[Ch. 4]

"Just as I thought. You're still a weak reminder of myself." Taunted Kazuya. He stared down on his son who wheezed against the training mat with sweat pouring from his head and neck. He winced as he looked up to face his father. Jin had bruise marks across his face and chest; rings of dark abrasions had pierced his skin as blood played along his mouth. He collapsed onto his back and stared up at the dojo's ceiling.

"I'll only get stronger." He breathlessly replied. Kazuya raised a leg over his son's head, ready to slam it down. He had no patience to wait for his son to catch his breath because in real battle, you weren't allowed time to breathe. Unless the opponent was a coward and he certainly, was not. Jin's eyes widened as his father's foot came crashing down. He rolled out of the way just as his foot slammed onto the wooden floor and broke into it, sending up dust and shards of wood. Jin winced as he held his side and risen, stumbling to his feet.

"That would of hurt…" he muttered, squinting with one eye to see his father. The other was covered with blood and bulging with pain. Kazuya had given him a good beating. One that incorporated that strength and obedience defined a true man. He pulled his hands to his sides and slipped, once again, into his fighting stance. Jin came rushing toward him.

"Show me your true power!" Kazuya yelled as waited.

Kaplan rested her back against the wall just outside of the dojo and looked on as the two men were hurled into an intense sparring session. She watched as the two men danced around each other, thrusting their most powerful punches and kicks to each other's vital spots and how they dodged some, if not, most of them. She winced when Jin's back slammed into the floor and Kazuya's foot pinned his face to the hard wood. Jin was struggling to rise. Every time he'd try to rise under the pressure of his father's foot, his face would harshly slam back down.

"They do that a lot," a voice said from behind. Kaplan turned to face the woman who appeared as Jun. She calmly smiled and stepped forward, swiping a hand through the Shinobi's hair. "Kazuya wouldn't like it if you were watching this. He sends me off all the time so I never get to see what terrible things my husband does in there."

"He may hurt… Jin." Kaplan said turning back to watch the two men. Her eyes softened as Jin called out in pain. Kazuya had kneed him in the stomach and Jin had collapsed onto his side. She winced as he rolled over in agony. Kazuya was on top of him again, thrusting a few punches to his son's face. Kaplan turned away.

"I'm aware, but Jin's strong. I think he's just letting Kazuya feel that he's done some harm." Jun lowered her eyes to the ground a moment then turned back to the girl. Her eyes softened when she saw tears form in her gray eyes. "It saddens you? Come then. You don't need to see this."

"I'd rather watch. I may learn a few things about your husband, Kazama-sama." Jun chuckled, shaking her head. She gave Kaplan a warm embrace and led her away from the dojo.

"What's there to learn? He's not a kind person, but you learn to love a man and his flaws." Her words made Kaplan smile. A small smile, at least. And the only smile that showed since the turn of events in her life. She nodded to Jun.

"I must say those two men are closely related."

"Oh? I hadn't noticed," laughed Jun. She taped an index on the young girl's nose and smiled at her. "Ya'know you and Jin would be the oh-so-sweetest couple. I believe you'd make him happy."

Kaplan gave a disdaining look. "Pardon?"

"Oh come now. You know you and Jin are compatible. I've seen the look in your eyes. They just scream romance." Kaplan busted out laughing.

"Ms. Kazama! I-I don't know what to say…" Kaplan lowered her eyes to the ground. If only her eyes were flushed instead of her cheeks. "I don't think Mr. Kazama would approve of that at all. Not after what happened yesterday."

"Oh don't worry about him. He only wants to get revenge for something that happened so long ago." She sighed. "I've told him over and over again to let it go, but it just holds him."

"Sou…" mumbled Kaplan, seeing what she means. Jun clasped her hands together and grinned.

"How about some Ice Cream? You like Ice Cream?" Kaplan nodded and tilted her head. This woman was more caring than her own mother. Ten folds more caring than she can remember. She accepted Jun's hand and request of going inside, and together, they made their way toward the main house.

* * *

"Where is she?" He asked, running an index over the rim of a wine glass. The young woman kneeled before him and glared at the ground. Her deep green eyes stared at the floor as the man waited. He held his dark crimson eyes on the young woman as she was draped in the finest ninja apparel. He himself held the same fighting gi that wrapped firmly around him to fit in expertise. He had listless, ruffled hair that was pale and almost shoulder-length as it draped playfully over his wine-colored eyes. His soft face held a cold expression and his lips twisted into a frown. He couldn't wait any longer. "Well?"

The woman gasped as if startled by the sound of his voice. It was evident that she had been thinking of her consequences. She had five hours to locate and bring back the Shinobi. But she didn't. And was rather weary of her situation. She looked up to her leader.

