↠PROLOGUE↞
REMINISCENCE
❝The past is only the past...you will always have the memories. However, you do eventually have to let go no matter how hard you want to hang on.❞
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"Oooh! Come on, you stupid, ugly blue-head rat! Why can't you just freakin' die already?!" huffed an irritated young girl, her ruby red eyes focused on the television screen. Her face had a calm, yet scowling expression written all over it as she continued to frustratedly mash the buttons of her matching colored joy-cons in her tiny, sweaty palms.
There were many things that this young girl much despised in this world. Fruit punch along with carrots and peppers were one of the very things that she least liked, watermelon being her most dislike. However, her opponent was the only thing she despised so much compared to her dislikes.
Seated behind the little girl on the sofa was a young woman who was leaning her head in her hands as both of her elbows rested on her knees. A giggled had made its way past her lips as she continued to watch the little girl grow more and more hectic by each second as her blue-colored opponent continued to overpower her in a rather desperate struggle. As the word "TIME" became announced across the screen, the little girl watched in disbelief and disappointment at the symbol of her opponent appearing before her eyes, declaring her blue-colored enemy the victor. When the small child's face was red and swollen, the woman chuckled in amusement because of the failure and humiliation her daughter had suffered.
"Ok, Kairi. I think it's time you let your opponent rest up for tomorrow," she announced, standing up from the couch.
The little girl's head whipped around to face her mother, her eyes shown with disappointment. "Awww! Why? I ain't sleepy yet," she whined, her bottom lip poking out. "Can I just play one more game? Oh, can I, Momma? Pleeeeaaase?" begged the girl.
The young woman shook her head with disapproval. "Mm-mm. No way."
"But, Momma-"
"Ah ah ah. No "butting" me, Kairi. I mean it." she disputed, firmly staring down at the little girl before her. The young woman sighed in slight irritation when the girl gave her the "puppy dog" eyes, as people would call it. "Uh-uh. That's not gonna work on me. It's bedtime, Kairi and you need your rest for school in the morning."
Her eyes softened as she watched her little girl's face become crestfallen at her decision to send her off to bed. "Aw, come on, now. Don't make that face. You can always play it when you get home from school. But right now, I need you to get a goodnight's sleep."
The little girl, namely Kairi, turned away with a huff, her tiny arms folded. "Hmph. Why should I?"
Just as she asked this, a perfect idea entered into her head. "Because, if you go to sleep tonight, you'll have all the energy in the world to fight Sonic tomorrow." she reasoned. However, this wasn't enough for Kairi to change her mind. "And if you beat him, I'll treat you to free ice cream. Chocolate chip cookie dough with two extra cream puffs on the side." added the young woman, which resulted in the little girl grinning with joy and enthusiasm.
"R-Really, Momma?" asked the young girl. "You promise?"
The woman gave a small giggle. "Mmhm. I promise. I wouldn't lie." Kneeling to her daughter's height level, she scooped her up into her arms to hold against her hip. She allowed her feet to move along the wooden floor through the house while still keeping her daughter in her arms. "So, are you gonna promise that you'll count all the sheep tonight?" she asked as she continued to walk through the house to a room that once belonged to her as a teenager.
Kairi nodded rather eagerly, a huge grin plastered on her adorable face. "Yeah! I'll count as many and many as I can, Momma and make sure none of em' get away." she declared with confidence.
"Awesome! That's my girl." she praised, sitting Kairi down next to the bed. The woman pulled the cover and the sheet back, beckoning for the girl to climb inside and as expected, she did so, allowing her mother to pull the covers over her petite body to tuck her in. After making sure that her daughter was relaxed and comfortable, she strolled over to the closet searching for a stuffed companion for reassurance and protection that Kairi could have through the night.
Their silence was the only thing being received from another until Kairi decided to use her voice. "Mommy?"
"Hmm?" she acknowledged while still rummaging around in the cluttered closet.
"Can I ask about somethin'?" the girl questioned rather timidly, her eyes focused innocently on her mother as she stood at the tip of her toes towards the top shelf of the closet.
"Yes, of course. You can come to me and ask me anything you want, Kairi. That's what Mommy's here for." she responded, turning her attention away from the closet to her daughter.
