Disclaimer: I don't own Tekken
A/N: Now we begin the tournament arc.
Heart of Iron
Chapter 5: Countdown to Mayhem
24 hours before Opening Day…
"So let me get this straight, this purple dragon-like thingy draws negative potency on people's emotions," Anna spoke with Kazuya in the limo this morning after last night's fiasco.
"His name is Azazel," Kazuya bluntly added.
"And Jin wants to host a tournament to draw more proportions of negativity on the participants," Anna stresses the conversation on an ancient deity. She wanted to change the subject about her reasons joining him, but he's challenging her competency on Jin's ridiculous god summoning.
"Precisely," Kazuya listened while looking out the window seeing those people active.
"Why do I get the notion that another Ogre exist?" Anna sighed.
"Ogre is an alien," Kazuya still looking at the window. They're driving down to the convention where the 6th King of Iron Fist Tournament will be held.
"So, your grandfather was a zombie," her point.
"And he was one of the greatest martial arts teachers I've known," Kazuya could not believe how Jinpachi was resurrected, but that's another mystery along with Emma's death.
"He was your sensei. Mine was a woman…," Anna sighed.
"That's still astonishing," Kazuya comply.
"Thanks, now back to the subject. I think Jin is taking people like me for fools on joining his tournament. He won't give up the Zaibatsu," Anna said.
"Not if I deal with him and you win this mock tournament. You're still assigned there to keep an eye on Leo," Kazuya turns and face Anna with his intimidating face always insole fear among his subjects, but Anna doesn't fetch.
"I know and I also have plans of my own," her years of flirting with her King taught her everything about his mood swings, his creepy smile, and when his temper entice.
"What would you do if your sister isn't involved in that tournament?" Kazuya thought long about Anna's intentions to joining him. This isn't like in the 2nd tournament where he hosted it, but was left a blind eye on Heihachi's return and…her.
"I'm the world's empress," Anna locks her obnoxious smile at her serious demeanor.
"Hm," Kazuya knows Anna wants to be center of the stage. But, is she alright with advancing without Nina involved.
"The last time I went all the way was in the first tournament," she reminds him the first time they and the rest of the original Iron Fist family started it.
"This time no Mishima will be in it," Kazuya thought.
There was a brief moment of silent. Their current destination is at west side 5 miles away from the headquarters. The tournament is at the center of the metropolitan city. There will be a special gathering in the convention and so many clueless people unaware of an evil deity summoning.
"Kazuya?" Anna's mood suddenly changed to question the whole idea with this insanity.
He didn't turn to look at her. There's the presence of doubt on her that alerted Devil to interrupt his mind.
"She's against the idea. Soon, she'll try to stop you from achieving our goals."
"I understand you want to help Jin summon Azazel, but do you even know what unspeakable power it beholds? That thing seeks to unmade life and rectifies it. Who knows, it might even take your 'devil' powers away, God knows what else that thing could do that I already seen Ogre can eat people," She gave a worried look, but Kazuya is looking away to the window communicating Devil.
"She dare question my power," Devil's wrathful tone raised.
"No, she's worrying about me. She knows I DIED with your power more than twenty years ago," Kazuya urged.
Kazuya should have scolded Anna for questioning him, but didn't. She's too curious about his motives. She's so interested in him. If Lee were on this limo, he'd start an argument with Kazuya for treating Anna coldly like she's already taken as Chaolan's girlfriend, but that was a long time ago. A long time ago, he didn't notice she felt like that when he was truly in Devil's control.
Kazuya crossed his arms, the pride of a warrior still in him than the devil within, "If he is what he is, then I got nothing to lose. His power will be a valuable asset for research."
"If you say so…." Anna sighed.
"Still, this leaves me wondering why Jin sought the old relic. He wants to extract the devil gene from his body, but he's turning away those he holds dearly by starting this pitiful war," Kazuya thought.
Meanwhile…
"I'm glad you made up your mind," Lili happily greeted a reluctant Asuka on her way into the opening ceremony.
"Save it, I'm only entering to find Jin," Asuka waved uninterested.
"I guaranteed our rematch," Lili curled her hair playfully giving a snobby look at her rival.
Asuka took a deep breath and both of them entered the convention where they register for the 6th Iron Fist Tournament.
Two tall men passed them on their way, the masked wrestler named King and the infamous mixed martial artist Craig Marduk were seen talking on their way to the gathering.
"It's that Kazama loudmouth from the last tournament," Marduk turned to look at the two girls they passed by.
"I noticed; think there's an increase on more female competitors this year?" King nodded.
