A Father's Fall
As the sun began to set into the horizon, the water began to glisten with an array of gem like colors. The cloud began to slightly thicken, the sky cascaded into a series of colors like a kaleidoscope, the birds slowly began to recede back to their nest and prepare for the inevitable night that was soon to follow.
Heihachi looked up at the sky and sighed out loud, in his father Gi he waited for the last participant in the King of Iron Fist Tournament. Originally it was scheduled to be in a stadium but, he felt more at home here at Hon-Maru, it felt better. Within days all the information of the other participants would be analyzed and his aggressors would be revealed. He had heard that the Zaibatsu's Prototype JACK was successful against the other JACK, not only would the information from the battle be analyzed be used to come up with a better system for the Prototype JACK but, there was no way the JACK could escape the Zaibatsu's eyes and its owner would be unveiled.
The government contract for the JACKs was practically in hand and the Zaibatsu was on its way to the ultimate success.
He looked around Hon-Maru, not much had changed it was still beautiful and filled with his childhood. It was hard to believe everything that had happened here was so long ago. Heihachi's youth was behind him, he was fifty-two years old now, hardly the young man who started at this company looking to make a difference. Now he was reaching the slower years of his life and after this tournament he wished to live it out in peace.
This was the last big, catastrophic event of his life he surmised. After this he'd sit in his office signing papers watching other people do the big stuff. Heavy Industries was a self sustaining company and the Zaibatsu itself didn't require his attention every minute of everyday. In fact Kazi did more work than he did at the end of the day, he just collected the checks and lived comfortably.
Still at this stage of his life he had dreams. He still wished for world peace and he knew the Zaibatsu would be a big part of that, he would become the face of that movement hopefully; of course it be hard to convince the world that the man who sponsored and held the most dangerous and powerful fighting tournament in history was interested in world peace but, where there was a will there was a way.
The world watched him from this height and he looked back. Mountains seemed so far away, millions of people in this stretch of eyesight. For once in his life he felt a peace in his being, calmness. After years of stress and worrying he found himself on the last day of the tournament only one simple battle away from going on with the rest of his life. This part of his life wasn't something he'd reflect on either, why would he? So brutish and simple but, it had worked well. The lesson of using bait as equally important as the prey you sought was still true to this day, no one could resist the prize of a million dollars, the Mishima Zaibatsu to control and the bragging rights to fighting and beating Heihachi Mishima.
He mind floated to some of the events in the past and he smiled. It was really somewhat hard to believe that this was going to be the end of all of that. A lot of people had been hurt, some people had died, this would have to be worth it. Heihachi would have to put an end to all this fighting and bickering to make things right.
No. Things could never be 'right' again for some of those people but, this would help put his mind at ease.
He got onto his knees and closed his eyes. Meditation felt best in the net of nature. The cool air blowing about him, filled with smells of the natural world. It only help sooth his mind, like water the moment water hit a flame. The sizzle of the diffusion, so smooth and light, a mystical force that even though explained by science, still felt supernatural in its own right.
He breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth. While he was this way he felt as if he could feel the entire world around him, including the person approaching behind him. There was a slight tinge of disappointment, he'd only just began to feel peace and now it was time for violence again. He took another deep breath.
"Congratulations," he spoke sternly to the visitor. "You have defeated your way through the most powerful fighters in the world. You should be considerably proud of yourself." He stood, his back still facing the person. There was a pause and the air seemed to thin between them, Heihachi wasn't ready to let go of this inner peace yet but, something snapped him away from it.
"Not yet." The voice was one Heihachi hadn't heard before, not this voice but, nevertheless he recognized it instantly. It sent a sizzle through the air that punctured to his skin right into his heart. On the intake of a breath he turned and when he saw him standing there it all came rushing out.
His thumb rubbed against forefinger quickly, so powerful it looked on the verge of starting a fire. Heihachi's eyes moved from the man's face to that action and back to his face, surprise gripping his body.
"Kazuya." His mouth spoke strongly despite his shock. It felt odd saying the name in reference to something actually in front of him but, this was real. He was tall, as tall as Heihachi, he looked just like Heihachi did at that age but, this wasn't the boy he remember, small and fragile; this man was big and powerful. His body wasn't overflowing with muscles but, the way he stood exuded power, something Heihachi had only seen in one other man. This man was definitely his son.
The name sounded odd enough coming from Lee those weeks back but, from Heihachi it was almost sickening. There was so much about this moment he had dreamed of but, it was all different than he imagined. He still felt scared, scared to look at this man, the man who had ruined his life. All he had waited for was doused in a moment of confidence; Heihachi didn't seem afraid or even that surprised. Kazuya wanted him to fall back, swoon, scream and beg for mercy but no he stood their still just as confident and smug as he always remembered and it drove him mad!
