(Hello fans of Tekken! From now on I'm going to try and make my opening ANs as shorter, while still leaving the closing ANs as long as they have always been. Additionally, I'm moving the review responses to the end of the story instead of the beginning, so before you freak out about where they went, just scroll down and you'll find them. So, if you like this chapter or any chapter for that matter be sure to leave a review and I'll be sure to include a response in my next update. In the interest of keeping things brief, I'll say that this chapter looks at a variety of things like Anna's personality, Kunimitsu's feelings, and a severe personal crisis that Kazuya has to go through at the end. I'll talk some more about it in my closing AN. Anyway, thank you all so much for reading, and please enjoy chapter twelve!)
The Return
Chapter Twelve
"So… tell me about Jin."
Jane nearly spit out the coffee she was drinking. Quickly swallowing however much of the burning hot liquid was in her mouth, she put the cup down and looked up at the woman sitting across from her. "Excuse me?" She stammered.
Anna did not even flinch, apparently not aware of how taboo it was to mention that name. "I said tell me about Jin." She repeated. "I haven't seen him around recently. What's the poor kid up to these days?"
Again, Jane was shocked by what she heard. "Who?" She asked, hoping desperately that the woman was actually talking about someone other than the man she had in mind.
Anna stared back at Jane with obvious boredom in her eyes. "Jin. You know, Jin the one-eyed Mexican barber from down the lane." She said sarcastically.
Jane easily picked up on the sarcasm. "I suppose you mean Kazuya's son…" She said slowly.
"Umm... ya think?" Asked Anna in a mocking tone.
"Well," Said Jane, trying to ignore the woman's rude behavior. "Mr. Mishima has expressed his feelings towards his son several times to our staff, and we are all under the impression that he would not like us to discuss the matter… especially in this kind of setting."
"So the cats got your tongue. Whereas Kazuya is the metaphorical cat." Rephrased Anna.
"Um, I guess that's one way of putting it." Confirmed Jane.
"Well that sucks." Said Anna as she reclined back in the cushy corporate lounge chair she occupied. There were four of these chairs throughout the room, all situated towards the back of the room, near the door. Jane's desk faced opposite of this large door, and was situated directly in front of a second, smaller door.
Jane, who sat in her own rolling chair behind a massive desk, did not recline. Instead, she leaned slightly forward and peeked at the floor directly in front of her, where the unconscious body of a man lay.
"Not to change the subject… but shouldn't we put him into one of the chairs?" asked Jane slowly as she indicated the man.
Anna, who had somehow pulled out a nail file and was now carefully filing away at her nails, did not even look up. "Hmmm?" She asked distractedly. "Sorry I couldn't hear you."
"I said, don't you think that we should at least prop him up into one of the chairs? He looks disgraceful just lying on the ground like that." Repeated Jane.
"Him? You mean the guy with the hair?" Asked Anna.
"Yes, him." Jane said as she wondered who else she could have possibly been talking about.
Anna stopped filing her nails and glanced at the man on the ground. She appeared to be thinking, then shook her head quickly. "Nah. He looks too comfortable down there. Heaven forbid we disrupt his beauty sleep." Then she nonchalantly crossed and put her legs up on the coffee table in front of her. Immediately she began filing away at her nails again.
Jane looked on with confusion. To herself, she took note of how strange this woman was acting.
Meanwhile, time dragged on slowly. The two women said nothing as they waited, preparing themselves for the moment when Kazuya would arrive. Just moments ago, Jane had called him and informed him of Anna William's sudden arrival, and that fact that she had completed her recent mission.
Anna was a part of Kazuya's elaborate network, a network that stretched all the way across the planet. Countless men and women were employed under his control, forming a whole secret empire of connections that took him a long time to build.
Following his takeover of the Mishima Zaibatsu, Kazuya found that many of the former Tekken fighters needed work. Some of them, like his son, brother, and father, had gone completely off the grid. But others, like Anna, Nina, and Lee, chose to ally themselves with Kazuya and the fast-growing business conglomerate he controlled.
People like Lee were easy to find jobs for. His technical background meant that he was an easy pick for lead engineer of the Zaibatsu. But other people like Anna and her sister Nina were a little harder to place. Of course, their deadly training and history as renowned assassins meant that their talents would be wasted in a corporate office. So instead of giving the sisters desk jobs, Kazuya decided to let them do what they loved; hunt.
There were only three people on the earth who posed a remote threat to Kazuya, and as luck would have it, he was directly related to them all. Obviously the most dangerous man in his family was his deposed son, Jin, who had completely disappeared. Wherever he was, he was probably using a fake name and an identity, living in some desolate corner of the globe. Jin wasn't directly challenging Kazuya's rule, but the mere power that Jin possessed made Kazuya decide that he had to be dealt with nonetheless. So he chose to send Nina Williams, the blonde assassin and former associate of Jin's, after the boy. Kazuya knew that his son would be extremely difficult to locate, and even harder to subdue, so naturally he didn't put much faith in Nina's quest. If anything, he just gave her the job to keep her occupied.
This left two other men, them being his father and his brother. His father was arguably the most devious member of the Mishima family, having staged many miraculous comebacks and elaborate traps over the course of his lifetime. He was highly trained and experienced in the ways of Mishima Style Karate, but this came at a price: Heihachi was getting old. Too old to fight. During the most recent Tekken tournament, he had pushed his body to the limits, nearly collapsing from exhaustion on multiple occasions. But the fact that Heihachi was almost 90 years old didn't stop Kazuya from worrying about him.
