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The Angel Within
Chapter Five: Encounters and Discoveries
[Day 5]
Friday, 09:19 UTC (10:19 in local time)
Milan, Italy
"Damn, I knew haute-couture clothes were expensive, but I didn't know it was this much!" The girl with two black ponytails says, sighing in frustration.
"Yeah." The other girl, this one with reddish brown short hair, says in the same tone of frustration.
The two disgruntled friends are walking through the streets of Milan. The bright sun caresses their porcelain skins warmly as leisurely steps are given by them, while the vivid city around them keeps its intense routine of having many hurried people, fast cars and fancy stores, like it's an electric circuit turned on by human life.
The girl with two black ponytails is wearing light blue torn jeans and a white blouse with many silver paillettes in the back, besides black flat shoes. The girl of reddish brown short hair wears a black blouse cut out in the back to form a skull and white jeans with black sandals.
"Xiaoyu." The girl of reddish brown hair sighs her friend's name in the most childlike way possible.
"What is it, Miharu?" The girl of black ponytails says.
"Let's take a break, I can't walk anymore."
Xiaoyu sighs. "Alright. I guess I could use a break."
Both girls sit on a street bench in the sidewalk. For now, they keep themselves silent, simply contemplating the foreign city around them. For some odd reason, the grey sidewalks, the grey streets and the grey buildings of Milan are different from the grey sidewalks, grey streets and grey buildings of Tokyo. Some pigeons fly high in the bright blue sky, as few small white clouds pass by. Each car that runs down the street seems to faster them the last one that passed by before. But, at the same time, it feels like the possibilities of fast are never going to end, which means that's all just an illusion and all the cars are pretty much in the same speed. The same impression occurs with the people around, since each of them seems to be in a worse mood than the one by their side.
"Look over there!" Miharu breaks the silence, pointing to tons of people crossing the street.
Xiaoyu narrows her eyes and tries her hardest to see who specifically Miharu is pointing to, but to no avail.
"The blonde one!" Miharu adds.
Xiaoyu narrows her eyes once more and looks for someone who's blonde. She finds the task hard, until she spots the blonde person and realizes how much the individual stands out in the middle of the crowd.
"She looks familiar." Xiaoyu murmurs. "I think."
"We watched her on TV, don't you remember?" Miharu asks. "On the tournaments!"
Xiaoyu frowns as they keep watching the girl. She is deep in thought, trying to remember.
"I think she lost to Jin's cousin once." Miharu says.
Then it clicks on Xiaoyu's mind. "Yes! It's true! I remember now." Xiaoyu says, happy she was able to recall it. "I think her name was… Gigi… or Lili…"
"Gigi!" Miharu screams on the top of her lungs.
"Miharu! Stop! Are you crazy?!" Xiaoyu says in a whisper, angrily.
"What? I'm just trying to call her!"
"So don't, then! We don't even know her name! Besides, what would we say?"
Miharu stops for a second and thinks. "Oh, well, I guess it's true."
Xiaoyu sighs in frustration. "Let's get going." She stands, and Miharu follows suit as both start walking.
"Hey." A third voice says.
Xiaoyu and Miharu turn to see the blonde girl they were talking about.
"I think I have seen you both somewhere, haven't I?"
Xiaoyu and Miharu look at each other from the corner of their eyes, and then turn their gazes back to the girl. The blonde girl is wearing a white leather jacket covering all her torso and dark blue jeans with black leather boots.
"From the tournaments." Miharu mutters shyly.
The blonde girl frowns for a second, and seems to be thinking. Then she acts like a bulb was turned on inside her head.
"Oh! Yes, of course! The tournaments!" She exclaims. "I think I've seen you fighting." She says looking to Xiaoyu. "You're good." She smiles.
Xiaoyu smiles back. "Thank you. You too." She says, even though she doesn't actually remember how Lili fights.
"Thanks, it means a lot, mainly because I'm self-taught."
Xiaoyu raises an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Yes!" Lili exclaims. "I've studied gymnastics and ballet for many years. I've always appreciated martial arts, but I couldn't find a style that would fit me, so I came up with my own fighting style." She says happily.
She sure likes to fight, Xiaoyu thinks. She seems excited to be talking about it.
"But what brings you to Milan?" Lili asks, curious.
"Oh, we're just tourists!" Xiaoyu answers.
"Making some shopping, I presume?" Lili chuckles a bit.
"Yes, sort of." Xiaoyu answers nervously.
There is a moment of silence. Lili takes a good look on both, with a clinical eye. I guess I could use a pastime, Lili thinks. I'm really in need of one. Besides, poor girls, they deserve some Gucci. "Don't even say a word. It's on me. Let's go." She breaks the silence and passes between Xiaoyu and Miharu, being followed by an old man in a black tuxedo.
"What?" Miharu says confused.
"It's on me, come on! The stores won't be open forever!" Lili says as she keeps walking.
Xiaoyu and Miharu look to each again. Xiaoyu simply shrugs, and Miharu smiles. "Let's go then!" Miharu exclaims, and the both friends follow Lili.
[Day 5]
Friday, 12:03 UTC (21:03 in local time)
Tokyo, Japan
"When will I be able to train?" Jin asks, curious but serious.
"Around Monday." Anthony, the doctor, answers. Jin sighs in frustration. "Just remember that the wait will be worth it. It's better to recover fully now than to have more problems in the future." Anthony continues. Jin simply nods in agreement.
Jin was taken back to Tokyo, since all he needs to do now is rest a bit. Anthony, who's going to be his private doctor now, has come as well to ensure that Jin won't have a health relapse. Besides, the less amount of people know about the Devil Gene, the better.
Anthony finishes adjusting the saline solution on the metal pedestal. "I'll be back in an hour to take it out of your arm." Anthony says, pointing to the needle. Jin nods and the doctor leaves the room.
