Chapter Eighteen: Rain Dance
Hwoarang raced through the field, slapping away the tall white fronds in his path angrily. "God damn it, Xiaoyu, slow the hell down!" he belted out, his long legs quickly closing the gap between them. He let out another curse as she threw herself into the cathedral ruins heedlessly despite his shout. "Shit, she never listens to anyone," he swore to himself, reaching the entrance to the building. They had closed shut behind Xiaoyu and he placed a firm palm against the heavy iron doors and shoved. They creaked open slowly, and the redhead caught a glimpse of the unusually inky darkness inside. "Great, a haunted house," he mumbled as he stepped over the threshold.
A pulse of energy rippled through the air, and Hwoarang let out a loud yell as he was tossed backwards out into the fields and the doors slammed shut behind him. Sitting up, he rubbed his head. "What the hell was that?" he yelled, springing to his feet. Hwoarang had never overly concerned himself with the more spiritual things in life, let alone more commonplace beliefs in superstitions or folk tales. There was no room in his life for the inexplicable, and when met with it, he reacted in the way that he had always found worked best in the past. That is to say, he reacted with violence.
"Fuck that!" he yelled, running towards the door and slamming his foot into it. The metal rattled and vibrated, but didn't budge. Gritting his teeth, Hwoarang hopped back and jumped up and down, rolling his shoulders. Then with a yell, he spun and kicked the door solidly again. This time the whole frame shook, and small clouds of dust rose around the stone. Smiling, the redhead cracked his knuckles and backed off slowly. Inhaling deeply, he focused his strength and then rushed at the door, leaping into the air and striking it with a final blow. Had the door been made out of bone, it might have shattered. As it was, it only groaned and snapped, emitting another cloud of dust. "Well shit," Hwoarang said after the cloud settled. The huge iron door had been dented enough to break the rusty hinges that were holding it onto the stone walls of the cathedral. By the conventional laws of physics, it should have toppled inward from the force of Hwoarang's last strike. It remained standing, however, solid and sealed tightly shut against any attempt to open it. The redhead cursed and spun around as the rustling of the tall reeds gave away the sound of Julia's approach. "The god damned door is shut!" he yelled at her.
"Then open it," Julia said irately, pushing past him and putting her hand on the door. She yelped and drew back her fingers quickly when they came into contact with the dented metal.
"I already tried that," Hwoarang growled, too angry to insult the Native American.
"This door has been sealed," Julia said, narrowing her eyes. Cautiously, she raised both of her hands to the door, wincing as her palms touched the unnaturally cold metal. "It's going to take more than brute force to open them."
"Can you do it?" Hwoarang asked her impatiently.
Julia swallowed and closed her eyes. "I don't know," she answered apprehensively.
- x – x – x -
Xiaoyu stepped into the dark cathedral, her eyes slowly adjusting to the dim light. Jin's presence was everywhere, saturating the room. This must be his hideaway, she realized slowly. He was here all along, right under our noses. A large, dim sculpture at the far end of the room was backlit against the huge, magnificently detailed stained-glass window. Cautiously, Xiaoyu crept closer to it. She was still trying to make out the outline of the stone figure when the torches mounted on the walls suddenly blazed into life with sickly blue flames. The sculpture was bathed in light, and Xiaoyu screamed and jumped back. It wasn't an angel, as she had first thought, but a horned devil with leathery wings and clawed hands, grappling with the head of a feral beast. Its face was frozen in a silent snarl, ruby eyes shining like blood in a sculpted face twisted with hate.
"Welcome to my sanctuary," rumbled a voice from overhead, and Xiaoyu spun around and looked up. The sculpture was reduced to a pale echo of the real devil as he gracefully revealed himself. Black feathers rained to the floor as Jin tumbled from the ceiling and landed smoothly before her, his eyes glowing red and the demonic tattoos twisting across his bare chest. He grinned, showing pointed fangs which gleamed dully in the torchlight. "Xiaoyu," he called out, his voice achingly familiar and silky smooth, and yet somehow not Jin's own. Then his smile faded slightly. "You are not alone." A low growl bubbled from his throat, and lifting his arms, lighting crackled up and down the length of his body. "I will not permit anyone to violate the sanctity of my temple!" he roared.
