Glass Metronome

Chapter 1: repetition

The sun's rays shone through the forest trees, casting beams of light and warming the earth beneath. Summer had just began, and it was perhaps one of her favorite times of the year. Zenrei Kazama took off from the wooden steps leading up to her home and landed barefoot on the grass, feeling the spring of morning dew on her soles. She took a deep breath in through her nose, exhaling from her mouth.

"Ahh, the sweet smell of summer!" she exclaimed, clenching her fists and would give out an excited squeel. "And lucky me, I have a whole week to do whatever I want before I go back to training!" She grabbed two bands from her wrists, tying her hair up in two spiked buns on each side of her head and turned to see her father standing at the doorway, staring at her with concern. Meekly, Zenrei walked over to him, pressing her yellow sundress down with her hands and placed them together on her lap before looking up into his eyes, batting her eyelashes. Zenrei resembled much of her mother, her light hearted spirit, her innocent gaze, even that playful pout she had, that usually made him melt. "Is it alright if I go into town today father? I wanted to have a little bit of fun with some friends from school." His eyes narrowed, keeping serious but gave up quickly.

"Alright, but not for too long, be back before it's dark.. Don't talk to anyone you don't know, and stay awa-"

"I know, I know, stay away from any strange men with guns or suits or pointy hair, I've got it... I know how to take care of myself, I'm almost 13!" She crossed her arms over her chest, puffing out her chest and cheeks, which were a bright rosy color. He rubbed his temples, raven black bangs dancing in front of his eyes before heaving a heavy sigh.

"I'm sorry, I'm just worried... you're all that I have left." He tried to give her a smile, but even she knew him better than that.

"That's not true, you have Yuki too, plus...Mom's out there somewhere, I know it, and she will be back soon!" Zenrei  hugged her father briefly before slipping on her shoes and grabbing her bag, whistling loudly and watching the white bear come rushing to her side as they took off into  the city.

He watched her disappear before turning back to head inside his home.

"Jin" a gentle voice called out to him, carried with the wind. He paused, unsure if he had heard what he thought was true. Once more, the same voice seemed to call out to him "Jin~" He didn't want to turn around, afraid that this was all just a plague on his mind, but his body said different, snapping his head in a quick motion with bated breath seeing the image of a woman he had been dying to see  for years.

"Xiao?!" He gasped, keeping his eyes focused on the woman, not wanting to remove them for fear she'd vanish.  There was a slight delay before she answered back.

"Jin...I've missed you so," her arms were spread out and smiled, "aren't you going to hug me?" That same playful tone of hers resonated within his mind, sparking something within. His Xiao was back! He rushed to her, even though he felt so heavy, as if his body could not move, he made his way to his lover who had been missing for nearly 5 years of his life.

"Xiao, I've...missed you. It's been so hard going through this without you." He wrapped his arms tightly against her shoulders, squeezing her tight as he used to, hoping to never let go. "Where have you been?! Are you hurt?" He looked into her face, gazing longingly into her hazel eyes, which looked rather pale.

"Why did you hurt me Jin? Why did you allow yourself to do such horrible things to me?" her voice was shaky, but Jin looked pained, as if he felt he betrayed her. "You ...hurt me, you said you'd always protect me like I did you..but you didn't..." There was a sudden pain in his back, sharp blades scratching along his shoulders dragging down his skin like knives. His beloved was tearing away at his back, but he felt he deserved it.

"I didn't! I woke up and you were gone..." His voice trembled with regret, but the blood that trickled from his sides only felt like a brief relief. "Forgive me Xiao... I won't ever let you go..."

"It's too late, you weren't there for me...for us..." Her voice sounded more demonic, a voice he knew all too well and turned to see that she was not the Xiaoyu he thought she was. Her skin was glowing a bright purple, her hair white as snow and eyes that were darker than the blackest night. Behind her was his mother, Jun Kazama, who had blood running down her body over her tattered clothes. "You couldn't save either of us..." They seemed to be carried away, off into the woods, leaving behind a dark trail which manifested itself into Devil. He stood there, mocking Jin and holding up his most prized possession, his daughter Zenrei.

"Daddy!!" she screamed through a horse voice, her neck being gripped by the claw of Devil, glaring at Jin. "Don't hurt me daddy! Please!!!" He couldn't make out what was going on, nothing made sense, he was spiraling out of control.

"Zeni, I'm right here! I'm not going to hurt you!"

"Daddy! Please...You're hurting me!"  He didn't seem to be getting through to her, until he had seen...Devil was really him. It...was he, who was the Devil, wings and markings, raising her up and grinned.

"I will show you...true fear!" He said in his demonic tone before crushing her neck, hearing her blood curdling scream ring through his ears and take over his body, watching as her lifeless corpse fell to the ground.

~*~*~*~

"STOP IT!!" Jin's voice boomed through the walls of the living room, causing himself to jerk up violently, finding himself alone once more. He looked to his hands, which held no blood, holding his side which kept the sharp pain, but there was nothing there, nothing but the mark of the Devil Gene that still cursed and haunted his life to that very day. Beads of  sweat ran down his forehead and chest while heavily breathing.

"That dream again?" Came a quiet and timid voice from behind him.

"Yeah..." He said once he caught his breath, running his fingers through his hair and wiped his brow of the sweat.

"It's my fault...isn't it?" Jin turned around to face his daughter, who stood mere feet away from him, staring at the floor. "If...I was never born, mother wouldn't have been taken, and you would have been happy living a normal life." Jin lift himself off the bed,  moving over to her and wrapped her in a hug, stroking her hair, fingers caressing her cheek with love and adoration.

"Never think that. If it weren't for your mother standing at my side, caring for me as she did, I would never have had this life I've always dreamed of. If you weren't in my life, things would have been a lot worse..." He made her smile, only temporarily, she still felt like her existence was causing him pain and suffering.  "You remember what your name means right? Zenrei, spirit of goodness, your mother picked that name because she knew you were special...and you are." Kissing her forehead, he took her hand and would lead her out of the room, before looking back, remembering conversations he and his wife had before...she vanished.

-----

"Jin... I want to be here for you, and I will no matter what. You're a good guy, I am the only one who sees that."

"I'm a Devil, nothing can change what I am, not even you."

"Be...that as it may, I accept you for who you are! I love you for who you are."

"You...what?"

"That's right, I said it! I love you, I have for so long, and I'm not going to let you leave me again because you can't accept what I have already. I'm not going to leave, I want to be here...forever. I promise Jin Kazama, I will protect you until my last breath.

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As Jin exited the room, leaving the ghosts of the past, he handed Zenrei some money, patting her head.

"Go find something you like, and have fun, you've got a week before training starts." Zenrei smiled and nodded eagerly, leaving the house, this time...there were no strange ghosts or shadows calling his name, but a visit from an old friend. An elderly Panda came to Jin's side, seemingly saddened after the loss of her charge, but still hopeful. Panda placed her paw on his shoulder and gave him a silent nod while the two sat in tranquility.