Disclaimer: I don't own Tekken
A/N: The end is here; this is the final chapter. I'll give my thanks a little later, but let's get to the story's conclusion. I have to say beforehand, there are hints to pairings inside, and there is a pairing at the end. Other than that, I hope you enjoy it, and, for those that have them, I hope I can fulfill your expectations. And here … we … go.
The King of Iron Fist Tournament 6: Where Souls and Hearts Clash
Rejuvenation and Rebirth
Unbelievable Merge to Start
A single, black stretch limousine, a black car preceding and following it, was driven towards a particularly frantic scene. In the limousine's backseat, the three passengers inside were watching a certain news report that was taking place amongst an almost ruckus crowd of media and a veritable frenzied storm of noise. The station field reporter, a black-haired, blue-eyed, woman wearing a pair of thinly-framed glasses and dressed in a dark red business dress, appeared on screen and began giving the report:
"I'm here outside of G Corporation headquarters amidst a media storm, and rightfully so, as an unbelievably unexpected partnership is about to be established. That's right; all the rumors and speculation are true: The Mishima Zaibatsu and G Corporation are formally joining together to become Mishima G Incorporated. Today's meeting is a culmination of an inexplicable turn of events that began shortly after the conclusion of the sixth King of Iron Fist Tournament. It all started when an immediate cease-fire when out to a Mishima Zaibatsu deployments and the corporation began pulling troops out of invaded countries. No one in the media knows for sure, but the recent string of occurrences seems to be a result of a sudden change of heart by Mishima Zaibatsu owner and CEO, Jin Kazama. Early two weeks ago, a 200-page 'Statement of Intent' that includes terms of partnership and plans of action for the near future was sent from deep within the Mishima Zaibatsu to G Corporation executives and was later released to the media. Now, several sources including various esteemed lawyers have publicly stated that the document is legit and iron-clad, but several key questions remain unanswered. What was this partnership proposed now? Why was it proposed at all? Will the Mishima Zaibatsu really adhere to agreement? Is Jin Kazama really a changed man? G Corporation execs seemed to think so, but only time will truly tell."
CLICK! The main rider in the back turned off the report as the small convoy pulled to a stop in front of their destination. Outside G Corporation head office, the stretch limousine and the two black cars accompanying it arrived to a barrage of flashing cameras, shouts, and a rush of various media personnel. Eddy Gordo and Nina Williams, both wearing black suits and sunglasses, emerged from the two cars, and quickly made their way to the limousine, causing to the sea of people crowding around the vehicle to part and create a pathway. Finally, the back door of the limousine opened, and out came Jin Kazama, followed by Asuka Kazama and lastly, Ling Xiaoyu, all three wearing black business attire and sunglasses. The five got into a slightly tight formation as the three automobiles behind them drove off; then, with Jin Kazama serving as a sort of nucleus, the group, with Eddy and Nina in front, Jin in the middle, and Asuka and Xiaoyu in back, began proceeding into the building, basically bombarded by questions and another hail of camera flashes.
Watching all of this from a window high on the building was Lee Chaolan, flanked on both sides by Paul Phoenix and Marshall Law, the three of them dressed appropriately for the situation. During the tournament, Lee reconnected with his two American friends, only to find out that they both had fallen on considerably less-than-ideal times. Offering to help them out, Lee offered to pay off all of their debts if they signed on as his personal bodyguards with Law also serving as his personal chef. Paul and Law weren't about to pass up a chance to have their financial burdens lifted, so they quickly agreed and relocated their lives, Law's family included, to Japan. Lee, in addition to surrounding himself with his few friends, also achieved a secondary goal by bringing in Law and Paul: he had evened up the odds in case Jin and his 'entourage' decided to stir up conflict.
Still not really believing this was happening, Paul broke the silence, asking in his own way, "You sure you wanna do this, Lee? I mean, it's Jin frickin' Kazama for cryin' out loud! You really sure we can trust 'em?"
"Yes, Paul, I'm sure," Lee plainly replied.
