Chapter 13: Prophecies of doom

Almost two weeks later—morning

Kazuya was more stressed than usual with the upcoming finals and the new intensity in the competition between G-corporation and the Zaibatsu. Heihachi had more or less recovered from his wounds too—and he hadn't forgotten that beating he had gotten at his hands. Things were going from bad to worse to worse still. Things weren't looking good with G-corporation either, with them picking up more shares and getting more media scope. Since that meeting, the G-corporation had been more intense in their feud with the Mishima Zaibatsu. Jun once asked Kazuya what the meeting was about but Kazuya shrugged it off as unimportant.

"Don't worry?" he had said.

Jun sighed.

Kazuya was off working today again leaving her in the care of the new guards he had handpicked. They were refined and greatly skilled but Jun wondered if guards ever stopped a tragedy from happening. She sighed again. Kazuya wasn't allowing her to go out for even a minute without numerous guards hovering around her. She wanted the privacy she once had. She put down one of Kazuya's books she was reading and walked up to the large window, watching the sun reign over the far stretched island. It was still pretty chilly as the early hours of the morning stretched out. She stood by the window, hugging herself, her head resting on the window.

All of a sudden she felt dizzy.

"Oh no…"

Here it was—another vision. She braced herself for yet another one of her sporadic brushes with harsh, confusing prophecies. However nothing happened. The dizziness was like the ones she had been having for the past few days. This time however it didn't stop. She placed her hand on the wall to support herself, feeling the world around her spin and turn dark, feeling her strength fleeting. She took a few pain stricken steps towards the door, her voice barely audible though she was trying to shout.

"H-help…some…body…"

She managed to get to the door but collapsed, falling limply on the ground making the present maids in the corridor scream. They all rushed to her but by the time they got there Jun was already unconscious.

"Lady Kazama! Lady Kazama!"

A few minutes later

Kazuya rushed in his face flushed, tossing his coat aside as the maids approached him.

"What happened! Where is Jun!" Kazuya demanded.

The maids smiled rather cheekily and pointed to the room. As Kazuya darted past them he heard them giggle. In the hallway the servants bowed to Kazuya but even then he noticed rather radiant, cheeky smiles on their faces.

"What the hell is up with these idiots!"

Kazuya opened the door slowly, the image of the distraught Jun he had seen a few weeks earlier flashing in his mind. How he loathed that day. He took a deep breath and opened the door fully.

"Jun?"

Jun was a little startled when he entered but other than that was looking normal. Kazuya looked at her carefully for a while before coming up to her. To his surprise Jun blushed and turned away from him—something that confused him.

"Jun?"

Jun looked at him again and opened her mouth to speak…but then blushed and giggled and turned away. He walked up to the bed and sat beside her as she fiddled shyly with the folds of the sheets. He held her by the chin and made her look up to him and at his eyes.

"What happened? I came rushing here the moment the servants called."

Jun was still blushing furiously but smiled as she spoke.

"We will be having a guest in this house!"

Kazuya couldn't look more confused.

"Guest…? Who? When?"

"A child…"

"A Child? What child? When?"

"Soon! Soon enough!" she said excitedly, her cheeks flushing. She looked at him to see if he got the hint but he was more clueless than a student staring at a calculus question for the first time in his life. Annoying as it was, Jun still smiled. Those were also parts of him. She leaned forward, wrapping her hands around his neck, her face close to his ears.

"I'm pregnant!" she whispered in his ear.

Kazuya stiffened, his heart lurching up to his throat. Jun felt him stiffen in her embrace. She looked pulled out of the hug and looked at him as he sat stunned, perplexed.

"Kazuya?"

He was staring blankly ahead of him not even knowing what to say.

"Kazuya?"