Just the way he said his name, there wasn't a hint of fear in it, it was almost as if he was expecting this to happen. Where had he gone wrong? He had planned this surprise for years and here it was belittled by the old man's lack of emotion. 'Kazuya' he said, he said it with a little remorse and even the slightest bit of happiness. It bothered him so, his mind raced but, he kept his body still and focused on why he was here.
"Father," his voice croaked and he felt embarrassed by his weakness, he gulped looking Heihachi up and down. He looked the same, bigger by a little, less hair but, overall the same; dominant and powerful a statue of power. "Just as you instructed I've returned for my revenge." Kazuya went on slowly.
Heihachi watched every moment from his grown son, every muscle movement. Every electric pulse that went through his nerves, it was all like a strange dream, he felt almost as if he wasn't there in that moment, in that place, the same place they had last seen each other, such a different time then but, Heihachi remembered it clearly. Every last action and every last word.
"Of course you are, son." He said the last word cautiously, afraid if he said it too loud or too strongly Kazuya's body would blow away in the wind. He felt happy; there was a happiness inside him that couldn't be explained. "I'm so proud to see-"
"Shut up!" Kazuya barked, his fingers working furiously. "No, you aren't proud, you made this. This is the day you rue ever doing what you did to me." Kazuya snapped.
"I know Kazuya but," Heihachi gulped; this was a fragile moment there was something he wanted to get across. "Do you remember what I told you that day?" Heihachi asked; Kazuya scoffed; this not how he imagined it. He thought they'd be raining blow upon each other madly until he decimated the elders body.
"I remember everything about that day," he ripped his shirt of and pointed to the scar on his chest. "This is what you did to me!" he shouted. The voice echoed in the silence; just as it did all those years ago. Heihachi looked at the scar and remorse swelled into his body; he felt nauseated looking it the scar. It wasn't that it was gruesome, it was the idea that it was on his son by his doing.
"I told you that if you were my true son you would climb back up that cliff and seek me out one day," Heihachi explained. "I knew you were powerful and that power is what I needed to instill in you, so you could be powerful enough to-"
"No!" Kazuya shook his head violently. "Don't you spout words to justify what you did!" he screamed loudly. "I was a child, I didn't know any better, I didn't understand you then, I'll never understand you. You are a monster!" His voice was weak, like it was when he was a child. Heihachi's eyes closed and he fought back tears, two different emotions in him; he wanted to cry because of how his son felt and he wanted to cry because his son was actually here with him.
"I was young, I was faced with something I can't explain to you," Heihachi practically pleaded. "I had to do something. Things would have been far worse for you now had I done something differently." Heihachi explained; but Kazuya didn't seem swayed by his words.
"I fought back death for months," Kazuya started. "My body was broken into nothing, every waking moment I lived through a pain that would kill a thousand men and all the while I knew that my father was the reason for it all. That drove me insane." Kazuya went on.
"But look at what you've become, Kazuya," Heihachi started, gesturing towards his powerful son. "A Mishima like all the others. Powerful, smart and uncompromising. You are more powerful than any other person in the world."
"I suppose I ought to thank you for that."
"I'm not excusing my actions."
"Don't try to belittle what you did!" Kazuya snapped. "Don't pretend you can just admit guilt, that you can use my power as an excuse for what you did to me. You did not make me powerful." Kazuya explained.
"Didn't I?" Heihachi started. "Wasn't it those thoughts of my that got you over your pain. When your body was wracked with pain, wasn't it the thought of putting me through that pain and worse what allowed you to continue on and become the man you are today. Wasn't it that that eliminated your weakness?" Heihachi asked; Kazuya shook his head, holding it.
"No, No!" he screamed with a rage that forced Heihachi to step back. "You did not make me!" he called. "I spent my entire life refusing you. I became powerful because I wanted to be this way. You weren't my crutch!"
"I gave you the will to go on," Heihachi boasted. "And stole from you the will to die."
Kazuya flashed a look at him and pointed his finger at him.
"Don't you try to get out of this," he growled. "I have been waiting for this revenge forever. Nothing you can say will take it from me." Heihachi watched his son and saw the stubbornness in him and felt a little disappointed that Kazuya couldn't see what he had done for him. He crossed his arms.
"Your revenge will not be handed to you." He spoke strongly. "I told you that day, if you found the power to return to me you could try your hand at defeating me," Heihachi recalled. "You may try to defeat me." Kazuya snarled.