Kairi averted her eyes to the wall, playing with the pink-colored cover that was decorated with stars. She felt uncertain whether the question she was bound to ask was silly or not, considering the teasing she would receive from a lot of kids about her current situation within her household.
"Is my daddy real?"
As if the question had pointed itself at her like a loaded gun, her entire body froze itself in place. It felt like one of those questions that could bring a worse outcome either way if she answered it wrong or right. Never in Kairi's four years of her life has she expected her to ask about her father's trace, who was currently absent from her life. Of course, she knew that this moment would come eventually. The moment where she had to come clean about her father. The man whom she admired before they first met in person. The man she had slowly formed a friendship with, which eventually turned into love. The man who took part in helping her conceive the bundle of joy she had to give life to independently.
"Yes." was all she said. She took the chosen stuffed cow into her arms and sauntered over to the bed. She took a seat on the bedspread, gazing through Kairi's red orbs. From merely looking at the little girl's appearance, no person could tell her that this child didn't belong to her. Her mother's eyes and facial features were given to her during creation. However, she had her father's raven hair along with his personality traits mixed in with hers. She possessed his determination while she possessed her mother's kindness, which made her the charming child that she became.
"He's real, Kairi."
Just as she confirmed this, Kairi's expression changed from curiosity to excitement at the news of her father existing after all. "Aha! I knew it! I really do have a daddy." she beamed. A warm smile tugged at her lips, glad to see her daughter's happiness about the fact of having a father. "Is he here? Where is he, now, Momma?"
Her lips were pressed together in a thin line, uncertain of how to respond.
"I don't know, baby."
That was the only answer she could give to complete Kairi's question at this point.
After all the turmoil and destruction the world was inevitably forced into, there had only been little to no trace of her former lover she could find. Once the world had been harshly plunged into Hell, it was like he vanished along with it. Watching the news reports and reading through every tabloid and newspapers she could get her hands on that involved the missing former CEO of the Mishima Zaibatsu was undoubtedly beyond the help she was hoping for. Investigators around the globe did a relatively poor job of collecting information and suspects regarding his disappearance.
"What was he like? How'd ya meet him?"
There was a chuckle in her throat. "I knew you'd ask that." She shifted on the bed a bit to face Kairi. "The first time I met your dad was when I entered the fifth King of Iron Fist Tournament."
Kairi slightly perked up at one particular word she heard. "Tournament? Like in Smash Bros.?"
"Uh...well..." she faltered as she became uncertain of what to say. A tournament in a mere video game was far more different from the competitions she had entered in actual life. However, the two shared one thing in common. Whoever came out victorious would be awarded a prize that people would cause a fuss over. "Yeah. I guess you could say that," she said, turning her attention away from her daughter. "I entered, so I could fight against other people that looked tough and for the prize money to help with your great-granny's sickness."
"Did you win, Momma?"
With a shake of her head, she only gave a smile. "No. I didn't win, but your dad sure did."
"He did?!" she exclaimed with happiness. "My daddy was there, too?"
"Of course. I might've lost the tournament, but I did get to fight against some really skilled fighters, so that was a big bonus for me," stated the mother. "But your dad, he..." she trailed off, trying to search for the right words to describe him. "He was definitely strong. I know because I fought him in a sparring match, but he ended up defeating me. There's also something he once told me, too. He told me never to underestimate my opponent, no matter how they appear to be. But he also told me never to underestimate myself." she went on. "After he told me that, I came to admire him so much. I would try everything I could to see him again so that I can have a rematch, but he'd always end up avoiding me." she paused, her face becoming serious. "I've noticed that he often liked to keep to himself a lot. At times when I find him, he's either training alone in places where people weren't around or just disappear. I use to think it was because he was shy, but that wasn't the case. He was so mysterious, but that's what made me like him so much." she recalled, putting her head on her knee.
"Why's he mysterious, Mommy?" she probed.
She shook her head, releasing a chuckle. The child was undoubtedly full of questions tonight. "Well, because he preferred being by himself. He would always wear a hood over his head to hide his face so that no one could see or recognize him. He didn't really like being in places with many people around."
"Daddy didn't like havin' friends?"
"It wasn't that, Kairi. He just... had his reasons. That's all." she responded.