Xiaoyu jumped at the sound of the large doors slamming shut and the loud rustle of bat wings flapping filled the hall. A muffled, loud series of thumps followed which shook and rattled the doors, but they held shut, and when she looked at Jin, she could see him smiling in smug satisfaction. It was a look that was totally foreign to the human Jin's normally impassive face. The urge to flee coupled with the screaming reminder that perhaps it hadn't been a good idea to rush in without a plan mingled in her brain, and Xiaoyu shivered and backed away slowly. It's just the Devil's aura, I won't run away. I won't… Though her trembling refused to stop, she forced her feet to remain still and tried to slow her breathing. Gathering her courage, she looked up and met Jin's eyes. "You allowed me in," she pointed out loudly.
Jin's face twisted into an ugly grimace, and his eyes bored into her as he approached. "I can savour your pain, bathe in your sorrow and bask in the glow of your anger. And yet," he rumbled, coming closer and grabbing her chin roughly. "I cannot taste your fear." He pulled his lips back and bared his fangs, his breath hot and uncomfortable on her face as he moved so close that their noses almost touched. "I asked you before. This time I will have my answer," he said, his fingers digging into her skin painfully. "Why do you not fear me? How are you different? Why is it that I know you?"
Xiaoyu's breath caught; she had been half-expecting Jin to filet her into many tiny pieces from the moment he descended from the ceiling. Realizing that he was waiting for an answer, she hesitated before speaking. Give the wrong answer and he will disembowel me, she thought uneasily. "I… I don't fear you, because you're Jin," she said finally.
Jin's eyes narrowed, and before she knew it, his hand was no longer at her chin, but wrapped around her neck. He held her out at arm's length and the tips of his claws dug into her skin, her feet dangling helplessly over the floor. Xiaoyu gasped and choked as he began to increase the pressure around her neck slowly. "I already told you. There is no longer Jin. There is only Devil," he said, his eyes narrowing. "Answer me!"
Xiaoyu's hands came up, futilely trying to pull Jin's clawed hand away as he squeezed her neck. She choked, tears of pain springing into her eyes, and tried to speak. "There is! I know it you can hear me, Jin…" she gasped.
Jin's eyes blazed red, filled with anger, and his fingers cut off any further chance of speaking as he squeezed. Stars began to dance before Xiaoyu's eyes, and desperately, she let go of his wrist and fumbled at her chest. Her fingers finally wrapped around the pendant, and swiftly, she brought it up, beating it against his arm weakly.
Snarling, Jin's gaze landed on the feather, and the pressure around Xiaoyu's throat stopped. A look of confusion crossed his face, and tilting his head down he peered at the white feather, softly glowing in the eerie light. "Where did you get that?" he spat, setting Xiaoyu's feet on the floor and relieving the pressure on her neck just enough to allow her to breathe once more.
Wheezing, Xiaoyu sucked in as much air into her lungs as she could manage and then coughed weakly. "It came from you," she whispered, blinking away her tears and staring at Jin. "It's a part of you, just like Jin is," she continued bravely as Jin's arm dropped away from her neck. "I know it's true. I know you're in there!" she said, holding the feather before him.
Jin took a step backwards, the fiery glow in his eyes dimming as he raised a claw before his face, squinting at the feather. As he did so, a gentle breeze stirred through the temple, and slowly, the colour drained from his black wings, turning them into the same pure white as the feather on the pendant. When the transformation was complete, he lowered his claw and looked at Xiaoyu, his eyes still glowing faintly. The rage within them, however, had been transformed into a look of suffering tempered with an unexpected touch of sanity.
"Jin," Xiaoyu said softly, taking a step forward. "It is you, isn't it?"
"You are mistaken," he said softly, his voice still vibrating with a resonance that was not completely human. He reached forward and wrapped his clawed hand around Xiaoyu's outstretched one. "I am neither wholly Jin, nor am I wholly Devil. I am..." he paused, and his clawed hand released Xiaoyu's own. "I am the memory of something that was once human," he said, his voice pained.
Xiaoyu swallowed, lowering the pendant. "But… you know me. You remember me. I know you feel regret for what you've done. I've seen it!" she protested. "You must be Jin!"
"I am not human!" Jin roared, lightning crackling around his body as he extended his wings, brilliantly illuminating his point.
His white feathers shone with a light that was almost blinding, and Xiaoyu squinted and covered her eyes, trying to protect herself from their painful glare. It reminded her of Asuka's brilliant aura, and her breath caught in her throat. Kazama blood! she realized as the light died out. Peeking out between her fingers, she saw that Jin had folded his wings and sunk to his knees, burying his head in his hands. "Jin?" she said cautiously, tiptoeing towards him.