Law, somewhat trying to reason with Lee, added, "But how can you be so sure? His record definitely precedes him, and his grandfather and his father aren't exactly saints either. "
Lee paused for a moment, gathering his words, and spoke with the composure of a pre-prepared speech, "Jin Kazama is definitely stronger than both Kazuya and Heihachi, and he seems to have a good upbringing behind him if rather tragic. You see, I've only seen Jin Kazama up close twice, and the second time was just within the last few days. I can't quite put my finger on it, but … something's definitely changed about him; the look in his eyes for instance is completely opposite of what I saw the first time. I don't know for sure, something inside is telling me that he should be trusted, and you should never ignore that voice inside, right."
Paul and Law weren't as convinced as Lee. The two shared an apprehensive look as they were deciding what to do. Finally, they came to about the same conclusion.
"You're the boss, Lee," Law voiced for the both of them.
--
Sitting on opposite ends of the table, on opposite ends of the conference room, Lee, the head of G Corporation, and Jin Kazama, the head of the Mishima Zaibatsu, were in the same room, about to merge their two companies. No one could have sanely predicted this would happen at any time. Two companies locked in competition and rivalry in almost every aspect of their business were about to put their differences aside and actually work together towards something. In the world of industry and business, something of this nature was effectively unheard of. The very sight of these two powerful CEOs merging, the symbol of this unprecedented move of action, garnered a massive storm of white camera flashes so bright that, for a moment or so, the room was almost completely white. Finally, when the commotion of the media died down, a neutral lawyer with the legal, binding document in hand made his way in between Jin and Lee, and began to present the agreement to them.
"Gentlemen," the lawyer offered, "the document has been thoroughly reviewed by lawyers on both sides and on neutral ground; all terms and arrangement have been deemed legitimate, lawful, and just by all parties. Both groups of company executives have also reviewed the document, so I ask now if there are any questions."
Jin didn't answer; he didn't need to. He only shook his head in the negative. Lee, however, had a question, a very big question. This question, with the exception of Jin himself, Asuka and Xiaoyu, was on everyone's mind, but no one wanted to ask it. Still, Lee needed to know if Jin was honest, so, as a test, Lee decided to speak up.
"I have a question for Mr. Kazama," Lee began before asking the question almost everyone had on their minds, "just out of curiosity … what are you trying to accomplish? Why are you doing this?"
Jin had already anticipated the question; he just hadn't expected to answer it just yet. Nevertheless, he knew what his answer was, and what he would say. Jin glanced slightly over his shoulder at Asuka, and then over his other shoulder at Xiaoyu, both of whom gave him a reassuring look. With that unspoken encouragement, he took a deep breath to gather his thoughts and sincerely gave his reason:
"I recently had an epiphany when I realized I had been fighting to gain things that ultimately weren't important. But, by that time, I had done so much damage that I needed help to remove it. Nevertheless, I have to deal with the path of ruin I have laid in my wake, and I must restore what was destroyed. I know you may not trust me, and I
won't begin to blame you. I can't ask you to trust me, and I know some of you will never forgive me for all I have caused. But, I promise I'll do everything in my power to bring back everything back to the way it was before. It's just something that I must do; I have to make up for what I've done."
No one really expected that, but Lee heard the honesty in Jin's voice, his speech, and his tone. The media could only look at the two in confused silence as there was a pause for a moment, as if everyone else in the room had to really take in what Jin had just said. Finally, a satisfied smile emerged on Lee's face; Jin had passed his test.
Not sure if it was safe to proceed, the lawyer inquired, "Any more questions, Mr. Chaolan sir?"
Lee quickly replied, "No; that's all. Let get on with it."
With that, the lawyer handed Jin the document, and pointed out where to sign. Jin then pulled out a pen from his shirt, and, with several quick flourishes of his hand, signed his name, binding himself to the document. The lawyer quickly scooped up the document afterwards, carried it across the room, and handed it to Lee. Doing the same as Jin, Lee pulled out a pen of his own and gave his signature. Both companies were now bound; the document was signed, and the deal was done.
