Chapter 2: Forced Truth
Jun woke up with a start to an empty bed. She sat motionlessly listening to her surroundings for any disturbances. She didn't hear anything obvious. Then she scrambled off the bed, walking at a slight jog, looking everywhere. It wasn't until she stepped out onto the veranda that she found Kazuya there leaning against the wooden railing. The mornings were cool, so it was no surprise that he now wore a shirt, probably something from the closet which meant it was something that Jin owned. A small smile crept to her face with the implications. She imagined Jin would be unamused.
"You're up bright and early."
"Not really," he said somberly, "Just managed to make it out here."
"Well, that's far better than yesterday," Jun said as she walked to stand beside him.
She was able to get a better look at him—he'd done more than simply climb out of bed; he'd also freshened himself up in the bathroom. "Did you get yourself something to eat?"
"I'll get to that later."
Jun translated this to he probably hadn't even given it a thought and would likely be skipping meals once again. He looked pensive as his eyes seemed to be taking in the scenery. "Beautiful out here, isn't it?" she said.
"Seems like you'd be right at home here."
"Don't you like when it's quiet as well?"
"It's fine," he replied, "I don't hate it."
"There's something you don't like," she stated.
"I don't know," he said after a while. He sounded so distant then that she was inclined to believe him as if he'd been caught off guard and couldn't find an adequate answer.
Jun watched him for another moment. When he didn't say anything further, she made her way over to one of the beige reclining chaise lounge chairs noticing that the weather was perfect for it. So far, the weather had been quite consistent: warm, humid but not too far over 70 degrees Fahrenheit which was in the range that Jun preferred.
"Something to do with Jin?" she asked out loud as the quietness threatened to take a stronger hold.
Jun glanced at him as he took several long minutes before ever uttering a word in reply. He'd found his train of thought—something that seemed elusive for him. "So, you decided to have it."
"Him," she corrected.
"Same difference."
She supposed he had a point and quickly let the matter rest. "I wanted him…even if you didn't."
"You couldn't protect him from his fate, his birthright, even with all your meddling."
"He's far from a lost cause," Jun said steadily, "I gave him the means to carve out a better life for himself—he's still working out how to do that."
"The moment he was given power, he was corrupted. It was irresistible no matter what kind of upbringing he received."
"Heihachi did raise him for a few years."
"Then, that's a few years too long. That bastard probably did everything he could to reverse any lessons you ever taught him. I wouldn't wish that fate on anyone." His hands which held the railing clutched tighter as he spoke.
"I still have hope for him even if you don't."
"I think the world would have been a better place without adding another Mishima into it."
Jun looked at him with a frown.
"You know I'm not wrong. You know what I said before all those years ago still rings true."
"The path of a Mishima…" she said quietly, "of violence, war and bloodshed, the antithesis of everything I stand for. It's difficult to turn away from and no one has ever done it without causing significantly more harm. I know, but…I didn't want that to control my life or take away my happiness. I would take that chance."
"Selfish."
"You're one to talk."
"I mean it."
"Nothing you need to worry about anyhow. Didn't you have yourself sterilized?"
"If I had less of an ego, I'd have done it sooner."
"You know what they say—abstinence is the best protection. If you really didn't want to have a child, then you wouldn't have fucked me as many times as you did."
"We all know it was the other way around, Jun. Some nights you would just show up unannounced."
"And you didn't stop me."
"No, I didn't. But it was purely for pleasure and for your company, not for the purpose of starting a family."
Jun was quiet at this. "I know. Water under the bridge…"
"Eventually…I knew your decision and still I wanted no part of it."
"That's fine, Kazuya…but I wish you'd reconsider."
"Doesn't matter either way. I had nothing of value to teach him, nothing you could not have in a better way."
"That isn't true. You're always being so…dramatic."
When he didn't say anything back, she sighed exasperatedly and then left it at that. She would not win. She could never win. It didn't help that he wasn't entirely wrong. Jin ended up being far more brutal than she ever bargained for. She only had an overview of it all, something that Xiaoyu and Lili had quickly glazed over on the trip here—Jin had been there after all. Though they all got along well, she easily caught on to the subtle layer of fear they had towards her son. Her son who was much bigger than her now, taller than Kazuya, and stronger than him as well, drew quite a lot of attention by simply being in the room, no matter if he did everything he could to look as uninterested and small as possible. Suddenly, they all had to bow deeply, and they had to show proper respect when it came to Jin. Had they not all been the same age, gone to the same school some of them?
Kazuya looked paler than usual and he hadn't looked at her at all since she'd sat down. "Come over here and sit with me," she asked in a smaller voice.
He was being stubborn again and not acknowledging her. She was wondering when that might return. It had been too easy so far.
"You don't need to impress anyone. I know you're in a lot of pain right now. Come sit with me." She waited. A minute passed and then another. "Kazuya?"
"Let me challenge myself a little. If it gets to be too much, I'll join you."
"That's fine," she said taking a deep breath.
Sometimes loosening the reigns worked out better for her, else he might start to scratch at it. There were always other tactics…like feeding him. Soup would be perfect. It always made him sleepy afterwards. It never seemed like something he noticed. A combination of warmth and coziness would always do the trick.
"I'll be back. Going to make us something to eat."
He gave her a brief nod. At least he hadn't protested. As she set about throwing together ramen soup, she thought about her plans for the day. She'd been thinking about exploring the rainforest for some time now and the anticipation was starting to kill her. Sometime apart from him would be cleansing to say the least. Old habits died hard. Long meditation amid the natural world carrying on in its lackadaisical way was a pastime of hers. She was already missing it. She'd be far more able to focus, if she knew Kazuya wasn't getting into anything and he was resting for a good chunk of the day.
There was a table next to each recliner. She set the hot steaming bowls of ramen on them. "Food's ready," she called.
"Just put it here," he said indicating the flat stone that the railing was set against.
Without fuss, she simply walked over and placed the bowl in front of him wearing a grin of her own. "Awkward," she laughed as she sat down and angled herself towards the table.
"Table is too low. This is closer to me," he pointed out.
She looked at both and realized that he had a point. "Still uncomfortable as hell to stand and eat."
"I'll manage."
