Tekken Short Stories

A Bumpy Christmas

Jin and Kazuya came in while Nina was still having her breakfast in front of the TV. She just waved at them and continued devouring her English muffin.
"Let me guess," Adam said, standing up as soon as the two came in. "You guys are here for Christmas ideas?"
"How did you know?" Kazuya asked, surprised.
Adam just pointed at the calendar resting on the TV cabinet. "Christmas is in three days."
Kazuya smiled. "Yeah. And I still have no idea what to get for Jun." He sighed. "You guys are coming to Excellent's house tomorrow, right?"
Nina swallowed her mouthful. "If we don't, will Anna let me be?"
"Indeed, she won't," Jin chuckled. "Your parents are coming, right, Adam?"
"Yeah," Adam nodded. "They're on the way. We have to go pick them up from the airport later."
Nina finished her sandwich and got up, making her way to the kitchen. Jin watched her leave before pulling Steve's arm.
"What shall I get for Nina?" Jin asked him.
Steve smirked. "How should I know?"
"She's your mother," Jin countered.
"Yeah, but," Steve shrugged. "You should come up with it, pal, not me."
Jin sighed. "Oh, come on!"
"Okay, okay, don't turn into Devil Jin or anything," Steve jokingly said, patting his shoulder. "I wasn't sure what to get for her either, but Dad and I managed to rig something up."
"What did you two rig up?" Kazuya asked.
Before either of the blond men could answer, Nina returned and sat down on the couch again to resume her coffee. The Mishimas shrugged and sat down as well.
"So what's the emergency this time?" Nina asked before taking a sip of her coffee. "What to do for the party or... you need ideas for gifts?"
"The second one," Jin said. "Dad doesn't know what to get for Mom while I don't know what to get for Lars. We need help."
"Shouldn't you be bothering Uncle Lee for Lars?" Steve pointed out, reaching for the remote to turn the TV volume down. "Like... he knows Lars better than us."
"Yeah, but..." Jin shrugged. "Dad wanted to ask you guys what to get for Mom."
"Yes, and Nina has known her for so long," Kazuya added. "Any ideas?"
"You're her husband, shouldn't you know her better than me?" Nina countered, removing her cup cover to finish the last of her coffee.
Kazuya groaned. "Nina, please."
"Fine, fine," Nina sighed. "You wanna go to the mall? I'll call Anna along so that she can help."
"That sounds like a good idea," Steve agreed. "Auntie is good with that sort of thing."
Nina snorted and gave him a light backhand. "I like how you call her that."
"I do too," Steve grinned.

Anna was waiting for them at a cafe on the ground floor. As soon as she spotted them, Anna called them over.
"Let me finish my coffee first," Anna said. "You guys want anything?"
"Nah, we just had breakfast," Nina said, seating herself beside her. "Anyway, where's Tori?"
"She's helping me distract Lee," Anna before taking a sip of her coffee. "I need to get him something too. Thanks for calling me, by the way. I nearly forgot with all the Christmas prep."
"Dad's having trouble deciding what to get for Mom and I'm having some trouble deciding what to get for Lars," Jin said.
Anna scanned them and nodded. "That explains why he didn't come with you guys. Usually, he'd be in on it as well."
"Yep," Kazuya nodded. "I don't know what to get for him either."
Anna sighed. "Kazuya, any suggestions on what I should get for Lee?"
"For Excellent?" Kazuya frowned. "The guy already has everything."
"That's actually true," Jin nodded in agreement. "So I'm getting a trip to somewhere."
"He'd like that," Anna nodded. "But what should I get for him?"
Kazuya shrugged, smirking slightly. "I'm not sure, I'm just giving him a comb of bananas." Everyone turned to look at him in surprise. "What, Excellent loves bananas." Kazuya added.
"Dad, Lee's helped us so much, surely he deserves more than that," Jin said. "He took me in even when you didn't."
Kazuya frowned awkwardly. "You guys seriously can't see the joke? I'm getting him something a lot bigger than that, okay?"
"You better be right," Jin said before turning to Anna. "Maybe you can get him something of your style. You two have very similar styles."
Anna nodded slowly. "Good idea. But what should I get him?"
"What are you wearing?" Nina asked, pointing a hand at her sisters's apparel.
"Why?" Anna asked, looking down at her blue cheongsam before turning her confused gaze back to her sister. "What's wrong with my outfit?"
Nina smirked. "That's not what I meant. Just look at your outfit. Maybe you can get some ideas from there?"
Anna looked at her sister again and tilted her head, still confused. And then it hit her.
"Nina, you're a genius!" Anna squealed. "I'll steal some of his clothes and bring them straight to the tailor. Should I get the traditional long kind, or shall I get the shirt type of changshan?"
"Get him the long one, he'd look good in it," Kazuya suggested.
Anna nodded, grinning. She finished her coffee and stood up. "Let's go."
"I need an idea for Jun," Kazuya said as they left the cafe. "Any ideas?"
"No... but can we stop at Beauty and Bath Works first?" Anna said. "I heard they're having a sale."
Adam and Steve gasped, their eyes shining. Nina rolled her eyes and just went along.