Chapter 2: The Room behind the Fireplace
It was raining at the city of Tokyo when Xiaoyu and Panda finally alighted from the plane they boarded. Xiaoyu heaved a sigh at the thought that the gloominess of the weather seemed to be following her. Psyche yourself up that there's a merry weather, she noted mentally. They were standing under a waiting shed outside the airport expecting a Mishima Corp. private car to fetch them.
"So we're here now Panda. That transport better hurry." Xiaoyu was constantly tapping her right foot on the ground in impatience. Panda silently observed the throng of people making their way to and fro the airport. "Oohh, there it is! It's never late eh, exactly on time!" Xiaoyu said, excitedly pointing at the luxurious, sleek, white car decelerating to park in front of the shed then glancing at her wristwatch.
Xiaoyu and Panda carefully hopped in the car with their baggage and seconds later they were on the road heading towards the Mishima Complex. The traffic was light and Xiaoyu expected to arrive at the complex in less than ten minutes. She busied herself then observing through the window the bustle of the city and the tall skyscrapers that they passed by. However, at an intersection, the chauffeur turned right.
"Aren't we supposed to go straight the highway?" Xiaoyu inquired the chauffer.
"Kazama san will be meeting you at the other mansion," he answered.
"The other mansion? Where's that? Can you make a clearer reply?"
"It exists in an isolated area. You'll get to see it later. Be patient," came the chauffeur's short reply.
"Grrr, alright." Xiaoyu decided to reserve her energy for talking for the zeal she'll be adding in greeting her friends later.
After a while, their vehicle was cruising along a boulevard lined with cherry blossom trees. As the minutes floated away, the seen was dominated by rich green-leafed trees. It seemed they weren't in the city anymore; Xiaoyu had no idea where in Japan they were now. Impatience was creeping up at Xiaoyu's chest again when finally she saw a huge structure away at the east. A few more minutes of driving brought them to a secluded place in the midst of nature. Oddly, the mansion was a modern architecture. Xiaoyu expected a Japanese temple-like design. It abided simplicity, its walls were pure white and there was an abundance of glass windows decorating the facade.
In her eagerness, Xiaoyu immediately skipped towards the front doors but momentarily she remembered to observe her surroundings. There was a little sparkling stream running beside the right wing of the mansion. That brought her to notice it had already stopped raining. Then her gaze took in the vast lea which stretched on from the left wing of the mansion and was cut by the edge of a wood further south. She thought her eyes glimpsed a vibrant flower field among the grassland when a rainbow glowing over a cliff towering nearby the mansion caught her gaze. Strangely, her heart leaped at the sight. Rainbow! Before she could tell Panda anything, they were quietly ushered inside the mansion by a female attendant who had opened the huge front doors.
Other than themselves, the dimly illuminated lobby was devoid of human presence. "Are we the first ones to arrive here?" Xiaoyu politely asked the attendant. "Yes ma'am. Do you wish me to escort you to Kazama-san's office?" "Yes please," Xiaoyu chirped happily.
They climbed a "glowing" flight of steps which rose immediately to the right of the front doors. The shining blue strips of light which decorated every stair step amused Xiaoyu and Panda. These provided a trail for the light shining through the small windows accompanying the stairway was not ample. Jin must be saving electricity, Xiaoyu thought with a smile. Upon reaching third floor, they walked through the left corridor and entered the first door in sight.
"One of the participants is here Kazama san," the attendant announced. "'Two' and 'are'," Xiaoyu corrected her then instantaneously skipped towards Jin as he rose from his seat behind a desk. Xiaoyu threw him a big friendly hug. "Hiiii Jiin! How are you? Are you really alright now? Your sickness doesn't recur anymore right? Who are you with? Is Asuka here? Why are you staying here? I understand you don't want to live at the Mishima Complex anymore. But this place is so lonely. What's that book you're reading? Are you busy? Oh well, I'm just glad to see you!" Xiaoyu babbled excitedly.
"Well I'm glad to see you're alright too…and your Panda," he patted Xiaoyu's head. An incredibly wide smile was painted on Xiaoyu's face. "The others have not yet arrived but I'm expecting them this evening." Then he returned to his seat. "Make yourself comfortable Xiaoyu…and Panda." Xiaoyu plopped down the cushioned chair at the front of his desk. Among the paperweights, small vases, pen holders, a few folders and other trinkets decorating Jin's neat desk, a small fishbowl with three tiny silver fishes swimming in it caught her notice. "Your pets?" Xiaoyu asked jabbing a finger at bowl. Jin chuckled. "They're a quiet company." Xiaoyu smiled.