Although the details were sketchy and unreliable, Kazuya had been hearing rumors of his father's location, which seemed to be somewhere in the Himalaya Mountains. Of course, sending a team out there to search the massive mountain range would be a monumental waste of time, so he chose to leave the man alone. Besides, he knew that Heihachi would probably be found surrounded by loyal, even fanatic followers. Heihachi had a strange knack for gathering followers, so it did not surprise Kazuya a bit when he heard that Heihachi was in the care of a small army, hopelessly loyal to him.
After all, those same rumors that had spoken of Heihachi's location and followers had also whispered tales of a secret even more terrifying; Heihachi was ill.
No one knew what it was. Some said it was a form of cancer, some said it was simply old age. Meanwhile others still have claimed that it was the hand of God, repaying Heihachi for all the evil he caused in his lifetime. Whatever the explanation was, the rumors were everywhere. If everything they said was true, then the old man's days were numbered.
So with his father seemingly out of the picture, Kazuya was left with only one more man to worry about; Lars Alexandersson.
Lars was a new player to the game. Unlike Jin, Kazuya, and Heihachi, he had only participated in one Tekken Tournament, and spent the rest of his life in hiding. During that tournament, it was revealed that Lars was actually the illegitimate son of Heihachi Mishima. This revelation sent shockwaves throughout the world, because for the first time in ages, the Mishima family made a new addition. Lars also played a pivotal role in ending the Great War and securing peace thereafter. During the conflict, Kazuya met Lars for the first time and was almost defeated by him. Deeply impressed by his new brother's strength, Kazuya became obsessed with capturing the man and bringing him back for a rematch.
However, as most Mishimas tend to do, Lars went into hiding immediately after the seventh tournament ended. Since Kazuya was busy rebuilding his business, he needed someone else to find Lars for him. And when Anna Williams showed up at the Zaibatsu looking for work, Kazuya knew exactly who to send her after. Kazuya had worked with Anna many times in the past, and had a begrudging respect for the woman. He found her highly irritating and flat-out annoying on many levels, but her fighting skills were impressive. That, coupled with the fact that Anna was constantly trying and failing to seduce Kazuya, led to him selecting her for the very important mission.
He knew that Lars would be hard to find, so he didn't put much faith in the woman or her unorthodox tactics. Up until last night, he imagined that Anna would be spending the next few years on a wild goose chase, producing little results. However she had completely stunned him by showing up at the Zaibatsu with Lars in tow.
When he got the call from Jane that Anna had returned, he was extremely impressed, then instantly suspicious. Lars did not seem like the kind of man who would fall for Anna's tricks. If it really was Lars, then Kazuya would have to see for himself.
"Umm… can I have a cup of tea?" Asked Anna suddenly, catching Jane completely off guard.
Jane looked up at the woman in confusion. "Sure, go ahead…?" She answered slowly.
Anna stared at Jane, then leaned her head forward slightly. "Well, are you going to get it or what?" She asked.
Jane shot the woman a dirty look. "You do realize that I'm Kazuya's secretary, right? Not a waiter."
Anna rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever honey. I don't care what you call yourself just make sure not to fill the cup too high." She said insultingly.
Again, Jane shot her a dirty look. "Listen, I'm sorry to disappoint you but it is not my job to get you drinks." She said angrily.
"Uggggggghhhhhhh" Complained Anna as she slumped backwards in her chair melodramatically. "The help wasn't nearly this incompetent back when I worked here. Kazuya must have lowered his standard when he hired you."
"I've been working here for years."
Anna stared at the girl with boredom in her eyes. "Oh please. I've known Kazuya since before he died." She shot back.
"Before he died?" Asked Jane confusedly.
"You know, that whole volcano thing? They say he died." Explained Anna.
"Oh."
"Yeah. He's one touch cookie that Kazuya. You know, it took me almost twenty years to get him in the palm of my hand." Bragged Anna.
Jane immediately called her BS. "In the palm of your hand?" She asked. "What do you mean by that?"
Anna quickly swiped her hair to one side then started filing her nails again. "Oh, you know. Men can only last so long before they give in."
"Give in to what, exactly?" Asked Anna.
"Why, ME of course." Said Anna matter-of-factly. "Kazuya might seem like a cold, untouchable man, but let me tell you, he came around."
"I highly doubt that." Replied Jane, who knew that the woman was completely lying.
"And why on earth would you ever doubt that?" Asked Anna.
"Well…" Said Jane smugly. "I saw Kazuya dancing with another woman at the big gala last week."
"YOU SAW WHAT!" Screamed Anna suddenly.
Jane was shocked by the sudden display of emotion.
"KAZUYA MISHIMA WAS DANCING!? WITH A WOMAN!? A WOMAN WHO WASN'T ME!?"
Jane recovered from her surprise and started to enjoy the woman's anger. "Oh yeah," She taunted. "He took her right on the dance floor, and they stayed there for almost a full hour. It was so romantic."
Anna stood up angrily and stormed over to Jane's desk. She slammed her fists down on the table in rage. "WHO." She said through clenched teeth. "WHO IS THIS BITCH THAT THINKS SHE CAN JUST SHOW UP AND START DANCING WITH KAZUYA!?"
"I don't know." Answered Jane honestly. "They left together on his helicopter in the middle of the party and nobody saw her ever again. Nobody really got a good look at her, but they say that she was beautiful."
"SHUT UP." Responded Anna in rage.
"Hmm, sounds like someone is a bit jealous." Teased Jane.
"You shut your mouth before I slap it off." Threatened Anna as she raised her hand.
Jane, well aware of Anna's fighting capabilities, backed off immediately.