It was a red herring. While it would have been nice to eat breakfast with him in closer proximity, she hadn't been counting on that to get what she wanted. She was sure he was trying to understand her motivations—this would lead him off her trail.
She sat and carefully ate her noodles—as carefully as slurping up noodles can be, then returned to her previous position. It had been a quiet affair. Kazuya was in his own head again. When he became quiet like this, which was often, that would more than likely be the case. He'd still been eating well after she'd finished. He was idle and daydreaming. The broth was stone cold by the time he finished it.
She silently agonized over her plans, waiting and waiting. Maybe she'd have to push her luck and be more forward about the whole thing. It was still morning, however, and would be for a few hours more. They had woken up quite early today. Finally, she saw some movement in her peripherals: Kazuya joining her. It wasn't the easiest task for him. The chair was low to the ground, so he groaned a little, shakily climbing into it. Then it took him another moment to situate himself on it.
"I'm going to be leaving soon," she said as he was doing that.
"Where to?" he asked wearily.
"Just to check out the forest here, become more familiar with it. Learn some of its secrets. The usual."
"Now?"
"Eventually, when I get up the energy for it."
"Hmph, doesn't surprise me. Every other date had to be on a hiking trail somewhere."
"Well, I'm sure it's more exciting than sitting down for a boring movie."
"There's a time and place."
"I want to…hear the spirits better. When I'm out there, there'll be no distractions."
Kazuya's head laid back against the headrest. She could already read the exhaustion in his eyes; he blinked more often to keep them open. "Must not have anything better to do. What exactly would you even be doing?"
"You should know. Didn't you used to talk to them all the time when you were a child?
"Who told you that?" he asked caught off guard.
"Devil."
His eyes were already closed. He seemed to be enjoying the light breeze that would come by occasionally. "Hm, he must trust you. I…suppose…I used to speak with them…or something like that." His fingers were trembling as his index and thumb squeezed the bridge of his nose.
"Why do you seem hesitant?" she asked gently. "Did you not speak with the spirits on a regular basis?"
"I…yes, I did…There were a great many of them…but Devil, he always seemed to be there, always his voice in my head. I shared…so much with him…"
She waited for him to continue but it seemed like the words were caught in his throat. His eyes were squeezed shut. Just like before! In that moment, she knew that she would have to do something different to avoid this kind of reaction.
"I thought these would have been happy memories but they're too entwined with other things. From here on out, Kazuya, I won't ask you about things from when you were that young…unless you feel ready to talk about it."
She watched as he slowly calmed down. He'd probably been seeing things—flashes of long forgotten memories that he'd rather not be reminded of. His eyes were open looking towards the sky.
"Things from that long ago feels like another lifetime…as if it all happened to some other person and I'm just privy to a lot of details. I don't…remember it very well. Or more like…
"You try not to remember," Jun guessed.
"It's not worth remembering."
"Kazuya, I'm sorry."
"For what?" he asked confused.
"Bringing up stuff that's really painful. I've just been trying to…understand."
"It's nothing to apologize for."
Jun looked away when he said this.
"I want to…answer any questions you have for me. I thought it would be as easy as talking, but it hasn't been."
"You've done well so far."
It was some time before Kazuya said something further. "I don't know what to do. What is there left for me to do?"
"Don't worry about that right now. We'll cross that bridge when we get there, okay? I don't want you to be stressing about things that you can't do anything about."
"I'm sure you have everything under control."
Jun grinned at this. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Kazuya. Listen, we're currently well hidden in one of Jin's remote properties that he owns outright. You have been declared dead to the world. Now there's no distractions. Be clear minded. Recover at your own pace. There is no rush."
"So, I'm dead? Seems apt."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Kazuya glanced at her probably from the change in her tone. "It's ironic, is all."
"You would tell me if you were planning on offing yourself, right? You know that's not an option."
"All this alarm for something like that? You know, Jun, you're the only one in the world who would even remotely care if I perished today or tomorrow," he said with clear amusement.
"Kazuya—
"It would be my just dessert, wouldn't it?"
"Kazuya—
"I haven't thought about anything like that. What would make you worry now?"
"Just something you said—nevermind, it was nothing. I just wanted to make sure. I heard something like that from Jin and…"
"A pity."
"Is that concern I hear?"
Kazuya huffed. "No. I just thought it would be a pity if he died by his own hands after all you went through just to have him, all the chances that you took, all the plans that you made would now be in vain. He amounted to little and died a war criminal."
"Amounted to little? Is that what you call one of the wealthiest people in Japan right now?"
"Since when did wealth impress you so much?"
"Well, it's obviously something that people value and it's hard to come by. To have so much of it—
"Yeah, it could just as well mean that he's simply fucked over enough people to attain it."
"And that bothers you?"
"I know how you think, Jun. It bothers you, doesn't it? What he's done, what he's capable of."
"I have hope, Kazuya, in you and in Jin."
He closed his eyes again. "You might be wasting your time," he said wearily. He yawned at this, turning away as he did.
"Just once, I want you to have a real chance and like I wanted to do before, also support you along the way. You won't be alone this time."
"Do what you will, Jun."
His tone was quite solemn and that concerned her more than anything. Kazuya was not above lying to her. If he thought there was a good reason to do so, he could lie quite convincingly. Just then, when she had point blank asked him about suicide—she wasn't entirely sure if he'd been telling the truth. There were plenty of reasons to believe him, namely because he never seemed to think that way in the past. From what she could understand, he was someone who always fought to survive on instinct. The fact that it would be the perfect time for him to exit the stage permanently was not lost on her. If someone seriously wanted him dead, it would be quite easy to get away with it especially considering that he was quite vulnerable right now.
She waited longer in silence for him to fall asleep, but he seemed more interested in the far-off horizon. "A penny for your thoughts?"
"I don't really have anything important on my mind. And I've never been much of a conversationalist."
It was one of the many ways he would let her know that he wanted her to shut-up so that he could enjoy his own solitude. She had offended him in some way. It was the only thing she could think of to explain his sudden withdrawal. She was quiet only for a little while before speaking up again.
"Spirits, they can amplify human emotions. It's not all the time and it's usually only with specific kinds of emotions. In Devil's case, it can further embed the seeds of hatred until it becomes part of who you are. Your sorrow can be swiftly worsened into something far more debilitating. It doesn't happen every time, but usually if it's something that's been dwelled on, a spirit's influence can take hold at any time."