Jin raised his head and looked at Xiaoyu wearily. "You don't understand, Xiaoyu. I am not Jin," he said to her.
"But you know my name!" Xiaoyu protested, kneeling beside him. "You remember me, right?"
Jin smiled faintly, reaching up and brushing a strand of hair away from Xiaoyu's face. "Oh yes, I remember you," he sighed. "Did you know that Jin treasures his memories of you?" he continued, his hand trailing down her cheek. "They are one of the few moments of happiness he allows himself to have. The memory of his mother, and of your carefree smile." He sighed and released Xiaoyu almost unwillingly. "I don't understand this feeling. It weakens me, and yet it gives Jin the strength to keep his tenacious hold on his soul. I think you would call it love," he said after a moment. "Strange, it is such a painful feeling. I thought I had mastered all pain, but I was wrong."
Xiaoyu reached out for him, her heart thrumming in her chest. "You love me?" she asked breathlessly. She gasped and flinched as Jin batted her hand away roughly, his eyes flaring red once more.
"Jin loves you," he growled at her. "The memory of his love is intoxicating. Human emotions burn so very brightly," he mused. Then he looked up and caught Xiaoyu's eye, his own still swirling with their glowing red pulse. "Look at me, Xiaoyu. Look very closely."
As she returned his stare, Xiaoyu saw only pain and suffering in his eyes. She saw recognition in them, too, of herself, and of who he had once been. But the longer she looked, the more uncomfortable she felt. She knew the feeling intimately; she faced it every time she visited Miharu in the hospital. Jin's face was animated, and yet his eyes were still empty, and Xiaoyu finally understood. "So you're really not Jin anymore," she whispered. "You're still the devil." She paused, her hands bunching up her skirt nervously. "Then why are you being so nice to me? Why do you feel bad about doing all those terrible things?"
Jin laughed hollowly, and it sounded like metal cracking. "I am trapped," he told her. "I should kill you now. But he holds me back. He plagues me constantly with his memories and his desires and his wishes," Jin grit out, his claws digging into the floor and cracking the mosaic. "The echoes of a human soul, caught in a monster's body!" His eyes grew wild and his breathing ragged, and he looked on the brink of losing control of the dark pull that he struggled against. Xiaoyu swallowed and glanced towards the heavy doors; they were still sealed behind her, and she knew she was trapped. Jin's pleading voice caught her attention, and she snapped her head back towards him.
"I could love you," Jin told her urgently, leaning towards her. "I spoke of Jin's happiness. His darkness is so much greater than his happiness." A wry smile stretched over his face, and Xiaoyu noticed that his teeth were still very pointed. "Even if you found a way to return Jin to this body, he could not love you. He was lost even before he was possessed! He drowns in his own sorrows; his own concerns consume his every thought. He is a reflection of the father whom he hates so much, and he does not even realize it. There is no room in his small world for you. There is no room for anyone but himself." He reached out, offering his hand to Xiaoyu. "I am not Jin. I am not bound by his personal struggles. I am the one who released Jin's innermost thoughts. I am the one who revealed his secrets to you. I could give you that which you seek. I could give you the love you desire."
Xiaoyu stared at the creature before her. His face was twisted by the devil mutation, but his eyes burned bright and clear, with a touch of both hope and desperation. In her heart, she knew he was telling the truth. If I accept his offer, he really will love me. He'll make me feel special. Isn't that what I always wanted? The one thing that Jin could never give me… and the one thing that I always wanted to give him. Maybe this is destiny. Hesitantly, she reached out towards him.
"Save me, Xiaoyu," he murmured, reaching for her.
Xiaoyu's hand paused. Save me? His words sliced through her like a sharp blade. Something about his tone, so smooth, so confident, so self-centered, held her back. Surprised, Xiaoyu realized she might have believed him a week ago. Now, however, she knew better. Why did he say that? Real love isn't selfish. Warily, she drew back. "I don't think so," she answered him. "I don't love you, and you don't really love me either," she said as Jin's face registered shock.
"I remember Jin's love!" he said to her.
