that puny little scientist, it would be in both their best interests to obey her commands and capture Soleil's pet project.
As though reading his thoughts, Kalina nodded her head and said, "Good." The doctor stepped back to allow Jack to do his work. "Having said all of that," Kalina twirled a lock of her hair on her finger, "I don't mind if you bring Hanako back with some cuts and bruises. After all, she has been a naughty girl."
Jack's gears whirred to life, indicating the android's approval. Punching his massive fists together, the massive giant approached the woman, ready to exact his own brand of retribution.
Hanako seethed and raised her arms in response. Purple energy irradiated profusely from her body as the voices in her head chanted as one. First, she would deal with that annoying metal man, then she would kill that monster once and for all. Afterwards, she would deal with the rest of the scientists and engineers by way of a quick death; they were merely pawns of that wretched doctor. After that, she would face Soleil's master…
Sitting comfortably in his office, the master could only smile as Kalina reported that she found Hanako, and was on the verge of reclaiming her.
After several half-hearted attempts by his agents, he had no intention of letting her slip away again.
"Mr. Ishida," his voice boomed.
"Yes, master."
"Summon Qiquiang and send that monk to assist the android," he ordered. "Have the Special Forces placed on standby until further notice." As an afterthought, he added, "Also, prepare my limousine."
"You intend to be there as well?" Kyuuto timidly asked.
The master smiled at the businessman behind the shadows, sending shivers down Kyuuto's spine.
"Right away, master," he bowed.
As he watched Kyuuto leave, the president of Soleil Inc. paused, tapping his index finger on the polished table in thought. The reclamation and completion of Hanako would be the beginning of his glorious rebirth. But before such a rebirth could begin, he had some loose ends to deal with... some of them to be dealt with personally. Finally, he reached his hand for the phone, dialed the number, and held the receiver of his ear.
"It is time."
Jin wasn't sure where he was going. All he knew for certain was that his legs suddenly had a life of their own and insisted that he go that
way.
He just hoped that wherever that way lead him would somehow help to make those annoying migraines go away…
Hanako swayed to the side and gritted her teeth as Jack's right fist barely missed her head. Before the droid's arm reached full extension, Jack quickly swung his arm into a chopping motion, catching the woman off guard as she quickly fell to the ground from the blow. Her reflexes saved her from taking the full brunt of the attack, though she still wasn't quick enough to completely move out of the way.
He's gotten stronger… one of the voices said.
What do we do?
What we do best… was the seething reply.
Grunting, the woman rolled to the side moments before Jack delivered a mighty stomp. The pavement cracked under his strength. Not letting up, Jack pivoted his body towards the woman and, taking advantage of his superior reach, swung his arms low with continuous lefts and rights, tracking her movement as he attacked. Though sluggish in appearance, Hanako was forced on the defensive as his arms kept her from approaching the droid and mounting any decent offense.
CRUNCH!
Getting too overzealous, Jack accidentally punched a hole through the ground, causing his arm to be momentarily stuck. Seizing that moment, Hanako jumped onto his prone arm, ran along the length of the limb, and, flipping into the air, spun around and delivered a kick to the back of his head. For someone as lithe as Hanako, the force of impact was strong enough to send Jack crashing forward with a thud. With her opponent grounded, Hanako mounted the android and delivered a series of punches to the head.
Meanwhile, Kalina watched the battle from the background, her face devoid of expression save for the sparkle in her eyes as she took mental notes of the fight.
"She has started to figure out her abilities," she observed. "Even with the modifications to Jack's construction, Hanako is holding him back. Still…"
A pair of open palms suddenly stopped Hanako's fists in their tracks. Such was the advantage of having rotors for wrists, double jointed elbows, and fully rotating gears for shoulders.
And a fully rotatable neck as Jack spun his head around and glared at the woman on his back.
"She has much to learn," Kalina concluded.
With a loud boom, Jack's arms recoiled like a pair cannons, sending Hanako tumbling into the air and crashing into a wall. Shaking his head, the android slowly lifted himself back on his feet. Equally shaken as the droid from the impact, Hanako quickly scrambled back on her feet, purple energy lancing from her body. She glared viciously at the android, and was about to pounce…
That was when she heard some chanting, only not from the voices in her head…
"Ah!" she gasped, clutching her head tightly.
That was when the pain struck her.
"Kazuya, what's wrong?" Anna asked.
The former G-Corporation CEO stared absentmindedly at the sky, appearing rather oblivious to his surroundings.
"Kazuya?"
At the second call of his name, Kazuya's attention snapped back to the brunette. In a smooth motion, he stretched out his hand to open the door to the limousine, and, with his other hand held gently onto Anna's own, escorted the Irish woman into the vehicle.
"Nothing," he replied. "Nothing at all."
"How good of you to join us, Qiquiang," Kalina greeted politely.
Appearing behind the scientist, a man stepped forth from the night and made his quiet presence known.