"Devil would never—
"It's not something controlled consciously; it's a passive effect. Their presence is enough. Since you never knew these things, this has gone unchecked and with Devil being so melded to you, it's even more unpredictable. Being able to have greater control over your own emotions would help you immensely, instead of being strung along from one fire to the next."
"All of this is a little hard to swallow—"
"You already believe in spirits. You've seen them."
"So, Devil was my demise? Is that what you're trying to say?"
"No, I just want you to be aware and to guard yourself. Interrogate your anger and your sadness and make sure that it's justified."
"That sounds…impossible," he said at a loss.
"We'll work on it until it becomes like second nature."
"Right."
He wasn't exactly enthused, but that was to be expected. It was the part that every duo spirit person often struggled with. Having assistance with this was paramount for survival. She thought she could handle a role like that, she already paid special attention to Kazuya's moods.
Slowly, he sat up straighter on the recliner so that he could be sitting on the side of it with feet on the stone. "I'll head back inside. I just keep falling asleep anyways," he said with a sigh. He didn't climb to his feet immediately. Instead, he continued to sit pressing palms into his face probably preparing himself for the difficult climb to his feet and the arduous trek back to the bedroom.
Jun, watching for a while, finally stood up. "I'll see you in a bit, Kazuya."
"Wait."
Jun stopped in her tracks. His voice had been gentle though marked with weariness. With a grunt, he made it to his feet. When he approached her, she looked at him in wonderment.
"Before you leave," he said quietly as he stood a mere inches away. His fingers touched the bottom of her chin encouraging her to move closer.
She found herself enveloped in a kiss, her eyes closed, electrified sensations shooting through her. Every time her lips found his, she wasn't entirely sure when she'd be able to stop. He was stronger today, able to keep up for much longer. Why go anywhere, if she could just be doing this all day. He was being such a distraction! If he didn't end it now, she wasn't sure she'd have the strength to. She was moments away from engaging him further in touch and intimacy, when he finally brought it to a close when he planted his last kiss on her forehead, pulling her closer into a hug. His arms came around her firmly, pressing her into his body, warmth building inside of her.
"I can't keep you here, Jun, so I'll just see you off. Please stay safe. You're used to being outdoors, surviving in nature, but there's still some level of unpredictability."
She could feel him trembling a little, making her second guess her plans. It was clear that he didn't want her to leave and that he would, in fact, be worrying about her the entire time she was away. She supposed it only made sense considering how long they'd been apart. When she had her fill and she felt as if Kazuya was simply stalling, she pulled away from his bear hug—she had to use some force.
"Take care, Kazuya. I should be back by nightfall."
He followed her as she made her way across the porch all the way to the stairs where he finally stopped. She looked back at him when she reached the bottom of the stairs. His expression was somber, even more so than before. She couldn't look at him for long or else she'd be running right back into his arms. Don't go, he seemed to be pleading. Stay with me forever, never leave me again. When she kept looking back, she would see his lone figure until she was too far away to see him. She wondered how long he stood there like that—she hoped he wasn't insane enough just to stand there keeping a vigil until she returned, but she really couldn't put it past him.
Kazuya was the one who had walked out on their relationship, that was the puzzling part. She had felt like the only person trying to make things work. Now it felt all the world like it had been the other way around instead. Maybe she'd ask him about it later. They had all the time in the world anyway.
With Jun gone, he knew his worry wouldn't allow for rest. Still, he thought he would at least try, since he was too exhausted not to. The bed he'd claimed as his own for now felt incredibly soft, raised from the ground with wooden structure in a European style made of quality material. It was a wonder he ever clawed his way out of it. Once it had him in his clutches, it was nearly impossible to escape.
He stripped down to his boxers before climbing in bed under the sheets. He noticed that Jun had refilled his glass with ice cold water, and the pain medication was still sitting beside it on the nightstand. With a sigh, he took more of this knowing that the soreness was ramping up again. Soon, half-closed eyes were looking uninterestingly at the edge of the nightstand. He turned on his back eventually and was looking up at the glass ceiling and cloudless sky—a far better view.
Rest, Kazuya came Devil's voice floating through the air.
"You know I can't," he murmured.
He felt as his worries began to ease away. The intensity vanished altogether. Then, just like that, sleep became inescapable like a hand pressing into his face, weighing him down until he could no longer struggle against it. Even when he heard what sounded like the front door being opened, he didn't have the energy to resist. Besides, it was probably Jun anyway, she was the only one it could have been.
Mom was unsafe. The more Jin tried to dissuade himself from this fact, the more the notion remained. How could she be safe in such close proximity to that warlord whose plans included bringing the world to its knees? The thought of Mom being torn to shreds by that creature never left him and had only intensified the further away he travelled and the more engrossed he became in the innerworkings of Mishima Zaibatsu.
As soon as he could, he put together a task team that would report directly to him. Its ranks only included people he knew he could trust and had already helped him to topple Kazuya's reign in the first place. He needed information, a lot of it, if he was to truly bring the organization down to its knees. His window was growing short and even his own presence was being questioned. Ever since he'd sent them out to gather useful data about the various affiliations and innumerable hush-hush business deals, they'd ran into snag after snag. Things were skillfully hidden out of plain sight. No one person knew the full picture.
After weeks of working off of scant data, he knew that he'd have to get what he needed from the horse's mouth. Heihachi was dead. No one had seen any sightings of him so far. That meant that the only other person who might actually be able to give him what he needed was hidden away on one of his vacation properties out in Africa. He made a brief calculation in his mind and determined that this was the best next course of action.
He wasn't completely clueless to how the Zaibatsu worked. He'd carved out a cozy spot for himself within its structure. R was his bread and butter. He made sure that the department was well funded and staffed and wanted for nothing. He gave them a lot of power and they knew it, throwing their weight around almost recklessly. This is why they were extremely accommodating when he requested a few doses of their proprietary truth serum.
Kazuya had no reason to tell him the truth and it would be difficult to fact-check everything he might tell him. The serum would take out the guess work. This was one of the most effective truth serums out there, no test subject had yet to be able to fully fight its effects.
