#oops kung lao's dead again au | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

420thewritersroom · 4 months

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Thunderstorms in Spring

~Welp, just as fast as I posted that first installment, now we have a second one! I didn't expect everyone to like the first one so much, and I wanna thank you guys for your loving words! And the previous piece honestly gave me so much work to go off on that I decided to continue with a sequel (will this become a possible series, idk, but there's a second one now, so who knows).~

~I, once again, want to thanks the artists in this community who made their pieces of White Haired!Raiden and contributed to the whole "Oops, Kung Lao's Dead Again" AU, you can find them credited in the previous post since I don't want to annoy them with constantly tagging them whenever I make another installment with this series lol.~

~Before we continue just wanted to put some mild context to ensure this makes sense. Fire God Liu Kang starts getting deja vu as certain coincidences and events start playing out that are too eerily similar to how things played out during the MK9 game. All roads were seemingly leading to Kung Lao dying in his timeline, and Liu Kang struggled with how to cope and deal with this. On one hand, he did not want his friend-…His new teacher…To die, especially since he tried so hard to tailor-make this timeline to ensure everyone got a happy ending.

Yet, at the same time, he refused to stoop down to Kronika's level and start altering the timeline until it was his "perfect" utopia. However, his fears and suspicion about the situation become even more realized when Raiden gets gravely injured, and the only thing that prevented him from kneeling over was the thunder amulet infused with his person (and some other magical shit, idk). From this, Raiden gains his iconic white hair, and this gives Liu Kang a heart attack. To make a long story short, Kung Lao ends up dying at the hands of the villains, Raiden is going through the stages of grief, but he's going down the same dark path as the previous Raiden, now becoming Dark Raiden. And Liu Kang has to finally interfere.~

Still confused? Too late, now on to the story!

Previous // Next

Characters: Raiden, Raiden's Sister (Fuji), Johnny Cage, Kenshi, Mentions of Kung Lao, Liu Kang, Madam Bo, and Jax

Word Count - 8,001 (wow!)

Ships: Johnny/Kenshi - Past Raiden/Kung Lao

Warnings: Canon Typical Violence (with less blood), Heavy Talks About Character Death

~The Netherrealms - Undisclosed time and place~

Sulfur, ash, smoke, burning stone, and landscapes; the smell of the Netherrealm. Although Raiden's memories are fuzzy at best and nonexistent at worst, he remembers this in near clarity. His vision presents him looking up at the hellish sky as if he's lying down on the ground. He remembers not moving; it's too painful to move. He remembers breathing heavily. Is it because of the suffocating air of the Netherrealms? Or perhaps because of the blinding pain that Raiden remembers experiencing.

He can remember not just hissing and groaning in pain but screaming and writhing-silently begging for it to end. In this mnemonic dream, everything was selective when it came to what he saw, heard, smelled, and tasted. For taste, he can taste the iron of his own blood mixed in with something foul. Could it be the rancid air or the fact that this mixture almost tasted like poison?

His hearing in this dream is quite literally selective. Some people sounded horribly muffled, requiring Raiden to strain his ears to hear them. Others, he could perceive with great clarity, and then there were those he could not hear at all, their lips moving with no audible sound. Then there was his sight. Like the other senses, Raiden was faced with blurred faces, some only possessing one discernable feature, such as their eyes, nose, mouths, ears, hair, etc. Others were completely faceless to Raiden, with only their speech or smell being the one thing Raiden could cling to.

But what often overrode all these senses was the overwhelming pain he felt at this moment. Three figures stood above him. One was featureless; the only distinguishing aspect of this entity was that they were female-presenting as their speech sounded feminine, but it was horribly dimmed. Another figure was only distinguishable thanks to the glowing eyes they possessed and distinct dragon tattoos that crawled up their arms. If Raiden concentrates, he can maybe recollect what this individual is saying, but this pain prevents him from doing so.

Then there was Kung Lao. Deadass, just his long-time best friend, Kung Lao. Out of all the figures in front of Raiden in this instance, Kung Lao-he could see and hear with such perspicuity. Kung Lao stood beside the lying Raiden, tears in his eyes, slurring his speech, holding tightly to the thunder wielders' shaking hand.

"It's ok, Raiden! It's ok, you're going to be ok!" Kung Lao sobbed, trying, but failing, to smile at Raiden despite his tears actively gracing Raiden's face.

Raiden doesn't remember if he said anything back to him. His sight throughout this scene remained on his friend…At least, he thinks they're friends. There's a foreign feeling that encompasses him whenever he looks at Lao, and it's an overwhelming sense of love. And, I mean, people can definitely love their best friends. He and Kung Lao had known each other since they were children. Lao was a reckless, poor kid, and Raiden was a boy from a well-off family. Despite their class differences, they saw something likable about the other. But this love was more than just having a natural affinity for someone he's known all his life.

This felt…Stronger? Louder? Raiden doesn't know how to describe it. If it wasn't for the pain, Raiden would get lost in Kung Lao's chocolate eyes. He would untie his short ponytail and play with his hair before readjusting his look. Raiden notices little details about his friend that others might not have picked up on. Like his dimples when he smiles, even under such stressful circumstances, the way his face piercings adds to his cocky personality, and his undercut brings back fond memories of the pair trying to learn how to cut his hair which ended disastrously. Raiden wanted…To kiss him dearly…

And just like how Raiden held his perspective on Lao, Kung Lao hasn't torn away his gaze on Raiden, spitting out promises of what they will do together once Raiden was right as rain in rapid fire. What ended up redirecting Kung Lao's attention was when the figure with the glowing eyes was mumbling something.

"What?" Kung Lao snaps his head over to the tattooed figure with hopeful confusion on his face.

This tattooed individual, Raiden could not understand fully. However, he was able to catch on to some words: Amulet, Raiden, Entity, and Consequences. The fully faceless being, who was also present, gestures as if they're conversing with the pair - but Raiden cannot hear their input on the matter.

"I don't care how you do it! I…I just want him to survive! Please, Liu! Save him! Save Raiden!" Kung Lao cries, holding onto Raiden's hand like his life depended on it. As if, if he didn't clutch onto Raiden, he would lose him forever.

The tattooed individual holds their gaze toward Kung Lao, their silence and body language hinting that they were…Uneased and uncertain. The tattooed looks at the feminine figure and nods, saying something in the mumbled jargon they spoke. But the three individuals in front of Raiden were all in agreement. They were going to save him. He was going to survive this…Somehow.

Kung Lao focuses back on Raiden, smiling at his downed friend. "Look at me. Look at me, Raiden. You're going to be alright! Liu is gonna help ya. You…" Kung Lao looks Raiden over, primarily where his stomach is. Why was he looking there? "You're going to be alright. I love you. I love you so much, and I'm not going to let you die, ok?"

Raiden feels his heart flutter as if Kung Lao said something that would've usually made the thunder wielder swoon. But what was it? Despite being able to understand everything Kung Lao was telling him, his dream censored him; twice it did. Raiden feels something swell within him, this desire to respond to Kung Lao. Words at the tip of his tongue that he wanted to get out.

But then the pain gets worse. A LOT worse. His body was on fire as if electricity was coursing through his body. Raiden screams, making sounds that one would not think a human could make. He writhes, so much so that he feels someone holding him down. He remembers wanting it to stop; that dying was a better alternative than enduring this much pain.

