The other three matches took place, but neither Kazuya, Jun or Heihachi watched them. Lei was defeated by Wang Jinrei much to his annoyance. The old man was a lot tougher than he looked. So much for finding Bruce. Law thoroughly pounded Baek Do San and even made him pay for what he had done to the dojo. For the first time ever, Law felt like killing someone and he was about to finish him off permanently hadn't it been for Paul who held him back. Paul himself had clobbered Kunimitsu in the shortest match of the night…with his patented Phoenix smasher—it surely wasn't the Manji clan's night.
Satisfied Paul and Law walked away to their rooms for more drinking…both decided to try something else, as saki was not their thing.
Night—3 a.m.
Jun sneaked out of her room. She had to find the clues and those animals that had been kidnapped. She had seen some large cages near the mansion the other day and this was her first lead. She had seen them on one of the rear gates of the large mansion and that is where she had to go. She crouched low and walked passed some of the guards that were chatting with each other, apparently pretty drunk. She didn't want any trouble and sneaked past them stealthily. She knew all those animals and whatever she needed to find were inside it. She knew it. After a few minutes of walking the sea's aroma greeted her. She realized that she was near the rear of the mansion because it was next to the beach. All of a sudden she heard some weird throaty sound and an ominous presence a further distance away.
A loud raspy voice told her that someone was nearby. She ignored it and continued walking. Sometime later she was about a kilometer from the rear gate of the mansion.
All of a sudden she heard a noise from near her, like some voice of a large animal. She realized it was the same as the one she had heard a little while ago—someone, or something, was following her. She remembered what Kazuya had said about the danger of being attacked by animals. And then she also remembered what he had said after that…about him killing them personally if they came to him to complain. She got in her stance, but her instincts told her to run. She kept quiet, hardly breathing, feeling a predator's stare on her. Slowly the evil presence also started coming closer. She didn't understand where it was and that made her heart beat loudly.
"Where is it? I can't place it!"
All of a sudden it sprang out and leapt at her—a raptor. Jun was shocked at seeing it pounce at her but rolled out of the way in the nick of time. She got up immediately and the raptor stood face to face with her, its large tail whipping through the air. Jun was too stunned to do anything; her heart lurched in her throat. With a large squeal it leapt at her again.
Jun closed her eyes…she was going to die…
With closed eyes, she heard it's feet breaking the small twigs on the ground as it leapt; it's loud squeal that seemed to deafen her, sounds of struggling and then a loud, painful shriek. She had her eyes closed for a long time, waiting to die, but when after a long time nothing had happened she opened them.
"What!"
In front of her she saw the raptor dead on the ground, a large trail of blood oozing from its chest, its tongue sticking out as it writhed on the ground once, twice, thrice…and then no more. She was sad to see the dying animal but she knew she was lucky to be alive right now. She looked up and tried thanking the man who had rescued her but she stepped back, in shock…
There he was standing in front of her, a mocking grin on his face, his eyes locked on to her's, almost laughing at her. It was Kazuya. He brought up his hand in front of her and in it she saw a large heart still thumping slightly. He had ripped out the raptor's heart. Jun cringed at the sight, falling back in horror.
"No matter how many times I warn you idiots you never listen, do you?" Kazuya spoke in his raspy voice as he walked up to Jun, who was on the ground, still dazed. Still shocked. He walked up to her with the same angry expression of his but once he recognized her his expression changed again. However again he shook it off and stood over her, his face darkening, throwing the raptor's heart away.
"What are you up to?"
Jun realized she was trapped. She got up and faced Kazuya, who was staring at her in a weird way. She noticed his eyes going over her body. He looked at her legs, her curves, her breasts and then her face. She could see some sort of desire burn up in his eyes, as if he wanted her right now, making her uncomfortable. He quickly hid it away though, replacing it with a mask of anger.
"I'll ask you one more time: what are you doing here?"
Kazuya was intimidating with his sheer size, his ripping muscles and the fact that he was exceptionally skilled—she knew that once she found out that he had beaten his father to a bloody pulp two years ago. His title alone as the 'King of Iron Fist' was enough. But more than anything it was the hard look on his face and his cold eyes that seemed divested of even a single trace of pity. She realized that he wasn't one of those men who would go easy on his opponents just because they were women.
Jun shook her head slightly.
No. She won't allow herself to be intimidated like this. Even with all the odds stacked against her, she would stand her ground. She got into her stance, her determined eyes locked into Kazuya's.
