Greetings everyone! I'm back with another chapter! I'm sure everyone's busy playing Tekken 7, but I had to remind myself to update lol. So...here's chapter 15!
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters. They are all property of Namco.
The two other occupants in the room discussed their plans for her as if she weren't there. It didn't matter, she had trouble focusing as of late anyway, so their words fell upon deaf ears. The migraines she suffered from were unbearable, but she was sure that the old fool would prescribe yet another pill for her to take. She couldn't keep count of how many she swallowed daily. Her name was being called, but the voices sounded so muffled in her head.
"Hey, were you even listening? What's wrong with you?" the brunette asked the woman in a peevish tone. She turned to the old man dressed in a white lab coat and said, "Do you see what I mean? It's like talking to a statue at times!"
The old coot observed her silently with a nod of his head. "I see," he uttered as he approached the blonde carefully and noted how she drew her legs up onto the couch and buried her face into her arms as she folded them across her knees. "It seems the subject is still suffering from some form of PTSD from cryosleep. It's a common side effect, but the medicine should help keep her stable," the scientist reported casually in his thick Russian accent.
The brunette became upset with his diagnosis. "That's it? What about everything else I told you? The sleepwalking, the vacant stares, her violent outbursts, and her...well...when she tried to-"
"I understand your concerns," he interrupted. "But I can't give you an accurate diagnosis, however, if you want to admit her back to the research facility for observation, I can take her off of your hands."
The younger woman thought for a moment. It was probably for the best, she was becoming a danger to her and to herself lately. She flexed her hand at the thought, she could still feel a slight sting from the old wound. She looked over to the blonde on the couch, she seemed so small and fragile. "It's for the best. You can finally get the help you need, then maybe you can come back when you're better," the brunette told her.
That cold, metal slab, the incessant beeping noises of machines filling her ears, the harsh florescent lighting, the poking, probing, and pricking, it was nightmarish. "No," she grumbled lowly.
The woman sighed heavily. "It's only temporary, and maybe they'll finally help you remember everything," she promised.
The blonde finally looked up with sorrowful, glassy eyes. "You're abandoning me...you promised you'd help me," she choked out in sobs.
The brunette and the old doctor exchanged glances before looking at the distraught woman before them. "It's clear that you two need more time to think about this. Don't hesitate to call me if you reach your final decision. Take care...both of you," he said as he looked over to the blonde woman again, sympathetically. What a strange case. He left, for there was nothing more he could do for them.
"You should've went with him! You're crazy you know! I can't deal with this anymore!" the woman yelled at her with distress rising in her voice.
"You promised...I don't want to live like this...I can't-"
"Fine! Just don't talk like that...you're scaring me," she sighed in defeat. "I can only help you if you let me, but if you keep on this way I'll have no choice but to send you back," the woman warned as she joined the woman on the couch, cautiously.
The blonde remained silent as her supposed sibling placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to tense up. Perhaps no one could help her, maybe she should just end it all, but the voice in her head wouldn't let her, not until she beckoned its call.
A piercing, ringing noise pulled her from her slumber and away from her dream, or was it another memory? Whatever they were, she welcomed the bell that rouse her from her chilling dream. The noise stopped. She snuggled her face into her pillow as she attempted to fall back asleep. The ringing resumed again. She sighed in annoyance and kept her face buried into the pillow. By the third ring, she finally reached towards her nightstand, allowing her hand to fumble for the noisy device before she finally grabbed it to answer it. "Hello, what is it?" she answered crabbily.
"Remind me again why I shouldn't fire you," a man's deep voice came through the receiver.
It took her a moment to register whom she was speaking with before she could reply. She yawned softly and rubbed her fingers through her tousled blonde locks. "Fire me? Who'll put up with you if I leave?" she responded through her drowsiness. "Where the hell are you, Jin?" He had some nerve calling her out of the blue without giving her an explanation for his disappearance.
"Hmph, I wonder," he started. "Did you ever assume that I was missing because I was dead? I could have easily been killed due to your negligence."
"And yet here you are, alive and well, disturbing my sleep at..."she paused to glance at her clock. "...well past midnight. You better explain yourself, Kazama," she urged him, seriously.
"Come find me," he ordered.
"What? I don't have time for your-"
"You have an hour...or I'll severely cut your pay," he threatened.
"This is some sick joke, right?" she questioned in disbelief, exasperated by his absurd demand.
"In my office, in my desk drawer, you'll find keys to my private garage...take what you like," he instructed.
Nina finally sat up. Sure she was still tired, but it seemed like she would have to be an unwilling participant in her employer's latest game. She sighed heavily before saying, "Fine, but when I get there, wherever you are, you better be ready to talk."
"Don't keep me waiting," he warned before ending the call.
