TEKKEN: THE COLD AND THE WARM


ACT 3: So Far Away

Inside Bittles Bar, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

It was raining in the capital of Northern Ireland. Still, there were people going on about their businesses as usual, with most of them holding umbrellas to protect themselves from the rain.

But outside the famous Bittles Bar, a motorcycle was being parked nearby. The woman who drove it wore a black skinsuit and helmet. Her body type was quite feminine. She directed her gaze towards the bar and walked towards it.

The Bittles Bar was very famous due to its peculiar design of its exterior. In the past, famous Irish writers and poets would often visit the place to share their stories with other visitors. The same thing still applied for today, despite things being different in modern ages.

Entering the bar, the woman was exposed to the sound of laughter and singing inside the hall. She still hadn't taken off the helmet. All around her, visitors at the bar were doing everything, from drinking and singing to telling stories. Needless to say, these Irishmen were having a good time.

Amidst this, the woman ignored all the noise and approached the bartender. He took notice of her, only to receive a piece of paper from the helmed woman herself. After reading the paper carefully, the bartender instructed her to a hallway just around him.

Without delay, the woman entered that hallway and walked until she came across a stairway that led to a iron door at the end. So far, she hadn't taken her helmet off, still wearing it for some weird reason. Walking up the stairs, the woman entered, only to be greeted by darkness as she walked in.

No matter how dark it was, this woman continued to walk around and eye her surroundings. But all this silence was short-lived.

"Walking around in the dark while wearing a helmet. Quite the disadvantage, wouldn't you say?" this English voice got the woman standing her guard, and she faced to her right to see who it was.

Eventually, some lights were switched on, and a figure stepped out in the middle of it. This was the Kometa-executive named Edgar Grant. The middle-aged man smirked as his face met the helmed woman's.

"Then again, you always are determined to keep your identity a secret no matter the circumstances…" as Edgar spoke, the woman started taking her helmet off, revealing her face for the Englishman to see. "Nina Williams…" he concluded his sentence as the woman showed him her face.

Indeed. This was the infamous Irish assassin: Nina Williams. Having always been dedicated to her job, she had recently been laying low ever since the stalemate between the Mishima Zaibatsu and the G Corporation. But for what reason had she decided to show herself in Belfast?

"Edgar Grant. Or should I call you Alan Smithee, perhaps?" Nina uttered out the man's name, confirming that she knew who he was. "Honestly, I prefer the former. That alias from your days in the MI6 never struck me as believable" the Irishwoman remarked, her serious gaze never changing.

Edgar scoffed at her in return. "Come now, is this a way to greet an old friend after years of not seeing each other? You're lucky that you didn't walk straight into a trap just now" he pointed out.

Nina's blue eyes narrowed in return. "You and I were never friends. Get that straight. That said, you were always desperate to win my affections" she recalled back to the times she and Edgar had cooperated on numerous jobs.

"Well, if you want to put like that" the Englishman chuckled, his smug smile never vanishing. "Regardless of what you think of me, it's a great pleasure to see you once again, Nina. Can't believe I'm saying this, but the years doesn't seem to have been kind to you. Must be due to the effects of the cryosleep" Edgar then said, taking a jibe at the blondie.

Nina scowled, yet didn't show any hints of aggression towards him. "Don't even pull that crap on me, Edgar. Being a test subject of the Mishima Zaibatsu is something I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy. And don't forget, I may look young, but I've still aged. Therefore, it's safe to say that the cryosleep project was a failure" she explained to her former ex-partner.

"But can you say you were coerced into being experimented on? For it is to my knowledge you volunteered to participate in this program due to your friendship with that paranoid scientist who oversaw it" Edgar asked this bluntly.

"Bullshit. I never even knew Dr. Bosconovitch. All that I know is that he was the man who created those coldsleep capsules. Nothing else" Nina pointed out with such hostility.

Edgar chuckled nervously. "Of course, Nina. There's no need for such snarkiness. I never said that what I heard was the truth. Besides, you were not the only one partaking that experiment. Your "dearest" sister, Anna, did that too" he tried to make an impression out of her.

But Nina was hardly amused, especially after Edgar brought up Anna into this conversation. She decided to change topic.

"Why are you here, Edgar? I came to meet with my contact for the next job. I was expecting to meet an Irish Catholic nationalist here at Bittles. But I meet you instead. Somehow, I have a feeling that you're the contact" Nina questioned him with her arms crossed.

Smirking, Edgar showed Nina what appeared to be two sofas standing by a corner. There appeared to be a table in the middle, with a bottle and two glasses on it.

"Let's discuss this over a few drinks, eh? It's been a while since we last spoke, so I think it would be fair to catch up and relive the good times as they say" the middle-aged man suggested and walked over to the sofas. Nina followed him soon after.

They sat across one another, with Edgar pouring what appeared to be an alcoholic beverage in those glasses. Nina looked at it, slightly surprised to see the kind of drinks the Englishman had chosen.

"Scotch? Well, at least you have good taste in beverages. I suspected that you would choose whiskey as a means of impressing me" Nina told him.

"That's bollocks and you know it. And given that I'm English, sherry is what I prefer more. But drinking scotch was something you and I always used to enjoy back when we worked together" Edgar recalled back to their good times.

The two assassins did a toast to each other, with Edgar being the one to drink first. Nina looked at him suspiciously, only to start taking a sip of the scotch slowly. The Englishman noticed her behavior and raised an eyebrow.

"What? You really thought I had spiked your drink?" Edgar questioned her before scoffing at the Irishwoman's suspicions. "Preposterous. I may be an assassin, but I do have standards when it comes to killing. Poisining drinks is not a method I would use" he pointed out.

Nina finished her drink. "Standards is something that is usually non-existent among us assassins" she bluntly stated.

Chuckling lightly at Nina's words, Edgar decided to change the subject by bringing up something important.

"You are probably wondering what I have been doing over the last several years. Well, all I can say is that Kometa has been quite the home for me" he revealed to her.

This made Nina's eye widened a little. "Kometa…..that underground organization…..you've joined them?" she asked him to which Edgar nodded his head as a yes. "Where do you stand in its hierarchy?" the Irishwoman then pressed further.

