Chapter Twenty-One
Mishima Forest – Mishima Island
Mid-Afternoon
"...Please tell me you're kidding..." uttered an astonished Ken Masters.
"That's... not what I was expecting to hear," added Yun.
"Neither did I, but that's exactly what my informant told me the other day," said Jax.
"Could this informant of yours be possibly lying?"
Jax glared at Marduk. "If I didn't trust him, he wouldn't be my informant, would he?"
Marduk raised his hands at that in defeat. "Sorry, mate. Fair enough."
With the mid-afternoon sun shining through the trees at their meeting point, the chosen ones – including newcomer Crimson Viper and with the exception of the few currently at the casino for their tournament matches as well as Scorpion and Ivy – gathered at the wooden picnic tables for what was called an 'urgent' meeting. It was during this meeting when Liu Kang told everyone what Jax and Guile had told him from their own small group meeting yesterday as well as the information they gathered on both G-Corp and the Mishima Zaibatsu.
No one was all that surprised when they found out about former chosen one Nina Williams being around for the tournament. They were only a little surprised about her possibly joining the Zaibatsu because, as Wagner said in yesterday's meeting; she seemed more like a lone wolf. Why she joined them, if true, was a mystery in itself and it's a question as to whether or not they would get those answers later. As for her tag team partner, out of respect for Christie (and the fact that Lei would inform her the news privately after the meeting), Liu Kang only said that the person in question was an unknown but who also possibly worked for the Zaibatsu.
Everyone already knew about G-Corp allying with Quan Chi and the Outworld Forces. That wasn't too much of a shock. Jin Kazama and the Mishima Zaibatsu allying with what's left of the Outworld Forces, however, well... shock would be an understatement, especially to those who knew Jin and what he stood for just only a year ago. The main question at this point was why Jin was willing to ally with them? Fight fire with fire? Keep Quan Chi and his minions busy while Jin focused on his own war? Or was it something much more sinister than any of them could comprehend?
"Are we absolutely certain about all of this?" asked Ryu.
"Positive," replied Guile. "The informant confirmed everything. He also had heavy involvement with Outworld's first invasion, so he knows exactly what we've seen."
Ryu simply shook his head in disbelief over this.
"I... I still can't believe this," uttered Xiaoyu, her lips slightly quivering. "I mean... he was a hero... and now..."
"We all thought that, too," said Lita. "And now this all happens..."
Cody huffed at this. "And here I thought it was bad enough that Kazama just... stabbed us in the back with this war of his. Now he goes and twists the knife."
"More like an axe, really," Cammy said bitterly.
Cody turned to Cammy and was about to open his mouth to say something to her, but quickly stopped himself upon seeing the death glare she gave him. It definitely told him, Don't even say it or else... Funny thing... he never thought to ask her until now how she felt about the current status of her ex.
That look alone also told him everything.
"Sorry," Cody uttered quietly before turning his attention away.
"So what now?" asked Kenshi. "Clearly Jin allying with those from Outworld makes him just a little more dangerous than before."
"The only thing we can do for now is to keep doing what we're doing," Liu Kang answered. "As Jax and Guile mentioned, those from Outworld are more than likely having a war with each other and are using this war for their own ends. Still, it doesn't mean we shouldn't be any less careful. As a matter of fact, we should be a little more cautious. This mission of ours is still young. Anything could happen. Again, unless something changes or we get additional information, just keeping doing what we've been doing since day one."
Everyone nodded in agreement. It was true... it was all anyone can do for the time being...
As the meeting ended, Christie Monteiro was just getting up and leaving when she noticed Detective Lei Wulong approached her, a frown on his face. Seeing that, she knew that he had something to share with her... and she had the feeling that it wasn't anything good.
"What is it, detective?"
"There's something you should know," Lei began. "But I figured you'd rather hear it in private than to find out during the meeting. It's... about Eddy."
Christie took a deep breath at that. "What did you find out?"
Lei frowned, knowing that this news wasn't going to be easy for her to hear. "Guile had looked through the tournament tag team manifest. When we found Nina Williams' name on it, well... her tag team partner... I'm sorry, Christie, but it's Eddy. And to be frank, the fact that Nina is more than likely with the Zaibatsu, well..."
Christie's eyes casted downward, feeling her heart breaking over the news. Deep within, she had a feeling something like this may have happened, but up until now, she had hoped with every fiber of her being that the Zaibatsu connections were nothing more than a coincidence. Now however, the clues were practically screaming in her face and she couldn't deny it anymore.
"Th... there has to be a reason he would join them," Christie started. "He's not what you would call a goody-two-shoe, but he did have a good heart."
"I think I may know why," Lei started. "The Mishima Zaibatsu have advanced technology not available to the public. This includes medical tech. Eddy might have felt that those tech might be the only way to cure your grandfather's illness. If so, well... him possibly serving the Zaibatsu was probably the only 'payment' he could offer, probably for as long as it takes before he bails. But that's all just a guess for me... but from what we know as of now, that's the only theory I can offer."
Christie took a deep breath as she nodded. "If any of it is true, that... somewhat makes me feel a little better. I just hope he can succeed. I just wish he said something to me before he and my grandfather disappeared."
"He probably didn't want to put you in any danger," Lei guessed. "I imagine that would be the case if he's as good of a friend as you say he is."
Christie nodded in agreement. "That does sound like Eddy..."
The Docks – Mishima Island
Evening
One of the great things about Mishima Island was the fact that there was a lot to offer including one's choice of restaurants, entertainment, and shopping centers in the downtown area. One shopping area was filled with various vendors setup along the island's boardwalks and beaches near the docks where the boats were parked.
This evening, Asuka, Sakura, R. Mika, Cassandra, Maki, Elena, Xianghua, Xiaoyu, Miharu, and even Xiaoyu's pet Panda decided to check out all the shops near the docks to see what they had once the tournament was over for the day. Their first stop was at a food vendor for their dinner, which they ate while they walked through the boardwalk.
Despite the grim meeting from earlier today, the girls were going to enjoy themselves regardless of the potentially dark days looming near.
"What... is this again?" Xianghua ended up asking unsurely as she looked at the gooey, brown concoction she was hold on a wooden skewer.
"It's chicken teriyaki on a stick," replied Mika. "It's really delicious, one of my favorites."
"Don't worry," started Cassandra as she smiled at Xianghua. "I thought it was weird too at first, but it's actually really tasty! It has this tangy sweet flavor to it if I remember right..." The blond-haired Keisei native took a bite from her food and chewed for a moment. "Mmmm... just as I remembered it."
Xianghua looked down at her food again, this time with more curiosity. She then took a small bite and slowly ate the meat and let herself enjoy the flavor. She also ignored the fact that all the girls present with her were watching her like a hawk, garnering her reaction.
"Oh wow!" Xianghua called out after. "This is delicious! Remind me to get the recipe and sell it at my own food stand before I go back home to Keisei. Then I'll be rich!"
