The Jin Saga 2 - Chapter 23

Chapter 23 - Epilogue

Melissa stood, fully repaired, facing Jin in his office. “Yoshimitsu is returned to its rightful owner,” she said with a bow.

“Good,” Jin noted. “It seems all your work is done, so…do as you wish from here on out, Melissa.”

“I beg your pardon, Master?”

“Go. Be whoever you want to be. Return to your father or go on vacation or get a job or travel and see the world. Anything you want. Your mission is complete.”

“If I may say so, Master Jin, can I not do all those things while still working for you? I only ask to be paid as you do for your other employees.”

Jin raised his eyebrows, intrigued. “You wish to stay?”

She nodded. “I like you. I know Father made me this way, but it’s still true to me. Even if he could program me otherwise, I don’t want it.”

“So long as that’s what you really want…”

“I am certain.”

“So be it. You do excellent work. Dismissed, Melissa.”

After the blue-haired android left, Jin checked the time to see it conveniently lined up with another meeting he wished to have, away from the office. He made his way to Mishima Polytechnic where he stood just outside waiting.

Panda accompanied Ling Xiaoyu to this day. Some things hadn’t changed. The Chinese girl saw him standing alone in his long black coat, staring at her. He stood across the road, underneath a tree. A small breeze passed through, shifting his hair and coat. At first, she froze and then slowly walked to the figure, certain he could only be a dream.

“Jin?” Both his eyes looked gold, like the rumored evil creature that lurked inside of him, yet his expression did not look malicious.

“Hello Xiaoyu. I’m different than the Jin Kazama you once knew, but I wanted to see you and apologize. I’m sorry I had to keep myself away from you for so long and that you had to see what the worst of me can do.”

“Am I dreaming again?”

“You dreamed about me?” He looked up at their surroundings in thought, holding back a smile.

She nodded. “What…”

“I died,” Jin interrupted and told her in a steadfast tone.

Tears streamed in her eyes, remembering the tales of the Mishima curse Yoshimitsu told her.

“I died, and I became something else,” he admitted.

“You’re still Jin to me. We’re friends, remember?” Xiaoyu tried to keep her voice from cracking. How long had she wanted this moment? And now that he was here, she could barely think of what to say.

Jin finally allowed a nostalgic smile of his to form, and he thought back to that night by the fire when he told Nina the only way he could think of Xiaoyu at the time. “I do remember. You’re the only person who could ever see me that way, even after everything I’ve done. Thanks for that, Xiao.”

“What’s going to happen now?” she prodded.

The young CEO looked at the ground and half-shrugged. “Who knows? I have a lot of powers these days but seeing into the future is not one of them.” He looked up and at her. “There isn’t an undo button on the world. Humanity already had its problems before mine. Peace must be actively sought; it is not something I can give though I’ll do my part. I end my declaration of war and will work with the opposing leaders on the next step.”

“Will you keep ruling the world?”

Jin narrowed his eyes, not in suspicion, but in assessing his own plan. Xiaoyu couldn’t tell the difference and so swallowed in uncertainty as she waited for his response. “That depends on many things, such as those leaders. I can’t imagine people as a whole would have me as their leader after the chaos I’ve caused, but…some institutions and people were attracted to my power and wanted to be a part of it. Others are truly dependent on what Mishima provides. So, it is yet to be decided.”

An awkward paused passed before Xiaoyu spoke again, her cheeks flush with pink. “Are you and Nina…?”

“When I want to be with you, I will come see you. When I want to be with Nina, I will go see her. It really is that simple.”

“I see…” She bowed her head. There was an edge to his voice, but she could envision even the Jin from some years ago feeling that way without bringing himself to say it aloud for fear of  hurting her feelings.

“Have I upset you?” he asked, as if to confirm exactly what she thought, softening his tone.

She shook her head. “It’s just…oh Jin I missed you so much!” She opened her arms and tightened a caring embrace around him. He awkwardly placed his right hand on her back to return it. “I missed you too. I need to go. See you later Xiao.”

Jin made sure to walk out of her view before teleporting away.

[…]

Miguel stood in the same place as when he last spoke with Devil Jin, staring up at the tree as if the silhouette would re-appear. He turned around to see Jin approaching in his usual long black coat, noticing the gold eyes. “How do you feel?” Jin asked him.