'What the hell are you doing, you idiot! He just killed a raptor in front of you! You'll die!' a part of her screamed at her. However, her fighting spirit told her to stand her ground. She listened to her later voice.
Kazuya raised his eyebrows, the moonlight shining off the arrogant smile at his mouth.
"It's a nice night to die, eh lady?" Kazuya smiled as he looked into her determined black eyes, getting into his stance as well. Something told him he was going to enjoy this. As the two stared at each other, Kazuya heard some of his guards coming towards him from the gate. They were shouting orders to each other.
"Kill any unfamiliar person, anything! This place is off limits, Master Kazuya said so! Don't show any mercy!"
Kazuya looked at Jun and quickly spoke.
"Woman, You are a fool! If my men see you here they will rape you. Get away from here! Now!"
Jun was surprised at his worrying over her well being. Kazuya seethed.
"RUN, WOMAN! DAMN YOU!"
Without wasting any time now, Jun nimbly made her way through the bushes and shrubs and trees. She continued running but suddenly she saw three guards in front of her. She tried avoiding them but they saw her.
"Hold it right there!"
Jun was trapped. She got into her stance but realized that even someone of her caliber was helpless against Uzi's and AK-47's at that distance. She had to be close to do something.
"They're too far away…I have no choice…"
Slowly she raised her arms in the air, squinting her eyes as the guards flashed their lights in her face.
"Hey! It's a woman! And a nice one too!"
"No kidding! I haven't had one in ages!"
"Yeah me neither! Let's get her!"
They walked slowly towards Jun, still pointing their guns at her. With a small smile, she realized that these idiots were closing in on her without realizing that they wont be able to use their guns properly now. As the first guy approached her, she looked at him and in a flash struck out, kicking the one in front on the shin and then in the jaw, launching him upwards with her surprising power—KO'd.
"Double leg lift!"
The other two were surprised and tried to shoot at her, but they realize now in horror that they were in her domain: close range combat. She merely clutched the first one's hand, pulled him forward and landed a powerful elbow blow to his ribs, breaking them, the Uzi going flying out of his hands.
"Wrist chuck slam!"
Simultaneously she shot her leg into the other guard's crotch, making him groan in pain. The former man went sprawling to the floor, holding his ribs, while the other one doubled over holding his crotch. Both of them passed out because of the pain. Jun saw her chance to run for it now but suddenly she felt someone behind her. She turned around but it was already too late. She felt a sharp pain in her head and then everything turned black.
Another guard had come and without her knowing had snuck behind her and bashed her in the head with the butt of his rifle. Jun fell to the floor unconscious. He stood over her prone body pointing his rifle at her. He almost gasped when he realized how beautiful she was.
"Heh-heh! This is my lucky day! Don't worry honey…you will die slow and painful!"
Suddenly something cold pressed against the back of his head.
"No she won't…"
A loud gunshot echoed in the darkness.
The guard fell to the floor, a large gaping hole going from the back of his head till the forehead, smoke still coming out from there. As he fell down, Kazuya materialized from behind him, a 'desert eagle' handgun in his hand.
"Filthy pig…" Kazuya spat, glaring at the dead guard.
He stood over Jun, watching her unconscious body. She looked so small and petite yet he could see the power in her. A deep and sinister voice in his head, spoke.
"Kill her now, Kazuya! Kill her she is our enemy!"
Kazuya took an aim at her temples. For a reason that eluded him all this while he found himself feeling differently towards her. He looked at her face and felt something surge in his heart. His eyes calmed down and the voice in his head became more distant and low. He simply threw the gun away utterly ignoring the voice in his head that screamed at him to kill her. He picked her up in his powerful arms and stared at her gently, realizing how beautiful and innocent she looked, cradled in his arms. Without anyone noticing he took her inside his mansion…he wasn't going to be alone now.
The sun shone in Jun's face, waking her up. She realized that she was in a large bed with beautiful silk bed sheets. She looked around slowly and saw a richly decorated room. Struggling to get up she felt a slight pain in her head. Holding her head she realized that it had a bandage on it.
She looked to her left and saw the last person she expected see—Kazuya Mishima. He was sitting a little further away near the balcony. He seemed to be in deep thoughts staring at the fire in the mantle. The sound of her getting up though caught his attention. He seemed to have been awake all night as she noticed his drawn face and pale eyes. As he walked up to her she noticed that he was looking more sober right now as opposed to last night. He still wasn't wearing a shirt and she gazed at the long scar that trenched across his muscular chest. His raspy voice then caught her attention.
