::X:: Unfolding

The weather had taken a turn for the worse and the sweltering heat had been replaced with a burst of tropical rainfall. Lei had not enjoyed being cooped up indoors, and was now more determined than ever to discover what had happened to Michelle's mother. Even more important though, was the matter of Michelle's pendant, and the far-fetched God of Fighting.

"I swear I must be going crazy," Lei muttered to himself as he paced his room relentlessly. "Of course there's no such thing as a God of Fighting. Jun must be having me on."

The problem was that even though the God of Fighting made no rational sense to Lei, at the back of his mind his policeman's curiosity had been aroused. With a dramatic sigh, Lei decided to get to the bottom of this mystery once and for all.

No sooner had he got to his door when suddenly Michelle knocked and promptly let herself in.

"Hi Lei," she greeted him, smiling brightly.

"Uh...Michelle..." Lei began, trailing off with surprise at her abrupt entrance. Michelle stared at him questioningly.

"What's the matter with you? You look all upset."

"Oh, nothing's the matter," Lei replied with feigned brightness. "Everything's just fine."

Michelle lifted an eyebrow.

"You may be a super-cop, Lei Wulong," she began hotly, "but you're some bad liar. Are you with-holding information about my mother?"

"Uh...no, of course not!" Lei stalled desperately. "Now why would I want to do that?"

"I don't know. You tell me."

Lei remained silent, hoping Michelle would give up and go away, but unfortunately, her eye managed to spot a nearby library book on his coffee table.

"What's that?"

Before he had time to stop her, Michelle had picked up the book and was scanning over its open pages.

"Michelle... I don't think you should read that..." Lei moved forwards to stop her, but it was already too late. Michelle stared up at him, pain and confusion on her face.

"God of Fighting?"

Lei gave in.

"Yeah, yeah, I know it sounds crazy, but I had nothing else to go on and ..."

"Too damn right it's crazy!" Michelle cried, slamming the book into his chest and temporarily winding him. "As if that pendant had anything to do with an ancient monster! Do you know how insulting this is?!"

"I'm sorry," Lei apologised, rubbing his chest tentatively. "I know it sounds crazy, but..."

"But what?!" Michelle demanded, furious. Lei said nothing, an uncomfortable look on his face.

"Oh my God!" Michelle suddenly exclaimed, enlightened. "You really believe this, don't you! Lei, have you gone nuts? This is the real world we're dealing with here, not some hocus-pocus fantasy!"

"Hey, I wouldn't have believed it myself under the usual circumstances!" he insisted, looking injured. "But Jun... well, she said she saw the beast! And Jun's one of the sanest people I know!"

"Are you sure about that?" Michelle queried, her face, nevertheless, beginning to show signs of anxiety.

"I'm not sure about anything anymore," he replied on a sigh, turning back to the door. "All I know is that I'm gonna trash the upper floors trying to find out!"

He was just about to pull open the door when Michelle suddenly grabbed urgently onto his arm.

"Lei, wait!"

"What the hell is it?!"

She paused and half-blushed, lowering her voice. "I don't want you getting hurt."

Lei gaped at her.

"Am I hearing this right? Are you actually saying you like me a lot?"

"I never said that!" she retorted in frustration. "What I meant was... I'm going with you!"

"No, you're not," Lei replied through gritted teeth. "You're staying right here."

"Why?!"

"Because I've got to protect you, and taking you with me isn't any way to be doing that."

"I can protect myself, thank you very much!" Michelle seethed. "God, what's your problem? Why are you always so goddamn sexist?!"

"I am not!" he snapped, stopping and calming himself with an effort before continuing. "I'm just afraid."

"Of what?"

"That I'll lose you," he replied under his breath. "Like her lost her before."

"Who?"

For a moment Lei looked as if he was about to reply; then he seemed to shake himself form his reverie and looked at her again.

"Look, I'm going to see Jun. I'll see if I can find out more from her. In the meantime, you just wait for me here."

Before she could stop him, Lei left the room, leaving Michelle to stare after him, a bewildered look on her face.

Jun had not been too pleased to see Lei at her door once again. For one thing he seemed his usual annoying self, and for another thing she was expecting Lee any moment.

"Lei, could I possibly have some peace and quiet for at least one little moment?" she pleaded in her best little-girl voice. She should have known, however, that it would not work on Lei.

