#and i hate even more to see kuai being hated on for being mad at her

[laismoura-art]

I wish to talk about a moment! This dialogue:

Everybody I see talking about this moment only goes as far as saying, "Oh, Bi-Han is sexist >:O"

Which... he is. But more than that, he is:

Tradicional.

He is not saying this because he has a problem with women being warriors per se. He is saying this because, unlike Kuai, Bi-Han still thinks the old Lin Kuei traditions are right and should be followed.

So if the old Lin Kuei says Female Lin Kuei are not allowed, then by all means, Female Lin Kuei are not allowed!

And do you know who else thinks the old traditions are right and should be followed?

Frost.

She thinks the Lin Kuei should be led with iron fists.

She thinks the Lin Kuei should be merciless.

She thinks the Shirai Ryu and the Lin Kuei should remain enemies (and also thinks genocide is justified)

She thinks power should be pursued no matter the cost (even if the cost is your free will or the lives of your fellow clansmen)

But like a child who claims their country was better under a dictatorship, Frost is forgetting one little detail:

She has NO IDEA what that time was actually like!

I mean, she wasn't there! She has no idea what the old Lin Kuei was like!

And by all means, she never WOULD!

Cause as Bi-Han nicely reminds her: The old Lin Kuei, the one he follows and she sooo would rather have, DOESN’T ALLOW FEMALE LIN KUEI!

For as much as she complains about Kuai and how much he disregards tradition, she forgets his disregard is PRECISELY what made her Lin Kuei to begin with!

I mean, if she would rather have him be traditional, he could just have told her to fuck off his temple when she came to him, right?

After all. She wants the traditions to be followed.

He could have beaten her up for being mouthy and questioning his decisions. After all, the Lin Kuei must obey without question.

He could have sent her to face Hanzo (and be killed in the process). After all, the Shirai Ryu must be enemies (heck, he could've even allowed Hanzo to kill her on that one meeting. She started the fight, so she finishes it. Isn't that tradition?)

Also, it's funny that she praises the Cyber Initiative, when it means she gets some cyber enhancers and gets to command an army. But I wonder if she would have liked the ACTUAL Cyber Initiative, the one in which she would be just like the mindless robots she controls.

I wonder if someone like Frost, someone so strongminded, would ACTUALLY stand what the old Lin Kuei was like.

Be silenced? Forced to submission? Used as bait? Cannon fodder? As a Puppet??

Do you think she would stand be through what KUAI has??

I don't think so!

And I think people spend so much time being angry at Kuai for being angry at her that they forget just how much he did for her till he decided he had enough!

Can you imagine how many times Frost called him weak for his decisions?

Heck! He was accepting of her. He was kind and caring of her. He encouraged her to value her humanity and free will. He put an end to a war so she and his other students wouldn't have to fight and possibly DIE in it!

And all that for what? To hear that he's WEAK???

Can you imagine how much that must've sting?? How much that must've crushed his heart??

His heart is not frozen as he claims. It's BROKEN!

And all that because some stupid teenager can't be bothered to learn some history or by all means LISTEN to what the man who gave her everything has to say!

[gay-dorito-dust]

HIII can I request Mk1 Bihan hurt/comfort where you’re REALLY upset with him/worried for him after he’s been gone for days with no communication with these prompts i got from your list 😼. “where have you been? do you know what time it is?” and “you said you’d only be two hours. two!” and then maybe ending it with fluff like i just want him to hold me when i’m sleeping lowkey (even though he doesn’t seem like an affectionate person i feel like he would show it with actions rather than words yk) (i hope that’s not too specific 😭

I’m honestly glad to see someone actually use that prompt list, so thank you anon. 🦦 ooc Bi-Han? Or did I make him too mean?

You knew Bi-Han could handle himself and you knew that if he could see you as you were now, fitfully sleeping, biting your nails, worrying yourself sick over his well-being and whereabouts, he’d scoff and remind you that he wasn’t a child to be worried over. You’ve had your past frustrations with Bi-Han when it came to you and your overreactions -as he would put it- in regards to him going on long missions but at least during those other missions didn’t include the loss of communications.

Kuai Liang and Tomas both tried to quell your worries by reaffirming what you already knew about Bi-Han but after some time you began to grow more and more frustrated at how this ice cold bastard, who would often regard you in cold stares and long solemn silences, whilst continuously invalidating your thoughts and feelings, had made you feel so helpless and so fearful on his behalf; despite fully knowing that he wouldn’t have spared you a single thought if your positions were switched. So when Bi-Han finally decided to return later in the darkest of night, needless to say you weren’t even in the slightest bit pleased to see him with the emotional turmoil he put you through.

‘Where have you been?’ You began, annoyance lacing your tone that only grew more evident when you noticed how unperturbed by all this Bi-Han was, as though it was something that he’d expect you to accept as the norm whether you liked it or not. ‘Do you know what time it is?’ You rhetorically added as you crossed your arms over your chest.

‘I don’t ever remember asking you to wait for me.’ Bi-Han puts bluntly as he brushed pasted you as though you weren’t even there, which caused a tightness to form in your throat at how easy it was for him to disregard you. Whilst his attitude towards you made you question your worth to him, It also made you mad at how he thought he could treat you with such little respect, it was an insult that stung you deeply and felt like a spit in the face to the way you were stressing yourself over this unfeeling man for two fucking days!

‘Trust me. I’m not at all pleased about loosing sleep over you either.’ You retorted bitterly, not wanting to look at him for the fact that you were both relieved and irritated of his seemingly safe return. You were relieved to see him safe and with minimal injuries as it silenced the anxious and ominous ideals of him possibly never coming home, which neither were based upon any solid evidence that that was going to be the case. And you were irritated about this because it only meant that your sleepless nights, frequent bouts of anxiety and stress were for nothing. Your worrying was for nothing and you truly hated the conflicting emotions that only Bi-Han could withdraw from you.

‘You said that you’d be gone for two hours. TWO! Not two fucking days with absolutely zero chance of communication to let us know, to let me know that you were alright! That you were safe and that you were coming home!’ You chuckled humourlessly at how stupid and pathetic your words must sound to him but this was how you felt, and to you your feelings were anything but stupid or pathetic. ‘But i guess that’s too much to fucking ask from the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei.’ You finished getting everything off of your chest that you’ve been concealing for the past two days, only for them to be regarded with the indignant scoff of an annoyed Bi-Han.

‘I do not need nor want to hear tales of your concern and how worried you were and in regards to the loss of communication that had you so distraught, it was merely a minor hindrance. There was no need to inform anyone of anything, the only thing that mattered was accomplishing the mission, no matter what, even if that meant on the fly improvisation or even in the off chance of never coming back.’ Bi-Han said with a voice so cold you swore you could feel the goosebumps on your arms staring to rise. ‘I shouldn’t be held responsible for the emotions that you feel. You should’ve put more faith in your Grandmaster instead of allowing your own emotions to cloud your judgment, for they only serve to become your undoing during the vital moments.’ He finished and all without sparing a single glance your way as to gauge your reaction, not when he could practically feel it trying to suffocate him with how thick the tension became.

You didn’t have any words, even if you did you wouldn’t know how to articulate them without it come across as disjointed ramblings of things you’ve already said aloud. You felt humiliated and you felt ashamed for standing by and letting it happen but what else could you say to combat that? It was obvious that Bi-Han didn’t care and so after spending two days on the trot, you had truly exhausted yourself both physically and emotionally. You were too tired to keep fighting with a man who might as well have been an ice wall, so instead of continuing your attempt to make Bi-Han see how his actions affected you, you walked out of the room but just before closing the door behind you, you stopped to say; ‘At least I get to say that I am blessed to possess thoughts and feelings. Goodnight Grandmaster.’ Before leaving Bi-Han with his thoughts.

By the time Bi-Han came to bed you were fast asleep. In fact the moment your head hit the pillow you were already deep into the realm of dreams to properly tuck yourself beneath the covers. He welcomed the sight, content that you hadn’t left him yet despite everything that had been said prior, he didn’t have an valid excuse on hand to justify his actions as Bi-Han had become aware that how he spoke to you wasn’t a tone that one should take when speaking to someone they love, nor was the way he disregarded your thoughts and feelings were anywhere near acceptable either.

However Bi-Han found it impartial to vocalise his regret for the way he had acted but fount that he could express that better through other means. So he journeyed to your side of the bed to pull the covers over the top of you, making sure to cover you completely, knowing how you get when the nights grow colder as he quickly pressed a featherlight kiss to your forehand, lingering there for a minute to savour the moment. Bi-Han then moved over towards his side of the bed and tucking himself under the covers before moving himself closer to you until his front was practically pressed up against your back and his arms were caging you against him as to protect you from the dangers that would bring you harm. Yet under Bi-Han’s watchful eye, that wouldn’t be happening anytime soon. He wouldn’t allow that to ever come to pass for how could he call himself your love if he couldn’t protect you?

[restinslices]

Ngl now I wanna read MK1 LKBS reacting to Twilight in headcanon bullet point format 😭

Pretend I put a joke here

Bi-Han

Bi-Han probably hates a lot of things 

Twilight is quickly added to his list 

You know how you can hate a movie, show, book, whatever but have a favorite character? That doesn't happen with Bi-Han

Fuck Bella, fuck Edward, fuck Jacob, fuck EVERYBODY 

The fact that he managed to finish the first movie is a miracle. He for damn sure ain't watching the rest and/or reading the books. You gon have to stab him 

“I'll divorce you if you don't” “I'll get the paperwork for you”

I don't think he'd like any parts of it. There's not a single redeemable thing in that movie 

The type to get mad at Bella and pause the movie to do a lap so he won't destroy the TV 

His main question is “why are y'all doing all this for a girl you hardly know?”

I legit don't think he'd enjoy any parts of it. MAYBE the soundtrack, and that's a big MAYBE 

So many things would bother him. Why is stalking romantic? Why are you risking your family's life for a girl you hardly know? Why is Edward not considered a pedo? How has he not met someone yet? Why is Jacob stuck on her?

There is nothing redeemable about Twilight to him. I think every minute for him is agony 

I don't think any of them like Twilight but I feel like he hates it the most 

In turmoil

Kuai Liang

He doesn't like it either but he tries to be nice and hide it 

He hides it poorly 

A very pained smile whenever you look over at him 

“You like it?” “Yes… 🙂” “Great! Let's watch New Moon!” “There's more?😧”

Does he watch the others? Possibly 

Will he read the books? No

I don't think he'd be fond of any of the main characters either

He’s not a fan of love triangles and he also just doesn’t like the characters

Favorite character? Maybe Angela 

She gets hardly any screentime so she can't do any wrong 

That soundtrack is nice tho-

I don't think he's in as much agony as Bi-Han, but I don't see him liking Twilight 

I'm not even sure he's even into romantic movies 

Do I think he's against romantic movies? No. Do I think it's his favorite genre? No. It could be like, top 5 or something 

This isn't me jumping on the Twilight hate train because I like Twilight in a sense, but I just don't see any of them genuinely enjoying it and being apart of the Team Jacob vs Team Edward debate 

He for sure ain't rewatching the movies 

His niceness is only going so far. At some point he gotta deliver the news to you 

Bella's lullaby is his shit now tho 

Tomas 

Supermassive Black Hole is a nice song 

So… he doesn't entirely hate it 

Like it though? Um… he likes that you like it

Unlike the other two, he'll read the books but he's only reading them because he's like “these movies gotta be popular for a reason. Maybe the books are better”

Does he finish? Probably not 

The love triangle ain't even balanced fr, so he's not really intrigued by that part

I can see him being into the supernatural stuff but I mean, it's not like it's super expounded on 

Is he Team Edward or Team Jacob? Neither 

Bi-Han hates everyone, Kuai Liang doesn't like love triangles, Tomas doesn't like Bella 

Playing both sides when it's convenient for you is something he's not fond of. Pick one and stay on that one 

Who’s his favorite character? He jumps from side characters 

The main characters are probably never his favorite. They're always doing something that makes him raise a brow 

I can possibly see this becoming a series he hates so much, he feels the need to rewatch it 

He spots plot holes and now he can no longer unsee them

He really does try to pick a team if you want him to but it's like “I know who she ends up with so what's the point?”