"At the side of Lana Lai herself. You know, the "unofficial" leader and…" Edgar was interrupted by Nina holding up her hand.

"No need to fill me in on the details. I know who she is. Some crazy hag with roots from the triads of Hong Kong and New York. And you're saying you're an executive now?" Nina was almost stunned to hear what Edgar's role was. She found herself smirking. "You must have a death wish to be working under someone like her. I hope she treats you fairly" she added.

Edgar frowned a little as he heard that. "Says the woman who enjoyed being Jin Kazama's bodyguard. That must've been a tough job" the Englishman took a swipe at her.

Nina didn't like Edgar's choice of words. "Let's not waste any more time with these meaningless jibes, Edgar. What exactly is the reason you've been reaching out to me?" she firmly asked him.

The man across her smirked. "Very well, let's talk business" he said before taking a sip from his scotch. "As I've just said, I joined Kometa. What I also would like to mention is that we have been following your moves, ever since you were employed by the Syndicate" Edgar explained, much to the slight surprise of Nina.

"So that means you've been stalking me? Then you obviously possess a lot of information about what I've done, besides the cryosleep project" Nina remarked.

Edgar nodded. "Precisely. We know everything. From your petty quarrels with Anna to you throwing your lot with the Zaibatsu. You became well-acquainted with Kazama, as far as I can tell" he revealed.

"Maybe you haven't realized it, but I no longer work for him nor the Mishimas" Nina insisted before taking a sip from her drink. "The global tug-of-war between Heihachi and Kazuya never interested me in the slightest, so I decided to watch everything from the sidelines" the blondie then explained.

"Can you be sure?" Edgar quizzed her. "Because I think there is more to them than you may never realize, Nina" he acted like an interrogator.

Still, Nina was hardly intimidated. "Just get to the point, already. What is it Kometa really wants? Or more importantly, what do you need me for?" she pressed on with her answers.

"What we want is simple. A chance to take our place in this global stalemate now that the warring sides are weakened" Edgar answered, only to point a finger towards Nina. "And that's where you come in, sweetheart. Based upon your reputation, you always succeed in taking out your targets" he went on.

Nina was slightly getting interested in what Edgar was saying. She decided to ask him more.

"I see. You wish someone killed, so you've reached out to me for the job. Isn't that correct?" she asked, yet Nina could tell that by looking at Edgar's face that he was being for real. "Well then. What kind of person do you want dead? Is it a gang leader? A corrupt business magnate? Another assassin, perhaps?" Nina curiously wondered.

The man across her shook his head. "Nothing of the kind. The person we wish dead is someone much more…..public. You see, Kometa wants the head of government in a country gone" he revealed.

This caught Nina by surprise. "Head of government. As in a politician? You guys really are ambitious to be desiring something like that. So who is this person?" she was interested.

In response, Edgar put a picture in the middle of the table, making it possible for Nina to see who that person was. Looking at it, she saw a young woman with platinum blonde hair speaking to her cellphone. She also seemed to have a visible scar running across her left eye. It was clear that Nina recognized this woman.

"This is your target. The current Prime Minister of Poland: Lidia Sobieska" Edgar informed Nina as she was still looking at it.

After studying the picture, Nina looked at her former partner rather dumbfounded.

"You gotta be kidding me. She's the one you want dead?" Nina chuckled, mostly out of ridicule. "I don't understand. Why her? I know who Sobieska is. Nothing more than a loudmouthed feminist who constantly screams for approval. I mean, what has she done to warrant her death?" the Irishwoman wanted to know more about this.

So far, Edgar's expression remained unchanged. He was surprisingly looking more serious than before.

"This arrogant Polak has repeatedly denied our offer of aid. With her gone and another prime minister to take her place, Kometa will have a better success at getting a foothold in Europe" Edgar explained while using an ethnic slur when referring to this woman.

"But why does it have to be Poland? There are plenty of other countries to choose from, seeing as Poland isn't a influential nation in Europe" Nina pressed on with the question.

The Englishman shook his head. "That is out of the question. For European countries outside NATO or EU, they end falling into the influence of either the G Corp or the Zaibatsu. That is why Kometa can only gain a foothold by having loyal politicians in our midst" he explained the reasons.

Even as she heard all this, Nina was not impressed. She went as far as to throw the picture back at Edgar, who got it on his lap. The blondie glanced at him with her arms crossed.

"Whatever your reasons are, you can go kill Sobieska yourselves. I see no reason for me to go after her" Nina said, feeling the need to clarify herself more. "When you said you wanted a politician dead, I was under the impression that it was a top diplomat or another man of power hailing from the USA, Russia or China. But here you are wanting me to put out some Polish prime minister out of her misery? Pathetic" she went on reprimanding Edgar.

"So in other words, you're declining our job offer?" the Englishman asked her.

Nina scoffed at him. "What else do you think it means? There's no way that I will take the job. So go back to Hong Kong and tell that crazy Dragon Lady you follow that she can kill Sobieska herself" the assassin told him coldly, referring to Lana by an ethnic slur.

Despite being spoken to like that, Edgar remained indifferent towards her. It was as if Nina's icy attitude didn't affect her in the slightest.

"It's unwise to turn down offers that may prove beneficial to you. Kometa is more than capable of coercing you into cooperation should you fail to comply. By which I mean threaten those you love" Edgar revealed.

Nina's eyes narrowed further. "And why should that worry me?" she asked, her hostility towards Edgar being shown slightly. "If you think that I so much as gives a rat's ass about Anna, then you're dead wrong" the assassin revealed, showing no concern towards her sister.

Edgar chuckled, finding amusement at seeing Nina's cold-hearted attitude being displayed.

"Of that, there is no question. But it's not her I'm necessarily thinking of at the moment" Edgar said, his mouth forming into a smirk. "We're talking about that young lad who's been making headlines on the telly for the couple of years. Your only child: Steve Fox" he revealed.

The moment Nina heard that name being uttered, she dashed straight towards Edgar. Drawing out a knife she had kept hidden in her tracksuit, the Irishwoman was about to slash the Englishman by his throat. But before she could even pull it off, Nina felt a gun pointed at her left hip.