"Nonsense!" he assured her. "I haven't bothered you for ages now! I think that's enough 'peace and quiet' for you , Miss. Kazama."

"Well, what do you want?" Jun asked impatiently, glancing at her watch. "I'm expecting someone."

Lei immediately began to look suspicious.

"Oh, are you? It doesn't happen to be that pretty-boy Lee Chaolan, does it?"

"As a matter of fact," Jun replied tartly, "it does."

"I knew it!" Lei cried, rolling his eyes. "I knew this would happen! It's like I always say – never send a woman to do a man's job!"

"All right," Jun began, a dangerous look on her face, "I'm going to give you a choice. Either I give you a slap in the face, or you get out of here right now."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Lei groaned. "I did come here for a reason other than to irritate you, believe it or not."

"Is that a fact?" Jun cried in mock amazement. "Well then, get on with it before my generosity runs out."

"Well, this is serious," Lei began in a calmer voice. "Jun, I need to know whether you really did see something strange that night. I mean, if you're having me on..."

"Of course it was real," she replied indignantly. "Do you think I'd joke about something like that?" She paused and shivered at the thought of it. "Lei, I swear that thing, whatever it was, it was dangerous. And I think it possessed Kazuya."

"Yeah, that's what you told me last time," Lei nodded.

"Yes, but something really strange happened..." Jun sat down slowly, still shocked inside about what had occurred that night. "You see, it spoke to me. It told me I had been 'chosen'. And then there was another creature, one that seemed to be female, but was benign..."

"Wait a minute," Lei interrupted excitedly. "You mean there were two creatures? And one said you had been chosen? For what?"

Jun was just about to answer when a knock at her door prevented her from speaking.

"That'll be Lee," she told Lei with feigned politeness. "You'd better behave yourself."

"Oh sure," Lei replied sarcastically as Jun got up to open the door. "I'll just get up and get out and let you two get down to it, shall I?"

Jun passed him an evil look as she pulled the door open to reveal Lee.

"Lee, hi," Jun greeted him brightly, only to have Lei suddenly brush past her.

"Right, I'm going. See ya, Jun."

"Who was that?" Lee asked once Lei had made his escape.

"You know who he is," Jun told him archly, shutting the door. "The question you should be asking is: why was he here?"

Lee looked at her closely.

"Is there something you're not telling me?"

Jun took a deep breath in before she spoke.

"Lee, you told me that Kazuya needs me, and that's why he's keeping me in the tournament."

"Yes," he replied expectantly.

"Do you have any idea why he needs me?"

"What makes you think I'd know?"

Jun paused before she spoke. She did not like to confide in Lee, but now circumstances were different.

"Lee, this is important. Have you...have you ever met Kazuya's secret advisor?"

For a split second Lee looked stunned, then speechless. When next he spoke his voice was oddly tight.

"Jun, what do you know about all this?"

Jun gazed back at him, her heart in her mouth. She didn't know how she was going to explain to him what had happened to her, but if Kazuya needed her – and if his mysterious advisor had 'chosen' her – then she needed to know what was going on, even if it was from Lee.

"Lee," she began, "I..."

She'd hardly begun her sentence, when a second knock sounded at the door. Jun exhaled with relief and walked slowly to the door. As she opened it she saw one of Kazuya's bodyguards standing in the doorway.

"Miss. Kazama," he began briefly, "Mr. Mishima wishes to see you."

Jun looked back at Lee, expectancy on her face. Lee addressed the bodyguard quietly.

"It's all right: you may go. I'll take her myself."

During the time Jun spent walking to Kazuya's office, there was only one thing that was occupying her mind – the fact that at last things were beginning to happen. Perhaps now she would finally know where she stood in all this, and, if things went right, she would be able to play the situation to her advantage. Nevertheless, there was a sense of foreboding in her as she neared her destination. Whatever Kazuya's secrets were, the chances were that they were not the kind of secrets that would give Jun the power to make bargains.

They finally stopped outside Kazuya's office, a set of polished oak double-doors with gold handles. Jun Looked at Lee nervously.

"It'll be all right," Lee assured her softly. "I'll wait for you here."

Jun smiled tentatively at him, knocked lightly on the door, then pushed it open.