"Not if I get it first!" Cassandra teased.
"Shame Makoto couldn't join us tonight," Sakura mentioned after taking a bite from her teriyaki chicken on a stick. "But I don't blame her for wanting to just go back to her hotel after spending all day at the casino and NOT get called up for her match at all."
"Guess she'll have to wait with her tag team partner until the next day like we did the other day," Asuka reminded her tag team partner.
"Ugh true... but at least we were called up first that morning..." Sakura then grinned as she raised a hand up in Asuka's direction. "And won by a landslide!"
"So, so true," Asuka chuckled as she and Sakura high-fived.
"Speaking of Makoto and the tournament," started Mika. "What do you think of her tag team partner, Leo?"
"She seems nice," replied Maki. "Very quiet though."
"Leo's probably just shy," Elena guessed. "But I'm sure she'll turn out to be a great person once we get to know her."
"Unless she ends up finding us annoying or something," said Miharu. She then pointed her thumb at her best friend. "Then again, she could also choose to put up with our shenanigans."
"Hey!" Xiaoyu yelled while putting one hand on her hip. "I resent your implication!" She then turned to Panda, who was walking next to her and patted the bear on her head. "This is why you are my best friend. You never judge me."
"Way to overreact," Miharu giggled.
"I must say," Xianghua began. "The way these shops are lined up almost remind me of home."
"Same here," Cassandra agreed. "Except in my village, there were free-roaming birds just walking about everywhere you went."
"Yup, same here," Xianghua laughed. "Although one time, during my travels, Kilik, Maxi, and I were walking along and this bird decided to fly up and sit on Maxi's shoulder. It was really cute at first... until it decided to defecate on him seconds later."
"Eww!" cried out Asuka. "That's so... gross and unfortunate."
"I know. Luckily he was wearing a white jacket so you couldn't really see it, but he still wasn't happy about it."
"I wouldn't be either," Sakura agreed. "When I was in high school, my best friend Kei had the unfortunate luck of having bird turd land in her hair from above while we were walking outside during our lunch break.."
"Ugh that's even worse!" cried out Maki. "At least when something similar happened to me, I was on my motorcycle and it landed on my helmet, so I got lucky."
"If that happened to Maxi's hair, he'd be hysterical," Xianghua chuckled. "I'm sure some of you know by now about his constant hair maintenance."
"I'll say," Mika said. "I recall him freaking out while we were in Keisei during the war over lack of hair gel one morning."
"Wait a minute," Asuka suddenly spoke up. "Maki... you ride motorcycles? I didn't know that!"
"Yeah and I still would be if I could afford a new bike," Maki replied. She then smiled as she began to reminiscence. "When I was in high school, I went through this rebellious stage and found myself with a boyfriend who was part of a biker gang. I enjoyed it so much that I actually became a leader of that gang. It drove my dad and sister crazy."
"Oh wow!" cried out Mika. "I admit, I would've never guessed you were a leader of a biker gang."
"Oh trust me, if you mentioned it to Guy, he would tell you all about it," Maki chuckled. "He and my sister were dating by that time and got engaged the year of my high school graduation. This was before the whole thing with the Mad Gear gang, I've already told all of you that story. What I didn't tell you was that the experience kind of kicked me into being less rebellious to say the least. I still rode my bike up until I had to sell it to help cover medical expenses when my sister was diagnosed with leukemia. Someday I'd like to buy a bike again, but it's going to be a while before that happens."
"I'm guessing Yang know all about this?" asked Xiaoyu.
"Of course," Maki answered.
"Speaking of Yang," started Sakura. "I hear his brother Yun is off the market these days."
"Off the market?" asked a confused Xianghua. "What does that mean?"
"It means he's no long available for dating," replied Miharu.
"Or rather 'courting' in our case," added Cassandra.
"Ooohh," uttered Xianghua. She then grinned. "I didn't realize anyone was interested in Yun in that way."
"Oh no no no!" caleld out Sakura. "That's not the case at all, at least for me. I was just mentioning that because he was single for a while and after what happened to him the last year or so, he deserves to be happy."
"I couldn't agree more," said Asuka. She then looked at Maki. "Tell us about Yun's girlfriend."
"Well," Maki started after taking a bite from her teriyaki. "He and Hoimei actually dated when they were both in high school. Her family ran the grocery store that sells the ingredients Yang and Yun's grandfather used to buy from for their restaurant. The only problem was that the two clashed a lot. I mean, they had a lot in common, but Hoimei just wished that Yun was more responsible. Yun wished that she would relax more and enjoy life. Yet despite their bickering, they really cared about each other. The only reason they broke up was because Hoimei and her family moved away. That changed after the war and they moved back to Hong Kong. They got back together about six months ago. The way Yang sees it, it's like they never broke up at all."
"I'm surprised all that bickering alone wasn't enough to break them up for good," mentioned Miharu.
Maki shrugged. "Perhaps, but I guess when you really care for someone, something like bickering is just something that happens. Then again, when they argue, I never heard either of them say anything truly degrading to the other, so that's something. You have to hear them argue to understand what I'm getting at."
"Arguing is inevitable in any relationship," said Cassandra. "It just comes with spending so much time with each other. It's why families tend to argue no matter how much they love each other."
"In that case, I'm surprised none of us have fought yet," said Sakura.
"Don't jinx it!" Asuka called out. She then sighed, "Now I bet at least two of us will having a fight during our stay here."
"If any of us are going to fight with each other, it's because either we're sparring or facing each other in the tournament," Mika said optimistically.
"We'll see..."
That was when Xiaoyu spotted something by a dessert vendor and she pointed in that direction. "Hey look over there. See that girl with the pink hair and purple dress?"
The girls took a moment to see what Xiaoyu was staring at – a young lady who looked to be around their age wearing a light and dark mix purple ombre dress before Miharu said, "Yeah. What about her?"
"Nothing, except she has really cute hair! Notice how one side is a different shade of pink from the other?"
"Oh yeah, I see it now," agreed Mika. "That IS cute!"
"Check out the daisies in her hair," pointed out Elena. "They're so pretty."
"I can top that," started Cassandra. "Check out the guy she's with."
That made all the girls fall quiet as they noticed the tall, young man walking next to the pink-haired girl. He was tall and well-built even with his black, button-down denim jacket and white pants covering him. His sandy brown hair was spiked up vertically, mostly on his right side and his sharp eyebrows seemed to bring out his blue eyes.
"Wow..." uttered Sakura. "He is quite handsome..."
"Tell me about it," agreed Xianghua. "And I'm usually picky."
"If I didn't know better," Xiaoyu started. "I'd say he looked a little familiar to me... but I probably saw him around this island previously if anything..."
"Still, I think he has really nice eyes," Mika admitted. "Look how blue they are!"