Raiden jolts awake, sitting upright, sweaty, and breathing heavily. His eyes roam about his room, taking stock of what's around him. It was just a dream. He's in his room, in his bed. Not in…That hellish place…Whatever that was. Yet, he's not calming down. It felt real, too real. The pain, the heat, the people talking to him. It was as if he experienced it before, and there was a part of himself that felt like it was factual. But it was so…Surreal…

"Ugh! Aaah!" Raiden clutches his stomach, where his lower and upper body meet. It's happening again.

He can feel static dancing off his person in painful waves, coursing through his body from his stomach. He doubles over as he clutches his stomach in a hugging position. He can feel it wanting to get out again, this strange, unknown power, as it swells in electric prowess, begging to be let out.

"Raiden? Raiden!" Fuji's voice sounds distant, yet tangible, as she rushes to her brother's side. "Raiden, what's wrong? Is it happening aga-ah!" Fuji feels a jolt of electricity shock her, and she pulls away from touching her brother.

Raiden hisses through the growing pain, "Y-yes, it's happening again! It's stronger this time!"

"Come on, let's get you outside!" Fuji says in a hurried tone as she quickly dresses herself in whatever she can get her hands on in her brother's room.

Raiden groans as he tries to remove himself from his bed (something he kinda doesn't want to do right now) but ends up rolling off the mattress onto the floor with an audible grunt. Fuji is quick to Raiden's side again and helps him up with all her strength. Despite having a sleeper build in terms of muscularity and being leanly built, he was heavy to carry and drag around for someone of her strength and stature.

"Come on, come on, let's go, Raiden! We're almost to the door; let's go!" Fuji tries to encourage her brother.

"I-I'm trying, Ji. It hurts!" Raiden whines.

They both get past the front door and rush to hop onto Fuji's motorbike (she saved up ALOT of money to get this baby). She revs the engine and speeds away down the road, biking to a remote area so that her brother can let out…Whatever the fuck is going on with him.

"We're almost out of here, Raiden! Just give me-HOLY SHIT!"

Suddenly, an arc of lightning strikes the ground, deadly close to them. It's only now that Fuji notices that the night cloudy skies above were crackling with thunder and lightning (fortunately, no rain…Yet…).

"Raiden, control yourself! Just give me 2 minutes! AAH!" Fuji dodges a lightning strike that landed 3 seconds ahead of them.

"I'M TRYING!" Raiden shouts in pain, his hair and eyes glowing intensely as the power of the amulet strengthens. Throughout the trip, Raiden KNOWS that he was unintentionally shocking his sister, the poor farm boy constantly apologizing as he tries to reign in the energies coming off him.

Fuji is able to bob & weave around the constant lightning strikes and endure the shocks her brother kept giving her, just enough to reach not just the outskirts of the village but into the remote parts outside their settlement. Once they were a good 15 minutes away from Fengjian, Fuji slows down to park her bike, but this would nearly cost her. As they were about to stop, another strike of lightning hits them from behind, kicking up dirt, debris, and their bike. The motorbike ends up being tipped forward forcefully, sending the siblings flying.

"AAAAHHH!" Fuji screams as she soars above the ground before crashlanding into the tall grass nearby. Although she didn't gain that much air, thanks to her slowing down not too long ago, she still felt her ears ringing and her head and muscles aching. She makes sharp gasps as she slightly rolls in pain.

"Damnit, Raiden," Fuji hisses. "Fuck, Raiden! Raiden?" Fuji picks herself up, almost losing her footing, as she frantically looks for her older brother.

The sounds of her brother screaming gave her an idea of where he was at. He wasn't too far from her. Fuji could see lighting bouncing off his person as he was in the fetal position. As Fuji was attempting to approach him, Raiden yelled out to her, "DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!"

Fuji immediately stops in her tracks, watching her brother uselessly as he suffered. Ever since he came back home a year and a half ago, ever since Liu Kang dropped her brother off at their family home, he's had these strange abilities. But nothing like this. It has never gotten this bad! It's gotten out of control. Whatever's happening to Raiden, it's trying to get out. Fuji anxiously scours through her brain as she considers WHAT she can do to help her brother that she hasn't done before. But…BUT WHAT THE FUCK WOULD ANYONE DO IN THIS SITUATION!?! Her brother is becoming a malfunctioning transmission tower! No amount of guidance from their parents, friends, workmates, or even TikTok inspiration posts could prepare her to handle this!

There is one thing she notices about her brother in this situation. It's almost as if he's trying to hold back whatever this electrifying beast is. This gives her an idea.

"R-Raiden! Raiden, you need to let go! You can't keep holding back…Whatever this is!" Fuji shouts as loud as she can, the raging thunder clouds, cracks of lightning, and howling wind overpowering her voice.

"NO!" Raiden screams in response, fear heavily apparent in his tone. "I-FUCK-I'LL HURT YOU! LIKE LAST TIME, I'LL HURT YOU!"

Oh…

Fuji stares uselessly at Raiden as that incident plays in her head again. It was a couple months since Liu Kang returned her brother home. Raiden was…He was going through alot. What, with his sudden memory loss and having to come to terms with the lost memories, Raiden was silently coping with this alone. It's unnatural for him to bottle up his emotions. Fuji has always known her brother to speak his mind when something troubled him…Then again, his trusted confidant when he didn't want to turn to his family was Kung Lao…Who's dead…Even Madam Bo he couldn't look to for guidance; she died many years ago (peacefully, surrounded by her family). And despite the natural trust, as siblings, they both had for each other; Raiden clearly avoided speaking with her about what he was thinking and feeling.

And it finally came overhead when the siblings had a mild dispute. She doesn't even remember what they were arguing about. Could've been typical brother/sister shit. Maybe she finally confronted him about his silence and reluctance to speak about what had happened to him. Regardless, things got a bit personal, and Raiden, who is usually the patient and calm one, even during their little disagreement bouts; lashed out.

And quite literally did he lashed out. Fuji probably should've seen the telltale signs when his eyes and hair were giving a dim, white glow, but she was too riled up in the conversation to pay attention. Then it happened, Raiden yelled back at her, and suddenly, an arc of lightning erupted from him. Striking Fuji.

With a highly concentrated energy of electricity, it shocked her to the point that her body shut down temporarily…But Raiden didn't see it like that, at the moment. His sister, his closest friend aside from Kung Lao, was lying on the kitchen floor, dead. Their elderly parents arrived home to see Raiden sobbing loudly as he tried to revive his sister while lightning was pulsing off him. They couldn't get close enough to each reach the phone to call for emergency services as arcs of lightning were going everywhere in the house, practically destroying it (the expenses were much, even for their family). And maybe it was the constant shock of electricity that restarted Fuji and kept her from fully kneeling over. Who knows, there was a lot of pandemonium going on at that moment, but she remembered jolting back to life, breathing heavily as she tried to scoot away from her brother.

But there was one thing she regretted that day. Being so scared of Raiden that she had the look of someone seeing a monster, a threat.

Fuji can ascertain that he's been holding it in ever since that day. Because he's scared of hurting her again. And sure, they would both go out of town to a remote area to let Raiden air out and release the energies of the amulet infused to his body. But there was a deafening disconnect since that day. And it pains Fuji that it wasn't until now that she realized she'd shut Raiden out because she was scared of her brother.

Another painful cry emits from Raiden. The storms above were becoming dangerous, Fuji felt like she was going to be swept off her feet by the roaring winds. Although Fuji was scared of the mystical prowess her brother possessed, she loved him more than she feared him.