"Are you alright, woman?"
Jun didn't know what was going on. She continued staring at him, wide eyed. Kazuya looked irate.
"Why do I have to repeat myself with you! I asked you if you are all right. Speak up!"
"Yes I am fine," she finally managed. After a small pause she looked at him hesitantly, "Where am I?"
"In the Mishima mansion…and in my room."
"Who brought me here?"
"You are not very smart, are you?" Kazuya replied staring away.
Jun flushed with anger. Who could ever live with someone like him? What was she thinking when she wanted to reach out to him?
Kazuya noticed her anger and how she was seething, holding herself back. He enjoyed watching it but decided to ease up on the innocent woman.
"Have some breakfast," he said to her, and flicked his fingers. Two servants came in with a few trays. Kazuya sat down on the large table near her. He sat firmly as one of the servants nervously approached him and placed the trays in front of him, one on each side of the table. Kazuya didn't say anything now and quietly ate his breakfast: coffee, eggs, steaks and toast. Jun watched him in silence. He felt her gaze at him but he didn't look up.
"I don't like being watched when I am eating," he spoke without emotion, his gaze lowered into his plate. His directness left her surprised. He looked at her then and pointed to the chair in front of him. "Have your breakfast."
Jun walked up to the table and sat in front of him. She was hungry but she was uncomfortable having HIM of all people around. Kazuya, noticing her discomfort, picked up his tray and walked out of the room—all in silence. Jun's eyes followed him till he was out of the room, her heart beating a little fast, her breathing a little shaky, her whole body feeling as if it were floating. Her heart went out to this man…and yet she felt a forbidding thing about him. She didn't understand.
"Are you not hungry, miss?" one of the servants asked her politely. Jun realized she wasn't alone. "Even if you're not hungry, I'd rather you take a few bites. Lord Mishima won't be happy if you don't eat."
Jun smiled and started eating; her mind though was still on Kazuya and how he was treating her.
A few minutes later
The servants escorted Jun out of Kazuya's room. They told her where she would find the main gate and which path to take to get to her room. As Jun was about to walk away, Kazuya stood in front of her.
"Where do you think you're going, woman? Or should I say inspector Jun Kazama of the WWWC?" he asked with a grin.
Jun was stunned. How did he…?
Kazuya continued.
"Entering the Tekken 2 tournament to investigate the endangered animal kidnapping and to keep an eye on me, Kazuya Mishima. Things really seem to be going your way now."
Realizing she was trapped. After an awkward pause, she collected herself and spoke.
"It is my duty. You have no right to kidnap those animals or test on them. No right what so ever!"
Kazuya grinned, his face smug and mocking.
"Save me sermons and your bullshit! This world gave me nothing but hatred and fear and pain! I am just returning the favor!"
"YOU don't give ME bullshit, mister! What are you, the world's greatest sufferer! The pain you went through is nothing compared to the pain you give people and animals by your arms making and experiments!"
Kazuya's face reddened.
"What do you know about my pain and suffering!" Kazuya asked, fuming ferociously.
"Nothing! I don't know anything about your pain or your suffering! But is that the best excuse you can find to justify what you are doing! That nobody 'knows' you!" Jun replied sharply herself, not backing down.
Kazuya was at a lost of words, his voice choked with anger yet there was some sort of shame in his expression. He was like a proud yet just king—vexed at being criticized yet aware of his fault. Jun continued staring at him intensely and for the first time in his life, Kazuya lowered his gaze not out of fear—he knew NO fear—but something else, but the longer Jun's silent gazed remained locked on him the more he realized he was powerless against it.
Some of the guards came up to them and grabbed Jun roughly. They floored her and instantly pinned her arms behind her.
"No one dares talk to Lord Kazuya like this! Lord Kazuya! Give us your command to kill this ignorant gnat!"
Jun felt her heart sink. She was doomed.
Kazuya looked at Jun, who was struggling with the vice like grip of the guards. She looked at him stare at her with pity, but suddenly she saw his eyes glow red, like infernos. She felt a miasma like aura around Kazuya. With glowing eyes he looked at her and smiled evilly. Suddenly the evil presence she felt from Kazuya before intensified to frightening levels. The guards moved away from Kazuya. Petrified. Jun managed to wriggle out of the dumbfounded guards' grip.
All of a sudden Kazuya grabbed his head, reeling.