Jin is alone in his office, in the last floor of the Mishima Zaibatsu headquarters. He is sitting on his chair, wearing a white button shirt of long sleeves, although the right sleeve is rolled up for the saline solution he's getting in the vein. He turns his head to face the ceiling, closes up his eyes and inspires slowly. I miss you, mother. He expires. I thank whoever god who's up in the heavens for giving me my childhood life back during the coma. Now I see how much I needed to be close to my dear mother, at least one last time.
A knock on the door takes Jin out of his thoughts. He uses the tool of his tablet on the desk to see who it is via camera. He sees that it is Nina, so he unlocks the door pressing a button on the high-tech telephone. Lars, who was acting as the CEO until yesterday, used this same phone and this same office.
Nina enters and closes the door silently. She takes some steps until she stops in front of the desk. "Jin." She says and nods. "Your relative, Asuka Kazama, left the hospital yesterday. I thought you should know."
Jin ponders for a minute whether it is worth it to know about her. After all he has no idea if they're actually close. He decides that having extra information is never too much. Nina takes his long silence as a positive sign to continue, so she does. "Her family dojo in Osaka was attack on Wednesday morning, and she entered the city hospital shortly after. She was released yesterday morning to recover at home." She makes a pause. "Her injuries had been a good amount of scratches and bruises, and a sprained ankle. She was only taken to the hospital because, according to the medical report, she was unconscious. But further examination showed it was just tiredness."
Jin nods as a sign to show he has listened. Nina then continues. "The authorities are investigating the case, and although they don't know who exactly who attacked the dojo, they know that it is the same person that has been attacking many dojos through Japan, and with one case in South Korea." Jin slightly raises an eyebrow as she makes a pause. "That case in South Korea, in fact, was the dojo of another King of Iron Fist competitor, Baek Doo San." Jin's eyebrow is still raised. "The police hasn't been able to get his full testimony yet because he has been more severely injured. His medical report related, besides common wounds, first-degree burns and knife cuts." Jin's eyebrow is further raised.
Nina clears her throat and continues. "The intruder has been described as woman of auburn hair and fox max." Nina takes a file folder from under her right arm, an object that Jin hadn't even noticed. She puts it on his desk, and he opens. "Making further research, it wasn't hard to find out someone who had those characteristics in the Zaibatsu Database." She concludes.
Jin makes a movement with his head for her to take a seat, and so she does as he starts reading. The file starts as:
Name: Kunimitsu
Status: Alive
Nationality: Japanese (formerly)
Height: 173 cm (as recorded from the Second King of Iron Fist Tournament)
Weight: 58kg (as recorded from the Second King of Iron Fist Tournament)
Blood Type: O (as recorded from the Second King of Iron Fist Tournament)
Fighting Style: Manji Ninjutsu
Occupation: Manji Clan member (formerly); Thief
After that basic information, there are two pictures of her – one from the first tournament, and another one from the second tournament – the only pictures of her that are known to exist. After that, the file follows telling a resume of what is known about her life.
Little is known about Kunimitsu's early life. Formerly a Manji Clan member, she was expelled by the leader, Yoshimitsu, after she stole from the Clan's funds.
Her life as a thief, however, just continued, and she joined the first tournament presumably to plunder a Native American treasure owned by a fellow competitor, Michelle Chang, besides the desire to face Yoshimitsu.
However, she never faced Yoshimitsu and later was easily defeated by Michelle Chang. After the conclusion of the first tournament, she reportedly worked as an air conditioner repairer.
Her reasons to enter the second tournament are presumably the same. She was defeated by Yoshimitsu, and her whereabouts have been considered unknown ever since.
After that, there are more pages with deeper details of her participation in the tournaments. Jin looks to Nina, leaving the file opened on the first page. "Her intentions by invading the dojos are unknown. She hasn't stolen not even a cent from any of them. Usually, the place is found unorganized afterwards, but nothing is ever missing." Nina says.
Jin controls the urge to frown and maintains his grim. "What are her intentions?" He speaks for the first time, in his usual monotone voice.
"Officially, unknown." Nina answers automatically, repeating herself.
"What do you think are her intentions?" Jin rephrases.
If Nina has been taken aback by the question it's not possible to say, because just as Jin, she never changes her expression. She always and only wears an icy grim on her face. She seems to be thinking as she keep herself silent for a few seconds. Then, she finally speaks. "I suppose she may be trying to get the Manji Clan's attention."
It is not necessary to ask 'why', since it is very obvious why the Cat Lady would want to do such thing, so Jin simply doesn't ask. "I understand." He says as he eyes the first page again.
After a few seconds of silence, Nina speaks again. "Do you wish me to take any actions?"
Jin keeps eyeing the file as if he hasn't even heard Nina. However, after some seconds, he answers. "Is Interpol aware of this?"
"Mr. Lei Wulong has been assigned to the case."
"So there is no need to take action." He says and makes a pause. "Also, make sure to pay the medical bills of Mr. Baek and Ms. Kazama." He then closes the file and looks to her, pushing the document to her direction in the desk.
"Yes, sir." She takes the envelope and puts it under her right arm again. "Is there anything else?"
To Nina, it seems as if Jin is trying to choose the correct words to approach something. And she's right, because he really is. However, after some seconds, simply he decides to say with no much ceremony. "Do you remember the second tournament?"
This time, it is clear Nina has been taken aback, because she stiffens up and her eyes slightly widen. Jin is looking directly in her eyes, waiting for the answer. His grim doesn't help much, although he is actually calm.
Nina lowers her gaze a little bit, clearly deep in thought. In a moment, she even frowns slightly. She takes a long minute to look back to Jin and answer. "Not much." She expires as if it had been a relief to answer. "Only random flashes cross my mind." She adds.