"Raiden, you're not going to hurt me! I know you won't, I trust that you won't!" Fuji has to now scream over the raging storm as she puts some further distance between her and her brother, readjusting her fallen motorbike. "Whatever you're holding on to, you have to let it go!"

"Fuji, I-"

"Raiden, don't you fucking argue with me!" Fuji shouts, using her "mom voice." Fuji might be just as soft-spoken as her brother, but she knew when to assert herself and take up space when needed. "You're going to harm me far worse the longer you keep holding on to...Well, that! You'll destroy all of Fengjian doing what you're doing RIGHT NOW!"

I mean, Fuji can't say for certain that it will. But storms like this can definitely level villages, and she's not about to wait and find out if this is the case. Fuji yelps loudly as a soaring large tree branch flies by her, the dark-haired sister ducking behind her bike for safety. There's another resounding scream from Raiden, and she looks in his direction with extreme worry. However, there was something different about this scene.

Raiden was howling, sure, but he was releasing the energies of the amulet. The best way one could describe this scene is that it's like watching Raiden raise his power level as if he's a Dragon Ball Z character. The storm around this time worsens, so much so that Fuji ends up holding onto her, albeit skidding, bike while screaming herself.

Then it...Stops...The roiling thunder, the crack of lightning, the raging winds calmed. Fuji opens her eyes and looks to the still-night sky, the dark clouds slowly parting to reveal the gibbous moon above, the sound of thunder now becoming an infrequent presence. When she finally takes a look at her brother...She might as well be looking at an all-powerful being, maybe even a god.

Raiden was levitating, hair and clothes flowing as if he were in water, sparks of electricity visibly coursing through his being as his hair and eyes glowed a godly white. Fuji stared in awe as electric energies sparked off him, unsure of how else to take in this scene in front of her. Her brother would soon gracefully touch the ground again before kneeling over. Fuji cautiously approaches her brother as if she's entering an emperor's throne room unannounced.

"...Raiden?"

"...Yeah?" Raiden, now sounding like his usual, soft-spoken, self, looks up at his sister. His face plastered with the same amazement as she possessed.

"Are you...Ok?"

"I think so," Raiden looks himself over, watching the energies pulse around him. "...Yeah. Yeah, I think I'm alright now."

"What was that? This never happened before." Fuji starts getting more bold as she approaches her brother. She wanted to dust him down but hesitated as the energies continued to encompass Raiden.

Raiden is quiet for a moment. During this silence, the electrical current finally dissipated. "...I'm sorry, Fuji."

"For what?"

"For...For everything."

Fuji's heart nearly breaks the moment she hears Raiden's voice crack. Raiden's eyes become glassy as he begins to cry. "No. No, Raiden," Fuji takes the first step to break the space between them, holding his shaking hand in hers. "I should be the one apologizing. I...I'm not going to pretend that I know what happened to you that caused all this. These strange powers, you're new color," Fuji brushes some stray hair behind Raiden's ear, "Or why you can't remember the past...I don't even know how many years."

"But you clearly needed help. I can't assist with any physical help, but I can help with this," Fuji pokes at his heart, smiling at her elder brother. "I was scared of you, Raiden...Because you became...Unrecognizable to me. But I was wrong to emotionally shut you out. You're still my brother, and I'm going to still be your sister."

Raiden chuckles, smiling through his tears as he fondly looks at Fuji. "Thank you, sis."

"Now come on, we best get home. Mom and Dad, if they're not awake already, are going to be worried about why we were gone during an active storm. Also, you're still in your underwear."

"What?" Raiden looks at himself, finally realizing that he's still in a t-shirt and boxers. "W-why didn't you help me get dressed!?!"

"You were literally screaming and shooting lightning out of your hands, what did you want me to do?" Fuji responds as she gets her motorbike prepped for departure.

"I would've been fine with a hoodie or something," Raiden says, now in a bit of a jesting mood. He does notice that his sister is wearing his clothes and points at her. "Can you at least hand me my hoodie?"

"Can't. Not wearing anything under this."

"I can literally see your PJs under there, Ji."

"Ok, but it's cold. No thanks to you," Fuji sticks her tongue at him teasingly.

The pair continue their sibling banter as they make their way back to Fengjian. The back & forth is interrupted as Raiden grows silent suddenly. Growing increasingly uncomfortable with the silence, Fuji breaks the ice.

"Something on your mind?"

Raiden remains still.

"...Come on, Raiden. If something is troubling you...Listen, I might not have all the answers, but at least let me know what's going on."

~Two Days Later~

Raiden closes the mirrored medicine cabinet, the soft click of the small door indicating it was successfully shut. Raiden is faced with his reflection. White, shoulder-length hair, brown eyes (that occasionally turn white, he has noticed), upside-down heart-shaped face, chubby cheeks, oval brows; these features he has seen time and time again. Yet, this look still feels...Foreign to him. How did he get the white hair? Nothing in his memories can track down the point in time when he dyed his hair (Fuji says that he dyed his hair...But...).

He looked...Older. As if he's experienced many things in his life. What those experiences are though-he cannot tell you. Raiden places a hairband in his mouth as he gathers his strands to recreate the man-bun he fondly prefers to wear. It's the one thing that gives him a sense of familiarity. He can remember precisely how he favors pinning up his hair. Raiden looks at himself in the mirror again, staring into his reflections' brown eyes as if he's searching for something behind them. His gaze then focuses on a small picture. A photo was taken when he, Kung Lao, and Fuji went on a school trip in their elementary years. Their class went fishing that day, and he can distinctly remember his kid self getting frustrated because he couldn't catch a single fish that day. Despite living in a village that was on the water, fishing wasn't a skill Raiden acquired. He remembers Kung Lao always being able to catch a large or small one, bragging about how he was going to take his catches back home to eat.

Perhaps it was Kung Lao's bragging that made his younger self jealous and throw a fit. But in that same instance, Kung Lao actually taught him the tricks he used to capture fish. It was Kung Lao that turned that sour trip into a journey he will always remember.

...

Why can't he remember anything? Past that day, when the pair competed to see who could harvest the most cabbages and pay for the loser's meal at Madam Bo's, everything else is a blur. And maybe this wouldn't bother him much; people can have fuzzy memories, especially if they were beaten so severely they had to be bandaged with extreme care by a stranger. But it's not just a few memories that he can't recollect; it's practically all of them past that day at Madam Bo's. Even more alarming...

...He had forgotten that his best friend, Kung Lao, had died. Now, unless he's getting a grave case of early dementia, who would miss that their own best friend died, their own funeral procession? When his sister and parents came forward about this with him, it was only then that Raiden realized that some years passed as well. That meant that he was missing years-YEARS-of life experiences that were now gone from his mind. Even more confusing, he wasn't in a coma. At least, he doesn't think he was.

Ok, lemme explain. Based on what Fuji and his parents told him, some man named Liu Kang offered him a position of high-paying work. It required him to work in the United States, and both he and Kung Lao were offered the job; both men said yes to this opportunity. Looking back at it, in his family's words, they should've pushed back further as they were suspicious of this Liu Kang fellow and this job he was offering their son. But seeing the joy on Raiden's face and his determination to leave with Liu Kang convinced them that their son could handle themselves and pave his own future. Occasionally, he would visit home and send money & unique souvenirs before promptly leaving back to the States. Apparently, he was a martial arts teacher in the States, but everything else was unknown to them. It was a shock to everyone when they heard that Kung Lao died. It came out of left field. Based on what Liu Kang and Raiden told them, an accident happened where some equipment malfunctioned and blew up in Kung Lao's face, a lacerated throat being the primary cause of death. After that, Raiden was radio silent to his family. It wasn't until Liu Kang came to their house in the dead of night years later with Raiden in tow, bandaged and bruised, and left without another word. They haven't seen Liu Kang since.

