Chapter 1:

The Sweetest Thing

Darkness abound. Falling stars of molten rock crashing all around. Echoing screams of yesterday's past hero tearing through every thing, torturing and picking at his very sanity. His face was hot, tears burning his skin. All sanity has left him behind, rendering him helpless. Helpless to scream in his own agony of the all too familiar screeches of the one left behind. Devil's hell-like laugh bursting his eardrums and yanking at his soul, if he even thought he had one. The sight of blood and the smell of burning flesh bringing him even closer to snapping. The crackles of flames and the sound of beating wings only pushed him further. Devil's face suddenly starring in his face.

Jin sat up quickly. His chest heaved heavily, a cold sweat running down his face and back. He swung his legs over the edge of his hotel room bed and stumbled into the bathroom. He flicked the switch turning the light on and ran some water in the sink. He then looked in the mirror. Jin was pale and thinner than he should be. A lot thinner. His eyes looked tired even if he tried to scowl. Jin looked down into the sink and into the cold water he had ran. Jin splashed some water on his face, hoping to get rid of his emotionally sick feeling inside. He suddenly slammed his palms on each side of the sink and grasped the edges. Jin's eyes began to water, but he held it in, like all of his other emotions too.

"Why....?" He whispered harshly. 'You could've saved her. Baka.' He scolded himself within his mind. Jin backed up and slumped against the wall. He slid down and sat on the floor. "Why? Why after all this time...?" He whispered bringing his knees up to his chest. "Please.."

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"Kazi...." Hwoarang felt a tear fall from his eyes and fell upon a picture frame. The picture inside was Kazi, Jin, and he, smiling. "It's been over a year and I still haven't been able to move on. Losing you was just like loosing him. Losing Master Baek." Inside he felt sick and his chest seemed tight like it was hard to breathe, in which it was for him. Hwoarang fell to his knees from the couch and dropped the frame. He lifted his head to the ceiling. "Please.." Was the same thing he and Jin both said or rather asked at the exact same time.

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"Kazuya...." Kazuya heard his name called. A sweet voice coming to his ears. He was afraid to open his eyes, to find that she wasn't really there. The familiar beautiful voice of the one person he loved. Kazuya lay in his bed, his eyes still closed, trying not to move. A gentle hand touched his face and moved along his jaw line. His eyes betrayed his mind and opened slowly. Kazuya stopped breathing as he caught sight of her. Jun Kazama. Jun smiled, a special aura of pureness floating about her. She never took her eyes from him. Kazuya couldn't believe it.

"Am I?" he began or tried to ask. "Am I dreaming?" Jun shook her head gently and answered him.

"No, Kazuya.." She held up her long white dress before sitting on the bed beside him. Kazuya sat up; still not able to believe it was real. "You don't believe, do you?"

"How do I know you're not one of Devil's tricks?" His voice colder than he wanted it to be.

"I'm not. I'm here. With you." Jun smiled, "Do you want proof?" Kazuya nodded. Jun leaned forward and kissed him. He was surprised at the gentleness he hadn't felt in a long time. Soon his emotions for her began to glow and fill his seemingly cold heart. Jun pulled away softly and slowly. Kazuya wore a surprised expression that looked a bit funny.

"J-J-Jun?!" his voice making a strange squeaking noise that didn't sound right. Jun giggled. He tried to think of others, "What about-"

"Jin?" She finished for him. He nodded dumbfounded. "I will go and see him tomorrow. Rest now, dear Kazuya." She gently pushed him down and pulled he covers over him.

"Don't go." he pleaded, felling a little pathetic and not caring at all. Jun kissed his forehead and laid down facing him.

"I won't." She said wrapping her arm around him. Kazuya returned the embrace gently as possible.

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The morning light peaked through the bathroom window, awakening Jin. He opened his eyes and lifted himself off of the tile. His body ached and his eyes burned. Jin turned to take a shower. The warm water stung his eyes from the dehydration of his sorrow. Jin stepped out and threw a towel around his waist. He turned the water off and walked into the next room looking through his clothes and picking out his blue golden flamed outfit and throwing it onto the bed along with a pair of black boxers. The telephone rang. Jin walked over and picked it up.

"Hello?" his voice came out groggy and he stared at the floor.

"Morning." Jin's head popped up at the sound of Kazuya's voice on the other end.

"What do you want?"

"Cross today?"

"You don't even know me. So, leave me alone." Jin said coldly.

"Maybe not, but I do know there is someone who wishes to hear you." Jin's eyes narrowed.

"Sure whatever."

"Kazama, Jun wants to see you."

"Lair." He spat. "Whatever you want, leave Mother out of this." Jin had become serious and agitated at Kazuya's remark.

"It's true." Kazuya's voice was calm and wasn't as cold as it used to sound. Jin was sure it was just the phone doing that to his father's voice.

"Shut up and leave me be." Jin hung up on Kazuya. He scoffed and got dressed; making up his mind to visit the forest, hoping it would calm his nerves.

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The trees glimmered from the morning dew. Rays of golden sunlight streaked through every little hole it could find. Jin walked through the forest and towards the lake. He kept seeing images of Kazi falling with Devil to her death and his mother being killed by Ogre. He tried to shake the images away, but his attempts failed. He suddenly fell backwards and hit the ground, his head throbbing. Having lost in his own thoughts Jin walked straight into a tree.

"Heh.. heh..." He laughed nervously. After he had gotten up and dusted himself off, he began towards the lake again. When he finally came to the lake clearing, his eyes fell upon the 'image' of his mother. Jin's heart stopped. Could what Kazuya said have been true? Jin watched as she kept her eyes closed and danced around ankle deep in the crystal waters. Her short white dress moving almost angelic like with her. She opened her eyes and looked at him. Her voice came sweetly,

"Jin!"