He tilted his face downwards so she couldn't see his eyes under his thick eyebrows. She was confused. Here she was telling him the biggest, most joyous news in the world and he was reacting like…

Out of the blue, just the way he had come in her life, Kazuya hopped up and scooped Jun up in his arms, making her yelp in surprise. He spun around in joy, kissing her deeply as she remained well supported in his arms.

"I am going to be a father!"

Uncharacteristic of him as it was, Jun knew she could never forget the look on his face. That smile, that laughter and those shining eyes were something that were going to remain priceless to her for the rest of her life. He looked happy. Truly happy. This moment gave her a glimpse of the same Kazuya she thought she had lost in the ashes of their beloved house. She continued watching him, smiling. She felt her cheeks becoming wet and didn't even realize that she was crying, tears of joy streamed down her face, wrapping her arms around his neck and moved closer to him, resting her head where his heart was.

"God keep that smile on your face," she whispered to herself.

Afternoon

Jun was asleep, her chest and stomach rising and falling gradually. Kazuya had told servants and the maids not to disturb them at all. He had been keeping a meticulous eye on her all this time. Though he appeared calm and at ease with the prospect of being a father, the news of his imminent fatherhood was actually too much for him. Even though he knew all of those intimate moments with Jun would end in this he could have never prepared himself for it.

Jun stirred in her sleep as if something was troubling her. A nightmare, thought Kazuya. Or one of those blasted visions. He moved close to her and kissed her lovingly on the forehead. That seemed to relieve her. He kissed Jun's forehead again and then slowly slid down the bed till he was next to her stomach. Careful, not wanting to wake up his sleeping angel, he slid her shirt away from her belly. After feeling and massaging it gently for a while he rested his lips on it.

Then he felt the same feelings wash over him. They were mysterious. They were uncanny and yet innate…

…He hadn't even seen it, his child, and yet he was ready to go to any heights for it. He didn't even know if it was a boy or a girl and yet he felt in him the need to be a loving guardian. A protector. Someone who would protect at the cost of his own life. These were the emotions that were washing over him…of fatherhood.

As he sat there, his lips on Jun's belly, his mind suddenly went to his own childhood. Of himself as a crying child, a wounded soul. Every single detail returned to haunt him from the shadows of his past. He pulled away from his love, and their child. He sat at the edge of the bed, nauseated. His heart uneasy. Disturbed, he walked over to the balcony staring outside in the sky.

Fatherhood? What did it mean to be a father? A parent?

He thought about Heihachi. His father. What had Heihachi taught him on this matter? Nothing. Nothing at all. Except maybe…all the things he shouldn't be when he becomes a father. Kazuya shook his head. How could he, a man who himself was fallen, be a protector? He wasn't worthy to be placed at such a noble rank of men. His arms started tensing as self-loathing fused back into him like a disease.

The sound of Jun stirring in her sleep made him turn to her. Her angelic face was even more innocent as she slept. Kazuya felt silent. One of those quiet moments of internal peace. It was an epiphanic moment—him staring at her then and there. He thought he was unworthy of her too, didn't he? He thought he wouldn't make her happy? But he did. Within him was a peace that existed solely because he knew that he could give her that happiness.

Kazuya smiled. Yes, he could do it. He would do it. He would give their child that happiness to. Love it, give it happiness, comfort it and more than anything…protect it. Protect it from all those things that robbed him. Protect it from going on the same path as he did. Satisfied he returned to the bed and lay down.

The next day

"Hey, sorry I'm late?" Jun asked, giggling, wondering what it was that he had on his mind and fully aware of how impatient he was. He had told her to wear the evening dress he had gotten her because tonight was going to be 'special'. She wasn't one of those really partying kind of girls. Never was. She dressed up as best as she knew and wondered if he would like the way she looked.

She walked up to him as he stood with his back to her, dressed in a full black suit, black shirt and a plain purple tie. He was staring outside of one of the windows. He looked remarkably handsome, and with him staring outside in silence marked that mysterious aura about him.