"Meh, I think the daisies in her hair are better," Asuka suddenly mentioned.
That made all the girls turned their heads to glare at Asuka as though what she said was the craziest thing ever. Eventually it was Maki who said, "What makes you say that?"
"I don't like the way he styles his hair," Asuka admitted. "It's too distracting."
"Oh, judge him by his hair, but not how nice he might be," said Cassandra.
"And yet, we're admiring his good looks from afar," Miharu replied, pointed out the irony of Cassandra's words.
"All right, Asuka," Sakura began with a sly grin. "Then tell us this... out of all the guys who are the chosen ones like us, who do you think is the cutest?"
Placing a finger on her chin, Asuka took a little time to think about this since, after all, there were a lot of chosen ones in their group this time around. "Well..." she started. "That's a problem for me because, usually, what attracts me to a guy is how nice they are... at least nowadays."
"And that's great!" called out Maki. "It seriously is. That's exactly what attracted me to Yang in the first place." She then grinned. "The fact that he is good-looking is a nice bonus to me."
Asuka sighed before she smiled at Maki. "Well... I still think even after two years, your friends, Cody and Guy, are still really good-looking. I mean, when you were single, how did you not blush every time you were around them?"
"Because I respect Guy as both a mentor and, these days, a brother, and Cody has too much baggage," Maki admitted.
Asuka nodded to her. "Sounds fair."
From there, the girls continued their conversation over who else they thought was good-looking. Unknown to them, the pair they pointed out on the boardwalk just moments began to walk away from the dessert vendor they were at and headed in the opposite direction. With a multi-colored lollipop in hand, Alisa happened to gaze up at Lars and immediately noticed how perplexed he seemed to be.
"Is something wrong?" Alisa asked her companion with concern.
Lars shook his head a little. "It's nothing. I had a weird feeling, like someone was watching us just now."
"I don't detect any potential hostilities in the immediate area," Alisa assured him.
"Hrm..." Lars uttered. "Maybe I'm just paranoid."
"You have had a tiring couple of weeks. I was hoping my idea of coming down to the boardwalk would help you keep your mind off things for a little while. I guess it's not as effective as I hoped it would be."
Lars nodded to her. "I appreciate it, I really do. But you're right about one thing... the last couple of weeks haven't been easy. It's... frustrating to say the least trying to figure out my identity. It would be nice to be called something other than 'John Doe.'"
Alisa frowned. "I've tried to figure out your identity through records, but... the Mishima Zaibatsu is very good at covering their tracks, it seems..."
"I know." Lars then managed a small smile. "Come on, let's see what kind of shops they have here."
For the next hour, the duo took their time walking along the boardwalk. They checked out the shops and the trinkets each vendor offered. At times, they stopped to watch a seller demonstrate their products to potential customers. Once, they stopped to see a ferry on the sea departing for mainland Japan.
For Lars, he found it fascinating how interested Alisa was with every trinket she touched as if she was a child looking at a brand new, fancy toy. He suspected it was because as an android, she wanted to learn as much as possible and store her experience in her data.
Soon, the two reached the end of the boardwalk where there was much less of a crowd. Lars looked down at his watch and was surprised to see that it was almost nine o'clock at night.
"We should head back to the hotel," he suggested.
"I agree," Alisa responded. "I need to make sure that my battery is fully charged for our match tomorrow."
Before Lars could answer her, they suddenly heard a commotion nearby, quickly catching their attention. It took them a moment to recognize some of the sounds – punches, yelling, running – classic signs of a struggle.
"There's fighting nearby," Alisa detected. "I suggested we check out to make sure that no one needs medical attention."
Lars was about to protest, thinking perhaps whatever was going on was none of his business, but Alisa was already running towards where the commotion was taking place further down the docks and beyond a couple of small buildings.
"Alisa, wait!" Lars called out as he quickly followed her.
Mishima Hotel
While waiting for food to be ready in the living room area of his suite, Dan Hibiki had a thought. Years ago, as a teenager, he was told that hanging out with parents was considered 'uncool' and made them seem like a mama's boy. Perhaps it was because of how his parents raised him and his younger sister, but he always appreciated the things his mother and father did for him. Dan considered his dad a hero in his eyes and still did long after his passing. His mom was a hardworking woman who always made sure that her two kids were happy and loved.
At times, it made Dan sad when he would learn about kids who didn't have the same growing up experience that he did whether it was because of abuse, neglect, or for one reason or another, being separated from your family. That last part usually lingered in the back of his mind every time he saw his best friend Blanka.
For years, Blanka and his mother were separated due to tragedy. Dan admired how Samantha never gave up in the search for her son over the years, and it had been a happy moment when the two were reunited. Since then, mother and son have spent the last few years making up for lost time.
The point was, if they were teenagers, kids their age would've thought of Blanka as an 'uncool mama's boy.' If only they understood why mother and son were as close as they were. If anything, at least they didn't turn out to be like Norma and Norman Bates... now that would've been not only uncool, but downright scary.
Those kids would also be missing out on Samantha's awesome hospitality.
Dan, Blanka, and Samantha shared a suite together at the Mishima Hotel. The suite came with two bedrooms connected to two bathrooms. Dan and Blanka shared one room while Samantha had the second to herself. The day they arrived, Samantha immediately went out to the markets to get supplies, mostly food, cooking supplies, clothes, and thick heavy blankets for Blanka, who got cold very easily even in seventy-five degree weather.
Five days after arriving on the island, the three of them only went out to eat at a restaurant twice for lunch. All the other times, Samantha would make them something in the suite's kitchen.
Tonight in particular, Samantha made them all a bowl of ramen noodles with spinach, soft boiled egg, corn, and chopped tofu in chicken broth. The food was piping hot once Samantha served the bowls to them on the coffee table in the living room. Blanka had no problem scarfing the dinner down right away, but Dan decided to wait a few minutes in order to let it cool. The last thing he needed was to nearly burn his tongue off... again.
"This smells delicious, Samantha," Dan complimented.
"Thank you," Samantha cheerfully replied. "Don't wait too long to eat it or else it'll get too cold."
"Yes, ma'am," Dan said as Samantha headed back to the suite's kitchenette.
While Blanka was focused on eating his meal, Dan stared at the television in front of them. On the screen was an ongoing match from the Shikoken Tournament. The fighters weren't anyone he knew, but he was interested in seeing which team would come out the victor. It was one of a few ways for the Saikyo fighter to figure out the competition for round two.
Then again, he and Blanka were not scheduled for their match for another two days, which he was told was the last day of round one of the tournament. Still, it was nice to be prepared for when they make it to the second round themselves.
As Dan continued to watch the match, a thought came to him, one that was lingering on his mind for quite sometime. He looked over where his friend was sitting. "Hey Jimmy," he started, calling Blanka by his real name.
Blanka took another bite of his noodles before turning his attention to his friend. "Yeah?"