"I came here to talk to Jin, the real Jin," Xiaoyu answered him, scrambling to her feet. Nervously, she noticed that he managed to roll to his feet fluidly in time with her despite the confusion on his face. "I don't know if I love the real Jin. I thought I did before, but I was wrong. Maybe if he was the one who was speaking to me, I really could fall in love with him now," she said, stepping backwards. Jin mirrored her step. "But you're not Jin. You're just his memories. You've betrayed him by telling me his secrets, you made a decision for him that wasn't yours to make!" She took another step backwards. This time Jin took two steps, drawing closer to her.
"Xiaoyu—" he said to her pleadingly.
"I know what you're really after! You want me to comfort you, to explain away Jin's feelings so you can understand why they make you weak," Xiaoyu pressed on, despite her growing uneasiness. "Maybe somewhere deep down, you really do want to be loved too," she said to him, feeling a small wave of pity for the white-winged creature. "But what about Jin? He'll die if I abandon him."
"Why do you insist on following him like a slavish puppy? Jin will never show you his affection! Accept me in his place!" Jin hissed at her, reaching out and grabbing her.
Xiaoyu wrenched her wrist, trying to twist it out of Jin's tight grasp. "Even if he didn't love me, I'd rather have the real Jin back than let something evil like you continue to live!" she yelled out, her foot coming up in a high kick. It caught Jin on the side of the head, and he reeled back unsteadily, releasing her wrist. I'm free, Xiaoyu thought with relief. The relief faded, however, as quickly as the white was melting from Jin's wings.
"I would have let you go," Jin said roughly, his voice deepening. "I could have filled your every desire." His regret transformed into a disgusted mirth, and Jin spread his wings wide. "I am still grateful to you, little girl," he said, leaping into the air and hovering there like a dark nightmare come to life. "You may just have cured me of the only ailment that stood in my way of facing that old fool!"
Xiaoyu dropped into her guard, holding her hands before her. "I'm not going to let you take Heihachi's soul too!" she told him grimly.
Jin laughed loudly, grinning at Xiaoyu as he regarded her through slit eyes. "Fool! I am the reaper who will collect the souls of the entire Mishima clan. But I will start with the eldest," he hissed. "You know nothing. Perhaps that will be my gift to you," he added as the black symbols twisted and curled over his forehead. "I will grant you a painless death, bathed in the darkness of your own ignorance." His smile turned into a snarl, and he bared his fangs in an ugly frown. "Who dares—"
Jin's words were cut off by a loud, high-pitched creak. It was followed by a loud thud, and a cloud of dust rolled in from the cathedral doors. When it cleared, Hwoarang was standing there, his foot still outstretched, and Julia stood behind him. "So, did we miss the party?" Hwoarang grinned, lowering his leg and brazenly strolling into the dark cathedral.
"Don't let him take your soul," Julia called out, following the Korean inside with much less fanfare. Her face was pale and waxy, but her eyes glinted like polished stone in the dark cathedral. "Devil!" she called out loudly, pointing at him. "Release the souls of the innocents you've stolen."
Jin tilted his head, twisting his body around to face the newcomers. "So it's you who broke my seal," he said with a sneer. "You have no power in here, woman. This is my temple now."
"You wanna see power? Fine. Come on down here, then!" Hwoarang yelled, his swagger turning into a dead run. As he spoke, he threw himself into the air with a spectacular jump, spinning around and driving his left foot into a very surprised Jin. The devil beat his wings helplessly as Hwoarang's kick carried him closer to the ground. Instead of landing with his victim, however, Hwoarang launched himself into another airborne spin and slammed his right foot into Jin's chest. He completed the spin, adding a final spectacular kick with his left foot which knocked Jin solidly into the ground. "And stay down," he added, backing off and hopping on the balls of his feet.
"Insolent fool," Jin snarled, rising to his feet. "I will show you what flight is!" He bared his teeth and rushed at Hwoarang, dipping down and hitting the Korean in the stomach with his lowered shoulder. Instead of simply knocking him down with the blow, however, Jin wrapped his arms around Hwoarang's waist and extended his wings, and with a few powerful strokes carried them high up into the air.
"Shit!" Hwoarang yelled as the ground spun away all too quickly. He made a grab for Jin's back, trying to prevent himself from being dropped.
"So you want me to land, do you?" Jin sneered as he twisted violently through the air and reversed directions. His demonic laughter echoed off the cathedral walls as he beat his wings once more, his arms still wrapped around Hwoarang as they sped towards the ground at a dizzying speed.
