So I know its been quite a long while since I updated. I went through a period of burnout/blockage whatever you want to call it but I'm back! This time we're diving into the mind of Jin. On with the usual spiel the chapter title and prompt is from a DIR EN GREY song. Beelzebub is another name for the devil basically and well since this is already AU af - I've decided to take inspiration from the small snippet from Tekken 3's console openning. You'll see what I mean once you read! Glad to be back and I hope you enjoy!

THE BLOSSOMING BEELZEBUB

The old man acted as though everything hadn't happened, he resumed his life unaffected by his actions. He wasn't fazed even in the slightest, and seemed as if committing murder wasn't as serious as it was. How could he sleep at night knowing he killed someone? I couldn't bring myself to look at him sitting across the table from me; cutting into his wagyu steak.

What went on in his mind? How could he continue on as if he had no conscious? Did his crime not weigh on him heavily? I couldn't understand as my gaze slowly drifted to my right, fixing onto the empty seat. It was where "she" would sit. It's sad that I can't even bring myself to say her name – aloud or just to myself. The only thing left from a time when I was truly happy has now been taken from me.

My heart aches much more than my sore, bruised body. I can live with the physical pain but the emotional pain – it's almost too much to bare. It weighs me down more than my strained muscles or my broken ribs. I suppress the urge to scream; my will to shout, the need to cry as my eyes stay transfixed on ornately crafted wooden chair.

She's gone, and all I have left are memories. He took her from me just like that creature took our mother from us. And yet, all I have left are moments that will eventually fade as I grow older. There will come a point where I won't be able to recall certain details or even remember their voices; their smiles, their gentle laughter, the warmth I felt when we were all together. It will all fade over time - That causes me tremendous amounts of heartache.

The more I thought about it the more I began to realize that they were both no longer here on this earth – my soul and spirit shattered. I could almost hear the glass scatter and fall like crystalline rain. I couldn't stop any of it. Moreover, the revelation that both times my efforts were in vain left a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach. I had failed them both – my mother and my sister.

Taking myself out of the trance that caused my thoughts to wander, I turned my attention to the cruel gray-haired man sitting across from me. His aura exuding power as he sipped wine while enjoying his dinner. The sound of his lips touching the glass, slurping the liquid down, made me cringe; closing my eyes momentarily to hide my disgust: before opening them once more to be greeted by his cruel smirk.

He paused to return my stare - his dark eyes cutting into me like a million knives. The smirk he wore now turned into a condescending grin as he chewed.

"Is there something wrong Jin?" He questioned me after swallowing his food, all while dabbing a napkin to the corners of his mouth.

I found myself unable to reply to his inquiry as a lump formed in my throat. I was fighting with so many emotions, and they threatened to spill over in an attempt to reveal what I wanted to hide. My sorrow burned my eyes. I wanted so desperately to release the dam that held it all back - but I couldn't do that not until I was alone and away from Heihachi.

His grin turned into a broad smile. He relished the fact that my pain had finally shown itself; he immediately caught sight of a lone droplet that began cascading down my cheek - one that went unnoticed until it slowly trickled away. My eyes made contact with him for a moment, and it utterly terrified me now that I knew what he was capable of - the lengths he'd go to in effort to rid himself of a nuisance.

The longer I held his gaze, the more I noticed how it appeared to be a merciless glassy black; the way his wrinkled face twisted as his wicked smile grew – it was almost like staring at a demon made flesh. My gaze lingered on him for moment longer - causing something deep within me to stir slowly. It felt as if whatever it was wanted to claw and rip it's way free; hungry to flex its wings and take flight - biding time and waiting for the right moment to reveal itself.

~ Soon. ~ I said to myself, but the voice sounded alien to me. Almost as if it wasn't me at all but someone else – something else. I cleared my throat before wrapping my fingers around a glass - taking it to my lips to partake in its contents. The water cooled the burning dryness I felt; sliding down like a wave of momentary relaxation.

"May I please be excused?" I finally requested after settling the glass back down to its resting place.

Subconsciously, my focus turned to my hands that were clasped together - just out of view, nestled on my lap. I Avoided eye contact with my paternal grandfather as much as I possibly could. I could tell he was analyzing me with scrutiny. It made me feel as if I were nothing but a puppet to him - a means to an end for whatever he had set in motion for me, and more importantly - himself. To him I am nothing but a plaything that he could tear down and rebuild to his liking.

"You may, yet keep in mind that we have a training session early tomorrow morning." He said quickly followed by a low rumbling chuckle, "I want you up and ready. I'll be waiting for you at dojo."

I stood lingering like a shadow for a moment while blankly watching the old man stiffly adjust the cuffs on his dress shirt. Gathering myself, I bowed deeply and began to make my way to my quarters of the estate.

Each step I took while making my way through the lavish halls to my room felt like tiny pieces of the person I was; the person I wanted to be, were slowly chipping away. Is this what it feels like to lose myself? Am I losing the grip I have on reality? Was "she" the glue that kept me held together? Why does it feel as if something is writhing deep inside? What is it? Is it even me?