The point is to be part of the community Tomas 

“I thought you didn't like Twilight” “I need background noise” “...” “I need to feel something” “I get it”

Love hate relationship 

He just like me fr 

[ntaras]

Thanks for the link!! Dude went waaay too far, he seriously wants MK v.s DC to be canon ahzah. I want to slap him whenever he calls Raiden and Fujin demigods lmao. Like, Elder Gods>Gods>Demigods (or half-gods) it really isn't that hard, man. 😭 If we follow his logic then what are Taven, Daegon and Rain supposed to be? And spare me your titans crap. Out! Out!

And we really ignoring the Tempest creating Chaosrealm? 😔 At least they might have referenced it with how it came to be in MK1 ig. At least, he acknowledged Deception lore with the soul stones and the sorcerers in the Nether.

Okay so now I'm just gonna ramble about Frost. 🗣️

The small attention given to Frost and Nitara is cool. Although when it comes to Frost, it kind of sucks because on the surface it really looks like a bad case of "this character is evil because they had a rough childhood but we are not going to delve in the why and the how it affected them". The "bad childhood" is such an easy card to pull when it comes to explain a character's motivation and it COULD be good if writers actually chose to acknowledge and treat it properly. However, the way it's presented in MK11 is weird and frustrating because while we are made aware of Frost's struggles (her false feelings of not being good enough in Kuai's eyes, her feeling like she's always underestimated and unworthy, her wanting to prove herself to an unhealthy degree) they're never developed and explained. Paired with Kuai Liang's claim that he gave her a home and that she was a talented student, it makes Frost look like a major dick who's just overly arrogant, who just killed her mom for no reason and who actually takes pride in it.

You have to dig yourself to at least try to understand/come up with an explanation related to Frost's issues with authority, her arrogance, why she clashed with Sonya upon meeting her the first time in DA, why she rebelled against Kuai Liang while simultaneously wanting to earn his respect... Which she DID but she fucked things up herself!!! And it makes me sad because Kuai Liang was genuinely proud of her and cared about her. Frost finally had the love and attention she wanted and there's no doubt she would have become grandmistress after Kuai Liang at some point but she had to ruin it herself because of some sick thirst for even more power.

And while I actually really like the "bad childhood" and "found herself participating in death matches" elements brought by NRS, I struggle to understand Frost's problem with the truce between the Lin Kuei and the Shirai Ryu in this timeline. It comes from nowhere and just makes Frost look like a grade-A asshole for no reason. It even results in Kuai Liang no longer caring for her when he used to be more sympathetic to her in the Midway timeline... Until Deception and that's because she slaughtered a good chunk of the clan!!! In MKX, Frost had just rebelled against a truce. I don't think we are even told if Kuai Liang at least attempted to talk to her and understand what she was going through. He just cast her out and like, yeah, I can understand why he'd be mad but at the end of the day it makes both Frost and Kuai Liang look like assholes lmao.

I really like Frost and I wish she wasn't just reduced to a lost cause because at the end of the day she's just a troubled young woman who obviously went through a lot. Kuai Liang himself had a rough life and that's why I just hate that he doesn't at least try to be considerate with her and understand her story. You'd think he would be made aware at some point that Frost fought in death matches??? Like, I mean, that's such a fucked up thing to do. How did Frost even find herself there?? The way I see it, Kuai Liang was turned into a weapon while Frost had to turn herself into a weapon in order to survive and I think that's a neat comparison, especially when you consider Frost willingly cyberized herself. However, they sadly never address it.

I'd loooove to know more about Frost's family life. I'm still working on my headcanons but I'd like to go in a direction opposed to Kuai Liang and Bi-Han. Like, while the brothers were trained and pressured by their father to master their cryomancy, Frost's mother wanted her to conceal her powers in order to live a normal life. I definitely don't think she was a good mom, therefore, she was quite rough and commanding in the way she forced her daughter to hide that part of herself that Frost struggled to control and it made their relationship really tense. I definitely don't think Frost loved her mother but I also don't see her willingly killing her in cold blood. I mostly see it like, Frost's resentment toward her mother grew so much that a fight between them caused her powers to go out of control and cause her mother's death. Self-defense might also be to consider. Maybe. idk. that's pretty much a W.I.P and I like to consider every possibility.

Okay now that I'm done, I'm really curious to hear your take on Frost. 👀

i think dominic needs to just make his own game so he can write whatever lore he wants instead of doing what he currently is doing and we’d all be happier.

to be fair i forgot about the tempest being a thing but i am not an official writer so what excuse does he have. (also looking up the tempest led me to being reintroduced to zaggot cause i have not read the older comics in yearssss. but what a name.)

but frost!!!!!!!!! i agree with pretty much what you said about her. i adore her but for some reason she cannot get a complete arc nor an attempt at digging into her character. she deserves the recognition that mk12 bi-han is getting because he is a carbon copy of her but that’s another topic.

i adore how self-sabotaging and aggressive she is, but i wish she was actually given reason behind her character! frost being confirmed to have a shitty childhood and killed her (also shitty) mom does offer reasoning behind her personality but i wish it was actually explored in canon. like you said, you really have to dig to figure out the reasoning behind frost’s actions because she’s one of the many characters who are not given much for the audience to work with.

but i’ll take the scraps :,)

like i said i agree with pretty much what you said about her, and i think we’re in the same boat regarding headcanons. i’ve also thought that she forced to conceal her powers by her mother, which also begs the question on if frost’s mother was a cryomancer or if her father was. had it been her father, i wonder what happened to him considering there’s no mention of him (because frost specifically says she killed her mother). i’ve thought about if her father was somehow not in her life (be it that he died when she was young, before she was born, or left her and her mother) and he was a cryomancer, it caused her mother to force frost to suppress her powers because she did not know how to deal with it. but if it was her mother who was a cryomancer, her own mother could’ve tried repressing frost’s powers as a means of protection (protection being isolation of her daughter) or a projection of her mother’s own shame/issues about her cryomancy.

either way, i think she was forced to repress her cryomancy by her mother (which i think would be painful, because cryomancy typically shows up when the cryomancer is older but frost is on the very young side. she ultimately was alone in dealing with this unknown power.)

i do not think frost killed her mother out of cold blood either! it was ultimately just the result of of poor parenting and resentment building up on both sides. and the way her mother raised her lead frost to having issues with authority, for example, kuai liang.

i think i’ve briefly mentioned it before, but i think frost views kuai liang like her mom. like, there’s a part of her that views kuai liang as the closest to “kin” because he is the first cryomancer she’s met. above anyone he would understand her isolation and rage, and i think in turn she would understand him in a way. i think they’re both characters who have walls up but at the same time having a shared power automatically reveals some vulnerability to each other. but frost has IMMENSE issues with her vulnerability, and i don’t think she’d easily be open to another authority figure when she already dealt with her mom.

with kuai liang being her mentor i don't think she can help herself from automatically linking him to her mom and as a result wanting to take control before another authority takes control of her and suppresses her. she doesn’t want to be a child anymore, but be the ultimate authority (which only causes her to act more childish- with extreme naivety and rebellion).

and going off what you said about kuai liang being forced into a weapon while frost chose to become a weapon, i think being a weapon is what frost views as the ultimate authority (or in other words, violence is the ultimate authority to frost).

i do think kuai liang would have known about frost being in death matches (which i also have no clue how that girl got involved in them) and had to teach her fighting methods different from how she used to fight, or even teach how to be better at whatever methods she used to use in those matches.

also fun (and unfortunate) fact, had the mkx comics continued we would have gotten A LOT more focus on frost because her and kuai liang are meant to parallel hanzo and takeda. she could’ve gotten a fully fleshed backstory and yet we were robbed as usual

in the end despite all of frost’s flaws and mistakes, i genuinely think she should be redeemed instead of only being a lost cause. i hateeee how dismissive kuai liang is of frost and how easily he gave up on her in the nrs timeline. like i do think she represents a metaphor for kuai liang as the final challenge he has to overcome in order to finally redeem the lin kuei, and she does some very messed up things that really push kuai liang towards the edge, but because of that metaphor i really think it’d be fitting if frost’s redemption was also kuai liang’s completed redemption of the lin kuei. (i also do think her being a metaphor for being kuai liang’s final challenge to redeem the lin kuei can explain her issue with the shirai ryu as the clans used to be enemies, but idk it’s just an attempt at trying to make it make sense in a thematic way lol.)

it would also allow kuai liang rest because i do think his story needs to (or at least needed to considering we won’t have sub-zero kuai liang back) end, and i think it should end with “sub-zero” being passed to frost because she should get to a point where she deserves to be grandmaster.

anyways to sum this up i wish we got her backstory because i am sick of people (the writers) dismissing her as an ungrateful brat who’s a lost cause… she deserves her story!!! she deserves to grow as a character!!! i love her dearly and i appreciate her <33

[hey-michael-young-history]

Two Parent Home Part 3

Kuai Liang tries his best.

(art bt Sheilenwei)

 “My daughter informed me of the incident yesterday.”

Hydro kept his head down as his cheeks burned. “It… I'm still adjusting to…”

“Being human,” Kuai Liang said. “Being… an Omega, later in life. Yes. I understand.”

His statements offered no pity, but his voice and soothing paternal pheromones were nice, especially since Hydro still had a headache from yesterday.

They were in a large hot spring, hidden in a valley of springs beyond the villages. Hydro felt weird about being so disrobed in an open setting. Which was strange in and of itself. In the Lin Kuei, he was practically naked in between missions. “Master Kuai Liang, I have a question.”

A deep, rumbling drone came from the former grandmaster. Hydro looked over to see him totally relaxed, almost completely submerged in the water. Which raised more questions, but Master Kuai Liang didn't tolerate back to back questions.

“Smelling other people's pheromones… will it always hurt me?”

He opened his eyes for that and stared straight at Hydro, which made the younger cryomancer look away nervously. “I know that this is a difficult period of adjustment. But you will not always be so affected by the pheromones of others.”

He closed his eyes again. He said it like it was simple. Like it was totally normal to get a sinus infection just because somebody got mad and their pheromones were overwhelming. “Do pheromones still hurt you?”

Hesitation. “I am not a measuring stick, Hydro.”

“Then why am I even talking to you?” Hydro snapped.

He realized his error as a damp wave of disappointment flooded him. His sinuses became irritated and the pounding in his head became intolerable. “Fuuuuuuck.”

“Language.”

“Fuck you!” Hydro screamed. His outburst sent spikes of nails into his brain. He gasped for breath, curling into himself. “Fuck you. Fuck th-this!”

“Mitsunari–”

“I hate you! I hate this! Stop acting like you know anything about me!”

“Mitsunari.” A cool hand caressed his hair. That one touch, that simple gesture of fingers in his hair made everything stop. The headache, the pain, the fear, everything. “You are correct. I do not know anything about you, beyond the fact that you are presenting. I am not here to scrutinize. I am here as a resource.”

A low purr rolled in Hydro’s chest but it felt so good, he didn't fight it. They were Lin Kuei. This touching and fraternizing was a punishable offense. How did Kuai Liang know to do this? The Lin Kuei had become soft. Probably because of Kuai Liang. Only Alphas were allowed in the Lin Kuei. Hydro himself has seen Betas executed for failing to present as Alphas – he was reminded by the elders that he only had a couple more years to present as an Alpha. They must have made an exception for Tundra. Of course. He was from the Sub-Zero bloodline. Exceptions were made for them.

He must have had a real cushy time. He was a Sub-Zero, an Omega who could pass as an Alpha, his ice developed, he could give birth to more cryomancers. He was probably royalty there. Talk about hitting the genetic lottery.

The more Hydro thought about it, the angrier he became. He shoved Tundra away and climbed out of the spring before storming away.

[cienie-isengardu]

Can you do headcanons on SubScorp (Kuai Liang / Hanzo Hasashi) and the evolution of their relationship, please? ♡

Sure, just please keep in mind that rock has a better romantic sense than I ever will. I’m not a shipper in general and SubScorp has a lot to overcome in my mind to even get close as friends but I will do my best! In advance, sorry for the long text and especially opening. My hand slipped but I needed to build the romantic headcanons on something.