Unexpectedly, as the lawyers scooped up the document once more, Lee quickly got up from his seat, rounded the far side of the table, and, with Anna, Bruce, Paul, and Law right behind him, approached Jin. Jin, in reaction, did the same with Nina, Eddy, Asuka, and Xiaoyu right behind him, and both men silently stood face to face at the center of the table, to the left of the center of the room. At this point, no one in the room was moving, speaking, or even making a noise; the room filled with an eerie silence in anticipation of what was going to occur next. Finally, after an intense moment, Jin and Lee simultaneously reached their hands forward, and exchanged a friendly handshake, drawing a sigh of relief from the crowd and relieving the tremendous pressure the moment built up. Once the shock wore off, another hail of camera flashes filled the room.
"Pleasure doing business with you … partner," Lee said before adding, "But you must understand that this merge is on a short leash."
Jin replied with a smile, "Of course. I look forward to collaborating with you, Mr. Chaolan."
The headline on the front page of every newspaper around the world read almost the exact thing the next day: Mishima G Incorporated is born.
--
Extra Support for the Cause
In the whole flurry of events following the King of Iron Fist Tournament 6, Lili figured it was smart if she got some extra protection. Soon, she hired Christie Monteiro, a Brazilian woman she met during the tournament, and Steve Fox, a British boxer who needed work after the boxing tournaments stopped months ago. Also, Hwoarang was her personal bodyguard, but her reasons for 'hiring' him were … different; they were more … personal. In any case, Lili and her associates were walking through her father's office building toward one of the main conference rooms; apparently there was a special visitor waiting just for her. Eventually, they made it to their apparent destination as one of her visitor's own bodyguards was standing outside of the conference room door.
"Mr. Kazama would like to speak with you inside," Eddy Gordo said.
Immediately, Lili had her suspicions about this, and thought hard about blowing the meeting off. However, before she could come to that conclusion, something inside her told her not to, that this could mean something important. After all, he had traveled a long way just to talk to her, and, if nothing else, the recent news surrounding him suggested he may have turned around. In the end, Lili decided it would be best to see what he wanted; he may have actually had something important to say.
"Okay," Lili calmly said with slight irritation, "Christie, would you please stay here and watch Mr. Gordo while I attend to my … visitor."
Christie merely nodded in affirmation, accepting her task. Lili, with Hwoarang and Steve right behind her, then entered the conference room. Christie, slightly apprehensive about it but achieving her assignment, took a place opposite to Eddy. The silence between the Capoeira masters was tense to say the least; the two of them had history that had turned somewhat sour after Eddy's departure. This was all made that much worst by the fight the two had in the tournament.
Finally breaking the silence, Eddy hesitantly praised, "Congratulations on your win at the tournament. It seems you've already surpassed me."
Christie, somewhat appreciating the compliment, plainly replied, "Thanks."
Inside the room, Jin, with Xiaoyu and Asuka at his sides, was standing at the side adjacent to the door, looking out of the window. Hearing the door open and close, the three slowly turned to face their audience. Jin's attention, however, went right to the orange-haired fighter right behind Lili, his eyes immediately landing on Hwoarang.
"Hwoarang," Jin asked with surprise, "What are you doing here?"
Hwoarang replied with a hint of hostility and annoyance, "I could ask you the same thing, Kazama. But I'm here because … I'm the Princess' bodyguard."
Jin almost instantly made a puzzled face and asked in confusion, "Bodyguard? Since when do you act as a bodyguard?"
Hwoarang, his irritation growing at the sight of Jin and the memory of the tournament, quickly shot back, "That's none of your d-- business, Kazama. And don't even think that I forgot; you still owe me a fight. You're just lucky that your girlfriend there (points at Xiaoyu) saved you in the last tournament."
That brought an immediate smile to Jin's face. Now, he remembered that Xiaoyu did have to beat Hwoarang to get to the semi-finals. He even recognized the irritation and aggravation in Hwoarang's voice. It was all Jin could do to not chuckle at it. He then realized that Xiaoyu managed to take down a guy that Jin himself had trouble with. All of this combined caused Jin to turn to Xiaoyu with a smile and a look of slight admiration; Xiaoyu easily noticed, and, despite her efforts to stay composed, slightly blushed. Still, Jin couldn't resist subjecting his rival to some good-natured ribbing.