Kairi frowned as her mother explained about her father. "But why? He ain't some scary monster, is he?" she shivered, her voice filled with fear and worry about his physical appearance. It was bad enough that she knew little of her father; the last thing she needed was for him to turn out to be a scary-looking creature.
A laugh released itself past her lips at her daughter's imagination. "Kairi, no. Of course not. Your daddy is a very handsome man. If he were a monster, then you wouldn't be this adorable!" she teased, reaching over to tickle Kairi's sides.
Fits of laughter came from the young girl as being ticklish was her weakness. "M-Mommy! S-Stop...I can't b-breathe!" she panted out, unsuccessfully trying to remove those loving hands from her sides. "M-Mom, stop! You're hurting me."
Not wanting to cause harm to her beloved child unintentionally, she immediately withdrew her hands as if they were dangerous weapons. "Eh?! I'm sorry, baby. Mommy didn't mean to hurt you." she apologized, searching for any bruises she may have left on the girl's tiny body.
What surprised her most of all was that Kairi was mischievously grinning from ear to ear as if she were proud of herself. "Ha! Gotcha."
Not taking too kindly to the harmless prank, her face went from worry to anger. "Don't do that!" she scolded, causing Kairi to shrink back, filled with guilt and disheartened. Feeling regretful for snapping at her daughter, she let out a sigh. "Please, don't do that again, sweetheart. It's not good for you to play around like that. What if you seriously got hurt? You nearly gave Mommy a heart attack."
"Sorry," Kairi murmured, hanging her head low. She looked up when a hand found its way on top of her head.
The woman only gave a smile in forgiveness. "It's alright. Just don't joke like that anymore, please?"
The girl nodded, relieved that her mother was no longer furious with her. "Okay, I won't."
"Good," she said, placing the stuffed cow next to Kairi. "Try to get some sleep, alright?" After giving her a small kiss on the forehead, she turned out the light and went to exit the room.
However, there was one more thing that Kairi wished to know. "Mommy?"
"Yes, Kairi?" she answered, turning back to the little girl, who was snuggled in her bed.
The silence between the two passed by, waiting for the other to speak. "Did you love him?"
And just as she asked this, Kairi could've sworn she caught a flicker of sadness in her eyes. Seeing her mother unhappy is a sight she openly disliked. To make matters worse, she felt directly responsible for causing that sorrow within her. It only made her feel dreadful than she already was.
Her grip on the doorknob tightened as she felt mentally cornered. She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. "Yes. Of course, I did," she replied truthfully. There was not one single lie hidden in her response. The love the two had for one another was much deeper behind closed doors than people thought. There was not a day that passed by without her mind drifting back to him. She could only recall how devastated she felt about the news and the newspapers supposedly reporting him "dead". However, the choice of her losing hope was something she refused to take. "I loved your dad very much. I still do, even to this day. He was so stubborn, but that's what made me love him in the first place. There's a lot of things I never really got to tell your daddy before he left, Kairi." she started, pausing for a moment to find her voice. "But I bet if he were here on the day I had you...he'd love you so much. He would do everything in his power to be the best daddy to you more than anything else." she continued, her eyes softening themselves. "He'd do anything any good dad would."
Kairi remained silent and allowed herself to deal with the new information her mother told her. Despite everything her mother has told her about her father, there was still one more thing she was curious about; who exactly was her father? If he was a participant in the fifth tournament her mother had participated in, then she knew that winning the tournament had risen him to be a well-known man.
"Goodnight, Kairi." sounded her mother, bringing the girl out of her thoughts.
"Oh! Goodnight, Mommy," she said in return, letting her eyes fall closed.
She stayed to examine her now sleeping daughter for a while before shutting the door. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she came to a solution that completing a few chores around the house before bed wouldn't be too harmful.
With her mind already set into motion, she decided that the living room would be the first place for her to clean. The solid wooden floor creaked quietly as her feet took her throughout the halls of their beloved home.
However, as soon as she approached her destination, she immediately felt the instincts of frustration kick in. "You've gotta be kidding me." she groaned as she inspected the area in front of her. The unclean and disarranged room did nothing but bring utter displeasure to her nerves. There wasn't anything more than motherly love and affection she held for Kairi. Yet, there were times where she couldn't help but come to her wits' end when it came to her daughter creating such a mess.