Anna spun around and angrily started pacing the room. She even began muttering to herself. "Twenty years…. Twenty long years I've been trying to conquer that man, and then all of a sudden he opens up to some random bitch off the street? Who the hell does she think she is?!"
Jane leaned back in her chair and enjoyed the show. Clearly Anna had been trying to seduce Kazuya for years on end, and was infuriated by the fact that someone actually beat her to it.
"Twenty god damn years… That stupid tree-hugger from the second tournament was the only one who ever succeeded, and now suddenly he's found someone else?! This is just insulting!" Fumed Anna as she paced back and forth in front of Jane's desk, clenching her fists in rage.
Then, as if on cue, the two large doors at the entrance of the room burst open.
And Kazuya Mishima walked in.
"KAZUYA!" Yelled Anna when she saw the man enter the room.
Kazuya glanced at Anna briefly, then turned his gaze to the man on the floor. He said nothing.
Anna, on the other hand, was not in the mood for silence. "WHO IS SHE!?"
Kazuya crossed his arms and looked back at Anna with an annoyed look on his face.
"Stop yelling. You're going to give me a headache." He said coldly.
Anna, despite being fuming mad, obeyed. "You went dancing with some girl, and it wasn't me?! What happened to all the years we've spent together?"
Kazuya narrowed his eyes. "You mean the gala." He said emotionlessly.
"Yes I mean the gala! I've been trying to get you to go to parties for like, ever!"
"What happened at the gala is none of your business." Shot back Kazuya, ignoring the woman's claims.
"Just tell me who it is!" Demanded Anna.
Kazuya let an angry look overcome his face, fully directed at the woman standing before him. If there was one thing Kazuya hated more than anything else, it was being ordered around. "I said that is none of your business."
Anna stomped her foot on the ground like a child throwing a tantrum. "I've been trying to make you open up for twenty years! Who does this bitch think she is?! I'm the one that's always been there for you!" Yelled Anna.
Kazuya took a menacing step forward, getting right up in Anna's face. "Don't call her a bitch." He said through clenched teeth.
Anna, despite being furious a second ago, cowered in the face of Kazuya's might.
"And furthermore," He continued. "You're acting like a child. You know damn well that I'll never open up to you, and you're just getting upset because you think someone else beat you to it. Well you're wrong. That woman I danced with at the gala is not who you think she is, and she is someone that neither of you…" He motioned to Jane as well, including her in the decree, "…will ever see again. Understood."
Anna stared angrily back at Kazuya for several tense seconds, during which Kazuya's dominating gaze did not falter in the least. Finally, she gave in.
Crossing her arms over her chest and turning away quickly to face the opposite wall, Anna frowned angrily and pretended to watch some other location in the room. She looked like a pouting child. "Fine." She said. "Have it your way."
Kazuya continued to glare at her for another few seconds, then finally relented and turned to face the unconscious man on the floor. Crossing his arms in his trademark style, Kazuya observed the man and took note of his appearance.
The man looked to be in his early thirties, probably of European or Scandinavian descent. He was rolled over on his side, which allowed Kazuya to see most, but not all, of his face, the man had light blue eyes, with sharp auburn eyebrows. He had a large scar sliced across his left eye, from above his eyebrow to just below the eyeball. He had another scar as well, this one much smaller, on his lower right cheek.
The man's hair was especially identifiable. As soon as Kazuya saw the enormous, long spikes of light brown hair, he knew exactly who he was looking at. In a gravity-defying fashion, the man's hair stuck straight up in three long spikes and three short spikes, then straight down in three more short, angled spikes. His hair was mostly a light brown, but several streaks of greyish-white adorned the edges. There was only one man on earth who could pull off such an absurd hairstyle.
Lars Alexandersson. Thought Kazuya. My half-brother has finally returned.
Kazuya looked down at his brother as he silently examined the man, making absolutely sure that this was actually him. He said nothing, but the look in his eyes spoke more than enough. Kazuya was impressed.
"I know, right?" Replied Anna, who had evidently noticed Kazuya's eyes and recovered from her anger.
"How did you do it." Asked Kazuya bluntly, refusing to look up at the woman he addressed.
"Oh, you know…" Said Anna slowly, as if she was enjoying every word. "The same way I always get my mark. The poor guy was so wrapped up with trying to win me over that he didn't even realize who I was. Then, when his guard was down, I knocked him out and administered a sedative."
"Is that so." Asked Kazuya, who was clearly not buying it.
"Indeed it is." Replied Anna proudly.
Kazuya crossed his arms over his chest and raised his eyes to meet Anna's. They stared at each other for some time in tense silence, then finally Kazuya spoke. "And when my brother wakes up, he's not going to tell me otherwise, right?"
Anna suddenly appeared nervous. "What? Absolutley!" She blurted out. "Are you trying to say I'm lying?" She asked defensively.
"Of course not." Answered Kazuya as he turned around and pulled out a cell phone from his pocket. "I'm just saying, Lars probably has his own side to the story."
"Oh please," Laughed Anna, trying to downplay the obvious exaggerations she was making. "You and your wild imagination…"
Kazuya took one more glance at Anna, then looked down at the phone in his hand. Pressing two buttons on the smooth touchscreen face of the phone, Kazuya brought it up to his ear and listened for the dial tone.
"Sir?" Asked a masculine voice on the other end.
"Reike." Said Kazuya. "Send two men up here immediately. We have a new prisoner."
"Very well sir. I'm on it."
Kazuya was about to hand up, when Reike stopped him with a sudden question.
"And, sir?" He asked suddenly.
"What."
"Your other prisoner has regained consciousness. Mr. Kazama is awake and healthy. There seem to be no lasting effects of the tranquilizer or the preceding combat. He is fully attentive and ready to be interrogated." Reported Reike methodically.
