Chapter 10: Awakening

Bang.

Bang.

Bang.

Kazuya reeled back to the wall. Blood oozed from his chest and abdomen. He blinked rapidly, feeling the life drain out of him almost instantly. He looked around him, confused. A sharp pain tore through his abdomen and chest. He looked at his hands. A flash of thunder seared through the night and in its light he saw his hand glowing crimson. Slowly, Kazuya sank to the floor.

"Jun..." Kazuya gasped.

Tears welled up her eyes when Kazuya stared at her, his once radiant eyes almost hollow.

"Kazuya!"

Jun rushed to Kazuya, cradling him in her arms. He slumped forward and Jun stopped him from falling on the ground. With his head resting on her shoulder and fading eyes, Kazuya stared ahead of him but it was then that he saw broken pieces of the ring he had given to Jun when he proposed to her. A sharp pain shot through his whole body, as if he were on fire. His vision became blood red, his heart beating loudly in his ears.

Nina stood with the gun in her hand. She saw Kazuya fading away and sneered.

"I was ordered to make you die painfully…but you were too much a hassle. In return I'll just kill her slowly…"

Nina smiled satisfied when Kazuya closed his eyes.

"W-What!"

Kazuya opened his eyes…eyes that were blazing red. To her horror, Nina saw his forehead part slightly in a slit and an evil third eye glowed from there. And it was locked on to her. The bullets fell out of his body as he rejuvenated. An eerie aura surrounded them all and Nina found herself unable to move, petrified.

"What the hell is going on?" Nina mumbled, staring at Kazuya's glowing eyes.

Jun stepped away from Kazuya, her eyes wide open in horror.

"Devil? No…Not that!"

Kazuya finally stood up, his face darkened, while his eyes started burning brighter as he stared at Nina.

"I told you not to touch her, didn't I?" Kazuya said in a double-voice: one raspy, the other deep and unearthly.

Kazuya struck out fast and deadly, ramming Nina in the wall with his powerful tsunami kick. Nina's second gun also fell far away now and she clamored to her feet desperately, completely at the mercy of Kazuya. He picked her up above him by her hair, satisfied to see the terror immortalized in her blue eyes. She tried retaliating with her blonde-bomb but he sent her far away with his bitch kicks, ramming her in the wall again.

Terrified, Nina took out a grenade from her backpack and threw it at him as she jumped out of the window.

"Go to hell, freak!" she screamed in rage, rolling with her jump and running far enough before a large blast leveled the house, the blazing wreck lighting up the night sky. Nina stood panting several meters away, breathing heavily as she sank to the floor on all four. She looked up at the flaming house and sighed deeply.

"Killed that…monster…"

A loud roar from the flaming wreck made her gasp in horror. She gazed up towards the house and blinked in disbelief. Out of the flames walked a large figure—Kazuya—unscathed. Nina was shocked to see a pair of purple bat-like wings folded around him. He looked even more furious now. His wings fluttered around him and Nina saw Jun cradled safely in his arms. The wings had been shielding her. She had fainted because of the blast but was otherwise unscathed. He put her on the ground and turned to Nina, seething in fury.

"I am Devil! A demon! I was made out of fire you stupid BITCH!"

He spread his wings and flew towards her at tremendous speed.

Nina took out her knife and slashed at it him but he ducked under it and lunged upwards, ramming his powerful fist into her already prone jaw.

"Dragon uppercut!"

Nina screamed loudly as Devil-Kazuya launched her high in the air. Nina could barely move as she fell hard on the ground, her head dazed, her body not reacting to her. From her watery eyes she could see Devil-Kazuya tower over her, his face vicious and unforgiving. Nina tried taking out something from her backpack but he simply stepped on her hand. Terrified she tried taking out her handgun with the other hand but he stepped on the other hand before she could use it. An evil sneer crept on his face as a yellow glow formed at his forehead…the third eye.