He took a few days for himself, slipping out of the limelight in Japan using exclusive airlines that would take him places no questions asked and no records kept. This would only get him to the nearby major city. It took a few more days of walking on foot to reach the place due to its remoteness and lack of roads.
Soon, he found himself looking up at the familiar glass building that sat on land a little bit raised from the ground and had a great view of the forest below.
"Mom!" he called out as soon as he entered.
His heart began to sink as he went from empty room to empty room until he came upon his own now occupied by the person he'd also been looking for—Kazuya. There were no signs of foul play, but his mind was already coming up with a plethora of ways Kazuya could have gotten rid of her already. All it would take was a few minutes of indecisiveness. When it came to Kazuya, Mom was vulnerable. As much as it pained him to acknowledge it, she still held some affection for the man against all reason.
Kazuya laid there blissfully asleep, chest exposed, a foot peeking from under the sheets, with quiet steady snores completely unaware that his vision was turning red simply from looking at him for too long. That bastard! He didn't deserve comfort, dirtying up sheets that were not his, having the run of the house completely unsupervised!
He walked away for a little while before coming back to gaze upon his sworn enemy who looked utterly harmless now and obviously not fully recovered from their last battle. Jin had had access to advanced medical care that had allowed him to recover swiftly. Finally, he decided to try and wake him up. Even if Kazuya had done away with his mom, he had to get answers from him first before he could get rid of him.
"Kazuya," he said shaking him roughly. "Wake up."
His face was already furrowing in irritation. "You're back already?" he murmured with eyes closed. Jin stepped closer so that he could hear. "Did you forget something? You're always forgetting something…"
"Kazuya," Jin said louder with more firmness.
It was like he was talking to a brick wall when he seemed to not have heard him at all as he returned unperturbed to his rest. It was then that he noticed the glass nearby filled with water currently perspiring. An idea struck him as his mind went over the different ways the serum could be successfully administered.
Jin wasted no time at all pouring out the contents of the glass and replacing them with the solution—water and tablet dissolved. He mixed it for a while until it was mostly clear, he doubted Kazuya would notice the difference. He placed it there in precisely the same spot where the wet ring had been left.
With this, he made himself comfortable in the living room and flicked on the television to watch the news. He hadn't had the chance to see what the public response was to the recent press conferences he'd personally attended letting the public know about the major changes that would be taking place with the Mishima Zaibatsu. The volume was kept low so that he could pay attention to any movements made in the back.
It was some hours later when he went to go check in on Kazuya. The glass was empty. Jin had no idea for how long that had been the case, but now it was only a matter of time. It generally took a few hours for the effects to truly take hold. He supposed, in a resting state, it would probably take less time. With a huff, he returned to the living room, biding his time.
The energy felt off as soon as she had the sprawling vacation home back in her sight. She didn't see anything different and hoped it was just her imagination. Then again, the entire point of her excursion had been to become more attuned with her own senses and to trust herself more when it came to that. Maybe now she was being put to the test. Please let Kazuya be okay…I only just found him again, I can't let anyone take him away from me again!
Her pace quickened when she thought about Kazuya's safety being compromised. He was particularly vulnerable now. His mind was in constant turmoil wrestling with his own ideology, probably knowing that something would need to change, but had no idea what and by how much. His movement was much slower as his body healed itself naturally with little medication used to speed up the process. Needless to say, it would be difficult for Kazuya to focus enough to put up a decent fight—he wouldn't last long in another physical altercation even if he made it that far.
There were no cars, bikes or anything to indicate that someone had arrived. The spirits were excited and chattering much more than usual amongst themselves, which signaled that something had probably changed about the environment. She didn't have time to try and decipher what they were saying as she made her way to the front door and easily turned the knob. It had been unlocked already, and it hadn't looked like it had been tampered with. This gave her some relief. It was probably Jin.
"Jin, are you here? What have I told you about keeping the door unlocked like this?"
She could hear voices in the other room, then Jin came strolling through the entrance to the room she was in to greet her.
"Yes, yes, but surely we have less to worry about in the middle of nowhere," Jin said dismissively.
"A person can walk here the same way you and I can, but enough about that—what brings you here? Worried about me?"
He hadn't told her that he was coming either, which was strange. As if trying to pull some kind of power move, he'd simply taken it upon himself to come whenever he felt like it. She decided to ignore this. If it was some kind of bait, she would not be biting. It was incredibly rude, though, coming from someone who should have known better.
"I am worried about you, Mom. I'm glad that you're safe," he said approaching her now and placing his hands upon her shoulders. "When I didn't see you here, I thought the worst."
"I hope you didn't do anything drastic."
Jin seemed somewhat amused by this. "Kazuya's fine. Currently taking up space in my bedroom."
"Well, I'm fine. I was never in danger and, quite honestly, a phone call would have sufficed, if that's all you came for."
"Not just that. I wanted to kill two birds with one stone. Kazuya has valuable information that I need about Mishima Zaibatsu—hopefully, a more complete picture of how it all runs, everything behind the scenes, who can I trust, who should I get rid of immediately, who can be talked down, who can be negotiated with. At this point, I've hit such a brick wall with my own personal investigation, I'm in a stalemate with all the old gatekeepers of different aspects of the business. I'm kind of dead in the water until someone tells me something."
"Hmm," Jun said digesting his words, "He should be cooperative. I don't think he has any reason to hide anything from you."
"Why should he be cooperative? Is that just based off your own biased assumptions about him?"
She crossed her arms at this. Jin had since moved his hands away from her. "No. I'm well aware of my own bias, Jin. Kazuya has been cooperative so far. Anything I ask, he would try his best to answer. He told me himself in so many words that he has nothing to hide. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised."
"I hope you're right," he replied ominously.
Jun wasn't sure what to make of it, but she decided to move on. The room had gone cold long ago. "Well, since you're here—I might as well make dinner for everyone. Maybe we can all have dinner together and you can question Kazuya to your heart's content. Sound like a plan?"
"Couldn't think of anything better," he said with a teasing grin as he turned to leave her to her own devices. "One more thing."
Jun looked over at his turned formed curiously.
"Do you often forget things when you leave?"