The light was dim inside the great room, and at first Jun found it hard to work out where everything was. It was as her eyes grew used to the relative darkness that she began to appreciate the grand scale of the room. Like the rest of the building, Kazuya's office was painted in beige and grey and full of streamlined chrome and glass. And yet, the feel of the room was bit unpleasant, or belittling. Kazuya's large desk stood at the back of the room, underneath a large set of imposing windows. Here the blinds had been pulled down halfway, producing the darkened effect that now filled the room. By the window stood Kazuya himself, his back turned to Jun.

"Good afternoon, Miss. Kazama," came his voice, and Jun could somehow sense something cold and dark in his intonation.

"You wanted to talk to me?" she managed to say, still not quite sure of her bearings. There was a silence during which Kazuya passed a short, scornful laugh – and yet, as he did so, there was a bitter ring to it.

"You have little idea," he finally spoke, "of what's going on, do you."

Jun remained silent. She did not know whether it was safe to let on how much she knew already.

"Do you remember," he began again, "what happened that night?"

"What night?" she asked uncertainly.

"Don't pretend!" he cried, and this time his voice was angry. "Don't pretend you don't remember!" There was a pause, and then his voice became calm again. "You ran away, Jun. You left me."

Jun knew instinctively what he was talking about. She remembered the strange being, the cold, wise eyes, the power that emanated from it and into Kazuya. It felt odd to her, because during the time she had witnessed the whole scenario, she had wanted desperately to help Kazuya and yet she had run from him. She felt guilty now, as though he had accused her of something terrible. Inside her was arising the urge to help him again, but she was afraid of what would happen if she did.

"Kazuya," she rose her voice as she addressed him, "please tell me what's going on. I don't understand any of this."

He turned then, away from the window, and Jun was struck at how gentle his eyes seemed.

"Come here," he ordered her, his voice soft. Jun obeyed, somehow feeling more secure. As she neared him she could see the difference in his face, serene and less troubled. "Miss. Kazama," he continued slowly, "you must understand that what you saw that night was something no other person has seen before. I don't mean to say that you are privileged, Miss. Kazama. No. What I mean to say is that what you saw could have cost you your life."

Jun shuddered instinctively. Now it was coming. She could feel it.

"Why do you think," he began again softly, his hand fingering a pen on his desk gently, "that I have let you stay alive?"

"Because," Jun began, trying hard to breathe, "because you have been told to? Because I have been chosen?"

Kazuya suddenly stood straight, and Jun jumped as she saw the fury in his eyes.

"No!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing in the room. He looked as if he would fly into a rage, but once again something changed in his face and he began calm again. "No – you're right. You have been chosen. I can't change that."

"Chosen for what?" Jun spoke, mad with suspense. Kazuya, however, seemed to ignore her.

"Jun, I need you," he rejoined softly. "I need you, Jun."

She felt it again – a sharp pang in her heart, not of sympathy, but something more. She couldn't help it – it was there. She swallowed hard, feeling as though she would suddenly weep.

"What do you need me for?" she whispered.

He looked at her then, and there was both pain and fear in his eyes.

"I need you to help me, Jun. This thing inside me... it's eating me up. I can't get away from it." His hands were on her shoulders now, gripping on tightly, yet Jun hardly felt it. "I'm afraid of it, Jun, and I've never been afraid in my life. I know what you're thinking – that there's nothing you can do, that's what you're thinking. But I know you can help me, Jun. There's something about you..."

He stopped, lowered his head, and took a sharp intake of breath. Jun found herself suddenly helping him stand upright, this man she hardly knew and yet found she shared some inexplicable bond with. The realisation hit here like lightning – wherever she was, whatever it was, she had feelings for Kazuya Mishima, feelings that nonetheless she could not place.

"I'll help you," she began to say without thinking about forming the words in her mouth. "I'll help you, I promise..."

She remembered the woman in white who had stood there in the mirrors, watching her and Kazuya that night on the topmost floor. She remembered the odd strength that had coursed through her, the need to help Kazuya no matter what. She had no idea what it was that had brought them together, and yet, as she pressed her lips to Kazuya's own, she somehow knew that they would never leave each other again.

Lee had not been waiting long before Jun re-emerged from Kazuya's room. From the drawn look on her face he could tell that something had happened, but instead of her turning to him, she hardly seemed to notice him at all.

"Jun," he greeted her, puzzled at her quietness. "Are you all right? What happened?"

Jun turned to him as if she had only just realized he was there. There was a look of dazed confusion on her face, and also a certain touch of fear.