"Sounds more like she saved you," Jin jokingly fired at Hwoarang with a smile on his face, half-laughing to himself.
Hwoarang, not liking the look on Jin's face or being mocked, quickly began to approach Jin in anger, ready to fight. Lili, however, not wanting a confrontation especially in her father's building, quickly held Hwoarang back, and calm him down with ease, much to Jin's amazement.
"Calm down, hon," Lili whispered to Hwoarang.
Despite Lili's attempt to keep the comment hushed, Jin caught it. Hon? As in short for Honey? Now, Jin was catching on, and everything suddenly made sense. He realized why Hwoarang was a bodyguard, why Lili was able to calm him down so easily, what that look he gave her meant, why she smiled at him like that. Unable to really hold back this knowledge, Jin voiced his conclusion.
"Okay, I see," Jin let out, "You two are…"
Anticipating Jin's comment and hastily changing the subject, Lili inquired, "Is there a reason you're here, Mr. Kazama?"
Allowing for the moment to pass, Jin straightforwardly answered, "Yes, actually; I have something for you."
Jin then produced a document from the briefcase he was holding, and slid across the table to Lili. Suspicious, Lili slowly lifted the document from the table, and, with Steve and Hwoarang looking over her shoulders, began skimming over it:
At 5 percent … Mishima Zaibatsu … relinquish all rights and ownership of Rochefort oil fields … to Rochefort industries.
Despite the legal Jargon filling it, Lili, Steve, and Hwoarang understood what the document meant. All three were shocked by what it was proposing, and, for a moment, they could only stare at Jin in mystification. Finally, after shaking off the shock, Lili tried to find out some answers to the blizzard of questions in the room.
"Look … this sounds good and all, but why are you giving this to me? I'm only 17; I can't sign a legal document," Lili said.
Jin then calmly and smoothly replied, "I know; the document is for your father, whom I wish a speedy recovery by the way. I just figured it would sound a lot better to him if it came from you rather than from me. As it pertains to you, please just consider it a … eight-months-early 18th birthday present. It's at your discretion whether to give it to him or not."
Hwoarang was just silent with awe and disbelief at this point; He had never known Jin to act this. Soon, it got too much, and Hwoarang had to say something.
With skeptic irritation, Hwoarang ranted, "Okay; that's enough. This sounds a little too generous especially coming from you and I'm not totally convinced by that speech you gave at G Corporation. This 'change of heart' of yours is too unbelievable. I want to know what's really going on. Tell me the truth; what are you really after, Kazama?"
Jin stopped at Hwoarang's challenge. Slowly, Jin turned his head away slightly, debating whether to answer honestly or not. Eventually, Jin concluded that he owed his rival the truth, and revealed his goal.
"What I'm really after, Hwoarang is …" Jin confessed, "redemption."
Hwoarang started to say something back but he actually managed to notice something about Jin. He actually recognized the sincerity in Jin's voice and attitude; now, Hwoarang believed Jin had turned around. Out of respect, Hwoarang decided to accept the answer and not push the issue further. Lili also picked up on Jin's honesty, and, after taking one more preliminary scan off the document, announced her decision.
"Alright, Mr. Kazama, I'll forward this to my dad," Lili said before adding, "but not because of you or what you said."
A little surprised, Jin politely inquired, "Oh. Then, why are you doing this?"
Lili, the one to speak sincerely this time, answered, "Because Asuka's your cousin; if she trusts you, I'm sure that I can trust you too."
Amused by the statement, Jin replied with a smirk, "I'll take it. Thank you."
Asuka, amused and actually honored by the statement, then added, "Thanks, Lili-chan."
With their business concluded, Jin, Asuka, and Xiaoyu began to leave, with Lili, Steve, and Hwoarang moving aside. However, before they could open the door, Hwoarang stopped Jin by grabbing his arm. This, of course, caused Xiaoyu and Asuka to stop as well, and the same eerie silence and threat of confrontation that had been hovering over Jin for the past months filled the room. Finally, as he released Jin, Hwoarang got the words that he wanted to say out.