Jin nods in understanding and leans back on his chair. Changing the subject, he speaks. "Are you ready for tomorrow?"
"Yes." Nina answers, with her usual stern look already there, although Jin can sense a small bit of uncertainty on her voice.
But he chooses to ignore it. "Is this all you had to inform me?"
"Yes." She says, this time sounding completely certain. "Is there anything else I can do?" She forces herself to say because of her job, although deep inside she's hoping he won't ask her anymore personal questions.
Jin thinks for a second before he answers. "I want a report on the current whereabouts of all King of Iron Fist competitors, besides all the information known about their lives." He makes a pause. "Files in the style of that one." He says signalizing with his head in the direction of Kunimitsu's file under Nina's arm. "That includes people who don't compete anymore, and includes me as well." He makes a pause. "I want them by tomorrow morning."
Nina is definitely surprised by the request, however, as always, she doesn't show it. "Yes, sir."
Before she asks if he wants anything else, he speaks. "This is all. Thank you."
Nina gets up quickly, personally relieved that he didn't ask her anymore questions. She allows herself to raise an eyebrow while she is walking towards the door with her back facing him. He never says 'thank you', she thinks as she opens the door and leaves.
After she leaves, Jin suspends the metal tripod that is holding the saline solution as he turns his chair to face the window wall behind him. He silently watches the night life, distracting himself from his own life and his own problems.
The sky is pitch black and cloudless. Few stars are visible, and there is no moon. The majority of the shine comes from the city lights. Jin watches every single person who's walking through the sidewalks, who's crossing the streets, who's driving a vehicle. He wonders about where they are going, why they are going to that place. He thinks about how their lives may be.
…
Nina is at the main database office. Here, besides a computer giving access to all information existent in the Mishima Zaibatsu Database, there are also shelves with papers with quick information about the most essential things. That includes a folder with general information about every single competitor to ever take part in the Tekken tournaments.
She stacking all the folders in a desk, one by one. She can't stop thinking about Jin's question. 'Do you remember the second tournament?' She usually didn't reflect much about things. She would only focus on her job, and personal issues would be left behind. Lately, however, she has been thinking about her personal matters quite too often. Firstly, about Steve Fox. And now, about her memory loss. Although she would never admit to the others, she hasn't fully recovered her memories. Thanks to Anna, that insolent bitch, she remembers all her childhood, when she learned her assassination skills, and all the fights she had with her sister during the tournaments. But it stops by there. If something is not connected to Anna, she is not able to recall it fully. Only flashes cross her mind, but she's not sure whether they're real memories or just impressions.
She sighs in frustration as she keeps stacking the files. However, she stops when she sees her own file. After pondering for some silent seconds, she slowly opens it and starts reading it.
Name: Nina Williams
Status: Alive
Nationality: Irish
Height: 161 cm
Weight: 49kg
Blood Type: A (formerly); B (changed during cryogenic sleep)
Fighting Style: Koppojutsu based Assassination Arts and Aikido based techniques
Occupation: Assassin; Chief position at the Mishima Zaibatsu
Nina raises an eyebrow at reading that her blood type is not A anymore. After the most basic information, there are two pictures of her – one from the first tournament and another on from the sixth tournament. Then, there is another chart this one with secondary essential information.
Also known as: Silent Assassin, Cold Blooded Killer
Species: Human
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blonde
Age: 20 (Tekken 1), 22 (Tekken 2), 41 (physically 22) (Tekken 3), 43 (physically 24) (Tekken 4-6)
Family: Richard Williams (Father; deceased), Margaret Williams (Mother; deceased), Anna Williams (sister), Steve Fox (son)
Nina almost laughs at reading there is actually a section to determine "species". But then again, bears, kangaroos and even a dinosaur have fought in the tournaments, so it's just fair. Following those information, there are another two pictures of her – one from the second tournament, and another one from the fifth tournament. Nina stops for a second, uncertain if she should continue. She is not sure if she's ready for this. However, she has no time to actually decide it because she hears the door opening, so she quickly closes the file and puts it back on the pile of folders. She takes a deep breath to calm herself from the scare and resumes her stacking.
"Hello there." A male voice says. Nina turns to see Lars, in a white button shirt and black formal pants and shoes.
She doesn't answer, and simply looks to the pile again. Lars breaks the silence again. "I think you should read your file."
Nina frowns and looks at him. "You deserve to know about yourself, that's all." Lars says in a defensive manner.
Nina silently ponders, and then gets the file again. She opens it and starts reading it from where she stopped.
Born and raised in Dublin. Her father, Richard Williams, was an Irish assassin, while her mother, Margaret Williams, was a British Aikido champion. She learned her skills from both of her parents.
After the announcement of the First King of Iron Fist Tournament, the Irish Mafia drugged her in order to make her assassinate Heihachi Mishima, which led to her participation in the competition.
Scenes of the occasion cross her mind. Nina puts the file down for a second. "I'm not sure if I can do this." She mutters with closed eyes.
Lars puts a hand on her left shoulder and speaks in a dismissive and casual manner. "You're Nina Williams. You can do anything." He then proceeds to look up for a file as Nina goes back to reading her own.
By the time of the second tournament, Mishima Zaibatsu's then-CEO Kazuya Mishima anonymously hired her to assassinate him only in order to attract her back to the tournament and capture her for cryogenic sleep purposes.
Nina gasps. I can't believe this, she thinks. Lars seems to be reading a file as well, but she pays no mind and keeps reading her own.
Kazuya's intentions were to make genetic tests to see if genes can influence on fighting skills on humans, after Doctor Gepetto Bosconovitch had positive results on a Macropus rufus (red kangaroo) named Roger and a genetically cloned Dromaeosaurus albertensis (dinosaur) named Alex. However, the studies were not started because Kazuya lost his post as CEO at the conclusion of the second tournament, following his death.