"You remember my mentor, Nightwolf, the one who trained my mind in the art of fighting two years ago, right?"
Blanka nearly laughed. "More times than I can count. I guess that you're training with Nightwolf left an impression on you."
"Well... to be frank, with the exception of my dad, he was the only other mentor I had who took me seriously," Dan explained.
"You still feel like you're not applying his teachings the way they were meant to be applied?" Blanka guessed.
Dan sighed a little in reply. "I know you said a couple of weeks ago that I might be able to prove it in this tournament, but I can't help but wonder... what if I can't? What if everything I learned was more lost than I realized? I mean, my time training with him was pretty short, to be truthful. And I know it's not about winning... but what if I can't prove to the world that I've changed for the better? Will me being nothing but a joke always hang over my head?"
"I don't think you're a joke," Blanka assured his friend. "Though may I suggest perhaps wearing a different colored gi?"
Dan glared at him. "Heck no! I shouldn't have to compromise my tastes to please others! Besides, the color pink represents more than girly stuff. It also represents friendship, inner peace, harmony, and most importantly as a dojo owner, approachability. The color pink speaks to me and I'm proud to wear this color. I don't plan to change that every time."
Blanka felt astonished after hearing that. "I... never knew you felt that way."
"Well... at least you listen to me," Dan pointed out. "Thanks for that."
"No problem," Blanka said.
"Back to what I was saying," Dan continued. "I mean, I know practice makes perfect and a true warrior always continues to practice and learn throughout his entire life... but I still worry about losing what I learned, you know?"
That was when Blanka had an idea, more so to make his friend feel better. "Maybe... during downtime like this, you can teach me what Nightwolf taught you. That might help you realize that what you learned from him is still intact."
That idea quickly made Dan beam with pride. "That... is the GREATEST idea you've ever had, Jimmy! I've be honored to teach you what I learned! I mean, granted I don't have any of Nightwolf's spiritual powers, but perhaps we can somehow work around it."
"Dan-"
"I can teach you what I know and we can both apply it to our matches for the world to see! Then together, we can prove that we're both more than capable warriors. Me proving that I'm not a joke would be a very nice bonus!"
"Dan..."
"And if things work out, then I can go on to teach more people about becoming a better fighter spiritually!"
"Dan!" Blanka shouted.
That startled Dan as he looked at his friend. "What?"
"One at a time," Blanka replied with concern.
Dan couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah, you're right Jimmy. All right... we'll start with meditating out on the balcony, almost just like how I started. But first, let's eat."
"I can agree to that, except I already finished my meal." Blanka emphasized his point by pointing to his empty dish bowl.
Dan narrowed his eyes as he took his own bowl and chopsticks in hand. "I'll never understand how you can enjoy a meal that's still hot enough to potential cause second degree burns."
Blanka grinned, showing off his fangs. "Years of practice. Plus when you get cold as easily as I do, a hot meal like this is just what one needs."
"It's only seventy degrees out! That's mild weather!"
"That's still cold to me!"
Dan sighed as he gathered some noodles with his chopsticks. "Boy, we really need to work on your cold tolerance."
"Did Nightwolf teach you anything about that?" Blanka asked almost hopefully.
"...I wish."
The top floor of the Mishima Hotel was where the best suite was located. The locals called it 'the secret sixth floor of the Mishima Hotel' and there was a private, separate elevator that led straight to this floor from the lobby. Normally, such a room was one that only those who were very well-off could afford. It was the only room not offered for free for the fighters in the Shikoken Tournament. That meant nothing to the likes of the two heiresses, Lili de Rochefort and Karin Kanzuki. Naturally, they put down their money for the opportunity to stay in the suite during their time on the island.
The suite was as large as your average penthouse consisting of floor-to-ceiling windows that gave a full, panoramic view of the island, white and beige leather furniture in the living room with a white fur carpet on the floor, a kitchenette with a separate dining room fit for a small gathering, a glittering crystal chandelier hanging above the rectangular table, and three bedrooms. Karin and Lili each had their own rooms while their respective butlers, Ishizaki and Sebastian, shared the third room that had two, full-sized beds.
Just outside their suite on the rooftop of the hotel, there were lounge chairs on top of a dark beige patio, a small swimming pool, a jacuzzi, and a fire pit. Off to the side next to the pool was a small white wicker table with two matching chairs containing white cushions.
This was where Lili and Karin were currently enjoying their evening tea while enjoying the sight of the lights of downtown. The sliding glass door to the suite was ajar so that their respective butlers didn't miss any of their calls if they needed anything. As of now, the two butlers were in the living room watching a show on the very large television screen that was hanging against the wall above the large fireplace.
"So," Lili started after some silence between them. "Ready for tomorrow?"
"After the practice we both got in today," Karin replied. "I think we're more than ready."
Lili smirked after sipping her warm tea. "I thought as much. Say, that reminds me... how did you get into fighting?"
Now it was Karin's turn to smirk. "It runs in the family. You see, the Kanzuki Dynasty has its own fighting style called Kanzuki-ryu. It basically mixes in with a lot of different styles, but with our own flair. Fighting and proving ourselves the best is basically a big part of our family heritage."
Lili pursed her lips a little. "Hmm... I must admit, I envy you. You see, unlike your family, my father doesn't believe in fighting. He's a pacifist through and through. I admit, for a while, I had the same ideal... at least until I was twelve years old. One day, on my way to school, an enemy of my father's tried to have me kidnapped, most likely for ransom."
"Oh wow..." Karin uttered in astonishment. "I admit, I've been lucky that never happened to me... then again, our own enemies know what we're capable of. So, what happened?"
Lili leaned back in her chair as she reminisced over that fateful day. "Well... we weren't even out of Monaco yet – and you know how small our country is – when I managed to escape. The only way I can describe it is that my 'fight or flight' instinct kicked in. I wasn't even thinking, I just... kicked and screamed and fought my way out of the situation with everything in me... then I kicked my kidnapper out of the limo we were in. I got out of the limo after that too, which wasn't easy. My kidnapper didn't go down easily, but then when he tried to attack me, well... again, I was thinking, I just... unleashed everything I had to keep him away and take him down. Eventually, he fell back hard enough on the road and lost consciousness.
"Afterwards, well... I imagine most other people would start running and find help. Me? I just stood there for a while feeling what I realized was adrenaline from the whole experience. And in the end I realized how... thrilling it was to fight. It wasn't just about defending myself, but it was also about feeling the hunger of the fight and wanting to satisfy that hunger."
Karin nodded in understanding. "What did your father think of all this?"