Jun came to just in time to see Kazuya stand over Nina, his wings fluttering around him, dust swirling around him. A large sphere of yellow ki was forming at the center of his forehead. Jun's eyes widened in horror. Kazuya grinned madly, powering up, the yellow glow on his third eye growing brighter.

"Go to hell!"

Nina closed her eyes in fear, already slipping away into unconsciousness.

"No! Kazuya!" Jun screamed at the top of her voice.

Kazuya stopped. Jun felt the evilness fade away. The large bat like wings also folded into his back and disappeared, not even a mark showing of their existence a few seconds ago. When he turned to look at her his eyes were back to normal, a bright crimson color fading away at the brim of his black eyes. He was still panting heavily, kneeling down on the ground. Jun and Kazuya stared at each other for a long time not knowing what to say…not knowing what to think…all they knew was that the heaven they had built for themselves had shattered away…

"Sorry…Jun. I'm sorry…" Kazuya croaked a little above a whisper, before falling down on the ground. Unconscious.

Dawn

Jun sat in Kazuya's arms, resting her head on his chest. She stared at the ashes that were once their heaven. The smoke was rising weakly up to the sky and Jun could see the last star disappear from the sky. A single tear streamed down her face slowly and when she looked up she saw Kazuya staring at the ashes as well. Everything they had shared had now burnt away with this house. Their smiles, their laughter, their moments, their kisses…the ring. Everything.

A dull monotonous sound nearby made both of them stare towards its direction.

"Sorry for making you wait, Lord Kazuya," said the driver with a bow. He was the same one who had brought them here almost two weeks ago. Kazuya, utterly ignored the diminutive fellow. The driver looked up at Kazuya, surprised too his bitter expression and hostility. Kazuya made Jun sit in the car and then went towards Nina whom he had tied up. She was still unconscious after the beating she had gotten from him, or rather, Devil. He dragged her roughly and tossed her inside the trunk. He sat back in the car and sighed deeply, the scowl returning.

"Drive! Get out of here!" he said harshly.

As the car sped off Jun turned once more to see the ashes and the smoke.

Afternoon—Zaibatsu throne room

Lee came inside of the room and ordered all the guards to leave him alone. Once they left he sat in the throne of the Zaibatsu conglomerate, fantasizing about his eminent reign over it. Kazuya was already taken care of and soon enough Heihachi would be out of the picture too. Then he would reign over it with his lovely Anna.

Lee thought about the 'Anna' part.

"Or…maybe not," he laughed.

It was then that he heard a loud crash as a large man kicked the doors open. He squinted his eyes against the sudden flare of light that entered the room. He looked carefully and saw none other than Kazuya walking up to him, his footsteps echoing loudly in the huge room.

"K-K-Kazuya!"

Kazuya stopped a few feet away from him as he sat in the chair—HIS chair. He wasn't in a good mood.

"Yes…K-K-Kazuya! I don't remember saying you could sit on that chair!" he roared and with that held Lee by the collar and tossed him out of it. "Call in all those people! Call them all in! HURRY!"

Lee scurried away and called in all the same people he had just kicked out. They all filled the room as Kazuya sat on the chair, resting his head on his palm. He wanted to know about the proceedings of the tournament.

"Heihachi, you bastard! Damn you to hell! I'll finish this once and for all!"

Jun stood in the large garden in the Zaibatsu compound. The greenery of the whole place made her reminisce about the little house that had shown her so much happiness in the few days they were there. A place that had burnt away. She stood there waiting for someone.

"You wanted to see me, Kazama-san?"

Jun turned around and faced Wang Jinrei. She had arranged for the guards to send for Wang.

"I'm sorry I called you, even though I should have come to you," Jun said softly, "But its just that after last night Kazuya doesn't want me to step out of this place even for a second. Wang noticed she was looking distraught.

"What happened Jun-chan?"

Jun's expression darkened. Wang understood.

"Its Kazuya, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"What happened? I felt his aura darkened when I saw him here."