"What took you so long?" he said, annoyed. Jun wasn't particularly surprised. She knew his level of patience. "What is with you women and taking so…lo…?"

Kazuya had turned to her sharply but his words remained stuck in his throat. The sight of Jun took his breath away. In that moment of silence he heard his heart beat, pounding softly, so softly that it was more like a whisper telling him that he wasn't dreaming.

There she stood in a lovely black evening dress. It was a figure hugging dress that went down from a little above her breasts to her legs, leaving her ivory shoulders and her back bare. The way her skin pushing its way through like a diamond pushing its way out of a coal. A necklace hung around her fair neck, simply and yet lovely—just like her. She had tied her hair in a bun, letting a few strands fall on each side of her face, brushed carefully away from her flawless face. She walked close to him smiling. Kazuya just blinked slowly. She was even wearing a light makeup for once, her slight cheekbones prominent and her lips looking even more sumptuous…all feeling like overkill for Kazuya who was having trouble relocating his jaw.

"So," Jun asked, smiling, spinning around for him to see her from all sides, "how do I look?"

Kazuya was still staring wide-eyed. Jun giggled.

"Kazuya…?"

Kazuya finally returned to planet Earth.

"Gorgeous…you're absolutely…gorgeous…"

A few minutes later

Jun ogled at the large hotel in front of them. It was one of the biggest, most expensive ones in Japan and Jun could have only dreamt of being here. But she was. She looked at Kazuya again as if wanting to reassure herself that it wasn't a dream. Kazuya's beaming face told her it wasn't. Kazuya told the driver what time to pick them up. He then walked inside the hotel with Jun at his side. Once inside Jun could only gape in awe at the luxurious place with its richly decorated chandeliers, the posh looking guests and the cutlery. The tables were arranged such that there was a large empty circle in the middle of the room. In the corner there was a stage with a band playing light music. Jun wasn't particularly at ease with all this high-class stuff. Such "elite class" shenanigans was vanity. She loved simplicity.

She looked at Kazuya. He seemed at ease with all this but she knew that all these years in such circles had taught him how to act. How to fit in an alien world.

They sat on one of the 'for two' tables Kazuya had reserved. It was next to the window. She noticed his particular likings for windows.

"You like windows a lot, Kazuya?"

"Yes. I like to sit somewhere from I can have a higher view of things."

"An arcane view of life..." Jun said softly, in thought herself.

The waiter led them to their table. It was a lovely table, apparently particularly arranged and decorated for couples. The golden candles were tall and thin, all held delicately in the hands of an ivory statue of an angel. Kazuya's eyes trailed the statue. He then rested them on Jun.

After a little a waiter came with their dinner and drinks. Whiskey. Jun was reluctant to try the western stuff but Kazuya told her to sip it and that as long as she didn't gulp it she would be fine. She kept that in mind. She took a light sip. Thought it was good, she preferred saki any day in the week. Kazuya seemed at ease again.

The food was great. However, more than anything it was just the fact that they sat there staring into each other's eyes the whole time. Not saying anything. The looming foreplay of their eyes and the thin misty sparkle in them was all that meant anything, the candle flame surging before them. Within them. Slowly Kazuya's hand found Jun's, holding it. As they gently intertwined their fingers around each other the music shifted to a light music and before Jun knew it, Kazuya was standing over her raising her gently.

Together they moved to the center of circle. Lots of couples had come there by now. Jun looked at Kazuya as got close to her till they were nose to nose. He intertwined his fingers around hers and let his other hand rest on her bare back. His touch sent ripples up her spine as he pulled her closer to him. She rested her free hand on his shoulders. They moved together slowly, swaying side to side. His pale skin, jet-black hair and hard-pressed lips made him look dashing in his own way. But most of all it was his eyes that looked especially enticing to her. They were sparkling as he looked at her, a small smile arched at his mouth. Suddenly she surprised him by sinking her head on his shoulder, letting her free hand feel his chest through his coat and shirt. Thought surprised slightly at first, Kazuya pressed her to him tighter, letting his chin rest on her head.

