Epilogue

The bus came to a stop, followed by a loud hiss as the door opened. It was on a lonely, isolated road in the middle of the Yakushima forest, curving and bending its way across it like a giant snake. Jun stepped out of the bus slowly. Silently, she watched the bus leave till it was out of sight. She stood there for a long time, the sun shining softly on her face making it glow even more radiantly, her eyes closed, the rustling of the leaves, the singing of birds and the sound of the wind dancing over the lake greeting her like a gentle whisper. She still looked distraught by all that had happened to her the previous day but she understood it now: all wasn't lost. Kazuya would live with her through their son, Jin.

"Yes. This is how you will live with me from now on. This is how you will fulfill that promise you made to me. You'll be here with me. And you'll be there to take me when I go..." she sighed, her eyes closed, "...That is what I know. That is what will keep me going."

She breathed in the fresh aroma of the forest and closed her eyes, feeling life brew up inside her. Slowly as she opened her eyes she saw small birds and animals gather around her as if welcoming her back to Yakushima--this world that lay on the border heaven. Birds sat on her shoulders and a small squirrel climbed up her arm and to her shoulder. Slowly more animals appeared and she greeted them all, for a brief moment forgetting about everything else. She looked ahead of her and from the hill she was standing on she could see the lake far down in the distance. She took in a deep breath again. Memories were flooding back at her. With every passing moment and every tree, every shrub she saw reminded her of nothing but Kazuya. Each one of them seemingly retold her his story...a ballad of a devil who found his way back to grace.

After a long time, when the sun had started to set near the hills, Jun reached the lake. It was looking as lovely as it always did, with the aurora sky reincarnated in its surface like a thin delicate mask of reality that would burst upon the slightest touch. She continued walking till she stood at a particular spot near the lake. It was small clearing in the field with the lake behind it and the forest surrounding it protectively. It was the same spot where Kazuya had brought her all those weeks ago, to the house that was their haven, however short-lived it was. She stood in the center of that small clearing, her shadowy form prominent in the orange glow of the setting sun. She stood there hearing their laughter, hearing those words of love, and reliving those moments again and again and again—she knew she would be for as long as she lived. That would be her respite, her escape to all that that was pure and real and meaningful.

The sun had set almost completely, a reddish glow of light escaping from behind the shallow hills. The lake was alive with this shimmering light; small ripples brushing over its fragile surface. There was silence, and shadows and stillness. But there was a beautiful orange glow of light a little further beyond the hills, so far and yet so close that one could almost reach out and touch it.

And in the middle of all this was Jun standing still, staring ahead silently, her arms folded protectively around her stomach...

-The End-

comments: and so it ends. Kazuya dies, leaving behind a pregnant Jun to raise their lovechild, Jin. A bitter sweet story with a bitter sweet ending just like the original story of Kazuya and Jun. Storywise Tekken 2 was the best amongst the whole series as it gave the otherwise cliched, dull story a touch of humanity and complexity that fighting games generally don't have (Street Fighter anyone?).

Personally, I had a blast writing this fan fiction for all of you. Thanks for all the reviews people (I think I replied to all of you). Kazuya + Jun forever!

Love & Peace.

Sado