Looking down, she could see this was Edgar's doing. She glared daggers at Edgar, who remained confident with his cocky smirk.

"Not so fast, love. I predicted that uttering out that name would rouse you into conflict, so I secretly stashed this gun in case you would try something" he revealed, finding the need to ridicule the woman above his lap some more. "I most certainly ruffled some feathers there, didn't I?" the English assassin asked with a chuckle coming out of his lips.

Reluctantly, Nina withdrew her knife. She also removed herself from Edgar's lap, and he put away the handgun in return. Still, there existed nothing but cold stares between those two.

"You're among the most despicable people I've ever encountered, Edgar Grant. You keep giving me reasons not to like you" the blondie frankly stated. But she was not done speaking. "Now as for Steve Fox. Leave him out of your shenanigans. He has nothing to do with them. Neither has he anything to do with me" Nina added coldly.

"My, isn't that a bit too harsh of you to say? I mean, he is your son after all. He came out of your womb…..with a little help from Kazuya's cells and DNA, of course" Edgar mocked the Irishwoman's history, only for her to pull out her knife again. This forced Edgar to chuckle nervously. "Easy there, sweetheart. I was just being silly" he reassured her.

Nina was fed up with Edgar and his insults. "I don't have time for this stupidity. Go find someone else to take out that lousy prime minister of yours. I want no part of it" she said and turned around to walk away.

"You really wish to defy us, Nina? We're offering you a great pay that not even the Zaibatsu nor the G Corp could offer. Don't tell me that you've grown soft as an assassin" Edgar wanted to make sure whether she was being serious.

This made Nina stop. She held up her motorcycle helmet, yet did turn around to look at the man on the sofa.

"I've already given you my answer. It remains no. Make sure that Dragon Lady you serve understands that too" Nina said, only to look over her shoulder to glare at Edgar one last time. It was as if she was making a threat to him. "And I'm telling you this one last time, Edgar. If I ever hear any of your associates getting near that kid…..you're gonna wish that Lana would've put you out before I did. As you already know, I never leave my enemies alive. So mess with that punk…..and you're all headed for the cemetery" those were the last words Nina said before exiting the dark room.

As displeased as Edgar seemed about Nina leaving him, he was rather amused by it.

"Well, so much for reliving the good old times. You've really not changed at all, have you, Nina Williams?" Edgar didn't take any hard feelings and proceeded to finish his drink. "But it matters not. In time, your views about the sate of the world will be similar to that of Kometa's as well. As for Steve Fox, he's not of any interest to us. But his half-brother on the other hand…" the Englishman smirked as he thought about the British boxer, as well as the man who was considered his half-brother.


At a bench in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom

The sun was shining in Britain's capital city. As such, there were already many people out in Hyde Park doing all sorts of activities, from jogging to picnicking. It was important to enjoy the nice weather while it was still there.

Along the lake called the Serpentine, many benches were often used by visitors of the park. They were just the right spots to sit on and be given a wonderful view of the lake and its surroundings.

Among those benches sat a hooded man reading a big newspaper. He held it so that nobody could spot his face. His hood made it impossible for any bypassers to identify him, not that they even bothered to do so anyway.

This man was none other than Jin Kazama, the Child of Destiny, as well as the previous leader of the Mishima Zaibatsu. Over the last years, he had been through a lot, not to mention battles that almost cost him his life.

"So Lars and Lee were right all along. Heihachi really is gone. Many things did transpire while I was away" Jin noted as he read the newspaper.

Yes, Jin had never gotten the chance to observe the great events that had happened while he was in a coma. His previous battle with Angel had reduced him to a terrible state. Still, he managed to recuperate at Violet System's HQ in Kyoto peacefully.

After awakening from the coma, Jin had learned plenty of things. But not only was it from Lars and Lee. Yes, a chance encounter had enabled Jin to gain some knowledge about the origins of the supposedly cursed Mishima-bloodline.

"All this time…..the Mishimas were never the cursed demons as I'd suspected them to be…" Jin noted, recalling all the details he had remembered.

It was true. As it turned out, the Curse of the Devil never started with the Mishimas. Jin realized that it all began with a person who was never a Mishima to begin with: Kazumi Hachijo. She was Heihachi's wife, Kazuya's mother and Jin's grandmother. It was from her where both Kazuya and Jin received their Devil Genes from. And all this time, he had previously suspected that it had been Jinpachi who was the source of this cursed bloodline.

"Kazumi….I wished I knew more about you….." Jin admitted, having learned the story about how Kazumi had married Heihachi for the sole purpose of killing him, as well as Kazuya.

But even as Jin had learned the truth about his family, his opinions of Heihachi and Kazuya remained unchanged. He still despised them, and didn't even mourn his grandfather's death when gaining knowledge of it. But Heihachi was now gone, and Kazuya still lived.

"Damn you, Kazuya. You'll probably seek to bathe yourself in glory in wake of this victory. But sooner or later, your colors will be revealed once again. And no downed satellite will save you this time" Jin scowled as he read an article on the newspaper about his loathsome father.

Yes, Jin had learned from Lars and Lee in how Kazuya's identity, as well as his Devil form, had been revealed to the entire world, thanks to Heihachi's machinations. In retaliation, Kazuya had downed Heihachi's satellite death ray, reducing it two five large pieces that crashed into five cities across the globe. Those five cities were Guangzhou, Bangalore, Mombasa, Geneva and Baltimore. Thousands of innocent lives were lost to those crashes. Because of that, Kazuya and the G Corp had regained their hero status.

Jin's eyes narrowed as he read the main headline on the newspaper, which was from Evening Standard.

BREAKING NEWS: G CORPORATION BUILDING UP MILITARY - SOURCES

"Of course, Kazuya would do something like this. With the entire world at a standstill, he and his cohorts will use this confusion to ready their forces. It won't be long until the G Corp makes their move" Jin noted while reading the article.

But as he did that, the Japanese man came to a realization. Deep down, he knew that the one responsible for putting the world in such state, was him alone. Jin lowered his head, facing his lap with shame in his eyes. It was too good to be true. His decision to start a war in order to awaken Azazel had cost thousands of innocent lives. Jin had never forgotten how that had been his responsibility.