"… Good luck, Kazama,' Hwoarang forced out.
Jin, appreciating the compliment and somewhat enjoying the difficulty Hwoarang had getting it out, jokingly replied, "What, no insult? No challenging me to a fight? No telling me you're going to kick my a-- the next time you see me?"
Hwoarang replied with a smile, "Yeah yeah yeah; just get out of here before I change my mind. I'm just giving you a head start."
Jin chuckled a little with satisfaction, and, as he gave Hwoarang a friendly pat on the shoulder, said, "Thanks, Hwoarang."
Now truly finished, Jin and company left. Several weeks later, Mishima G Incorporated gained a new partner, Rochefort Industries.
--
We strive Together
The past number of weeks had been going much smoother than expected; with the two mega-companies working well together since the merge and with the added support of the Rocheforts, the efforts to get the world back to the prosperous state it was in were moving right along.
After being away to check on how things were progressing, Xiaoyu and Asuka, who the public knew as Jin's 'spiritual advisors', were returning to headquarters. As they were walking toward Jin's office, the two young women crossed paths with a face familiar to Asuka; walking away from Jin's office was a frustrated and conflicted-looking Lei Wulong. Both wondered why Det. Wulong looked the way he did, exchanging confused looks, but they didn't stop. Eventually, they entered the office to find a dejected Jin sitting at his desk.
Confused about just was happening, Xiaoyu asked, "Jin-kun, who was that?"
Jin, sounding as crestfallen as he looked, replied, "That was Det. Lei Wulong. He had to see me about something."
Upon hearing the name, Asuka had a remembrance, and hastily spat out, "That reminds me; I need to ask him something."
Asuka then quickly exited the room, running after Lei. Xiaoyu quickly turned her attention back to Jin. As the recent weeks went by and progress had been going forward, Jin seems to have cheered up though it was slight, much to Xiaoyu's delight. But, now, after what was only one day, Jin looked exactly how he looked when he first came back; in truth, he actually looked even more despondent than he did then. As much as she hated to see him like this, Xiaoyu hurt even more when she saw him this time. Just as she did then, Xiaoyu tried to relieve him.
"What did he want with you, Jin-kun," Xiaoyu inquired with concern.
"He said he was going to look the other way for now because of what we're doing, but initially," Jin slowly began before letting the rest of the statement drop out of his mouth like an anvil, "he was here to arrest me."
After letting out a perplexed gasp, Xiaoyu shot out in surprise, "Really? He was going to … arrest you?"
Jin could only reply plainly, "Yes. He read me my whole list of crime and everything. He even started to read me my rights."
This event took Xiaoyu so off-guard that it was as if she got hit by car; it sent a frigid chill right down her spine, and left her in complete stunned silence at the very thought of it all. As Xiaoyu just stared at him while trying to regain control of herself, Jin slowly raised himself from his chair, and started staring out of the window, his back to Xiaoyu.
Jin then began to downheartedly ramble, slowly relaying what it all meant, "Extortion, acts of terrorism, crimes against humanity … not to mention countless others. If I went to jail, I would be executed within the hour, legally or illegally,"
Xiaoyu, affected by Jin's downbeat manner, began to approach him as he continued.
"I've destroyed a lot of things, haven't I," Jin asked with remorse and guilt soaking every word.
Xiaoyu then stood next to him, and reassuringly placed a hand on his shoulder, causing him to turn his head toward her.
In her comforting and supportive tone, Xiaoyu said her words smoothly, "Yes, but you're doing something about those things. You're rebuilding and repairing the damage done. Don't worry, Jin-kun; you'll make everything right again, I know it. And with me, Asuka-chan, Lee-sama, Lili-chan, and everyone else helping, maybe things will turn out better than before."