"Look out!" Julia yelled, leaping forward and barrelling into Xiaoyu, knocking her away from the point of impact as Jin flattened Hwoarang into the cathedral floor. Julia quickly scrambled to her feet as Jin's laughter stopped, and her eyes widened in shock. "No!" she cried out, throwing herself towards Jin.
Xiaoyu gasped and blinked, coming to her feet more slowly than her friend had. She blinked and looked at Julia, surprised by the older girl's sudden rush, and felt the pit of her stomach drop out. Over the Native American's shoulder, she could already see Jin hovering in the air, bowled over. "The third eye!" she screamed, even as it formed and split open across Jin's forehead. "Hwoarang! Move!" she shouted desperately, trying to move her legs fast enough to intercept them. It felt like time was slowing down, as if she and Julia were flies trapped in the amber of the cathedral's thick atmosphere.
Hwoarang groaned and opened his eyes, and found himself looking directly at Jin. "God dam-" he yelled, raising his arms. He never got any further, as red light erupted from Jin's forehead. It seared into his outstretched forearm, charring the flesh there with a sickening smell. The burns were not what made Hwoarang stiffen, though. His eyes met Jin's, and his body grew tense. They stared at each other for a moment, each frozen in a silent battle of wills. And then it was over, and the redhead was falling backwards, his eyes still open but glassy.
Xiaoyu felt herself go numb. The amber melted away, but it was already too late. "Hwoarang!" she cried, tumbling to his side even as Julia cursed softly and leapt over his body, unable to stop her own rush. Xiaoyu grabbed Hwoarang's head, turning his face towards her, and couldn't suppress her shudder. Gone! He's gone, she realized, looking into his empty eyes. Without the constant anger, humour or bravado splashed across his face, the redhead looked much younger than he actually was. Xiaoyu released him with almost as much speed as she had grabbed him, sickened and scared. That's not Hwoarang anymore, she thought miserably as she looked on the soulless husk lying in front of her.
"Devil!" Julia's voice rang out. She was standing before him, her fists raised and her eyes hard as flint. "I won't allow you to claim any more innocent souls. Fight me now!"
Jin turned almost lazily, a smile stretching across his face. "The little Chang," he hissed. "Timba-Sha Shoshone. I know your secrets," he smirked. Julia let out a small gasp, then her face fell into a scowl. "I'll defeat you anyway," she said angrily, cautiously inching herself backwards.
Xiaoyu looked at Julia, fear curling in her stomach. Her face was still pale and beaded with sweat, but it was the surprised expression on the older girl's face that worried her most of all. "What did he say?" she asked, coming to her feet slowly and approaching Julia's side.
"Stay back!" Julia ordered, not bothering to turn around. "You don't have any defenses, Xiaoyu. He'll take your soul as easily as he took Hwoarang's."
"Are you afraid to answer her?" Jin said mockingly, circling around the temple lazily. "Long has your tribe been a plague to us," he hissed, his eyes glowing and a wicked smile spread across his face. "Your blood may be purer than that foreign bitch you called your mother, but your soul is much weaker," he taunted.
"Don't you dare mention her," Julia answered, her voice heavy with anger as her fists tightened. "Don't you dare sully her name by speaking it!"
"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil," Jin said smoothly, his eyes narrowing as he sunk towards the ground. "Tell me, does your cup runneth over now, daughter of the spirits?"
"Bastard!" Julia yelled with a low cry as she dropped to the ground. Landing heavily on one arm, she pushed herself forward and kicked her legs out, arcing off the ground like a strung bow. Her feet connected with Jin solidly, knocking him out of the air once more, and as he stumbled backwards, she was already on her feet, the graceful extension of her arm hardly matching the fury and power with which she struck him across the chest.
Jin sailed into the air, careening towards the huge demonic statue near the windows. He caught himself on the sculpture and flipped around, perching precariously on the stone demon's back. "Such unfocused, useless anger!" Jin cried, his eyes lighting with pleasure. "And no cleansing motive to give it an unsavoury aftertaste. You must allow me to sample more," he laughed, pumping his wings and launching himself into the air.
"Julia!" Xiaoyu cried out to the older girl, who was livid with rage.
"Let her be!" Jin's voice boomed as he circled through the air. "She will join her mother soon enough!"