"All of this is my fault…" Jin said, remembering the times he'd walked past several cemeteries and spotted people grieving for their lost ones. "I put the world in the situation it's currently in. That enabled both Heihachi and Kazuya to continue using it as their own chessboard. It's safe to say that no matter how many times I try to deny it, I'm no better than either of them" he solemly added.

"I couldn't agree more on that statement, Jin Kazama" a familiar voice called to him and it made Jin tense.

Without delay, he put the newspaper down to see who it was that had spoken to him. He saw a young four-eyed brunette standing not far from where he sat, her hands resting on her hips. Despite her appearance changing a little, Jin seemed to recognize this woman.

"You're…..Julia Chang…" Jin uttered out the name of the woman, who was indeed Julia.

She smirked a little at hearing him say that.

"So you remember my name, despite my new look? I'm impressed by your good recollection" Julia commended his memory skills.

Jin stood up, putting the newspaper aside. "I want answers. What are you doing here?" the Japanese man asked her warily.

"Took the words right out of my mouth. It's not everyday I get to see an international fugitive enjoy himself in Hyde Park as if nothing happaned" Julia responded, adjusting her glasses. "But then again, you're probably no longer classified as such, seeing as how the UN has stopped pursuing you" she then noted.

Jin clenched his gloved fists in response. "I'm not gonna play games with you, environmentalist. Why have you approached me?" his hostility was exposed, yet calm. Something hit in Jin's head. "Don't tell me. Have you sought me out for what Kazuya put you through?" he then asked her.

In response, the Native American woman crossed her arms, fixing a disapproving glance towards Jin. Yes, she had once joined the G Corp as an agent on Lee's request, only to be discovered by Kazuya. She was then held ransom, until she was freed by Lars and Alisa sometime later.

"That grudge is between me and him, not you!" Julia pointed out, her disapproving expression never vanishing. "Besides, I've got plenty of other reasons to have misgivings about you. The same goes for many others affected by this war. Wouldn't you agree, Jin?" she asked him.

Jin wanted to retaliate, but he just couldn't. He faced the ground between him and the woman. Jin knew that Julia spoke the truth about his responsibility for the ongoing war, as well as the suffering it had cost on human lives.

"You are right. I am aware of how terrible my transgressions have been. While I don't regret slaying Azazel, I truly regret the innocent lives that perished as a result of my actions. But there's nothing I can do to bring them back" the Japanese man admitted, only to lift his head up and stare at Julia with a slightly determined expression on his face. "But know this, Chang. I won't be judged for making up for my mistakes. While I do have a long road ahead of me, I won't stop until I've corrected my failures. That I vow" he went on.

Julia was slightly surprised to see this level of determination coming from Jin. To see a man responsible for the deaths of millions holding onto such fire was admirable to watch.

"Jin…" the four-eyed woman stammered, only to see Jin walk away from the bench. He started walking on the path. "Wait! Hold on! There's something I gotta…." Julia tried to make hm stop, but it was in vain.

"Don't follow me!" Jin stopped, not even turning around to look at Julia. "If you do not leave me alone, I WILL use measures to make you go away. And I'm telling you this for your own good" the Japanese man had no pleasantries in his voice as he said that. He proceeded to walk away.

"But you don't understand! This is very serious! It's about your brother! He's in trouble!" Julia called out to him.

This surprisingly made Jin stop in his tracks. He even looked over his left shoulder to glance at Julia. The four-eyed brunette nodded her head at him as a yes.

"Yes! I'm talking about Steve Fox, the British boxer. I know that he's your….." Julia stopped speaking as Jin turned around to approach her.

He got up very close to Julia's face, and boy did he seemed pissed. Still, he did not get physical with her or anything. "Shut your mouth…..now!" Jin calmly, yet angrily demanded her. "You don't get to so say that name so casually in my presence. Do you understand?" he went on with rebuking Julia.

Despite being this close to him, Julia didn't flinch. She just refused to be intimidated by this man, whom she knew was a much stronger fighter than herself. As such, she stood firm.

"Not even when his life is in danger?" Julia asked him dispassionately.

Jin scowled at seeing Julia's attitude. "What are you talking about? And how do you know about our blood relations? Explain your true motives for approaching me, Chang" he wanted some answers out of her.

Julia smirked. "So now you wanna talk? Good. I came to you because Steve is in danger. Somebody wants him dead" she told Jin.

The Japanese man clenched his gloved fists tightly, thinking about Steve, who was technically his half-brother.

"Who's after him? Tell me who they are so that I can find those….." Jin was interrupted when Julia shushed him by holding a finger up towards him. This made him stop speaking.

The four-eyed woman started looking around their surroundings in the park. So far, it appeared they were alone in their area. Jin really wanted to know whether Julia had been followed or something, yet he decided to respect Julia's request and remain mute.

"It's not a good idea to have this conversation in an open place like Hyde Park. We need to find a much smaller and crowded place. Probably a restaurant or a café" Julia informed Jin before pondering about where they could stay at. Then something hit her head. "That's it! I know just the place! Follow me" the Native American woman exclaimed and motioned for Jin to follow him.

Jin did that, yet he still had so many questions that he hadn't gotten an answer to yet.

"You still haven't answered my question. How do you know about….." Jin was interrupted once Julia turned around to shush him.

"We'll discuss everything on the table as soon as we're at a safer place, trust me. But until then, please be patient and come with me. For all we know, there could be eyes and ears here in Hyde Park as well" the brunette whispered.

Jin wanted to open his mouth to argue, but he decided to do as Julia wished. Hopefully, she would come clean about what she knew about him and Steve once they were at a safer location.

"Very well. Lead the way then, Julia Chang" Jin responded, following the young woman out of Hyde Park.

Jin did not know what kind of trouble Steve was in, but he couldn't bare to see something happen with his half-brother. That's why he would at least hear what Julia had found out. If she spoke the truth, then he would need to act quickly.


Inside the Metropole Shopping Mall, Monte Carlo, Monaco

This mall in Monaco was a place only for the richest. As long as you had euros on you, you could buy anything from these fancy boutiques. Almost every Monegasques had money, so the Metropole Shopping Mall was always filled with visitors.