Jun stared for a moment too long, caught off guard. "Ummm…no. Not anymore, I mean. Not that it matters. I used to always be in such a rush. Just seems so silly now. Where is this coming from?"
"No, nothing. I suppose he was referring to you then," Jin said, before proceeding back to the living room where he'd been watching television.
She stood longer wondering over his strange behavior and then made her way to the back where the bedrooms were tucked. Seeing him clearly still alive and well did wonders for her rattled thoughts. Maybe Jin really was just overly anxious about all this. They would clear the air tonight. Kazuya and Jin could finally just talk and not spend so much time ignoring each other's existence.
It was much harder than she thought to wake him. He would grumble and turn away from her. She almost just wanted to leave him be, seeing such marked resistance. She increased the intensity of her jostling until he finally responded. His eyes were bloodshot as they squinted at the bright artificial lights that she'd turned on.
"Kazuya, have you been drinking?" she asked looking at his state, he seemed a little dizzy, looking everywhere besides her face.
"Huh?" he groaned wearily.
"Drinking," she said more firmly. "Did you take anything?"
He shook his head slowly in what looked like a no, but his furrowed eyebrows remained. She wasn't entirely sure if he was registering what she was saying.
"Okay," she said exasperatedly, "Food in a few minutes. Be a good boy and be ready for me when I get done."
He sighed deeply and his hands were pressing heavily into his eyes. "Yes, Jun…" His words were slurred and hard to understand.
"Are you sure you didn't drink anything? You seem really out of it for someone who's gotten a nice, long rest."
"No…just water. You know I don't drink…haven't decided to start today." It seemed like a struggle just to get the words out and Jun found herself leaning in further and further just to hear.
He was somewhat of a health nut by necessity. She'd never seen him drink alcohol before. Still, if there was ever a time to start, now was it. His eyes were fluttering close again. "You'll be ready, right, when I get back?"
"Promise…" he murmured. "Give me…five…" He sighed heavily again as he placed his palms back onto his eyes as if desperately trying to wake himself up.
"What's wrong, Kazuya?"
"Just a little…dizzy."
She checked his forehead quickly, but his temperature was normal. "Well, just take it a little at a time. We can't always leap out of bed. And, I know you've had a lot on your mind lately."
"Mmm," he rumbled in acknowledgement.
With this, she set about making dinner, leaving him to gather himself on his own terms. Her anticipation grew. She'd been caught off guard, but she was warming up to the idea of them meeting each other properly with her as the mediator. It may not even go well, but the fact that it was happening was a win in her book. Kazuya could be so stubborn and so could Jin. Having something like this happen would have required a great deal of prep work on her part.
Jin never joined her in the kitchen as she cooked. He had, in the past, always been willing to help. Now, he was preoccupied with his very expensive looking phone with the television on in the background going over all the sensational and controversial news that were happening in Japan. It was around an hour later when she had the plates made sitting in the kitchen.
"Food's ready, Jin. I'm going to get our other guest!"
She zipped over to the master bedroom to drag Kazuya along. At the very least, he now sat on the edge of the bed with clothes on—Jin's clothes to be more exact—but he seemed completely in his own world looking into the distance with a lost expression, eyes glazed over in either fascination or pure boredom.
"Earth to Kazuya," Jun said clicking her fingers in front of his face.
She'd been standing there for almost a full minute, and he had not reacted to her. He jumped at her clicking. He had looked genuinely frightened for a split second and this immediately made her regret her own hastiness. Quickly, he returned to his usual neutral expression.
"Jun?" he questioned as if he could not believe his own eyes.
"Are you ready?" she asked.
"I managed to make it this far. What's so important that I must come to the table? Just bring it in here. I promise I'll be extra careful."
"This just sounds like you're giving up," she said haughtily.
"I'm not—It's just…something feels off: myself, you—I've never seen you so excited about mere food, this place…Was that you earlier? Did you come in earlier?"
"What? Yeah, I did, to tell you to get ready."
"No, before that…"
"It took me a while to wake you and it's easy to get the timing wrong when you're not fully conscious."
"Sure, but…"
Jun wasn't sure what he was getting at, but perhaps it had something to do with what she was about to tell him anyway. "It was me, Kazuya, now come on, let me help you up."
He didn't actually require much help at all, but he seemed hopelessly distracted. It was difficult to get a read on him. She supposed he didn't exactly look well-rested. Something seemed to be draining his energy. She'd have to get him to eat more regularly.
"By the way," Jun began when they had made it to the hallway, "Jin will be joining us for dinner."
Now that he was already walking, she was hoping the momentum would bring him through. She couldn't allow Jin to simply ambush him though. It was only fair that he knew some time beforehand so that he could have the choice to back away, if he truly wanted to. But who was she fooling? She was planning on dragging him into the dining room kicking and screaming.
"What?" he asked sharply, finally pushing through his own fog for a moment. He had stopped in his tracks and Jun had turned to meet him.
"He stopped by earlier—"
"Why would he be visiting now? Did he say?"
"He was worried about me—"
"A simple phone call wouldn't have sufficed?"
"Maybe he needed more than that to ease his worry. You two aren't exactly on the best terms."
"Did you know he was coming?"
"No."
"He's up to something."
"How could you say that about your own son?"
"If this is something he's never done before and suddenly he's doing it now—it's obvious that there's more to his visit than a simple get together. We can barely stand to be in the same room and he wants to 'join us for dinner'?"
"Yes, Kazuya, what's so weird about that?"
"What's so weird? Do you hear yourself, right now?"
"You never have anything nice to say about Jin—all I hear are warnings and disparaging comments. How about for just once, you give this a chance."
"Jun, even on the premise that nothing's amiss, I have no interest in ever getting to know him. I told you that already, but you're too hardheaded to listen. And I certainly don't have the energy to do it now."
"Kazuya!" she said in a harsh whisper. "You were being such a good boy before and then you turn around and do this?"
"This is a line…I'm not willing to cross."
"He's not a threat to you any longer. He's even allowed us to stay at his place—he didn't have to do that!"
"All the better to keep us under tabs. I wouldn't be surprised if there were cameras set up across the house."
"Where is this even coming from?"
"Jun, I can't believe I have to say this, but Jin is not a nice person—
"And you are?" she shot back.