"Maybe, mate. Is Julia coming?" Marduk recalled the moment Julia visited their training gym.
"That chica is always reading books on turning a desert into an ecologic forests and not continuing her mentor's legacy. Whether she comes or not, Julia's such a busybody. I'd be shocked if she even fights again," King said.
"In that case, I'll fight again," the two knew that voice and they turn the direction where the masked vixen stood in awe.
"J-Julia, what the hell!" Marduk can't comment anymore seeing Julia wore wrestling attire with the dragon shaped mask reminded him of a luchadora and a Japanese wrestler name Ultimo Dragon.
"Senorita Jaycee is my gimmick, courtesy to a dear fan of mine who requested me to borrow her gimmick as she couldn't wrestle in a Japanese female wrestling promo due to her injuries," Julia winked.
"Are you really going to fight this time? You never fought in the 5th tournament and been telling us you retrieved some tech from G Corporation," King looked at her puzzled.
"It's a research and I did fight, it wasn't an official match. I don't care about that tournament and am in fact happy to get what I wanted." Julia explained. Thought, she didn't tell them the whole truth. Now Jin runs the Mishima Zaibatsu and she feels the most anger out of everyone coming here to challenge him.
"What's so important with your research? You look as if nothing affects your fighting properties," Marduk shrugged.
"Do tell, am I looking out of shape? I get two hours of sleep because of spending too much time on the computer and always mediate outside after breakfast. Research isn't free time. It's studying, testing, and theorizing all the possibilities of a global paradise. One the spirits wanted from the beginning of creation," Julia had to talk about big, intellectual things to two blockheads who only think about violence.
"Yeah yeah, whatever," Murduk can barely follow her geek speak.
"I can't wait to see the new you, chica," King said. While he is always wearing his mask, his voice covers his mouth as he only speaking in voices.
"Just don't assume I'm washed up. It's been almost another 2 years since the 4th tournament. I have a very good reason to fight this time," Julia smiled.
The two men nodded and left. Julia prepares to register the 6th tournament.
When she gets there, she found Xiaoyu waiting at the hall. It's been a while since she talked with her 'little sister'.
"Xiaoyu, so Jin's upbringing brought you here too," Julia said.
"He's never been like this. I don't know what really changed him. He takes over the Zaibatsu and the first thing he did is order the airstrikes. I thought he wanted to bring honor to the Zaibatsu," Xiaoyu started.
"The Zaibatsu is nothing more than syndicate that operates illegal weapon smuggling, genetics, and Heihachi's private militia. Jin wanted to get the whole world against him so he can destroy the Zaibatsu," Julia told her.
"But, it was a financial business too!" Xiaoyu urged back.
"It was as Heihachi dodged all his tax evasions, ha," Julia scoffed. The joke's on Heihachi's empire crumbling.
"Then, why is Jin doing this?" Xiaoyu demanded clarification, the war had no meaning. Airstrikes and land barrages occurred randomly and people were outraged by the deaths caused.
"He wants to revive Azazel," Julia crossed her arms. Xiaoyu is just cute kind spirited girl, it hurts Julia to see Xiaoyu like this.
"Who's Azazel?" Archeology and mythology is not on Xiaoyu's expertise. Julia doesn't want to take large amounts of time explaining Xiaoyu in simple terms about an ancient deity from another country that was worshipped by hate and despair.
"Let's just say, we have another big bad on our hands. Say, since you're entering, if things don't work out between you and Jin, I'll take it from there. Agree little sister?" Julia padded on Xiaoyu's shoulder giving her confident.
Xiaoyu wobble her legs, nervous about confronting the man they both know since the third tournament. Julia, unfortunately never enrolled in the same school as Jin and Xiaoyu.
"Shucks, you're a fighter, not a drama queen, Xiaoyu," Julia smiled.
"I barely concentrate with my fighting…" Xiaoyu felt embarrassed by Julia's remark.
"Don't let Jin's malice affect your confident. I don't want to see you lose and get dispirited. We're supposed to be the veterans. Look, did you see those two girls over there," Julia pointed Xiaoyu towards Lili and Asuka.
"Yeah, we never fought them in the last tournament and they took the spotlight from us," Xiaoyu nodded.
"Right, we're here, because we have fans missing us. Well, I don't have many in particular…, but that doesn't matter. We must fight, xiaomei," Julia's last word gave Xiaoyu a cheerful smile.
Then a blond girl came towards them, Julia never seen this young woman before, but took the suspicion of that darken attitude.
"Leo! Julia, I've met this girl at the park. She said she's participating the tournament to fight that evil Kazuya," Xiaoyu informed her.
