Destiny Changed

Disclaimer: I don't own Tekken.

To all the Tekken Fans

Chapter 10

Miharu would be disappointed if she knew where Xiaoyu really was. She had seen Jin outside the hotel at lunch and followed him. He was trying to cope with everything but he was doing a lousy job. Whenever he felt sad and hopeless he used to think about his mother but now all hope was gone.

Sick and tired to go through all that alone, Jin allowed Xiaoyu to approach him and it felt good when she hugged him. No words were needed. For a few minutes Jin thought his nightmare was finally over but when he opened his eyes reality hit him again. Harder than usual because he had done something he had vowed not to do again. He had allowed Xiaoyu to enter his life once more and yet he knew she would suffer.

-'You know I want to help you, don't you?'-Xiaoyu asked.

-'Yes…but it's not that simple.'

-'Why not? If I were in troubles wouldn't you help me?'

-'Of course I would, but I'm not just in troubles Xiao…it's too dangerous. That's why I sent you that e-mail…that's why I wanted you to be away from me.'

-'I wish we could talk more. I mean why did you have to take all these decisions on your own?'

-'Because I'm the one to blame.'

-'That's not true. If you want to blame someone try your father and Heihachi.'

-'It's too late for me. No one can help me now.'

-'We can try.'

-'The only way I could be free from this stupid curse was if we could change the past.'

-'You're giving up on hope.'-Xiaoyu said and hugged him again. Jin returned the hug only for a couple of minutes, and then he looked her straight in the eyes.

-'There's no such thing as hope. I know that now.'

She didn't understand if he was feeling sad, frustrated or disappointed.

-'Xiao…I need you to promise me something.'

-'Sure…'

-'No matter how this tournament ends, I want you to follow your dreams.'

-'My dreams?'

-'Yes. Remember the amusement park you wanted to build?'

-'Yeah. Why?'

-'You need to fight hard to fulfil that dream. Just make sure you build it and try to live a happy life, ok?'

Xiaoyu nodded. She didn't know what else to say. Actually she did know what to say, she was just afraid to say it. She didn't care less about the amusement park. The only thing she really wanted was to save him. Hours passed. They heard the screams and the shooting but decided to stay put. It was nice to know that once in a while troubles weren't meant for them.

The sun was about to disappear in the horizon when they realised how late it was. Xiaoyu watched the sunset and couldn't help to feel disappointed. In a few minutes they would have to part again and it was just as if that day never existed.

She was trying her best to reach to him but the devil gene was a curse too powerful.

On their way back to the hotel Xiaoyu told Jin that she didn't want to keep being treated as his enemy.

-'Just don't act as if we don't know each other, ok?'-she said before entering the hotel.

-'Ok…but I have to stay low. My grandfather and Kazuya are probably after me.'

-'I know.'

-'If they see us together you'll be a target as well.'

-'I'm just saying that you shouldn't avoid me.'

It's not that I want to avoid you, if I could choose my life I would always be with you. Jin thought.

-'Aren't you coming in?'-Xiaoyu asked.

-'No…I'm going to practice.'

-'It's almost dark.'

-'Right now it is darkness what suits me best.'

Xiaoyu didn't like to hear those words, but she didn't want to argue with him. So she nodded and let him go.

On her way to her room she ran into Steve.

-'Your friends have been trying to find you for hours.'-he said.

-'I was busy…By the way, do you know if Julia won?'

-'No, she didn't. Now if you excuse me I have to go.'

-'What are you trying to find in such a hurry?'

-'My past.'

Xiaoyu didn't understand what he meant by that, but it was obvious that he didn't want her to know. She was about to enter her bedroom when she decided to pay Julia a visit to check up on her and maybe it would also be a good idea to let Miharu know that she was back.

Miharu was with Julia and when she opened the door, she let go a sigh of relief.

-'We were so worried about you.'-Miharu confessed. She didn't want to say that she was worried that Jin had hurt her, but Xiaoyu knew it already.

Xiaoyu thought about an excuse but she couldn't find any. Therefore she decided to speak the truth.

-'I was with Jin.'