"You have given me nothing," he disagreed. "Even if you hadn't held this contest I would have found you." Kazuya explained.
"Surely," Heihachi shrugged. "I know what it means to settle your problems head on. If you think that this is the only course of action to take, I will provide you with the chance to confront your destiny." Heihachi went on; this angered Kazuya even more.
"No, I've stolen this chance," he commanded. "I can feel the fear in you; you would have avoided me as long as you could. This chance is one I made myself." He insisted; Heihachi shrugged; his aloof attitude was phony but, he wanted Kazuya to confront his image of his father exactly how he had constructed it. So he had to play the part.
"If that's what you believe." The patriarch spoke.
"It is what I know!"
"Then there is only one way to settle this," Heihachi started. "Isn't there?"
Kazuya's face opened up at this proclamation and his hands clenched into a fist.
"The posters for this tournament said 'there can only be one iron fist'" Kazuya relayed. "It will be me." Kazuya boasted; Heihachi smiled, though it pained him to do so but, the smug, powerful business man was the role he had to play to fix all the wrongs he and others had created.
This was the price of freedom.
"You shall try." Heihachi unwrapped his arms and flowed them into his fighting stance, spacing his legs, shifting his center of gravity, pulling his power to his fist.
Kazuya smiled too; this is what he had been waiting for, for what seemed to be many, many life times. His arms came up and stood in stance, not unlike his father. The sun beat down on them and it felt as if they were the only two people in the world. Father versus son, man versus beast, good versus evil.
With a power he had never exhibited before, Kazuya threw himself at Heihachi, his fist braced for impact and soared through the air and after moments that fell like anchors off a beached ship, finally smashed into Heihachi's arms.
The ecstasy of landing a blow on the older man was undeniable. Kazuya felt every muscle in his body shiver with delight. His blood popped with enriched glee and his bones stiffened with anticipation as his mind screamed at him to continue on, harder, more powerful!
Heihachi's arms blocked the punch but, he felt the power behind his young son's attack. This wasn't like anyone he had faced before, his power was overblown, fueled by years of desperateness and want for revenge that can only be obtained now. Heihachi opened his arms, knocking Kazuya back shortly and it was enough. With an equal speed, Heihachi returned three blows on his son's chest, quick, precise, powerful blows that confused Kazuya.
He knew Heihachi would be strong but, being here in the moment made it different. Every blow against him was a reminder that defeat was possible; something he hadn't considered in totality before.
What did it mean to lose this fight? He couldn't fathom it, the lost of the fight would be more crushing than death itself. He lived to defeat Heihachi, his existence had no other will than to take Heihachi and break him into pieces and watch his life spiral into oblivion. To have such a thing defeat him only meant that he had no purpose, that his life was voided and that he could not accept.
A fourth blow from Heihachi, was pushed away by Kazyua. Heihachi's leg thrown away just in time to stop another crushing blow, Heihachi's body swung to the side and Kazuya collided into Heihachi's side and the elder Mishima released a pained groan from it before leaning over to compensate for the pain.
Kazuya continued his assault with an uppercut straight to Heihachi's chest, to his rib cage, a series of perfectly placed bones that Kazuya wished grind into dust, while his father watched in horror but, Heihachi was cunning and caught his punch with his own hands. Holding Kazuya in place Heihachi brought the back of his fist across Kazuya chest. The boy's body flinched awkwardly at the pain, flying back but, jerking back into place because of Heihachi's grip, and then smashed downward again as Heihachi's fist came down like a hammer upon his back.
Kazuya's lungs slammed into contraction, the air forced out as if it was alien or diseased, he heaved in pain as her fell to the ground but, found that the horror wasn't over. As the ground raced up to him, Heihachi's leg came faster and eventually smashed into his chest again, pushing him upward and spiraling back.
His body flew through the air and slammed back onto the dirt ground, the cool soft grass made no difference; it could have been steel judging from the force of his fall. His fist clutched the dirt and grass and ripped it out of the ground, he stumbled back fear in his heart as Heihachi calmly approached him, his face stern without comment of the battle. A stone in a maelstrom it was unmoved unfazed by Kazuya's rage.
He scrambled to his feet and worked back into his fighting position; he took shallower breaths, his confidence now a shaky bridge, his arms trembling, his mind fragile, he stared at Heihachi but, avoided his eyes. He jumped forward and Heihachi struck but, the fist missed Kazuya as he crouched, swinging his leg in a sweeping kick. Surprised but, quick thinking Heihachi blocked the kick and jumped back. He watched his son with questioning eyes, he pointed at Kazuya.