Inside the mall itself, everything looked so antique. It was as if it was a museum of France in the 16th and 17th centuries. Other than that, the interior highlighted the mall's monetary worth.

Among those walking in the crowded corridors with a pair of shopping bags was the rich socialite: Emilie "Lili" De Rochefort. But she was not alone. Accompanying her was the Rochefort Family's esteemed butler, Sebastian. But they were also flanked by four security guards.

Lili did not look happy for some reason, and it probably had to do with these security guards. Sighing, the young blondie stopped, with her entourage doing the same thing.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to visit the Metcafé for some coffee and croissants. All this shopping has made me tired" Lili told them.

Sebastian bowed her head formally in return. "Certainement, Madame Lili. We have all the time we need" the butler responded.

They all then went to the Metacafé for lunch. Lili and Sebstian sat by one table. Not far from them, the group of security guards sat by a table, often looking over at the pair from where they sat.

Lili took a sip from her coffee, only to let out a sigh as she put it down.

"Sérieusement. This is ridiculous and absurd as it possibly can be" Lili groaned while facepalming.

Her butler only stared at her confused. "What do you mean by that, madame?" Sebastian asked the young girl.

Lili glanced at the old man dumbfounded. "Isn't that obvious, Sebastian? I'm talking about THIS!" she snapped while pointing her right hand towards the group of security guards sitting not far from them.

Despite the young teenage girl doing that, the security guards were completely unfazed at what she was doing. They remained as stone-faced as if nothing happened.

"Having men like them follow me both at home and out in the public all day makes me feel like a canary locked in a cage!" she whined, almost banging her face on the table.

"Oh, I see" Sebastian said before taking a sip from his coffee. "But surely you can understand why your dear father employed these men to watch over you. Your recent "expedition" almost gave him a nervous breakdown" the old man tried making Lili see reason.

When hearing this, the young blondie lowered her head a little. She looked somewhat shameful for the distress she caused her father.

"I know that. But it was worth it!" Lili tried justifying her actions. "Don't you see, Sebastian? I've finally found her! My long lost sister! All these claims that I was an only child are just false! Elizabeth De Rochefort still lives!" she was filled with so much life as she said those words.

Sebastian could only sit and watch as his young ward was filled with such a hopeful expression. That's right, Lili had participated in the King of Iron Fist Tournament 7 in order to find the woman who was indeed her long lost sister. They had met of course, yet their encounter had not gone the way Lili expected.

"I admire your optimism, petite fille. That never ceases to amaze me" Sebastian told Lili before taking a quick sip of his cup. "But I must ask: do you really think there is a way to change that person back to a human?" he asked her.

When she was asked that Lili was filled with so many questions. Sebastian really did bring up a good point. But despite her uncertainty, the young socialite still felt the need to answer.

"I do not know the answer just yet, Sebastian. But I can't give up on Eliza. Despite being cursed and brainwashed, she's still my sister!" Lili said, facing her butler with a determined expression on her face. "Father may have given up on her, but I haven't! Nobody leaves a Rochefort behind!" she added before drinking from her coffee.

Sebastian was amused at seeing how young, yet fired-up Lili was. Very few socialites possessed such skills. This was likely due to his ward being a little different rich girl than what people gave her credit for.

"Nevertheless, I still find it hard to believe that your family were once exorcists" Sebastian admitted while taking a bite of his croissant.

"Father abhors the Archers of Sirius' use of violence. That's why he rarely talks about our history with them. But that still didn't prevent him from seeking their aid with sealing my sister" Lili explained, only to ponder about something as she did that. "Hmmm, I wonder. This Claudio Serafino…claims that he is capable of exorcising evil spirits and demons. Plutôt interessant" she remarked.

Sebastian could see that smug look on the young girl's face, and he knew what it symbolized. Swallowing a gulp, the butler felt the need to ask what she was thinking of.

"May I ask what you are thinking, madame?" Sebastian tried his best to be polite with his ward as possible.

Lili smirked. "It's nothing, really. But I just couldn't help but to wonder whether that Italian exorcist may be the answer I'm looking for with regards to bringing Eliza back to human" she said, taking a bite of her croissant.

"Mais madame, what makes you think he will assist you? As far as I understand, you and Monsieur Serafino have had unpleasant encounters. So what gives you the impression that he will aid you?" the butler frankly asked Lili.

The rich girl cleaned her mouth with a serviette before replying to the old man. From what he could tell, she was already coming up with a scheme of hers.

"Simple. Given that Eliza has been turned into an immortal vampire, she constantly hungers for blood. But blood from normal humans isn't enough to satisfy her. Indeed, she'd rather have blood that are either demonic or celestial" Lili revealed what she knew to Sebastian.

The butler seemed to slowly get the picture. "Ah, je vois. If celestial blood is what she craves most, then your alleged sister will without a doubt come after Monsieur Claudio and his ilk" Sebastian said, only to be given a dirty glare by Lili. Clearly, she didn't appreciate his words with regards to Eliza. "Pardonnez-moi, madame. I meant to say your dearest sister" he apologized, much to Lili's satisfaction.

"That's right, Sebastian. Sooner or later, Eliza will begin her hunt for Claudio. Maybe I should make contact with him as soon as I get the chance" Lili schemed, thinking about her options. "My interest in Jin Kazama has gradually diminished. But for a good reason. I've more pressing matters to concern myself with. Saving Eliza means more to me than chasing a petty grudge" she then revealed.

Sebastian was surprised to hear this. Had Lili's dedication to rescuing Eliza become so important that getting back at Jin for what he did to her family's oil fields didn't matter anymore? After all, her father had been put under so much distress as a result of the Zaibatsu's actions.

Still, Sebastian could tell that this time, Lili was doing something that was not for the sake of her interest in fighting. Rather, it was something for her family.

"Très bien, Madame Lili. Then how will you proceed with this mission of yours? Mind you, that your father will not be happy. Your last trip has made him much more overprotective of you" the butler reminded her.

Lili giggled, happy that someone like Sebastian appreciated her scheming. "So, you wish to hear me out?" she asked him before looking past her butler to see the group of security guards already busy eating. The young socialite knew that they would be distracted long enough, so she leaned on closer, motioning for Sebastian to do the same thing. "Amende. Écoute attentivement, Sebastian" she said.