Kazuya said nothing, but merely hung up and slid the phone back down into his pocket. Rarely did Kazuya's employees ever receive the courtesy of a "goodbye" before he hung up on them.
"Who was that?" Asked Anna lazily as she poked the unconscious Lars with her foot.
Completely ignoring Anna's question, Kazuya turned and addressed Jane. "Reike's men are en route. Make sure they collect my brother and be careful with him. Tell them to transfer him to Sub-level 9-F."
Jane listened attentively as Kazuya spoke, then nodded when he was done. "On it, sir." She said "Will that be all?"
Kazuya thought for a moment, then looked down at Lars' body on the ground below him. "Actually…" He said, "Call Lee. Tell him to bring his most advanced restraining equipment."
Before Jane could reply, Anna Shrieked with delight.
"LEE IS HERE?!" She asked in excitement as she stopped prodding Lars' body with her foot.
Kazuya looked lazily up at the woman, and shot her a dirty look.
Anna ignored the look, and turned eagerly to Jane. "You didn't tell me that Lee was here! Oh my god it's been like, a billion years since we've seen each other! I can't wait to meet the old devil!"
Jane closed her eyes and sighed. So this was the great Anna Williams, the one that Lee had told her so much about. Apparently Lee and Anna used to be quite an item together, but those days were far behind. Now, Lee was dating Jane, and the chance that he would actually enjoy a visit from his old flame was very slim.
Anna clapped her hands in happiness. "Oooooh I just can't wait! You know, me and him go way back. We were like this." Said Anna as she crossed her fingers and held them up for Jane and Kazuya to see.
Jane moaned quietly.
Kazuya did nothing. He knew all about Anna and Lee's old romance.
"If you're done fawning over Mr. Chaolan, we should p be on our way now." He said coolly as he motioned towards the door.
Anna clasped her hands together and smiled widely. "Oh, let's go!" She said. "I just haaaave to see him again." With that, Anna quickly strutted towards the door, opened it, and stepped outside. Kazuya followed suit, instead walking in a much more ambient and foreboding manner.
Now Jane was alone in the room. She removed her hands from her lap and sighed loudly. Lee had told her many tales of the wild antics of Anna Williams during their time together. Not only was she crazy in social situations, but Lee often talked about the ridiculous sexual preferences of the woman.
Despite knowing that Lee truly loved her, Jane could not help but feel slightly jealous whenever Lee brought up Anna. What did she have that I don't? She used to ask herself. And now that she had seen Anna in person, Jane had a couple answers to that question.
Well for starters, she I would be lying if I said she wasn't hot. I only have eyes for Lee but it's plain to see that this woman as incredible sex appeal. Thought Jane, remembering Anna's tight dress and voluptuous curves.
But on the other hand, she is completely bat shit crazy…
…
…
(1:03 AM)
(Mishima Zaibatsu Tower, Sub-Level 9-F)
…
…
Captain Richard Reike stood casually in the middle of the corridor. Across from him, the ninja girl known as Kunimitsu was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. They were mostly just killing time, exchanging causal remarks and sarcastic insults every so often. If they had not both been highly trained combatants and killers working for a ruthless business tyrant in the bottom of the world's most advanced command facility, you would think that they were two childhood friends.
Despite being from two completely different backgrounds, the two found that they actually had a lot in common. For one thing, they were both employees of Kazuya, assigned to special positions instead of the regular old desk jobs. Another thing they shared was the strong appreciation for sarcasm. And finally, they both soon realized that they both enjoyed swapping stories of the girls they'd been with.
"I still can't believe that you're a lesbian. Are you just saying that to mess with me?" Asked Reike casually.
"Nope, not kidding." Replied Kunimitsu with a grin. "I'm terribly sorry for your loss." Teased Kunimitsu, hinting that Reike was attracted to her.
Reike picked up on the insult and laughed. "Oh please. I can't even see your face, how am I supposed to get all hot and bothered over a fox?" He shot back.
Kunimitsu grinned again. "You got something against foxes? I happen to like foxes."
"A lesbian AND an animal lover? Geez, what are you gonna tell me next, that you like to bang trees?" Teased Reike.
Kunimitsu burst out laughing. "Well first of all," She said. "I don't like foxes THAT way. And secondly, Banging a tree sounds like it would hurt."
"You'd probably break something."
"Yeah…In that case, I think I'll just stick to girls."
"Haha, at least we can agree on that." Reike said as he laughed. He was really enjoying the conversation. Usually, being in the high-level position that he was in, nobody ever came just to talk with him. It was always complaint lodgers, business executives, silent mercenaries, or Kazuya himself, each one being a worse conversationalist than the last.
He turned to face down the hallway and then back at his watch. "Well," he said. "Mr. Mishima should be arriving soon. I'll expect you to be on your best behavior."
Kunimitsu snickered.
"I mean it." Replied Reike with a more serious look on his face.
Kunimitsu took the hint and slowly moved back to a standing position. Now she was no longer leaning on the wall. After adjusting her mask with one hand, she yawned loudly and voiced her boredom. "This is gonna suck. It's a Saturday night, and here I am stuck in a lame old tower with a bunch of dudes. Real fun, huh?"
Reike was about to respond with some snappy sarcastic comment, but before he could do so, the elevator door at the end of the hallway opened, revealing Kazuya Mishima standing on the other side.
"Ok here he is." Said Reike as he stood at attention and prepared to salute. Kunimitsu half-heartedly followed suit.
