Chapter 4: Meeting of The Minds…

Author's Note: Not much new…bummer about no reply's to reviews…well, forgive me if this chapter doesn't have a lot of action…instead it's time for some…are you ready…some hard core RESEARCH TIME! Oh, and thanks to krappkarmin for drawing she made for me! It's really nice and I greatly appreciate it! Sorry, for not saying anything earlier…but I've been busy…but thank you so much! It really means so much to me…I put it on my webpage on and it's got bunches of comments on how cool it is…um…well, I'm not a great drawer or anything…so I can't offer much but…this chapter is officially dedicated to…KRAPPKARMIN!

"So…this is the Chosen One's nerve center…the place where all the apocalypses and demons are defeated huh?" Kazuya Mishima asked as he stood at the head of the cheap, collapsible table.

It was late…the clock on the wall read 11:46, and Kim Sueng Karate was silent. The mat smelled heavily of cleaning solution, the mirrors of Windex, and all the weapons were placed neatly on their racks. All the sparring pads were placed in the giant, Tupperware container underneath the weapons rack.

Jamie supposed that it was better then the way it normally smelled…like feet and body odor. He walked towards the hall table wearing a rumpled pair of gi pants that he had left in his locker awhile back. His once blonde hair, now hung in damp strands around his face.

He had a red hair tie around his right wrist, and a white hand towel on his head as he vigorously began drying his mop of wet hair. He wasn't wearing any shoes or a shirt…several white bandages were placed along the wounded spots. One near his belly button, and one on his side.

"Well…what did you expect?" Jamie asked.

He took his traditional seat at one of the heads. Mina sat to his right, Robbie on his left. Maureen and Kaori faced each other on opposite sides, while Kazuya stood at the other end.

"Something more…" Kazuya began.

"Secret agent-y?" Kaori finished.

Everyone laughed, and it broke the silence for a bit.

"So Jamie," Maureen began. "Loved the outfit we saw you in…made me actually wanna go out and buy some underwear."

"Let's not even go there…" Jamie grumbled as he towel dried his hair. "Last time I ever do anything for Chris…he didn't even tell me I'd be wearing only manties…"

"I don't see what's the big deal? I mean, I see you in your underwear all the time!" Mina began. "And believe me it's not that stunning."

"You know you like it…you're just jealous that you didn't get to see me in all my glory." Jamie said with a smile as he began to tie his hair back.

"I've had the full Jamie Parker experience thank you!" Mina said with a smile.

"I still can't believe you didn't know they do that at Abercrombie anyway…"

"Robbie, I never shop there…it's hard enough to imagine me going in…much less working."

"So I guess moonlighting as an underwear model on the side isn't going to happen for our favorite Nephilim?" Kaori asked sweetly.

"How much money did you make?" Kyo asked with a smirk on his face.

"I walked with about 250…" Jamie said as he gave his hair one final shake.

"DAMN! I should've done that too!" Kyo said with a chuckle.

Kazuya let out an exasperated sigh and rolled his eyes.

Teenagers…I hope I wasn't like this when I was their age!

With a loud clattering, he threw five envelopes on the table…with the smooth surface, they skidded towards the center.

"I hate to break up the pleasantries but we're running short on time."

Kazuya was a little bit surprised and pleased to see Jamie revert from laughing and joking around to becoming incredibly serious and answering with a smooth…"alright"

"Okay…so…I guess we'll start with the basics…or at least, the main question I have…" Jamie began. "How can Heihachi start an Iron Fist tournament…I mean…you own the whole Zaibatsu…and question number two…everyone said he was dead…he seemed pretty alive and kicking when he busted through the skylight like that." Jamie replied evenly.

Kazuya shook his head. "I have no idea how he's managed to stay alive…but that doesn't matter now…he still has authority to call the tournament…not only has he been leaking funding for it out of encrypted bank accounts, but he's also made it clear in his will that he will only pass the Zaibatsu on after his death…well, he's still alive…" Kazuya said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"But…dad…" Kyo began. "The Zaibatsu was yours and Jin's…I mean, I don't know much about business and stuff but…you guys were doing great things for the people…for the world…"

Jamie had to admit that Kyo was right, this whole summer, you couldn't pick up a newspaper or turn on the news without hearing about how the Mishima Zaibatsu was sending food and supplies to a starving nation…or setting up charities for a certain group of people…Jamie was pleased to see this happen, the Mishima Zaibatsu certainly had enough money and the technology to really make a difference in the world…and Heihachi Mishima had used it for his own warped…and twisted experiments.

"Do…" Jamie began. "What about the others? Do they know about this?"

"Invitations were delivered a week ago…Jin and Xiaoyu know about the tournament…I don't know about Julia or Hwoarang…or Steve and Christie. Asuka knows though…so does Billy." Kazuya began.