Leo didn't want to greet with anyone, she comes here to exact her revenge. Giving a grunt, she shot a look at Julia.
"You're Julia Chang, my mother knows about you and your mother," Leo said.
Their eyes were locked. Julia never had seen this girl before.
"Who are you?" the fact that she knows her name leaves this a mystery.
"Leo Klissen…"
"What?! Emma had a daughter?!" Julia looks shocked by the revealing of Leo Klissen.
Xiaoyu looked at Julia puzzled. Julia hasn't greeted her back yet, but she stares in surprised at the tomboy.
"Um, lets go and register ourselves," Xiaoyu shrugs.
"Ja…" Leo glared back at the hallway towards their destination.
Julia, still shocked about Emma having a daughter, she ponders the attitude Leo inherit. She feels terrible about what happened to Emma.
Asuka later finished her registration along with Lili, and before they make their way around the gathering, Asuka bumped into a tall man.
"Oh!" Asuka didn't have time to react as the man just passed through them.
"Hey, where's your matters!?" Lili shouted.
The man didn't pay attention; he grunted and made his way to the registry.
"Ugh, so rude of him. Are you alright, Asuka?" Lili helped her up, but note her rival's change of attitude. Asuka's acting up, she's trembling.
"This feeling…what..what on earth happened to that man.." Asuka thought.
Troubled by the vengeance aura her Kazama special abilities in sensing detected, Asuka rushed to the man and get his attention.
"Hey you, if you bump into someone, you're supposed to say 'excuse me', but your behavior is disturbing me. Are you in some kind of high emotional depression?" Asuka meddling now got the man's attention. He isn't pleasant with annoying people and he is of course having high emotional depression and very very high anger.
The man's height overpowers the girl's sudden outburst. He gives a deathly glare at her and the French girl next to her. What do these school girls want with a menacing brawler like Miguel Caballero Rojo…?
"Uh, let's be on our way, Asuka," Lili suddenly decided that they bail out fast as she thought herself, "Shit" Every other fighter gaze at the incident with OH SHIT expressions.
Asuka at some point half wanted to remain firm upon the anger man, the other half, she figure the right thing to do is get the hell out of his man's way fast. Still her Kazama pride gets the better of her decision.
"You want a piece of me now?" Miguel asked, cracking his knuckles. He is not in a good mood ever since the death of his sister.
"You're the type to calling out fights? Do you even have any discipline punk? I suggest you apologize for bumping into me!" Asuka outspoken him.
"Asuka, stop, this guy…" but Lili was cut off as Miguel viciously attacked the reception desk with raw brute strength shocking the whole fighters around them.
To the west hall, a Chinese martial artist by the name of Feng Wei put an evil smirk. This girl just doesn't know when to quit. It will be a pleasure to face her again since the last tournament. To the East hall, Julia, Xiaoyu, and Leo caught the commotion. To the South Hall towards the entrance, Law and Paul sense the incredible aura from the commotion.
"What the hell is going on?!" Paul blinked.
"That must be where the registry is at," Marshall said.
So much randomness is happening in the convention before the opening ceremony. It's now been 8 hours since the convention was open for the fighters to register the tournament.
However, some fighters aren't interested in the 6th tournament. Whether Jin is making the martial arts world fools of themselves, Hwoarang knows that tournament is an excuse to flank captive. There's no way in hell Jin will enter the tournament as an participant or the grand finalist like every Mishima were in the previous tournaments. He fought Jin on the last tournament and Jin fought someone relate to him. He knew this tournament reeks of family matters that should never have concerned the entire martial artist community much less the world that's suffering.
Hwoarang on his motorcycle in the afternoon after he met his master Baek about what happened days ago after they seized the Zaibatsu HQ from Jin. Jin got away, but everyone acting like peace has come back and a 6th tournament happens. There's just no way Jin making amends with his war crimes by using the Iron Fist tournament as pardon. What is his scheme? Who the hell is this Azazel?
He rode downtown to the place that will get his answers, "He'll never make a fool of me again. Devil Gene or not, I will capture him!"
Hwoarang thought it's high time he study alittle research at the captured Zaibatsu Research Facility. It's a shame; he could have brought Julia with him.
At the last remaining Mishima Zaibatsu compound…
Jin was watching the HDTV where the video cameras are recording live at the convention center. He witnessed the gathering of fighters entering the 6th Iron Fist Tournament. The time has come for the final phrase of Azazel revival.
"Look at them. All of them, Nina. It's like a wonderful family reunion," Jin sat on his chair with one hand lying on his right cheek with boredom expression.