"Devil…" Jun started but didn't know how to continue, getting more and more frustrated with the second, "…Devil has resurfaced in him. I thought I had purged him away from him but he was merely…hiding inside him. How could this be? How!"

Wang sighed. He realized it was time he told her the whole truth.

"Kazama-san, please forgive me but I must confess something…"

Jun stared at him questioningly.

"Confess? Confess what?"

"I didn't tell you the whole truth…partly because I didn't want you to give up hope and partly because I didn't want to believe it myself."

Jun's stomach churned. She didn't like where this was going or the hopeless tone of Wang's voice.

"Kazuya…the darkness inside him, it cannot be purged. It can never be purged..."

Jun's eyes widened in disbelief. Wang continued.

"…With the Devil residing in his body for so long has led to a mutation of his body. They have become one and the same."

"No! That can't be! I took him away…I saw him become like the man he would be without it!" Jun cried, her voice shaking.

"Yes…I know. And that is all that can be done for Kazuya at this stage. You, and only you, can keep that darkness away from him. And you've done it too. But that is all that can be done. You can only keep it away with the light that is you."

Jun didn't want to believe it but even she realized that it was all true. She leaned against a tree to support herself.

"What…what do I do now, Jinrei-sama? What can I do now?"

"Don't give up hope, Jun-san. Please, you mustn't. Do make sure that darkness never comes out…you must never leave his side. Kazuya can control that darkness in him with you. Only you. That is the power he gets from you and that is the power your love and his love for you has given him. Stay by his side and never leave him. That is all."

The 4th day of Tekken 2

"Osu!"

Paul emerged victorious yet again in his fight. By now he had become the crowd favorite and most even started calling him 'Lord Phoenix' in advance. Paul celebrated his yet another comfortable win and traded high fives with everybody…even some of the guards. He looked towards the host table where Kazuya was sitting.

"Yo, Kazuya! This time you're mine!"

"Che…"

Kazuya stiffened up slightly with anger and anticipation—this loud-mouthed fighter was his toughest opponent in the previous tournament and he had only gotten stronger. Ignoring Paul, he looked at Lee, indicating to Lee that he better go and announce the next match.

Paul had gone off to his room after wishing his best friend, Law, good luck. Unfortunately Law was short on luck even then as Heihachi tore through him to advance to the quarterfinals. Jack defeated the raptor, Alex, in the fight between 'prehistoric pea brain' and 'tin can on steroids'—as Paul described them.

Jun was sitting with Kazuya in her black pajamas and white top. Her heart would sink every time he would return a smile with a frown, every kindness with apathy, every advance with coldness. He was bitter. He was indifferent. He was spiteful. Since the day they had returned Kazuya had hardly said a word to her. He didn't even come to the room all these days and she had to spend the night alone in a cold, rejected loneliness. Jun's match was up next and she got up, ready to face her opponent—Anna. She turned to Kazuya as if waiting for some words from him but all that met her was an empty, icy stare—he was becoming that darkness again. Jun stared at his eyes and suddenly in her head she heard an unearthly, arrogant laughter.

"You are failing, 'Angel'! You are failing! This one is mine!" he laughed at her and Jun heard it all.

With a troubled head she walked up to Anna who stared at her, disgusted.

"What did he see in YOU! To think he left me for a stupid nature girl like you!" Anna laughed.

Jun flared. She struck out immediately at Anna drilling her fist square in Anna's jaw sending her sprawling to the floor. Anna was surprised at her power and picked herself up, getting into her stance. Jun didn't wait. She leapt in the air towards Anna and sent a powerful jump kick at her temples. Anna barely avoided the hit and tried sweeping her off her feet.

"Seeyah!"

Jun, though, was more nimble than a cat. The moment she landed she hoped over Anna's sweep and spun forward sending her legs into Anna's face, one after the other.

"Scissor kick!"

Anna screamed in pain as she fell to the floor. When she looked up she saw Jun's intense eyes burning with fury.

She had someone to protect.

She had someone to save.

