Chapter 3:

One More Condemnation

The golden sunlight twinkled and reflected of off the morning dew that didn't lay undisturbed. A warm wind blows and shakes the leaves of the surrounding forest. The emerald green grass seemed to flow and compliment the small patch of Japanese cherry blossom trees and the regular beautiful ones just as well. Multi-colored flowers bloom silently in the distance. Standing on the edge, his face, serious yet calming, like a well-fought battle still going on inside his very own still tormented mind. Struggling still to be free of the horror that had befallen him so long ago. His strong figure stood in the very same pose. The warm wind blew once more. His jet-black hair was ruffled by the wind. The balance of his white and black training GI that he'd hoped would calm his restless soul, did the very opposite. His fast moves suddenly burst the calm and serene air and became an object of hatred. He moved swiftly and powerful. The one place that seemed to be his own garden of Eden melted into an all to familiar hell that never really left him that was fueled by his own uncontrollable burning desire for revenge. This spawn from hell, this devil from an inescapable doomed fate to never parish, this Jin Kazama. As time drew near, he hastened and abruptly halted. His chest heaved and took deep breaths of the clean air. He changed his clothing and set off for the one opportunity that suited this one desire. The Iron Fist Tournament, number 4.

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The silence of the dark midnight streets was seemingly a warning as Jin walked silently in and out of the dim light of the streetlights. The dark and gloomy streets of inevitable violence twisted and turned as he walked silently. The soft and nearly soundproof steps of red and white sneakers, the small sound of his blue and golden flamed pant-legs ruffled together, scoffed the ground. They were the only sounds that were to be heard besides the crackle of a bon fire and the soft chatter of people that he occasionally slipped by. He swiftly slid through the shadows and made his way through the darkness and to the tournament. The sky darkened even blacker than before as he took his invitation and went back stage of the tournament's arena. The sky darkened to a world of darkness and all shadow stretched across the horizon. The ruby red flames of the rising sun's light triggered the gong and the tournament was officially underway. The first few rounds were nothing special until a real martial artist was up against another martial artist, then it was something, but Jin wasn't interested. He itched for his first real challenge. His first real challenge to test his strength, fighting ability, and to prove once and for all how he deserves to be understood, plus the revenge and victory he should fight for and finally attain. His rounds were almost nothing but blood. Finally his last round before fighting Heihachi Mishima came.

The numbers were called. Jin stepped up and headed for the right side of the arena. He turned and glared upon his opponent. The man looked vaguely familiar and his hair was no exception. He wore sunglasses to where he couldn't possibly see his eyes. They both got ready to fight and the gong sounded. The man rushed at him with amazing speed and power. Jin barely dodged his punch when he stole a glance of his eyes. They were cold, dark, mysterious, and unforgiving. Jin couldn't feel his soul like he could feel everyone else.... This man was different. 'That style... I know....' Jin couldn't help but think as they both matched skills. Jin threw one of his best punches but was caught as he caught his opponent's fist as well. This pose turned into a test of strength and sort of challenging rivalry. They both smirked evilly as if they were twins and as if they were stranded together by some unknown force, the smirks silently transformed into a set of proud smiles full of determination. The smiles gave off a sense of enjoyment at the competition. The crowd went into a rustle of confusion as they witnessed something they couldn't have ever comprehend or understood. Their faces full of confusion at the sight of both of the fighters' smirks even when either one was losing. Jin couldn't help but smirk and smile. It was almost like they, both, were enjoying this fight and didn't want it to end anytime soon. 'Something has to be done....' Jin thought as he remembered that this wasn't a game. His smile faded and an angry serious look washed over his face. His dark brown eyes grew cold and a cold wind blew. The man suddenly realized as well and the fight was transformed into a bloody war of will, strength, and power. The arena became a jumble of flying lightning, as they both didn't hold back. They held their ground, there seemed to be a misplaced hatred among the two as they struggled to keep from falling. Jin's anger overpowered him. The man tripped him and threw him out of the ring. Jin hit the wall and landed on the ground. The man was deemed winner of the round. Jin didn't get up. He grasped the grass and the ground in anger of his sudden failure. He pushed himself up and sat there. Still grasping the dirt he lifted his hand and looked at it. His fingers loosened and he opened his hand. A small yellow flower popped up out of the dirt unharmed. He glared at it and set it back on the ground. He got up and headed back stage. Every bone in his body ached. His clothes were torn and dirty with dirt and blood. His pride was seriously dented but his determination grew as did his anger, hatred, power, and the uncontrollable feeling of rage within the back of his mind. His hands were shaking, his face was hot, and his disappointment at his own failure and loss. This was his afterglow, his aftermath....