Jin wasn't surprised at all by what Xiaoyu said, but she did manage to bring his temperament back up; she had done that a lot in the time she'd stayed by him. This most recent time brought all those occurrences back to Jin's mind, and after reliving all of those events, he didn't know how he didn't realize them earlier. Feeling compelled now, Jin knew he need to say something to her. Still, he was amazed that even amongst all the gloom, Xiaoyu still managed to be as cheerful as ever, and give such a positive answer to his grim question.
Jin then commented with a smirk, "You haven't changed a bit, Xiao; you're still as optimistic and naïve as ever."
Surprised and a little offended by the comment, Xiaoyu asked as she placed her hands on her hips in slight irritation, "Hey? What's that's supposed to mean?"
Sensing her starting to get up in arms, Jin peacefully eased her, "Calm down; it was a compliment."
Suddenly, as Xiaoyu relaxed, letting her arms down by her side, Jin found his words beginning to run like a river through his mind. There were things he wanted to say, and some things he suspected, but nonetheless things that need to be said lest he burst from internal pressure. Not able (or really wanting) to hold the overflow of thoughts inside his head, Jin began to let the words come out.
"Asuka-chan helped me a lot, but," Jin began as his tone changed to one more thankful and sincere, "… It's your innocence, your purity of heart that I desperately need the most." His tone unchanging, Jin then began to ask question about things he suspected about Xiaoyu, "You never gave up on me, did you, even when you should have? And you defended me, even when there was no defense for me?"
Xiaoyu, with the words coming naturally to her, replied with a sympathetic and heartfelt pitch, "No, I didn't, and yes, I did. Jin-kun, I will always believe in you, and I will always be beside you. As long as I'm with you, I will always be on your side, no matter what other people say, no matter what happens."
Jin had to take a minute to absorb what Xiaoyu had said. It was something he'd never really heard someone say to him before, and he knew Xiaoyu meant it. For some reason, he couldn't wrap his head around the idea; he couldn't figure out the reason why she would do that. At that moment, Jin remembered just what Xiaoyu said to him at Ground Zero, the exact words that she used to bring him back.
Inquiring further, Jin asked delicately, "And what you said to me back at Ground Zero … when this began … you meant it, didn't you, Xiao-chan?"
Xiaoyu paused for a moment, but not for the regular reason, uncertainty. She knew her answer; there was no question about it in her being. Still, anxiety clasped the words in her heart when Jin asked. Quickly, however, Xiaoyu pushed it away and reassured herself; she'd already said it once, and, based upon his speech, she figured Jin already knew it.
With a confident and genuine voice, Xiaoyu answered, "Yes, it's true. I always have, and I'm sure I always will."
Jin had to stop again to take in what Xiaoyu was saying, and just what it all meant. Suddenly, as everything Xiaoyu said and everything she did for him recently cascaded through his mind, as everything she had been to him suddenly registered, as he continued to look at her, Jin began to feel something slowly fill him that was unlike anything he'd felt before. This 'feeling' had actually been lingering within him for weeks, which was one of the reasons he sent her and Asuka away for a time; he partly figured that it would just pass, but not only had it not gone away but this time, it was more intense than it had been every time previous. Though he did his best to hide it, Jin suddenly felt anxious. His hands began shaking. His palms became clammy. His body abruptly felt as if someone lit a match inside his shirt. His stomach began flipping and spinning in his gut as if he were on a rollercoaster. His heart began throbbing and rapidly beating as if someone reached into his chest and grabbed it. Xiaoyu noticed something going on with Jin, but, oddly enough, she didn't feel it was something to be concerned about as if it were a good thing that was happening.
Deciding to push through, Jin began anxiously stumbling through what he wanted to say, "Well, Xiao-chan, I ... I think I'm … starting to…" Jin, his words failing him, then switched to an impromptu plan, "I want to … give you something, but I'm not sure if I should … give it to you; I'm not sure if you'll like it."
Xiaoyu, figuring he was just nervous about giving her a gift, gave Jin a warm smile, and sweetly said to him, "Don't worry, Jin-kun; I bet I would like anything you gave me."
Jin's feelings just got more vivid after Xiaoyu said that. He wasn't surprised she said it, but it also meant that she was expecting it now. He hadn't calmed himself down enough to actually go through with his plan. Eventually, however, he knew he had to (and wanted to) go through with it, and worked up enough courage to do so.