Instead, Nina underwent studies regarding the Devil Gene under the orders of Heihachi Mishima, the new CEO. Most files regarding these studies have been destroyed after the establishment of a cinis protocol. One of the only known information is that it generated Subject NT01, Nina Williams' son via in vitro fertilization, discarded at age 6.
Nina breathes deeply, letting everything sink in. She looks to Lars, who seems to be thinking deeply. With a quick look, she sees that he is reading Alisa Bosconovitch's file. She raises an eyebrow, but then turns her attention back to the file on her hands.
The studies regarding the Devil Gene were unsuccessful. However, many developments were made in cold sleep field, which would later be defining points in the creation of Alisa Bosconovitch.
Nina gasps again and looks to Lars, who's on the other side of the table. Sensing that he's being stared at, he looks to Nina. He looks to be trying to let astonishing information sink in as well. "Did you know this?" She asks.
He moves Alisa Bosconovitch's file a bit upwards, as to show that he is just reading about it now.
Nina shakes her head and keeps reading the file.
The Williams sisters were mysteriously self-awakened after 19 years. Although Anna showed no signs of trauma, Nina suffered of memory loss. It is believed that was the reason regarding her entrance in the Third King of Iron Fist Tournament.
Not really, Nina thinks. She smiles faintly. This part I remember clearly. The smile goes away, and is replaced by a sad expression. Ogre possessed me in order to kill Jin Kazama. I don't believe he knows about it, though. And it felt unnecessary to tell him since those had never been my real intentions; only Ogre's. She reasons with herself. When he defeated me in the tournament, little does he know that it awakened me from the possession. And then that's when I realized I had a memory loss, and I sought after Anna.
Since she knows what happened from the third tournament onwards, she closes the file and puts it on the pile. She looks to Lars who seems to be in a mix of hurt and surprise. Although it is not usual of Nina being this curious, she asks him nonetheless. "What is it?"
Lars seems to have difficulty to say it, but then spits it out. "Alisa Bosconovitch," He starts. "I mean, the human one," he corrects himself quickly. "Died because a truck ran over her." Nina shivers and silence falls in the room.
"I presume she doesn't know about that." Nina says, more in the tone of a question, referring to the android one.
"I don't think so." Lars answers. "Maybe she knows she was created based on Doctor B's daughter, but I don't think she knows how she died, or even if she has died."
Nina nods in agreement and proceeds to put the rest of the files on the table. Lars puts Alisa's file in there as well and then asks. "Why is this all for?" Lars makes a pause. "Jin?"
Nina simply nods and continues. "Do you have my file in there?" He asks.
Nina thinks for a second, and then answers. "I think it's on the pile already."
"Can I?" He says, pointing to the pile. Nina simply shrugs as an answer, and he starts looking for it.
Nina keeps taking the files to put on the pile. Roger, Roger Jr., Sergei Dragunov… Her eyes get stuck on the following file. It reads 'Steve Fox'. She takes a brief look at Lars from the corner of her eye. It seems Lars has just found what he was looking for, and he opens it with no ceremony. Nina decides to follow suit. She skips the charts containing full name, age, height and others, and goes directly to his resumed biography.
Steve Fox was born at the Mishima Zaibatsu's Genetic Research Facility in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to surrogate mother Doctor Emma Kliesen.
Nina chokes with her own saliva. What?! Lars seems to percept her strange behavior, but decides not to interfere. Nina takes a good breath and goes back to reading.
His biological parents are Nina Williams, Irish assassin and fighter, and Christopher Hill, a Canadian policeman who made an anonymous donation to Canada's national sperm bank at the time.
Nina thinks for a second. So… Steve's father is just a random donator. That's… odd, at least. She sighs. At least he's not the son of someone… bad. She shivers at the thought of thinking Steve could be her son with someone like Kazuya or Heihachi. She resumes her reading.
The fertilized egg, however, was manipulated as an attempt to artificially create a form of the Devil Gene. But it proved out to be a failure, since Fox had no expression of the experimental gene at all. However, it was decided to keep him to be used as a test subject for further studies.
Nina stops as she hears Lars crying silently. She looks at him with a understanding look, something not usual of her. She can imagine what kind of atrocity he may have read, after all, she is reading a few of the ones that have happened to her and to Steve. Lars sees it and nods at her, but continues crying. Silently sighing, Nina goes back to reading.
Another experimental forms of the Devil Gene were tried on Fox, but none of them worked. The scar on his left arm is the result of excessive exposition to instable experimental artificially created genes. When he was 6 years old, he was declared dead by Doctor Emma Kliesen shortly before she was reassigned. Years later, however, it would be found out that he was transferred to an orphanage in London, England, United Kingdom. There, he was adopted by Amanda and John Fox at age 7, and raised in Liverpool.
I didn't know he had been adopted, she thinks. But it's good to know he had a peaceful childhood. She looks away for a second, and then fixes her eyes on the paper again.
He grew up training boxing arts, and eventually became the middleweight world champion. In an occasion, the British Mafia ordered him to lose a certain fight because of money purposes, since many bets were involved. However, he won it nonetheless, and had a price put on his head. He fled to the United States of America and lived hiding. Realizing that the Mafia would catch him no matter what, he decided to have a last moment on the limelight and entered the Fourth King of Iron Fist Tournament.
The British Mafia eventually hired assassin Nina Williams to kill him. But, during the tournament, Williams found out about their blood relation and decided not to do it.
Nina sighs.
After Williams gave up on assassinating Fox, the British Mafia stopped tracking him. Later, Steve entered the fifth tournament with intentions of stopping the Zaibatsu from making any more genetic experimentation. Although he did not win, he found out about Mishima Zaibatsu's Genetic Research Facility in Vancouver and destroyed it.