I turned the gold platted knob to my door while lost deep in thought; pushing my way through as they warped and spun around at light speed. I didn't even register walking to my bed and sitting down. My mind kept circling around and around, making my heart race. My mother and sister were my everything, they were my world and now they are no longer here.

There's nothing to stop me from spiraling and nothing to keep me grounded. How do I continue on in this life without my mother; without my sister? The hardship we went through after our mother passed away was unbearable, but I had "her" with me. She reminded me so much of her and in a lot of way she resembled her as well; her smile, her voice and her quiet laughter. We helped each other heal as best we could during those times; together.

It would seem that I'm alone now, and I have to shoulder this loss on my own - yet I'm not sure how I begin to do that. Without her will I be able to process any of this?

~You have me.~

"I'm talking to myself again, and yet the voice isn't exactly mine." I said aloud, absently clutching the fabric of my school uniform trousers. I got home rather late after studying with Ling Xiaoyu at the library, and hadn't gotten chance to change before dinner.

"This must be my way of coping." I scoffed as my body lifted itself off the soft plush bed, walking straight for the attached bathroom.

~I assure you that you are not talking to yourself.~

I froze as chills shot down my spine; which in turn caused me to stand stone still with my hand braced on the door frame of the entrance to my bathroom. Have I gone insane? The stress of losing my sister and the circumstances of that loss – have they begun manifesting in the form of a mental illness? I can't say anything to anyone if that's is the case. I'll have to just find ways to cope, won't I?

~Why don't you come outside and I'll briefly reveal myself to you?~

"Reveal?" I questioned, scoffing at the fact I'm responding to "myself". My gaze shifted to the balcony as a gentle breeze began blowing the deep red curtain. I must have left the door ajar after walking out to enjoy the sunrise this morning.

~Forest. The clearing you like so much. Go there.~

Doing as the voice requested, I made my way over to the balcony, stepping into the cool night air; I took a deep breath. I'm not even sure why I'm doing this. Maybe I'm lonely and searching for something, anything that I can latch onto to make me feel less so. I'm so uncertain, and yet I'm instinctively making my way to my favorite spot on all of the estate. A hidden clearing that "she" and I found on a hike together. The forest was always home to us – the trees and animals were our extended family. As my thoughts lingered back to my mother and sister – I could feel tears threatening me once more.

My legs knew exactly where to take me. And before long, the moonlight greeted me through the lush green tree tops. The wind's breeze lingered, and with it carried a sense of melancholy. I close my eyes while taking a deep breath in the hopes of gathering myself; of making sense of all my confusing emotions. Hearing the crickets chirp, smelling the scents of the earth and the rustling of the leaves – it felt as if my mother and sister were embracing me. They were trying to comfort me in my time of need.

I could feel a bitter sweet smile tugging at the corners of my lips as fireflies began their nightly light show.

~Now that you've had a moment.~

The voice within broke through my silent longing, pushing through my thoughts and scattering them into the wind. I'm uncertain what to make of it yet here I stood waiting.

"Show yourself then." I mumbled.

Am I trying to hold on to anything I can grasp onto? Have I become so fragile that my mental health is deteriorating at such a rapid pace? I feel as though all I need is a single thread to keep myself alive and going – doesn't matter what it is; a delusion, a false glimmer of hope or revenge.

~Well since you so kindly asked... you shall receive.~

I stood waiting - uncertain of what I should be expecting to see - but I could feel something stirring within me. It made my head hurt, and I could feel a wave of nausea wash over me. Stumbling slightly, I looked to the moon hanging high over the tree tops as a purple hazy figure with red eyes appeared. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. Whatever it was appeared to have wings of mist and a red jewel where the third eye chakra was said to reside.

"What are...?" I groaned slightly trying my best to stay conscious as the world around me spun rapidly; nausea rising, making it hard for me to swallow.

~What am I? A familial legacy. A part of your bloodline. You'll learn in due time. You and I will need to depend on one another very soon. Until then...~

Dumbfounded, I staggered back as the purple specter opened its wings before dissipating into nothingness. So many questions began to form as the nausea began to slowly subside. And my feet with their infinite knowledge of the path back to my room, carried me without a second thought.

A familial legacy? Bloodline? What does that even mean? Walking through the open door on my balcony, climbing back up, I began getting ready for bed in a daze. My mind was restless as it was most of the time, but I knew I had to find a way to quiet my thoughts. I climbed into bed, eyes trained on the ceiling as I waited for sleep to come. Tomorrow I had to train with grandfather. The last thing I wanted was to arrive at the dojo late and upset Heihachi.

-x-X-x-

The wind blew as white and yellow flower petals scattered into the breeze - swirling in a graceful dance as they flew past me. The sound of laughter could be heard as I gently began making my way through the lush morning field. In the distance I could see my mother and sister smiling surrounded by the same white and yellow flowers.

"Mother! Kazue!" I called. My heart swelled with happiness. The two of them looked at me; each with a smile on their visages, and I returned theirs with one of my own. My feet began to carry me towards them without hesitation. I could see my mother braiding flowers into my sister's hair while she in turn busied herself with the task of making a necklace out of white daisies.

