Disclaimer: Tekken owned by Namco and made by Katsuhiro Harada.
Heart of Iron
Chapter 2: The Greatest Rivals
He was robbed of everything. His fans, his students, his dojo, his financial aid, and anything a hot blooded blonde burning heart left extinguished.
Paul Phoenix was once one of the most all rounded martial artists in the world. He was taught Judo which spans his interest in Japanese culture. But, his simple mindness questions his understanding of it. Add a mix of Kung Fu and Marshall's Jeet Kune Do; he made a fighting style of his own. He is the master of the HOTTEST move in the universe, Phoenix Smasher.
He got robbed of everything….
"Hey, Paul," Marshall waved at his long time friend since the first tournament.
"Hey…" Paul gave a slight smile.
"You're not going to believe this, but on my way home from work, the news of a sixth Iron Fist Tournament is being announce," Marshall told him.
"There's going to be a sixth tournament during the war?" Paul looked puzzled by the sudden need of a tournament in a world in chaos.
"I'm with you. Something definitely not right about this tournament. Whatever Jin up to, I don't think a lot of fighters will join it because of all the lives being suffered right now," Law nodded.
"What about Kazuya?" Paul thought.
"Still, I want to join the 6th tournament to test my limits. We're getting old here and there are more newbies showing up since that Rochefort girl and Feng Wei in the 5th tournament," Law waste no time to prepare for it.
"What about Kazuya?" Paul left in deep thought on the man who is supposed to be his rival.
"Paul?"
"I never had the chance to fight Kazuya in the 5th tournament because he wasn't there and Kuma's ever dull presence is making me lose interest in fighting. At least, the 5th tournament wasn't rigged," Paul sighed as his friend continues calling his name.
"PAUL!"
"Hmm?" Paul put his attention to his friend and leave the bad history of Tekken's rigged cardings. He is the only one to believe the tournament was rigged.
"Why don't we come up with a plan of winning this year's Iron Fist Tournament?" Law suggested.
"I am not sure. Wellll…," He picks on his ear humming on the thought of a plan.
"We can form a team as either one of us advancing further into the tournament. It'll increase our chances of collecting the prize money," Marshall then gave the details of his divide and conquer method to strengthen their position in the bracket.
"So, if I lose and you advance, then you will share the prize for me?" Paul finally hit the jackpot.
"Well guessed, old friend. Now we need to find another competitor who will join our team," Marshall then went to his training room to don his fighting outfit for the next tournament.
"A third guy huh," Paul said.
It's been years since the Iron Fist tournament became a major part of his life. Paul Phoenix, a man struggling back into the life of becoming a true martial artist.
At the resistance HQ…
Jin once again escapes from his grasp. He was close, very close if not for that android reprogrammed from safety mode into full active mode. He and Lars were fighting a deadly robo girl with chain saws and her head.
What the hell has Jin taken him for to fight such a thing and not come face to face with him? He grunt his teeth and made a frustrating noise. They were close and now they seized the Zaibatsu tower without the capture of Jin Kazama.
"Kazama…!" Hworang growled loudly.
"Hey we'll get him again. You did a great job for us, Hworang," Lei patted on Hworang's back. Their CSI budding worked out this time.
"Yeah and what about him? He wrecked that robot who he has feelings for," Hworang pointed at Lars who is with Chaolan as they take Alisa's parts into Violet Industries.
Lars should have known he's being used by Jin to monitor his activities and finding out his identity after getting his memories back. The discovery of Alisa in the lab was not by accident, but it's been arranged.
"Will you fix her, Lee?" Lars questioned Lee's expertise on biotech and machinery.
"Most certainly I can reconstruct her parts as she's based on an existing model Dr. Bosconovitch did," Lee ordered his employees to escort Alisa into the truck.
Lars gazes at the face of the android. She looks immobilized like a marionette sealing her free will. Lars tried to make Alisa more into just a killer machine made to assimilate his half brother Kazuya.
He gave her free will.
"Come on, unless you decide to continue pursuing Jin. He's far out of our reach," Lee said.
On contrary, Raven is tracking Jin in his place. Jin used the war to drawn much needed negativity and the world's distortion to bring a being known as Azazel. He felt for it by using his feelings for Alisa and his distort with Heihachi. He never seen Jin being so selfish, so manipulative towards others. Then again, he lost his memories of the old Jin Kazama whom he sparred as a boy before becoming a subject to his father's schemes.
"Ok, but I'm planning to catch up with Jin soon," Lars joined the tech genius known as Lee Chaolan. It's the first time in a long time he has a good family moment with an adopted brother. Should have this light moment in the darkness of his past, it is something Tougou wanted.
"So this is the new guy, right?" Lei and Hworang been watching Lars conversation with Chaolan while under suspicion of the rebel leader's identity.
"Yeah, presumably another Mishima…" Hworang sighed. The name of Mishima is taboo to Wulong.