From the numerous cracks and crags that formed the features of his wizened face, he was an elderly man, one who had seen and lived through life as few had ever experienced. His movements were calm, quiet, as serene as the expression he wore on his face, the only sound audible was the set of prayer beads wrapped around his neck. His eyes gave off a gentle warmth of peace and tranquility. His long, gray beard and carefully shaved scalp accentuated the serenity of his face. His attire was both simple, yet elegant, mainly featuring a long, flowing gray robe wrapped gracefully around his body, a pair of gray slacks with socks reaching up to his knees, and a pair of small, black soles. A typical uniform of a monk, save for one small feature: a pair of rings with a set of 'beams' irradiating outward.
The emblem of Soleil Inc.
Qiquiang calmly stood next to the doctor and her greeting with a kind, respectful bow of his head.
"Hanako has yet to discover the full extent of her abilities, but she is getting stronger the longer she uses them," Kalina told him. "We need to subdue her quickly."
The man smiled pleasantly and bowed his head. Raising his right hand to his face, he closed his eyes momentarily in concentration and began to chant.
That was when the pain struck her.
No longer did the voices in Hanako's head worked in unison. Every personality in her mind splintered, howling in pain, bickering amongst each other, shattering the woman's sanity bit by bit. The shock to the system was more unbearable than usual, causing her to hurl dry heaves.
"Looks excruciating," Kalina remarked with a raised brow.
The monk merely continued his spell. His tranquil eyes opened and sparkled with enlightenment. His expression was awash with serenity. His voice, low, yet calm and melodious.
"Ugh… stop… please…" Hanako rasped.
Her quiet please merely fell on deaf ears as Qiquiang chanted with more gusto.
Meanwhile, Jack quietly lumbered towards the pathetic woman on the ground. Though none too pleased with the monk's timely interference, the android decided completing his mission was of higher priority, at least for the moment, and grudgingly welcomed the assistance. Eyes burning with intensity, the android towered over the woman and stretched out his hands.
Jin tripped on his feet as another flash of searing hot pain hit him. He fumbled in the dark, crawling on his hands and knees, biting his tongue to keep himself from screaming.
Covering his face with his hands, he felt the brands on his face burn across his forehead as he slowly felt himself transform…
Hanako, noticing the giant's approach, barely managed to scramble back on her feet, though the chanting from the monk and the intense pain in her head kept her feet off balance. With the woman now standing, the android lazily threw a quick jab with his left fist, to which Hanako blocked the attack with both hands with great difficulty. Midsection vulnerable, Jack immediately followed the move with a right hand to the gut, causing the woman to double over.
Unable to fight back, the woman could do little else but watch as the mighty giant spun on his heel and connected with a roundhouse kick to her head. Her already exploding migraine was made exponentially worse as Hanako felt the voices cry out in a seemingly unending chorus of agony.
"Easy, Jack," Kalina chided the droid. "I don't want her brain damaged."
Hanako flailed on her arms, struggling to get back onto her feet. Unable to fully keep her concentration, she just as quickly lost her footing and clumsily fell on her rump.
The giant walked over to the woman and looked down at her. No brain damage, not a problem. Grabbing the woman with his left hand, he pumped his right arm rapidly like a piston and threw four successive blows to the abdomen. Small trickles of blood dripped from the edges of Hanako's lips.
Pulling the woman by her hair, Jack raised his hand and delivered a quick, weak (by Jack's standards) chop to the neck, immediately knocking her unconscious. At that moment, the monk gradually brought his chant to an end.
"Collar her," Dr. Romov ordered.
Still holding Hanako by the hair, the android covered the woman's neck with his right hand, and, through a hidden compartment within his massive palm, wrapped a collar around her neck with an audible click.
Qiquiang merely watched with an amicable smile. That benevolent grin, however, gradually faded.
"What's wrong?" the scientist asked.
Qiquiang slowly turned his head behind them. What he saw nearly caused the usually calm and collected monk to jump from his spot. He raised his arms up in a fighting posture, prepared to defend both the scientist and himself.
Jack, after restraining the woman's powers, looked up towards Dr. Romov and Qiquiang's direction. The shocked look of the monk (at least by Qiquiang's standards) indicated the presence of danger. What his optics discovered was much worse than he thought, and the droid, holding Hanako's body with one arm, drew out his gatling guns from his forearm.
Even the typically unflappable Kalina gasped as a pair of demonic eyes gazed back at her…
"Oof!"
…followed by the dull thud as Jin's body skidded to a halt right in front of the doctor's feet. Appearing from behind the darkness, a sinister figure, more demon than human, strode towards the scientist and the monk, his gaze still locked onto the fallen Jin.
"That… was unexpected," the doctor said.
While the monk relaxed slightly from the doctor's words, the android still kept a bead on the shadowy figure, prepared to fire if things took a turn for the worst.
"Ugh…" Jin gnashed his teeth.
The demon, however, looked unfazed.
"You might want to step away from that runt," the shadowy figure replied. Then, straightening himself, added, "It seems you do not need any assistance after all."
"Not in the capture anyways," Kalina said, calmly distancing herself from Jin as recommended. The monk followed suit and backed away from Jin's beaten body, maintaining a defensive poise. The scientist narrowed her eyes curiously. "Why are you here?"
The demon smiled at android, then averted his gaze to the scientist.
"It should be obvious," Kazuya replied. "Your master sent for me here… to ensure your mission would be a success."