"The spirits will bring justice to you!" Julia cried, crouching down and taking a step back. With a hop, she sent herself flying into the air, drawing her arms and knees into her chest. Xiaoyu recognized the powerful jump, the one that had impressed her so much when the Native American defeated Baek during the tournament. Only this time, she couldn't shake off her foreboding feelings as the two figures approached each other in mid-air; Baek had been human, and Julia had been anything but angry. Jin grinned and righted himself, opening his arms towards Julia, and Xiaoyu screamed. The red eye was already opening as the older girl approached him, and there would be no way to avoid the blast. The surprise that registered on Julia's face showed that she had also not been expecting the attack, but instead of trying to block the energy with her hands, as Hwoarang had done, she flung her arms open. The red light erupted from Jin's forehead and speared straight into her chest as Xiaoyu watched in horror.
"Ugh!" Julia grunted loudly as the beam of light hit the large silver amulet dangling around her neck. Instead of destroying the jewellery and burning through her skin, however, the necklace began to glow bright red and broke off, clattering to the ground.
Jin roared in anger. "That useless amulet won't protect you from--" he growled, his snarl cut off as Julia barrelled into him. Julia said nothing, her eyes squinting in concentration as they fell together, struggling with Jin to turn herself upright and not be the one to impact on the floor painfully. With a yell, she managed to twist around at the last moment and dig her knees into Jin's chest, driving him into the tiled floor with a loud crack. She sprung off of Jin with surprising agility and backed off, her fists raised before her.
"I don't believe it!" Xiaoyu yelled, running to Julia's side as relief and hope flooded through her. "You kept your sou—" Her words trailed off as Julia wavered and took another step back, then sank to one knee, her fist dropping to the ground. "Julia?"
The Native American kept her gaze locked on Jin, who groaned and stirred slightly. "It wasn't… enough," she gasped as Jin sat up, shaking his head, his fangs bared in anger. "Xiaoyu…" she tried to continue, but trailed off as her body toppled forward.
"Julia!" Xiaoyu yelled, reaching for the other girl's shoulders and pulling her up. She sucked in her breath and almost dropped her again as her fingers came into contact with Julia's body. Nothing… I can always feel her presence, like the ground beneath my feet. But there's nothing now! Xiaoyu swallowed thickly as she carefully lowered Julia's limp body to the ground, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. "Hwoarang, and now you!" she cried softly. "You were both trying to protect me, and…"
"And you killed them," Jin finished, rising to his feet. "Don't feel bad, Xiaoyu. I would have had to kill that tribal witch sometime anyway," he said with boredom. The battles with Hwoarang and Julia had taken their toll on him as well; his gait was hindered by a marked limp as he approached her. Still, it didn't give her any hope as he towered over her, his black wings spread wide and a confident smirk on his face. "I took much pleasure in destroying the male, though," he said, drawing his lips back in a sickly smile. "You are mine alone, Xiaoyu. Just because you do not want me doesn't mean I will let you go," he said softly. "If we cannot be together in body, then we will join our souls. The decision is no longer yours," he told her, the black patterns swirling over his forehead and forming into the third eye.
"Please don't," Xiaoyu whispered, the strength rushing out of her knees as she fell backwards. It wasn't fear that immobilized her, nor panic; it was a sense of despair. Everyone's gone. Though he wore Jin's face, she could no longer be fooled by the devil. Instead of seeing her old crush, all she saw was Miharu, Hwoarang and Julia, their empty eyes and lifeless bodies replacing any beauty that might have been there with the horror of death. Even his features were a cruel joke; the real Jin was no better off, his soul also consumed by the devil's darkness. "Leave me alone!" she said weakly.
Jin's face softened marginally, and he held out his arms to her as the eye on his forehead filled with red and slowly opened. "Don't be afraid, Xiaoyu. We will be together forever," he whispered to her.
Xiaoyu closed her eyes and waited to feel the searing heat that would separate her soul from her body. Instead, she felt a blast of heat pass by her cheek, and instinctively flinched away. Her eyes shot open, and she looked up in shock. Jin was equally shocked, reeling from pressure of not only his attack, but one other.
Not so shocked was Asuka, who stood there with a furious glint in her eye, clapping her fist into her palm. "Listen, I don't know you too well," she began, lowering her arms and advancing on Jin. "But if you've got the balls to do all this and still call yourself a Kazama, then I'm gonna have to take you down," she yelled, rushing towards him and tackling him on the stomach. Jin was knocked over and grunted in surprise, and Asuka kneeled over him, holding his shoulder down as she raised a fist to punch him in the face. "Eat your own medicine!" she yelled, driving her fist across his cheek.