Aside from the mild inconsistencies (if he was in the States while his family was in China, of course, there would be some muddled details), their story was pretty straightforward based on their point of view...Yet, deep down, Raiden couldn't help but...Feel like there's more to this story. Not that he's distrustful of his family; he truly believes what they said. However, somewhere deep within his conscience, it felt like the story they told him was the tale he WANTED them to believe. As if Raiden knew the truth that explains the holes and contradictions that riddled their recollection of previous events. Yet, the answers to these truths are hidden even from Raiden. Always at the tip of his tongue but forbidden from ever speaking them.

Raiden enters the kitchen; his mother and sister preparing breakfast and lunch for Raiden. Seeing him enter, Fuji smiles from ear to ear. "You slept in, lazy butt."

"Oh?" Raiden looks at the mounted clock, and yep! He's an hour and thirty minutes late to work. "Aw, crap!"

"Calm yourself, boy. I already called the Farm. They were understanding and said to come in when you're ready." His mother says as she sets down a bowl full of steamed Bao Buns. Enough to last until lunch, really.

Looking at the bowl, Raiden knew why they cooked so much. Kung Lao, the gluttonous butt he was, would always visit Raiden so that they could travel to work together. And without fail, he was always raiding their kitchen for any leftovers no one else wanted. It became nearly tradition to cook a bit extra in case Kung Lao decided to pay them a visit.

...Apparently, old habits die hard...Raiden smiles and kisses his mother gingerly on the cheek. "Thank you, mother. I don't want to keep them longer, though. I'll see you guys when I get back." Raiden quickly packs his own lunch, thanks to the assistance of his sister, Fuji, who was already 3 steps ahead of him and grabs a couple Bao Buns before heading out the house.

Walking to the Farm, Raiden couldn't help but feel a sorrowful, almost lonely, acceptance of the village around him. Every building, path, small body of water, old face, new face, everything about Fengjian felt like a ghost to him. It was familiar, yet so dissimilar to Raiden. This village has grown in the past years he was in and out of this settlement. But what disheartens him is the absence of his friend. Raiden only wishes that Kung Lao was here, perhaps he would've helped him make sense of all of this. This...Amnesia mess that he's in. And Raiden would've confided with Madam Bo...You know, if she were still alive. Her death had more consistency; she simply died of old age. It was still a shock; she was his adopted grandmother in Raiden's eyes. So in Raiden's mind, he not only lost a close friend but also a family member and valuable mentor.

Raiden found himself staring at points of interest that held significance to him, especially if it related to Kung Lao. There was a cherry blossom tree up a hill nearby that he and Lao would frequent without fail. Be it to do school work, to see who can climb that tree the fastest and highest, or to chill. It was there that Kung Lao, at the age of 15, expressed his desire to explore their horizons past Fengjian. Raiden still grins to himself, thinking back on the many adventurers Kung Lao wanted to have (although few of them were a bit exaggerated). How they both promised-once they were older-they would travel outside of Fengjian, and experience the world together. Somewhere, deep down, Raiden feels like this has come true if they have gone to the States before...But it feels like more was there than simply hopping over to another country.

There's a convenience store nearby where Kung Lao's house was. It was a favorite, and every time the pair visited it, Kung Lao would rant and rave about all the many meals one could make from just a few store-bought convenience items. Being a child of a middle-class family, Raiden was always baffled by the "dishes" Kung Lao would make, most of them hit or miss due to the cheap ingredients. But Kung Lao loved to cook. He probably would've wanted to become one with the kind of passion he had. But Kung Lao cooked to survive due to...Well, let's just say, he was a poor kid.

Then there was the Farm. They were always getting into some kind of trouble there. Playing daring jokes on each other, helping one another with the back-breaking labor, then the fulfilling trip to Madam Bo's Teahouse. All fond memories.

Before Raiden knew it, the day was already reaching its finale. Raiden worked overtime, something he was often known to do. And, you know, working such late hours without Kung Lao there was...Disheartening. Kung Lao wouldn't assist in the work. In his mind, his shift ended at 5:30 P.M. But he would at least stay with Raiden. To provide him company during the late hours. This time around, the nightlife critters and beasts were his only company. The walk home was seemingly worse. The darkened village felt quiet, with only a few shops open that had loud commotion going on. Friends hanging out and enjoying a good drink together as they drank and ate the rest of the evening away.

The only moment of solace Raiden gained was when he walked back into his house. His mother, father, and sister were loud in conversation as they went over the recent village gossip, village news & politics, and pastime activities they engaged in. It was a breath of fresh air having this personal community that broke the solemn silence that his best friend filled. The night ended with Raiden sitting down with his family and enjoying the dinner they made. It closed with him and his sister, Fuji, cleaning up after their parents as they turned in early for the night.

"Hey."

"Hmm?" Raiden gives Fuji a side glance as he continues to clean up dishes.

"You feeling ok?" Fuji eyes him curiously.

Two days ago, Raiden finally came forward with Fuji about the emptiness he's been feeling. Even though he's in a village that he was born & raised in, filled with familiar faces and family, the fact of the matter is that he dearly missed Kung Lao. But...But it was more than just grieving for a best friend, not that it would make a difference. But Kung Lao filled deeper shoes than just simply being a friend. When he's in bed, he feels like the mattress is too big all of a sudden. He can't eat certain dishes because it will all remind him of Lao. He finds himself crying to himself because he forgot for a moment that Kung Lao would not answer his door or his phone if Raiden were to call. All these things, even as a best friend, would be reasonable to miss and grieve over. But there was something more to their friendship than that.

"Do you think you loved him?" Raiden remembers Fuji asking him when he came forward with this.

"...I don't know...And if I did...Now I have to reconcile with the fact that I'll never get to tell him..."

Raiden smiles at his sister and playfully bumps shoulders with her. "Now that I'm home? I'm feeling good, for now. The rice and pork was really good, Fuji."

"I know right! I used this new spice that my friends were crazy about. It's a Korean spice-"

Fuji rambled on about how she made the dish they had for dinner, and Raiden eagerly listened and conversed with her. Even though Kung Lao was gone, he could try to fill that space with more people who loved him.

Outside the residence where Raiden lived, a shadowed figure rests on the rooftops of the sleeping Fengjian village, watching the building like a predator that has found its prey. Blazing red eyes stare through the open windows, watching closely the two figures who pass it daily, unaware they have an interested third party observing them. The being in question, however, was laser-focused on Raiden, watching his every move, taking them to memory. The show would be over, unfortunately, as they closed the curtains and cut off the lights, slumbering like the rest of the village.

The shadowed individual smiles, "Worry not, Raiden. We'll be reunited soon enough. You'll see. Then not even death will tear us apart."

And in a flash of mystical air and dead cherry blossom petals, the figure is gone.

~Somewhere in California~

Kenshi groans awake as he feels inklings of the sun peering out from the half-closed curtains. Half-naked, Kenshi, through his sight provided by Sento, is greeted with the ceiling of the luxury apartment belonging to Jonathan Carlton, Johnny Cage. Kenshi felt an added weight on the bed he slept on, knowing who was sharing the mattress with him. Despite this, Kenshi twisted his head to drink in the blissfully still-sleeping man beside him, Johnny.