"Lee..." she breathed, seemingly surprised at his presence. Lee, seeing the frightened look on her, began to grow alarmed. What had Kazuya said to her? For once he felt truly angry with his brother – far angrier than he'd ever felt before.

"Jun, what the hell did he do to you? Jun, what did he say?"

"I don't know... I don't understand..." she began to say, pressing a hand to her temple. "...I don't know why I feel this way..."

"What?" Lee caught hold of her arm and held tight. "What do you mean?"

To Lee's amazement, Jun suddenly lifted her arm and pushed him away roughly.

"Lee, please! I don't want to talk about it!" She stopped and dropped her head, trying to catch her breath. "Please, just go, just leave me."

He stared at her, shocked at her words, unable to speak.

"Lee," she started again, her eyes on him. "Please, just leave me. I can't see you anymore. I don't want to see you anymore."

"Why?" Lee voiced in confusion, but Jun had already swiveled round and was running down the corridor, away from him.

Lee stood, fuming. He wasn't sure why he was angry. He half considered tackling Kazuya about this latest episode, but something stopped him. Perhaps he was not angry with Kazuya at all. Perhaps it was because he'd lost his chances of bedding Jun instead.

For once in his life, Lee felt guilty, truly guilty. He had not wanted to admit it, but he had begun to have feelings for Jun. Lee wiped at his face with the back of his hand and frowned hard at himself. Well, he'd found out a little too late, because it seemed that Miss. Jun Kazama had just walked out of his life for good.

He'd hardly had time to get his head round it all when he saw Anna approaching him. normally he would have avoided the sight of her, but now he was too deep in thought for that.

"Lee, what's wrong?" she asked once she had neared him. "You look all upset."

"I'm fine," he replied after a short pause. "Nothing's wrong."

"I saw Jun," Anna began archly. "She seemed pretty eager to get away from here."

"Anna, it's nothing, okay?"

"Is that so?" Anna raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Now if you don't mind, I have to go and find her." He made as if to brush past her, but she stopped him.

"Lee, wait."

"Anna, do you mind...?"

"Lee," there was a sly look on her face, "what's going on? Why are you so bothered about that goody-goody Jun Kazama? I mean, you've been a lot of her lately, haven't you."

"That's because Kazuya ordered me to keep an eye on her."

"And since when have you obeyed Kazuya's orders so religiously?" she returned hotly. "Lee, don't lie to me. I know you. Do you think I was with you for all that time without learning something about you?" She paused, letting the words sink in. "You want her, don't you. I can see it in your eyes, Lee."

"It's more than that," he insisted savagely, amazed at what he'd just admitted.

Anna snorted. "Come on, Lee. You just want her in your bed, that's all you care about Lee Chaolan, you'll never change."

He said nothing, unable to decide whether what she'd said was the truth or not. He could not look at her for fear of realising that what she said was true.

"I understand exactly how you feel," she continued softly. "We're both the same, Lee. We both have siblings we hate, that's why we are the way we are. In fact, I'm the only one who understands you and you know it."

Lee looked at her then, straight into her clear blue eyes, for the first time in years. She returned his gaze, replying his unspoken question with an unspoken answer. Her hand on his arm softened, and he caught the trace of a smile on her crimson lips.

"All right," he said, or imagined he said. It didn't matter. She understood what he meant anyway.

There had been an ominous feeling in the pit of Nina's stomach ever since she had last tried to take Kazuya's life. It was not that she was afraid of explaining the failure of her mission to Heihachi – it was what she had witnessed in Kazuya's room that had terrified her. She had met up with Akio again, still feeling shaken from the night before.

"What the hell happened out there?" he demanded, half-worried, half-angry. "I waited for you for ages and when you didn't turn up you didn't even call me!"

"I'm sorry," Nina apologized, hoping her voice wasn't shaking too much, "but something unexpected turned up." She stopped, seeing the incredulous look on his face. "I take you told Heihachi I failed."

"Of course I did!" Akio looked irritated. "Nina, this isn't like you. What on earth made you screw up?"

Nina was just about to answer when her cell phone went off. Sighing, she picked it up and answered it.

"Hello?"

"What the hell were you thinking of?" Heihachi's voice rasped through the receiver. "Nina, this was your last chance and you blew it!"

"Wait," Nina stopped him. "I have something to tell you."

"Well, it'd better be good, because you're as good as dead, Ms. Williams."