He then attempted to go back to the world of boxing, but with the war that erupted around the world, he wasn't able to. Upon receiving an invitation from Marshall Law and Paul Phoenix, fellow competitors, he flew to Los Angeles, California, United States of America to train with them, aiming the sixth tournament.
Nina raises an eyebrow by reading Paul Phoenix's name. A few flashes of him flirting with her back in the day on the first and second tournaments cross her mind. She wonders what could have been… if… She shakes her head violently at the thought. This is not the time for thinking about such thing. Actually, it's never the time.
She closes the file and puts it on the pile, and resumes putting all the files on the table. Lars is nowhere to be seen, and his file is the first of the pile.
I have no doubt horrors of similar fashion are on his file. I don't even need to read it to know it.
…
Lars is sitting in the edge of the sun lounger, looking to the pool. The soft wind disturbs the water and the faint light of the garden illumination makes the transparent liquid sparkle, contrasting with the dark night. He is in an outside living area, surrounded by one of the many gardens within the Mishima Estate.
And with 'estate', the meaning is literal: the Mishima Estate is really a country now, and that's one of the reasons that the world war erupted. The area of the estate is of about 150 km², which is approximately pretty much the size of Liechtenstein, and it is fully surrounded by Japan.
This place in which Lars is right now is an outdoor pool area consisting of a main swimming pool surrounded by light-veined Vermont marble statues and colonnades inspired by Ancient Greece. The flooring and side walls of the swimming pool are turquoise, but the floor specifically contains navy blue tiles making a simplistic geometrical mosaic art.
Lars is not crying anymore, but he is deep in thought. He never loved my mother… He only saw someone else on her. I've always thought my mother had been the one to dump him. I can't believe this. And how my mother managed… to love such a… She shakes his head violently. I just don't know, I just don't know… He sighs. For three months, he made her mind. And made his own. My mother was fallen for him, and he was decided to leave. He passes both his hand through his head rapidly. Now I have no doubts of why she insisted that I joined the Tekken army when I turned 18. She knew her time was coming and she knew it was the only way for me to get closer to… him. Because he would never come back.
"Lars?" A sweet whisper faintly echoes in the wind.
He upped his gaze while turning his head to the right, from where the sound came from. His eyes are now fixed in the young girl who's beside him, wearing a thistle-colored strap floor-length dress and white pearl earrings. Her medium pink Marilyn Monroe hairstyle still manages to be vivid, even at night, although there is the outdoor lighting to help.
"Alisa." He says in his best effort to answer her affection, but only manages to compensate the sadness he is feeling and sound emotionless.
"What is the matter?" She says, full of concern on her voice and face.
Lars turns his gaze back to the pool and sighs deeply, keeping himself silent. Alisa then sits on the sun lounger beside him and puts her left hand on his right shoulder. She touches him like he would have shattered if it had been any harder. Lars turns to see the source of the warmth. He can feel it even through his white button shirt. He slightly raises an eyebrow to see Alisa is gloveless; it's the first time he sees her without the accessory.
Lars smiles faintly at her, and grabs her left hand with his own left hand, taking it out of his shoulder and holding it in the air between them. "It's nothing. Nothing that can be changed, at least. It's in the past, done and gone." He says calmly but sadly, looking to their motionless hands.
Alisa brings her other hand to his. The wind lifts her hair up slightly as she speaks in equal low volume. "The past doesn't define the future." Her voice sounds like music in his ears. He turns his gaze to her, looking intently to her big round green eyes full of empathy.
He stops to reflect about her words. And then to analyze her porcelain face. He feels bad to see it contains concern for him. "There's no need to worry." He whispers, caressing her cheek with his right hand. Her expression softens, changing to a look he has never seem on her before. Is that… passion? Her eyes ask for what she can't express in words. Little does she know that Lars wishes the same thing.
Lars leans forward very slowly, his eyes burning on hers. When Alisa corresponds the movement, he continues his own. As the gap between them gets smaller, their eyes gradually close. Their lips slowly meet, and it feels like the world has stopped only for this moment. The ardor is immediate. Both have been wanting this for too long, but were unsure of the nature of their own feelings for each other. But things couldn't be clearer now.
[Day 5]
Friday, 21:17 UTC (16:17 in local time)
New York City, New York, United States Of America
Paul is sitting alone on a stool by the bar counter. He has just come from his mother's burial. His head is filled with depressive thoughts, and his stomach filled with whisky shots.
The pub is quite small, and looks very rustic and old fashioned. Everything is wooden, and there is a huge liquor cabinet behind the bar counter, coordinated by the bartender.
Paul is wearing the same black leather biker clothes he usually does. He left all his belongings at Marshall's home and took the first flight to NYC, his hometown.
What am I going to do with my life?, he thinks. Who am I kidding? I'm nothing. No woman, no kids, and now no family left. And I'm not the toughest fighter in the world. Maybe some good 20 years ago, but not today. He sighs as he swallows his drink in one gulp. I even had a draw with that goddamn Kazuya. A draw! He brings his fist hard on the counter. Now I can barely win over Kuma, that stupid fluffy bear. He waves for the barman, asking for another shot. And all of these years, I've been away from the last family I had. Even if we had our differences, she was still my mother. The barman fills up his cup. But now it's over. The past is gone. He expires slowly as he closes his eyes from a second. I have to stop with all this negativity. Yes, my mother and I had our differences, but she never denied she was proud of me. She was the only one who always thought I'm the toughest fighter in the world. And I have to live up for that. Now, if I don't believe on myself, who will? He opens his eyes and finishes his glass in a single gulp. He breathes deeply. It's never too late. I can do it. I am Paul Phoenix and I am the toughest fighter in the world!