Jamie thought he noticed Robbie's eyes pick up at Asuka's name…but he decided to ignore it…

"What about that new kid? The goth one? He seemed pretty pissed off." Maureen pointed out.

"What goth kid?" Kyo asked.

"The goth kid who hit me with my own arrow from a crossbow, tried to drown me, shattered a few ribs, and stabbed me in the gut." Jamie answered.

"Oh…thaaaatt Goth kid." Kyosuke said.

"This is serious though you guys…we don't know anything about him…at all." Kaori said.

"Well, we do know that he goes by the name Grey…but that can't be his real name…a nickname or something." Jamie said, thinking aloud, "Do you think you can Google someone with that kind of info Mo?" The Nephilim asked.

"It's a broad topic but yeah…I can try…if I look under images I'm sure I can find him…I mean he really did stand out."

"And not just with his looks either! Kid nearly broke my arm…seriously, he doesn't look like he's got any muscle on 'im!" Robbie interjected.

"He's got something alright." Jamie said.

"Do you think that he could be another Nephilim Jamie…I mean…can that happen?" Kaori asked.

"I…I don't think so…I mean…there can only be one of me…and he felt powerful…really powerful." Jamie turned to Kazuya. "I mean, Kazuya, he kicked my ass without even trying…I broke his hand…and I mean I shattered it! Any normal person would have permanent damage after what I did…but he just walked it off after five minutes."

"All I know is that Heihachi adopted him…he did say that he needed you and Grey for his plan though." Kazuya said.

"That's right! And I remember Grey said that he would get you back for something…"

"For what? I don't even know him…the only reason I'd give him a second glance on the street is because of his sideways mullet." Jamie interjected.

"He is very powerful though…" Mina said with her eyes lowered firmly on her tournament invite.

"Wait…how do you know?" Jamie asked.

"Grey came to pay us a visit before he went after you…that's how we got our invites." Kaori said.

"WHAT!" Kyo began.

"What happened?" Jamie asked, slightly more calmer.

"HE DIDN'T TOUCH YOU DID HE?" Kyo practically shouted.

"He beat us down pretty bad…but…we kind of got the feeling that he was…testing us…I mean…he came in looking for me…" Mina said.

"Specifically?" Kazuya asked.

"Yes," Mina nodded, looking at Kazuya. "He asked my brother a couple of times where I was."

"I'm going to kill him…" Kyo seethed, calming down a little, but not a lot.

"Kyo, we got attacked…I mean, in the tournament, before Jamie killed Anna, I almost got shot…people like us get hurt…the important thing is that none of the kids were attacked, and we weren't seriously wounded." Kaori said gently.

"Still…that little freaks gonna get it!"

"He will…I just don't know what I'm gonna give him at the moment." Jamie began, chewing on a thumbnail pensively (a habit he'd had since he was little that he could never quite break).

"At anyrate, he's best to be avoided until we know more about him. Maureen…right?" Maureen nodded. "Do you think that you can research the matter further with Robbie here and email us some results while we're away!"

"You got it!" She said happily.

"So…I guess this means that we're all heading back to Japan huh?" Jamie asked.

"Sounds like it…" Kyo began.

"Another Iron Fist Tournament…I'm a little nervous…" Kaori began.

"Don't be…we're hot chicks with martial arts skills…we'll be fine!" Mina reassured.

That broke the tension a bit and the meeting was officially adjourned…everyone was hungry (including Jamie…and even Kazuya!)…but no one could agree on what they wanted. Jamie wanted McDonalds, Mina wanted to eat at Bennigans…Robbie wanted a Philli Cheese Steak, while Maureen wanted a salad…Kyosuke wanted a pizza, and Kaori wanted sesame chicken…Kazuya wanted a steak…

"Alright then, we're going to Taco Bell…they've got all that stuff there." Jamie said.

"Really?" Kaori and Kyo asked in unison.

"Sort of…it's called a chalupa…and it kind of tastes like everything we all want, rolled into a shell…" Mina added.

The Taco Bell wasn't too far away…Jamie had put on a t-shirt to walk down to the restaurant, and as he did he got to thinking…back during the last tournament he had clearly known his objective…but now…he was going in blind with a new enemy to contend with…

But with close friends and…

Mina…

With him, he knew that he'd be fine…

Author's Note: Sorry if this sucked…but I'm not exactly great with dialogue…and sorry if it's short but I'm exhaustedly tired! Once again, thanks to everyone who reads and reviews and especially thanks to krappkarmin who was nice enough to draw for me! I really appreciate it! Have a good day! MUCH LOVE TO ALL AND PLZ READ AND REVIEW!