Everything was quiet. Everything became dull and obscure. Everything felt numb. Nothing seemed to matter. Nothing but the sound of each other's breath. Nothing but their reflection in the large mirrored walls and roofs. Nothing but the warmth and the beating of their love soaked hearts.

They stood there for a long time like that, Kazuya's tall masculine frame almost blending with Jun's feminine form. After a long time Jun spoke.

"Kazuya…"

"Uh-huh…"

"Don't ever leave me…"

Kazuya tightened his embrace. Jun looked up at him. They stared at each other in silence. Kazuya finally nodded slowly and closed his eyes, a small smile curved at his mouth. When he opened them, Jun stared at them for a while before sinking her head on his chest again, hanging on to him slightly tighter, her black eyes staring away—unblinking.

Zaibatsu mansion—2 a.m.

Kazuya's eye fluttered open. He was sweating profusely, his heart beating wild and frenzied. With shaky breaths he squinted his eyes to see around him. He was in his room. Jun was sleeping, her head resting on his chest. Kazuya wiped the sweat away from his forehead with his huge palms and sat up. The veins throbbed harshly against his hot temples. He lay there numb for a long time—not believing what he had seen:

Kazuya's eyes stared ahead of him weakly as his father, Heihachi Mishima, stood over him. Victorious. He had been defeated. All these years of strenuous training for a short-lived victory only to end in defeat. Kazuya struggled to get up but his strength had deserted him.

"Fool! Never underestimate me! DIE!"

Kazuya looked up in horror as his father's already menacing face became menacing still as huge sparks of electricity engulfed him. He raised his fist high in the air and brought it down whizzing towards Kazuya's skull...

Kazuya slowly eased out of Jun's embrace. It was a cold night so he wrapped up the naked Jun in his sheets as well. He then put on his gown and stepped outside. The mansion was deserted. Kazuya paced in the corridor. He walked for a long time till he came to the window where he loved the view of the island and the lashing sea. He stood there but the bible black sky granted him no such respite. All he saw was a shiny black surface in which he could see his reflection.

"That nightmare was…am I really going to…"

"Yesss..."

That voice. Kazuya looked around him in shock. That voice? Was he dreaming? For a while Kazuya stood silently, not making a single sound, trying to listen closely. In his mind the same questions replayed over and over again: was it a prophecy from the dark side? A vision? Was he going to die?

"Yesss..."

Kazuya stiffened. That voice. He knew it too well. Suddenly, as if being controlled by a force beyond him, he found his eyes resting on the mirror. He stared at his reflection for a while, looking at his hollow eyes and drawn face. All of a sudden lightening flashed outside and when darkness returned he saw his reflection. But it was different. His face looked older, with age lines scattered under his eyes and across his forehead. Two scars cut their way across his face on each side, one on the cheekbone, the other below the eye. But more than anything it was his left eye that caught his attention. It shone like a ruby and his whole face darkened as it glowed, making his blood curl. He staggered back in shock but when he looked up his reflection was back to normal.

He took a deep breath to sooth himself but another flash of lightening shone in the dark mirror and this time he saw 'him' after almost 16 years…

…Devil.

He looked the same as he did when he approached Kazuya on that horrid day. A mist-like creature with a third eye on the forehead and sinister to the core. The third eye was locked onto him like a predator's. From the deep dark shadows of his soul he heard Devil's unearthly voice, crackling. He was laughing. Laughing at Kazuya. Kazuya clenched his fists. How dare he!

"Tsk, Tsk, Tsk, Kazuya. Didn't your woman tell you to control yourself!"

"Shut…up…" Kazuya hissed back at the reflection.

Devil laughed again. He enjoyed tormenting Kazuya. Invincible as he seemed on the outside, Devil knew exactly where Kazuya's weak spot was: his emotions. Those emotions that only intensified once Jun came in his life.