"Okay; here goes," Jin said more for himself than for Xiaoyu.
Much to Xiaoyu's surprise, Jin came close to her, and gently held her hand in his. Going through with his plan, Jin lowered his head and affectionately pressed his lips onto hers. Xiaoyu shot her eyes wide open from shock, and just froze as the soft kiss continued. After what was only a flickering moment that seemed like forever, Jin pulled away, racked with apprehension over how Xiaoyu reacted, and almost seized up in embarrassment when he saw the stunned expression on her face. However, Xiaoyu's shock quickly gave way to rapture, and she gave him Jin a beaming smile. She had thought about this moment for a long time, but she never thought it would actually happen, and the fact that Jin was the one who initiated it sent Xiaoyu into pure euphoria.
So ecstatic she could barely get her words out, Xiaoyu quietly and cheerfully exclaimed, "I knew I'd like it; I like it a lot."
Jin then did something even more surprising: glad that Xiaoyu accepted his advance, Jin actually smiled; he had smiled a number of times recently, but this smile was the first of its kind he'd had in years. It wasn't one of amusement, wasn't mocking, and didn't have a hint of being sinister at all; this was a smile of happiness, a product of elation; honestly, Jin hadn't felt this joyful since he was 13-years-old. Seeing him actually smile the way he did, Xiaoyu felt her heart leap within her chest, and now she was getting anxious. She'd never really seen him smile that way, but she knew she liked it.
Soon, Jin and Xiaoyu progressed their interaction further. Jin gently wrapped his arms around Xiaoyu's waist, bringing them even closer. Xiaoyu warmly placed her hands behind Jin's head, inviting what was coming next. The two locked eyes, brought their faces as close as they could, and engaged in another kiss; this one, however, was deep, intimate, extended, and passionate. It was beautiful and enjoyable; neither of them giving an inch and neither of them wanting to stop. Eventually, however, they had to come up for air.
Xiaoyu, subtlety asking if this meant what she thought it meant, whispered, "Together?"
Jin, understanding what Xiaoyu was asking, confirmed with a smile, "Together."
Right outside the door, Asuka silently cheered to herself. She had already finished talking to Det. Wulong, and was about to reenter the office when she saw Jin kiss Xiao the first time. Asuka quickly stopped herself, and began to watch them through a crack in the door. She had actually noticed Xiaoyu's admiration for Jin very early on, but she didn't know how Jin felt about Xiaoyu. Now, it was evident, and she was excited for them both. Asuka's smile and excitement grew even more as she continued to watch them get closer; she liked the idea of her friend and her cousin together.
Xiaoyu's elation barely fit in her body; luckily, she didn't have to hold it in. After taking a moment to breath, Jin and Xiaoyu came together and locked their lips together once again, engaging in another passionate kiss. For her, this was the vindication of all her work, determination, and loyalty; it meant that she was right to believe in Jin after all this time. As it related to Jin, this was a return to the person he was before everything happened, a revival of the contentment he had lost track of but he'd felt before. Although what they got out of it was different, though their roads to that moment were different, Jin and Xiaoyu were together, their hearts beating in sync and in tune.
--
The sixth King of Iron Fist Tournament had come to a close, and it brought many things to different people and what happened during it was still having an impact. Lee Chaolan finally got on upper hand on someone he'd been fighting with for most of his life. Lili Rochefort and Hwoarang blurred their lines between rival and friend, and slowly saw their counterparts more of the latter than the former. Asuka had earned back her family's honor, and managed to unite her family once again. Jin had returned to his former self, and felt things he hadn't felt in years and some he had never felt before. Xiaoyu proved herself strong enough make seemingly impossible things come true, and vindicated herself, everything, and everyone she believed in. Alone, they were strong, but together, they were now mighty. As one unit, with everyone of them doing their part, the heart of Mishima G Incorporated willed the world toward a brilliant future.
The Beginning…
A/N: Thank you to everyone who read my story, and, for further comments and a special question, please see the 'Credits' chapter.