RLT 2: Insane, Deadly, and Going Postal?

A/N: Thank you, Salysha, for the proofreading!

Disclaimer: I do not own Tekken.

Prologue

~x~

"It's been a month now."

"I know."

"There hasn't been any sight of him yet. You don't reckon the worst has happened?"

"No, but I am worried about Jin, too. He disappeared right after Hwoarang did."

"Yeah, I know. Should we look for him, too, then?"

"No. If anything, Jin isn't himself right now. It might be dangerous for us to even go near him."

"But—"

"Steve, trust me on this. I know Jin, and I know what the thing trapped inside him is. It isn't a good idea to go and find Jin unless we know where Hwoarang was," Lee said as he stepped away from the kitchen sink and over to the fridge.

Lee and Steve had vacated the temple a few days after Hwoarang had disappeared. Then, two weeks after that, they had left for New York and rented a three-bedroom apartment.

Lee had given orders to a few "workers" of his to keep a search on Hwoarang. For now, Lee and Steve were going to stay on the down low. Neither of them were sure what would happen if they were caught snooping around for answers. So, Lee had ordered a few of his people to do it for them.

It was just the sitting around and waiting that was the hard part. They had been in New York just over a week now, and still, there was nothing.

Steve had felt that the longer Hwoarang was missing the worse it could get. For all they knew, the redhead could be dead and now forgotten. It was a scary thought, but Steve knew not to rule it out.

What made things worse was that Jin had gone on his own to search for Hwoarang. Lee had a feeling it was due to the devil within. He had figured it out because Jin had been so upset after Hwoarang disappeared that he had snapped and left without thinking. That, in itself, made things all the more dangerous, and not just for Jin, but for everyone.

"All right, Lee, but we have to do something soon," Steve said and looked up at Lee.

They made eye contact and Lee sighed, nodding his head, knowing Steve was right.

~X~

Jin Kazama walked through the forest slowly, taking in his surroundings and admiring their beauty. He was home back in Yakushima, where he had grown up with his mother. He didn't know why he had decided to go there; he just felt it was his best option.

He made his way over to the lake and sat on a rock near it. He had been at his home for several days now, mostly thinking and trying to sort everything out. He was so worried about Hwoarang that he had to clear his mind and do things right. Not let the devil inside him take over.

Jin took off his sandals and placed them to the side and stood up, removing his shirt and pants afterward. Once he was fully undressed, he stepped into the water until he was waist deep and dived under.

If there was one thing he missed about living in Yakushima, it was bathing in the lake. The water was refreshing and cleaner than any water you got in the house. When he was swimming, he felt as if his soul was free. It really was comforting.

Popping his head out of the water, Jin took in a deep breath, letting the air go through his lungs again. He pushed his hair back and stared up at the night sky. The stars were shining and the moon was full, shining down on the waters and making the lake all the more beautiful.

He briefly wondered if Hwoarang would have liked this, too. If Hwoarang was been there, would he stare up at the moon with him or would they be too into each other to notice? Jin's mind turned to the two, sharing hot kisses and gentle touches as they fooled around in the cold water, feeling hot from their passion. If Hwoarang was there with him, there would be nothing to worry about.

But Hwoarang was not there. Jin didn't know where Hwoarang was, or where to find the redhead. He wasn't even sure if he was still alive.

~X~

Hwoarang stared at the dark floor beneath him, but he didn't see a thing. His mind wasn't focused on anything. The vision in his left eye was blurry, and his eye was bloodshot from too little sleep; his right eye was swollen shut from a cut across his face.

Chains wrapped around his wrist and ankles, holding him to a wall and off the ground. His feet were bare, dirty, and bit bloody from all the times he had struggled to get free by scraping them off the wall behind him.

The man who was keeping him hostage was a big surprise. He still couldn't believe who it was, even after he had seen him, talking with him, and even after the man had smacked him. The man, Lord Kaji, was a mystery even to him.

Even so, Lord Kaji had left Hwoarang in a dark state of depression. The redhead was confused about everything that had happened to him in the past. Now, he wasn't sure what had happened, why it had happened, and whom it happened to.

Nothing made sense to him anymore. He felt lost, confused, scared, and angry all at once. He wanted out, but another part of him wanted to die.

That one tragic experience in his life that had happened years ago was now haunting him in the face. In a single moment, it had disappeared and never happened at all. But it felt so real…. I was there. I saw it all happen. I heard everything! Didn't I? Was it just a dream? No. it wasn't a dream, I didn't make it up… but then… but then, how is he alive?

Did I kill the wrong man? Is this just a sick joke? Are they making me see things that are not real?

Or was it all a lie? Did I just pretend it? I couldn't… it has to be a trick! Or is it not real at all? Maybe I am dreaming?

Hwoarang slowly raised his head and stared at the dark door in front of him. It looked so far away. He knew he would never reach it. He had tried so many times and, each time, he had failed. It was useless now. He had lost his hope and his spirit days ago.

If what he had had with Jamie had been just a dream, then he believed Jin had been one, too.

To Be Continued…