"She's...She's unattainable at the moment." She lowered her eyes once more, as if staring at him was death, itself.

"Unattainable?" He repeated sitting up in his chair. He narrowed his eyes. "How hard is it to retrieve a runaway? You find! Capture! And KILL!" He arose, tossing his glass to a nearby wall. The wine glass shattered into pieces as the content spewed over the blanched walls and colored it a deep maroon. He narrowed his eyes on the woman and the five others that managed to escape with her from the forest. Their clothes were tattered and torn and barely composed at it once was. Their tanned skin was easily identifiable beneath the withered clothing.

She shuddered as his yells echoed around her and the many others that stood about the room. The other ninja remained silent, staring at empty space as they listened to their leader carry on. He was a strict man that demanded nothing short of success and efficiency. He held this woman in high hopes because he knew that she was one of his best, the most EFFICIENT of them all. She was the success that would go on and lead his clan after he had gone. But his position wouldn't be given up so soon, he thought. The woman gasped as his feet stopped before her. The soft socks he wore fit snug against his tabi shoes. And the cuff of the pants of his gi fit just right around his ankles. The sleek black attire he was draped in defined finesse, poise, and grace. Honor in its entirety. He was the symbol of their clan. Or was he? She trailed her gaze upward until she met with his deep gray eyes.

"Go and find her! Don't come back until you have." He narrowed his eyes and gained a silent nod as a reply, then swung around to face the other ninja in the room. "All of you! Go and find her! Anyone that comes back empty handed gets their heads cut off!"

Murmurs began to fill the room. And the ninja began to depart. When the room became silent and after everyone had left, the young woman slowly stood up to face the back of her leader. She cupped her hands to her chest and stared away from him.

"Sensei." She chokingly whispered. She could hear him give an exasperated sigh. And she knew he was furious with her failure. But she pressed on.

"You're still here…" He said cutting her off before she could even form a single word. She stepped back and fell once again into silence. And that's when he turned around. She lifted her eyes to him briefly then returned them to the floor.

"I will not fail you again. I-I promise you that." She nodded. "But you have to understand that—"

"Shh." She shuddered as he brushed a hand against her cheek then used an index to lift her face to him. Her eyes fell into his as his hard stare took a hold of hers. He 'shh'ed her again and she gave a pouting face that lingered along the lines of grief and need.

"Just find her for me." He whispered near her ear. The mask that concealed the bottom portion of his mouth hadn't prevented his warm breath from touching her. She lowered her eyes and fell away from his grasp, leaving him to stand alone with his hand still out in front of him. She turned her back on him and shut her eyes, internally begging her heart to stop pounding as hard as it was. She crossed her arms.

"He's just playing with you…" She mused, angrily. Her brows furrowed and resulted into a glare even though her eyes were still closed. She hated when he'd come on to her and play with her emotions. If only he'd knew how deeply she cared for him; this leader of hers. But yet, she was just another ninja assigned at his side and ordained as his…successor. Other than those two positions, she was useless to him.

"Find her Cora. …And bring her to me." He said as he watched her walk away. Still with her eyes closed, she mentally mapped out every corner of the room she was in. From the podium to the opium stands, to the entrances and exits. And of course, she was on her way to an exit. Her dark, auburn strand swayed gently against her eyes as she conveyed a priceless stride. Each step, bountiful and leisurely, as if to say this woman was a virtuous one. And he watched as her body swayed. It was much for rugged than womanly, and it defined strength among beauty, honor, and all of the other things that defined a strong person.

* * *

"Could you believe, Father? Kazuya has a runaway…" smirked the soft-spoken Lee Chaolin. He stepped across the floor of his stepfather's corporation and grinned, raising a hand to his pointy chin. His sunglasses reflected the sunlight that beamed from the window behind Heihachi's desk.

"Turn her in and the Mishima Zaibatsu could once again be yours." He said.

Heihachi tilted his head and gave a fanged grin, taking it into consideration. "It could. But Kazuya is as stubborn as a mule. He will not give her away so easily. And the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree."

"Then we take her!" suggested Lee, slamming his fists against Heihachi's desk. Heihachi was quite amused, twiddling his fingers against his gray mustache. Lee slid his hand into the pocket of his striped vest and stepped over to a recliner. He sat down and pulled his hand behind his head. "Just leave Kazuya and his son to me."

"I thought you had business to handle with that Assassin."

"Don't worry about her. Anna will take care of her. In the meantime, I'll be doing a bit of cleaning up." He said, grinning that mischievous grin of his. He shook away the blanched strands from his eyes and gave a peaceful sigh. "I could always take care of Nina. But...the sisters need to do a bit of bonding. Don't you agree?"

Heihachi raised a brow.