"Heh, you always were the sentimental one Kazuya. Since the time you were a little punk!"

"I told you to shut up!" Kazuya barked, trying to tear away from his reflection. However he had lost control over his body. He remained frozen there struggling against his body's obstinate rebellion. Kazuya turned to the reflection, his teeth gritted together in fury. "YOU…!"

"Stop shouting at yourself, you idiot!"

"I AM NOT YOU!"

Devil's countenance darkened. His mocking grin faded away to a harsh revolting frown.

"Oh…I see," he growled, "looks like she has messed up your brain more than I ever imagined!"

Kazuya continued struggling to get away from his reflection but failed. It was like a bitter epiphany—ugly, cold and harsh. But true. True to the very core. Devil didn't say anything for a while, his cold penetrating gaze locked on Kazuya as he struggled. In that moment of a poisonous silence Kazuya felt more helpless than a butterfly whose wings were being ripped out by a wanton boy.

"So? You think you and I are different? Then I will show you how wrong you are! Look! LOOK AT ME!"

Kazuya gritted his teeth to brace himself against the invisible force that was controlling him. But it was futile. Slowly his head turned and in that horrid window, that deep black vortex to a personal hell, he saw a reflection. It was someone, something, with a stern face and a hellish blood red pair of eyes. It struck fear in his heart. But this horrendous face brought a dread with it. He looked carefully and saw himself there. Those hellish eyes were his. That cold unrelenting face was his. It was purple in color but aside from that, it was him. It was his own face there. That darkness…it was all his.

"No!" Kazuya yelled as he pulled away from the reflection.

Devil broke away into another wave of corrosive laughter. It seethed its way right through Kazuya. He attempted to punch the window but collapsed, his body not complying with him. It obeyed another. Kazuya fell down, holding his head as Devil's laughter echoed in it like church bells in a storm. Kazuya writhed on the floor in agony.

"There is no use resisting me. Accept me or refuse me…that choice is yours, Kazuya. But know this: you cannot defeat Heihachi. He will kill you. He will take everything away from you. Everything. Remember that…"

With that Devil's voice started fading.

"…REMEMBER THAT!"

The evil presence disappeared. Kazuya was panting hoarsely on the ground, clutching his chest in pain as his scar still burnt, the effects of Devil's presence still lingering. With weak eyes he raised his hand slightly, his fingers outstretched.

"D...Devil...!"

Morning

"Hey," Jun greeted Kazuya, who was sitting with his back to her on the bed. She draped the sheets over herself and hugged his back. He was strangely cold. Jun felt his face and hands and he was cold all over. "Kazuya! You're freezing!"

She rubbed his hands but he slipped them away from her.

"It's the morning. Its pretty chilly…" he said nonchalantly.

Jun was going to ask something but the maid walked in with their breakfast. Jun washed up and sat down to eat but was surprised to see Kazuya standing in his fighting gear. He was standing in front of the mirror, his eyes distant as he stared at himself, feeling his scar. He was adjusting his large metal studded gloves when he heard Jun's voice.

"Kazuya, where are you going?"

"Practice. The finals are coming up," Kazuya smiled and then added with some spunk, "Got lots of butts to kick!"

Jun smiled.

Mishima Zaibatsu compound—dojo

Kazuya stood silently in the large dark room, his eyes closed. Old memories were returning like a black deluge. From every corner, from every shadow, from every mouth of the statues Kazuya heard his childhood screams. His whimpering sounds. His crying voice. His begs, his pleads. He heard Heihachi's harsh voice thundering at him. Shouts, threats, warnings…each more loud and frightening than the previous. He heard loud thuds as Heihachi beat him to a bloody pulp. He remembered the long terrifying nights he spent alone as a child in these dark rooms, locked away by Heihachi, the cold statues bearing witness to each atrocious act. Silently. Deathly silent. He remembered the sunlight burning in his eyes in the morning, the dust choking him as it flew around. The light would make him squint his eyes painfully and through those painful hazy visions he would see Heihachi's large demonic silhouette in the door. And then more training. More screaming. More whimpering. More beatings. More crying…and more terrifying sleepless nights. Kazuya opened his eyes. These memories…these terrible memories.