"Kairi..." she whimpered in slight despair at having to clean up the enormous mess. "Just what am I gonna do with you?"
4 Hours Later
Raising her upper body, she hung the last remaining clothing on the outdoor laundry line. Her arm wiped away beads of sweat that once lingered around her forehead. "That should be all of it. At least, I hope so..." she said, wiping her hands on the soft surface of her long skirt.
After finishing the long list of chores she made for herself, she felt the effects of exhaustion taking over her body. A peaceful sleep was the only thing she longed for. Wanting the need for a seat, she allowed her feet to trudge aimlessly back to the front of the household. Once she reached the front porch, a lone rocking chair appeared in her sights. A fuzzy feeling crept into her heart. She kept her gaze focused on the chair that was in front of her.
A warm smile tugged its way to her lips as she softly glided her fingers along the smooth surface of the object. There was something she found unique about the chair that was positioned on her porch. It once belonged to a person she once loved dearly.
"Grammy." she murmured.
The center of her universe.
The most important thing in her life.
The woman who raised her with love and firm discipline from a mere child on her own.
Her grandmother.
How could she ever forget?
The chair creaked softly as she seated herself in it. The young woman felt calmer and collected than she ever did, ever since she entered into motherhood. She slowly rocked the chair back and forth, allowing the fond memories of her beloved grandmother to replay themselves in her head. The woman was a remarkable woman. A beautiful combination of warmth, kindness, laughter, and love. She was the kind of woman who was willing to move heaven and earth for her grandchild. The woman was filled with warm hugs and sweet memories. Despite her kindness, she was also a no-nonsense woman. Not only did she raise her with love, but she also raised with firm discipline. She was definitely no sugar-coater when it came to scolding her when she did something considered unacceptable. Much like with Kairi.
Honoka.
That was the name given to her as a mere infant.
Faint wasn't the only thing it meant.
Harmony and flower.
The very true meaning of her name. After being raised by her gentle and loving grandmother since childhood, Honoka grew into a sweet and kind, yet naive young woman that people came to know and love. She remembered all those times her friends would get annoyed with her silly and oblivious moments, but what irritated them more was her constant apologizing, even when she wasn't at fault in most situations. However, that's what they loved about her. She was their favorite "airhead," and nothing was going to change that.
Even when people aren't capable of showing her kindness, she would still return it. She was too pure for this selfish world they had to live in. There was not one person anyone could think of who would take a considerable dislike to Honoka.
Her grandmother.
Her daughter.
Her friends.
"Ji-" she abruptly cut herself short, almost allowing the word to roll off her tongue. A hand found its way to her mouth as if feeling ashamed of having the audacity to utter the name of the devil himself. The man she cared for and loved the most—the missing father of her child.
"Jin." she murmured, her voice filled with a hint of sadness. Honoka allowed her eyes to close, relaxing in the comfortable rocking chair.
Moonlight pooled down on two figures that lay intertwined in a bed. Her rosy, red eyes fluttered open due to the sound of a beating heart. She raised her head to see the man that she was lying next to.
In her eyes, she saw the man that she loved dearly with all of her heart. However, in the public's eyes, they despised him greatly with every fiber in their bodies. They saw him as an evil enemy who ruined the lives of countless people he sought out. Not even her closest friends were huge fans of him due to his status as heir to the Mishima Zaibatsu and the bounty on his head.
Despite his choices as a ruthless leader, she wanted to stay by his side at all costs because both she and her lover knew the reasons behind his actions. Reasoning that the world does not know of and will never understand. Only she would be the only one to understand his motivations and love him, no matter what.
Her eyes directed themselves at the clock nearby. From what she could tell, it was nearly around midnight. Yawning, she swung her legs over the bed, her feet touching the soft carpet floor. Before she made a move to stand, she took a look back at her lover, who was still asleep. Regardless of how strange it made her seem, she enjoyed watching him sleep, his handsome face overcome with peace and bliss.
Smiling softly, she stood up. Picking up a white long-sleeved shirt that was scattered on the floor with the rest of the clothes, she carefully slipped it on before buttoning up to her breast. Looking back at her partner with love-filled eyes, she headed to the bathroom. As she went towards the tub, she let out another yawn. "...I could use a nice, warm bath..."
