I don't own Tekken. (I hate this part!!!)

Hi! Here it is the sequel of The Countdown, I hope you like it. It's going to be longer than The Countdown… :P Other characters will enter such as: Steve Fox, Christie Monteiro, Lee Chaolan, Kazuya Mishima, Dr. Abel and so on…

I want to thank Riri, Shadowsin, TheWishofNight and Reina-183 for reviewing the last chapter of The Countdown.

"THE ULTIMATE FIGHTING"

Starting from Zero

CHINA

HONG KONG

19th SEPTEMBER 2010

One month had passed since Ling was in Hong Kong with her grandfather, Chen Ying. The old man simply loved his granddaughter; she was the reason for his existence. But Chen Ying knew that Ling wasn't happy, he knew that something had happened in Japan.

He tried to ask her, but she avoided the question. And in the meanwhile, Ling was now working during the days, even on weekends. At night she was going to School, but it wasn't the same thing. Her old friends couldn't understand why she was so numb; after all she should feel safe because she was in her country with her family and friends.

The Chinese media had spoke about the case that was a scandal in Japan, the Mishima case. That way Ling heard that Jin was still missing. She tried not to cry in front of her grandfather but he saw her tears.

Aside from that, the media only said that the case was still under investigation, and a new detective would take care of the case.

Miharu wrote a letter to Ling not each month but one each week.

In that afternoon arrived other letter, the second one in that week.

-Your friend must miss you very much…-said Chen Ying delivering the letter to Ling.

-Yes…I guess so…

-Why are you so sad?-asked the old man.

-I'm not sad grandpa…

-I'm eighty-four but I'm not senile!

-Sorry…I didn't mean that…

Ling read Miharu's letter and then she smiled for the first time in two months. After all that time, she was receiving good news.

The Mishima Polytechnical School wasn't being shut down, someone was going to assume the post of Headmaster and he or she was appealing to all the students to return. The School year would have to start later than in the other Schools, but it wasn't serious.

They were preparing a welcome party to the students in November. The classes would begin in the 8th of November. Miharu was decided to return to the Mishima School, though her parents would prefer that she would go to another School.

In the letter, Miharu said that Ling should convince her grandfather to return to Japan as soon as possible.

Ling wanted to go. She wanted to go to Japan again; she wanted to be close to Jin even knowing that he was still missing.

Chen Ying listened to the news carefully and he understood immediately what Ling was going to propose.

-Then I'll go with you…-he said, knowing that she wouldn't go without him.

-Thanks grandpa! You're the best!

Ling wrote a letter to Miharu that same day, saying that she was going back to Japan. She asked Miharu to buy the papers for her registration and to speak with the School board to see if she could still use the scholarship that she hadn't use last year.

USA

ARIZONA

23rd SEPTEMBER 2010

Julia was at home. Her parents were at work and she didn't know what to do. In the last week she had been with her sister every day. The Hospital where Michelle was recovering was private and one of the bests in the country. But Michelle still needed the life support machine to keep her alive.

Julia had studied in the Internet many cases of people who where in coma during many years and still woke up, after ten or twenty years.

It wasn't a good perspective but at least there was hope, something to hang on to.

Things between her and her parents weren't very good. She had the feeling that they were avoiding her, probably because they were thinking that it was all her fault.

The things got worse when she told Lao, her father, that she wasn't marrying Mario.

The two families were hoping that the two would marry soon, but Julia and Mario didn't want that to happen.

Lao couldn't understand her daughter, after all Julia always liked to maintain the traditions alive.

Lao wasn't Native-American but when he married Michelle, he had vowed to respect and keep on with the traditions of her family that was why he couldn't accept Julia's behaviour.

Now that he almost lost a daughter, Lao wasn't willing to lose the other. He wanted Julia to stay with them and the best way to achieve that was making her marry Mario.

Michelle Chang, Julia's mother, wasn't recovered yet from what had happened. She never thought that Julia was guilty for what had happened; she just wanted things to go back to normal.

-Your father needs to speak to you!-said Michelle entering her daughter's bedroom.

Julia was in the computer, searching for medical reports about comas and similar situations.

-If it's about the wedding again, tell him to take a walk! I don't want to marry…

-What's happening Julia? You are so far away from us!

-I'm not…it's your fault! Why don't you just say that it was my entire fault?

-I don't think that way!

-Of course you do! You all do! I suggested the trip!

-I could've stopped you…and so as your father! But what have we done? Nothing! We let you go!

Julia looked at her mother and noticed that she was feeling guilty too. She hugged her and they both started crying.

A few minutes later, Julia sat down on her bed and whipped her tears.