The sleepy assassin cradled her face in her palm for a moment, contemplating if she really needed this job once again. Jin had been the cause of her many restless nights lately, it was like psychological torture. She wasn't one for games like this. Why didn't he just return to headquarters instead of forcing her to get out of bed this late to meet him at his location? Now that he put his phone back online she could easily track him, but he was wasting her time and disturbing her sleep with this nonsense. "Fucking hell..." she muttered to herself before reluctantly getting out of bed to get ready for her quest to find Jin.
The scenery before him did wonders to keep his thoughts centered and at ease. A peaceful forest preserve park filled with the natural cacophony of wildlife offered him the solitude he needed. He had to retreat somewhere that reminded him of simpler times in his life, before his mother had left him, before the Devil Gene consumed him. Now, he could barely bring himself to face the day, and every morning he woke up, he could only think about how much easier it'd be if he didn't at all. He already hated himself for the pain he had caused others through maneuvering and greedily navigating through the business world, but the worst was yet to come. It was that decision alone which crippled his thoughts, causing him to question his own resolve. It was a burden too grand to bear, but someone had to step up to the plate.
The dark haired man leaned against the railing as his eyes scanned over the park, the swaying of the treetops in the cool breeze was almost hypnotic. It was a shame that he'd have to return to the Zaibatsu and resume his role as the warmongering megalomaniac the world perceived him to be. He had seen some of the tabloids, but he avoided them, they were pitiful attempts at credible journalism, and he despised gossip.
As a young boy growing up in Yakushima, he had seen the harmful effects crude words had on others, and he realized that some of the nicest people on the surface hid behind smiling masks to hide the ugliness within them. He had overheard countless rumors and speculations about his mother's situation being swirled around the village. The woman who smiled at him daily and picked fresh apples from her tree for him to give to his mother had secretly called him a "rape child". The quiet farmer down the road let alcohol loosen his lips at night and frequently referred to his mother as a poor harlot who had ruined her life by bearing a child out of wedlock. The little girl down the lane that he played with occasionally always badgered him with prying questions, wondering if it was true that his father was a Yakuza boss who was looking to kill him and his mother.
The heartless whispers grew louder and circled around town, and most of those serpent-tongued villagers didn't have the decency to be discreet even as he walked by while pretending to be blissfully ignorant to their harsh words. If he heard them, then his mother had as well, but she never let him see her upset as she continued to smile for him. He closed his eyes and tried to prevent memories of his mother from overcoming his emotions. That was so long ago, he had to stop dwelling on the past, for his new reality was before him.
In the distance, he could hear the roar of a motorcycle approaching and quickly closing in on his location. So much for the silence he basked in, his visitor was sure to shake things up. He wondered what kind of mood she'd be in considering that the last time they spoke face to face ended in an awkward situation for the both of them. Hopefully, she had forgiven him as she said she would so that his "indiscretion" wouldn't tarnish their working relationship.
Once the motor vehicle neared closer, the beaming bright headlights bathed over him until the engine was killed. There she was, clad in a sleek, black, curve hugging catsuit with a helmet covering her head. Once she disembarked from the bike, she removed her helmet and slowly strode towards him with a blank stare. He stared at her for a moment to study her body language and facial features to ascertain her current mood. As usual, she was unreadable through her stoic expression. His eyes wandered over to the bike she arrived on and a smirk began forming on his lips. She knew her bikes, she had chosen a new high end model with optimal speed to make it there just in time.
"Congratulations, you made it...and with a few minutes to spare," he casually informed her. He then returned his gaze to the undulating trees of the forest. He could hear her quietly joining him to partake in the view.
Admittedly, her anger had dissipated when she had lain eyes on the many high tech, expensive vehicles in his garage, and once she mounted herself on a pricy vehicle to see what it was capable of, she rather enjoyed the night ride; it was a smooth, relaxing experience. She joined her employer by the railing and silently observed the calming scene. She wanted to berate him for his irresponsibility and reckless behavior, but she had lost the fire in her to argue once she arrived. Knowing him, he'd explain everything to her once he found the right words.
Jin was secretly relieved that she wasn't too upset, it seemed that they would be able to enjoy the solitude of the area together after all. He didn't want to talk about the many things he fled from once he left the front gates of the Central Tower, not just yet. "I take it that you enjoyed riding the newest addition to my collection," he remarked with a thin smile.
Nina gripped onto the railing with her gloved hands and peered at him through the corners of her eyes. "Indeed, you're lucky that I did or else we'd be having ourselves a not so friendly spar right about now," she jested lightly.
He nearly let out a low chuckle at her words. He was lucky indeed, he didn't want his sworn protector to turn on him over a simple miscommunication. "Good, it's yours," he stated, never taking his eyes away from the serene scenery.
The blonde woman turned towards him, slightly taken aback by his words. For a moment she was at a lost for words, it was a nice sentiment that gave her a strange warming sensation throughout her body. She stared at him quietly for a while to get a good reading on him to understand his motives. "Seriously? This isn't a bribe or anything to butter me up, is it?" she asked, having some suspicions about his intentions.