"Kazuya!" she called out taking a few steps forward towards him.
She paused then, confused and surprised at her worrying for him. She looked at him again. She saw him wince in pain. He seemed to be struggling with himself. As he fell to the fell on his knees she heard him talking to himself: one voice was deep and doubled, unearthly and horrid. The other raspy yet mysteriously gentle: Kazuya's.
"Kazuya, you idiot! Obey me!"
"NO! NEVER!"
"Why, you bastard! Why?"
Kazuya resisted the voice.
"Devil, don't mess with me! I won't!"
The dark aura disappeared. Kazuya crumpled to the floor, holding his head, huge beads of sweat trickling down his face. The guards were still reluctant to approach their master. The ones pinning Jun to the ground had somewhat forgotten about her altogether. They didn't even react when she crawled over to Kazuya, who was panting hoarsely on the ground. She gently rested his head on her lap. He was burning up. Kazuya relaxed a bit but he was still exhausted. He looked up at her with weak eyes—the last thing he remembered before passing out was her worried face and her gentle hands pressed against his burning forehead and cheeks.
Evening
Jun had told the servants to get her some herbs and leaves from the forest. They were surprised that she was actually bothering to help Kazuya—especially after all that shouting they had done at each other. She made some sort of a salve and placed it on Kazuya's forehead. The servants were even more surprised to see how their uncooperative and utterly antisocial master was letting this woman have her way with him. They all decided to leave the room. Before they left one of them turned around one last time and looked at Jun.
"You are a goddess, Miss Kazama," he said slowly to himself and shut the large door behind him.
Kazuya simply watched her silently and with gratitude but pretended to be indifferent the moment she would look at him. Though he was allowing it, he wasn't really comfortable having someone look after him—more so he wasn't really comfortable with her kindness and her gentleness. It felt alien to him. It always had since his grandfather, Jinpachi Mishima, died. Till now the old man was the light in the darkness that was his life. And yet now a new light came in his life. A new light brought along with it a hope…a hope for salvation of his cursed soul. This light was Jun.
Jun finally came and sat down next to him on the bed.
"Feeling better?" she asked.
Kazuya had his hands crossed at his chest like a pigheaded prince. He just turned his head the other way.
"Hmph…"
Jun sighed.
"Kazuya…can I call you that?"
Kazuya didn't react but Jun figured that probably in his own twisted way he meant 'yes'.
She took a deep breath before looking at him again.
"Why are you so full of hatred Kazuya?" she finally asked him, "You can't get through life with anger alone."
Kazuya didn't look at her.
"It doesn't concern you!"
"Someone capable of being so kind and gentle…" she said softly to him, "…shouldn't be so full of hatred."
Kazuya rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"You never stop giving sermons, do you?" Kazuya spat.
Jun didn't answer. She smiled a little and shook her head slowly giving Kazuya his answer. Weird as it was, Jun was actually finding his behavior interesting. He wasn't realizing that his reactions were intriguing her. Her eyes lingered over his muscular built and his intense yet brooding eyes. He looked powerful, almost invincible with that size, yet in his eyes she could see a vulnerable side. And again, as she sat watching him, she found herself being drawn to him almost magically.
"What are you doing, Jun! Pull yourself together!"
Surprised at herself, Jun roused herself from her thoughts. She shook her head slightly and turned to him. They sat in silence for a while.
Eventually her eyes traveled up to his scar. This was the first time she was seeing it up close. It was a deep one, almost like a ravine on his broad, well-muscled chest. She felt sorry for him realizing how much pain it had caused him. As if like an exemplified irony, the scar trenched up near his heart. She looked at him gently.
"Does your hatred stem from this?" she asked pointing at the scar.
Kazuya was surprised by her question. He looked at her radiant eyes that were shining with pity and compassion. He opened his mouth to speak but then lingering grudges against people and his innate mistrust took hold of him. He looked away sullenly.
For a long time there was silence, save for the husky lick of the fire and the rain tapping away at the window.
Jun had almost given up hope but all of a sudden Kazuya spoke in a tone she had never heard from him—sadness and remorse.
"My road to hell is built on this scar…Jun…"
Jun looked at him. Surprised and yet glad. That was the first time he had ever called her by her name. She looked at him and saw him stare out in the ocean from his window, his eyes epitomes of sadness and loneliness. Some of the water from her salve trickled down his forehead and it looked as if tears were flowing out of his eyes…non-stop.