And so, the pair continued this discussion, while the security guards were too busy with their own food to even pay attention to her. This was probably due to the fact that they hated their job, so Lili was using that to her advantage. Sebastian only sat and listened, not realizing that his young ward was dragging him into another scheme of hers once again. Or maybe he did realize, yet never said anything to stop her. He always wanted Lili to be happy, no matter what.


Inside a bar and restaurant in Ojén, Andalusia, Spain

The sun was going down above this quaint Spanish village. Ojén was located so high that one could get a good view of the city of Marbella below, as well as the Mediterranean. If looking closer, one could even see Morocco on the other side. Needless to say, it was close to the Costa del Sol, in Andalusia. As one of the many pueblos blancos, or "white villages" in Spanish, in the autonomous region, Ojén offered plenty of its charms to visitors and locals alike.

Right now, at the balcony of a bar and restaurant in in the middle of the village, a young man sat there. He played some Spanish melodies on his guitar while facing the view. As wonderful it was, this young man didn't seem to care.

This was Miguel Caballero Rojo, Spaniard with a passion for getting into fights, as well as a participant of a couple of the King of Iron Fist Tournaments. Having been threw a lot lately in his life, Miguel had for some reason ended up in Ojén.

Striking some chords, Miguel sung in Spanish while facing the view before him. Beautiful was it was, he didn't seem to give much thought about it.

"Bésame…..bésame mucho. Como si fuera esta la noche. La última…" Miguel's singing and playing was interrupted by a loud voice.

"Oye! Miguel! Entra aquí! Ahora!" the voice came from inside the building.

Grumbling to himself, Miguel put away the instrument and got into the building, walking past empty tables and chairs.

"Maldito gordinflón. Can't he just let me do something peacefully without having to yell?" Miguel muttered as he got inside the building and walked down the stairs.

This bar and restaurant had two floors and seemed to be owned by an overweight man, flanked by several waiters and waitresses. Not that this place was particularly fancy, as it looked quite narrow. But they had a bar too, as there was a bartender in the middle.

Walking down the stairs, Miguel looked at the owner with a somewhat annoyed look on his face.

"Why'd you bring me down here this time, Eduardo?" Miguel asked, addressing the owner by his name.

The obese man scoffed at him. "Eres estúpido? The siesta is almost over! We're about to open the restaurant! Which means, the customers will soon arrive!" Eduardo rebuked Miguel, only to point his finger towards a corridor to the right. "Now get changed, cabrón! You may be foolish, but I want you to at last look professional while the guests are here" he then commanded him.

"Por favor. Not this again" Miguel groaned, realizing what Eduardo was getting at. "Why even bother opening it for the evening? It's not like your place will be packed with customers, anyway" he reminded the owner.

"Cállate! Unless you have forgotten, I rely on visitors not just from other villages, but also Marbella and Málaga as well. That's why it's important that we're opening now. Now get dressed before I throw your ass out in the streets!" he blackmailed Miguel.

Surprisingly, the passionate Spaniard yielded to Eduardo's demands and moved to the corridor, albeit reluctantly. The other waiters and waitresses stood and watched in awkward while Eduardo only snickered like some hyena at what he'd accomplished.

"Heh. Works every time. Holgazán perezoso" Eduardo commented, moving over to help his employees with getting his place ready.

Miguel walked through the corridor until he reached a door at its end. He opened it and entered the room. It appeared to be a tiny bedroom. Clearly, Miguel was sleeping in here. You see, he was working as a waiter now, sleeping at the bar and restaurant for free.

"Hijo de….I'm starting to regret not accepting that bouncer job in Nerja" Miguel lamented, thinking about a missed job opportunity. He started changing clothes.

During the pervious King of Iron Fist Tournament, Miguel had stumbled upon the man who'd been responsible for the death of his sister: Jin Kazama. He was on the verge of killing him while he was recuperating at Violet System's HQ in Kyoto, only for Lee and Lars to intervene.

The two men tried convincing him to spare him by pointing out how killing Jin would serve no purpose, as well as not bringing his dead sister back. Reluctantly, Miguel had agreed.

But the aggressive Spaniard realized that he had not spared Jin solely for the reason of not giving himself in to revenge. He'd also done that to save his own humanity. Miguel had thought that if he had indeed killed Jin, he would be no better than the Mishimas he so much despised. That's why he had chosen to spare Jin, albeit reluctantly. Yes, he would never forgive Jin, but he would also not stoop down to his level.

Since returning home to Spain, Miguel had been struggling to find employment. Due to the ongoing global conflict, an employment crisis had hit Spain. Desperate, Miguel had ventured south to Andalusia, in hopes of getting a job there thanks to the booming tourism industry. But for someone so rebellious like Miguel, finding a job proved difficult.

It wasn't until he wandered around in Ojén that he was approached by several waitresses who took "pity" upon him. They then convinced Eduardo to employ Miguel, despite him having absolutely no experience in the service business. But one thing that made Miguel not decline this job offer was a place to stay and eat for free. If working there was the price to pay for those things, then the Spaniard saw no reason to turn it down.

Looking in the mirror, Miguel saw himself in the waiter uniform. Despite his strong physique, he didn't like seeing himself in that outfit. Still, he would wear it as long as he worked at this bar and restaurant.

Exiting his room, Miguel walked returned to the main hall. He watched as Eduardo was already starting to converse some of the guests arriving there. From what Miguel could tell, these were some locals of Ojén that Eduardo personally knew.

As he stood there, he overheard some whisperings coming from a couple of waitresses to his left. Still, Miguel didn't bother look at them. He knew what they were gushing about.

"Wow! El es muy guapo!" one of the waitresses whispered, struggling to contain her blushing cheeks.

"Silencio! Él te escuchará!" her colleague begged of her.

While he was indeed blessed with some handsome features and physique, Miguel never saw himself as a lady magnet. While he personally considered himself to be charismatic, his loner personality was a big turn-off for most women. He himself often considered some of these swooning women nothing but nuisances.