Oh, and I kinda threw away the canon timeline here and there and went with how I would write their relationship (and story, I guess) if I was given the chance.

At the beginning, Hanzo and Kuai were bitter enemies and their hate for each other was the exact reason why Quan Chi kept them working together. The revenants were creatures of vivid emotions, twisted and corrupted by Netherrealm fire. So the stronger they hated, the mightier were their unnatural powers. But there was also a more sinister reason: Quan Chi kept them together, day after day, because it amused him to watch how Sub-Zero and Scorpion wanted to hurt each other but always were defenseless against his magic, always blindly obedient. To have two deadliest of enemies as slaves under his power was the best perk of necromancy.

When they were revenants though, Quan Chi’s cruel joke meant nothing. Kuai Liang had no free will, no remorse, only hate and pain to go on. Hanzo could - should - run away, but didn’t. He was broken in thousands of little ways and it was easier to follow orders, to not think than take responsibility for his own choices, to face the utterly devastating feeling of failure. It wasn't a good life - it wasn’t a life at all, but it was all they had.

After so many days turned into weeks turned into months, the constant presence of each other became the punishment and the salvation at once. They hated each other and this hate never truly left them for a moment, never let them feel peace of mind. They hated each other but it was an emotion that bonded them together, grounded in reality, made sense in an otherwise senseless world.

Hanzo and Kuai Liang got used to each other that the presence of mutual disdain was as normal part of their cursed life as breathing for a living person.

But then Quan Chi lost and suddenly they both were brought to life against their will. The first weeks were the worst. They were victims of dark magic, everyone was saying but none of them was a killer responsible for thousands of brutal deaths. Not like Hanzo and Kuai Liang and because of that, the burden of guilt was their alone. A burden they didn’t want to share among themselves, so they sought out different paths to find some solace.

For Hanzo, there was nothing to come back. The home of Shirai Ryu was destroyed, devastated beyond any measure. He still heard clearly Quan Chi’s voice in his head, how he failed his clan, how shamed his wife and child. Hanzo felt dirty and unworthy and utterly lost. The once mighty Scorpion was now a wreck, a directionless nomad.

For Kuai Liang, the home was Lin Kuei but it was taken by cyber monsters without souls. Once he returned to living, those monsters hunted him restlessly. For years he ran and hid and killed and killed and killed and killed until he was ready to face Sektor and reclaim what was once his. An honor and a purpose in life, so he could find Scorpion and kill him for brother’s death. But then he learned dark secrets of the clan and even darker truths that changed everything.

Because of that, Kuai Liang invited Hanzo to Lin Kuei Temple, offered peace and a new start, a way to atone for all crimes and sins they committed arm to arm during war. Above everything else, offered the truth that finally set them both free from their cruel past.

They did not keep in touch then though. They met sporadically, when Raiden asked his Champions to assist in this or that little crisis. To hunt the demons that somehow survived the war, to find oh so rare, mystic artifact or two, or do a quick job in the Outworld. They were assassins after all and Special Forces the heroes who shouldn’t dirty their hands.

During those meetings, Hanzo and Kuai Liang tried to stay as far as possible without making a fuss about it. During missions though there was no one who could safely separate them, and thus save them from painful memories of the past.

It was terrifying to Hanzo how much he missed Sub-Zero’s cold presence at his side, even if the so well known hate for Bi-Han’s death still hid beneath the cryomancer's skin like a furious, wild beast, always present, never forgiving, kept in check only by Lin Kuei’s iron will.

It was terrifying for Kuai Liang how well he still understood Scorpion’s body language even though the ninja tried so desperately to hide scars left by Quan Chi on his soul, all those unsaid horrors he experienced, all the doubts and pain and self-hatred that burned as hot as Netherrealm fire that twisted them both.

But those sporadic joint missions alone weren’t what helped them connect once and forever.

Ironically, it was the guilt that let one understand so well the other, to know when it was a good time for jab and when not to speak - not to see - raw pain that both so hard tried to bury under their respective masks, of cold politeness and hot devotion to the past. Surprisingly, it was also the arrogance of united governments that wanted to use them to expand Earthrealm’s control over wild Outworld yet did not see them as human beings. To be seen as a useful tool but never truly welcome wasn’t anything new for any of them. Kuai Liang and Hanzo were a relic of a dark past that should have died years ago yet were too stubborn to just yield and blindly follow orders even again. This burning desire for independence and search for their lost humanity built a common ground, the bridge between past hate and empathy.

This, and their shared disdain for Johnny’s never ending jokes. In the past, every time the Champions of Earthrealm met in the same place and Cage opened his mouth to talk Hollywood's weirdness, Hanzo got closer and closer to Kuai Liang. There was no word of recognition or permission - one look at each other and they understood perfectly it was either stay strong together and endure this senseless, annoying wave of words or do something regrettable.

And because they already had enough guilt to worry about, Sub-Zero and Scorpion simply stood arm to arm, like they did during war. Somehow that comforting familiarity grew up into something much stronger; not yet friendship but unity anyway. Time did not heal them but the mutual hate faded little by little, day after day until pain was nothing more than bitter ache they simply learned to live with.

Despite everything and everyone, Hanzo and Kuai Liang got to trust each other, to rely on a bond that was once a cruel Quan Chi’s joke.

Sub-Zero was the person that accompanied Hanzo to the Shirai-Ryu clan’s ruins, so he could finally bury dead ones left there forgotten by the world. Hanzo should have done that long ago, he knew, but the claw of fear clung to his heart for years and would not let it. The fear that Hanzo Hasashi never truly existed and he was a fraud, another lie begotten by Netherrealm. That there was no Harumi nor Satoshi and in the end he clinged so desperately to a nightmare that never was true to begin with. A nightmare for which he murdered the wrong person and brought someone else this maddening pain.

Seeing the ruins of home - the once so familiar bodies now just flesh spread out, glistening bones scattered everywhere, ripped and crushed, forgotten - was like dying again. Hanzo broke down and for the first time in a decade allowed himself to cry. Kuai Liang was there by his side, offering no wise words, nor comfort. He simply sat there, back to back with Hanzo, so he could know he wasn’t truly left alone this time yet quietly like a shadow to not disturb his grief. Hanzo would never forget this kindness for the rest of his life. He wouldn’t forget the sacrifice made that day by Sub-Zero to come to mortuary ruins, to bury another clan slaughtered without mercy in the name of madness and spite.

But with pain came also relief, that his memories were truly his and not another sweet lie whispered to his ear by a twisted sorcerer.

(Kuai Liang came here because it was the right thing to do. To pay respect and melt the dark past into a better future in which Shirai Ryu and Lin Kuei could be an ally, maybe even brothers in arms. He came for Hanzo, because no one did that for him, when he had countless bodies of comrades to bury after Sektor’s defeat and no one should be forced to do so alone. He came there also for himself, to see and be sure Bi-Han wasn’t part of the heartless crime. The hallmarks of a frontal attack, chaotic destruction and coarse, devoid of surgical precision violence were proof it wasn’t Bi-Han’s work. His brother would never be so sloppy, so random in his attack. He even told so Hanzo, in this moment of relief and social clumsiness and Scorpion just looked at him with the reddened eyes and did not burst in flame of anger, just… accepted the truth and Kuai Liang said no more about it.)

Scorpion was the person that stayed at Kuai Liang’s side when Frost betrayed her master and disappeared without a trace. He never liked the cryomancer girl - she reminded him too much of Sub-Zero who sought him for brother’s death. Young and brash, untamed, always snarling, spitting with venom in their face. But above everything else, Frost’s anger burned too hot like his own and he hated to look at her and to see himself.

Maybe losing such a precious student - an heir - was like losing a child. Hanzo understood this crushing feeling but there were no right words to offer. Even if he knew them, Sub-Zero did not want pity, did not want to talk. All he needed was a space to unleash fury and pain, the excess of emotions too large to bury them in the tomb of a cold heart. And so day after day, night after night, the ice and fire clashed over and over again until all muscles burned and the ache brought finally some peace. Not much, but enough to let Kuai Liang not dwell on his failure and focus on Grandmaster’s duties.

(There was something off about this whole situation but Hanzo couldn’t pick on what exactly. Kuai Liang had secrets he didn’t share, not yet and Hanzo respected his wishes, trusting Lin Kuei’s word. So far, Kuai Liang never had let him down. Scorpion trusted and it was terrifying on its own).

Those were the little steps into a path that brought them closer. It wasn't love for each other then, not even romantic infatuation, but love for the lost one, for family that was once but no longer. They understood this grief too well.

The first time Hanzo felt the pang of love, he and Kuai Liang were debating about the proper course of the upcoming mission. They were sitting in Hanzo’s room, with an open door leading to the Fire Garden. Then, without warning came spring rain and both looked out on instinct. The air was filled with the freshness of trees and flowers coming back to life; a freshness they breathed in greedily to wash out the taste of Netherrealm ash forever.

On that day, everything seemed to be in the right place. Just the two of them, sitting arm to arm delighted by the simplest things in life; a warm rain, nourishing garden, a steaming mug of tea between all of this. There was a peace Hanzo did not feel for ages and the sound of the rain and steady breath of his companion lulled him into half-sleep, half-awareness.

On that day, Hanzo wished to keep this moment forever.

The second time Hanzo felt something toward Kuai Liang, it was on Lin Kuei’s training ground. They spared, like they always did in their free or stressful time, but for whatever reason, Kuai Liang smiled at him, this soft, weirdly cocky smile he rarely shows in company and Hanzo looked at it for a few seconds too long before he understood how fast his heart beat, how warmness filled him - not the Netherrealm fire that burns through his muscles and bones, but warmth that he felt only around his wife and child. He wanted to kiss those lips, to feel its coldness on his own. It was wrong on so many levels and he did what he always does in times of overwhelming emotions he didn’t like. He disappeared into flames and ran the hell away from Sub-Zero’s smile. The burned holes to this day were the proof of his shameful panic.

Where did such obscene thoughts come from, he did not have an idea. But the guilt for having them even for a moment about Kuai Liang - any man, really - was too heavy, too suffocating to face Sub-Zero. So Hanzo avoided him for weeks.

And yet, he came back to Lin Kuei Temple. And again and again and again. Despite the burning shame, he sought out Kuai Liang, because only around him, the Netherrealm’s cursed fire cooled down enough to allow him to breathe.

So he danced, between disgrace and this weird feeling of happiness, of living again. Of seeking out the cryomancer and running away from horrific emotion he didn’t know how to get rid off, how to tame.

(Hanzo loved Harumi with all his heart. How could he love - desire - anyone else? And a man whose brother he unjustly killed?)

Kuai Liang decided to not discuss Scorpion’s emotional swings until Hanzo figured it out for himself what he truly wanted. There was no point to get involved into some sentimental drama if there was no hope for sensible agreement.

The Lin Kuei always desired a new generation of warriors, so sex wasn’t any taboo. Some warriors sought comfort in the arms of strange women and men, some between each other. Sex wasn’t forbidden but the emotions were. To feel loyalty or worse, love, to a fellow warrior instead of trusting the masters was a crime.

Kuai Liang did not feel any sudden pang of love toward Hanzo, nor any desire for physical contact. Romanticism never was part of any cryomancer’s nature. He missed his brother and Smoke, but year after year the pain of loss dulled enough to leave him with nothingness. Kuai Liang knew only this: somehow Scorpion became the only source of warmth that kept his heart from freezing completely.

Kuai Liang didn’t have a proper name for what twirled in his soul - a friendship or a love, how one could tell those apart? He wished his older brother or Smoke was there to tell him it was alright to like - care for - Hanzo, but both were dead and twisted into monsters. It was just him and his fragile, scarred heart to judge what was right and what was not. And hope Bi-Han would forgive him the weakness.

They find the balance that keeps both safe, warming the frozen heart and cooling down the neverending flame of anger. For a decade or so, it worked well.