He took up one of her hands. "I'm not one for making promises, but you have my word that I will not seek revenge against him."
Jun looked at him longer, noticing how glassy his eyes looked, how his coloring seemed off and how beads of sweat were forming on his forehead.
"Then, I'll have to take your word for it. Are you sure you're okay? Let me check you again." She raised the back of her hand to his head and didn't notice anything unusual about the temperature of it.
His gaze faltered. "It's just…hard to focus," he said wearily.
"Well, all you've had was ramen and that was hours ago. You must be starving. Maybe some food will help."
"Jun…"
"Do it for me."
"I've had nothing to do with the decisions he's made thus far."
"You know that's a lie—you've factored into his plans before, and you've actively tried to kill him."
"I had nothing to do with his upbringing—I can't change the fact that I exist in this world. Nor do we have any meaningful relationship. I've not had the chance to poison his mind with the same philosophy that my father drilled into my head. I'd rather it stayed that way."
"You don't have to be Heihachi."
There was a look of defeat in his eyes that immediately began to irk her. "Why do you have to be so dramatic! Just don't be an ass. Try that and maybe you might be able to establish a genuine relationship. It doesn't have to be so doom and gloom! We can start over right now."
"Is that what Jin wants to do or just wishful thinking on your part?"
"Suddenly now you know him better than I do?"
"Only in this one instance—you didn't fight him, I did and it was not one that neither of us took lightly. You can learn a few things about a person that way. A man who wanted to kill me with all his heart does not change his tune after a few days. It would be naïve to think that that isn't still on the table."
"Are you calling me naïve?"
"You're setting yourself up for failure. Nothing will come of this."
"Will you at least be cordial?"
"Are you giving me a choice in the matter?"
"I'm not."
He looked utterly annoyed, but Jun was determined. She turned, taking up his hand, and started off to the dining room. He was a little unsteady on his feet and ended up stumbling behind her as her pace quickened. She never felt any resistance, he never pulled back. She stopped upon making it to the entrance and it took him a moment to catch his footing. When she glanced over at Kazuya, she noticed a slight blush across his face and his eyes looking elsewhere. Jin already sat at the table, at the head of it and he looked quite amused. She wasn't sure how much he had seen, but it was enough.
"Don't be shy, Kazuya, have a seat. You look a little pale."
He faltered a little as he stepped forward and then wordlessly sat down at the nearest chair. There was a smugness in Jin's expression that made Jun uncomfortable.
"Jin, is there something you'd like to tell me?" she asked.
"In due time," he said only affording her a glance. "You follow orders well. Now I'm starting to see why Mom has never been afraid of you." He was reaching down pulling a recording device out of his bag in the seat next to him
Jun took a better look at Kazuya when he didn't have anything to say back. His head was already bowed with one hand holding it up and the corresponding elbow resting on the table.
"Kazuya?" she said shaking him. "Talk to me."
He wouldn't acknowledge her, and his eyes looked unfocused, pupils dilated.
"Give him a moment to catch is bearings," Jin said, "It can be quite startling to suddenly have access to every bit of information your brain has ever stored."
He was sweating and trembling again and probably completely lost in whatever was going through his mind just then.
"Jin, what is the meaning of this? You come here unannounced and now this? I don't remember you being so underhanded. Let's just clear the air. What was the real reason you came?"
"You can't see the forest through the trees when it comes to Kazuya. You're harboring a hardened criminal, but that's a discussion for another time. No one's perfect after all. I need information from him—information that only he would have. Taking down the Mishima Zaibatsu from the inside is easier said than done even if you happen to be the CEO of it. This empire has existed for a long time, and it won't be toppled overnight."
"If you needed information, then you could have just asked him."
"Sorry, Mom, I don't share your naiveté. I needed to make sure I was getting the most quality information. The truth serum I administered should work just fine for my purposes."
Jun closed her eyes and took a deep breath. All of Kazuya's paranoia about Jin had not been completely off base. She hadn't really interacted with Jin in years outside of the brief moments she'd had with him recently. Perhaps he was more far-gone than she had thought. It could just as well be Devil affecting his actions, but with the spirit taking on a much more subservient role, such effects weren't as strong.
"What does it do?" she finally said, "Does it have long-term effects?"
"You mean, will he be okay? It just depends on how he takes to it, how much he resists, his own mental fortitude. The drug enhances the subject's access to their own memories and makes them more susceptible to suggestion. Answering questions becomes irresistible to one who is currently freefalling through their memories, directionless, barely aware of what's happening before their very eyes, like a raft for one who is adrift at sea. It's a gradual process, but once it's done, then the subject is ripe for questioning."
"What have you done?" Jun shouted, tears had sprung to her eyes, "What have you done!"
"Mom, this was necessary!"
She stormed around the table approaching Jin until she was only inches apart, the fact that he had moved back a little had not escaped her. "Do you not respect me at all anymore?"
"This had nothing to do with you," Jin said steadily.
"It has everything to do with me. I told you what I mean to do—you are directly hindering that. Kazuya, he's…already in a precarious mind state. There's no telling what all this could do to him or what the setbacks might be. Why would you not just ask me first?"
"Because you would never have let me do it. Tell me you would."
"I would have helped you like I always have and always will. If I was the one asking the questions, he would have answered them truthfully and especially if I told him why you needed to know."
"He would be fine with my goals of putting the Mishima Zaibatsu out of business—the entire source of my family's wealth?"
"You'd be surprised. He's not exactly fond of the Mishimas."
Jin looked disgusted as she said this. "You ever wonder if he just says things just to make you feel better, but it's all been one big, fabricated lie?"
"Anyone can lie, Jin—"
"Yes, and this serum ensures that that is no longer a factor. Do you plan on stopping me?"
Jun broke her gaze and then found a seat nearby. "The deed has been done. No need to waste it. Know that I don't approve. This was stupid, rash, and harmful and I expected better from someone who I raised. I will stay here to make sure you don't get carried away. You have to wonder though, does this really work as advertised?"
"Are you curious about it?" Jin asked with a knowing look. "Maybe if you ask him something that you already know the answer to—
"Kazuya, would you have told Jin the truth about the Mishima Zaibatsu without being compelled to do so?"