A brief silence settled. Xiaoyu's attention was drawn to a small lamp a little right behind Jin. It was made of fiber optic threads which stuck out from a metal base like the leaves of a plant. ROYGBIV glowed from this source and the lights concentrated on its tips were like glimmering dots hovering in the air. Out of the blue, Xiaoyu mused aloud "Rainbow. What could be at the end of the rainbow?" Jin gave an unexpected reply, "Vampires."
"Huh? Vampires?" Xiaoyu was snapped out of her trance. "Yeah, those creatures in human form with sharp fangs which they use to pierce your skin and suck all your precious blood out," Jin confirmed.
"Wha? Vampires? How can you be sure?" Xiaoyu was totally nonplussed with Jin's reply. For a moment it crossed her mind that Jin was being weird.
"I am sure," no explanation followed despite sensing Xiaoyu's bewilderment.
"Prove it then," Xiaoyu blurted without thinking.
"There's a room behind a fireplace at the topmost floor. I found the queerest things there. Follow me," Jin explained.
"Will you go with us Panda?" Panda stood up from her resting position and followed Xiaoyu and Jin.
They rode an elevator directly opposite Jin's office which brought them to the ninth floor. Now that she was playing it all over her mind, Xiaoyu was trying to stifle a giggle at what Jin had revealed. They then entered a spacious room at the south end of the corridor. Curtains were draped over windows but very faint light somehow managed to creep in the room, dimly revealing what's inside. At the center of the wall opposite the door rested a huge marble hearth. Jin gestured to Xiaoyu and Panda to follow him.
"But it's dark there," complained Xiaoyu. "I'll light the fireplace," said Jin. With an easy pace he strode over the fireplace and then after grabbing a matchbox from the mantel ignited a crumpled paper in the hearth. The flames spread, filling the hearth with a bright burning light. With this action, a low rumble endued as the whole fireplace gently slid from its place as though it was a sleeping giant who turned on its side.
Xiaoyu gaped at the uncovered entrance into a more spacious room. "Wow, all mansions must have secret places like this," she told Jin before entering the strange room. Jin followed with Panda and switched on the lights. Light illuminated the room and a single object which hung very noticeably at the center wall caught Xiaoyu's attention. She forgot to give the whole room, which was actually filled with a variety of bizarre gizmos, outlandish works of art, and rare books, a general view. A magnificent painting on the wall magnetized her. As she approached it for inspection, a gasped escaped her lips. A majestic rainbow shone with great intensity from the canvas and it filled up most of the space. However, below it gathered vicious-looking hideous creatures. Most of these fiends took human form but sharp, glinting fangs replaced normal teeth. Blood dripped from the corners of their mouths and they seemed to be devouring, or sucking the fluids of, a ripped and torn carcass of an unidentifiable being. Their skins were powdery white and their eyes which glowed fiery red reflected pure vileness. Among these vampires were "orc"-like beings. All of them were blood-stained and wore similar distorted faces, faces which looked like they were roughly and carelessly hewn from a stony material. Few even looked they hardly had a face. Surrounding these beings were burning ruins. Splintered wood, broken glass, and stony rubble also littered the ground. The darkest and dreariest colors dominated the horrible scene. How grotesque!. What shook Xiaoyu's nerves was the painting seemed alive. She could almost the foul stench which would surely pervade the scene. Its colors tricked light in conveying the scene was real. But she didn't want to believe so. She looked hard at the painting and wished with all her mind the painting would dissolve. Jin tapped her on the shoulder to check if she was alright. Then he asked "Do you see now?" "But it's only a….both beautiful and horrible….painting probably painted by a very disturbed individual!" Xiaoyu stressed. "I know. We'll talk about this sometime. And we'll return tomorrow. You have to see more of this room. It's connected with the reason I gathered all past Iron Fist Tournament participants here. But some of them have already arrived as my secretary informed me," Jin showed Xiaoyu his phone. "I must give them a welcome," he said seriously. "Alright. I don't wanna stay here anyway," she said wondering if the gruesome creatures could possibly leap out of the painting if they knew she was planning to rip the canvas apart. Panda nodded in agreement for her tummy was rumbling. "And they're here! oohh let's hurry, I must see them now!" Xiaoyu added eagerly after she had completely processed what Jin had said.
Jin put off the fire in the fireplace after which he staggered as Xiaoyu, momentarily forgetting the horrible painting, excitedly pulled on his arm urging him to make haste. Panda sniggered. Xiaoyu's unfailing energy brought them at the ground floor in a millisecond.