-So…tell me what's wrong about this wedding? You seemed to like Mario…-said Michelle.

-He's more like the brother I never had…

-He was going out with Michelle wasn't he?

-Yes…

-In that case…I guess I have to speak with your father…

-Do you think he will understand?

-Lets see…

Michelle and Julia went downstairs to speak with Lao.

-Julia can't marry, Lao!-said Michelle.

-Why not? Our family arranged this many years ago!-said Lao upset.

-Do you have the medallion, Julia?-asked Michelle.

-No…

-No wedding can be celebrated without the medallion…-said Michelle.

-Then where is the medallion?-asked Lao.

-In Japan…-answered Julia.

-What!?

-It's safe…don't worry…

-Don't worry? What will I say to the Farel family…that my idiot daughter forgot about the damn medallion in Japan?

-I didn't forget the medallion…I left it with someone…

Lao seemed shocked with her words.

-You what? You did this on purpose?

-No…

-The medallion is not that important!-said Lao.-You'll marry without it!

-Dad!?

-This medallion is a very special symbol from my mother's clan…she'll not allow her own granddaughter to marry without it!-said Michelle.

-Then I'll go get it!-said Lao.

-No you're not! I left it there, I'll go!-said Julia.

-Who has the medallion?

-A friend!

-I want a name, Julia…

-Hwoarang. He helped me…you should thank him too…if it wasn't for him I…

-You slept with him, didn't you?

-No! He's just a friend…

-I want to protect you…why can't you understand that?

-I don't need protection…I need support! I almost lost my sister!

-And I almost lost a daughter! Don't be so stubborn! Just tell me where this guy lives!

-I don't want to marry Mario!!! But if this is so important I'll go and get the medallion if you want to, Ok?

-Fine! You go…

-Thanks dad…

-Is he Japanese, Chinese?

-South Korean.

-Christ!? South Korean?! He probably doesn't give a damn to your culture! That's it! You go there and bring back that medallion and then we'll talk about this! I don't want you to stay there! Is that clear?

-Yes, dad!

-Ok…

In that night, Michelle talked with Julia to see if her daughter was sure about going back to Japan.

-Are you sure you want to do this?-asked Michelle.

-Yes, mum…I am.

-What about your sister?

-Mario is with her every day…you and dad will be with her too. But that doesn't mean that I will forget her…she's always with me…

-And that guy…Hwoarang…?

-He's a friend.

-Close friend?

-Just a friend…he entered the tournament as well, and he helped me a lot! I met Ling, Jin, Eijiro and Mouse…they're all very nice…

Julia was about to tell her mother all about Heihachi Mishima but then she realised that would be a mistake. If she told Michelle the dangerous situations she had experienced, she would probably forbid her to go back to Japan.

-You're not coming back soon…right?-asked Michelle.

-I'll stay there for one or two months…maybe more…

-You'll miss University classes…

-I know…

-And you'll have to leave Pure Whiteness.

-I've sent an e-mail with my resignation already…

-I hope this trip worth what you're leaving behind.-said Michelle leaving.-See you tomorrow.

-Good night, mum!

Julia thought about her mother last words. She didn't know if the trip was worth it, but Hwoarang was, and that was the most important thing to her.

But now, Julia was realising that her feelings towards Hwoarang were changing. At first she felt gratitude and sympathy, but now there was something more. Something that was scaring her, because it was the first time she felt that way.

JAPAN

TOKYO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

3rd OCTOBER 2010

Ling and Chen Ying were finally in Japan. Chen Ying had never seen so many people together in the same city. Tokyo was huge and confusing. He was used to the countryside not to those modern buildings.

-Don't worry grandpa…where we going to live is not so noisy…it's a quiet place. You'll like it!-said Ling in the cab.-Look! Miharu is there!

Ling left the cab and hugged Miharu.

-Hi! How are you Mi?-asked Ling.

-Fine…we missed you…

-This is my grandpa!-introduced Ling.

-Hi mister Ying, nice to meet you!

-Hi…miss…

-Miharu…you can call me Miharu!

-Then you can call me grandpa!

-You speak Japanese very well sir…

-No I don't…I speak very bad…but you're very nice.

The following week, Ling had been very busy cleaning the house and going to the School to take care of her registration. There were some problems concerning her exams that she hadn't done. Her file said that she had passed the year, but there were no records about her marks in the exams. She was lucky because the Chinese Martial Arts teacher said that he had seen her doing the exams, which wasn't true at all.

Chen Ying was spending his time making company to an old man, owner of a Chinese store near their house; he could almost feel at home.

Ling was also hoping to receive a letter from Jin, something that would say he was alright and he hadn't forgot about her.

