Destiny Changed
Disclaimer: I don't own Tekken.
To all the Tekken Fans
Chapter 5
-'This is the smallest hotel ever…'-Miharu said. Both of her friends were also amazed by the size and location of the Sun Shine Hotel in a small Island from the Yaeyama District in the Sakishima Shoto (archipelago).
-'Maybe Heihachi is having some financial problems.'-Julia suggested.
-'Nah…I would know…I mean I live in his mansion.'-Xiaoyu said. She was quite convinced that the Mishimas were still as rich as ever. But Miharu was right, that hotel was nothing compared to the one they had stayed during the Iron Fist 3. Even the old Russian castle was better than that.
The girls decided not to judge the book by its cover and entered the lobby. And again they were disappointed. There was a sushi bar instead of a restaurant and a very small bar, in the first floor there was a living room with sofas and a TV.
-'There's no pool…and I brought my bikini.'-Miharu muttered when she was about to open her bedroom door.-'I'm even scared to open the door.'
-'Well…there's a beach outside. Maybe that's why they don't have a pool.'-Julia tried.
The bedrooms weren't that bad. For some reason that place made Julia remember the university campus in Arizona and she understood that sometimes luxury wasn't the most important thing, especially when the event was a martial arts tournament.
It took her only five minutes after resting from the journey to understand entirely why the tournament was being held in a different island and why everything looked so cheap. This time Heihachi wanted to runaway from the spotlights. Even having been announced on TV, the tournament would remain a secret if the media couldn't find out where and when it was being held.
A big and luxurious hotel would be easily spotted. Now she knew that Heihachi had something to hide.
One thing she knew for sure, Heihachi was planning on using Jin and Kazuya for some weird plan.
Several hours later
The living room in the hotel's first floor had turned into a meeting point. Paul, Marshall and Lei were talking about an idiot TV show. Nina Williams was sitting down on a sofa, armed crossed and ice blue eyes stuck on Steve Fox.
Miharu and Julia tried not to look at him but it was impossible. The British young man had some kind of magnet.
Xiaoyu tried to find Jin but it was obvious that he wasn't there. There was also no sign of Heihachi, Kazuya, Craig Marduk or Yoshimitsu. But the most disturbing absence was actually Anna. It seemed that she hadn't been invited because her name was missing on the list.
-'That's actually a good thing, if she came this would turn into a battle field.'-Xiaoyu said.
-'I wish I could speak English fluently.'-Miharu said watching Steve speaking with the new girl, Christie.
-'I can introduce you.'-Julia offered. She too didn't mind to talk to him for a couple of minutes.
-'Maybe later.'
-'Jin's not here.'-Xiaoyu said and Julia noticed concern in her voice.
-'He'll be here…I'm sure. Besides there are many people missing…'
-'Hwoarang is not here either.'-Miharu supported Julia's words.
-'And he probably won't come because he's in the army…'-Julia sounded relieved.
-'Not anymore Jules…'-a voice behind them announced.
-'Don't call me Jules! We're not best friends.'
-'I thought you'd be happy to see me.'-he mocked.
-'I'm absolutely delighted.'-it was her time to mock him.
-'Please…people are staring.'-Xiaoyu warned.
-'Pigtails…I didn't miss you much but it's good to see you.'
-'Jackass.'-Miharu spat.
-'Wow…Pigtail's clone is here too. Came here to cheer for us?'
-'No…to kill you.'
-'You're so funny. You're the lousiest clone Pigtails could get.'
-'I'm leaving…I'm going to bed.'-Miharu announced. It was hard to have a decent conversation around Hwoarang and she was starting to feel tired.
Xiaoyu followed Miharu but Hwoarang pulled Julia back.'
-'Where's Kazama?'
-'I'm not Jin's babysitter, but if he's not here, he's probably elsewhere.'
-'You don't have to be a genius to know that.'-he retorted.
-'Well…in that case if you're so smart why don't you go find him by yourself?'
-'Because you always know everything.'
-'I don't know where he is and even if I did I wouldn't tell you.'
-'All I want to do is talk…calmly and peacefully.'
-'Talk? Please…I wasn't born yesterday. Besides I know you like talking with your fists.'
-'Oh great…we entered two competitions together and you think you know everything about me!'
-'I don't know everything about you but I do know your type.'
-'I think you really missed me.'-he said with a grin.
-'Don't be so sure.'-Julia tried to sound serious but she had the impression that she failed because Hwoarang was still smiling.
-'She likes me.'-he muttered when she left.
The Next Morning
All the fighters gathered in the living room at exactly 8:00 am, just like it was planned in their schedules. Well, not all of them. Some were still missing. Kazuya, Jin and several others hadn't checked in yet. Heihachi wasn't there either and Hwoarang, well he was a lost case.