She turned her head to look at Kazuya who was looking away in another direction—he wasn't even watching her fight. Suddenly Jun felt herself being ripped off her feet, her head whipping back with a tremendous force. From the corner of her eye she saw flipping high in the air with her summersault kick. Jun spun helplessly in the air before landing on the ground.

"You can stare at your lover later!" Anna said mockingly, kicking Jun in the ribs as she tried to get up. Jun tried again and again Anna send an even harder kick into her ribs. Again. Again…and then again.

Lee noticed Kazuya shudder slightly when Jun got those kicks.

Jun fell to the floor another time. Anna approached her to kick her again but Jun rolled forward to avoid the kick and hit her on the knee thrice with a sharp low kick.

"Leg cutter!"

With the third one Anna felt her knee buckling slightly and hunched forward to favor it. Jun struck out and launched her upwards with her windmill-kick. Anna fell hard on the ground and slowly struggled to her feet but collapsed back down, holding her jaw. She checked for blood and there was blood there. She looked at Jun in rage. The Irish brunette ran forward and powered up her fists. Jun stood her ground watching Anna run up to her rapidly, yellow ki glowing at her gloved hands. Joining her palms together, Anna struck out at Jun, thrusting her palms towards her midsection.

'Blond bomb!"

Jun braced herself for the tremendous impact but reeled back a few paces. She looked up and saw Anna's arms still extended with the great momentum.

"NOW!" Jun screamed and caught Anna's arm sharply. Anna tried breaking free but Jun's grip was vice-like. She brought Anna to the ground in a single fluid motion and placed her knee on her head pinning her to the ground. She held Anna's arm gripping at above the elbow and below it. Anna realized with a sharp gasp what Jun was going to do.

Snap.

A sickening cracking sound shot off in the arena as Jun snapped Anna's arm. Anna screamed in pain, her arm dangling at an unnatural angle at the elbow. Anna writhed in pain on the ground, holding her broken arm. Jun had broken her leg and her arm. She stood over her waiting for her to get up. She didn't.

Without a word she stared at Kazuya before walking into the mansion.

Once inside she sat down in the room and stared at mirror. Never in her life did she fight so aggressively. Her eyes shone of all kinds of frustrations. Everything seemed so confusing and nauseating…this mansion, this island, this godforsaken tournament, her future, her visions, Devil and top of all that…Kazuya and his reaction…

She hid her face in her hands and started crying.

Night

Jun stood quietly on the balcony. The moon was shining brightly and she couldn't help but think about Kazuya and the day when she first saw him. She had seen him in the tournament today in the evening but after that he didn't even show up. She had been waiting for him since then. She stared at the clock and saw that it had been three hours. She gritted her teeth.

"Okay…enough of this…" she muttered and walked out of the door.

Mishima Zaibatsu throne room

Jun barged into the room, pushing the door open roughly. The lights were dim but she could see Kazuya sitting on the chair—staring her way without expression. She walked up to him.

"Why?"

"Why not?" Kazuya droned in annoyance.

"Stop it, Kazuya! You know what I mean! Why are you acting like this!"

"What did I do?"

Jun sensed some sort of self-pity in his voice that aroused her curiosity even more.

"What did you do? You're not talking to me. You're not coming to the room. You're not even looking at me. What did I ever say to you? Is this what you do to me after all we've shared!"

Kazuya was getting more and more irate while she spoke.

"Go away…" he said suddenly, frustrated.

"Go away? Go away! You have some nerve!"

"Jun!" Kazuya sharply.

Jun stood her ground.

"No! Not till you give me an answer!"

Kazuya eyes flared with anger.

"I mean it, Jun!"

Jun didn't budge.

"I won't!"

Noticing her adamancy Kazuya walked up to the wall and put his hands firmly on it, his head hanging low, suppressing himself and his anger, his eyes closed.

"Stubborn wench!" Kazuya said in a low voice, his back to her.

"I don't care! I don't care! Why won't you tell me? Why? Why are you acting like such a jerk? After all this…why?"

Both remained silent for a while.