JAPAN

HONSHU

After knowing about Heihachi's death, Jin returned to Tono, but he didn't stay there for too long. He couldn't be in the same place and he was afraid to lose control and hurt innocent people. So he decided to travel around the country.

The truth was that he wasn't interested in life. The only thing he cared about was his trainings, so he was trying to create powerful techniques. He wanted more experience.

But he hadn't forgotten the promise he had made to Hwoarang. He wanted to fight with him again, but he was afraid. He always saw Hwoarang as an enemy, and he could lose his fighting against him. He didn't like Hwoarang but he didn't want to kill him either.

He was thinking about that when he thought about Ling. She had been the only person to be close to him, except for his mother. He had tried to forget about her, but he couldn't. If it wasn't for those stupid experiments he had been submitted, he could be with her in that moment. He wanted to have a normal life but in order to do that he would have to control himself.

Jin decided to work out his mind harder than his physical strength. If he could do that, maybe one day he would be able to see Ling again.

EAST-OSAKA

27th OCTOBER 2010

In East-Osaka everything was normal. Mouse had spoken with Hwoarang, he had said that he knew who Michelle's attackers were but he hadn't told anyone because he was scared. Hwoarang wasn't angry, after all Mouse was just a kid.

Lei Wulong had only arrived last week but he seemed different.

Two days ago the Tsunamis had robbed a wealthy business man store in the centre of Osaka. Lei was called to the place but he hadn't arrested anyone because he knew that the owner of the store was exploiting his employees.

The Tsunamis had robbed a lot of money but they gave it to those families. Lei was closing his eyes and Hwoarang appreciated that. Now there was some mutual respect between Hwoarang and Lei Wulong.

In that boring afternoon, Hwoarang was at home making plans, when Mouse arrived with news.

-What's up?-Eijiro asked.

-Say it kid…-said Hwoarang.

-Do you know who's leaving to Tokyo?-asked Mouse.

-The Easter Bunny?-joked Hwoarang.

-No…Wulong.

-What!?-asked Hwoarang and Eijiro.

-Are you sure?-Eijiro asked.

-Absolutely! I saw him carrying his things out of the police station this morning…

-But I thought that he didn't want to go back to Tokyo ever again…-said Eijiro.

-What are you talking about?-asked Hwoarang.

-You didn't know? Wulong was working as a detective in Tokyo before he was designated to the East-Osaka department. You didn't know?

-Nope…why didn't you tell me sooner?

-You never asked…

-Do you know when he's leaving?-asked Hwoarang interested.

-Yes…I think is after tomorrow…

-In that case we have to make a farewell party to our dear chief…what do you say?

-That would be great!-said Eijiro.-I'm going to call the others!

EAST-OSAKA

29th OCTOBER 2010

Lei left his home at seven a.m., he was going to his car when something called his attention.

His car was filled with yellow flowers and minutes later, Hwoarang and the Tsunamis arrived.

-It had to be…-said Lei.-So what do you want this time?

-I was expecting at least a hug…-joked Hwoarang.-You're going to leave us without saying goodbye? That's very rude!

-What do you want me to say?

-I know we had our battles…and I won all…besides I won in this last tournament, but we are friends, right?

-Not even in your dreams kid!

-I'm hurt…but we want to say goodbye anyway…we'll miss you!

-Or…maybe we won't!-said Eijiro. Everyone laughed.

-Fine…look I'm late…I have to go!

-Can I go to Tokyo visit you?-joked Hwoarang.

-Don't bother! I think you'll be too busy…they say that the new chief is worse than I was…

-Worse than you? I don't think so!-said Hwoarang.

Lei put his luggage in the car and Hwoarang lift up a banner saying «We Love You».

Lei laughed. The Tsunamis followed Lei's car until he entered the highway.

-This almost made me cry!-joked Hwoarang turning back.

-Come on…don't be like that! We have another bastard to piss off!-said Eijiro.

-Then…lets go to the police station! I want to meet him!

The Tsunamis stayed in front of the police station for the rest of the day, making some noise and screaming things such as: «We want Wulong back! ». The police officers tried to make them leave, but Hwoarang was stubborn. He sent someone to bring food and drinks and he stayed there until nightfall.

He managed to achieve his goal which was to make fun of the police officers and to show that he was that area leader. East-Osaka was his territory.

MISHIMA POLYTECHNICAL SCHOOL

TOKYO

7th NOVEMBER 2010

Despite the bad weather conditions, Miharu and Ling were very happy. They were back in School for the teachers' presentation and the well coming party.

It was two o'clock in the afternoon when all the students sat down on the gym, where a stage had been built.