Lili frowned over that. "Well, I said nothing for a long time. There was a while where I wanted to please him and not make him sad, but eventually the desire to fight won out. Of course, because I'm sure the last thing my father wanted was for me to take martial arts class, I did the next best thing – incorporate my style using all the dance and gymnastics moves I learned over the years. I was surprised how effective they were. For a long while, I used to use the family private jet to travel around the world to participate in street fighting tournaments. My father thought I was simply going on vacation. The longest I remained home during that time was six months when the Universal War happened. The mansion I lived in was on lockdown for two months. After that, I just felt guilty about leaving home... at least until a challenger contacted me with a bet over an tournament invitation. The fight took place in San Francisco.
"Then after winning that bet, my defeated opponent gave me the invitation to the last King of Iron Fist tournament. After checking out the tournament's background, not only was it the biggest tournament I'd ever attend, but I thought it would be a way to help my father. You see, he was having some business problems with the Mishima Zaibatsu and I wanted nothing more than to help him resolve the situation."
Lili scowled as a thought came to her. "Then Kazama beat me... Asuka, that is. Then to add insult to injury, my father somehow found out what I was doing and forbade me from leaving Monaco, at least until I began to attend Osaka University."
"I see," Karin said after some silence on her part. She briefly sip more tea before asking, "I assume you're in this tournament because of the Zaibatsu. What does your father think of this?"
"He's not a fan of me being here, needless to say," Lili replied. "But he knows my intentions are good. At least this time, I can fight in a tournament without that guilty conscience hanging over my head."
"Speaking of wars," Karin started to ask. "You mentioned that your mansion was on lockdown during the Universal War?"
Lili confirmed that with a nod. "Our mansion was designed to serve as a bunker during that kind of chaos. My father, Sebastian, and I were part of that lockdown along with our steward and servants in the mansion."
"I envy you there," Karin said. "I was out and about when the war hit. My parents were out on their yacht and Ishizaki was running errands while I was having a late lunch with friends when the war started. I was separated from them the entire two months. It wasn't pleasant, but you know... the whole experience humbled me. If there was one thing I learned, it was that it doesn't matter who we are, what we do, what class we're a part of... we're all human and its important for us to band together in time of need. I probably would've gone insane if it wasn't for Asuka and her friends."
Hearing Asuka's name made Lili huff in annoyance. She didn't follow up with that with any words, so Karin chose to ignore it. Instead, the Kanzuki heiress asked, "You know, I must say... the one thing that's well known about us Chosen Ones is that we have the good heart and soul, no matter what we've done in life, to join the cause. Liu Kang, of course, saw that in you. I've been wondering, what made you decide to accept his offer?"
Lili shrugged indifferently. "Couldn't resist. Besides, I'm not that naïve to think that I can take on this battle on my own. I learned that the hard way last time..."
"What battle do you mean?" Karin questioned curiously.
Lili narrowed her blue eyes a bit at the thought of why she was here in the first place. "Let's just say that the Mishima Zaibatsu made this fight personal..."
"So... I guess tonight's the night we meet your mystery tag team partner," said Smoke.
Sitting on the couch of her suite, Sareena narrowed her eyes at her ally. "You already know who she is. I told you about her."
"I know, I know," Smoke replied as he paced the living room a little. "Her name is Shura and she's from Keisei. Did I tell you that her name translates to 'bloodshed?' Kind of strange if you ask me."
"That could have a totally different meaning where she comes from," Sareena pointed out.
"...That's what your boyfriend said a few days."
Sareena rolled her eyes, but still smiled a little. "I have a strange feeling that you're really here for the Chinese food Sub-Zero's picking up right now."
"Sort of," Smoke admitted. "But really, I've been curious about this Shura ever since you met her. Maybe if we're lucky, she'll be worthy enough to join us chosen ones... even better if she's willing to go on a date with me."
Once again, Sareena rolled her eyes. "You don't even know what she looks like. And funny, just a minute ago, you were suspicious of her by name alone."
"What? NO!" Smoke yelled out. "All I said was that her name was on the curious side."
In that moment, the door to the suite opened and Sub-Zero walked in with a large plastic bag filled with Chinese food in one hand and a case of Sapporo beer in the other. Smoke looked down at the beer before turning his attention back to the Lin Kuei Grandmaster. "Was that chilled beforehand or did you chill it just now."
"Beforehand," Sub-Zero replied as he placed the bag and case on the table.
"Well... do me a favor and re-chill it again before we eat... please?"
"No, I'm going to let Scorpion boil it before I hand you one," Sub-Zero grumbled.
Smoke chuckled unsurely at that. "Okay, I get it... and since when did you start being sarcastic?"
Sub-Zero chose to ignore the question as he looked at Sareena. "I assume Shura's not here yet."
"She should be any minute now," Sareena answered.
"Did I ever tell you that I never saw the day when you and Scorpion would be partners in a fighting tournament?" Smoke said suddenly.
"It's for a good cause," Sub-Zero mentioned as he began to take out the Chinese food boxes out of the bag.
"You make it sound like you two are teaming together to raise money for a charity," Smoke replied. "But really... I assume he's around because of the fact that Quan Chi is meddling in this war somehow."
"That's part of it," the ice warrior admitted.
That got a raised eyebrow from Smoke. "What's the other part?"
"Well... that's hard to tell right now," Sub-Zero said. "There were two things he said to me that were... interesting to say the least. One was that there was 'more at stake.' The other was 'it's not as moot as you think' and that was after I mentioned our partnership bringing the Lin Kuei and the Shirai Ryu together despite his clan being wiped out. He didn't go into details, however."
"You think he ever will?"
"He said he would 'when the times comes.'"
Smoke huffed dryly at that. "We'll see, I suppose. At least now, the three of us are moving on to Round Two of the tournament with our respective partners."
That was when they a knock at the door. Sareena immediately got up from the couch. "Sounds like she's here. I'll get it."
The two men stayed quiet as Sareena reached the door and opened it. Shura stood on the otherside and for a moment, her appearance startled the former Brotherhood member. With the exception of her skull pauldron on her left should and her dual swords strapped behind her back, Shura had chosen to wear Earthrealm clothing. In this case, it was a black tank-top with baggy black jeans and combat boots. It was almost strange to see her in more... casual Earthrealm clothes.
"I... see you're trying to blend into the crowd somewhat," Sareena managed to say as she stepped aside to let her partner into the suite.
"I figured it made more sense while I'm staying here," Shura replied as she stepped inside. "Though what they charge for simple material is quite... atrocious." She then leaned forwards Sareena to whisper, "If it's all right, I prefer your friends didn't know about the demon on my shoulder... not yet at least. I doubt that would make a good introduction."
Sareena nodded in agreement. "Okay."
"So you're Shura," Smoke spoke up as he stepped forward to meet her. He then looked at her left shoulder briefly before he gazed back at her. "Nice pauldron."
"Thanks," Shura replied with a small smile. "I got it from an old shopkeeper on the outskirts of the Ottoman Empire. It cost a lot less than this new outfit I'm wearing, believe it or not."
Sareena pointed to the cyborg. "This is Smoke, he's the second-in-command of the Lin Kuei Clan."