But then Hanzo killed Quan Chi and ruined the chance to free revenants from sorcerer’s curse. The Champions of Earthrealm never liked Scorpion to begin with, now he was persona non grata. Rightly so. Imprisoned, he awaited their judgment. Scorpion could easily escape but chose not to - he was ready to face the consequences yet there was no court nor punishment. The Grandmaster of Lin Kuei came for him and made it clear to all representatives of the united governments and army that he will with Hanzo at his side, over their dead bodies if need be.

Twenty years was not enough time to forget what they together were capable of in fight. How dangerous and experienced murderers they were. No one dared to stop them when they left military base together.

Kuai Liang did not rely on words to show his feelings. Deeds always spoke more than any pretty speech. He was disappointed yet he still came for Hanzo. He saw Scorpion’s arrogance, egoism, breaking point and still came and that only made Hanzo love him more. For the first time, he did not feel shame or guilt for loving - and being loved - by another man.

Hanzo Hasashi’s choice almost brought destruction to the world yet somehow, this tragedy made them inseparable for good. It wasn’t always easy - they argued, for fun and for real and there were still rare days when it was only wise to stay away from each other. Like the day of Bi-Han’s unjust death and the lost chance to bring Harumi and Satoshi to life. They were beyond the primal hate yet some instincts were too strong to risk destroying what they built for themselves over the years.

Somehow through the years they changed from Sub-Zero and Scorpion to Grandmasters of their respective clans and from those to just Kuai Liang and Hanzo.

Hanzo wasn’t used to being so casually called by name but he liked the change. It was Sub-Zero’s voice, he suspected, that made him feel so attracted. At the same time, he felt honored when Kuai Liang told his birth - forbidden - name. He knew it already, for years, but it was different to know and be told, allowed, to use it freely.

Hanzo’s turbulent relationship with other Champions got worse once his student, Takeda started dating Jaqueline Briggs. The Champions distrusted and disliked him and he didn’t feel any need to reconcile with them. Kuai Liang was disappointed in him for treating the girl coldly but everytime asked why he still bothered to deal with Shirai Ruy Grandmaster, the answer was one and the same - he is my equal. For Hanzo it was the most beautiful and terrifying declaration.

(At the same time, everytime Hanzo heard someone accusing Sub-Zero of being cold, heartless, untouched by trauma, the anger burned him wholly. Who were they to judge, to mock Kuai Liang’s pain that hid so well under polite words and calmness? He did not care what people said about him, but would not stand any mockery against those he respected - loved - so much.)

Then of course another immortal being decided to screw up everything and messed up timelines. The younger, brash and mad version of Scorpion wasn’t something that Hanzo and Kuai Liang actually wanted to see, nor the repeat of Cyber Lin Kuei. Then Hanzo died and woke up, again trapped in Netherrealm. So he ran at the first chance, thinking more about Kuai Liang than about his own fears of burning alive in hell forever. The sight of Sub-Zero in hell should have alarmed him - and it did, for a moment, scare Hanzo that the other man died too which was an unbearable thought. But Kuai Liang was alive and so, so determined to bring him back home. If that wasn’t the loudest, the most tangible declaration of love, what else could it be?

And so, like twenty years ago, they fight side to side, like one body and soul. And destroyed, killed, tore apart demons and hellspawn, everything and everyone that stood in their way to freedom, to safety of Earthrealm’s boundaries. First time in ages, they could unleash their anger at those who hurt them, enslaved, and used. It felt so good, so right to be a storm of vengeful fury that frightened even the mighty Netherrealm. They were alive and together and nothing, no gods, titans or destiny, could stop them.

Kuai Liang and Hanzo did not talk much about their last visit in Netherrealm. What happened there was their and only their moment to relish, incomprehensible for bystanders. It was weird though, to come back to live and face his younger, stubborn self. Kuai Liang did not like this Scorpion much and to be honest, Hanzo did not like this version of himself too. It was Scorpion from the darkest time in their past, when only mutual hate connected them. At the same time, there was something amusing to see himself so awkward and uneasy everytime when Kuai Liang and older Hanzo sat so closely, relaxed and calm, like it was the normalest thing to do. When they acted like halves of the same soul.

Kuai Liang never was keen to show any romantic gestures but sometimes he took Hanzo’s hand to emphasize clearly what they were. Hanzo was always surprised by Sub-Zero’s openness and filled with joy, whereas his younger self was confused as hell. Hanzo suspected he would soon need to talk and explain to his younger self what he and Kuai Liang were to each other. Why they needed each other so much and how loving someone else other than Harumi was not dishonor. After all, love wasn’t sin nor weakness.

[sasorikigai]

✖ : for kuai modern verse .

Get a letter from my muse! || @frozenbreath || accepting

✖ : For a angsty letter.

My beloved Liang,

Occam’s Razor suggests that the simplest explanation is the most plausible one, which means, to put it simply, I love you. But how do I contain the multitude of all that I feel within so complex and elusive? How do I tell you, I see the stars in you; all my heartstrings unfurl from here on until my last breath will be about you. “I love you,” doesn’t do justice to the fact that I swear I was a fucking Universe unlike any other, but I found you in the throes of my maddened frenzy, of bloodcurdling wrath and vengeance. But I found you and we were always whole; as you gradually filled me with warmth that flies through my stomach. Our lips clashed and our tongues danced, as the vibration of your voice spoke literally and metaphorically into me. I have imprinted every inch of you and beyond, and yet - my fury had been toxic and warm, and rolling unbothered when it boiled to the maximum. 

I used to believe in the fact that we could change the inevitability of the abyss; for I once believed that we could continue to grow through the pruning of our faith. We keep strong, still learning to love each other better. The future may hold more battles for us, but I live with a broken heart sentenced by myself. There are dilapidated homes built with nightmares and life made out of warfares. And there is an ongoing battle in my mind; a disease slowly killing me inside. Poisonous words control my every move, reducing me to ridicule my own trauma and heartbreak and despair; for words tell me my unworth, forcing to seek violent comfort. The world around me only enables this disease, with their selfish evil beliefs. I have wrongfully believed if I had a bed to lay in, and someone to nurse my insecurities and to remind me that the world isn’t so lonesome if we share it with hearts who lay on similar pillows of madness could magically cure whatever the fuck is wrong with me. 

I cannot escape my melancholia, a deep irrevocable sadness that continue to plunge me towards the destination and the journey of death, where I am hated beyond retrieve, damaged beyond repair. For too long, had I sought the act of removing life, word by word, when every word equated to a sharpened blade that is used to pummel the life of another into non-existence. My accountability is a collective duty and responsibility I, Hanzo Hasashi, a law-abiding Commander and a vigilante must hold, such as the deceased holding the weight of my barely coherent world. Like Atlas, doomed to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, and unlike Atlas, I am fragile and mortal. Every life snuffed out like a flame in a fucking glass jar is a sadness that could never be taken back.

Even as I hide in the shadows of ephemeral contentment and bliss with you, 私の心, our vivid evocation of togetherness comes with a stifling burden and remorse indebted to you - you are a bright burning galaxy and I am not the person who is worthy of your light. The fault is entirely my own, Kuai Liang, for the annihilatory pleasure and pain of simply existing seems to be too much. If you ever find me, I would like to burn in the crematorium and get the taste of hellfire myself. And please, PLEASE do not shackle my restless and disquietude being under a tomb. I would want to be a floating stardust over the city I was born in. 

Your eyes always held such strong light; for you choose to talk, and not to fight. I want you to live, Kuai Liang - I know you will even without me beseeching you to do so. You always have been the more resilient one; keeping strong, keeping patience on hand, maintaining your armor on, but it is not indestructible. You are flexible and formidable in your own right. What you have rooted into the charred depths of my black heart will never go unnoticed and unreciprocated. Perhaps if the world is kinder than I have anticipated, may we meet in the afterlife or beyond. 

さようなら、そしてあなたがあなたの心と魂に具現化する無限の優雅さと美しさを求めるために、多くの輝かしい光の仲間になりましょう。[ Farewell, and be the companion to many, a glorious light to seek infinite grace and beauty which you embody in your heart and soul. ] 

Hanzo Hasashi. 

[spacehologramcollection]

Request; The Kombat Krew and lazy, hazy mornings.

Pretty sure this was requested, trying to find the ask for it, but it’s a super cute ask and I live for some fluff. Just shitting you, it’s got some NSFW in it as well!  Warnings; NSFW, 18+ under the cut.  GIFS do not belong to me/ I did not make them.

Kabal;

·         For a man who’s fast and speedy, he sure is lazy. Like waking him up is a near impossible task.

·         He has seven alarms set, all of which are getting ignored. He hits snooze so many times it irritates you.

·         You’ll always wake up with his arms wrapped tightly around your waist. He loves to spoon.

·         He’s hard to wake up, he can literally sleep through a hurricane.

·         If he has somewhere to be, he’ll eventually drag his ass out of bed, reluctantly. Each movement he’ll look back at you, with a look of sadness and jealousy plastered on his face. How come you get to stay in bed!?

·         If he doesn’t need to be anywhere, expect lots of attention, spooning, make out sessions with the potential to turn into something more intense.

·         In a morning he likes to slow things down and take it slow. The bed is so warm and comfortable, and outside is cold and has Kano in it.

·         Will often ring in sick to spend the day with you.

·         He doesn’t want to get out of bed at all. Everything is so soft. It’s his own fault for making it so nice and relaxing.

·         When you’re both awake, he’ll put Netflix on, let you rest your head on his chest and you’ll both cuddle and binge together.

·         He is not a morning person be warned. He needs some coffee to function, or he’ll be a mindless tired zombie.

·         He will bring you some morning coffee when he eventually gets up. He won’t get dressed to make it. The people in the apartment opposite can behold him in all his splendour.

·         If he has to wake you up, prepare to be awoken to the sound of his amazing, terrible, music taste. The man cannot sing but he sure as hell fucking tries.

·         “Why are we listening to Alanis Morrisette at 9 in the morning Kabal!?!”

·         “The good lord does love a song that slaps Y/N. See, the neighbours love it, their banging the walls to the rhythm.”

·         He’s such a little shit.

·         Morning sex is always on the cards. Has literally rang in sick, because you’re practically pawing at his dick and begging. He cannot say no to his Princess/Prince. Not when their wearing his shirt so lovely.

·         He’s loud in a morning. Your pour fucking neighbours. Between his noises, the song ‘Rather be’ by Clean Bandit and him banging around trying to get ready. It’s like living underneath a fucking stampede.

·         He’s such a little shit. He has the ethic of ‘If I have to be up, so the fuck does everyone else! But not Y/N. They get to nap’

Sub Zero (Kuai Liang);

·         Fucking hell. He is the definition of a morning person. He gets up before the crack of dawn. Even the fucking birds are like, go the fuck back to bed you mad bastard.

·         He doesn’t wake you up though. Unless you want to be woke up. It’s up to you though. You aren’t the Grandmaster and don’t have the responsibilities that come with it.

·         His body clock is always set to wake up an hour and a half before he’s meant to get out of bed. This gives him ample opportunity to admire you.

·         He’ll brush the hair from your face and hold you tight. He ensures he doesn’t touch any exposed flesh, as he knows that will wake you up. His touch is freezing after all.

·         He doesn’t want to leave you alone in bed, but he knows he has to. He has a clan to run after all.

·         He’ll rise quickly and silently as possible. He’s organised, so everything is already laid out and ready for him. He would hate to wake you up this early.

·         He has to do his early morning Meditation before leading the group one. So, he has to be on time. He cannot be seen being late, it sets a bad example.

·         If you have to be somewhere, he’ll make sure your alarm is set. And if you don’t have to be anywhere, he’ll make sure your alarm isn’t set. He wants you to enjoy your lie in.

·         He will fetch you a glass of water and put some fruit salad by your bed, ready for when you wake up. He’ll also leave a handwritten note.

·         “Good Morning Snowflake. You looked so peaceful whilst asleep, it would have been a travesty to wake you up. I shall see you soon. Love from, K.L” He won’t use a pet name. He’s not your Winter-boo-bear, or anything like that.

·         He doesn’t do lie-ins and the only time he ever sleeps in, is on the rare occasion he is sick or injured.