"I'll be keeping my eye on him in the future. Today he just saved this city from the Zaibatsu influence," Lei crossed his arms and the two watched the truck leaving the crime scene. Several resistance and law enforcement officers are investigating the Zaibatsu. If Heihachi were here, he will force them out of his now fallen empire.
"Man, it's been an entire year with the entire world against Kazama. What is up with him and who the hell is Azazel? Maybe I should go to Master Baek and fill him in on all kinds of crazies happened today," Hworang had a rough night yesterday leading to the hours fighting Zaibatsu in the lower levels and on the elevator. Let's not forget, a killer machine called NANCY, if it weren't for Raven coming to their aid. It was a LONG night….
More un-Jin like things awaits Hworang in the future.
The morning sun peaked and in the house of Kazama Asuka, it is peaceful. The war coming to a close and her bat crazed cousin might possibly get captured by the authorities. She barely has any affection for the cousin she now despises. If only her auntie were alive….
"If my aunt were still alive, what would she do with Jin?" Asuka wondered.
Then a doorbell can be heard. Who is it at this hour?
She hurried to the front door and open it. Standing there is the blonde long haired girl posing her dandy appearance as the rich heiress to the ancient Rochefort family. Her bored expression could tell she's been waiting for Asuka to show up this morning.
"What do you want? If it's another fight can we wait until another Iron Fist Tournament," Asuka gave a priceless expression.
"That's what I came here for. Did you watch the news this morning?" Lili asked.
"No, I've been busy solving an important 'family' issue. What's up?" Asuka crossed her arms to fill herself in on Lili's conversation.
"I, of the Rochefort family now will reveal you the most pleasing news of the announcement; The 6th Iron Fist Tournament will be held this year!" Lili's charismatic personality is an annoyance to Asuka.
"A 6th Iron Fist Tournament, why the hell not? Jin left the world in chaos and now he's asking the people he's pissing off the most to join in that tournament," Asuka shook her head ridiculed.
"Now, shall we have our rematch Miss Kazama or are you going to feign participating?" Lili demanded.
"Why?" Asuka blinked.
"This time, it's personal. Your pretty boy cousin has taken over my father's oil fields. I have no idea why he's doing this, but I will not have it with a Kazama intruding a property of the Rochefort!" Lili explained.
"Annnnd what does this have to do with me? If you're looking for a fight, then go in that tournament and fight Jin. That is if you have it in you to beat a Kazama, cuz you can never beat me," Asuka shut the door in front of Lili's face as sign of refusal to offer her rematch.
"What the? Good heavens! Kazama. KAZAMA ASUKA, I DEMAND MY REMATCH NOW!" Lili hurls her fist at the door in a fit.
Asuka slides down the floor embarrassed by the sudden outrage going on. Why did her cousin take property from another family? What is it between her clan and the Rochefort? Had her aunt fought a Rochefort? Maybe, just maybe she'll enter the 6th Iron Fist Tournament and find out Jin's intentions.
It'll be noon time as the sun radiant the building of G Corporation Japan. Inside the building is, but fragments of darkness. Kazuya had not taken a shower, nor needed one because he's still busy, busy waiting to learn of Jin's true goals. Bruce has informed him that the Zaibatsu is being under investigation by the authorities.
Jin intends to destroy the Mishima Zaibatsu within by using it as a dictatorial state and lure the nations against it. The UN will be there. What else? His father, heh.
"Heh…just imagine what kind of reaction my father will have," Kazuya thought.
Heihachi Mishima is alive. Oh yes, his father is alive. Still waiting for the day he'll put an end to the man who started it all for good. But, it's not time yet. Not yet….
Although, it'll be a pity to lose the Mishima Zaibatsu, so he's now about to give Anna the most important task of this war. How long has it been since he met her?
Down the main halls of the first floor, Anna wore her black attire with her skirt designed extremely clad. She STILL wore black lace stockings and heels. The men staring at her became the incident to her arrival. She continues walking to the informatory desk to report Kazuya to her. The dress lacks complexity. That's because it doesn't represent her. She's wearing this for cheap. Later on, she'll be back into her red thread of fate.
"I look less a fighter in this attire, but today is business. Does this wear bother Kazy? Ah, I'm so nervous," She giggled. Dancing her way onto the elevator, people often see her act alittle childish because she's not the very serious type.
While waiting to reach her destination at the top floor, she thought about Nina nearly trying to kill her on the last tournament. She never changed. Her older sister doesn't want any affection for Steve as she knew he was a test subject, but he's still her son. Nina's way of life devoted to killing continues to become the central point of why Anna wants to end her sister's life as an assassin. It's bad enough 22 years ago, she went to the tournament without her mother's consent and her father didn't know she was also there behind Nina. But, Nina found out and all hell broke loose. Anna botched her sister's attempt at assassinating Heihachi….
"No good memories to think about. Everything's one huge nutjob and the rest is history," Anna sighed.
Anna Williams, Nina's 'Foolish Little Sister'.