Jin's head snapped back from the punch and he let out an inhuman scream that made both girls freeze.
"What a sissy!" Asuka yelled in disbelief as she raised another fist to silence him. She looked up in surprise as Xiaoyu caught her fist and held it back. "Are you crazy?" she yelled, staring up at Xiaoyu in shock.
"Look!" Xiaoyu shouted over Jin's rising wail, pointing at his chest.
Asuka's hand, which was still gripping Jin's shoulder, was surrounded with a soft white glow. The more the light increased, the more frenzied Jin's struggles became, and he twisted and bucked wildly, trying to throw Asuka off. The young girl let out a tiny yell and dropped her other hand onto Jin's shoulder, trying to hang on before he could toss her away. Her other palm immediately began to radiate the same pure, white light, and Jin roared in pain. "Help me hold him down!" Asuka grit out, and Xiaoyu rushed to comply.
Grabbing onto his legs, Xiaoyu held on for dear life as Jin attempted to rise to his feet, roaring incomprehensibly. He almost succeeded more than once; Jin was unbelievably strong, and despite the fact that they were working together, both girls were having a hard time keeping him pinned to the ground. And then, Jin's body tensed, and Xiaoyu felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise.
"AAAAAHHHHHH!" Jin screamed, his wings folding out as he threw Asuka and Xiaoyu off. His body rose into the sky, but his wings weren't moving; it was as if a string had been attached to his chest and was drawing him up towards the ceiling.
"What the heck's going on?" Asuka cried out, covering her head as the ground began to rumble.
Xiaoyu couldn't answer her, staring wide-eyed at Jin's body, which contorted in agony. She didn't even blink when the demonic statue cracked and then burst apart, though she did flinch as thousands of tiny splinters of coloured glass showered across the floor, a few striking her across the cheek and leaving streaks of blood in their wake. The shattered remains of the stained glass window fell around Jin's airborne body like drops of silver rain. And she held her breath as she saw it, because suddenly, it was a beautiful sight, the first one she had seen in almost a week.
Jin's head was arched back, and his mouth still open in a loud cry. But the cry was dwindling, losing its unnatural echo as the black lines writhed and twirled around his body like living snakes. They curled in on themselves, becoming smaller and smaller, until only the third eye remained in his forehead, turning and twisting, trying to keep itself shut. The cleansing touch of Asuka's powerful aura finally burst through and the eye ripped open, letting out a beam of pure white light.
Xiaoyu closed her eyes and wrapped her hands around herself, heedless of the glass raining around them and barely registering Asuka's cowering form. She felt laughter bubbling up in her throat, already feeling what Asuka could not, what the young girl might never know despite her incredible spiritual power. It was the caress of pure souls, rejoicing in their freedom as they escaped from Jin's body. Julia's, first, wrapping around her like a gentle hug before being whisked away like a gust of wind. Then a rush of heat as Hwoarang's soul burst forth, impatiently rushing through her like a runaway train, making her body tingle with joy as it bathed her with its vibrant energy. And finally, a soft, barely noticeable tickle, one that lingered slightly longer than the other two. Its touch was the barest puff of a breath on her cheek, and it vanished like a gentle sigh after a few moments. "Miharu," she whispered, fresh tears running down her face. But this time, they were tears of joy.
Jin's scream finally stopped, and the light radiating from his body dimmed and winked out. He fell to the ground in a boneless heap, his eyes closed and his body covered with sweat. But, Xiaoyu noticed as she shakily rose to her feet. It's his body now. It's Jin, only Jin. The real one this time. And she knew it was true, because she could feel it; Jin's roiling soul, as dark and troubled as ever, but clear and smooth as water. The unnatural taint was gone, leaving his soul as pure as the pale skin on his bare chest.
"Will somebody tell me what is going on here?" Asuka's shrill cry broke through Xiaoyu's happiness, and she looked back at the young girl, who had come out of her duck more than a little wild-eyed. Besides her obvious confusion, however, she looked no worse for the wear. "What just happened? What did he do with his wings? What was that light? Why are you laughing? And why do I feel…" Asuka trailed off, her angry shrieks fading into a mumble as she fell backwards mid-speech. She hit the ground with a loud thump, and moments later Xiaoyu heard a snore.