"I had a good reason for bailing out on this," she replied carefully. "When I went to Kazuya's room, something prevented me from dispatching him. And it wasn't just anything."

"What?" Heihachi's vopice returned, curious now.

Nina took in a breath and looked at Akio, who was staring at her with some confusion.

"It was some sort of monster. I didn't get to see it properly, but it was there all right. It had some sort of control over Kazuya."

Heihachi's voice was wary when next he spoke. "Control over Kazuya?" There was a pause. "The Devil."

"Devil?" Nina repeated. "What do you mean?"

Heihachi didn't answer her question. "Nina, I need you to help me."

"Aren't I doing that already?" she asked archly.

"No – listen. I'm going to join the tournament myself."

"What?"

"You heard me. I'm coming in. And I need your help."

It was still storming outside and Lee could hear the sound of rain pelting on the window as he stepped into Anna's bedroom from the shower. Anna was sprawled out on the bed lazily smoking a cigarette and staring at Lee as he towelled his damp hair dry.

"What's the matter, Lee?" she asked him, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "You haven't spoken once since we got here."

"Nothing's wrong," he replied shortly, avoiding eye contact with her. There was a churning feeling in his gut – he felt sick. Anna seemed to catch something of his mood.

"Are you still thinking about our little Miss Jun Kazama?" she threw at him sarcastically, glaring at him from under thick black eyelashes.

"So what if I am?" he retorted, trying not to sound hot and bothered about it but not entirely succeeding.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" she asked, a wry smile on he face. "I don't know whether to take offence or not. Could it be that all the time you've been here with me you've been thinking about another woman?"

Lee scowled at her, threw the towel onto the bed and grabbed his shirt.

"This isn't like you, Lee," Anna continued relentlessly, "I'm beginning to worry about you."

"Then go ahead and worry," he replied acidly, doing up on button after another in quick succession. "At least it'll give you something to do without giving me hell at the same time."

"Ooh, that stung," she returned lazily. "I could think of more recreational ways to hurt me, Lee."

"Look," Lee began in exasperation, "can you leave it for once, Anna? I'm not in the mood."

Anna smirked and pulled out a packet of cigarettes from her nearby handbag. "Wanna light?"

Lee obligingly took a cigarette from the packet and lit it up with his own lighter. "Thanks," he threw at her begrudgingly.

"So tell me," Anna began conversationally, ignoring his tone. "What is it about her? What exactly is it I should learn from Miss Jun Kazama?"

Lee caught the tone of mockery in her voice.

"Have you finished yet?"

"No, I really want to know." She sighed. "You know, Lee, I really thought you and I had a chance of getting back together, but it seems you've gone up in the world."

"Don't give yourself such a hard time," he told her sardonically. "After all, I'm sure you'll find someone else to warm your bed in time. Besides, why would you want me? I'm just a player, right?"

"I didn't meant to say those things," Anna began to lose her temper. "I was just angry. And why are you acting so smug anyway? If you're so hot for Jun then why did you just sleep with me?"

"Anna, there's nothing for you to worry about. Jun doesn't want to see me anymore." He pulled his shoes quickly. "But that doesn't change the fact that sleeping with you was a big mistake."

Anna said nothing, fuming inwardly with anger as Lee continued.

"I shouldn't have done it because I care about Jun, okay? But you happened to be there when my pride was wounded and so I guess I got a little carried away." He stood up straight and smiled mercilessly at her. "And since you were available..." He trailed off, shrugging as if to make light of the matter.

"You're scum, Lee," Anna hissed through gritted teeth.

"Perhaps, but it doesn't really matter now," he muttered, a hint of regret in his voice. He stopped and picked up her dress from the floor. "You'd better put some clothes on," he told her, throwing the garment at her, "you'll catch cold sitting like that."

"You bastard," she returned vehemently, shoving the dress away from her. Lee, however, had already made for the door.

"Thanks for the cigarette," he smirked at her before closing the door behind him. Anna stood up and threw the dress on the floor in a temper. After all she and Lee had shared together he'd rewarded her with this, and she suddenly felt used and dirty. And yet she still cared for him, still she lusted after him. Well, Anna thought, if he truly wasn't interested in her anymore then she'd make sure that the last nail was firmly hammered into the coffin of his cosy little attraction to Jun Kazama.

Next: Heihachi makes his move, and Jun finally meets with Wang...