"But you can call me Tomas if you like," Smoke suddenly said as he reached a hand out towards her. Shura gazed at his hand for a moment before she reached to grab it for a handshake. "Smoke is, well... a codename."
"I figured as much," Shura said. She then turned her attention to the other person in the room. "And you must be Sub-Zero, the Lin Kuei Grandmaster. Sareena's told me much about you."
Sub-Zero managed a smirk. "And she's... only mentioned a few things about you."
"Perhaps we can remedy that during my visit," Shura suggested. "What's for dinner?"
"Chinese food and beer," Smoke answered. "It's not exactly the most nutirious meal, but hey, it's taste great!"
From there, the four of them sat down at the square table that stood between the kitchenette and the living room. They began to serve themselves their own portions with the heavy smell of soy, ginger, and sriracha wafting in the air.
"I'll be honest though," Shura started as she placed some orange chicken onto her plate. "I couldn't really tell you much about my past. I... kind of have a memory problem. I can't even remember my own birthday."
"I had that problem too for a while," Smoke admitted. "Before Sub-Zero became Grandmaster, his predecessor had a thing for making us warriors into cyborgs. Unfortunately, I was... forced into the program.
Shura raised an eyebrow at that. "You're a cyborg?"
"Yeah, it used to be a lot more obvious," Smoke replied. "But Dr. Bosconovitch is a genius. I still have cyborg parts on the inside, but as you can see, I look a lot more human these days."
"At least you were able to get your memories back with whatever program that was used on you," Shura mentioned.
Smoke sighed a little. "True... I didn't mean to upset you or anything-"
"It's fine," Shura quickly said. "Honestly, it's no big deal. You can't really mourn a past if you can't remember it anyway. What matters now is the present."
"What brings you to Earthrealm?" Sub-Zero asked curiosly. "We have a few warriors from Keisei in this tournament, but I've been curious over what brings them all the way out here for a tournament."
Shura took a deep breath before she smiled. "I won't lie to you... my occupation is more or less a rogue assassin... I wouldn't have admitted that to you if you were my target."
"That explains why you look ready for battle," Smoke pointed out.
Shura nodded in agreement. "Well in short, my 'assignment' ended up running here and they're currently attending this tournament. I got here the same way they did... through a deity portal."
"Huh," Sub-Zero uttered. "A deity portal is not an easy one to get through unless you fight your greatest enemies."
"But it's one of the few means for those with little resources or connections," Shura pointed out. "It's good that I can fight or else I wouldn't be here eating dinner with you."
"That's true," Sareena said.
Shura immediately shook her head. "Right now, my plan is to bide my time and wait for my moment to strike. It's a little early to cause... trouble, if you know what I mean."
"Just know that we won't stand in your way," Smoke said to her. "The Lin Kuei was once a clan of assassins, so Sub-Zero and I know a thing or two about operating as ones... unless said quarry is an ally of ours of course."
"I appreciate that," Shura replied with a nod. "Though I can assure you that despite them having a partner in the tournament... they're most definitely alone."
The Docks – Mishima Island
As Alisa Bosconovitch headed to a spot in the docks where they heard a commotion, Lars followed her as quickly as he could and attempted to try to call her back. However, she either didn't hear him or chose not to listen as she continued to follow where the fighting was coming from.
By the time they both reached the spot however, the conflict between the two groups in question was already over. Lars and Alisa arrived just as two Mishima Zaibatsu soldiers were knocked unconscious, their bodies dropping to the ground like rag dolls. As the duo stopped in their tracks, their movements caught the attention of the three soldier-looking men still standing, their helmets concealing their identities.
What was especially peculiar was the fact that they were wearing similar black and red armor that he himself wore the day he 'woke up' in the facility Alisa was in.
As the three soldiers turned their attention to the duo, Lars was almost sure that they were fight them off... so in preparation, he got himself in a fighting stance ready to take them out.
Before anything happened however, a fourth soldier appeared in between the three, stepping in front of them. Unlike his three companions, the fourth soldier had his helmet off, revealing light skin, short-cropped black hair, brown eyes, and a scar running down the right side of his face from temple to jawline.
Figuring that he was the leader of the groups, Lars uttered, "You are..."
The man's response only served to baffle Lars. "Good, you're not hurt." Confused, but realizing that this man knew who he was, Lars found himself unsure of how to answer.
The man seem to note his hesitance as well. Still, he bitterly asked, "What? Nothing to say after being gone for over two weeks?"
Alisa stepped in. "You'll have to forgive my friend," she said. "He's been suffering from amnesia for the past couple of weeks. We came to this island in hopes of finding answers since we realized from my data that there was a connection between him and the Mishima Zaibatsu."
The leader of the group frowned at that, clearly disappointed at the news. "I see... I'm sorry. What do you remember?"
Lars sighed as he straightened himself up from his stance. "To be honest, not much. Only that I woke up in a robotics facility owned by a Dr. Geppetto Bosconovitch." He pointed to Alisa. "She's been helping me out the last couple of weeks. Apparently, there was an explosion there that knocked my head for a loop. Also, I woke up wearing Tekken Force-standard uniform and for whatever reason, the Mishima Zaibatsu have orders out to catch me dead or alive all while erasing my existence from records. That's... the gist of it."
"I see," the scarred man nodded. "I guess it's best for me to start from the beginning." He then started to turn and walk away, but motioned for Lars to walk with them. Lars complied and caught up with the stranger and the two began to walk slowly through the docks side-by-side and out of earshot from the three soldiers and Alisa, all who remained where they were.
"Your name is Lars Alexandersson from Sweden," the man mentioned to him. "You and I first met about four years ago when we, well... you'll know soon enough."
As the two men continued to walk, a feeling came over Lars and he couldn't help but voice his thoughts. "I get a feeling that you and I were close."
The solider seemed disappointed upon hearing that. "Lars, you... really don't remember anything?" As expected, Lars said nothing, so the man moved on to his next question. "Who's the girl?"
At the same time, they both stopped in their tracks and turned back to where the three soldiers and Alisa remained. At that point, they noted the four of them conversing in their own conversation.
"I met her at the lab Dr. Bosconovitch owned, the one I woke up in," Lars answered. "She says her name is Alisa." He then turned to the man next to him. "And you are...?"
The man sighed a little. "I'm Tougou, Lieutenant in the rebel army you lead."
That information stopped Lars in his tracks. "Rebel army?" he questioned in shock. "I'm a rebel leader?!"
Tougou walked a couple of more feet before stopping as well. He then turned back to face Lars before answering with a nod, "That's right."
Still feeling shocked, Lars took a deep breath before he approached the Lieutenant. "Hold on. You're joking, right?"
"I can understand why you would feel that way," Tougou answered. "But it's the truth. We used to work under the Mishima Zaibatsu, at least until we rebelled against them when this current war started."