He watched the ending battle as the powerful man faced off against Heihachi. Surprisingly Heihachi knew him. 'Who....' Jin began to think. He couldn't figure out who this mysterious guy was. The strange man won and Heihachi was reduced to a pitiful old man. The announcer went up on stage and started to announce the man winner. 'Pathetic...' Jin thought as he started to walk away, but he suddenly heard the announcer,

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you, Mishima, Kazuya, The King of the Iron Fist Tournament!" Jin stopped in his tracks and turned around faster than he saw anything. His eyes grew large with surprise as Kazuya took off his sunglasses and showed his face. Jin suddenly thought, 'Kazuya Mishima?! Kazuy-father?!' Jin couldn't believe his ears. Not only had he been defeated in front of everyone including Heihachi-he had been defeated in front of his father. Kazuya stood proudly with the trophy in his hand unaware that his very son was only seven feet away from him. 'Should I...' Jin suddenly wanted to know him. He wanted to know what he was like.... He felt an emotion of wanting to trust him.... And confide in him. Jin snapped himself out of it and told himself that it was all just a dream, meeting his father and gaining his acceptance, but he suddenly and truly wanted to be good enough for him. He wanted acceptance. His acceptance as a human. As his son. As his own flesh and blood. Kazuya stepped down from the arena and into the back room. The wild cheers died down and eventually the audience calmed. Jin pulled his hood back up as Kazuya walked past. 'He didn't even notice me.....' Jin thought.

"Hey! Kazama! We didn't get our battle. I'll still win." The voice came a little more than four feet away from Jin. Kazuya stopped, 'Kazama...' He thought. 'Jun?' He turned around, listened and watched intently in the shadows. Jin turned and looked at the red headed Korean boy that was his age. The boy's flaming blood red hair was short and needed some serious combing. He had light brown eyes, tan skin, a small smirk, and a ruffled soldier outfit.

"Hwoarang..." Jin mumbled, 'Just great.' He thought.

"Come on. Fight, Kazama!" Hwoarang said as he got set in fighting stance. A confused look came over Kazuya's face. Hwoarang kept playing around even after Jin turned his head away. "Come on. Fight!" He kept on and on. He suddenly snapped Jin's hood down. Kazuya practically choked in surprise. Hwoarang gave a smirk, his white teeth showing. He laughed. Kazuya watched as Jin accidentally showed his face and his face swelled with annoyance. He grit his teeth and balled his right fist tightly. Kazuya jumped back in surprise as he looked at Jin's face and saw an almost complete replica of himself. He abruptly started to think, 'He looks like me.....But...' Kazuya suddenly noticed Jin's bangs, 'Jun.......' He seemingly but two-and-two together and his eyes grew wide with disbelief. 'He couldn't be.....' Kazuya was at the point of deceiving himself but Jin seemed to have triggered a distant memory of Jun and their 'silent night' together. Then and only then it triggered, 'Is he.....Jun....Is he.........my son?' Kazuya thought. He couldn't believe it. His very own son and he had never known until now. With this realization came the guilt and remorse, 'What have I done......Why did I do that to her.... What did I do......Jun..... I'm.... so.... sorry.... forgive me....' Kazuya thought. He was no longer watching Hwoarang taunt Jin into fighting him. He looked aimlessly at he trophy in his hand. Flashbacks of his recent fight came back to him. He made many realizations including Jin's skill, strength, power, and attitude. Plus what he must have had to gone through being the very child that he is.... or was. Did he know? What does he think? What would he think? How would he react? Where is Jun? All these questions seemed to have sprung up out of nowhere and smack him right in the face. Just as the pain and worry from his entire set of questions seem to calm down a bit, Truth hit him. Once again 'in the face'. 'He probably knows. He probably hates me.' Kazuya thought as he snapped out of his little 'world' and went back to watching Jin and Hwoarang.

"Ok, ok. I see. That's all right. You know what I'll get you later, Kazama, Jin. Heh heh heh..." Hwoarang laughed and walked off. Jin gave a small sigh of relief, fixed his hair, and pulled his hood up. He dusted his hands and stuck them in his jacket pockets. He leaned against the wall and started to wonder what it would be like to have a father that would actually accept him. Even though he knew this wouldn't happen he still wondered and silently prayed to his mother in his head for luck, fortune, the will, and courage to stand up and tell Kazuya, his father. Kazuya saw or felt Jin's soul and his traits. Power, leadership, courage, bravery, strength, and a deep burning desire that seemed to elevate Kazuya's feelings from the bottom of his ice-cold heart. 'Jin. Jin Kazama. My son.' He now felt some what........ proud.