* * *

"Get up." Kazuya tossed a towel onto the cafe of his bloody son. Kazuya dabbed a clean cloth over his bloody nose and mouth but watched as his son emerged from the dojo's wooden floor. A smear of blood was formed from where Jin had laid. He too, began dabbing at the blood on his body and face as he heavily breathed. Jin limped his way over to the wash bucket and dipped his hands into it, and bringing up a handful of water to flush against his face. Greedily he began to drink at the water that pooled repeatedly into his hands.

"Get that girl up and running." Kazuya said, pushing himself beside Jin. He scooped up and handful of water and ran it through his hair and chest to subside the heat that'd taken him over from the workout. Jin stretched his leg; evening out the pain with each lengthy kick he gave. He braced a hand against the wall and looked over to his father who drank some of the fresh water.

"Why?"

"She's going to train if she's going to remain here." Replied Kazuya who had yet to look upon his son. Jin shook his head. There was no detouring his father when he set out to do something. There was no way he could argue with his father about training. He lived through training! Kazuya would literally go without days of eating just to train. He wanted strength and if there was no other way of attaining such power, he would just train! Jin draped the towel over his shoulder.

"So you accept her stay?"

"No." growled Kazuya. "She's going to enter into the tournament."

"No way! You can't!" Jin stepped in front of him, taking two steps back to his father's forward steps.

"And why not?"

"She can't be in the tournament! She'll get killed!" He argued. "You can't do it."

"Are you questioning my decisions? Since when did Jin become older than me?" He shouted looking to the sky. Jin slanted his eyes at the man who returned his gaze to him with a mischievous grin. "She's being entered."

Jin held out his hands in protest.

"They'll murder her if you do that! She's not a fighter!" Jin glared, narrowing his beautiful eyes on his father's cold face.

"The better for me, don't you agree, Jin? If she wins, my father will be dethroned and I will head his corporation and money. You on the other hand will live the life of a street rat! You don't belong with such power!" Jin winced as he watched his father become deranged in that little bit of time.

"Mother won't accept it." He grumbled stepping away.

"But she too once participated in it." Retorts Kazuya who watched his son leave. He turned his gaze over to the rose garden where Angel had been tending to the small growth. She passed him a soft gaze as she calmly smiled over to him. And he approached. Her golden brown hair was pulled back into a bun and surrounded by thistles of green leaves. Her garment, resembling the roman tunic, was graciously draped around her. He narrowed his eyes.

"Why are you smiling?" He asked. He stopped short of her reach and crossed his arms. She dusted her gloves off and rose to stand just a few inches taller than him. Angel smiled that angelic smile of hers then began to speak; her voice becoming soft, yet, estranged as if electronic.

"I see you've softened up." She said, those pearly whites were cunning compared to Kazuya's hard stare. He hmphed.

"I haven't softened. You're too stupid to realize that I have much bigger plans to chase after?"

"If it involves putting the young woman in danger, you know I won't allow it. And neither will Jun." The Angelic smile faded as she noticed Kazuya's lack of interest in her concern. She narrowed her eyes. "Did you hear me?"

"I heard. But I won't follow." He growled still with his back to her. "The tournament is in another month. I'll have her ready by then."

"By then for what? You don't plan on having her face Heihachi do you?" Angel reached a hand to touch his shoulder. "You mustn't do that. She's not a fighter!"

"And you know this how?" he growled. Angel narrowed her eyes.

"I've seen her kind once before. They are ninja not valiant murderers! They don't take part in tournaments like this one!"

"But this one will. She's a runaway. She'll need a place. And her place is in that ring with the coward I gleam to rip apart" He said through gritted teeth. Angel lowered her eyes to the soft moist ground.

"And I thought the devil gene had released the anger from you…" she muttered, looking as if hurt. "You must spend your nights cold, Kazuya, because your heart is nothing more than a black hole: Unforgiving and relentless. She is not a fighter!"

"She will be when I'm through with her." He seethed. "All I need is two weeks with no interruptions. Can your 'angelic ways' grant me that?"

Angel glared and refrained from blowing him sky high with her angelic sight. He could sense the heaven's beams that surged within her eyes, just waiting to blast him away. And he smirked.

"See to it that I am not interrupted. By Jun or anyone."

Angel was left alone with her hands folded in front of her. She watched the bitter man stalk off toward the house, waving his hand back at her as if to say 'forget you and all of your bull'. She shut her eyes against the impression, biting back the hurt that formed out of pity for the one man. She'd have to wonder how such a kind woman like Jun puts up with him. Jun must have been his weak spot. If it weren't for her, he probably wouldn't be where he is now. And if it weren't for her, would he have not resurfaced after he was thought to be dead? She'd have to wonder.