You know, if you asked Kenshi that he would end up in the loving arms of a pompous Hollywood star, he would've had you killed for even thinking about it. Even when their relationship evolved from enemies to friends, Kenshi would've thought that was the final step in their relationship. Just being friends. But it all fell into place when...When Kung Lao died. Funny how shared trauma can bring others together...

You see, Before Kung Lao died, Johnny was good friends with Kung Lao. They both had their similarities. They were both friends with whom some would consider "the straight man" of their other half, they were both hella self-confident and prideful of their capabilities. The only thing that seemingly differentiated them was that one was poor while the other was rich. Oh, and the fact that Kung Lao was more disciplined when it came to his fighting prowess, compared to Johnny, who was more of a "free-form jazz" type of guy. Although Kung Lao expressed mild annoyance at the actor's Hollywood pride (even Kung Lao wasn't that egotistical), the pair worked off each other pretty well to be good friends.

So when Kung Lao died, aside from Raiden, Johnny took his death the hardest. Being perhaps the more foolhardy of the group (even with his years of maturity the more he was asked to help Liu Kang with other realm matters), that moment was when Johnny really "grew up." It's not like he was new to death, the kind of work they did, they have met many instances where they watched people die in front of them or saw corpses in horrendous states. But it was one thing when it was someone who you weren't close to or didn't know in general. It's another thing when it's someone you do know and have history with.

After Kung Lao's death, Johnny's way of coping was trying to fill in the shoes that Kung Lao left behind. Kung Lao always had a way of lightening the mood that was unique compared to what Johnny would do. Where the actor would constantly spill movie references that no one but Johnny understood, Kung Lao knew how to inspire from the heart. And that took skill and experience to pull off, something Johnny wasn't too well versed in. Looking back on it, Kenshi sees them in a more positive light than before. However, he can't say the same for Raiden. When they were still considered the protectors of Earthrealm, Raiden was spiraling into his own self-hatred and grief. With good intentions, Johnny tried to be a friend to Raiden, wanting to reassure Raiden that they had his back...It didn't end well.

Johnny's desire to keep their friend group together, even though they were drifting apart was harming Johnny more than he thought it was. So when Liu Kang suddenly announced that he would no longer be needing their services, Johnny was quick to take his offer. Now, to the untrained ear, one would think:

"Of course, Johnny Cage dipped out after the going got going! He's an actor who never saw any of the cruelties of the real world because of his wealth!"

Which, in some way, could be the reason. But Kenshi saw something else to Johnny's reason for dipping out. As stated before, Johnny put a lot of emotional energy trying to keep their friend group alive. He tried to fill the shoes that Kung Lao left behind, and in the process, he was draining himself as he tried to keep everyone happy while everyone was coping with Lao's death. No longer being obligated to be Earthrealms protector, meant that Johnny no longer had to hold onto the tearing strings since they were all going their separate ways.

Their relationship still wouldn't blossom until nearly a year and a half ago. Granted, looking back at their previous interactions, perhaps it was fate that they would find solace with each other. Kenshi, with the line of work he involved himself in, had to go into hiding but had nowhere to turn to. Hunkering down with Johnny would've been a foolish thought; he was the exact opposite of discreet. But, because he had to cut back on some expenses, Johnny was living in an apartment building that was a perfect "hiding in plain sight" spot. With Kenshi as his new roommate, Johnny got a bit personal with Kenshi as he was helped dress his wounds. The rest was history as Kenshi found himself kissing Johnny in the heat of the moment. A year and a half later, Kenshi is still in disbelief that they're together still.

While Kenshi would love to admire the sleeping person beside him, he knew that he couldn't stay long. He was still in hiding, and he promised Jax that he would meet him at a disclosed location to discuss next steps. He's careful to slip out of bed without disturbing Johnny, swiftly getting cleaned up and dressed before walking into the kitchen to prepare himself a cup of joe.

"Mmhm. Morning sunshine."

Kenshi nearly jumps out of his skin as he feels strong arms wrap around his waist. He smiles as he cranes his head back to look at Johnny. "Did I wake you?"

"Didn't feel your body keeping me warm, honey. You leaving already?" Johnny says in a husky tone as he nuzzles behind the blind swordsman.

"Have to. I have an associate who's waiting for me. I might not be able to stay here for much longer."

"Again?" Johnny complains in an overexaggerated tone. "How long will you be gone?"

"Don't know, depends on the situation."

This isn't the first time Kenshi and Johnny been separated for long periods of time, something they were both well accustomed to. Johnny was an actor/director, which means he was constantly traveling to other states and countries for filming. Working for the OIA (Outworld Investigation Agency) and the FBI, Kenshi was either traveling the world or traveling realms. Perhaps being the only Earthrealmer who didn't hang up the mantle of being Liu Kang's warrior.

Johnny continues to whine about being alone without Kenshi (even though he'll be alright), playing up his desperation for Kenshi to "stay home" with him. And Kenshi will admit, he can definitely see why he was, and still is, a popular star in Hollywood.

"Can you at least leave me a goodbye gift?" Johnny's fingers start to linger towards Kenshi's waistbelt.

"Johnny," Kenshi chuckles as he moves one of his hands away from his waist, kissing the fingers individually. "I can't right now; I'm going to be late."

"Aw, come on! Just a quicky?"

"No, Johnny."

Cage huffs, but there is no anger hinted there. He just kisses Kenshi's neck and sighs. "Fine. Just come back sooner than later, ok? Bed feels empty without ya."

"I bet it does," Kenshi jests.

"I know it does." As Johnny giggles, his eyes glance at the reflection displayed on the microwave mirror, and he sees…Something moving. A tall, humanoid figure attempting to stealth because it assumes it hasn't been seen.

Just as quickly as Johnny notices this, he quickly grabs a kitchen knife from the knife holder and swiftly throws it at the intruder. Even with his fast reflexes, they weren't as fast as the unwanted guest. The Intruder grabs the knife, blade in hand, while their glowing red eyes stay trained on the couple.

Kenshi, already alerted that something is wrong, calls for Sento to his hand. The magic sword unsheathes itself and flies over to their location. Before reaching Kenshi's hand, with his mystical sight and ability to utilize Sento, even if the weapon is not in his hand, he sharply gestures his one hand in multiple directions in slicing motions. Sento redirects its trajectory as it starts to aim for the home invader. Although the sword was able to get a few good slices in, the individual was fast…Too fast…

"What the hell are you doing in my apartment!?!" Johnny growls as he grabs another weapon of his own (it's another knife).

The figure doesn't respond, only growling as it attempts to rush at Johnny and Kenshi. The pair dodge out of the way, both separated on opposite sides of the person.

"Listen, I'm willing to not press charges AND give you the comfiest dirt nap you'll ever experience IF you tell us what you're doing in my place and why you're attacking us!"

"Something tells me they're not here to talk, Johnny," Kenshi replies as he commands Sento to his hand.

"Ok, dirt nap it is then."

The pair rush the intruder, hoping to overwhelm them with their combined might. Johnny's theatrical and dirty fighting tactics with Kenshi's samurai-like skills and roughhousing tricks. Yet, even with their combined might, this individual was swift and able to counter almost all their attacks while also producing devastating blows of their own.