Tougou continued with the explanation as Lars fought in his mind to comprehend what he was hearing. "We raided key Mishima Zaibatsu footholds that day... that lab you guys were at. However, the G-Corporation crashed our party and everything went to hell. When I saw what was left – what wasn't left, I figured you were done for." For the first time since meeting, Tougou gave Lars a relieved smile. "Glad I was wrong."
Lars noted how Tougou had mentioned earlier about him and 'you guys,' and knew that he wasn't the only one in the lab that day. The implication of the rest of Tougou's story seemed to hint at the fate of the others who weren't as lucky as he was.
Still, Lars need confirmation. "So... I'm the only one who made it..."
"Yeah..." Tougou replied grimly.
For a moment, there was silence between them as Lars thought about everything he learned today. Learning more about himself wasn't as overwhelming as he expected it to be. Then again, it was still a shock to learn that he was part of a rebellion, a leader of one at that. Worse, soldiers died recently under his command and he was the only survivor albeit with amnesia.
Whoever you were, Lars thought. I'm sorry...
If anything, it was at least nice to know that he had an actual name to his own face – Lars Alexandersson. He wasn't planning to forget his own name anytime soon.
Tougou began to walk back in their direction where their allies stood. "Well, we should regroup," he suggested. "There's still work to be done."
Tougou turned to see if Lars was following him, but stopped when he noticed that he didn't. Instead, Lars gazed out at the sea beyond the docks as though contemplating where to go from here.
Eventually, Lars, still unsure of some things, turned to Tougou and asked, "You're really sure? I'm your captain?"
"Very, very sure," Tougou replied with confidence.
That force Lars to shake his head in a bit of disbelief. "Well... I'm not ready to lead."
Tougou walked back towards his friend. "The loss of our raid teams has left the unit in shambles," he informed him. "The sooner you return, the better."
Lars frowned as he shook his head and turned away. "I need time."
Tougou frowned in disappointment, but soon nodded in understanding. "All right. I'll hold the fort until you get back... but no one can take your place." He paced a bit as he proceeded. "The Mishima Zaibatsu and G-Corporation both know that you're alive. So as long as you're on your own, they'll use any means they can to eliminate you. Don't take unnecessary chances." Tougou gave Lars a smirk. "Though I'm sure you'll do fine."
From there, the two began to walk back to their allies, not saying a word to each other until they reached them. Once they did, Tougou pulled out a black cellphone from his pocket and handed it to Lars.
"Call me if you run into any trouble," he suggested. As Lars took the device in his hand, Tougou continued, "We have our own encrypted line. No one will be listening in."
Lars smirked as he put the phone in his pocket. "Thanks. By the way, are any of you participants in this tournament."
Tougou shook his head. "No, we're not, but we plan to observe it. Oh, one other thing..." Tougou reached into his pocket before handing Lars a small object.
Lars took the object in his hand – a dark silver emblem of a roaring lion trailed by three silver squares with two stars in between. Bewildered, he asked, "What's this?"
"Your insignia. You dropped it at the lab."
Lars stared down at the insignia for what felt like a long minute. In a way, he hoped that staring at it would jar his memory somehow, some way. Instead, he felt nothing.
He shook his head. "Sorry... I can't accept it," he said quietly as he handed it back to Tougou. "Not yet, anyway."
Tougou nodded. "Figured you'd say that. I'll hang on to it for now, then."
"Thanks."
A sigh escaped Tougou's lips. "I'm not going to tell you what to do, but you should start by tracking down Heihachi Mishima." That only served to perplex Lars. Who was Heihachi Mishima and why should he track him down?
However, Tougou answered his question for him. "Before all of this, this war I mean, you told me that you needed to meet with him." He shrugged. "Maybe it'll jog your memory."
"Who is this Heihachi guy to me?" Lars questioned.
Tougou shrugged. "You never talked much about your past, not even to me. The only problem is that Heihachi went missing after the Universal War over a year ago. No one has seen him since that war's end."
Lars sighed at that news. "That complicates things."
Tougou nodded in agreement. "The only other thing I could suggest is to seek out the leader of the Manji Clan, Yoshimitsu. I recall that they have a lot of knowledge on the Zaibatsu as well as members both current and former. Yoshimitsu is on this island as a tournament competitor. He shouldn't be hard to find. He might have answers concerning Heihachi and, if lucky, his whereabouts. He might even know a few extra details about you that even I don't know."
From there, Tougou began to walk away. "All right, I need to get the troops out of here. We're trying to keep a low profile on the island and, well... we don't exactly blend in. Good luck, Lars."
And with that, Tougou and his troops departed and soon disappeared in the darkness of the island. Once they were out of earshot, Alisa spoke up. "Those people..."
Lars smiled. "I guess they're on our side."
Unknown
The sorcerer Quan Chi was one who held a lot of magical powers... so it was natural for the Netherrealm demon to balk at the idea of Earthrealm technology. So when he initially asked for the list of participants in the tournament, a G-Corp soldier attempted to bring the information up on a computer. In annoyance, the sorcerer demanded a paper list of the participants. He expected to be denied, but instead the soldier immediately got to work and eventually printed out the list from the computer on the paper he requested... pages worth of paper as a matter of fact.
In his private chambers sitting at his desk, Quan Chi went over the list carefully. Taking his time, his main goal was to see if there were any familiar names on the list. At times, he would spot a certain name... either former allies or those who were always his foes. Of course, he would run across names of those currently on the rebellion side of the mini war in Outworld, those who turned against him when he became Emperor of Outworld.
All the names were listed in alphabetically order by first name mainly due to the fact that some of those listed either went only by their first name or a nickname. Some of the names gave Quan Chi pause, but then he came across one name that made him completely stop in his tracks. For what felt like a long minute, Quan Chi stared at the singular name on the list as though it was taunting him...
Scorpion.
No... it can't be... Quan Chi started to think.
But then he laughed at himself, his voice echoing off the walls of his chamber. There was no way the ninja spectre of all things would be in such a tournament. As far as he was concerned, thanks to Quan Chi's own manipulation, all Scorpion could think about was revenge over the death of his family and clan. Last he saw the spectre, he was going after the sorcerer himself. Quan Chi managed to escape to Earthrealm, however... but then again, he had to thank Scorpion in a way. If it wasn't for him, he would've never found The Temple of Azazel and the Majin Seiryu Ki legend.
So why would Scorpion care about a measly tournament that had no connection to his personal vengeance? Unless, somehow, Scorpion knew Quan Chi was part of these events somehow...
Quan Chi laughed again. His presence here was always a secret. Only those within the Outworld Forces, G-Corp, and of course anyone associated with the Mishima Zaibatsu knew that he was here. The Scorpion on the list was most likely another fighter with the same chosen nickname and nothing more.
Then, however he looked at the name of Scorpion's tag team partner, which was indicated right next to his own name...