Kazuya walked out the elevator with a vengeance. It was quite ironic, really. The simple task of walking out of an elevator, one that was so simple and repetitive, seemed like a declaration of war from the man who now performed it.
And walking directly behind him was a woman who completely broke the image. She wore a bright red dress, covered in oriental designs and patterns. Her movements were much more fluent, as if she moved her entire body with each step in an attempt to show off. Unlike Kazuya before her, she seemed like someone walking into a party instead of out of an elevator. Truly the contrast between these two was incredible. Reike and Kunimitsu noticed it at once.
"Who is that woman?" Asked Kunimitsu in a hushed tone, for they were still too far way to be in earshot.
Reike had a puzzled look on his face. "I'm not sure. I've never seen her around here before."
As they drew closer, it became evident that the two were having a conversation. As could be expected, the woman in red was doing most of the talking.
"-completely unknown. You know she's never going to find him." Said the woman.
Kazuya did not respond.
"Really, she just takes herself far too seriously. You know, in the past five years I've seen her smile like, once. If at all."
"Maybe that was because you've been trying to kill her for the past five years." Replied Kazuya.
The woman looked up at the ceiling, acting like she was deep in thought. "Hmm…" She mused. "Yeah, that might have had something to do with it."
Kazuya said nothing.
Now Kazuya and the woman arrived outside of the room where Reike and Kunimitsu were waiting. Reike hastily saluted, showing respect for his boss. Kazuya ignored it.
"This is Anna Williams." He said flatly, not bothering to make eye contact with anyone in particular as he spoke.
Anna took the opportunity to turn on her charm. "Oh, hello there." She said in a seductive tone as she held out her hand. "You must be Captain Reike."
Reike took Anna's hand and shook it. "Indeed." He replied.
"And you must be the infamous ninja girl." Said Anna as she turned to face Kunimitsu.
Kunimitsu smiled back at her, eagerly holding out her hand to be shaken. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Williams. I must say, I love your dress."
Anna slowly accepted Kunimitsu's hand and shook it gently. "Thank you, darling." She replied, completely oblivious of the fact that Kunimitsu was staring directly her cleavage. Thankfully, the mask helped protect her snooping eyes from being seen.
While Anna was making her introductions, Kazuya walked over to the door and pressed several buttons on the keypad. Immediately the keypad blinked green and the door slid open.
"You know, you look awfully familiar…" Said Anna as she crossed her arms and looked at Kunimitsu.
Kunimitsu had to tear her eyes away from Anna's breasts and quickly respond. "Oh, that must be because of my mother. She used to be a Tekken fighter. She was entered in the second tournament."
Anna's eyes lit up in delight. "OHHHH! You're the daughter of that cat woman from the second tournament? I absolutely adored her!" Exclaimed Anna.
Kunimitsu sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, haha, actually it's not supposed to be a cat, it's a fox mask." She said.
"Yeah, whatever." Said Anna as she waved her hand dismissively. "Darling, you've just got to tell me about your mom. It's been ages since we've talked."
"Umm, she's since passed away." Replied Kunimitsu.
"Oh, that's too bad." Said Anna with a frown on her face. "I really liked that woman. She was a good fighter. Tell me, why did she stop competing in the tournaments so suddenly?"
"She had a daughter to raise." Answered Kunimitsu honestly, remembering how caring her mother always used to be.
Anna nodded her head, pretending to know what it was like to raise a child. "I can only imagine." She said.
Before Kunimitsu could respond, Kazuya cut her off with a series of short commands. "Reike." He said. "Stay here. When your men arrive with the prisoner in tow, place him in the inquiry center adjacent to this one."
Reike nodded, showing his understanding.
"Also, when Mr. Chaolan arrives, send him in." Finished Kazuya.
Reike nodded again.
"Now, Anna and Kunimitsu, come here." Demanded Kazuya as he entered the room behind him. The two women followed closely.
Once the door shut, complete silence enveloped the room. It was a relatively small room, with black painted walls and a single window. Next to the window was a door, which led into a small white-walled room. In the center of this room was a single metal desk and metal chair, in which sat a middle-aged man.
Kazuya walked over to the window and peered in.
Kunimitsu stood next to him and observed the man as well. "He's healthy, conscious, and rational." She reported.
"Does he know why he's here." Shot back Kazuya.
"He knows that he's here to be questioned. But he denies holding any information that might be considered valuable. Honestly the man just seems scared and confused. Easy prey."
Kazuya said nothing.
Anna walked up behind them and looked in the window as well. "Who's that?" She asked.
Kazuya said nothing again, but continued to stare in at the man in the chair. He leaned forward and squinted his eyes, trying to observe the man in every possible way, looking for specific signs of weakness and strength.
Anna waited patiently for Kazuya to respond, then gave up. She was used to getting ignored by the man. Slowly strutting towards the far end of the room, she sat in an open metal folding chair and crossed her legs.
Kunimitsu saw Kazuya's rejection of Anna's question and decided to act. "He's the father of one of the Tekken fighters." She answered in Kazuya's place.
Anna raised an eyebrow at the fox girl. "Which one?"
"Asuka Kazama."
"Oh, I like her." Said Anna happily. "That kid's got some spunk."
"You have no idea." Muttered Kunimitsu, recalling the kiss she had shared with Asuka just about a week ago.
If Anna heard Kunimitsu's little remark, she pretended not to. Instead, Anna leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms, then addressed Kunimitsu on another topic. "So, you were the one who captured this guy?"
"Yeah." Replied Kunimitsu, proudly bragging.
Anna put on a fake impressed expression. "Did you knock him out?" She asked.
"Yeah." Answered Kunimitsu.