Very quickly, Kenshi caught on that this person possessed some superhuman strength. Every punch sent Kenshi and Johnny flying in some instances during the fight. This intruder also had some cracks in their skin that had a glow to them. Unfortunately, while Sento gave him sight, it didn't provide Kenshi clarity on specific details like colors. Johnny, however, could see that this person had ashen gray skin, much like how a corpse would look, and the supposed "cracks" were actually the outlines of their inner veins, glowing to an unnatural degree.

Another thing too, this guy just would not quit. Their back and forth was eventually tiring Johnny & Kenshi as they missed one too many close calls that would've killed them. But this home invader had stamina for days. Johnny and Kenshi had to resort to going on the defensive as they had to dodge his attacks while waiting for openings.

Johnny is nearly choked out by this creature before grabbing the heated french press on the stove and slamming it against the intruder's head. Granting the actor time to build some distance.

"Kenshi, I'm gonna need you to think of something, and think of it quick because I'm going to be paying for all these expenses that this prick is breaking!" Johnny windily fusses as he lands a one-two punch on the intruder.

"Get him closer to the living room!" Kenshi says as he provides a helpful block for Johnny, using Sento to slash at the intruder before they can land a hit on Johnny.

"What?" Johnny looks at Kenshi confused before taking a punch to the face.

"Just follow my lead!"

Where Johnny's luxurious apartment was located it was built into a tall skyscraper building, and Johnny paid to get a good view of the city he was living in. That meant that his room was exceptionally high up in the building; leading to an estimated 250 ft drop. And Kenshi was getting some sneaking suspicions that this creature could survive all 250 of it.

Kenshi dares to get closer to the intruder, putting all his might into pushing and fighting this man closer to the living room which had an entire glass wall that showcased that good Californian view. Helping him, Johnny also jumped into the fray, along with Sento as they brought him closer to the glass windows. The intruder was able to block their attacks, but he was inching toward the glass, and they finally grabbed at Kenshi's throat in a crushing grip.

"You will join us, Takahashi. Our family will gladly welcome you." The intruder says.

"I'm all for visiting in-laws and relatives, but we're gonna have to decline the invitation to the family barbeque!" Johnny says. And in that same second, he drops it low and hits your man with the most devastating nutcracker they'll ever experience.

The intruder makes an audible moan as they double over, covering their private bits. Seems this was just enough to not only get them winded but grant Kenshi enough time to perform a flying roundhouse kick and send the intruder falling 230 feet back to the lobby.

"Yo, Kenshi! What the hell, man! I didn't think you were going to kill him!?!" Johnny exclaims. "Dude, I live on this floor!?! And it's 10 in the fucking morning! People are going to see, and then the police are going to be called, then what the fuck am I going to do then? I mean, sure, we were fighting in self-defense, I think that guy had the intent to kill us, but I'm a famous star, dickhead! What am I going to tell the press? Fuck, fucking A, I can already see it, 'Johnny Cage: Famous Actor, Director, and Killer?' Fucking fuck, Kenshi!"

Despite Johnny's angry rambles, Kenshi paid him no mind as he carefully leaned out the side of the broken window, trying to get a good view of the intruder and seeing if his prediction was correct.

…The motherfucker got up.

"Johnny, get dressed, we gotta go," Kenshi says in a hurry as he picks up Sento and the sheath it belongs to.

"Wait, what? Were you even hearing me-"

"We don't have time, get dressed!"

"Ok, ok, I am!" Johnny windily says as he rushes to his bedroom. "Fucking hell, what a goddamn mess."

As the pair are leaving the apartment, Johnny is just getting his best shoes tied, hopping on one leg as he tries to follow the hurried Kenshi. "Wait, Kenshi, what the hell is going on. You're doing that 'I know way more than I let on' schtick that you often do. Did you know that guy?"

"I'll explain once we're far from here. Right now, you're about to meet a good friend of mine."

~Wow, this was even longer lmao! I made a second installment! Very excited to keep working on this because we're about to get to the part where Kung Lao returns >:). Had a lot of fun writing Amnesia!Raiden trying to cope with Kung Lao's sudden departure in his life and writing his sister Fuji. BTW, you can check out this post I made of my picrew interpretation of what Raiden's Sister looks like (Fuji - Raiden's Sister). Not too happy with the Johnny & Kenshi scene, but I've been, once again, working all evening and well into the night with this one, so I'm gonna make my peace with it. Hope you guys enjoy it. Can't wait to start writing up the next installment! Pray that I make this one shorter ;A;~

#Mortal Kombat #Mortal Kombat 1 #MK1 #oops kung lao's dead again au #MK1 Raiden #Raiden's Sister #Fuji #MK1 Kung Lao #MK1 Johnny Cage #MK1 Kenshi #Raiden #Kung Lao #Johnny Cage #Kenshi #Wilted Cherry Blossoms Dark Thunderstorms Burning Hopes

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kiiraverse · 4 months

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this fucken “oops kung laos dead again” au stuff is making me ugly cry

#val speaks #shedded actual tears looking at the art and reading the fics

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helsensm · 4 months

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In my Kung Jin ask post I completely forgot to mention about how much I love his mkx ending, and how I think I can use it to bring Kung Lao back in this AU. Is it illogical because I'm "skipping" the revenant part? Of course. Am I actually skipping it? mmh-hhm 👀

aaanyway, here's the bonus, idea by @rodion87g

<<< prev

and check out Rodion's comic 🖤 about Jin joining the Wu Shi Academy after Lao's death: part 1 | part 2

#my first time drawing adult Jin SOBER sfgdHGHH #WHAT IS YOUR FACE MISTER #(yeah it's gonna change like 15 times)#also tried my concept for his 'mk1 armor' it was fun #I want to believe that Cassie is already out there and it's her sunglasses #...and car #boy do I love putting links in my posts #oops kung lao's dead again au #raiden #mk raiden #kung jin #mortal kombat #mortal kombat 1 #mk1 #helsensm art

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helsensm · 5 months

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Get up 1-2/3

next >>>

#lao is okay he just hit his pinky toe #oops Kung Lao's dead again au #my art #raiden #dark mk1 raiden..?#kung lao #railao #mortal kombat #mortal kombat 1 #mk1 #tw blood #blood #mk raiden #helsensm art

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helsensm · 4 months

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Watching your AU with the deceased Kung Lao (wonderful but sad AU 🥺)

I can't stop thinking about how sorry I am for Kung Jin. Yes, I certainly feel sorry for Raiden, who lost a friend, and Liu Kang, who lost a friend for the SECOND TIME.

But I can't stop thinking that Lao's younger cousin will feel the pain of losing a family member. In Mortal Kombat X, we were well made to understand that Jin cherished Lao very much and even went to Hell to save him (which I consider a very selfless and brave act). And this is despite the fact that the family turned away from Lao, and there is no guarantee that he will be able to be saved...

In this timeline, I think Jin is still a child or a teenager. I think he has a very strong and friendly relationship with Lao and the news of his death will be difficult.

It's so insulting that in the last timeline and in this one (according to this AU), the poor boy goes through such a traumatic experience

Your AU is beautiful in that it really makes me think about what might be going on in it! I hope you will continue to develop this idea, because it is wonderful. And you are beautiful! And your work!🥺💖💖💖

pre mk1, they haven't seen each other in a while, Kung Lao picked up Jin from school and they are going to train at Madam Bo’s 😊

I'm with you on this pookie, amen to every word. 😔 Jin is slowly becoming one of my favorites, and now that you mentioned (i.e. I’ve been thinking about this for weeks), I’m wondering, what he’ll do after Lao’s death... No idea, what NRS are planning for our Shaolin punk in this timeline, but let me overthink that ONE mention of him we got so far (leaving out the cameo in Armageddon chapter) for this au. XD

They ARE very close, though they don’t visit each other often. Jin adores his older cousin and he’s looking up to him, of course it feeds Lao’s ego, ahahh.