"That was a Mishima style martial art moveā¦" Heihachi recognized; his eyes scanned Kazuya for clues. "Who taught you that?" He asked with shock in his voice; he was the only person alive who could have possibly taught that to him.
Kazuya took such glee in Heihachi's shock, it fed him, it encouraged him, it sent a wave of new found resolve through his body. Yes, the old man did have a weakness, his confidence was chipped and Kazuya would stick his finger in it until he wedged the crack into a gaping hole and then he'd tear it apart and rip it to shreds.
"You'll I'm full of surprises." Kazuya sneered; tearing back at Heihachi with another series of attacks. Heihachi blocked, dodged and took them all with stride but, the sheer rage in the boy through him off.
How could he know the things he did?
A punch came through and Heihachi grabbed his arm pulling Kazuya close to him.
"You fight a battle with no end!" Heihachi explained. "What will it prove to defeat me? What will happen then?" He asked; Kazuya snatched but, couldn't pull away.
"You took everything from me," Kazuya spat. "I will take everything from you!" He exploded.
"Even if you could defeat me," Heihachi started. "It would prove me right, you are my son and I foretold you would be this powerful. If you were to stop me I would only be proud."
"Then let it be!" The power of Kazuya's voice alone may have knocked Heihachi over but, the blow he struck was horrific in power, Heihachi stumbled back as his arms radiated with pain. Kazuya, like a wild animal, only continued on attacking in quick burst of power; keeping Heihachi on the defensive; the older Mishima still shocked by the flow and strength of the attacks.
Kazuya grabbed Heihachi's hand and brought his leg across the patriarchs back, causing him to bend over, he held there briefly and then brought the leg back across Heihachi's face releasing him and sending the man crashing back into the ground.
"Now you see?" Kazuya gloated; "Now you see how powerful I really am!" he screamed as Heihachi rolled back to his feet, his brow sporting a thin line of clean, red blood. Heihachi stood up right and faced his son, looking at him in his eyes deeply, piercing through his body. He was strong and Heihachi's body was sore but, there was a lightness in his heart.
"You've grown very strong," Heihachi commented. "Just as I was at your age."
"Shut up!" Kazuya snapped. "I am more powerful than you ever were or could ever be!" he exclaimed but, Heihachi shook his head confidentially.
"You don't even know," He said quietly. "What has transpired here. The victor I've already won."
"Liar!" Kazuya barely let the words fall from Heihachi's mouth when he screamed blindly and leapt back at him. His rage so full he couldn't control himself. Every kick and punch escaping thoughtlessly from his body upon Heihachi, he lost sight of everything, where he was, what he was, how he'd gotten here, why. He lost the will for one moment over his anger and Heihachi managed to slip a single forceful blow into his belly.
The attack made the ground underneath them raise up and slid Kazuya back feet but, the pain fed something in him, something he had not felt in such a long time.
The rage was gone, he felt at a reasonable peace. It was if the soon had melted softly into the sea and quietly painted on the curtain of night in the sky. There was no shouting, no screaming, no harsh respite, no confident, anger filled monologues. It was just Heihachi and himself, standing on a small plot of Earth surrounded by the abyss. Death meant nothing, there was nowhere else to go after all, his goal came with no consequence and losing was the same, it would all be turned back to nothingness anyway.
He stood straight and looked at Heihachi, his father, the man who brought him life onto this world and just as easily tried to snatch it away. There only but one way to deal with that kind of fiend.
"No matter what happens here, Heihachi," He spoke calmly. "It all ends." Heihachi watched him and nodded.
"Now you understand."
A single autumn leaf blows.
Kazuya was under him, Heihachi had seen the attack coming but, didn't read it correctly. He punched straight while the youth went down. His single powerful debilitating punch fell harmless to the wind and Kazuya, gripping his might in one blow pushed off the ground and collided his fist with Heihachi's chin,
Both airborne for seconds that hung like eternities, one with his fist to the sun and the other falling to the ground. Heihachi hit the ground before Kazuya came back to the Earth, and he found himself in a strange way.
Something came over him, something he had never felt before, it wasn't pain, it was something else, something more, something terrible. It was as if the Earth had grown hands and held him down where he was, it was as of every last regret he has endured since birth had resurfaced and gripped his body. His mind spoke but, his body disobeyed, he struggled without moving, he writhed in total silence.
What was this?