"What did you use? I'm usually more of a desflurane gal, but recently sevoflurane has been catching my eye. I might switch over to that once I'm clean out of my 'des'."
"Your what?" Asked Kunimitsu in complete confusion.
Anna rolled her eyes. "Come on, kid. Sevoflurane? Perhaps you're more familiar with its scientific name; fluoromethyl hexafluoroisopropyl ether?"
"Hexaflorisproppy-what?"
Kazuya glanced condescendingly towards Kunimitsu, then back through the window.
Anna noted Kazuya's action and joined in with a giggle of her own. "Oh darling. You really need to read up on your sedatives. There are some great products out there for people who know where to look." She said smugly.
Kunimitsu was getting embarrassed. She had no idea what was in her sedative agent. "I use horse tranquilizer." She blurted out. "I think…"
Anna raised an eyebrow and looked directly at Kunimitsu. "Oh… how unique." She remarked.
Kunimitsu was not sure if that was a compliment or an insult. Her specific chemical sedative was an old family recipe passed down from members of the old Manji clan. She wasn't sure how it was made or what was even in it, mostly because she just bought it from a dealer on the local black market. If she actually did find out what was in it anyway, she knew she would be unable to pronounce the complex scientific names.
Just then, as Kunimitsu was feeling more and more embarrassed, the door to the room opened.
A man in a lab coat walked forward, then stood precariously in the doorway.
"Kazuya?" He asked carefully.
"Come in." Replied Kazuya, not even bothering to look up as Lee Chaolan entered the room.
Lee walked into the room, his arms completely full and overflowing with all sorts of metal pieces and technological equipment. This must have been the entrainment equipment that Kazuya mentioned. As the door slid shut behind him, Lee took a deep breath as he looked directly at his boss, who was refusing to even give him a glance.
"Sir," he said. "I came as quickly as I could, and I wasn't sure if you wanted just the level one clearance technology or the entire- " Lee stopped dead in the middle of his sentence as he looked to his left and saw the figure of Anna sitting there smiling back at him.
Immediately he dropped all the equipment he was carrying, letting it fall to the ground where it made loud crashing and clanging noises.
"You seem to have dropped something… stud." Said Anna seductively as she looked at Lee coyly.
Lee's eyes opened wide and he took a step backwards in shock. "An-An-Anna?"
At the sound of her name, Anna jumped up and embraced Lee with both her arms in an enveloping hug. "Oh darling! You DO remember me!" She exclaimed.
Lee, whose face was beginning to turn white, tried to speak. "What- Who is- but- why are you- how- What are you doing here?"
Anna hugged Lee even tighter as he stuttered. "I was in town and I just figured, eh, what the hell?" Said Anna in a carefree manner.
Before Lee could reply, he was interrupted by Kazuya. "Anna completed her mission." He said. "Lars is in the adjoining room."
If Lee appeared shocked at the sight of Anna, then this news was like a knockout punch to the face. "She did what?!" He blurted out in surprise.
Anna released her grip on Lee, but only pulled back and held him by the shoulders. "You heard Kazuya! I picked the Swede up on my way here. It was no trouble at all, really."
"Lars is HERE?" Asked Lee.
"Of course. Where else would he be?" Replied Anna.
"Is that what my restraining equipment was for?" He asked to Kazuya.
Kazuya nodded, still not taking his eyes off the captive through the glass.
Lee looked around the room like a deer caught in the headlights, then suddenly back towards Kazuya. "I… I should probably get something a little more heavy duty." He said slowly.
Kazuya took one look at the pile of advanced technology on the ground and nodded his agreement. Lars was no simple prisoner. If the Zaibatsu tower had a special maximum security detention cell, which it didn't, then Lars would definitely be there. Kazuya and Lee were both aware of Lars' talents and strengths, and simultaneously realized that no simple handcuffs or walls would hold him.
"I have some higher-grade materials. It would take about an hour to fully install a suitable containment unit into his cell." Reported Lee.
Kazuya looked to be thinking deeply. "How long will he remain unconscious."
Anna, realizing that the question was directed at her, quickly let go of Lee and faced her boss. "I'd say about four more hours at least. I used a pretty substantial does of 'des'." She said as she shot a glance over towards Kunimitsu.
Kunimitsu had been silently following the conversation, then suddenly looked up at the mention of Anna's tranquilizing agent.
Kazuya said nothing, but returned his gaze to the window in front of him, signaling that he approved.
"So…" Said Lee awkwardly. "I'll go get that stuff now."
Lee waited for a response, but got none. Taking this as a yes, he scooped up as much of the old equipment that he could carry, then started backing out towards the door. As he went, he looked awkward back towards Anna, as if still unsure that he was actually seeing what he thought he was seeing.
But just as he was just about to leave, Kazuya spoke. "Take Anna with you." He said flatly.
"Yay!" Shrieked Anna, who dashed forward and hugged Lee again, nearly making him drop all his equipment.
Lee sighed loudly, then opened his mouth to respond. But after he took one more look at the intimidating figure of Kazuya, leaning against the glass of the interrogation room, he decided against it.
"Okay… if you're going to come with me, can you at least take some of this stuff off my hands?" Asked Lee.
Anna eyed the pile carefully, then reached in and picked out a single AA battery, and held it up for Lee to see. "Sure!" She said with a smile, clearly trying to annoy him.
Lee sighed again, then turned and walked out of the room. Anna followed suit.
But just as Anna had exited the doorway, she turned around and leaned her head back into the room. "Hey, you." She said, looking at Kunimitsu.
"Me?" Asked Kunimitsu in surprise.