After the mk1 story, Lao will follow Kenshi’s advice to quash Jin’s interest in criminal world, checking on him when he can. Unfortunately, it won’t be enough, and as the time goes (it has been several years between the mk1 story and Lao’s death), Jin will eventually find some trouble for himself. He is still too young for traveling and becoming a freelancer thief like in mkx, but he might join the local gang, or something like that.

When Kung Lao dies, Jin’s grief will manifest in a form of respecting his cousin’s words. He’ll leave his criminal life behind and will go to the Wu Shi Academy. I really like how proudly he calls himself a Shaolin monk in mkx intros, so I want him to choose this way. And I think Jin’s presence and willingness to follow in the footsteps of Lao will help Raiden with his grieving too.

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#oh no I forgot the print on Lao's hoodie #it's supposed to say “MAYONNAISE ON AN ESCALATOR”#oops Kung Lao's dead again au #my asks #my art #kung lao #kung jin #mortal kombat #mortal kombat 1 #mortal kombat x #mk1 #mkx #helsensm art

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helsensm · 4 months

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Sorry to bug ya again but my brainstorm is actin up again! Could be writing this on paper, but writers block. Got inspiration thanks to the Kung Lao dies art (all of them are amazing!), but thinking of the events before it happens. Once again on my Liu Kang mess because he's becoming the tragic god figure now. I'm imagining Liu Kang starts getting a pseudo MK9 mess going on. Not that he receives a message from his future self, but a serious case of "wait, this happened before! AND ITS GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN!?!?!". Liu Kang starts seeing the signs of Kung Lao potentially dying again in his new timeline. Cue Liu Kang struggling with showing restraint by not interfering with matters, hoping that he's just getting paranoid and seeing things that are not there, and Liu trying to prevent Kung Laos death. He doesn't want to loose his friend again, even though they're not as close as they used to be. Bonus drama if Liu Kang becomes a bit too protective of Kung Lao and Lao starts thinking that Liu Kang does trust him anymore (thinking on the Arcade ending for Kung Lao where his pride nearly cost him his student) and starts getting frustrated. So when the inevitable starts to encroach, Kung Lao ends up getting himself killed as he tries to show that he can be trusted by Raiden and Liu Kang again. I'm sorry if this sounds incoherent and silly, I just got a lot of emotions for Fire God Liu Kang the the potential angst he carries

yes, good, very good, thank you for your food, friend 👁👁

I want to believe that after the Shujinko accident Kung Lao will start to realize, that he don't need to do everything all by himself and always perfect to prove his worth, and it's okay to ask for help, and believe in your friends, and listen to their advices, and- sorry, kinship by the inferiority complex got me. But as far as we know, no one except Cassy goes to therapy in the mk world, so that won't be enough for my man to start his character improvement journey. So yes, Liu Kang's protectiveness will def trigger his "must prove myself, must get approval" response.

The question is - how much Liu Kang will blame himself, when he realizes?.. 🤔 Poor man lost his timeline and just wanted to create one where everyone is happier. but here we are, creating drama and problems for him in our little gay app ggjhhh

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#oops Kung Lao's dead again au #...I need to find a better name for it #my asks #my art #liu kang #kung lao #raiden #mortal kombat #mortal kombat 1 #mk1 #mortal kombat 9 #mk9 #symbolism... save me.. symbolism. save me symbolism #mk raiden #helsensm art

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rodion87g · 4 months

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The moment Jin joins Wu Shi Academy (part 2), according to Kung Lao's dead again AU, made by @helsensm

I decided to add petals as a symbol of Kung Lao's presence. Once again. This is a great au and i love it!

#liu kang #mk1 #kung jin #oops kung lao's dead again au

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420thewritersroom · 4 months

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A Burning Tree

~ok listen! I know I said that the next part would introduce Revenant!Kung Lao, but I got the brainworm to look at how Liu Kang and Shujinko handled Kung Lao's death and add more Dark!Raiden to the mix. Especially since I was heavily inspired to write a bit more about Dark!Raiden thanks to @sogekii-heii and their recent piece with Dark!Raiden (I still think about that, like oml!)~

~So here we go again! I promise this time, Kung Lao's coming back and it's going to be nasty! Also, this title actually has meaning to it, finish reading to get that meaning! Or skip to the end and get it anyways, idc~

Still confused? Too late, now on to the story!

Previous // Next

Characters: Shujinko (MK1 Ver), Fire God Liu Kang, Raiden, Past Liu Kang, Past Raiden - Mentions of Kung Lao, Scorpion, Smoke, and Ashra

Word Count: 5,578

Ships: MK9 Liu Kang/MK9 Raiden (Unrequited Love)

Warnings: Canon Typical Violence (with less blood), Heavy Talks of Character Death

Shujinko still remembers that day, when Liu Kang called all his champions to inform them of the news. Old and new Earthrealm warriors were gathered for the news, and it came as a shock to everyone what Liu Kang announced.

"I may have made a…Selfish choice, when I chose each of you to become defenders of Earthrealm. The timeline I originated from, many of you were there as well. Protecting and fighting for our home against threats within and outside of Earthrealm…And with this new era, I foolishly assumed that I could…Replicate the connections that were made before. I have taken up all of your time with new worries, wounds, and ripped you away from the lives you once had before. So…I'm giving you the option…To walk away. From all of this. To return to your homes, your families, the life before I found you. There will be no shame or dishonor if you choose to retire the mantle. I wish each of you a fulfilling life…And I'm sorry."

Shujinko still remembers the near unified gasp and murmurs that filled the room-the questions that erupted in that moment as everyone tried to make sense of Liu Kang's decision. Liu Kang answered any questions that were brought to him, but Shujinko could tell that Liu Kang was set on his decision. Despite Liu Kang's stance on the discontinuation of Earthrealms defenders, many opted to continue their service to their realm, especially when Kuai Liang, Tomas, and Ashra argued against Liu Kang's decision to weaken Earthrealms defenses. And where Liu Kang would've listened to their concerns carefully and worked with others to meet in the middle, the fire god did none of that, uncharacteristically so. It seemed no amount of concrete arguments was going to sway Liu Kang into reconsidering.

If anything, the zeal the Shirai Ryu leaders and Ashra displayed encouraged others to stay and maintain their positions as Earthrealms protectors. After all they've been through, how could one do so? Discovering mystical powers that they all thought to be mythical, experiencing breathtaking realms beyond their own, and for few, the soul-changing truth and reality of their existence. For others, they might not have a home to return to; a life either filled with too many hurtful memories, broken relationships, or homes gone to the wind to never return again. All of that is nigh impossible to walk away from…But walk away few did.

Their reasons for leaving were their own, and they left with their excuses. But there were those who couldn't return to a normal life due to the aforementioned reasons before. They knew too much, saw too much; for some, a bit too much. Like a soldier returning from a grueling war, reconciling an average living after spending years, months, maybe even weeks under the wing of Liu Kang and his academy would be much to bear on the psyche. Almost ominously, Liu Kang promised to fix that for them.