“Somewhat back to normal. I knew I’d find you here. Our little deal is done, right? Because I helped those girls.”

The devil host nodded.

Miguel scoffed with a wry smile. “So when you asked if I had a human life to give…”

“There’s no guarantee either of them would have been killed, and Melissa is not human. Still, the act had value.”

“What will you do next, Devil?”

“Change is coming. Our pact is over, and anything more on the answer requires details not suited to share with an outsider to my organization. Wait and see. If you ever feel like coming back though, do tell…“ Jin paused, looking the large specimen over. “You were an unexpected treasure.”

The Spaniard looked away with uncertainty. “How can I? You’re the enemy. I know you can’t bring them back, I know what you are, Jin Kazama, but you still took them from me. The pain is transformed and remembered. I cannot kill you, but I cannot ally myself with you again now that the fog has cleared. I fell weak, clinging to life. To do that again…it’s…a betrayal.”

The young CEO looked at their surrounding area with a long pause. “If you say so,” he noted.

“Am I wrong?”

“Who would know better than you, the depths of your own heart?”

“But you can hear such things. Can you not? That’s why…”

Jin raised his eyebrows. “The depths of evil, of ill intent…if I wanted to, I could hear them. Such things may be in your heart, but they are not the only things. I’m sure we can find each other, should you reconsider. Farewell.” The young Japanese man disappeared amid black feathers and wind, as was his custom.

[…]

At last, Jin and Nina found time to have a meeting of their own in his office. “It’s good to see you alive, Jin. I know it wasn’t in your plans, but I’m still glad.”

“Surprisingly, you’re not the only one.”

“Are you going to tell me what actually happened?”

Jin looked contemplative, knowing she wanted what anyone who knew about the devil gene wanted to know. “I’m still a monster, just not as evil,” he confided and then laid out the same plans he had told Xiaoyu earlier. “Looks like your position is still open if you want it for a while longer. I can’t offer any specific time frame. It should stay interesting enough for you, I should think.”

“That depends. Do you and I have anything here? Beyond me working for you.”

“I went to see Xiao…” he began to explain.

“And?” Nina asked, downplaying her interest

“I can call her my friend again,” Jin decided aloud.

“That’s…nice,” Nina spoke in a careful maner.

“Yes,” he remarked thoughtfully. “So I will tell you the same thing I told her. When I want to see Xiaoyu, I will go see her. When it’s not concerning work and I want to see you, I will come see you. No commitment and you know my condition…so physical intimacy would have its limits.”

Nina had no interest in commitment either. It was a relief really, and she said as much, followed by “You know, you could have an operation to help with that. There are things people do to their bodies to not have kids, men included. Have you considered that? And are you absolutely sure you don’t want kids?”

He blinked, flummoxed. How had he not even considered it? Well, that was easy, actually, keeping every notion of romance or lust as downright impossible, a general detachment from humanity, be it his own or connecting with others like Nina or Asuka. Could it really be done? Other questions started to arise, questions he needed to ask Devil at another time.

“I guess this means you haven’t considered it,” Nina said, noticing how he had fallen into deep thought, nearly forgetting she was even in the room.

He blinked again and slightly shook his head, snapping himself out of the stupor. “You sure you want to be with someone like me?” Jin inquired. “I’m quite self-absorbed, as you can see. Hard not to be with two power-hungry monsters in here.”

She snickered. “Yeah, I know, yet somehow you…you hide it well, Jin Kazama, but I can see you, the one who poured me a glass of wine and opened himself, just a little bit, when asked.”

“It was just business,” he said, feigning innocence.

“I’m sure,” she replied with gentle sarcasm. She walked up to him and grabbed the lapels of his coat. “I can at least kiss you now, right?”

“Bring it,” he replied with a faint and sly smile.

Nina leaned in, and her lips touched his, their tongues intertwining. She tasted warm unlike the cold heart she wore on her sleeve. It wasn’t like drinking power from Devil, but it was strong and sensual. Nina smiled as she pulled away. “Not bad rookie. You’ve had some practice somewhere.”

His gold eyes shimmered. “That’s just going to have to be my little secret.”