On the other hand, there was a particular girl Miguel had slowly started developing feelings for. While they had started out as bitter enemies, due to this girl's membership in the Tekken Force, he had slowly started to grow on her, in part due to the Zaibatsu betraying this girl and leaving her behind.

"Josie…te echo de menos" Miguel thought about the Filipina he had made friends with.

Since the aftermath of the incident on Hawaii, the two had kept in touch with one another. But due to Miguel's own financial difficulties, it was minimum at best. From what he knew, however, Josie had given up on both the Tekken Force and the Zaibatsu. Even as Heihachi died, she saw no reason for her to rejoin it. Rather, she was concentrating on her modelling career, something Miguel was happy to hear.

"I don't know what sort of job this modelling of yours is. But if you ever come visit Spain, I'll be more than happy to welcome you" Miguel mused to himself while thinking about Josie.

"Miguel. Un poco de ayuda, por favor?" it came from one of the waiters.

Without anything else to think about, Miguel walked over to the waiters and started helping them out at the table. While he hoped that things in the outside world would be quiet for the moment, the Spaniard knew better than to be so hopeful. Sooner or later, conflict would return to the world.

On the other hand, he prayed that Ojén, as well as the rest of Spain, would not be caught in the crossfire between the Zaibatsu and the G Corp. In his mind, the world and its people had already suffered enough to receive more painful losses. He himself could attest to it.


Somewhere in the middle of the Mediterranean

This dungeon was so dark that only torches were the things illuminating it. Based upon its design, however, it looked awfully similar to dungeons of the medieval times.

In here, two friends, Asuka Kazama and Ling Xiaoyu, awoke from their unconsciousness. At first, they were confused as where they were. But once they noticed the fact that they'd been tied up in both shackles and chains, reality started to hit back at them.

"I don't understand!" Asuka asked as she watched her hands being chained in shackles. She also looked down on her right foot, seeing a chain ball being attached to the shackle round it. "How did we end up like this!?" the brunette was completely confused.

"Umm, Asuka. Don't you remember what happened back in Osaka?" Xiaoyu asked her.

This left the Japanese girl confused. "What do you mean by….." Asuka was slowly starting to understand what Xiaoyu meant.

After a while of thinking, the two girls understood how they had ended up here. Asuka gritted her teeth as she recalled that memory.

"I remember everything now. We were on our way to my home, only to be confronted by that jackass Claudio Serafino and his freakshow followers" Asuka recalled, feeling agitated as she remembered what happened next. "We tried standing against him, of course. Only to fail miserably" the Osakan was somewhat embarrassed over being defeated.

Xiaoyu also remembered the scene. "You could say that. Remember that power he was using? It was…..unlike anything I'd ever seen before" the Chinese girl remarked as she remembered witnessing Claudio's mysterious powers.

"Let's not lose sight of the bigger picture here, Xiaoyu. If we were defeated then that means….." Asuka realized the predicament they were in. "That slimeball! While we were knocked out cold, he most likely put us in chains and took us to who-knows-where! Damnit!" she cursed, furious about the stat they found themselves in.

Xiaoyu smiled lightly at her. "But at the very least, we have each other, don't we?" she remarked, forcing Asuka to stare at her bewildered. The Chinese girl knew that she needed to clarify herself. "What I meant to stay was…..it would've been worse with either of us ended up chained here alone. That would've been unbearable, even for me…." Xiaoyu then said.

In response to this, Asuka smiled at her, even tapping her left shoulder with her bound hands. For some reason, the friendship between Asuka and Xiaoyu was strong, despite how recent it was.

"Thanks for the words, Xiaoyu. I really needed to hear them" the brunette thanked her friend.

Xiaoyu giggled in return. "Anything to help out a friend" she responded, and the two friends shared a giggle.

"Splendido. I see that the two of your have started to take note of your surroundings" a voice could be heard coming in front of them.

Looking forward, the two girls spotted two individuals standing behind the bars looking at them. Their eyes narrowed at the man standing there looking so smug despite the condition they were in.

"You!" Xiaoyu snapped, trying to get up on her feet. But with the weight of the chain ball, it was impossible for her to do so. "Damn! That thing sure is heavy" she winced as he fell down on her behind.

"What the hell have you done to done to us!?" Asuka demanded, feeling the urge to punch the smirk off Claudio's face.

Not surprisingly, Claudio remained indifferent in spite of the girl's reactions. "If you must know, I simply put you in a place safe from any harm. I could not bear to leave defenseless ragazze like you on the strees alone. So I decided to move you to a safer environment" he answered them.

"Safer environment my butt! With these shackles and chains, plus this dark atmosphere, there's no way I'd call this dungeon safe!" Xiaoyu spat at him. "Now spit it out! Where are we!? And how long have we been here!?" she demanded to know more answers.

"You have been unconscious for about three days. While you were in that state, we used that opportunity to take you to Europe" the voice came from the woman standing beside Claudio.

Xiaoyu and Asuka froze as they saw Zafina standing beside Claudio. The Egyptian woman remained as serious as she was known to be, completely unconcerned about the state of these girls.

"Hey…you're that woman….what's your name again?" Asuka asked Zafina, remembering her from the previous tournament.

In response to that, Zafina's eyes narrowed further, showing no hint of kindness towards Asuka.

"I am under no obligation to tell you of my identity, distant relative of Jin Kazama" she flatly responded.

This made Asuka scowl, not liking the way Zafina spoke to her. "Geez, I was asking nicely. No need for you to associate me with that douchebag" the brunette responded.

"Wait a minute! You're saying that you've been taking us to Europe! But where!?" Xiaoyu wanted to know whether this was real or not.

"That, you will have to figure out yourself. It is not in my place to tell you where specifically you are" Zafina replied, her voice as cold as the ice itself.

Claudio smirked at seeing his captives' reaction to Zafina being at his side, let alone their confusion as to where they were.

"As my associate here just told you, we've taken you somewhere in Europe. And in this dungeon, you will be under heavy surveillance by the Archers of Sirius" Claudio responded, his smirk never vanishing. "But surely you will find this place accommodating at least. It's what I can do for you after experiencing your humiliating defeat at my hands" the Italian exorcist added.

