Chapter 4:

Help

"There ya go." Paul finished bandaging Cyn up. She smiled gratefully.

"Thanks, Paul." he smiled but it faded quickly.

"Eh, by the look o' those dudes... They won't be givin' up anytime soon." Paul sighed and ran a hand through his shoulder-length blonde hair that was flowing freely. Cyn scratched lightly at the bandage on her head. "We've gotta find Steve and Lei. They'll help. Maybe Marshal will too if he's not busy knocking his 'unappreciative customers' out." He gave a soft chuckle. "Can you walk?"

"Yeah...." Cyn stood up and dusted off her clothes, ignoring the sharp pain of glass in her knees. Paul glanced from side to side and snorted. Cyn spotted Steve and Lei waving to them from the other side of the street and crossed over to them with Paul, who them told them what had happened so far.

"So what did those eh, Mishimas do to ya?" Steve was almost afraid to ask. Cyn grunted but it sounded more like an uninvited squeak.

"I, uh..."

"Got in their 'family business' eh?" Paul asked, knowingly.

"Yeah, you could say that." Cyn limped behind Paul, keeping a look out for anyone behind or beside them.

"Yeah, well.... Don't go meddlin' too much, ya hear?" Cyn shot him a look of curiosity.

"Why?" She had never really asked why before but figured if it had to do with Jin she had to find out, ' ...or I'll die of curiosity' she thought. Paul and the others began to walk down the street.

"Curiosity kills the cat." Lei grinned. Cyn stuck her tongue out at him and pouted.

"I'm not a cat. And why? Before I begin ta sound like a broken record."

"'Cause the last one to do it is now dead. Poor woman. She was a sweet girl too. Sweet and pure. Like an angel almost. 'Cept she could kick ya ass in a sec. ya catch me?" Cyn nodded.

"Come-on Blondie, who was it?" Paul sighed then gave Cyn a glace before looking into the blank dark sky.

"Jun." Cyn pondered for a moment. "Jun Kazama. Jin's mother." Cyn inhaled sharply.

"What happened to her?" 'Whoa man.... no wonder Jin never said anything about himself.... he probably blames himself for it. Damn. Wish this wasn't so surprising.' Cyn let her breath loose but the tension in her stomach grew.

"I donno. Jin doesn't talk about it. Especially not to me. Personally I've never even said so much as a 'Hi' or an exchange of solemn words. Only seen him at the Tournaments ya know. She kinda just disappeared. All he said was she died. Well ya know." Paul sighed, "The most kindest person I've ever come in contact. Knew over fourteen languages and spoke 'em fluently. Worked for the WWF, World Wildlife Federation. Loved the forest, animals, and all things pure ya know. MY question is, how did she ever come to get involved with that Mishima." Paul growled. "Damned Kazuya."

"You just-you just said 'Kazuya'... right?" Cyn stuttered. Paul nodded. "I-I saw him. In the Temple-with Heihachi-and Jin!!" She exclaimed.

"Wait! Did Kazuya attack you?!" He grasped her by the shoulders. "If he did I swear-"

"Paul! No he-he......" Cyn paused and added quietly, "He saved me." Paul's hand dropped.

"You gotta be kiddin' me. Tell me you're playin' a joke, Cyn."

"No, he... did. He saved me from Heihachi."

"He most have a motive or somthin'-"

"No, I'm sure-"

"Listen here!" Cyn hushed. Paul was breathing heavily. "Kazuya Mishima doesn't just go around saving people. He ruined their lives and killed a lot of them. He is a ruthless coward-"

"I don't think so!" Cyn spoke the words as they came to her mind, "You wanna know what I think?! No? Well, guess what? You're gonna hear what I gotsta say! I think there's more ta this than WE think and/or know, ya got me, Blondie?" Paul listened. He didn't agree, but for the sake that he valued Cyn as a daughter, he listened. "I think there is more ta this than meets the eye. And I'ma gonna get ta the bottom o' it."

They hadn't noticed that they had made it all the way to the coffee shop that was half a mile from their destination.

"Couldn't help but over hear your conversation." Cyn stopped and looked at the shadowy figure out of the streetlight.

"What of it?" Cyn asked, the street tactics coming back better than ever. The man stood up straight, he was a little over six feet three inches, Cyn guessed, and had the form of a bodybuilder only his waist looked flexible.

"You wish to find Kazama, Jin." He pointed to her hand. Cyn arched an eyebrow and opened her fist. She was surprised to find she was still holding the black feather. Cyn looked back at the man quickly. Something about the man was vaguely familiar.

"How did you know..?" Cyn choose her words carefully. He ignored her.

"You don't agree with her," he said to the others. Steve went to say something but the man cut in, "You don't." It silenced them all. "You are supposed to stick together are you not? You are-what you call 'friends'-are you not?"

"That's right. I'm sticking behind her all the way." Steve said. Lei nodded.

"Me too."

"What's it to ya anyways?" Paul suddenly got agitated.

"You would do anything to make sure she and everyone she cared for stay alive would you not?"

"Oh, for the bloody love of frigging fags, o' course we would." Steve said sincerely although his choice of profanities was... well, a bit... strange.

"Then you shall stay as far away from her as possible." The tall dark man stepped from the shadows and into the streetlight.

"KAZUYA MISHIMA!!" Paul growled loudly in anger. The man merely glanced at him through his sunglasses. 'Nice ray-bans man.' Cyn thought. Paul went to lunge at him.

"Don't." Cyn held her arm in front of him.

"Smart move."

"What do ya want?"

"Some things are not meant to have."

"Stop speaking in god-damned circles." Kazuya made no noise or anything to show he had heard her. "Fine. Lemme rephrase that. What do you want, that has to do with me?"

"You shall see."