"I see your cousin there. She made quite a commotion at the Spaniard," Nina gaze at the TV watching with him.
"I have no problems with that loud mouth getting beaten by the brute that is chasing me," Jin glances at Asuka's face on the TV with no remorse.
"Nor do I if he confronted that minx," Nina grinned.
"I should have left this country earlier, but seeing these guys gives me relevance memories about the Third Iron Fist tournament," Jin sighed.
"The one you defeated Ogre," Nina proudly added.
"Julia, Xiaoyu, and King, if only Hwoarang and Eddy joined in, I'll enjoy myself watching them more. Especially Julia, after eavesdropping her conversation with Xiaoyu, she knows too much about Azazel without even seeing me, but she didn't know this tournament IS the final phrase of my plan," Jin switched a 2nd screen where the scene of Julia and Xiaoyu are shown.
Julia's new outfit doesn't confuse Jin. Part of his mind is thoughts of Julia and Xiaoyu. Xiaoyu is so tenacious and Julia becoming a thorn on his side after trying to feed information for the resistance. They want to save him, they're always too naïve about him. He doesn't want their feelings worsen his condition with the Devil Gene. He doesn't accept what he is. If this plan doesn't work out, the wicked power will kill him soon.
"It'll be surprising if Xiaoyu improves, Jin," Nina said.
"Oh really? After spending all her time in the 5th tournament bothering me about Heihachi over and over? She never fought anyone and still keeps following me!" Jin raised his anger about Xiaoyu again. Just the last thing he wanted hear is Xiaoyu actually doing something since the 3rd tournament. Of course, Jin wanted to see Xiaoyu improve, but it's a very low chance of that happening. He knows Xiaoyu more than Julia knows him.
"Now you're being harsh with the girls in your life," Nina teased.
"…" Jin gives a death glare at the most dangerous woman.
"You can be harsh with me," Nina grinned.
"Get out of here," Jin chuckled.
The duo continues watching every fighter entering the 6th Iron Fist Tournament. Jin gazes at the two women in his life, the more he thinks about them, and the more pitiful it was during the 3rd tournament. They love him and he turned on them….
"I'm not good for them…." Jin shut his eyes close.
Back in the convention….
A blonde man walked along the front of the convention center entrance. This is the place where the tournament being held; the same place like in the 5th tournament. Steve Fox, the Boxing Warrior searching for his identity.
"Since I'm here, Paul and Marshall may already be waiting for me inside," he took a deep breath, carrying his gym bag with his boxing gloves tied on and head inside.
Anna is right ahead of him, she has her purse and still wearing the ridiculous black dress with her animal skin coat. She spends the entire morning with Kazuya's strictness regarding to Jin's plan and then her concerns on Kazuya's motives. Now here she is finally arrives at the center stage.
The 6th Iron Fist Tournament pre show begins.
"I wonder if I'm late for the gathering," she said with a singing tone. She saw one man she knew by the name of Ganryu, a rigged sumo wrestler and a glaring presence to the Chang ladies.
Ganryu, as he is right now, trying to deal with a huge debt for his failed restaurant. The war could be part of the problem with his situation.
"Ganryu, I didn't expect to see you here," Anna did her famous voluptuous pose.
"Ah, Anna Williams, I beg you to call Kazuya and inform him of my situation!" Ganryu bend down his knees on her.
"You truly are pathetic aren't you? Well, isn't the Iron Fist Tournament the place to settle your debts," Anna said.
"B-but…I never won any of my matches! Please, Anna? I'm begging you!" Ganryu gave a priceless look as his worthlessness began to give Anna some thought.
"Then, how about you work for me," Anna offered.
"Hai Hai! Anything, but losing in the tournament again!" Ganryu nodded.
"You're going in that tournament as I'm directly ordering you to. Don't deviate from the offer I give you and…." Anna gave a serious look of Kazuya's stoic behavior.
"Hai…" Ganryu look at her nervously.
"Stop gambling, it's making your business institutions worst. Seriously, for a former champion, you're a horrible economist. I'll text Kazy about your debts later," She then checks her bag to see her trademark fighting attire. It's her treasured memo, refine and more traditional than it originally was more than 20 years ago.
"So, what must I do, boss?" Ganryu awaits his orders.
"You must keep an eye on Leo Klissen, as your opponent or not," Anna instructed.
At the G Corporation military base…
He arrived late to inspect his private military lead by Bruce Irvin. Earlier, they captured the suspicious soldier secretly staging a coup. Now, this defector might be willing to get Kazuya the answers he seek on the rest of those betrayers still working within the rest of G Corporation branch and what really happened to Emma.