Filling the bathtub with water and bubbles, she removed her shirt, letting it fall gracefully to the floor. Before she got in, she placed her hand in the water to check the temperature. She relaxed as the warm liquid climbed its way up to her arm.
The young woman felt at ease as she slowly lowered herself into the water. The bubbles tickled at her skin as she broke through them, burying her body between their light bodies. The pleasant smell of floral essence filled her nose while she watched the suds skim the surface of the water. She leaned back, the cold surface of the tub touching her back as her mind started to drift off into her world. "Grammy..." she murmured. It was the name of her beloved guardian that she loved dearly. When her thoughts about her grandmother came to mind, she gently glided her fingers across the edge of the bathtub. "...I wonder how you're doing up there." There was a moment of silence before a giggle escaped past her lips. "What a dumb thing to say... of course you're doing okay. You're resting up there."
As she relaxed in the warm water, her hand landed softly on her flat stomach. She rubbed it affectionately, her eyes filled with love and care, but held worry and fear at the same time. "Grammy...I'm scared..." she said, her hand balling into a fist. "...I don't know what to do anymore..."
Fear did not leave her body for a second. At such a young age, carrying a child was one thing the young woman could not handle, especially when her lover was unaware of his child's existence in her abdomen. Sex might have been what she was willing to be ready for. However, becoming a mother around this age was something she was not prepared for.
"He's out of control. What do I do, Grammy? Everything he's doing is wrong...he's practically the most hated man in this world. I love him so much and I know he has a perfect explanation for them, but... do I stay by his side, despite his actions?"
The girl might not have been the sharpest tool in the shed, but she understood everything that he was doing was immoral in every way... but she wanted to stay by his side no matter what he did. However, should she ever continue to support him through all of this, the public would see her as a villainess among side him. It was bad enough that most people who knew who she was through her lover saw her as naive. A naive little girl who's so blinded by the love he showed her to see through his wrong actions.
After a few minutes of bathing, she decided it was time for her to leave the bathtub. She got dressed in a violet, flounce satin kimono robe and stood in front of the mirror, silently brushing her salmon pink hair. She tied her hair into a side ponytail while the rest of her flowed down past her shoulders. A small smile appeared on her face. From growing up, she always loved styling her hair like this. Her grandmother thought the hairstyle suited her well as a child.
Before she could do anything else, she felt strong arms wrap themselves around her waist. A squeak escaped from her throat.
"Relax." the figure commanded calmly and as soon as she recognized the master of the voice, she relaxed.
"Jin..." she whispered, blushing slightly. "Sorry. I didn't wake you did I?"
A chuckle released from his throat. "No, of course not," he replied, resting his head on her shoulder. "I noticed you weren't in bed, so I came looking for you. I knew you'd be hiding in here." he lightly teased, pulling her closer to his chest.
Honoka only had a gentle smile and silence was the only response to him. She wanted to say many things to him, but her tongue felt as if it were being held down. However, Jin saw through his lover's false smile and frowned. Nothing between the pair felt the same. Ever since his decision to declare war on the entire world, he noticed the change in Honoka's persona. Day after day, she would slowly go from being a sweet, yet childlike young woman to someone he barely knew. Unexpectedly, he found himself preferring her bubbly behavior over her much darker and gloomy one.
At first, Jin was not fond of Honoka. He found her constant presence around him to be an utter nuisance. In his eyes, she came off as nothing more than an incompetent and simple-minded little girl. Her inability to appear to work on time and her failure to meet his high standards annoyed him.
Excuses were one of the many things he had zero tolerance for. But what highly use to irritate him the most was her constant apologies. He despised being told an apology more than once. It only showed how pathetic they indeed were.
The girl was a little too nice for her own good. Even when he would verbally eviscerate Honoka for her failure, she would still display kindness towards him with an apology and a promise to do better. A commitment was a thing Jin couldn't have a single trust in, especially when the person couldn't live up to it. His actions of hiring her into the company slowly started to haunt him. He once found himself close to banishing her from the company not only for her constant errors but for the humiliation he had to overcome because of her.