He stands, takes some money out of his back pocket and puts it on the counter. He leaves the pub, and after a couple of minutes of walking, he enters in a telephone booth.
"Hello, who is this?" A male voice says after four or five rings.
"Marshall?" Paul says.
"Paul!" Marshall exclaims.
"Can you take my things to Florida with you? I'll be taking a flight directly to Miami."
"Yeah, sure!" He answers. "Are you okay?" Marshall asks, concerned.
"I'm better than I've ever been in years." Paul says, smiling faintly to himself. "Well, this is it. I see you Miami. Goodbye." He hangs up before Marshall is able to answer.
Leaving the telephone booth, he walks through the sidewalk. He hears some noise in a back alley to see five men surrounding a fat man in a dead-end. Feeling this might not be a good thing, Paul hides behind some dumpsters and spies.
"Come on in you all!" The fat man screams. "Not like I haven't fought gangs before!"
"Oh, is that so?" One of the men of the gang says. "Bad thing we're not here to fight." As he says this, everybody pull up a gun.
The fat man puts his hands up, and although he seems determined, it's obvious that there is no way out. This is my cue, Paul thinks. He silently stands and gives a roundhouse kick on the man who was talking, which ends up also hitting the guy who was on his left side. As he did so, the fat man crouches and took other too men from their feet. However, the fifth men was not attacked, so he started shooting, in a panic reaction. Paul simply performs a Hammer Punch followed by his classic Power Punch on the man. The man flies backwards, and Paul focuses on the other two men he had put down before.
Together, after some minutes, Paul and the fat man bring them all down. With their hands on their knees, they breathe hard and eye each other, without saying a word. The only noise is their hard breathing and the buzzing coming from the cars in the streets.
"Paul Phoenix." He introduces himself and extends his arm.
The fat man frowns. "Paul Phoenix? Like, the Paul Phoenix, the one from the King of Iron Fist?"
"Yeah." Paul says with a confused expression, his right hand still hanging in the air.
"Oh my God!" The fat man says excitedly and shakes Paul's hand quite too much. "Damn, dude, I'm your number one fan!" Paul simply frowns. "I've grown up hearing your name in every corner of these streets!"
"Really?"
"Yeah, the old bar owners would always talk about 'the old times' and mention your name!" He says excitedly. "Oh, by the way, I'm Robert Richards, but call me Bob."
"Nice to meet you, dude." Paul says, smiling sympathetically, and they finally stop shaking hands.
"I even entered the Tekken tournament myself!"
Paul raises an eyebrow, amused. "Really?"
"Yes!" Bob answers. "I entered in the sixth tournament." He makes a pause. "Didn't win it, though." He says, frustrated.
"Neither did I." Paul shrugs in a dismissive manner. "There's always the next tournament. As far as you do your best, it's already worth it."
Bob smiles to him. "I guess you're right."
"Besides, deep inside, I think it's better not to win, though." Paul continues. "I'm not sure if getting into that family shit is a good thing." Both laugh.
"I guess the better is to take second or third place?" Bob says.
"See? You already got the spirit of the thing!" Paul exclaims.
They start leaving the alley side by side. "Hey, what about a drink?" Bob asks.
"Nah man, I'm good." Paul answers. "By the way, I have to take a flight."
"Oh." Bob says, visibly disappointed.
"Why don't you join me?" Paul asks. "I'm going to Miami, train with some friends of mine on our dojo. I'm sure they'll like you."
Bob looks to him with childlike eyes. "Are you serious?!"
"Sure." Paul says casually.
"Woo-hoo!" Bob celebrates to himself.
"Come on, help me get a cab." Paul says as he starts looking to the busy street, ready to wave for any taxi that may show up.
[Day 5]
Friday, 22:13 UTC (16:13 in local time)
Somewhere in Campeche, México
"Jasmine, I really have to hang up now." Zafina says, controlling the urge to cry. "I wish I could talk to everybody, but there's no time for that. Besides, I don't think my heart would handle it."
"Oh, Zafina." Jasmine says between sobs on the other line.
"Please. Just tell them I've called and that I miss them already."
"Are you sure you're going to be fine?" Jasmine asks with worry on her voice.
No. "Yes. Everything is going to be fine. Soon I'll be back home. You'll see."
"We miss you." Jasmine cries on the other side of the line.
"I miss you all too. I have to hang up. Good bye. Kiss my little cousins for me!" Zafina says, and hangs up before it gets too painful.
A hand is put on her shoulder, and she looks to the person who did it. She smiles warmly to the fellow volunteer and nods, wiping some stubborn tears away. Right now, the most courageous (and probably suicidal) volunteers have been sent to an instable area, after reports of a fire that has taken place.
Well, the reports were definitely right, she thinks. They were surrounded by burned wreckages and black ashes floated in the heavy air. The skies are massively grey, although the storm has stopped for now.
They're riding a few jeeps through the area, and one by one, people who were hiding behind the forests nearby start to run the direction of the volunteers. Mothers with their children, old people, injured men, and more. It's a heartbreaking thing. Many people have serious burns, many have scratches acquired along the escape. Each and every person that approaches the jeeps are comfortably put inside, but occupying the minimum space possible so they can rescue more people.
As the time pass slowly, the jeeps start to get full, and one by one they leave, heading back an improvised airplane runway in the middle of the fields. Zafina is helping a pregnant woman to get up on the jeep, the only jeep that's still there, when she hears a loud maniacal laugh coming from the forests. She looks to where she presumes the laugh has come from, but sees nothing. She starts walking back to get in the front passenger seat when a loud noise is heard, followed by the screams of everybody who's inside the jeep.