He had no idea why she was so distrustful of him, but judging from some of the things he learned from her past, he understood her inability to trust others, in fact, he could relate. "It's a gift, that's all. Do you not want it?" he asked, turning to meet her gaze. Her expression softened and she seemed to be more accepting of his kind gesture once he spoke those words to her. Shockingly, her blue eyes even held a little spark of excitement in them.
"Well, if that's so, then I should thank you," she spoke stiffly before relaxing her tone. "Thank you, Jin, I really do like it," she said, feeling warmed by his kindness. She had completely let go of her anger now, and almost dismissed the many questions she had for him.
Jin offered her a smile before shifting his gaze upwards to the sky. It was a cloudy night, which perfectly mirrored his thoughts. Unfortunately, it was time to skip the pleasantries and discuss their grim business. He sighed in frustration. "I know you're wondering why I left without giving anyone any notice. The truth is...I cracked under the pressure, and I needed to get away to clear my head," he confessed solemnly.
Nina said nothing as she gave him her undivided attention. She had found lately that he would most likely give her straight, clear answers to her questions if she didn't badger him about it.
He continued, "I told the units stationed overseas to prepare for the random air strikes, but I second guessed myself and everything I'm doing. I thought, "what if". What if this isn't the way, what if I'm just giving this "rectifier" what it wants by causing worldwide destruction, and when it awakens, what if I'm not strong enough to defeat it? A lot of people will suffer and die by my actions and I'm not even capable of determining if this is the right way."
The Irish assassin let his words linger within her before attempting to offer him her input. She had no idea that he held this many doubts about his actions, and honestly, his doubts made her doubt her role in this. If he wasn't completely certain about this, then she didn't want him to take a plunge into a point of no return. What would be the point of freeing himself from his curse if he was only going to be a pariah for the rest of his life? She didn't want that for him. "Jin...I don't have the answers, I don't know what else would help you. I just want you to be sure that this is what must be done before you do anything you'll regret for the rest of your life," she expressed sympathetically. She never imagined that she'd feel the weight of his problems pressing against her chest.
The raven haired man cast his eyes downward and stared at his hands as they gripped onto the wooden railing tightly. He was wrought with grief over this. Despite the hatred deep within him, he still wondered if he was still that simple, innocent country boy who clung onto the virtue and morality his mother instilled in him. What would his mother think of him if she saw him now? She'd be disgusted. He remained silent as his thoughts shifted to the only person who'd ever truly loved him.
His silence only meant that he had retreated into his thoughts instead of telling her what was on his mind. She wasn't up this late and in the middle of the forest preserve just to watch him vacantly stare off into the distance. "What are you thinking about?" Nina asked.
"My mother..." he answered, surprisingly to both her and himself.
She didn't want to take him down that emotional road, but sometimes talking about the pain from your past with a trusted source was therapeutic. Sadly, she was never able to do that with anyone, certainly not Anna. Jun Kazama, that woman certainly left an impression on whomever she crossed. Shockingly, even after her memories bit the dust, she could still recall a peculiar encounter with the mysterious Japanese woman during the second tournament. Nina folded her arms on the railing as she attempted to piece together a missing link from her past. "Jun Kazama...she warned me to stay away from Kazuya, but I was too arrogant to listen," the blonde recalled as she gazed up at the night sky.
Jin's interest was instantly captured upon hearing her speak of his mother. It sometimes slipped his mind that her she had almost lived two separate lives due to being in cold sleep. He remained silent as he fixated his gaze on the woman next to him as she spoke.
She continued, "We shared a common goal back then, stopping Kazuya Mishima at all costs. Of course she only wanted to bring him in for questioning while I wanted to put a bullet through his brain. I remember, I had him lined up in my sights as he had just beaten yet another opponent in the tournament. I figured it was the only time he let his guard down and wasn't surrounded by his dimwitted bodyguards, so I decided to kill him then and there, but she appeared behind me, completely distracting me from dispatching my target. I nearly lost my temper until she gave me this creepy warning. She said something about a strange aura surrounding him and that if I got too close to him, he'd kill me. She claimed that she was the only one who could bring him to justice and that killing him wouldn't work, plus she believed his soul was still salvageable. I thought she was strange and that her words were nonsense, so I didn't listen. Now, look at me. Next to my father's death, I consider my encounter with your father as one of the worst experiences in my life." Had she listened and abandoned her mission, how different would her life had been?