No. He wanted to do much worse to her. Worse enough for him to see the sheer fear and humiliation on her face. Pain and pleasure were both things he wanted to inflict on Honoka as punishment for her blunders and disobedience.
No.
He had no desire to do that.
It was not what he desired.
The devil that continued to live within the inside of him did.
The devil held lust towards Honoka, not him.
Jin felt nothing but pure disgust towards himself at the thought of taking joy in bringing suffering to his innocent employee. The thoughts his devil had of Honoka were disturbing and repulsive. He was fully aware of what the devil inside him was capable of. With the devil, there were no good intentions involved. The devil was far beyond showing mercy towards those he deems are beneath him. Bringing pain, suffering, and even death to those he considered beneath him was what he took great joy in. However, Honoka's life would only be spared by the demon, for he wanted the innocent girl all for himself for his own sadistic pleasure. He vowed to himself that he wouldn't allow the devil to possess him for that to happen. If he ended up harming Honoka, Jin surely wouldn't forgive himself.
His thoughts were interrupted when he felt delicate arms wrap around his torso. Soft lips found their way to his neck, her hands roaming his perfect body. He felt himself stiffen uncomfortably as her kisses slowly started to give him pleasure. He stood still as her lips traveled to the center of his chest. As much as he wanted to enjoy it, he couldn't. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to hold himself back if things were to escalate further between them. Jin had been too rough on the young woman the last time the pair had intercourse. To make matters worse, he even enjoyed it. Since he could not control his demon genes, he felt like a complete monster.
However, Honoka disagreed. Much to his surprise, she admitted to him that she rather liked it. Jin wanted to question her sanity at that point. Just who in their right mind would enjoy sex with a monster like him?
Jin watched as Honoka continued to leave kisses on his bare skin, her soft hands exploring his body. Her head rose, allowing her ruby eyes to meet his brown ones. She leaned up to his face, her eyes falling closed. However, just as her lips came close to coming in contact with his, a hand roughly found its way to her neck. She felt the ground beneath her leave her feet.
"J...Jin..." she gasped as she struggled to breathe. Honoka's hand found its way to his arm in an attempt to pry his hand from her neck. A red misty aura erupted around her right hand, allowing her to take advantage of the situation she was in.
A hiss and growl came from his throat just as Honoka's ignited hand came in contact with his skin. His grip around her neck stayed tight as he had the overwhelming urge to make her suffer even more for her actions. However, due to the burning and searing pain he endured, he immediately released Honoka from his hold.
Jin glanced inwardly at his hands, then looked at Honoka lying on the floor. Holding her sore neck, she let out a few coughs to recover the air in her body. "Honoka...I'm so sorry."
"Jin...it's okay."
However, Jin gave her a stern expression. "Don't be foolish. It's not." Honoka gave no response as she continued to stare at him. "Do you even realize that I could end your life without a single thought if that swine were to take over me completely?"
Honoka stood up to her feet to face Jin. "But you didn't kill me, Jin. I don't think you would," she said, shaking her head.
Jin turned away from her. "I would have," he replied, not once taking a glance back at her. "Not only you but... our child as well."
"Yeah." Honoka unconsciously agreed. However, as a second passed by, her eyes widen in shock and realization. "W-Wait... how do you-"
"I'm not ignorant, Honoka." smiled Jin with slight amusement. "I knew exactly what you were up to."
"I...um... I-I wasn't up to anything." Honoka stuttered nervously, scratching the back of her head. Seeing right through her failed attempt to fool him with her lie, Jin only shook her head.
"I must say." he paused. "Your grandmother has done well in raising you. Lying isn't one of your strong suits," he said, shifting to face Honoka. "Your skills in being an undercover agent seem to be lacking as well." he finished, pulling out the main piece of evidence he secretly had hidden away.
Honoka gawked at the used pregnancy test she had meant to dispose of for good. "H-How'd you find that?!"
"Never mind how I was able to find it." Jin reprimanded with a glare. "Why would you keep something like this from me?"
Honoka opened her mouth to answer but immediately shut it. She was unsure of what answer to give him after hiding away this information for so long. There was once a time when she overheard him saying that he had no desire for children or a family of his own. His strong vow to put a permanent end to the Mishima bloodline was getting in the way of what she wanted the most. The devil gene is what coursed through the veins of the Mishima members. Jin's father longed for it to become much more powerful, while Jin wished to rid of the cursed gene.