"Wow," Xiaoyu said, looking back and forth between Jin and Asuka, both sprawled unconscious across the floor, her eyes wide. A small part of her was sad; Yoshimitsu and Jinrei had been proven right, after all. "I didn't do anything," she whispered to herself. She probed the feeling, expecting to find it the knowledge more painful than it actually was. Yet, to her surprise, instead of the aching gap that had driven her to the temple in a fit of anger, all she could summon was relief that it was all finally over. Jin was healed and that the souls that he had stolen were released. Suddenly, she didn't care how it happened; the overwhelming relief that the nightmare was finally over overrode all of her other feelings. She stopped short at the last thought. "Hwoarang! Julia!" she gasped, turning around and searching the cathedral floor for them. Her short-lived panic ended with another laugh as she ran over to Julia's side.
"I won't let you win," Julia mumbled as she pushed herself off of the ground. Blinking, she looked around in surprise as Xiaoyu enveloped her in a tight hug. "Oof! Xiaoyu! What happened? Where's Jin?" Julia asked rapidly, pushing the girl away. Her eyes widened, and she brought her fingers up to Xiaoyu's cheek. "You're bleeding!" she yelled.
Xiaoyu laughed and crushed a very surprised Julia in another hug. "And you're talking!" she said, unable to wipe the huge smile off her face.
"Ugh… god damned mother fuc—"
"Hwoarang!" Xiaoyu yelled, releasing Julia and racing over to the redhead. She grabbed him in a tight hug, and he winced and yelled in pain.
"OWW! Watch the arm! Watch the arm!" he shouted, flinching away from her grasp. "Where the hell is that bastard?" Hwoarang grit out, cradling his arm and leaping to his feet. He blinked and shook his head as he took in his surroundings, trying to orient himself. "What the fuck just happened?" he finally spit out, trying to allow anger cover his confusion. He finally gave up and dropped his scowl when he realized that Xiaoyu had not gotten up, and was still grinning at him with a goofy smile.
"I never thought I'd be happy to hear you curse again," Xiaoyu said, rising to her feet. "So you better let out all those bad words right now before this moment ends," she told him, her eyes sparkling.
Julia looked up from Jin's side, where she had kneeled down and touched his forehead. "What did happen here? The last thing I remember was passing out," Julia called out. "Xiaoyu?"
Xiaoyu scrambled to her feet, her bright smile toning down slightly as she made her way to Asuka's side. "A miracle happened!" she shouted in reply, lifting the young girl up. She thought of the devil's desperate plea, and fixed her eyes on Jin's still body. There was a small tug of sadness as one hand rose to the feather pendant at her neck, thinking of the white-winged devil. Some small part of him of really did love me in his own warped way, she realized faintly. Her smile returned as Asuka stirred in her arms, groaning slightly. "The only thing that could really save Jin happened," she finished softly. "A Kazama-sized miracle."
AN: I should explain one of Jin's taunts, since I'm not entirely certain I will do a spin-off Julia-centric fic after this and it won't make sense otherwise.
Game Canon: Michele Chang is from an Indian tribe, and adopted Julia Chang as a daughter. Chang is about as far away from Native American as you can get, and Michele looks very Chinese. Michele went missing during the 3rd tournament, presumably because Heihachi kidnapped her to steal her tribe's treasure, the amulet that could control Ogre. Julia entered the 3rd tournament to look for Michele.
Story Canon: Expounding on the game canon, Michele Chang was an American of Chinese descent, adopted into the Timba-Sha Shoshone tribe (Death Valley, California) because of her unusual spiritual sensitivity. That tribe had a history of tussling with the more unsavoury parts of the unnatural, hence why Devil knows of them and why the tribe wanted Michele in the first place. Michele adopted Julia after the tribe members who were Julia's natural parents died unexpectedly. Michele also died fighting Ogre in the 3rd tournament. Hence, the reason that Jin calls Julia "pure-blooded" yet "weaker" than her mother, and why Julia gets riled up about it.
Before I get any OMG HOW DO U KNOW THAT? emails, please note that Michele might not actually be either American, Chinese, or dead in the game canon, only in this story. Also, to the Timba-Sha Shoshone, I offer my sincere apologies if any of this fiction offends, it was never my intent to do that. Phew. That explanation was so long there's no room for the author to put a note in, besides a mention that this is not the last chapter, there is at least 1 or 2 more chapters that Xiaoyu has to tell. And the usual "this chapter was a real bitch to write" stuff. Ending things is always difficult. You reviewers know all know you're awesome! Thank you for leaving your comments!