He woke up like everyone else, early in the morning and cursed the stupid alarm clock that kept on ringing every ten minutes. If we wanted to have his life planned by the minute he would have never left the Army. Before doing something that would get him into troubles he decided that the best thing to do was getting up and meet the others. Besides, to smash an alarm clock wasn't worth his time and would definitely do some damages in his wallet. His financial situation wasn't the best.
When he arrived all the others were watching television. At first he thought they were just a bunch of idiots because they were wasting time when they could be outside practising or eating breakfast. But then he realised why everyone was staring at the TV. Heihachi Mishima was announcing the tournament rules and explaining how the fighters were going to be selected for the matches. The process was about the same as in the other tournaments. A computer would select the matches and the fighters had fifteen minutes to go to the arena. After that time they would be disqualified.
When they thought the speech was over Heihachi made the most spectacular announcement ever: the winner would inherit the Mishima Zaibatsu.
Marshall Law asked the question everyone was thinking of.
-'Is it true? Can I be the owner of the Mishima Financial Empire?'-he didn't got an answer because the tape was over but now there was an extra reason for everybody to win all the matches and be the number one fighter in the world.
Heihachi Mishima was rich and powerful and who ever won the tournament would become as rich and as powerful as him.
Miharu asked Xiaoyu again about the Mishima financial situation. Maybe Heihachi was trying to get rid of a bankrupted company. In Julia's opinion he could be bluffing or, most probably, he was planning something. First things first, she absolutely needed to find out why he had broke in the G Corporation Labs in Nebraska and stole the reforestation data. Once again Julia needed Jin's help but this time she knew he wouldn't be able to help her. Jin was trying to cope with a very delicate situation in which he could lose his own identity and become a demon or worse.
He was watching the hotel in the shadows but he could feel a dark energy surrounding him. The devil was there and Heihachi was waiting too. One way or another he was going to be caught but that was probably the best way to try to kill both his father and his grandfather.
In the meanwhile Jin saw the fighters leaving the hotel. He didn't know what was happening but he took that chance to check in without being noticed. Just before he entered the hotel Jin took a glance at the girls: Julia, Miharu and Xiaoyu. She was as beautiful as he could remember and it was frustrating not being allowed to talk to her. This time Jin was determined not to involve other people in his businesses, especially people he cared about.
Hwoarang waited for Julia, Xiaoyu and Miharu while the others were going ahead to see the arena.
-'What did I miss?'-he asked.
-'Nothing much.'-Xiaoyu answered not noticing that Julia and Miharu weren't very happy to have him around.
-'When do we start fighting?'
-'If you weren't so damn lazy you would know.'-Miharu spat.
Hwoarang pretended he didn't listen to her and kept on talking to Xiaoyu but then he noticed Julia was too quiet. She hadn't said a word.
-'What's wrong Jules?'-he asked.
-'Don't call me that…only my friends call me Jules and we don't know each other that well.'
-'But we could…I mean I can let you know me if you want.'
-'Arghh…Why me? Why do you always do this? I'm not interested in knowing you. I want to be left alone.'
-'You're just afraid.'
-'Afraid? Are you stupid?'
-'Hey…Could you stop fighting? I mean it's very annoying.'-Steve Fox had turned around and he and Christie were both staring at Hwoarang and Julia.
-'Or you could get a room.'-Christie teased.
Julia didn't like the comment and Hwoarang was surprised because that was something he would actually say in a situation like that.
-'How about you and me in a room, gorgeous?'-Hwoarang wanted to see Christie's reaction and once again he was surprised.
-'Sure, just tell me where and when…if you think you can handle me.'-she deviously proposed.
-'I like girls who say what they think.'-Hwoarang complimented and paced up to join Christie. Before starting a conversation with Christie and Steve, Hwoarang looked over his shoulder to Julia. He did find her attractive and he loved to argue with her even when it was about the smallest things, but if she wasn't interested he had to move on.
-'Can you believe that idiot!?'-Miharu blurted furiously.-'Are you going to let him go that easily?'-she asked Julia.
-'I don't care. He can do whatever he wants.'-Julia said but Xiaoyu could swear her friend was feeling hurt. Hwoarang was an ass but he was good looking and his bad boy act was sometimes appealing. Julia always denied having feelings for the Korean young man, but Xiaoyu knew her better than that. She liked him but she was too scared to admit it because they were too different from each other.
The arena was hidden by a surprisingly beautiful garden, after passing through the garden there were two statues, one each side of the entrance to the yard where the arena was being prepared. The fights would start the next morning. Paul and Marshall would open the tournament with a fierce but friendly match.