Letting Jin find out about her early pregnancy on his own was the last thing Honoka wanted to happen. She had planned on waiting for the perfect time to inform him that she was carrying his child. The better the timing would be, the less uncomfortable the situation would be.
"Because...you don't want kids," she answered, looking away from him in shame.
"What?" he questioned, a tiny hint of anger lingering in his voice.
Honoka remained silent before finding her voice to speak. "I heard you, Jin. You said you had no intention of having a family and I know why," she said as she stared into his pupils. "It's because you wanna get rid of the devil gene, isn't it?" she questioned, a lump forming in her throat. She knew what his answer would be and she didn't wish to hear it.
Jin looked down at his lover and let out a sigh. "Yes."
Slowly taking in his response, Honoka gave a sad smile and tore her gaze away from him. Hearing him admit it right to her face hurt. But what was painful to her the most was hearing him say he didn't want a family. Not even with her. "I see."
"However," came his voice, making her snap her head towards him. "from the start, wiping out this cursed bloodline had initially been my sole purpose." he paused, taking a step closer to his lover. "Until I met you, of course." he finished with a small smile.
Her heart swelled with joy at the words that came from his own mouth. "J-Jin, I don't know what to say." Honoka was uncertain if everything that was transpiring before her eyes was an illusion or not. Hearing Jin, of all people, admit his feelings to her was the least she expected. A gasp left her throat when two strong arms suddenly wrapped themselves around her small frame. He buried his hand deep in her hair and pulled her closer to his chest. A furious blush formed across her face. Honoka had been hugged by Jin before, but it didn't just feel like any usual hug for an unknown reason. "H-Hey! What the heck's gotten into you? Is Devil possessing you again?" That was a valid question. His devil form could be sweet-talking her and she wouldn't even realize it until it was too late.
Jin gave no response and proceeded to hold her. A shiver ran down her spine at the feel of his warm breath tickling against her neck and shoulder. His lips gently caressed her soft skin, earning a tiny moan from Honoka. "Jin..."
Her voice went unheard as he continued to leave a trail of kisses on her neck. His large hands roamed over her curvaceous body and to the front of her robe. Jin gently pulled at the silk belt that held her robe and slid it off her shoulders to allow it to fall to the floor.
Jin stood back to take in the sight of the young woman, who was now bare to him. His hazel eyes held lust as he examined her voluptuous figure. Regardless of how self-conscious Honoka felt about her body, Jin always appreciated how well developed she was. Women would vie to possess such a physique that had curves in just about the correct places.
Honoka brought her arms to her chest to cover her bust from Jin. "Look, I know I'm getting fat and all, but you don't have to look at me like that, Jin." she pouted with her face flushed with embarrassment. It was bad enough he had discovered her little secret before telling him, she didn't need him telling her how different her body was getting.
"I simply beg to differ your statement, Honoka." he objected with a slight chuckle. He reached out and removed both of her arms from her chest, earning him a small yell in surprise. "You seem to be gaining it in just about the right places to me." he complimented, focusing his gaze on her free breasts.
Honoka looked elsewhere, refusing to allow him to see how bashful she felt. "O-Oh, you're just saying that." she countered.
"I assure you that I am not." he disagreed. Honoka opened her mouth to argue back, only to have a moan release past her lips.
Ruby red eyes fluttered open, revealing the dark blue starry skies. She took in her surroundings and saw that she was still in the rocking chair. It was bittersweet in both ways. Being with Jin was a dream she hoped would be part of her reality, but instead, she woke up alone in her beloved grandmother's rocking chair.
With both Jin and her grandmother no longer with her, she felt lost and empty. Honoka, without a doubt, would have loved for her daughter to meet the two of them.
Kiari getting to meet her father for the first time was what she wanted to see the most. It would be an interesting, yet touching scene for her to watch. As silly as it sounded, she would've had the aloof and cold man wrapped around her little finger from the moment they met. If Honoka's grandmother were still alive, she would've spoiled Kiari as much as she can. Her friends practically adored her.