"Yeah. You." Breathed Anna in reply. "Listen, I'm not trying to embarrass you here, but if you're going to keep staring at my ass, you should at least try to hide it." She scolded.
Kunimitsu's face turned incredibly red.
Kazuya almost laughed.
"Honey, you can do as much window shopping as you'd like, but you need to be a little more respectable about it. Kay?"
Kunimitsu nodded her head breathlessly.
"Good." Said Anna with a cheery smile. "See ya later, foxy lady! Oh, and you too Kunimitsu."
The door slid shut before Kazuya or Kunimitsu could say anything, and Anna was gone. Disappeared down the hallway in pursuit of her silver-haired accomplice.
Kunimitsu turned to Kazuya and tried to talk with him. "Hahaha, she's quite the character, eh?"
Kazuya said nothing.
"Haha, I can't believe she actually called you foxy lady."
Kazuya still said nothing.
"For the record, I was totally not staring at her ass."
"Go outside." Said Kazuya abruptly.
Kunimitsu was not offended, but rather relieved to have her awkward encounter over with. She quickly complied and scurried out the door in search of Captain Reike. At least there was one person around the Zaibatsu who was nice to her.
As Kunimitsu left, and the door slid silently shut behind her, Kazuya released the deep breath he had been holding. The room was incredibly quiet, not even broken by the steady hum of air conditioners that seemed to permeate other rooms in the building.
Kazuya continued to stare into the glass, directly into the man. He was unmoving, sitting limp like an old doll thrown into a miniature chair. The man's hair was long, almost reaching down to his shoulders. It looked messy and unkept, probably indicating that the man liked to tie his hair back on most occasions.
Even in this state, he bore a striking resemblance to Jun.
This is a mistake… Thought Kazuya. There are more important matters at hand than this foolishness.
He raised himself into a standing position, and stretched his neck out by tilting it to the left and then the right. It had to be about 1:30 by now, and Kazuya was almost starting to feel tired. Shrugging off the feelings of fatigue, he raised one hand and slowly rubbed his eyes.
When will she be back?
Kazuya took his hand off his face and lowered it to his side. Interrogating the man had been his plan from the start, but it wasn't before long that he started to second guess his decision. In fact almost immediately after assigning Kunimitsu to kidnap the man, Kazuya had begun to regret ordering the mission.
I shouldn't be doing this. Strong doesn't worry about this. Strong does not concern itself with the comings and goings of a foolish old ghost. Strong does not care. I am strong. I do not care.
Finally convincing himself, Kazuya turned around and faced the door, intending to leave the man and never come back.
I am strong. I do not care.
As he eyed the door, memories of the past week came flowing back to him. Like little snapshots flashing before his eyes, Kazuya remembered the various talks and experiences he had with Jun. Some were short, others were long. Some were good, some he regretted.
All I have to do is walk out that door, tell Reike to release the poor man, and move on with my life. No one will notice. No one will care. Then this ridiculous nightmare will end, meaning that my life will return to normal. THAT is what I need. I'm going to leave right now…
As if in response, he heard an echo. It was Jun, not speaking to him directly, but rather in the form of a memory from when he had first met her at the gala.
"No you won't, Kazuya. You want to see me just as much as I want to see you."
Kazuya could hear each word, every vowel, as if Jun was standing right in front of him. Immediately he denied it, but deep down he knew the woman's words were right. He did want to see her.
This whole thing was a mistake. I should never have sent Kunimitsu on that mission in the first place. It was a stupid whim…
Again, he remembered Jun's echoing voice.
"If you think you don't need me so much, then why did you come running when I left you that note?"
It was Jun at the gala again, speaking in and out of context.
I came running because I had to… I came running because I had no choice in the matter. But this is different. Now, I am fully in control of my own decisions and it is fully up to me whether I will go into that room or leave right now.
"I think I know which one you'll choose…"
He could remember Jun's words so clearly it astounded him.
If I go into that room right now, there will be no more denying my feelings. No more saying "I'm just going along with what she says." No more "I'm just doing it for investigative purposes." No more "I don't want her."
"You want to see me just as much as I want to see you."
If I walk into that room, I have to come to grips with the gravity of my decision. There can be no more lying to myself.
"So what will it be? Will you go back and return to the Zaibatsu tower where you'll live out the rest of your days in lonely misery while the world passes you by and the woman you once called your friend disappears forever… or dance one song." Echoed Jun.
Kazuya was frozen. For the past thirty years he had been convincing himself of the kind of man he was; strong, silent, powerful, emotionless. And now simply by stepping into a room he would shatter that image to pieces.
Emotions are weak. Feelings are weak. Second guessing is weak. Yet, right now I am doing all three of those things and more. If I walk through that door, I have to admit that I was wrong. I have to come to terms with the man I am. I have to come to terms with what Jun means to me…
"What do I mean to you, Kazuya?"
Kazuya didn't remember Jun ever saying that at the gala.
What does Jun mean to me? What did she mean to me when we first met? Have things really changed, or are they just as they were before? How can things ever be the same now that we have a son together?
Kazuya, bombarded with his own questions, slowly staggered over towards the exiting door, and prepared to abandon Asukon Kazama behind him. If he left that room, he might as well have left Jun as well.
As he approached the door, he raised a hand and rubbed his forehead, trying to make the thoughts and echoes go away. But it was no use. Kazuya was a mess. He couldn't sleep, eh couldn't eat, he couldn't fight. He had been trying so hard to forget about Jun but no matter what he tried her beautiful face just kept coming back to him.
She's the only person on earth who can do this to me. No one else can make me doubt myself. No one else can challenge me. No one else but Jun…
Kazuya stared hard at the door in front of him, then back over his shoulder at the door that led to the interrogation room.