The sky was blue, the clouds were a fluffy white, and the sun was radiant, beaming down its warmth and blanketing the earth bellow - But something seemed off - almost as if the very moment could shatter. An ominous presence loomed over my mother and sister - it distorted their laughter and image.

I began to run, hoping to reach them before the entity could harm them - whatever it was I wasn't sure, but I needed to save them. As I tried to close the distance, my mother and sister began growing farther and farther away from me.

"Mother! Kazue! RUN!" I shouted, but they continued to laugh and carry on with their activities as if they couldn't hear me. The meadow changed and became engulfed in blazing flames. The sky darkened and red lighting crackled as thunder roared. My mother and sister nowhere to be found. Instead, they were replaced with a lone shadowed figure.

"What do you want from me!?"

The figure didn't answer as its red eyes stared through me, and its smile mocked me. Somehow I felt as if I was staring at myself.

"Who are you?"

The dark shadow threw its head back, laughter erupting as it did so. Fear ran through me, almost causing my blood to freeze as the chills cascaded over my body. Its laughter, it was shrill, and caused a deafening echo all around me.

~I told you earlier. We'll be needing each other. Soon.~

The specter pointed at me and I reached out to grab my left arm; shouting in pain. I glanced at it quickly and saw a black symbol slowly being etched onto the flesh. It was marking me? Why? Confused and feeling helpless, I stood on the charred landscape, and watched as the shadow spread its black feathered wings - taking to the gray sky. It left behind a single feather.

-x-X-x-

I shot upright in my bed grasping at the bedding with clenched fists as sweat dripped from my face. I quickly realized my entire bed was drenched in it. Catching my breath and slowly coming down from the fear, I began trying to remember the nightmare I had just woken from. It came back to my consciousness in flashes; the spring green field, my mother, my sister, the flowers, the shadow figure, the burning on my arm and the single feather left behind.

It was the same nightmare that plagued me since the Zaibatsu's trip to South Korea - even though there was a momentary pause in its recurrence after the passing of my sister. It was replaced with the re-imaginings of her final moments, and how I was powerless to stop the brutality Mishima Heihachi put her through. I closed my eyes tightly, trying to force out the image of her lifeless eyes from the forefront of my mind - opting to focus on what happened last night and the nightmare.

Everything that happened in the forest last night and now this recurring nightmare re-emerging. Was it a warning? Or was I crazy?

The sound of the alarm clock blaring caused me to jump out of my thoughts. I had a training session with grandfather I needed to prepare for. Quickly glancing at the offending noise-maker, I swiftly turned it off and made my way to the bathroom to get ready as fast as possible. I had very little time to get everything sorted before heading to the dojo. The last thing I wanted was to arrive late and disappoint Heihachi. He hated tardiness, and severe punishment would no doubt be handed out.

I quickly showered, brushed my teeth, fixed my hair and dressed in my training attire as fast as I could - then made my way towards the front entrance. On my way down the long hallway I caught sight of something in the mirror and stopped to see what it was. There on my left arm was the black symbol from the nightmare; eyes wide and fingers trembling, I traced over the mark. How could this even be real? Realizing that I was running out of time, I reached into my gym bag and pulled out wrapping tape. I began rolling it around my bicep in an effort to hide the newly formed mark.

The old man would be livid with me thinking I had gotten a tattoo. Calming myself down by taking deep breaths, I continued to make my way to the entrance hall, deciding that after the session, I'd panic once I had a moment alone, and the time to spare for it.

Busying myself with random thoughts as I hit the bottom of the staircase; I mused about the Mishima Estate, and the mass of land it covered. I often thought that something this excessive shouldn't be allowed in a country with such a dense population, and a lack of space. But if one desired such lavish living space then I guess I shouldn't judge them for wanting to obtain it. As I approached my destination a member of the old man's private military greeted me, and offered to escort me to the dojo.

I bowed and accepted the offer politely, even though I could have walked the grounds - it was nice and a lot faster to get a ride there considering my poor timekeeping this morning. I climbed onto the cart the hired-hand had parked outside. Before I could even blink the vehicle began its journey to the hidden temple; nestled past the forest. Hon-maru - that was the name grandfather said was bestowed upon the structure by his father – the man who built the estate. He never spoke much of great-grandfather. And when he did, he never sounded fond of him, or mentioned him by name for that matter.

I bowed and muttered my appreciation to the lackey as the cart came to a stop outside the elaborate structure, then made my way inside. Pushing the heavy wooden doors open, I was greeted by candle light and a huge bosatsu statue with a meditating Mishima Heihachi sitting before it. I set my gym bag aside and seated myself on the wooden flooring some distance away from my grandfather as to not disturb him.

"You're late," He muttered as he stood to his feet.

I immediately uttered my apologies and prepared myself for whatever the elder had in mind for punishment. I didn't dare try to explain myself to him - it wouldn't matter.

"Stand," he demanded of me; with a tone so icy I couldn't help but shiver as I did what I was told. "Let us begin."

I took up my stance and readied myself for a grueling sparring session.