-The Headmaster never made a presentation like this!-said Miharu.-His speeches were so boring!

-I hope this year is better…-said Ling.

-I hope too…-said a voice behind Miharu and Ling.

-Murakama…how are you?-asked Miharu not very pleased.

-Fine…and you?

-Alright.-said Ling.

-Are you in the same class as we are?-Miharu asked.

-Yeah…there are some new names but most of them we already know…-said Murakama.-So…I heard you entered the Iron F…

-Shut up, you idiot!-ordered Miharu.-Don't you know that the Iron Fist is secret?-she asked in a low voice.

-Yes…

-Well it doesn't seem like it!-Ling said.

-Sorry…But how was it?

In that moment Ling was saved by the teacher that was in the stage who ordered them to be quiet.

-Good afternoon!-he greeted.-I'm your Japanese Literature teacher; I work here since 2007, so I'm not a new face, but we have many new teachers! This year is going to be different…we have new disciplines and new subjects…I'm sure you have noticed that. Now we'll proceed with the rest of the presentations…

One by one the teachers went to the stage. An hour later an old man presented himself. He was the new Headmaster.

-Good afternoon! My name is Takeshi Misuno and I'm the new Headmaster. I want to inform you about what happened last year…You probably know that the former Headmaster of this school, Heihachi Mishima died in a plane crash. He was using this school for illegal activities without anyone's knowledge. From now on this will not happen again, this school will only be used for educational purposes. The school will, despite all this, maintain its name. Some things will remain the same, for example, the names of the best students in Martial Arts will still be announced in the honour board, which is leaded by Mr. Mishima's grandson, who is missing.

-Your name is there too…after Jin's name…-said Miharu in a low voice.

Ling wasn't listening. She was thinking about Jin. Why was he hiding? She was his friend, didn't he trust her?

-After this…I hope you have a good year! See you all tomorrow!-finished Mr. Misuno.

The students got up and gathered in front of the schedule boards.

-Did you hear the Headmaster?-asked Murakama.

-We're not deaf…-said Miharu.

-I'm talking about Jin Mishima…Don't you think it's odd?

-What?-asked Ling.

-That he didn't come back…after all his grandfather died…he was his only family…

-You don't know what kind of grandfather Heihachi Mishima was…-said Ling.

-I'm just saying that maybe, Jin has something to do with this illegal stuff too! Maybe that's why he doesn't want to come back!

-Shut up!-said Miharu.-Jin wouldn't do that!

-Jin would never do a thing like that!-added Ling.

-How do you know?

-I…just think that he's not that kind of guy…-said Ling.

-You changed your opinion about him, didn't you?

-What do you mean?

-You were always calling him names…

-Whatever!

-Lets see our schedule, ok?-asked Miharu.

-I bet Jin is just like his grandfather…a liar and a thief…with that charm he can fool anyone…specially girls!-said Murakama.

Ling and Miharu turned back and punched him hard in the face. Murakama fell on the floor and stayed there bleeding from his nose.

-Idiot!-said Miharu.

-Moron!-said Ling.

USA

ARIZONA

19th NOVEMBER 2010

Julia was only waiting for the best time to go back to Japan. Things weren't working out like she had expected.

Since October she hadn't any time to breathe.

She went to the Hospital every day to see Michelle though it didn't make any difference, but besides that she was forced to go to a wedding from a friend, a birthday party and she also had to cover for a camping monitor that was sick.

The wedding and birthday party was the easy part, but camping with a group of teenagers was a living hell. They were always screaming and fighting with eachother.

In the first week of November was celebrated the week of Indian traditions and many children were sent camping so they could learn something more about their culture. At first it was fun but then things just got complicated.

Julia stayed until the end but she swore that she would never do that again. She got home that night and got a call from her friends from the University. They wanted to have lunch with her the following day. She was forced to accept the invitation.

At dinner, Lao was beginning to have second thoughts about letting her go to Japan again.

-I was thinking and you don't need to marry this soon…-said Lao.

-You said I could go!-Julia replied.

-I know…but we could send Mario…or…

-No! I gave it to Hwoarang…I'll get it!

-Please…stop arguing.-asked Michelle.

-We are not arguing!-said Lao.-Your daughter is really stubborn! She takes after you!

After dinner, Julia just wished she could go to Japan as soon as possible. Her destiny was there, she would never give up on that.

As I promised I'm publishing the sequel. I want to thank to all the reviewers of The Countdown who encouraged me to keep translating this sequel in order to publish it. I thank the ones who reviewed and the ones who didn't…

Please tell me what you think of this sequel!

Have a good Christmas Holidays…