Zafina turns to the forest again to see a tall and strong man of pale greyish skin. His hair is short and grey, but doesn't seem to be because of age, since the man looks like he's on his early 30s. He's probably around 185 cm tall and is shirtless, exposing many scratches on his skin. He is wearing navy blue combat pants, leather black boots, black fighting gloves and some sort of red bandana tied up on his left arm. By the look of the red fabric, it doesn't seem like he has been shot, since it is too loosen and looks clean of any blood, so it is most likely an accessory. There are many types of belts around his legs to carry ammunition, but all of them are empty, and it seems he has no guns as well.
"Zafina!" The volunteer screams inside the jeep.
"Run!" Zafina screams back, on the top of the lungs.
"But Zaf-" The volunteer starts screaming.
"RUN!"
The following noise is of the jeep going away as fast as possible. Zafina is left alone, facing the weird man in front of her. Both eye each other from head to toe as the violent wind moves the dark green trees and makes the greyish sand and the black ashes rise.
After a long minute of tense silence, the man smirks and speaks. "It seems like we have a peace keeper here."
Zafina frowns angrily. "Who are you?" She asks in a growl.
The man emits his maniacal laughter. "The real question here is who you are."
There is another long minute of tense silence. Tired of this, the man gets on a fighting stance. Zafina follows suit. The man raises an eyebrow, expression quickly replaced by a smirk.
Taking Zafina off guard, he gets closer rapidly and attacks first. He brings his left fist to her face, then the right leg. He brings it back to the ground spinning, and now with his back facing her, he brings his right fist to her face again, as he spins once more to bring his other fist to her face and complete the move with a more powerful punch of the right hand again, making a Lair's Dance. She flies backwards.
"My name is Bryan Fury." He screams in a growl that makes Zafina's one sound like a domestic cat. "And these are my fists!"
He starts to run in her direction, but she quickly gets up and performs a Kapara, taking him off his feet. He quickly stands up and gives her a roundhouse kick followed by series of punches, sending her spinning in the air. Tired of being sent flying backwards, she decides it's her turn to so. However, he's already running full speed towards her, so she has not much time to do an elaborate move, so she simply hits him with her Scarecrow Side Kick, sending him backwards.
Bryan gives the most infuriated sigh in the history of mankind as he gets up. However, Zafina is not stupid to give him enough time to attack her again, and seeing how disoriented he has gotten, she decides to push him backwards again. She goes to his direction and performs a Gugal-Ana, a move consisting of simply pushing the opponent backwards with two hands, bringing together all the strength possible.
Fuming, Bryan rolls backwards. However, he decides to show his opponent the opposite reaction. "Is this all you can do?!" He screams, mocking her. Zafina narrows her eyes and instantly charges at him full speed, performing series of combos. Bryan wasn't expecting nothing this fast, so he is hit at a first moment.
However, in the middle of a combo, he crouches and performs a Right Upper, rising his right fist and bringing it to her stomach. But the move doesn't stop by there. With his hand still on her belly, he brings her to the other side and smashes her on the ground with all strength he can, making the Fisherman's Stam. As she bounces from the impact, he gives another maniacal laughter.
"I guess this answers my question." He says in his raspy creepy voice as she struggles to get up. He may be strong, but he is not fast as I am, she thinks. It might work on my side if I use it right.
This time, Bryan approaches her more cautiously. He seems to be studying her for the first time. He's probably surprised to see she has survived all his attacks so far. Probably, most people would have already fallen unconscious. But Zafina is not weak. She may not be as strong as he is, but that doesn't make her weak. In a millisecond, she has already come with the perfect strategy. She starts attacking, giving him no time to actually study her, as she performs the Pukku with two kicks of her two legs, being a high one followed by a low one. The move doesn't send him flying, but still takes his balance. Before he's able to restore it, she performs the Mikku, a move of similar fashion, but performed with a leg and a hand. She then performs the Kur, hitting his stomach with all her strength. She feels like she has done no damage, because his belly was as hard as a rock. However, he puts an arm over it and slowly falls, proving that Zafina was wrong.
A smirk makes itself present on Zafina's face as she charges at him again, not letting him fall. She starts doing the series of combos she had done before. However, this time, he is in the air, and he's simply not able to defend himself. The last hit sends him flying away and he hits his back hard on a tree, and then he falls with his face flat on the ground.
This time, Bryan a little longer to get up. However, Zafina is just as tired, so she takes the opportunity to catch a breath. As both make a pause, Bryan speaks. "Who sent you?"
Zafina frowns and answers. "Nobody."
Bryan lets an ironic chuckle escape from his lips. "Don't play dumb with me." He says, giving her a death stare as he gets up.
Zafina simply stares back at him in the meanest way she can. "Who sent you?"
He chuckles ironically again. "Myself."
"Why?"
"Because I like it." He slowly gets into his fighting stance.
Zafina gets on her own fighting stance as well. "But I don't."
They battle for more several minutes, up to an hour. Bryan may be a cyborg, but he has already been using his energy at full capacity in the last couple of days, destroying everything he would find negligible enough, so he is quite weary. Zafina is a skilled fighter, but is just as human as anybody else and feels the effects of pain and tiredness. None of them is able to give too powerful hits anymore, so nobody has been knocked out yet.
Blood is coming out of Zafina's mouth and nose, besides the many scratches and bruises over her body. She feels like she's going to vomit at any time, thanks to the many hits executed on her stomach. She is also covered in dirt, because of the sand and the ashes of the ground and the surroundings.
Bryan is not looking and feeling very different from Zafina. Instead of blood, however, his mouth and nose are covered in his own oil. The scratches and bruises on his body expose the metallic structure under his skin. His systems, which would be the equivalent to his brain, are failing because he has been hit many times on the head, not only because of Zafina, but also on the times he would fall on the ground or collapse on a nearby tree.