Jin was intrigued by her story, and hearing something new about his mother and his bodyguard always peaked his interest. However, learning that once again his father had ruined the lives of any person he came into contact with had upset him. His mother got close to a terrible man and nothing good came from it, not even his birth, and now, this curse he bore was a constant reminder of everything he hated about his father and his bloodline. He unconsciously placed his hand over his dark coat, touching the area where the mark of the devil was etched into his skin. It was worth a shot, but sadly, sacrifices had to be made for the greater good. 'My mother never wanted me to suffer, and because of this curse, I've done nothing but suffer. By all means necessary, I'll rid myself from this pain,' he thought resolutely. "Tomorrow...I'll confirm the orders," he revealed in a grave tone. "Despite my reservations, I can't turn back now."
Nina sighed softly and turned her head to look at him again. "If you go through with this, it'll change everything, but as we agreed, I'll stand by your side through this ordeal...until the end," she reassured. It wasn't going to be easy to cope with, but she wouldn't abandon him in his time of need.
His brown eyes fixated on hers upon hearing her vow of loyalty once again. He admired the fact that once she committed to something, she would stop by no means to complete her goals. He greatly appreciated her tenacity to help him carry out his plans, no matter how destructive they were. He studied her face, admiring her features, and he felt himself slipping into the danger zone again. He bravely reached out a hand to place on her shoulder and stared into her eyes amusingly before saying, "It's always good to hear that from you. Thank you."
"Well, I always aim to please," the blonde replied with a smirk. She was very well aware of his hand on her shoulder, but she decided not to pay it any mind, that is, until his hand slowly moved upwards from her shoulder until it was lightly caressing her cheek. "Easy now, Casanova, we wouldn't want a repeat of the other night, would we?" she warned calmly. Her words were slightly betraying to her true thoughts because she once again felt slightly receptive to his advances.
"Why wouldn't we?" he asked in a low voice, challenging her reasoning. He had recently come to terms with exploring his curiosity with the blonde assassin, but it was a daunting task indeed. In his limited time, he wanted to stop holding back.
Again, he triggered an unwanted feeling of embarrassment with a small dose of nervousness within her. She didn't like feeling...vulnerable, and lately, he had succeeded in making her feel just that. She unwillingly found herself captured by the tranquil gaze of his almond colored eyes as they wordlessly stared at each other. She then wondered, did he plan this all along? "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm getting the feeling that you're trying to seduce me," Nina said with a straight face.
"And if I am?" he challenged again, this time with a more serious face. It was no secret to himself now that he took pleasure in amusing himself with his bodyguard, and somehow it was a great remedy for his stress or boredom. His interest in her roused almost every time he had seen her, he was undoubtedly becoming enamored with her, but he still attempted to keep his distance for both their sakes. However, he sometimes failed to prevent himself from succumbing to his desires.
She had been flirted with by the best of the best and the worst of the worst, but none of them ever held her interest, until now. She found him to be...confusingly charming. "Jin Kazama..." she let his name roll from her lips slowly and clearly. "You think you can get anything you want with that handsome face of yours, don't you?" She took a step forward and completely closed the gap between them.
"Hmph, if only..." he said as continued to leer at her with his hand still pressed against her cheek. Their close proximity stirred more desires within him that he had repressed for years, the feel of her body gently pressing against his only taunted his once strong willpower.
A half smile appeared on her lips as she placed her gloved hand on the side of his face and pulled him down to her own. She was tempted, but she decided to use the better half of her judgment. Her lips missed his by mere centimeters and softly grazed his cheek until she reached his ear. "You have my interest now, and one day I'll give you the perfect window of opportunity to make your best move," she whispered into his ear seductively. "Don't disappoint me." She pulled away from him. She paused for a moment to look into his eyes, taking note of the lascivious gleam within them. She remained silent as she smiled smugly before finally turning away from him and walking towards her bike.
He was completely frozen. The only thing he could feel was the pulse pounding sound of his heart going wild with excitement. He exhaled finally, not even realizing that he hadn't been breathing properly for a while. He watched silently as the blonde beauty mounted the motorcycle and slipped her helmet back on. His head was fuzzy at the moment and he couldn't gather his thoughts properly to move on to the next point.
Nina looked over her shoulder at him and shook her head slowly. "Stand there all night if you'd like, but I'm leaving," she said as she started up her motorcycle and revved up the engine. She knew no good would come of this, it was evident all over his face. It looked as if the blood drained from his head and pooled elsewhere, causing a delayed reaction in him. Hopefully, he would be okay for the ride back to headquarters.
Jin snapped out of his stupor upon hearing the start up of the engine and shook his head before walking towards and mounting his own bike to prepare for the ride back home. 'Perfect window of opportunity...what does she mean?' he pondered as he cast one more glance at her before they both zoomed off through the forest.
End of chapter 15!
Just in case anyone is confused about Nina's dreams, they take place a bit before Tekken 3 shortly after they both awaken from cryosleep. I always found that time with the Williams sisters interesting since they were shown getting along during her amnesia period, so I wanted to explore that more. Next chapter coming soon! R&R!