·         On these rare occasions, he loves nothing more than to snuggle up with you. He’ll fall asleep on you, finger intertwined and him gently slumbering.

·         He doesn’t do binge watching. Chase the fucking morning, live for this day and all the other pintrest slogans.

·         If you do wake with him, he’ll secretly love it, it’s a chance for you both to spend quality time together. At least a few hours of meditating, walking or reading.

·         Morning sex isn’t happening. He’s a busy man in the morning. He’s a little curious about it but not overly. He’ll make it up to you though!

Scorpion (Hanzo Hasashi);

·         Like Kuai he has to rise early. Except, he isn’t a fucking morning person at all. Nobody dares speak to him before he gets some tea and wakes fully up. He’s a moody bastard. He does not wish to be awake at this time. He wants to be in bed with you. But he will never say that to anyone but you. He’s got to be a tough and stoic master.

·         He’ll wake before you, he doesn’t need an alarm, his body clock is set… much to his dismay. He wishes it would switch off for once. He isn’t lazy, he just loves the feel of your body against his.

·         He is naturally warm, so he keeps you warm and your temperature cosy. And he knows, as soon as he stands to leave, the warmth will be taken with him.

·         So, if its cold outside, he’ll always rise that little bit earlier, to go fetch you a hot water bottle to replace his warmth.

·         He’ll give you a kiss on the back of your head, pull you in closer, and grab your hand. He loves to feel close to you. Even when you’re still asleep.

·         He takes full advantage of the moment, whispering sweet nothings in your ear, there’s no fear or judgement. You’re asleep. You do hear them on occasion though.

·         Before he goes, he’ll plant a kiss on your forehead, wrap the blanket around you and take one last look. Cementing and committing the image you slumbering so soundly in his head for a lifetime.

·         When you eventually awake, he’ll be there, holding a cup of coffee/tea. All he’d want in return for this reviving elixir, is just one kiss. And he’s happy for the rest of the day.

·         He doesn’t get to spend mornings in bed, he cannot be seen to be lazy, as it’s a sign of weakness.

·         He wishes he could be though. He’d love to be holding you tightly in bed a bit longer. Waking up at a more civil hour. Just the two of you lounging around together, enjoying each other’s company.

·         A man can dream.

·         Morning sex is not off the cards for him. Unlike Kuai. He’s totally down for some romantic, spontaneous morning sex. What a great way to wake you both up, get the old heart racing and get his brain functioning!

·         It’s fucking wild and like magic.

·         Everyone knows when you’ve both engaged in the chopping of the morning wood; he’s less of a moody arse for the rest of the day. Will hum to himself, smile and let small mistakes fly. Nobody is going to be like “Did you guys bone?” because it will turn into a “BONE!?” situation from Brooklyn 99.

·         “HOW DARE YOU TAKEDA TAKASHI I AM YOUR GRANDMASTER!?”

·         Because that will put him in a bad mood.

Erron Black;

·         The man can pick and choose when he wakes a lot of the time. Unless he’s in his Black Dragon days. Then he has to haul ass. Kano lied to him. He said he was a laidback boss, that was bullshit. Why else is he awake at 6 in the morning? Oh yeah, to go on a shit filled mission.

·         He’ll be envious of you getting to sleep in. But he won’t wake you. His darlin’ needs their sleep. It wouldn’t be a nice thing to do either. So, he’ll leave you asleep. Not before he spoons you a bit more though.

·         Kotal is a little more relaxed on certain days. Sunday. Sunday is the one-day Erron doesn’t have to do sweet fuck all. So, he lives for Sundays.

·         He’ll love to just lay in bed, having you laid close to him. Either an arm lazily extended, holding you close. Or you on his chest, his hand playing with your stray hair idly. He never had this in the Black Dragon.

·         Only time he had this was if someone covered his job, something he hated to do. Or if he called in sick. Something he also doesn’t like doing. But, Kano keeps the weekend for himself. Because you know, when you’ve got Erron and Kabal hauling ass, who needs to actually work?

·         He does refuse jobs to spend time with you. He lives for mornings where you don’t have to wake up till the afternoon. Mornings where you don’t have to get out of bed, where you can just lay in bed, cuddling and caressing each other’s bodies.

·         He loves mornings that turn into afternoons, which then turn into wild nights out, which replicate the lazy early mornings in turn the next day.

·         Morning sex is a big ol HELL YES! From him. He loves it. Sloppy, slow, fast, paced, not paced. Doesn’t matter. If you’re down to fuck, he’s down to fuck with you.

·         Nothing better than some morning sex to get the day started!

·         Or morning sex to set the rest of the days pace, starting with you two staying in bed till you turn into puddles.

Raiden;

·         When he wakes up its always before you. His body clock is set to a weird schedule. But he will always wake before you. He doesn’t need a lot of sleep either. So yeah, he’s awake before you.

·         He kind of watches you sleep for a bit. Curious as to what you’re dreaming of. His dreams aren’t fun. There more premonitions, mixed in with red-herrings, filled with dread and impending doom. But its cool you get to dream of owning a penguin.

·         He loves how peaceful you look, how you smile whilst you dream and how your eyes twitch and move as you slumber.

·         When he has to drag himself out of bed, its not a hard task, he is an all-day person. He functions at his peak all day. He’s just ready to get going!

·         At first, he’ll wake you up, so you can come and enjoy the day with him, but upon realising you don’t have the energy always. He leaves it up to you.

·         If you want to get up and have an energised morning, then come along grab your shit and get ready to go!

·         If you feel more tired and you crave more sleep, he’ll leave you to slumber away. Not before giving you a kiss before, stroking your forehead and promising to return quickly.

·         As for a morning lay in… that’s a different kettle of fish.

·         He must consult the elder gods before laying in. But on a serious note, he’d never had a lazy morning in bed till he met you.

·         His life has always been about putting the safety of Earthrealm first. Self-care last.

·         When you finally tempt him into a lazy morning, he’s very curious and slightly cautious. What if something bad happens to Earthrealm whilst he’s lounging about!? You have to reassure him that its well protected. With Sub, Scorpion and the Special Forces all on alert, you’re sure he can go one day without having to babysit an entire realm.

·         Winning him over is hard however. But you eventually do it via the line of ‘Don’t you want to experience what its like to be a mortal?’ informing him most Mortals do sweet naff all on their days off.

·         You have to teach him to embody the sloth. He is one of the bed, the bed is one with him.

·         He doesn’t get the appeal of laying in bed whilst he’s wide awake. He’s ready to start the day the moment his eyes open.

·         You’ll have to show him the upsides to it. Like, being able to cuddle, have a bit of a steamy make-out session. Potentially have some sweet morning sex.

·         The possibilities are endless, and he is ready to do some exploring/ learning more about this strange custom.

[puttingfingerstokeys]

a matter of time

Once again, I’m back on my MK bullshit. This one’s kind of delving into morals, ethics, philosophy, and Liu Kang having a hard time of it, generally, but hey, ain’t that just the way of Kombat? 

Ft. First Person Present Tense horseshit--Raiden being a dad. Liu Kang doing his fucking best. 

As usual, tumblr doesn’t preserve italics and I’m too lazy to find ‘em. Unedited, blah blah blah

Broken Timeline (references to Restored Timeline)

“I cannot do this, Lord Raiden—there simply…. There is just no way…” The young fire god paces before Kronika’s hourglass, eyes shot through with sparks of anger, moisture shining on his cheeks. God he may be, but his heart is still that of a mortal and it bleeds for the pain he must cause. There are no words of comfort for him, nor of description to properly depict the true horror of that place into which he has just stepped. I do not envy him. I was born with this burden—not of time, of divinity—but that does not mean I cannot sympathize.

“What is it you cannot do?” There is time for reprimand later, as he is the Lord now, and I am not. I regard him carefully and the hourglass even more so. What it has done to him, the lines upon his young-old face, the worries that I see prowling through every inch of his body; this, too, pains me. He settles upon a large stone, fists tight, eyes downcast.

“Over and over, no matter what I do to shift the sands,” he grunts, keeping his voice low, hating the tears of frustration which he has already shed and fighting those that have yet to fall, “I cannot save them all. Someone falls—someone always falls, sometimes many.”

“…the Shirai-Ryu massacre.” The guess is a simple one, but weighty. He looks up, surprised, for but a moment, that I have guessed the current source of his distress. “I know this because I know your heart, Lord Liu Kang, and I have always known it… Furthermore, I have come to respect and appreciate its openness, warmth, and honesty—it is that heart which makes your fires burn so hot, but…”

“It… is a two-edged sword, isn’t it?” His shoulders sag and I am compelled to move closer, to stoop before and lay a hand upon him.

“Love is that way, yes—all emotions are, but love is the sharpest… not hate, or fear, or joy… Love. It is a root, remember that, and leads to all else.”

“I wish I didn’t—”

“No!” I snap vehemently, perhaps even more strongly than I’d anticipated doing. “No, do not speak those words aloud here, at the dawn of time… This void before all things is sacrosanct—our words affect it, even if we do not realize…” His eyes are wide, searching my face for exaggeration. He will find none. “More importantly, it affects us.”

“Forgive me, Teacher—I… it was the boy, Satoshi…” Liu Kang trails off. He need not finish his thought. I understand. As a deity, I have watched the lives of many mortals—they come and go, so fleeting in the grand scheme of things, but no less important for all that. I ache for the thought of those I have lost. He knows this pain as a mortal and perhaps is now beginning to understand that it is not unique to those with finite lives. Perhaps it is worse still for those who persist through the eons; we live with our grief, never quite mastering it.

“There are events which, in all of history, are pivotal to a certain outcome,” I explain gently, “as was our inevitable kombat to Kronika’s plans.”

“But we overcame it,” Liu Kang insists, his fists still clenched, hard, upon his lap. “You saved me—your decision to do that tipped the scales past where she could hope to control that outcome.”

“A one in a billion chance, nothing more,” I remind him, squeezing his shoulder and standing, hoping he will follow, hating to see him in this desperate position and myself, helpless to assist beyond my words.

“No!” This time, it is his turn to snap. “You can’t believe that—you can’t say that here, to me, like this… It isn’t…” He straightens and finally looks up at me. There are tears caught in his eyelashes, but resolution in the set of his jaw. Good. He will need that for what is to come. “It is not the Lord Raiden who chose me.”

“Even gods change.”

The look upon his face is one I remember well. It is frustration, stymied by words of someone he considers far wiser than he. If only he could know just how incorrect that supposition is. By virtue of my endless life, I should, by all rights, be wiser than the young Liu Kang, but I am not. I have been a fool, have known defeat and failure, and have carried grief and remorse as constant companions. That alone will change a person.

“It is that changeability which granted us a chance to defeat her. Kronika underestimated a great many things, including mortals… and the depths of my ire for those who would harm them. I became a god of vengeance at the ends of her strings, but she did not anticipate the desperation that would arise from my grief-tainted rage.” I cannot meet his eyes, not now, remembering that, so many times, in so many other timelines, Liu Kang had met his end at my hands.

“But Shinnok’s amulet!” His voice rings out in the roaring darkness and he claps his mouth shut, realizing the curse upon that name in this blank canvas of a place and time—or a lack of place and time; such things are difficult, verbally, to describe. “And the tainted Jinsei…”

“It was the lure of my father’s trinket, not the trinket itself, Lord Liu Kang, which corrupted me, the power granted by that tainted stream of life force which called to me,” I confessed, eyes upon the hourglass. “I am a recursive being, defined by myself; my sins are my own and my nature—which I have fought from my inception into this and every other timeline—is that of a god of destruction.”

The silence drifts between us. I consider him, Liu Kang, and what he has suffered. I wonder if perhaps I am not speaking to the lamb of his own slaughter, to which I have led him. Am I the author of some future madness? But it does not bear meditating upon—it cannot. It has been done and it was, I am certain now, the only way to overcome Kronika. All paths led to destruction except for this one and that, I think, was due in part to my nature, not his.

“So Sh—so he was your father, and Lord Fujin’s.” He seems disappointed, somehow, that this whispered legend or rumor has proven to be the truth. “I guess I knew that—or I thought I did… I’d heard it, but… Asking about family, among our friends?”