This time, Zafina is on the ground, struggling to get up. She is surprised with the fact that Bryan hasn't attacked her yet. However, when she gets up, she understand why. He is immobilized on the ground, with a man sitting above him, who's giving innumerous punches on Bryan's face. After some good hits, the man puts his hand under his jacket and gets some sort of gun. The man stops touching Bryan, but is still crouched above him, and connects the gun to Bryan's neck. He is electrocuting Bryan.
Zafina gets up, but she's not sure if she should get into her fighting stance. So far, the mysterious man has technically helped her. She decides to look off guard, when in fact her guard is completely on and waits to see what will follow.
The man kept the electrocuting Bryan for about 5 seconds, and then got up, putting the gun back on his inside pocket. Bryan is unconscious on the ground. The man turns to her and starts walking towards her. When Zafina takes a step back, he stops.
The man has pale white skin, pale blue eyes and pitch black hair. He looks like a ghost. It is hard to deduce how old he is, but he could be on his mid-20s. He is wearing dark greenish brown military clothes with black leather gloves and boots. There is a small Russian flag on his uniform.
He nods at her, and then leaves.
[Day 5]
Friday, 23:01 UTC (18:01 in local time)
Somewhere in the State of Amazonas, Brasil
Trees, trees and more trees. The impression is that one is not moving at all, even after hours of walking. This is exactly what Julia is feeling right now. Since they've started the expedition, there have been almost no moments of pause. It has been practically non-stop. Everybody on the team is following Kazuya. No wonder why nobody has stopped, she thinks. The guy is almost superhuman. Oh, wait, he is superhuman. She sighs.
Everybody is visibly tired and sweating like a pig. Kazuya is the first in line, followed by a guard. Julia is the third in the line, followed by two scientists, and then half a dozen guards. Everybody is wearing the same clothes: military black boots, pants with military print and olive-colored T-shirts. Julia's hair, specifically, is on her usual single braid, but this time she's wearing no feathers to avoid any sort of misunderstanding with the natives of the area. After all, they're on a war field.
They've already gone through many conflicts in here. They didn't take part, of course. They only took different paths to surround them, but Kazuya would made sure to watch them for a little bit first. Julia doesn't know why, and something inside her is saying that the treasure might be being carried by one of the warriors. If she was carrying her own treasure right now, why wouldn't they be carrying their treasure? She knew it was risky to bring the pendant with her, but it was riskier to leave it alone on G Corporation's headquarters. But she was sure nothing would happen to it.
Little does she know about what is going on inside Kazuya's mind. The Devil was… quite energetic. Just like the old times, huh?, the Devil says inside Kazuya's mind, followed by a maniacal laughter.
Can you stop already?, Kazuya answers. I'm trying to focus.
I've already told you, there's something keeping me awake. The Devil answers. Not that I care about it, though. To me, it makes no difference.
But to me it does. You're annoying me. The Devil simply laughs. I'm trying to focus on a task that interests both of us. So if I were you, I wouldn't be laughing like that. I would keep myself quiet. The Devil doesn't answer. Anyway, if you've been awakened, it could mean we're close.
An image of the Devil smirking crosses Kazuya's mind. Soon, we will be enjoying even greater power. Kazuya smirks to himself. Soon.
End of Chapter 5
Author's notes: Chapter 5! YAASSS! 8900 words. :) Sorry about making you wait for so long.
Introducing: Devil (Kazuya), Bryan Fury, Bob, Roger (mentioned), Alex (mentioned), and Sergei Dragunov (since he dislikes talking, he wasn't able to introduce himself, since I need to stick to his personality… but he was the man who electrocuted Bryan, I assure you)
And also: Richard and Margaret Williams (Nina and Anna's parents – Richard is really his name in Death by Degrees, mother's name by me); Amanda and John Fox (Steve's adoptive parents, names by me); Christopher Hill (Steve's biological father, name by me).
About Nina's wedding gown, it is exactly what inspired me to start writing this chapter so fast (ironic, because it had caused the opposite previously...). I woke up in the following day with an idea of how to handle the situation and keep the storyline in the way I had planned before.
And about Lars and Alisa's kiss… owww… how beautiful. I just didn't describe it further (if you know what I mean, hehe) because I was quite uncomfortable with the idea, and I'm not sure 'til what point the current rating allows me to detail such a thing. I hope it was good to read nonetheless.
I've put places like Vancouver and Liverpool just to make things more diverse. (I think you guys already got that I love exploring about different places around the world, eh? :P)
*ANSWERING* ZZ Eclipse – Thank you very very very much! By the way, I'll start trying to answer all reviews through here. Thanks for the kindness, it's good to know I've described Asuka well. And yes, I genuinely might give Josie/Miguel a chance, I'm still pondering about which direction to give to some characters, so it really might be possible.
Reibun – Thaaaank you! Aww, you're the one who's sweet! Really, I mean, you're actually taking your time to read my crap, that's got to be the sweetest thing ever, lol. And it's very good to know I'm dealing correctly with Asuka. About Zafina, well, she's definitely not a 'creepy lady', and YAASSS, she needs much more love from other fans. But her mystical side is one of the things I most love about her actually, so I have no complaints about that :P. And Paul deserves to have some feelings, really. I like his toughness, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a heart (differently of Nina, I guess lol). And, well, Eddy being a chubby boy is the best way I found to justify Namco's stupid name choice :P. And YAASSS, globe-hopping is the primary reason for this fanfic to even exist! I'm a bitch for tourism. \o/
Raptor – Hey there! I have not given up on this story and I can assure I will finish it (eventually :P). I'm not the kind of person to leave things uncomplete - if I've taken the responsibility, I will do it. The thing is that I'm a senior now and I have less time to write/update. The first chapters were faster because here in my country it was still summer vacation. But thanks for the concern and I'm very happy to know it is one of your favorites! S2
Thank you very much and see you next time!
(what goddamn long notes – do you guys actually read my blabbering?)