Tell me something I don't know, Miharu thought.

-'How is he?'-Julia asked.

-'Better than you…I guess.'-Xiaoyu was not surprised to see that Julia had been injured during the fight against Heihachi. She had watched the old man fight many times and she knew he was really strong. Actually Jin was the only one who was able to win against him.

-'It's a minor concussion.'-Julia informed.

-'Heihachi didn't do it actually.'-Miharu explained.-'You should've been with us…it was just like a movie.'

Xiaoyu was puzzled. If Heihachi hadn't been responsible for Julia's injury, who was it?

-'What happened?'-she questioned.

Miharu resumed the whole story and gave Xiaoyu a disappointed look. She was a bit upset that her friend had actually chosen to be with Jin, who she thought to be very dangerous, instead of being with her friends.

-'So…Hwoarang saved you?'-Xiaoyu asked still amazed.

-'Kind of…'

-'And the person who should've been shot was Steve Fox?'

-'Yes.'-Julia answered.-'He was here earlier to apologise.'

-'No wonder he was acting strangely.'-Xiaoyu whispered.

-'Are you going to meet Jin tomorrow?'-Miharu asked.

It seemed that Jin would be the subject of all the conversations for the rest of the night. Only then Xiaoyu realised she didn't want to share more things about Jin and her. To think about his situation and the fact that they could no longer be together was painful and she didn't want to talk about it all the time. But how could she escape her friends' questions without being too rude? It was only natural for them to worry and want to know details, wasn't it?

In the meantime Steve had run into Lei Wulong. The Chinese man was trying to convince him that he should forget about the shooter and return to his room.

-'You don't understand…I really need to find her.'-Steve insisted.

-'I know you're confused but you don't know who you're dealing with.'-Lei warned him.-'I know that woman better than you despite the circumstances.'

-'What do you mean?'

-'I mean I've been in this tournament longer than you. I know her for years…and you…you're risking your life going to meet her.'

-'I need to. I need to know something.'

-'I've been in your room. I know you think she's your mother…but maybe it's just a lie. The Mishima Labs Corporation can't be trusted.'

-'Come on…Can you deny that we look like each other?'

-'So what? There are billions of people like you and her. Matching hair and eye colours don't mean anything.'

-'Then what do you suggest? To live my life without knowing?'

-'I think you should let me do my job. I'll get her and the guys who ordered your death and then you can go search for the truth. But right now you need to be safe. Got it?'

-'I appreciate your concern about me but I can take care of myself.'

-'Are you sure? I mean…what do you really know about Nina Williams?'

-'I know she looks like me.'

-'Look kid, she's a heartless assassin…she kills people for a living and she doesn't give a damn.'

-'I bet she wasn't always like that.'

-'Maybe. But that doesn't mean she'll let you live. If she was ordered to kill you, your chances are pretty small. Nina is lethal.'

-'I think she'll give me a chance to explain.'

-'Explain? Explain what? She has a feud with her own sister that will only end once one of them actually dies! She's a broken person who only cares about herself.'

-'Aren't we all?'

Steve turned around and started to walk towards is room. There was no point to continue the argument with Lei. Besides he would have the chance to meet Nina next morning since they were going to face each other in the battle arena. It was just a matter of time.

In the darkness Jin practiced. Alone in silence but without fear. The fact that he was no longer able to feel fear scared the hell out of him. He was becoming someone he could no longer recognise, someone different and evil. The ironic part was that even though he was the strongest man on earth he couldn't do anything to save himself. Against that sort of thing he was powerless. The only thing he could do was waiting and praying for help. Help from above, from Jun, his beloved mother. But it looked like she was too busy right now so he had to embrace his destiny alone.

Once again he thought about Xiaoyu and her will to help him. She had offered a helping hand but his ego and his will to protect her against all evil (including himself) didn't allow accepting it.

For the time being Jin wanted to focus on the battle ahead. He didn't know exactly what Heihachi was planning but he would have to face the old man again very soon. He had already won against Julia which meant he had proceeded to the next round. As for Kazuya, Jin didn't know how but he had to find a way to face his father and win because it could be the only way to have his own life back.