A/N: Ladies and Gentlemen…the next chapter of my new fic!

I know it was a bit of a wait but I'm kinda busy right now, I'll do my best to get in at least 1 chapter a week

Disclaimer: Tekken = Namco Bandai

2: Psyche

"Did you personally deliver the message as I asked?"

"Yes sir," the hooded man said with a low-bowed head.

"And you had no trouble?"

"No sir, except…," the man faltered.

"Except… what?" came the reply.

"Well…" he hesitated. He had never found it easy to speak to his superior. The sinister man always seemed to have a dark and unsettling air about him. It was well known that he did not appreciate failure in any way and the hooded man could not help but begin to tremble.

"What happened Vincent?" It was clear that he was growing impatient.

"Well, sir. Her brother was with her…sir," the man braced himself for the harsh onslaught words that would most likely follow.

However, his superior did not reprimand him with bitter accusations and instead opted to not say a word. That fact alone made the hooded man even more nervous; it was not like his superior. He braved a quick look up and saw that the seated man's fist was clenched tightly on the armrest of the chair. The skin stretched so tightly that it had turned a pale white.

"S-sir?" he said with a slight stutter.

"I thought I had said to give her the message," the superior said in a biting tone.

"I-I did, sir"

"I was under the impression that you had been told to follow my instructions to the letter."

"I was."

"So why did you tell her, while her brother was present?" Vincent looked up again, completely disconcerted by the low menacing voice.

"I-I didn't think that…" he was suddenly cut off by a now-enraged voice. He flinched visibly.

"Think?!" the once seated man was now towering over his underling "You are not supposed to think! There is absolutely no need to. You follow orders! That is you job! Nothing else! She was the only one who was supposed to receive the warning!" he spat.

"But sir…what could be the harm? She would've likely told him anyway. After last year's incidents with the demons, the Mishimas have been closer than ever imagined. There is no longer discord among them and they all have joint possession of every asset they own or control," Vincent attempted to reason with the large man in front of him.

"That may be so, but this is a matter that I knowshe would not go running off to tell," he seethed. "You have proven to be derisory member of my operation and you will be punished."

The man's eyes opened wide and he was taken aback. He had always heard stories of the people who had gotten on the boss' bad side and none of them were very pretty. They said that he would send them out to the training arena and have the Soul Takers use them for target practice. Others said that, depending on if the boss' mood was sour, he would call out one of his most feared bodyguards to deal with the weak links. Vincent bit his lower lip and hoped that it would not be the latter. He would much rather deal with the Soul Takers than deal with…

"Bring me Psyche!" he bellowed to his nearest guard. Vincent felt his heart skip a beat then begin to hammer in his chest; his breathing became shallow and quite indicative of fear. The door behind him opened and then closed as the guard left the room. He stood there for several deafeningly silent moments. Suddenly the door opened once again and Vincent involuntarily jumped. He heard the loud thuds of the guards footsteps followed by a much lighter clicking of boots. The steps halted and a small, childish voice spoke up.

"You called for me, sir?"

The child-like voice took Vincent by complete surprise and he instantly whirled around. As he laid eyes for the first time upon Psyche, the color drained from his face. Standing before him was a small girl who couldn't be more than eight years old. She was a few inches under four and a half feet and had shoulder-blade length reddish-brown hair. As Vincent continued to gape at the girl, he noticed the odd intensity of her silvery eyes. They possessed a level of focus and intellect that he deemed fit only for adults.

"Yes Psyche. Come here please."

The girl walked up to her superior while tightening the belt of her navy jacket.

"Yes sir?"

"Psyche, I would like you to meet Vincent. Up until last night he had proved to be a reasonably reliable subject, but not anymore. Last night, he risked the complete stability and secrecy of our covert operations by not following directions as expected of him."

The girl looked to Vincent and frowned slightly. "And you would like me to punish him sir?"

"Yes.""Any punishment in particular?"

"Do as you see fit Psyche," the man said while giving Vincent a deathly glare.

"Yes Sir," Psyche turned sideways and made a gesture in the direction of the door, "This way Vincent."

Vincent was now visibly trembling. A light sheen of sweat was coating his forehead and his mouth was slightly agape. With heavy feet he walked out of the large room and headed out to receive the penalty for his fatal error.

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a/n: and so the mystery behind one of the characters begins to intrigue us all…

:] …well…review!review!