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JIN

We stared at each other for what seemed like a very long time

"So, that was your whole agenda?" I asked, "Help us destroy Brolpachi and then hopefully take his power for your own gains"

"I never got the chance to take the power from you or Asuka all those years ago," Ashe said, his eyes flashing red, "And I knew you wouldn't make it easy for me. But Brolpachi had more power than all of you combined. I couldn't kill him on my own, so I needed help"

"Aw, the self-proclaimed big bad Ashe needed help," I mocked, "You're also gonna get more than just that. An ass-kicking for example?"

"The only ass-kicking done here will be yours, Jinny boy," Ashe growled

"We all know how this is going to end. We'll fight, you'll lose and cry"

"No, we'll fight, you'll lose and die. How does that sounds?"

"Well, let's find out then, huh?"

Ashe grinned like a maniac

"With pleasure"

He flew at me, swinging his fist. I blocked and rolled his arm away, slamming my fist into his face. Ashe staggered back and blocked my two left kicks, before punching me. He followed up with a right hook and a left front kick. I grabbed his leg on the kick and threw him onto his back, before walking over and grabbing him by the throat. His shin slammed into my back, throwing me aside. I rolled onto my feet, as he flipped onto his and turned around

"Why do you repel the power?" he asked, "It feel so good. To do what you want, to have what you want. All you have to do is give in"

"Don't tell me you're gonna try this again?" I asked, "It was lame the first time around, it's even lamer the second time round"

"You're denying your true heritage"

"Besides, I've got everything I want," I continued, ignoring him, "I've got a family, a good life, friends. What more could I ask for?"

"There's the offer to become like a god," Ashe answered, "Come on, don't tell me you haven't felt it. The overwhelming desire to just give in, let it all take over and not have to worry about a thing. Devil offers all this power in return for one small token"

"Losing myself to the evil like you have?" I suggested, "Sorry, but I'm not that thick-headed or brain-dead as you"

Ashe growled, his wings unfurling, as he flew at me. I transformed as well, slamming into him. We rolled across the ground, as I kicked Ashe off me and flipped onto my feet. Ashe swung his fist, but I batted it aside and backhanded him. Whirling around, he went for an axe kick, as I stepped aside and kicked the back of his knee, making him lose his balance as I clotheslined him, dropping him on his back

"I'm older and stronger," I said, "Despite the fact that you've given in to the Devil, you could never defeat me"

Ashe growled and rose up onto his feet swiftly, shooting a laser beam at me. I dodged it, before firing one in return. Ashe spread his wings and flew over it, as I flew after him. We traded laser beams and ki attacks, before landing back onto the ground. Blood ran down on my body, but Ashe was just as bad

"So, how do we finish this?" he asked, "Keep fighting until one of us is dead"

"You could just give up and surrender," I said

"Never"

"You gave in to the Devil. What's the difference here?"

"I will never surrender to you, Jin"

I shrugged my shoulders

"Your loss, Ashe"

He lunged at me and we fought again. This time, the fight was harder. Ashe was fighting with intense fury. It took all of my abilities to stay equal with him, dodging or blocking his kicks and punches, but not all of them. Soon, we were trading blow or blow, block for block, energy for energy, as we kept fighting furiously in the crater. Finally, I was able to slam my fist into his open rib cage when he punched, hearing a bone or two break, before shooting a laser beam at him and drilling it through his chest. Ashe dropped to his knees, as he turned back to human and the red glow faded from his eyes, while blood ran down his chest

"So, I have been finally defeated?" he asked

"It was your choice, Ashe," I said, "You could have resisted, but you gave in"

"Why don't you just kill me? Finish me off? Stop me from coming back?"

"I won't. I can't. And that's my choice"

I turned my back, but stopped and looked back

"You decide what you do now, Ashe. You can keep fighting against me and losing, or you could do something entirely different and do something with your life. The ball's in your court now. Make a choice"

I turned away and spread my wings, before flying out of the crater, surprised to see that everyone had left. I thought that they have stayed, but I knew it wasn't like that with my family. They would have left, not wanting to interfere, despite how much they wanted to

Family

They were important to me. All of them. My parents, sister, wife and daughter. There could be hope for my brother yet. All I have to do is wait and see. I began the flight home, taking it slowly to mull over things. I finally arrived there something like an hour after the fight. Julia was there to greet me at the door

"You're finally home. I was wondering when you'd get back," she cried, pulling me into a hug

"I had to take care of some unfinished business," I said

"I know. Asuka told me. How did it go?"

"He's alive. I'm alive. I gave him a choice: stay on his original path or choose a new road"

"Oh. Well, we can only wait and see what will happen. Now come on, Akira's been waiting for hours to see you"

"Lead me to her"

Julia smiled and led me into the house and into the kitchen, where Akira was sitting at the table, drawing on a piece of paper. She looked up and smiled when she saw me

"Daddy!"

Akira jumped out of her chair and raced towards me, as I knelt down and caught her in a hug. She hugged me back tightly, as I straightened

"I missed you, Daddy"

"I missed you too, baby," I said, "But now I'm back home and I'm staying"

"That's good. Come see my picture!"

I picked up her drawing and smiled when I saw it. It was of our house, with the three of us standing out the front and a little dog next to us. I kinda frowned at that. We didn't have a dog

"See, that's you, that's Mommy and that's me," Akira said happily, pointing us out, "And that's our little puppy. Daddy, can we get a puppy?"

I looked at Julia, who just shrugged, before looking back at Akira

"Sure thing, honey. We can get a puppy"

"Yay"

"But you have to look after it and take it for walks"

"I can do that. I'll look after him really well," she said excitedly

"That's my little girl. I know you will"

I put her down, as she headed back to the table to continue her drawing

Yeah, family is important. And it's the most important in the world to me. I would never give them up for anything. I would do anything for them. I love them very much

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