We both seem to recall, at once, the multitude of strange circumstances which had brought together the representatives of Earthrealm in the first place.

“Not a wise choice, were tact to be maintained,” I agree, “but the sire is no reflection upon the offspring—or it does not need to be. I knew that immediately when I looked upon my brother and saw someone I loved and someone I would always seek to protect.”

“You’re more human than you ever let on, Lord Raiden,” he observes. “Maybe we’ve softened you.”

“I have always been ‘soft’,” I assure him, “and it may have been my downfall, but for the memories of friends I keep stored up in the very core of my being. You strengthen me, even now… And so you must be, Keeper of Time, strengthened by love and compassion, tempered by reasonable logic and justice… and softened by empathy, but never destroyed by it.”

“So how, then, can I do this? How can I allow it?” He gestures to the glass, standing and straightening, wiping his cheeks and eyes with the other hand. The gesture is so reminiscent of his childhood, it brings a pang to my chest. In this moment, Liu Kang looks more boy than man, and like no god at all, despite his divine attributes. The shining markings which once adorned my flesh now wrap about his, with his own additions, variations to suit him. Never, in all the eons of my existence, have I felt more certain that I had made the correct choice.

“You choose the shift of the sands which, to you, seems most just.”

“The death of an innocent boy is not just, Raiden! How can you demand this of me?”

I shake my head. “I cannot,” I admit quietly. “It is your choice to make. I am not the Keeper of Time. I conferred my divinity upon you for a reason, Lord Liu Kang. This, as it turns out, was your ultimate purpose… All the Shao Kahns of every timeline—all the Raidens… could not stop you. Your inevitability and unpredictability are, at least in part, why Kronika did not see us coming. This, in the end, is why I chose you and why you alone are the appropriate choice to be time’s keeper. Her numerous, repetitious attempts only served to build the foundation of her defeat. She had intended to use that unpredictability to reverberate through time, shattering our alliance and, thence, every timeline, using our konflict to reset existence. She made a mistake.”

“So I must choose the lesser of two—no,” he corrects, “the least of many evils. Raiden, in one shift, I see Bi-Han himself leading the charge—I see the Shirai-Ryu fighting to the last man, but each time, Harumi and Satoshi die at his hands. Quan-Chi is always behind it, no matter who strikes the final blow and always, Hanzo’s family suffers and he…”

“He becomes a wraith.” I nod quietly, gesturing back to the hourglass. “But then what happens?”

“He… fights his way through Netherrealm and confronts Quan-Chi, every time.”

“He is also inevitable.”

Liu Kang nods, “yes, but, such suffering…”

“It builds him into the man we see today, fighting alongside Grandmaster Kuai Liang, for the protection of Earthrealm. Would the Shirai-Ryu and the Lin Kuei not still be at war, were it not for that avalanche of fate?” It is, admittedly, a question even I am not equipped to answer, but it stops him, makes him consider. He sighs and then shrugs.

“I… do not know.”

“So, rather than the least of many evils, Lord Liu Kang, you have been called upon to serve the purpose of balance—true balance—and justice… and to choose that which fulfills your duty.”

“You have always spoken of duty as if it is the only choice,” he observes, though the verbalization clearly pains him, “yet your duties, in service to the Elder Gods, have led you down many paths of destruction.”

I am silent a while, considering the truth of this. There is no simple answer, because he is correct. He has learned much over the years and now has the wisdom of many timelines from which to pull. Experience is the harshest teacher, but the best, by far—we do not soon forget those lessons taught us by pain and force.

“I served their purpose as a dutiful son and… I believe that purpose was, in many ways, to illustrate to me that fighting my nature could only lead to the inevitability of the Storm. I was wrong to follow and obey as I did. You will not be so unwise because you have many lifetimes to recall and to relive… infinite possibilities of wisdom and foolishness, infinite lives and deaths. You were… built to bear this burden.”

“Would you... take it from me?”

“Yes, Liu Kang, I would.” His countenance changes as I lay aside the deified title. It is as if I have regained my student, at least for a time. “My divinity prevents me taking up the crown with the same efficacy as a mortal, however—as I said, you are perfectly suited to its weight.” The pain in his eyes lances deep into me, but I hold his glowing gaze, as he always held mine. “You haven’t the arrogance of a titan or a god; your humility is yet another great strength.”

Liu Kang observes his hands, then me, then the hourglass. He takes in a breath which fills his lungs and then, closing his eyes, he releases it, slowly, through his nose. I watch his countenance shift once more, to something I have not yet seen. There is a certain serene nobility to it and not a note of resignation to be seen. He has begun to truly understand what his duty truly is, what a joy that burden will be to bear—and what a terrible tragedy.

“I understand,” he says finally, opening his eyes once more. Lifting off the foundational stones of all timelines, he moves to the hourglass and begins, once more, to manipulate the sands of time. There is security in his movements, a certain sureness that each decision is being made the right way—even if it is not the “right” decision. After all, at the beginning and the end of all things, one often finds one’s moral compass to be somewhat useless. There is no grander scheme than the one which Liu Kang now manipulates with novice hands and an open, empathetic heart and I could not be more proud of him.

[malicedragoness]

MK Baby Reactions Part 2

Y’all...

I was all up in my feels with this one. I’ve never actually cried while writing anything, but holy shit. I really hope y’all can forgive me for the Raiden one. I feel like I’m about to have a Q&A session about that one. 

I’m gonna post this and go cry myself to sleep. 

Kotal Kahn - "I want to have a baby."

Kotal's face cracks into the biggest smile you've ever seen. He wraps you in his giant arms and kisses the top of your head. He's been waiting for this day to come. He's always wanted children, and as Khan he's expected to produce an heir. He just didn't want to put any pressure on you, or felt like you were obligated to give him children. He was going to wait until you were ready. No one was going to rush his Empress.

With Osh-Tekk culture, it is customary to paint eachother's bodies in colored paint blessed by the wisewomen before conceiving a child. It's supposedly a fertility ritual. You felt awkward at first, but Kotal assured you that you can wash your body after the paint settles on your skin for a while.

But feeling Kotal's strong hands and agile fingers caress your body was just magical. You're not sure if it's the paint or his touches, but your body was on fire. Kotal was feeling the same affect as you touched his arms and chest. Once you got to his powerful thighs, he couldn't handle it anymore and tipped you back onto the grass and pounded into you. That was one of the most erotic nights of your life.

Once you announce you're pregnant, Kotal assigns a group of midwives to attend to your every need. He will try not to leave the palace if he's able to send someone in his place. Although, that's not always possible. He will most likely take Erron with him while he leaves Ermac with you and the midwives.

As your belly gets bigger, Kotal loves to cherish your bump. He will never miss an opportunity to announce that the Pride of Osh-Tekk grows in your belly. He will keep asking if you're comfortable, are you hungry, do you need to rest. He just wants to make sure you're getting the best care possible.

As you and Kotal walk through the gardens, he constantly talks about how your child, wether boy or girl, will be trained as a warrior. He can't wait to teach them to fight and wield their first weapon. To teach them about Osh-Tekk culture and your culture. To see their first rite of passage.

He tells you he has always wanted to be father, and we would like to have more children in the future. If you ask how many children he wants, he will smile and cup your face and say "However many you wish to bless me with."

When you go into labor, Kotal reverts back to his general mindset. He's barking orders to the midwives and demands to get a physician in here immediately. There will be hell to pay if you don't follow a direct order from him to the 'T'! He's completely in control of his emotions and he never leaves your side. If he feels you're in too much pain, he'll get one of the wisewomen to help you through it. He hopes his confident demeanor will give you strength during the contractions and pushing.

Once the baby is born, you can't help but cry as you look at the tiny baby in Kotal's humongous hands. You've never seen him be so delicate with anything before. He holds you in his free arm and kisses your forehead while he's crying. He tells you over and over again how he loves you both and how he's so proud to have you at his side.

He pulls away and asks if you're ready to announce your child to the world. When you nod, he walks to the open balcony where a crowd of people wait down below.

A hush falls over the crowd as they see Kotal appear with your child.

"My people, I bring to you my child, the Pride of Osh-Tekk! Yaotl!" He holds up your baby as everyone cheers.

--- 'Yoatl' is a unisex Aztec name meaning 'warrior' and 'defender'. It sounded perfect for Kotal and it kind of sounds like his name a bit.

Scorpion - "Hanzo, I'm pregnant."

Hanzo looks up at you with a look of shock on his face. He points to your stomach "You're..." and then to himself "Me?"

You nod hesistantly, unsure of how he would react to hearing this news. There were times when he talk about what it would be like to be a father again. He slowly walked to you and caressed your face with both of his hands. You watched as every emotion ran across his eyes. Surprise, happiness, sadness, guilt. Until he looked down at the floor for a few quiet moments.

He seemed so lost in thought and it terrified you that he may reject you. 

"Hanzo?" Your voice cracked and tears fell from your eyes as you tried to break him from his thoughts.

His head snapped up and he was surprised to see tears streaming down your face. He pulled you into a tight embrace and buried his face into your neck.

"I didn't mean to make you cry, my love." His voice was strained, as if he was trying to hold in all his emotions. He let out a shaky breath before he continued. "I... I am overjoyed to have the chance to be a father again."

You wrap your arms tighter around him and kiss his cheek. "I'm so happy. I was scared you were mad."

Hanzo pulled back to rest his forehead on yours. "Never. I am honored to father your children."

From then on he always keeps an eye on you. Whenever you're attending to the Fire Garden, he's close by and makes sure you aren't getting overheated. When you help prepare meals for the Shirai Ryu, he will check to see if the others are pulling their weight and helping you out.

Once you're further along in your pregnancy, he will try to make you stop with your duties. If you get mad and upset, he will just stand there patiently while you finish your tantrum. He's been through this with his late wife. He's well experienced with handling mood swings. When you're done he wraps you in his arms and kisses your forehead. He speaks softly and tells you that he didn't think you were uncapable of doing your work. He just wants to make sure you aren't overworking yourself.

The nursery will be set up across the hall from your room. Hanzo doesn't understand why people are obsessed with gender specific colors. He's not focused so much on color or decorating the room. He would rather there be minimal decorations, and instead have the necessities you need.

When you go into labor his face is the picture of discipline, but his shaking hands are what give him away. The cries you let out really shake him to his core. He never wanted to see you go through any pain, but he's both scared and in awe at how strong you are delivering your baby.

After the baby is all cleaned up and you have a moment to the three of you, while everyone else is patiently waiting. While you're slumped against his side and the baby in his arms, he admits his insecurities to you.

How he's afraid of losing you and your child like his previous family. The guilt he has from deciding to move on. How killing Quan Chi didn't solve anything, and still left an empty hole inside of him. How hard it was to finally let go of the hate and vengeance he's carried all these years. He was so afraid of how it took over his whole life that he wouldn't know what to do without it.

All of these pent up emotions came tumbling out and he cried in your arms. He told you that even with all the horrible things he went through, you still stayed by his side when he was at his worst and helped him change.

He vowed right there to you and your newborn that he will try his best to keep changing. He doesn't want such an innocent life to see him as such a hateful man like he used to be.

Like Kuai, Hanzo will teach your child the same principles: honor, discipline, and respect. Training helps the body, schooling strengthens the mind, and meditating cleanses the soul. These are the things he will teach any children you will have together.

He's not the fun dad that most kids want, but he knows you will fill the role as the 'fun' parent. And he's more than ok with that. If you two decide to pull a prank on Hanzo, he won't get mad. He'll just continue to eat as if that whoopie cushion he sat on wasn't even there to begin with.

It turns into game at this point to see what you and your kid can do to make Hanzo crack a smile at one of your silly pranks. So far nothing seems to do it. You two have tried about a hundred different things and he has yet to even get mad.

What the both of you don't know, it's that he's just happy to be a part of something you do as a family.

Raiden - "Raiden, do you want children?"

Raiden is a bit shocked by the question and tells you that he honestly never thought about it. He never thought he would be romantically involved at all, much less have children. He understands the process and knows it's possible for the two of you to conceive a child.