He hadn't blinked in some time, but now he looked over at her, his expression no less confused. "Yes, I would."
"Why?" Jun questioned further when she noticed Jin's dissatisfaction.
Kazuya's eyes seemed trained on her as if trying to steady himself and then he simply sat back in his chair with eyes closed. "The Mishima Zaibatsu is where we have always drawn the most destructive power to wield across Japan and beyond. With it gone, you would severely limit the Mishima's influence upon society. There was a time when I thought I could use its power for good, but I was never in a position to change the already established culture there and I had been full of hatred of my father, and of the world because I had never known peace and because warfare was the only thing I was taught. The machine can run itself and it will trample over anyone who gets in its way. It doesn't matter who's at the helm. It will run itself. It is the monster that has always existed in one form or another. The Zaibatsu has many fail safes in place. Careful that it doesn't swallow you whole."
Jin stared at him in open suspicion and disbelief. "You want me to believe that you even lifted a finger to stop the organization? Admit it, Kazuya, you've only ever looked out for yourself."
"I'm often not in a position to do otherwise."
"Look at me when you speak, Kazuya. I'm not sure if I can believe anything coming out of your mouth. Tell me something embarrassing about yourself, something you have never told anyone else, something you would rather take to your grave."
"Jin!" Jun shouted. "That's too far—
"What's wrong, Mom? Are you scared of what we might find out?"
Jun looked over at Kazuya when she heard a strangled grunt come from his direction. His forehead was pressed into his hand and his expression strained. Sweat began to bead further and then slowly, blood began to creep down from his nose.
"You have to stop this—
"It hurts more, if you resist," Jin said loudly, "Just speak your truth. It's too late now to turn back—unless you want to die right now. Either way, win-win situation for me."
The room became quiet when Kazuya finally looked up at Jin with eyes that seemed a bit more clear. "Lee and I—
Jin laughed at this as soon as he heard the name. "Lee? Chaolan Lee?"
"Yes. Lee and I—
"Don't tell me you've actually fucked him before."
Kazuya's mouth was a line. "Yes—
"Was it an actual relationship?"
"Yes," he began with a sigh before Jin interrupted him again.
"I can't even see it. You must have been desperate as hell. It couldn't have lasted long."
Kazuya simply looked at him unamused.
"Oh, it lasted?" Jin chuckled at this, "For how long?"
"On and off again," Kazuya had managed to say.
Jin laughed at this for so long that Jun had to step in when it became obnoxious. "You've had your fun. I'm not even sure what the big joke is. If that's really the 'embarrassing' secret, then it wasn't much of one. I'm…relieved really."
She could tell Kazuya was quite perturbed as she noticed the redness on his face. She wanted to reassure him. No matter what was said today, she would still love him.
"Relieved?" Jin said drawing her attention, "What do you mean?"
"That there was some brevity in between the constant barrage of abuse from his father. I wondered how anyone could survive such a thing. Even the small snippets I heard…I can't imagine an entire childhood like this by yourself. Being able to lean on someone like Lee…I think I'm beginning to understand how things really went."
Jin snorted at this. "Pathetic. Do you really buy into that, Mom? The way he blames his father for everything and takes no responsibility for himself?"
"I doubt anyone has ever thought that Kazuya was completely innocent, but that wasn't the point of your visit."
"You know," Jin said thoughtfully as he seemed to consider all that had just transpired. "This answers the question I've always had as to why Lee ever helped me in the first place. No one in their right minds would have. He would always admit to the riskiness of the whole thing but never why he would take it in the first place. Maybe it was due to some weird loyalty he still had to you."
"That would be idiotic, even for him. Lee didn't live this long because he dives headlong into risky situations for sentimental reasons."
"Is that admiration, I hear?" Jin asked.
"You would be a fool to underestimate him. If he helped you, then it was to his advantage. And seeing as you're still standing, I assume you thought better of actually crossing him."
Jin could only grin. "Perhaps you're right. I was seeking your wisdom anyway—one which you thought I had no need for. I suppose I have one other burning question before I get to why I'm really here. Since I have your candid attention, you can finally tell me about Devil and why you felt the need to saddle me with such a burden—who has only ever been the bane of my every waking minute until recently, when I was finally able to impose my will."
Jun noticed Kazuya's annoyance almost immediately spring forth as his brow began to crease at the mention of Devil. Kazuya had few friends. She imagined he wouldn't take kindly to anyone bad mouthing any of them.
"That would be no easy task. I would…have to start from the very beginning."
"Then start there."
Kazuya's mouth had grown tight again, the information probably there at the tip of his tongue anxious to break free while at the same time he was reluctant, ashamed, and intensely resentful. It was painful to watch, but there were few ways out of this that didn't involve fighting her own son. With his strength reinforced by Devil and Kazuya not at all able to assist her, she didn't think it would be wise to start down that path. Besides, they were talking—not in the way that she wanted, but it was happening, and Jin was slowly beginning to realize that his father wasn't quite the boogey man he'd made him out to be in his mind. Part of that was her fault as well. She hadn't been honest with Jin from the beginning—she was closemouthed, but Jin had still drawn his own conclusions considering that his father was never around, and she wasn't always able to hide her pain from him.
The only thing that she couldn't truly gauge was how much of this Kazuya could take, but he'd managed to pull through far worse things—she hoped he had strength left for this as well. Though Jin kept badgering him about keeping eye contact, Kazuya's eyes had wandered once again probably deciding how he might say things—however much control he had over that. Then he simply closed his eyes as was his habit whenever he got into longwinded things. Jin sighed exasperatedly at this.
"When I was younger, no more than ten years give or take, I would spend a lot of time exploring the archives. All those old manuscripts, scrolls with calligraphy and tales of the ancients. Tools, clothing, records of our interactions with other nations of peoples. Land ownership deeds, family lineages, and old religious texts. But the things of mythology and our family's history with them caught my interest the most. It gave me a sense of what I'd always been looking for: protection. Father would not bother me when I was there—he saw it as a good use of my time—so I would stay there sometimes just to hide."
"Was this before you met Lee?" Jin interrupted, curious.