Clenching his teeth, he formed his fists that shook with fury and his brute power.

"Ka!"

Another battle cry later, another powerful punch shot through the air and landed on the punching bag with utmost precision. Within the next few minutes Kazuya performed numerous signature Mishima-ryu kata's and attacks, his raspy battle cries ringing through the whole misery enchanted room. After a series of kata's and training of the traditional Mishima-ryu techniques, he paused for a while, taking a sip from a water bottle. He dabbed at the sweat trickling down his face and neck. Standing in front of the large full-length mirror he gazed at himself. He had certainly put on more muscles since the last tournament. He was stronger now, more experienced. His moves were more refined than ever and he hadn't slacked off for even a single day. Even in the days he was at Yakushima with Jun, he had made it a point to practice. So no, he wasn't out of the game.

But something was missing. Something was missing. He couldn't place it. A few months back he had torn the bag in a matter of minutes. Why? Why was it so? Kazuya stood still, sweat trickling down his face, a peal of faint laughter resonating in his mind, staring at his fists.

Mishima Zaibatsu compound—dojo, 1 week later

Like the numerous times before in this wretched dojo, Kazuya stood dripping in sweat, his eyes closed, breathing steady. He stood in a stiff horse stance, his right fist enclosed at his waist, his other hand stretched in front of him. Gritting his teeth, he powered up. Lightening leapt from his massive torso and his steel-hard biceps. He opened his eyes and locked them on the training dummy. In a flash he lashed out at it, sending a sharp kick.

Kazuya bit his lips in irritation and disappointment.

The same result as the past few days. He wasn't doing the damage to it that he wanted to. But he was as stubborn as he was determined. He assumed the same horse stance again, charging up his own powers in his whole muscular frame, feeling it flood through his cursed veins. He lashed out again at another dummy. After the brief clatter and his dying echo Kazuya curled his lips in the same disappointment. Why?

And then it hit him. He had known it deep within him but denial was blinding him. He couldn't hate anymore. Jun had changed that. That power…that great power that chorused through him like an unstoppable flood had been cooed to stillness by Jun. All that hatred for his father was now being balanced by his love for Jun and for their child. That power that stemmed from his hatred was now limited. It had weakened. Kazuya reclined against the wall. He held his head in his large hands.

He liked who he was now. He loved the peace he had. He loved it all. Away from the darkness, away from all that hate. And yet, in order to defend it now and retain it, to return to Yakushima with Jun after defeating Heihachi…he had no choice but to sink himself in that darkness that he was hiding from. To save himself from this darkness, to save Jun and their child he had to give in to the Devil one last time. But if he did it would mean that he could never return to the person he was now. He slowly stood up and walked to the duffle bag. He threw his hand and feet guards in it and walked out of the room, his head still heavy, his mind still wandering, his body fatigued.

comment: yeah, well so it is totally out of character. I mean come on, Kazuya happy, spinning around in joy? Please. And yet I made him to exactly that here. The reason is that all fan fictions I've read on this topic had him reacting with uncertainity and even displeasure. So I just thought I'd cook up something a bit different. Besides people with bad parents CAN be good parents (unless they're assholes) because they know how it feels to have a bad parent. Nuff said. On a side note, after all those passionate moments with Jun, Kazuya shouldn't actually be surprised he isn't that strong anymore. But hey! For their "special" night I thought Kazuya and Jun could use somedifferent colors...for once. Oh and I realized that this chapter was a bit too big...sorry about that. Small chapters from now on! Promise crosses fingers