What he's scared of is his children being power hungry demi gods. Kronika had Shinnok and Cetrion. One wanted to conquer Earthrealm, and the other followed their mother's plan of destroying all existence. Not exactly great examples of gods having children.

He tells you to give him time to think about this decision. It's not something he wants to take lightly. Of course you agree, and this gives you time to think about it as well.

Weeks go by and he still hasn't given you an answer. You notice he stares off at nothing in particular, and he does that when he's deep in thought. He spends more time to himself and meditates constantly.

After months go by, you finally confront him about it. He opens and closes his mouth multiple times, and he aviods looking into your eyes. You feel your stomach drop.

Suddenly, you have a feeling you're not about to like what he has to say. And he proves you right, when he tilts your chin up to look you in the eyes.

"I... My love," he hesitates as he cups your face. Wiping away the tears that you didn't realize were streaming down your face. "I'm sorry. I cannot give you what you ask for."

You couldn't help it. You fall to the ground and cry. You wanted to be a mother so badly with the man you love. And he just told you he won't do it.

Raiden holds you in his arms. He knew this would cause you great pain, and he tried so hard to avoid this from happening. Never once did he want you to feel like this.

He calmly explains that the child you would produce would never be safe. From enemies and from themself. The power they would have would go to their head. He's seen so many tragedies happen from power hungry individuals that had immeasurable power. Kronika, Shinnok, Cetrion, Rain, and others. Raiden himself even fell to temptation.

If he can be corrupted, then so can his offspring. If that were to happen and your child were to destroy Earthrealm, and he had to choose between his child and the realms, that would utterly break him.

The two of you sit there crying, not caring who would stumble upon you, as you mourn the loss of a child you will never have.

Days go by, and everyone notices that you and Raiden don't speak to eachother as much anymore. As soon as you both enter the room, awkwardness permeates the air, you each avoid eye contact and stumble over words.

Until one day, Raiden woke you up late at night. Liu Kang and Kung Lao were with him and you noticed a bundle in Liu Kang's arms. He said that someone had left a baby on the doorstep of the monk's monastery. They weren't sure what to do with an infant and decided to ask if you and Raiden wanted to adopt them.

That's when your whole world changed. An unexpected opportunity to be parents was literally handed to you. Your hands shake as Liu puts the baby in your arms. The little bundle of life currently asleep as you take in their features.

Raiden looked to you, nervous energy floated all around him. "We may not be able to bring life into this world, like we wanted," he speaks softly as he wraps an arm around your shoulders. "But instead, we could help the ones who have nothing."

You look into eachother's eyes as you both finally smile after what seems like forever. "I love you Raiden."

"I love you too."

[botslayer]

How would I fix MK 11?

For those who don’t know, I made a 41 point list of questions I got from watching MK11′s story, and I got into an exchange with another user over said points. (https://swindle94.tumblr.com/post/186753421775/the-questions-raised-in-mk11s-story-mode ) I found that many flaws with the story as it had unfolded, and while I admit that a fair few of them were, in fact, nitpicks or even a little mad, I’m Still a little hung up on some of them. So in that spirit, Here’s just a general, jumbled and random bullet point list of what I’d do to the story of 11 if you put my happy ass in the writer’s desk, and perhaps a design ideas desk before 4thsnake gets to it. 1. I’d make Kronika’s powers more consistent, or at least explain why they seem inconsistent. Maybe lay out what she’s “Said” to be able to do, and then she can have a kind of epic “Turns out I can also do this.” Moment. Or maybe explain that after going through so many timelines (in some of which it is implied she almost lost/died) Her sanity is genuinely just going away.  2. I’d add more factions and make the whole game a mad scramble to recruit everyone possible, certain actions in the story recruiting one group in the place of another. Red Dragon, Seidans, Zetarrens, The Naknada as a people, Cryomancers, Vampires, Riders (Ferra/Torr), etc.  -An example would be something like Going to the Naknada or the Seidan resistance and “Taking out” the other’s leader, who would end up escaping and joining Kronika. It would add at least a little flavor to subsequent playthroughs, always culminating in this massive charge of various different factions.  3. Smoke, Sindel, Stryker, and Nightwolf are actually in this, but maybe establish that since Raiden’s threat at the end of X there was some sort of schism between them and Liu’s people, and maybe they abandoned their hate and whatever kept them impure using Nightwolf’s guidance, possibly Ashra’s, they lead some sort of heavenly army in the battle against Kronika. 4. I’d throw in a few past versions of more characters. Like Cyrax and Sektor? Maybe Cyber Kuai Liang? Really Establish that all these past versions of characters are from wildly different timelines. Ones where they still have MK9-ish attitudes toward being cyberized, But maybe have them alter their feelings as the story goes, Cyrax and Sub-Zero freeing their cyborg selves from Mecha Sektor’s literally iron grasp on their minds, showing past Sektor that the Cyberizing should have been, if nothing else, less all-consuming.  5. Dark Raiden stays. Can we just agree that him up and vanishing by chapter 2 was a bloody waste? DR bouncing off his past self would have been gold. He’s more willing to make deals with more devils than Kronika just to protect Earthrealm and its people.  6. I’d make the Naknada from Seido instead of Outworld, We’ve seen so little of that realm that a new species not being in what you explore in Deception makes at least some sense, at the very least it would be better than Outworld having yet another species of humanoids just waltzing about.  7. Just make Noob the past one. Maybe add the current one in as a sort of envoy for the gods, that would have been interesting. Noob from the past sees what he can become and just thinks his other, “Holy” self is weak, IDK, but this basically just how I’d explain away where TF he’s been all this time, the gods have been purifying and training him. It’d be a decent answer at least.  8. I mentioned establishing that all the past characters are from wildly different timelines... Why not throw in ones that are “Very likely” the one from the current timeline, so if something happens to that one, shit would get real? It’s just a case of figuring out which one is from a similar line and which one is actually your past self one to one.  I will grant that this has the most potential to just make things way more confusing or annoying but TBH It also has the most comedic potential and the most for some really intense fight scenes in the game.  9. I’d have Liu Kang’s Revenant not steal his own soul. I’d straight up have them fuse together during a fight. The two of them and the Raidens fusing into a master of storms and flame. Two versions of Mortal Kombat’s Champion and Two lightning gods, corrupt as two of them are, would make for one utterly devastating warrior, especially if the idea just comes to Raiden in the middle of a battle. (Basically just slightly altering Fire God Liu Kang’s origin, I admit)  10. I’d bring Mileena back and maybe have her join Kitana’s side after Kahn’s death. 11. I’d have Kano explain that “Every Market” line a little better. Those are most of the big ones, I’d appreciate some thoughts.  Little Edit: 12. The boats. I’d definitely change that a little, have Kronika’s plan still involve tying up Kharon and all that, but I wouldn't have Cetrion randomly building this bridge over the blood sea, just establish that Kronika can make her own boats, but Kharon is the only non-titan at the moment who can fairy the forces of light. 

[laismoura-art]

Heya, folks! Look what the tide brought! It's ma girl!

☆☆☆☆SCORPION!HARUMI☆☆☆☆

Click to see all the details and extra info!

If you just got here, this is Harumi Hasashi in her Spider Gwen Era!

This is a reality where Harumi became the Scorpion of the Shirai Ryu!

I wrote an entire backstory for her and had lots of fun brainstorming with my gal @mikka-minns, and you can find it all right here (I recommend you read the reblogs too 👀)!

And as I was specially inspired, I also made a second design! May I introduce you to:

☆☆☆☆Sub-Zero!Lisa Liang☆☆☆☆

She was Minnie's idea!

Lisa Liang is the forgotten Sub-Zero Sibling, but here she has a special role being Harumi's main Sub-Zero rival and love interest!

Lisa's personally is quite similar to Kuai Liang in Battle of the Realms. She is driven by her emotions, devoted, dedicated and extremely stubborn!

But her tough exterior hides a bold and gentle heart! She is extremely caring of her family and those she consider friends and allies. Never dare to cause harm to her loved ones, you do not wish to be on the receiving end of her wrath!

Much like her older brother, Bi-Han, Lisa has gathered countless enemies, to which would prove to be too much for a single warrior, luckily for the Cryomancer, she is not alone, for her guardian, her Scorpion, her lover, Harumi Hasashi, dutifully and loyally fights alongside her in every battle!

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

You met the Girlfriends! Now allow me to introduce you to some other members of this AU!

KUAI LIANG:

Youngest of the Sub-Zero Siblings! Being 9 years younger than Bi-Han and 3 minutes younger than Lisa, Kuai had to learn form a young age how to stand his ground so he wouldn't be bossed around by their own siblings!

Naturally born leader and wise beyond his age. He and Lisa lead the Lin Kuei to a new era of prosperity as defenders of Earthrealm!

Kuai was the first to reach out and seek to make peace with Harumi, once she had proven deserving of his forgiveness.

As he was also under the Scorpion's protection, he had spent plenty of time with her, and they soon became close friends, they would confide to each other from the most mundane to the deepest secrets.

He was the first Harumi confided her love for Lisa. And he was also the first Lisa confided her love for Harumi.

He told both the same thing: Well, wasn't that obvious?

BI-HAN (AND SAREENA)

The oldest of the Sub-Zero Siblings, Bi-Han is known to be ruthless, cruel and merciless to all his enemies!

And though he lives up to his reputation, few know that he is not beyond merciful acts, "never women and children" is his one rule!

And even after he was swallowed by darkness and driven to madness under Quan Chi's spells, this one rule remained.

With one solemn exception: His murderer, the Scorpion of the Shirai Ryu.

For years, he sought revenge. And he would fight anyone who dared to stand in his way, even his own twin siblings.

He felt betrayed the first time they fought. Betrayed, heartbroken, confused and extremely angry! He could not comprehend why his own siblings would chose this Shirai Ryu, his killer, over him!

He would keep fighting them for years, each time more aggressively, more heartbroken, till one day his sister stood bravely between him and his prey, "If you want her, you will have to kill me first" she told him. And as much as he hated his siblings at that moment, he could never hurt them.

He disappeared after that fight, back to Netherrealm. He could not comprehend, couldn't fathom why his sister would ever put her life in such a risk for some Scorpion!

He stayed in hell for the years to come, but not alone. He had made himself a friend, a demon called Sareena. She was nice to him, and dreamed with a life if freedom, out of Netherrealm.

He liked to hear her escape plans, and after some time, he even started to come up with some plans of his own and brainstorm with her. Till one day, they managed to escape!

Sareena was happy, she bounced and giggled happily, regarding her new surroundings in awe.

Bi-Han loved that sight of her. He loved her. And he would never let anything or anyone hurt her!

And it hit him.

Why his sister would not let him hurt that stupid little Scorpion.

Bi-Han never apologised to Harumi for trying to kill her. He never even apologised to his own siblings. He never felt he truly owed them an apology.

But he did tell them he would not let any harm come to them. To any of them.

Kuai, always the diplomat, invited him and Sareena to join them for lunch someday.

"We will see..." was his only response, "we will see..."

HANZO HASASHI

Harumi has met Hanzo twice in her life.

First time she met him, was when they were kids. He came to her village one day, and requested the Grandmaster himself to give him a home to live and in exchange he would train to become the greatest of all warriors!

It was a bold request for such a small child, but Harumi never doubted him, much due to her own ambitions being quite similar, if not the same as his!

Harumi, dreamed of being Scorpion!

It did not take long before the two of them started to get along! They would play together and when the time came, they started to train together!

They had a pact, the two of them: "We will help each other become the best warriors of the clan! And whoever becomes Scorpion names the other as their second in command!"

One pact they dutifully kept! Harumi was named Scorpion and she took Hanzo as her Second in Command, and in that same day, she also took him as her husband.

Harumi loved Hanzo deeply. And together they build a home for themselves and their son. They were her world.

But that world was brutally taken from her. Hanzo was taken from her. And from that day on, she would never be the same.

The second time she met Hanzo he was not quite her Hanzo.

He was from another reality, one in which he was named Scorpion and she was his Second in Command. She was also his wife, mother of his son, his world. World that was also brutally taken from him.