In one clear moment he realized he had been defeated, physically he was fine but, something in him had snap with a horrible result, he fell dumb to the world and may never stand again. For a quick moment fear enveloped his body but, quickly passed, this was not optimal but, it wasn't the worse. When he was younger he had made a promise to himself to do something, to fix something and it haunted him all his life until that day he came to his son and brought him here to this place but, here today it was completed. He had raised a man of anger but, one devoid, powerful by his own merits. A natural unaffected Mishima.
The last of them.
Kazuya stood there, for a long moment. He said nothing, he felt nothing, he thought nothing. Heihachi lay there, motionless but, he knew alive. He took a deep breath and sighed. He had one, he had defeated his father Heihachi Mishima. His body felt alive with energy that boiled quietly inside him. The green grass swayed ever so slightly in the wind and the clouds lie still as Heihachi in the sky.
He walked slowly over to his father. All those years wondering what this moment would be like exploded into this peaceful moment. There was no need to gloat or to shout or to scream or to make a spectacle out of this moment. It was absolute on its own, this was the height of emotion. The air felt alive as if it were all packed in around the two bodies ready to explode, violently out into the world.
The sweat from his brow stopped; the blood in his veins cooled. He felt super aware. He could feel every blade of grass under his feet, every last grain of dirt, it was as if he were a thousand feet tall, a giant among the tiny man who was his father hidden in the skyscrapers of grass blades. Somewhere in the distance a bird made a sound, it echoed in Kazuya's mind. A stammering dub, sound, he hated it so and made it stop.
Not before long he was standing over Heihachi, his father, his mortal enemy of sorts. He looked down at the motionless, yet alive, body without moving his head. His eyes turned down, almost into a bottomless pit, like starting into an abyss as Heihachi looked up at him. It would have a different sort of feel if the eyes looking back at him were full of fear but, he could see they had already accepted their fate. It was the one thing he'd give his father credit for, he was a brave man, strong willed but, ultimately stupid and now broken.
Slowly and very methodically Kazuya knelt down to his father, dressed in a black Gi, that he could recall seeing once before, and placed him under his arms and lifted him up. He held Heihachi like a baby, as if the roles were reversed as if he were the father. He held Heihachi strangely careful not to let him fall. He took in the scent of his father and was intoxicated, it smelt like sixteen years ago, Heihachi's skin next to his own felt oddly good and so he held his father close and walked on, as if taking him to his bed. He stared forward and didn't look him in the eye, his face without any expression, like a robot or a man whose soul was on a holiday.
Heihachi looked up at his son, he had no other choice but, wanted nothing more. He could not move still but, his eyes gazed upon his son, his grown son. Strong and powerful and with a will dominate of the world. It meant his collapse but, fathers did that for sons, they sacrificed and Heihachi had no doubt that his sacrifice today would bring Kazuya to the man he deserved to be. All the doubt, all the self hatred and scheming and ignoring of his past was all through, he had taken a chance and raised his son to be this man. A man with a will stronger than his father's.
They both came to a stop; Heihachi wanted to smile at his son and let him know it was alright, that he didn't resent Kazuya for any of this. That the price of freeing his son from that demon was well worth it but, his body simply would not move, and so he let his mental will rest, the boy would learn in time.
Kazuya stopped there, and stared straight for a long moment, right at the edge of the cliff. There were so many ways he could complete his revenge but, this was the most appropriate. This way the circle would be complete and he could finally enjoy his life as the victor of this battle. A joy welled up inside him as he looked to the mountains afar, there was a world of weaker beings than this one in his hands out there. A world he could explore freely, free from the confines of plotting revenge.
A world he could dominate.
It was then that he looked down at his father, he wanted to say something but, it was already said in the look.
Heihachi watched his son look down and had instant relief knowing that he had accepted him in some way but, that relief melted then their eyes melt. Heihachi wasn't afraid of death, or pain or any of that sort but, the look he saw caused him to panic in side. Kazuya stared him queerly with a look that was on his face but, not of him and Heihachi's heart went aflame with fear.
Kazuya's eyes burned red.
The same exact look Jinpachi had on his face, the same strangeness he had seen before on his son when he stole the book. All in one second in time he knew he had failed, that the demon inside had played him for a fool and was completely in control of his son. His legs thrashed, his arms swung madly his mouth opened and screamed so loud it cracked the sky but, in reality he just lay there in the things arms, silently, motionless still.
Kazuya looked away from his father knowing the old man understood and with no hesitation, let him slip from his arms into the bottomless dark below. The body fell in the air, loose like a rag doll until it disappeared from sight. A million feet into hell, the wind blew coldly against the nape of his neck, he had been rubbing his thumb and forefinger together but, realizing it he stopped.
And a satisfied smirk crept upon his face.