"Yes, well before. I only had myself to worry about at the time. I spoke with spirits because I had learned that our ancestors had collaborated with them in this way, in the past. I was so certain that my father would kill me one day, that I sought their protection from his might. The spirits were real and I spoke with them often. They were the only sane people who would bother engaging me in conversation. Everyone else was either servants, teachers or my father coming to punish me for one thing or another. I would often become lost in their world, sometimes for weeks, sometimes for months, but someone would always return me home. I would wake up in a world I no longer wanted to be a part of. I wanted to be like the spirits, to just observe, to not have to engage unless I was so inclined."
"The spirits would take you," Jun asked quietly. "To where?"
"To anywhere, to nowhere, to worlds I'd never known before, real or fantasy, I couldn't tell."
"Very rarely will spirits trust a human to that extent—I've only heard of a few cases. I've never…met anyone who's had the privilege. Oh, how I would love to pick your brain about that. I know it must have been something special. Not everyone survives things like that, but I suspect you already had a guardian spirit, probably Devil, who always made sure you came home."
"It was him," Kazuya said with a small grin of his own. "Devil would stay with me deep into the night and into the morning and sometimes throughout the day. Father obviously didn't take kindly to any of this. In his eyes, I was neglecting my training. He would begin to trap me in places and yet I would still leave. It wasn't until Father almost killed me one day that Devil bonded with me in a way that seemed far more intimate than it ever had been before. I know that Devil brought me back from certain death. We became inseparable. It only became stronger after that, even when I would ignore him at times, even when I blamed him for every bad thing that had happened to me.
Devil has only ever helped me—he's blameless, they are blameless. The spirits could care less about how we mortals choose to destroy ourselves. Devil has only graced me with his patience as he has with you. That was his own choosing. When Father attempted to kill me once again…"
His eyebrows furrowed at this. At long last speaking freely, he had suddenly reached another roadblock. Jun wasn't entirely sure for what reason—what could he be trying to stop himself from saying? He was casually speaking of the times Heihachi was actively trying to end his life, quite traumatic for even the stoutest of men, maybe he didn't want to go into the gory details.
"It's okay, Kazuya, you don't have to go over every detail."
"Who says?" Jin interrupted. "I want to hear it, Kazuya. It's the least you can do for me."
"I thought of you, Jin, in a private moment to myself, that moment right before permanent oblivion, that I didn't want you to suffer the same fate. …D-Devil, he only…he only follows my will… Wherever you were…I wanted you to have the strength to resist anything that the world might throw at you!"
Jin stood up so fast, that Jun didn't have a chance to stop him before he was gathering Kazuya up by the nape of the shirt until they were face to face again. "You cursed me with Devil and now I have triumphed over him!" he shouted angrily as if to convince himself
"You're an annoying asshole who destroys everything he touches! How dare you take Devil for granted!"
Jun ended things quickly when she broke Jin's hold and pushed Kazuya back to the seat he'd been in before. She stood and looked at Jin with an angered expression. "That will be the las time you lay a hand on him! You have rendered him defenseless with your drugs that were completely uncalled for in the first place. He would have told you all that you needed to know without much fuss. This could have been a time to build trust. Instead, you choose to squander that!"
"Peace, Mom," Jin said taking a deep breath and putting his hands up in truce. He moved back to his chair that had roughly been pushed back. "I was beside myself in disbelief. It is due to my father's inherent weaknesses that he has admitted to me today that has ruined my life. Heihachi has always called you weak and now I can see why. That's all you've been spouting since you've gotten here."
"And here I thought I had killed Father with my own hands. How is it that he stands before me now anew?" Kazuya said roughly as he lifted his eyes towards him.
Jin frowned. "Please, I'm nothing like him. I only seek to end what he started. Our family line only brings death and destruction."
"I never wanted our bloodline to continue, but your mother, she had hope. I did not. You are the result, and you have proven me right many times over."
"You don't know the first thing about me—spare me your criticisms."
"I think you two have learned a great deal about each other, far more than either of you had before," Jun said as she found her seat again. "Jin, you now know about Devil's origins. You know things about your father that he would have rather never told you at all. Now, give him your questions about the Zaibatsu so that we can be done with this. Kazuya can only take so much until he'll be of no use to anyone," Jun ended grimly.
Jun thought that she saw a sliver of concern in his eyes as he looked at her with one eyebrow raised. She must have finally struck a chord with him as he gave her a brief nod. He then immediately began bombarding Kazuya with questions about the Zaibatsu.
The discussion became much dryer in comparison. It was intermixed with shocking, scandalous details told in a matter-of-factly way. Jun found herself gawking at times and almost falling asleep at others. She was only glad when the entire affair was over. They went on for over an hour. All the while, Kazuya's condition only worsened. When he was faltering and Jun was moments away from ending it on her own, Jin abruptly stopped. In which case, Kazuya's head fell upon the table in utter exhaustion.
Jin stood up utterly unbothered by the display. "I need some air," he said simply before leaving the dining room.
She heard the door to the patio slide open and close. Feeling safer, Jun made her way around the table to nudge Kazuya.
"Hmm…" he murmured wearily. "Just leave me here a while."
"You need to lie down somewhere."
Kazuya sighed heavily at this. "That bastard…won't get away with this!" he said slurred.
"You can barely get the words out!" she said in a quiet but insistent whisper, "You're just trying to get yourself killed. You can't take him. Hasn't there been enough fighting between you two?"
"Next time…"
"You said you wouldn't, Kazuya. You wouldn't seek revenge."
He grumbled to himself, but he said nothing further.
"Then, up you go. Come with me," Jun said lifting him with more strength than she realized she had to use.
He leaned on her heavily now, but she was still able to make her way to the nearby living room where she dumped him onto the couch where he would remain utterly sprawled. His eyes were closed, and he made no motions towards her. He looked the part of the defeated fighter. Too weak, too in pain to move any part of himself, uncaring of who saw it.
"Kazuya?" she called despite herself. He answered her with his apparent snores, and she listened to them with a small smile. "Later then, baby. We'll talk later. I…won't allow for this to happen again. I will protect you even from your own son who your father already has his claws in. But he will do his part in getting rid of the Zaibatsu. He's strong. I have faith that he can actually do it, but he's not ready for the truth yet. He doesn't see Devil the way that you can.
"I want you…to stay at my side, Kazuya. Continue surviving, like you've always done."