Standing up from the chair, she strolled along the wooden floor into the house and to the kitchen. Her red eyes focused on the small link board that hung on her wall beside the fridge. Torn pieces of newspapers and photos were pinned to the board, each linked by a string of tape to assist her in establishing the father of her child's disappearance. When she informed her friends about creating a link board to search for Jin, they didn't take her seriously at first. Of course, they were shocked at seeing how much effort she made to do such work as investigation because she was known to them as being a bit slow in the head. Honoka may not be the brightest, but she was most definitely not stupid.
"Jin...where are you?" she questioned, reaching out to touch the board. "So much has happened since you've been gone." She smiled softly, reminiscing the time she had to give birth to their offspring.
Hospitals weren't one of her favorite things in the world. Being alone in that delivery room was a chilling experience for Honoka. Neither Jin nor her grandmother was there to help her get through the painful process of giving birth. Her friends were her only support. Having the sharp pain come and go in her abdomen wasn't a feeling Honoka very much enjoyed. She couldn't understand how having to push out an infant could hurt so bad.
At first, she was terrified, but after laying eyes on her newborn baby girl, the fear she once had instantly vanished. Her innocent little eyes made Honoka forget everything that had happened around her. Nothing else mattered to her during that moment she held Kiari.
She was told that Kiari looked very much like her mother and even possessed her child-like demeanor. But she very much had every bit of her father in her.
"If only you were here to see Kiari now. She's so much like you." she laughed a bit, dropping her hand from the board. "She wants to see her dad so badly, Jin. When are you going to give that opportunity?"
Of course, Jin wasn't present to answer her question. The only thing that was left for her to do was to find the devil himself and bring him back to reunite with not only her but also his child.
A faint smile came across her lips and she looked towards the window. "I guess I'll just have to ask you in person."
TO BE CONTINUED
I genuinely can't tell you guys how happy I am to finally post a chapter for this story after 4 long years. There was a chapter that I once posted 4 years ago, but I deleted it and replaced it with this chapter because I didn't know which approach I wanted to take with Jin and Honoka meeting each other and how the two would slowly form a friendship before they actually start wanting each other.
There was a chapter that I once posted 4 years ago, but I deleted it and replaced it with this chapter because I didn't know which approach I wanted to take with Jin and Honoka meeting each other.
Also, I didn't really know much about Honoka at all when I wrote this story. The only thing I knew about is that she's raised by her grandmother, possesses a strange power, and has connections to Raidou, Ayane, and Marie.
I'll be honest with all of you, when I played the story mode of DOA6, it didn't leave me a good impression. The story mode explaining Honoka's existence was terrible. The game overall was disappointing. But at least we know who she's related to.
Now, I don't know much about her grandmother. The only thing I know about Honoka's grandmother is that she's gentle and sweet. That's all I know.
It's going to be a little hard for me to write out Jin and Honoka because they're personalities are totally opposite. Jin is more of the calm, stoic, rude, and aloof type while Honoka is sweet, easy-going, and a complete airhead. Yeah, Honoka is an airhead, but she's not entirely stupid. She's kind of like if Natsu Dragneel and Orihime Inoue hooked up and had a baby. Both Natsu and Orihime can be airheads, but smart at the same time. They both like to eat, except Orihime uses her head instead of her gut.
I was going to write out a lemon in this prologue, but I didn't wanna make you guys uncomfortable by putting in a sex scene and it's in the prologue.
I could've paired any DOA girl up with Jin, however, Honoka is one of my favorite characters in the DOA franchise.
For my story, I personally prefer the animation from Tekken: Blood Vegeance than from the video games themselves because in the movie, just about every single character looked gorgeous. However, I will follow the cannon storyline of the video games.
Now onto the voice actors of my story. At first I didn't like Honoka's english VA, Kira Buckland but as time passed as I got to know her character, I came to love her voice. Now for Jin, I personally prefer Darren Daniels, who provided his voice in Tekken: Blood Vengeance. The reason why I use the alias Darren Daniels is because I don't know voiced Jin. At first, it sounded like Patrick Seitz but he had came forward and said that he didn't do provide his voice for Jin. For me, I feel like whoever voiced Jin did a good job.
I'm sorry for the long wait and rambeling. You guys are awesome. I hope you enjoy the story in the future.