It was then Asuka started to realize something. Clenching her gloved fists, the Japanese girl glared at Claudio, he himself taking notice of it. The exorcist chuckled.

"I can only assume that you have figured out my plans for you and your friend, Asuka Kazama. Più impressionante, punk" he commended her.

But Xiaoyu had yet to understand what Claudio was getting at. "What is he talking about, Asuka?" she asked. However, it didn't take long before the Chinese girl figured it out too.

Claudio chuckled from behind the bars. "Questo è tutto, bambini. I knew that after defeating you, there was no way you would've cooperated with me on my demon hunt. So I've decided to use a more drastic measure" he said, pointing his finger at the pair of friends. "By using you, his former classmate and distant relative respectively, as my bait, Jin Kazama will without a doubt come out of hiding and show himself out in the open. And once he nears this location…..we will strike him down!" the exorcist revealed his plans for them.

"You unbelievable son of a bitch…" Asuka cursed, unable to fathom the kind of plans Claudio had in store for her and Xiaoyu. "For someone claiming to be a holy man, you sure employ very questionable methods to achieve your ends!" the Osakan girl expressed her open distaste for him.

Xiaoyu was as equally upset as her friend. "You're also wrong about this working! Jin will never fall for your trap! He's smart!" the Chinese girl snapped at the exorcist.

Claudio shook his head slightly at seeing this. "Povera ragazza. You really don't understand that the odds are stacked against you, do you?" he ridiculed Xiaoyu's defiance.

"According to our sources, Jin Kazama was last seen walking around Cobham in Britain. Therefore, it's safe to say that he is in Europe as well. And he will most likely come after you once we send word to them" Zafina informed them.

"Tch, so you're planning on using us as bargaining chips? That's so uncalled for!" Asuka barked at her. "I may have my misgivings about Jin, but that doesn't mean I'll cooperate with the pair of you to get back at him!" the Japanese girl told them.

"Same here!" Xiaoyu joined in. "After what you did to us, you really expect us to just team up with you like that!? Not gonna happen!" she berated them.

Claudio was growing weary of these girls and their defiance towards him. But Zafina, on the other hand, felt like Xiaoyu's continued affections for Jin was not impressive. Therefore, she decided to give some honest feedback of her.

"I understand that you and Jin share a history together, Ling Xiaoyu. Whatever it was, it is not worth holding onto" Zafina bluntly told the Chinese girl, causing her to stare at her bewildered. "You may not have realized it, but that man is no longer the Jin Kazama you knew. He has become a demon…...a demon that must be extinguished for the sake of humanity. Holding onto feelings for a man like him is unthinkable. Didn't Master Wang Jinrei tell you that?" the Egyptian woman continued, mentioning Xiaoyu's deceased teacher.

As Xiaoyu heard all that, she faced her lap, a hint of shame taking shape all across her face. Clearly, Zafina's words had hit her hard. But it was not just the things about Jin. It was her mentioning of Wang that had upset Xiaoyu the most.

"Gramps….." she thought about the man who was technically a distant relative of hers.

Asuka couldn't stand hearing Zafina's words. "Hey, you! Those words were completely uncalled for! There was no reason for you to go that low!" she snapped at him.

But Zafina remained unfazed at her protests, resuming her attention towards Xiaoyu. "I am only telling you this for your own good. Had your master been with you today, he would've told you to not chase after…" she didn't get to finish her sentence, due to Xiaoyu.

"Shut up…" the Chinese girl muttered, still facing her lap.

"Why should I? For only stating the obvious truth about….." she was interrupted once again.

"I SAID SHUT UP, YOU STUPID HAG!" Xiaoyu practically screamed, tears streaming from her angry eyes.

This surprised not just Zafina and Claudio, but Asuka as well. There was a fire burning in the eyes of the Chinese girl

"You talk as if you know everything…...as if you know all the mistakes I've done…..and all the times I've failed to learn from them…BUT YOU DON'T KNOW A DAMN THING ABOUT ME!" Xiaoyu snapped, her eyes fixated upon Zafina. But she was not done speaking. "Say whatever you want about me…...but don't you ever dare bringing gramps into this! He doesn't deserve it! After what he did for you…..THIS IS HOW YOU WANNA REPAY HIM!?" she didn't hold back expressing her rage.

But as surprised as Zafina was in seeing the young girl's passionate anger, that surprised look soon turned into that of disappointment. She seemed pretty displeased with Xiaoyu's answer.

"It is you who has not repaid Wang Jinrei's wisdom, foolish girl. Ungrateful students like you need to learn your place in this world" Zafina said, holding up her bandaged left hand for the two friends to see.

Claudio, who had remained silent for a while, knew where Zafina was going with this. As such, he tried talking her out of this.

"No. Per favore. Don't do this, Zafina! You will only uncover yourself!" Claudio begged of her, but to no avail.

"These fools deserve to know the truth that even Jin Kazama doesn't know yet. As such, I'm more than willing to share with them" Zafina said, beginning to remove her bandages on her left hand.

The girls were treated to a view of the Egyptian woman's crystallized left arm. It's dark purplish light illuminated the dungeon. But there was more to it than that. In time, her arm began to change into something so hideous and monstrous.

Asuka and Xiaoyu couldn't believe their eyes. This transformation caused the dungeon to shake a little. It was as if there was an earthquake. The torchers hanging on the walls had were blown off.

"No….it can't be….." Xiaoyu stammered as she witnessed the power coming out of Zafina's cursed arm.

Amidst this commotion, she and Asuka could hear the sound of a deep laughter, coming out of an ancient and evil entity.

"DO YOU SEE IT NOW!? THIS IS THE REASON KAZUYA MISHIMA AND JIN KAZAMA MUST DIE! AS LONG AS THEY LIVE, AZAZEL'S INFLUENCE WILL NEVER VANISH! THAT IS WHY WE MUST ELIMINATE THE DEVIL'S INFLUENCE!" Zafina loudly explained it for the girls to hear.

It was now becoming clearer as to why Zafina and Claudio had teamed up. With their cooperation, they would hunt down the remaining devils. But what was even more shocking was the fact that the demon Jin had almost given his life to defeat…...was still alive! This only marked a new chapter of these dangerous times.

To be continued…