"I lose…" Kazuya's surprised her, his whisper resounding in the vast, empty room.

"What?"

Kazuya turned sharply to face her.

"I lose…I lose…I lose…I've been losing all my life…"

He walked back to the throne chair and sat down, his head in his hands.

"What are you talking about, Kazuya?" Jun whispered to him. She sat down in front of him, staring intently at his face. He sighed deeply and looked up towards the ceiling. The sky that was visible through the glass ceiling. It was night. He kept staring up, avoiding her eyes, until he finally leaned back in the chair looking at the dark sky as if for an answer.

"Everything that is mine…I always lost it. Every single thing that I ever liked and loved was always snatched away. No matter how strong I got I still kept losing what I loved…and now…I don't have the courage to lose you!"

"Kazuya…Kazuya," Jun said calmly, placing her hands on his, "you're not going to lose me! Why are you saying such things?"

Kazuya continued hoarsely.

"I don't want to lose you! I don't want to lose you! Not you!"

He slumped down in the chair even more, holding his head. She couldn't understand what was going on with him. What was wrong with him? Never did she imagine him looking so defeated. She hugged him, not knowing what else to do.

"Kazuya! Please. Why are you acting like its you're fault?"

"I couldn't protect you that day! I let that house burn! All those promises only for me to bring you back here in this SHIT HOLE!" He roared kicking the throne chair down. Slowly the fury took hold of him and he let it lose on one of the pillars near by ramming his fists into it again and again. Cursing. Swearing. Letting out a string of misconnected, half finished sentences.

"Fucking…god damn…Zaibatsu…god damn Heihachi..."

Jun stood there watching him. She wanted to stop him but found herself frozen there, clearly seeing his extent of desolation and frustration. All this guilt of failing her was tearing away at him like a caged beast.

"Kazuya…" she called out, placing her hand on his back.

He finally stopped.

He resting his head on the pillar he had virtually destroyed. Jun held his face in her hands and made him look at her, showering soothing kisses on his face after each gentle sentence, resting her forehead rested on his.

"Kazuya…it wasn't your fault. You didn't know it was going to happen. I didn't know it was going to happen. If you could I know you would've put your life on the line as many times as it took to save me…and you did. You did save me…even at the cost of your own life…"

She felt Kazuya relax a bit.

"If you want to save me and protect me, Kazuya, all you have to do is to love me with every thread of your existence and not letting me be anywhere except by your side…that is what it means to love. That is what it means to protect."

Kazuya calmed down after hearing those words. It was a delivering respite and he finally pulled himself together, resting his head on her shoulders, hugging her.

The next day

Day was blooming and Jun took the drowsy Kazuya out with her to the open. Kazuya didn't know what she wanted but followed her. The guards and servants were surprised to see their masters up so early in the morning. Jun asked the guards to open the large gates and let them outside. He looked at Kazuya and at his nod opened it up, bowing as the two walked out.

"What is it, Jun?"

"Nothing. I just want to get away from this terrible place for a breather. Seriously you Mishima's have a bad taste! You go ahead and make a mansion near the sea but then you made it so concealing and dark that it's no point."

They continued to walk till they were at the beach. Kazuya was wearing his purple gown and his pants and put his hands in the warm pockets to shield himself from the cold. He felt a similar eerie presence that made his blood boil but after scanning the seashore several times he ignored it. Instead, he looked at Jun who stood in silence, hugging herself, staring at the rising sun and the gentle sea. Kazuya draped the gown over her and wrapped his arms around her. They both stood there staring at the sun, the cool breeze from the sea greeting them like a melody, neither saying a word.

Unbeknownst to them, Heihachi was watching the two from afar. His mouth curled in disgust when he saw his son's love for Jun.

"Hmph! Pathetic weakling!"

His eyes then rested on Jun.

"So you've made it a point to be a widow at your age, eh? Don't worry. Both you and that idiot will die by my hands for your insolence! Bank on it!"

He looked at Jun with burning eyes.

"And you are first!"