He was not exactly like her Hanzo, even if subtly, she could tell he was his own person, but happily, he was a person she grew to adore!

He was lovely, with the biggest of all heats. She could tell his Harumi was loved by him.

Their meeting was quite a necessary event, things buried deeply in their hearts finally found their say out and a feeling of peace hovered above them.

Closure was found. And with it, a newly found need to move on!

They were quite similar, this Hanzo and Harumi. There was much about their lives they shared, good and bad.

But it was when he confided his love not for her but for his world's Kuai Liang that she realised another similarity:

That Scorpion is bound to fall in love with Sub-Zero.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Oh Hey! You made it!!! How you liking this AU so far?

Have any ideas? Questions? Suggestions? Please share them all! I would love to make this AU grow!!

@mikka-minns, my darling! Again, thank you for the ideas! I hope you are enjoying this AU specially! Lysm💛🩷💛🩷💛🩷

Also, please, have some icons!💛💙

[kuai-liangst]

Lost Snow Child Chapter Twenty

Summary: Kuai Liang and Tomas play tag. It goes wrong, but in the end it makes things better.

@michael-young-history due to michael's request to be @ when I post chapters here.

Kuai Liang laughs as he chases Tomas down the hall, Emily following them to make sure that they don’t get hurt, he thinks. She’s weird like that. But, it’s a nice weird like how Big brother would look after them when they chased each other in the Lin Kuei.

Tomas turns into a smoke cloud and uses it to speed away as they enter what looks like a treasure room. Kuai Liang lunges to grab the solid part of Tomas, just barely missing the other boy.

Knocking a vase over, causing it to shatter into pieces at his feet. He vaguely notes Tomas manifests into a physical form as he squats down and starts picking up the pieces. Tomas follows suit as they hear Emily run over to them.

“You’ll hurt your hands!” She cries out as she gently knocks the vase pieces out of both of their hands before picking them both up somehow.

He hears her grumble about them being too light as she carries them away from the broken vase.

Kuai Liang struggles to control his breathing. He’s in so much trouble. He broke something. He’s going to be punished.

Or they’ll punish Bi-Han because he was bad, and now Miss Allison and Mister Cole are going to hate him and not want to be around him anymore.

Mister Cole and Bi-Han are approaching. They’re going to see the mess. He’s going to be in so much trouble.

Whatever they're talking about stops as Bi-Han and Cole takes in the situation. Bi-Han immediately goes over and starts to pick up the vase pieces.

Cole runs over and gently knocks the vase pieces out of Bi-Han’s hands before somehow picking his big brother up. “What are you trying to do? You’ll cut your hands!”

Allison walks in after them. She looks at them worriedly as she spots the mess, “I’ll grab a broom and dustpan. You five stay away from the mess to make sure you don’t cut your hands.” She tells them as she quickly departs.

Kuai Liang feels his lower lip start to quiver, and his eyes sting as Emily gently sets them on the ground. “What were you three thinking?” Cole scolds as he gently sets Bi-Han, who is staring at Cole like he’s crazy, on the ground. “You could have gotten hurt. Why would you even try to pick up the shards like that?”

“Back in the Lin Kuai-” Bi-Han tries to explain to Cole, but all Kuai Liang could focus on was how Cole was disappointed.

He was going to hate him. He was going to tell him that he never wanted to see Kuai Liang or Bi-Han or Tomas again. No more hugs, no more Mister Cole or Miss Allison, no more Emily being the big sister he’s never had.

He doesn’t want them to leave.

“I’m sorry,” Kuai Liang apologizes, interrupting Bi-Han’s explanation, “I didn’t mean to break it. I’m sorry.”

Bi-Han looks at him like his heart is about to shatter.

Kuai Liang couldn’t stop the tears falling from his eyes, sobs forcing their way out of him.

He feels Bi-Han’s cool arms wrap around him as Bi-Han pulls him close.

He’s scared, so scared. He doesn’t want Mister Cole to be angry at him or hate him.

“I’ll be good, I promise.” Kuai Liang cries despite Bi-Han’s and now Tomas’s hug.

Cole squats down. A concerned look on his face is mirrored by Emily, who looks worried and angry. “Are you hurt, kiddo? You aren’t in trouble or anything. Accidents happen. Emily and I are just worried you could have gotten hurt picking up those shards.”

Bi-Han huffs slightly as breathing gets easier. “Are you sure?” Kuai Liang asks softly as Bi-Han gently runs his hand comfortably down Kuai Liang’s back. “I was bad.”

Cole extends his arms invitingly, “Yeah, I’m sure. The monks probably have a way to fix it or replace it. No one here is going to be mad, I promise.”

Kuai Liang isn’t sure he believes Cole completely, but…he’s usually right, and he likes big brother. Maybe…maybe they won’t be in trouble.

He squirms out of Bi-Han’s grip and takes the hug easily, “They won’t kill me, right?” He whispers.

He almost regrets it from how cold it gets from that question.

“No,” Cole answers, almost as cold as Bi-Han was when he killed one of the Elders who had grabbed him roughly and left a bruise. “No one will hurt any of my kids. If they want to kill my son or daughter, they’ll have to get through me first.”

Cole summons his arcana to empathize with his point as Bi-Han takes in a sharp breath.

Kuai Liang focuses on Cole. Son or daughter. Any of my kids. Cole had said that.

“I’m…one of your kids?” Kuai Liang asks softly. Cole smiles at him and nods, “I’m…your son?”

“Yeah,” Cole tells him as Emily hugs him from behind.

Kuai Liang sobs into Cole’s chest, “But….you like Bi-Han. I can’t be your son. I want big brother to be happy with you and Allison.”

“Bi-Han isn’t my son,” Cole tells him. The words sounded correct but strange coming out of his mouth. “You can be my son, and Allison and I can be…involved with Bi-Han.”

He…he could be Cole and Allison’s son, and they could still date Bi-Han? He…they could be his Mom and Dad and be with big brother and make him happy?

“...I can call you Dad?” Kuai Liang softly asks.

It was too good to be true. He…doesn’t know what having parents are like. His birth parents died when he was a baby, and Hydro was more Bi-Han’s mentor than his.

Cole nods, “I didn’t mind before. If you want to call me that, you can, but you don’t have to.”

“I wanna. I’ll forget to. But, I wanna.” Kuai Liang tells him as the nice warm lulls him. He’s so sleepy now.

“I’m tired.”

Cole stands up and pulls him away from Emily, “Go to sleep. We’ll take care of this, kiddo.”

Kua Liang dozes off in Cole’s arms. He wants…”Tomas.”

“You want Tomas to come with us?” Cole asks. He doesn’t sound mad or disappointed, more curious.

Kuai Liang hums affirmatively. He wants to be with Tomas.

He hears Tomas follow after him. Kuai Liang wonders if he should feel bad that he’s making Tomas follow him,….but Tomas tells him he likes spending time with Kuai Liang. And he…Tomas makes Kuai Liang feel safe. Like no one will hurt him as long as they’re together

[sasorikigai]

My Character Must Confess in 3s || @pxlariis || accepting 

Dream: Three wishes they have.

Hanzo; 

He knows a heart can be broken, not only once, but countless times, but it would keep on beating just the same. If Hanzo is lost in them, if love bleeds into addiction and he feels full only when he’s filled with them, he would let the time run out, let the throat strain closed as paradoxically, his ruptured viscera would swell, spill and sprawl out of his gut as strength and vigor crumbles and becomes naught, until the finality and decisiveness of death consumes him, then he would be reforged with the Netherrealm’s hellfire, only to erupt halcyon flames as the effulgent colors saturate him whole once again. “I would like to touch Harumi and Satoshi again as the world stills. We do not even have to speak, for the realization that despite everything, I fear that my declaration of love and such admissions of pained regret and guilt I have towards them won’t be enough to ever persuade them to remember me as an incompetent husband, an inadequate father and a failed individual. I just want to truly love and cherish them without being absent and away from them for so long.” 

In his nightmares, Hanzo had spoken their names so often as if it was a chanting; he found himself a songbird in him, always finding a new honey moment to come bring home to his nest, yet he would repeatedly watch such treasured bliss shatter beneath the impossibility, the improbability, as his obsessive reminisce would serve him towards the inevitability of hopelessness. “I know I can never see them in this life, so perhaps until I see them in the next granted life, then I would want my life as the Shirai Ryu Grandmaster to come to its fruitful end. I want a better story to tell from the Earthrealm’s unfurling future. I want the descendents to remember that I was among a selected many that sacrificed all that I had ever had, in order to not only pay off for the retribution I have wrongfully caused in the past, but to truly believe in the warmth and tranquility of the world, which only has brought me peace and growth.” 

His tangled heart once again constricts, as the stardust of his eyes scintillate with susurrus of his quiet words. Hanzo feels conflicted, like being torn apart on the inside. The guilt he feels for wanting such fervent love. How he would meditate and train late into the night; that his feelings for Kuai Liang would be removed, cast out and taking with it all the guilt and skepticism he felt. But alas, it would come to no avail, and the longing for the Lin Kuei Grandmaster remained ever strong. He never feared anything in his life, but he fears that he would be jeopardizing that balance, by stirring in the pit of his stomach. Hanzo was reigning an old flame, and he doubted he would ever extinguish this particular surge if he remained quiet. “I want the rustling of Fire Garden’s Phoenix-like colors to saturate through my words in honest confession. That there’s this person who brings me a state of euphoria, such abundance of hope that I used to not have,” how his eyes would twinkle and shine lustrously like a fire agate as he speaks. “I doubt that my feelings would be reciprocated, but at least it’s what I could do - for I have caused him too much pain and duress he does not deserve in the slightest.” 

Kuai; 

The mists of the trembling blood beads on his perspiring skin as the loss of so many weights heavily on him. Kuai Liang hated, and still hates himself for not being able to save them, hates himself for not being able to stop this madness somehow and still struggling to return things to the way they had been, and hates himself even more for not being able to protect him. For he has lost everything that ever held any value to his life. “I would foremost like to gain my misguided pupil Frost. Not only she was haunted by the trauma of the past, her hubris and ambition for power was so easily manipulated by Kronika that... her mind was utterly and irrefutably lost beneath the tides of the swarming demons, waiting to waylay their host upon the shore of nonexistent humanity. I feel sorry and completely devastated that she has partaken to give her human body and mind to malignantly mutilated, only to fulfill Kronika’s agglomerated and selfish machinations, who only sought to sweet talk her with false promises and improbable grandeur unfit for this world.” 

He also had lost Hanzo; the man he secretly loved and held dearest in his heart. If the cryomancer could scream in rage and grief he might have, he would have, but it would do him no good. Kuai Liang believed, that he would not be haunted by the faces of the dead that he never had the chance to mourn, at least no more. Not after witnessing gruesome carnage of stripped flesh, cleaved appendages, saturated sanguine splattered as the pained shrieks would have echoed through the quarry as the scent of thick metallic tang and rotting putrescence of mortal flesh would have permeated through the graveyard of lost and broken dreams. Not after witnessing his brother having claimed by the Netherrealm as the pure manifestation of evil, as Noob Saibot’s grim silhouettes would sink into the younger brother’s mind like the Atlas pressing against the chamber of his lungs... “I want Hanzo back, so we could continue to form the deadly alliance against any manifestations of evil, as we once had as we breached through the corruption of the Cyber Initiative.” A painful sigh of relinquishment briefly rattles his chest, before his strenuous hope - once again - holds his head up high against the Atlas of his suffering. 

“It deems unlikely, but I want to purify Bi-Han’s corrupted heart. I would like to know why he had chosen the path of descension, towards the absence of humanity, compassion and kindness. I wonder why he could not have been resurrected and redeemed a new man, even against the definiteness of his death. It pains me greatly to witness such atrocity he has become. I understand the only way to heal is to hurt, but as I have witnessed Hanzo’s resurgence and growth, I still have plenitude of hope that he too, would eventually let go of his agony and enmity and reconstruct himself towards the path of healing.” The orotund baritone of Kuai Liang’s crisp voice echoes with intent and potency, as the intensity of his sapphire eyes beat with power and burning strength.