Sub-Zero.
That listing was now far from the coincidence. Worse, considering how he was currently looking at an updated list, Quan Chi noted that the two had already won the first round of the tournament and will be moving on to round two.
What is the meaning of this?! Quan Chi yelled in his mind. Not only was Scorpion here, but he had partnered with who he apparently now considered a former enemy. Then again, this Sub-Zero was Kuai Liang, the younger brother of Bi-Han, the one who actually killed Scorpion years ago. Kuai Liang had proven himself to be much more diplomatic since becoming the leader of the Lin Kuei. It didn't surprise him to see that, somehow, the two former enemies would make amends. It proved to Quan Chi once again that, under Kuai Liang's leadership, the Lin Kuei were more dangerous than ever.
It was why he manipulated that girl Frost into trying to take Sub-Zero out by any means possible some time ago. He had long since written her off as dead as he had not heard from her in over a year.
The idea that Sub-Zero and Scorpion were now allies frustrated the necromancer to the point of throwing the remaining papers across the room in vexation. As the papers were strewn about, he noticed in between the flying sheets that one of his Generals, Reiko, had entered the room. The stoic man stood at the entrance, the right side of his body leaning against the door frame.
"What do you want?" Quan Chi asked with irritation.
Seeing this as an invitation to come in, Reiko wanted into the chambers and approached the Emperor's desk. "I came to inform you that I received word from Noob Saibot. He and some of the Brotherhood of Shadow members working with the Zaibatsu are letting you know that Kazama and the others still don't suspect a thing. They'll also be posting around the island to keep tabs on our enemies. This way, we'll get more information, especially if any of the 'chosen ones' are around."
Quan Chi smirked over this. He knew it was a good idea to plant Noob and some of his own clan to spy on the Zaibatsu for them. "Good," the necromancer replied.
A new idea formed in his mind right then and there as he gazed down at the thrown papers on the floor. Quan Chi gazed up at Reiko with his red eyes. "I have a new assignment for you. I've discovered that the spectre Scorpion is on the island. He's participating in the Shikoken Tournament."
Knowing the story, Reiko narrowed his pale eyes at the Emperor. "Why is the spectre of all people here?"
"That's what I want you to find out," Quan Chi informed the General. "Go on the island and see why Scorpion is attending the tournament. And considering how his tag team partner is Sub-Zero, it's best that you bring along Skarlet and Kunimitsu. Their stealth skills will serve you greatly in finding answers."
Reiko bowed his head to Quan Chi. "I'll see to it right away."
From there, Reiko departed the chambers. As soon as the General closed the door behind him, a sadistic smirk came over Quan Chi's face. He planned to make sure that he remained one step above the spectre.
Mishima Zaibatsu Facility – Unknown Area
A long hallway with white painted walls and ocean blue-tiled floors smelled heavily of anti-septic. It ought to be considering that this was the medical wing of the facility. Every door here was closed and the rooms beyond it were either empty or occupied by a patient or two, mostly workers or soldiers of the Mishima Zaibatsu needing medical attention.
Eddy Gordo quietly entered through one of the rooms before closing it behind him. He then gazed around the room before his eyes laid on the single bed occupied by an old man who was gazing at the television that was suspended close to the ceiling. Eddy didn't bother to see what was playing, but did note that the language spoken was Portuguese. That, he thought, was a nice gesture from whoever turned on the device for him. Outside, it was nighttime and though the curtains partially obscured the single window in the room, there was still a decent view of the bright half-moon up in the night sky, the surrounding stars currently hidden by its light.
The old man – paler than before despite his deep tan and his thick gray hair and beard just a little thinner than before like his body - smiled upon laying eyes on Eddy, his student from his days in prison. "I was wondering when you would come by after my latest surgery."
Eddy frowned as he walked over to his master's bed. "Sorry... things have been a bit chaotic. It's been keeping me occupied."
The capoeria master took a slow, deep breath. "I still think what your doing is risky..."
"I know, master," Eddy said. "But you've done so much for me the past few years. This was the only way I could think of to pay you back."
"Your happiness is what matters to me," the old man pointed out. He shrugged his thin shoulders a little. "But... what's done is done. I can't stop you even if I had the strength to."
"How are you feeling?" the younger man asked.
His master smiled. "Believe it or not, I'm feeling much better than I had for a while. I have no idea how this new treatment will go, but I guess we'll know soon enough. I'm still not a fan of the Zaibatsu, but, well... if this works out and I receive many more years of life, it'd be hard not to owe my life to them..."
"Why do you think I stepped in to work under them during your treatment?" Eddy questioned. "This way, they will leave you alone in the future once all of this is over."
The old man frowned. "I know... and I appreciate it, my student. Still, I can't help but worry about your own life in case you are unable to meet their... requirements pertaining their business. I've dealt with corporations and gangs like them before... they are merciless."
Eddy reached for his master's hand and patted it with his own in reassurance. "I'll be fine. You taught me much about defending myself. Your teachings won't be in vain."
The old man nodded in response, satisfied with Eddy's answer. "I've been wondering... you haven't heard from my family since we came here, have you?"
That immediately brought the man's granddaughter to Eddy's mind – Christie Monteiro. The capoeria master didn't have much family to speak of, but Christie was always a constant in his life even while he was in prison. Like her grandfather, Christie was also stubborn and tended to worry easily over the ones she loved, so Eddy could understand why his master made the request to seek out a potential cure for his terminal illness without telling his family.
Still, Eddy could only wonder what his master's request had done to his granddaughter.
Eddy shook his head. "No, I haven't heard from your son, nor Christie for that matter."
The old man nodded approvingly. "Good... the last thing I need is for them to worry about me. Just remember to not say a word to them, not unless I either fully recover or things turn for the worse..."
Eddy wasn't a fan of keeping such a promise, but considering how his master had done a lot of him since his own father's demise, it wasn't easy for him to just say no. He simply complied with the request with a simply nod of his head...
Still, after that conversation and soon after he left an hour later, Eddy headed back to his office in the facility. Ever since Christie – the young woman he took in as his own student due to another promise he kept after getting out of prison – came to his mind, he couldn't help but wonder if she attempted to search for her grandfather.
She had done the same with Eddy himself when he had left their home in Brazil to pursuit the man who killed his father a decade ago – Kazuya Mishima, his current employer's father.
So, just in case, Eddy went onto his computer and went into the Shikoken Tournament database. He then pulled up the official list of every participant attending the tournament. On the top of the page was a search engine bar and his typed his student's name in before pressing the enter button on the keyboard.
It only took the computer less than two seconds to find Christie's full name and home country. He doubted very much that seeing her name on a list for a tournament hosted by the corporation overseeing her grandfather's care was a coincidence.
"Damn it, Christie," Eddy growled while clenching his fists in frustration. "Just this once, I was hoping you wouldn't get yourself involved."