She wanted to prove to her sister. She sought acknowledgement at the first tournament only to end up blowing her sister's cover. They soon had it out at the apartment after the tournament.
She botched the assassination attempt at Heihachi Mishima. She was the last opponent before Kazuya fought and beaten his father.
Every Iron Fist Tournament, she's been following her sister. But, she'll never forget the first tournament and the death of their father. That started the Williams sisters' rivalry.
Now she's thinking about getting her life back together. Kazuya Mishima is alive. Resurrected even. She's so happy to work with Kazuya again. But, her intentions have always been the lookout for her older sister.
Elevator door opens and she proceed towards her master, her prince, no her King of Iron Fist. But, alas, she is not his queen…
Before the door opens, she overheard Kazuya talking to hisself. That means, she must have come too early to not annoy him, but to her curiosity, she dared to listen to him.
You're putting too much confident in that woman. She doesn't have the slightest idea what we're up to. She's just a brat outside her slutty appearance.
"If you don't like it, you can leave my mind and try going into Jin's that is if you can overpower his will," Kazuya said.
"His mind," Anna whispered. Now that explains why Kazuya's abruptly starts to sound cruelly annoyed at anyone if they are interrupting his privacy.
She's listening to us….
"I'm expecting her to. Now, I have business with Williams…" before Kazuya finish, Devil erupts.
She's weak! Her presence is of cowardly and non serious! Are we giving the fate of the Zaibatsu to a foolish woman!? First, the Kazama woman whom you felt in love and tried to weaken my presence in you leaving you into your demise!
"That's Jun Kazama, we're talking about Anna Williams, an ordinary woman…" just as Kazuya put it in his mouth that Anna overhead it…
Anna thrust both hands at the door opening it by force to put Kazuya's mind off on Devil and put his surprising attention at Anna.
"I've been waiting," Kazuya crossed his arms.
"Yes, I overheard you muttering about an 'ordinary' woman and then I can't help, but come in here and know who it is you're talking about," Anna crossed her arms looking deadly curious and she's not pleased with it.
"She's giving me the look…" Kazuya thought.
"Who is this 'ordinary woman'?" Anna wondered in annoyed.
"It's nothing, are you ready for your assignment?" Kazuya clears his throat and prepares gives her the invitation to the 6th Iron Fist Tournament.
"Kazy, who is it? There are many 'ordinary women', but I'm clearly not one of them. My sexual appeal aside, my mother was one of the best…." Anna sighed.
"And that's why we're about to test that theory. I'm giving you this invitation to the 6th Iron Fist Tournament," Kazuya gave her the envelope and she took it of interest.
"You're not going?" Anna stared at him.
"Nope, I know Jin will not enter the tournament, but there's a possibility that your sister might go in. He's trying to slow me down, but his intentions with the Zaibatsu are clear. He's leaving it to rot and I don't know where he'll go or what his true goal is until I get more information from Bruce. He's cleaning up Jin's mess while the authorities aren't giving us access into the Zaibatsu. We have to win it," Kazuya explained.
"Kazuya….only a Mishima wins the King of Iron Fist…" Anna shook her head in dismay.
"I'm thinking of changing that in the future…." Kazuya closed his eyes.
"You do know, that tournament been rigged for years," Anna uttered.
"That's my father," Kazuya smirked.
"And would you let Paul win it this time?" Anna questioned.
"Paul won't come…" Kazuya sighed.
"Excuse me? That idiot always brags about becoming the 'Strongest in the Universe'!" Anna can't believe she's hearing this.
"He will not enter the next tournament if I don't show up. I wasn't in the 5th tournament because I've been hell bend on searching the bastards that betrayed me," Kazuya said.
"If your predictions are wrong?" Anna tapped her finger guessing the mind of Kazuya Mishima.
"I assure you, he'll walk. Jin's rival won't go in it either since I believe he already confronted Jin earlier," Kazuya said.
"Hworang a real threat," Anna added.
"And so is Paul. I give a lot of credit to a guy this defiance to challenge me unlike that girl earlier…" Kazuya turns around to look out the window now thinking about Leo's challenge.
"Your secret admiration with Paul really surprises me…" Anna then sat on his desk wanting to free show all her vixen appearance to Kazuya.
"He's strong. I give him that a lot. It was my father that left Paul into the mediocrity against his experiment, Kuma, all the time…. Father been testing Paul because he feared another non Mishima as strong as a Mishima," Kazuya added.
"Yeah….that makes sense," Anna shrugged.
"So be there and do me another favor," Kazuya gives her a picture of Leo Klissen.
"This girl, I know she'll be joining the tournament looking for you," Anna scanned the photo with a sympathy look.
"I hope you will challenge this girl for me," Kazuya stood up and left his desk to do something.
"…."
"See if you can talk some sense into her, please…" Kazuya left to his bedroom leaving Anna looking at the photo of Doctor Emma Klissen and Leo.
Revenge, Anna knows more than anyone besides Kazuya. Revenge, it's the drama within the Iron Fist Tournament.