These feelings will never go away. I know that they only stand to harm me, but yet they just… they just… I just…
…
I need it.
…
…
(1:37 AM)
(Mishima Zaibatsu Tower, Sub-Level 9-F)
…
…
Asukon Kazama was silent. He had eaten the granola bar that had been fed to him, and finally he was starting to feel like his old self again.
He didn't know how long he had been in the room. Maybe it had been a few minutes, maybe it had been a few hours. All he knew was that it felt like a few days. If he had to sit in that room any longer, he would start to go crazy.
He knew the fate that awaited him. The strange girl with the fox mask had told him that he was to be interrogated by Kazuya Mishima himself. Of course, this name carried a lot of weight throughout the world, seeing as Kazuya was the CEO of the most powerful business conglomerate in the world. He was practically a household name.
Aside from his daughter's participation in the tournaments, and his sister's strange relationship with the man, Asukon had very little to do with Kazuya. Truth be told, he had never even seen the man in person. Few people have. Whatever Kazuya was looking for, Asukon could not figure.
Slowly, as time ticked by, he nearly begged for Kazuya to come in. Anything to break the monotony of the damned waiting… And the worst part was, he could see a large black window, very clearly watching him from across the room. He had no idea who was behind it. He had no idea who was sitting behind it, plotting his immediate doom.
As he hung his head in shame and boredom, he almost began to pray. Not that he was a religious man, but merely because he knew that was what people did when they were in trying times. Unfortunately, he knew no prayers, so for the time being it looked like Asukon would just have to wait.
And then, out of nowhere, the door to his cell opened.
Asukon's head shot up. "Who's there?" He asked.
A tall man walked in, wearing long black pants and a dark purple business vest. He also wore a black dress shirt under the vest. The man's hair was black as well, pointed sharply backward in a long spike.
"Kazuya…" Said Asukon breathlessly, who had not been expecting the man to be this intimidating.
Kazuya did not reply, but instead calmly walked into the room and over towards the large metal table.
"Listen, whatever you want, I'm sure we can be reasonable about it. If its information you want, you've got it. If it's my money you're after, then so be it. Just please-"
Kazuya motioned his hand, cutting off Asukon's sentence with a mere flick of the wrist.
Asukon looked on in terror as Kazuya leaned forward and slammed his fists down on the hard metal table directly in front of his chair. Kazuya directed his eyes directly at the man before him, then breathed a single sentence.
"I need you to tell me everything you know about your sister."
End Chapter Twelve
(Thanks for reading! So now we finally know why Kazuya wanted to get his hands on Asukon… or do we? We know that he wants to learn about Jun, but WHAT does he want to know? Hahaha don't ask me, either I haven't figured it out yet, or I can't tell you. In this case, I just can't tell you. Anyway, next chapter is going to focus mainly on Kazuya's interaction with Asukon, his subsequent interrogation, and a series of big, mysterious reveals. Do you think the plot of this story is thick and complicated already? Don't worry. It's about to get wayyyyyy more complicated ;) What else… let's see… oh, yeah, the picture. If you've been with this story since the beginning, you've probably noticed and gotten annoyed by the amount of times I keep changing the cover image. I apologize for this inconvenience, but I just can't seem to pick the right one. I know that I want it to be a picture of Kazuya's face, but finding the perfect picture of his face is harder than I thought. You can expect a few more changes to that picture in the future :P Like I said in the opening AN, all review responses are hereby being moved to the bottom of the chapters, so just scroll down for my responses. Those who reviewed, thank you tremendously for your input! And those who read, thank you tremendously for giving my story a chance! Chapter thirteen is on the way.)
Vastler75- Thanks for reviewing! Clearly your guess was correct, because the "missing" Mishima is about to get a ton of screen time. You can look forward to some really interesting and tense dialogues between him and Kazuya in the future. I don't want to give anything away, but hopefully Lars will turn out to be a sort of an anti-Kazuya, who thinks like him, but acts completely different. Thanks again for reading and for reviewing!
Desidero- You've finally updated your story! I apologize for not reading it yet, but I've been completely inundated with schoolwork, this story, and life in general. I already took a few peeks at your first few chapters, but now that you've updated it only increases the need for me to sit down and read your work. I promise that as soon as this chapter is finished and uploaded, I'll spend all night reading your story. Hopefully I'll be able to get through it in a timely manner and review your work as well, cause I've just been dying to see what you've got. I can tell from your comments in the review that we are two people who think the same way, and if your story is anything like what you wrote about in the review then I know it will be amazing. Anyway, thanks again for giving such a long and detailed review! Everything you said about Jun and Kazuya was exactly what I was going for when I sat down and started writing chapter one. It just bothered me so much how Namco can create such amazing and dynamic characters, then throw them away in a blink of an eye. Killing off Kazuya and Jun in Tekken 2 to make room for "The Jin Era" was probably one of Namco's biggest mistakes. Not that I dislike Jin, because I absolutely love Jin. It's just that I think Kazuya was always a more multi-dimensional character, and the same goes for Jun. These two characters deserve a story of their own, and so I hope, in my own humble way, to give them what they deserved. The fact that you think I'm doing a good job is a big boost to my writing confidence, so thank you soooo much for that. Damn, this is a long response… Anyway, thanks for reading, and you can expect an equally long review of your story coming up ASAP.
Kara- Well I'm glad we got that cleared up! First of all thank you for being such a loyal fan, it means so much to see your review on practically every one of my chapters, helping me along the way as I write. I hope to include Anna a lot more in the story, as well as explore her relationship with some of the other characters. Thanks for reading and for reviewing!