What was done to these warriors was not publicly told, but Shujinko heard rumors and whispers about Liu Kang wiping away the memories of those who couldn't find it in themselves to leave behind their new life to return to their old one. It's presumed it's a consensual exchange, and Shujinko wants to believe that Liu Kang gave them the choice to lose those memories. But there was something disheartening about knowing that old friends Shujinko knew during his time in the Wu Shi Academy now viewed him as a regular stranger. That there are those who returned home who will never recognize the faces of those whom they considered allies, friends, and maybe even lovers.

Shujinko would know that pain. He experienced it before.

Raiden, long before he was exposed to the same memory wipe...When he was...Changed by his former master's death, revealed to him why there were gaps and contradictions in his memories. At that time, Shujinko noticed a change that was present in everyone. People were avoiding him, few wanted to train with him, and others spoke to him in such a careful manner as if they were hiding something from the young pupil. Before, Kung Lao, Raiden, nor Liu Kang would explain why he was treated differently, chalking it up to his new classmates needing time to get to know him.

And for a long time, Shujinko believed that...Until Raiden broke the news to him. It practically came out of nowhere when Raiden revealed this to Shujinko. Shujinko's training was placed in the hands of the thunder wielder, and after Kung Lao's death, he was far rougher and blunt than before, pointing out all his flaws but giving little instruction on how to improve. Even Shujinko's ability to copy other's abilities couldn't prepare him how to fight properly. And, at times, Shujinko thought that Raiden used their time training together as an excuse to use him as a punching bag. None of the other masters at the academy was as ruthless as Raiden was, even the ones who were notorious for being a "tough love" type of mentor. Shujinko slowly began to dread training with Raiden...Feared him even. It was almost like Raiden had some...Sick, twisted desire to break his spirit, along with those he encountered.

It was the day when Shujinko practically BEGGED Raiden to stop his assault on him, clearly yielding, nay, submitting, to the thunder wielder. His glowing white hair and eyes, along with the sparks of lightning bouncing off him, becoming an image Shujinko, even to this day, has a hard time disassociating from his idea of what Raiden is. Raiden gave him a light but firm kick, forcing Shujinko on his back after leaning on his side. Raiden walked a short distance away from him, taking in the mountainous view of the academy. Shujinko took that moment to breathe since Raiden rarely gave him breaks anymore.

"...You've been slightly improving, Shujinko," Raiden kept his eyes trained on the scene before him, his voice tainted with a sinister tone.

Shujinko only moved his eyes to look at his master, remaining silent, for he feared that saying anything would rile the thunder wielder. Especially since the clouds have been a dangerous gray for a long time since they started their brawl.

"But you're barely where you need to be. Not like you used to be, anyways." Raiden gibed, still keeping his view on the mountainous regions ahead.

Shujinko KNOWS he shouldn't speak back, he learned a long time ago with this...New Raiden, what happens when he talks back to him. But something deep inside the young monk wanted to bite back at Raiden. After all this time under Raiden's wing, he's been nothing but demeaning to Shujinko. Everything the pupil did seemingly irritated Raiden to no end. If anything, the reason he's 'barely where he needs to be' is because Raiden beats him to near death and doesn't actually teach him! Not like he used to, at least!

Without thinking, Shujinko opened his mouth, venom escaping his lips as he responded to Raiden, "Maybe I would be getting better if you didn't constantly beat the 'lesson' out of me. You know, like how a true master would teach their student. Even Kung Lao knew that."

There was a threatening pause, a silence Shujinko didn't felt until he heard the frightening sound of thunder in the air. It wasn't until now that Shujinko realized where he first fucked up, especially when he put Kung Lao's name in the conversation. Shujinko quickly sat himself up, hissing in pain slightly as his muscles began to strain, and he was reminded that his left leg was sprained. Raiden still paid him no mind, continuing to keep the stillness between them. Shujinko knew that a possible beatdown was waiting for him, so he tried to sneak away as quickly as possible.

"You know, before General Shao, you were the first person to make an attempt on Kung Lao's life."

Shujinko froze upon hearing that, twisting his head to look at Raiden. He almost wished he hadn't that day because the look of Raiden looking at Shujinko over his shoulder, white eyes staring deep into his soul, was another unforgettable image he could never scrub from his mind. His mind was swimming with questions. What did Raiden mean that he almost killed Kung Lao? Never has he ever intentionally attempted to hurt his former master.

"W-what do you mean, master? I would never hurt Master Kung-"

"It's reasonable that you don't remember, you copycat pest," Raiden chastised, making Shujinko feel goosebumps all over his body when Raiden gave him his full attention. "Liu Kang wiped it all away, the memories of the time you got power hungry and nearly compromised the sanctity of the realms."

This all came as a shock to Shujinko as he stared at Raiden stupidly, not registering that Raiden was slowly approaching him.

"And honestly, I think Liu Kang was too kind to you. I should've seen the threat you would become from a mile away. Especially when I watched you nearly snap Kung Lao's neck with your own bare hands. You should've been put down, like the dog you were and the dog you still are." Raiden continued his encroaching walk toward Shujinko, his hair, and eyes now glowing with power as static encompassed him.

Shujinko starts to uselessly crawl away from Raiden, but too frightened to take his eyes off the thunder wielder. "N-no. No, no, no, I would never-"

"JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T REMEMBER DOESN'T MEAN IT NEVER HAPPENED, SHUJINKO," Raiden shouts at the confused pupil, an arc of lightening crashing next to the cowering student, dangerously close for comfort.

"R-RAIDEN, PLEASE, LEAVE ME ALONE!" Shujinko shrieks as he tries to regain his footing, ready to book it out of there.

But he wasn't fast enough, especially with his sprained leg that slowed him down further. Raiden zapped him with multiple streams of lightning straight from his fingertips as he tased Shujinko, the pained screams of his student bringing great inner delight to Raiden, to the amulet. "You're a threat to our realm, to all the realms. You could've been a valuable asset, but Liu Kang is too busy playing the peaceful politician to utilize you as a weapon. Too busy teaching you about harmony and peace when there are actually world-ending threats out there that could be stomped out if we didn't hold ourselves back. That's what killed Kung Lao..."

Shujinko groans in agony as he tries to get away, Raiden's constant assault making it difficult to move any part of his body. "RAIDEN, PLEASE!"

"...So, I guess the only way you won't become a potential threat, is if you are never a threat at all." Raiden began to intensify the bolts of lighting, the sounds of Shujinko howling in pain becoming music to his ears.

"RAIDEN!"

Finally, the lightning stopped, and Shujinko collapsed from the constant strain on his body. Raiden snapped his head towards Liu Kang, the one who gained his attention before he could finally kill Shujinko. The fire god rushed to the unconscious student before angrily looking at Raiden.

"You could've killed him, Raiden! What's gotten into you!?!"

Raiden stared at Liu Kang, not answering him but not showing any signs of guilt either. After a brief pause, Raiden turned his back on the pair and walked away.

"Raiden! Don't you walk away from me! Rai-"

Before Liu Kang could stop him, Raiden disappeared in a flash of lightning. Something Liu Kang was all too familiar with; Lord Raiden would do the same thing if he were to exit a scene.

The next thing Shujinko knew, he was in the many medical care rooms of the Wu Shi Academy, receiving treatment for his wounds. Multiple nurses dressed his injuries before Liu Kang approached Shujinko, expressing how Raiden would no longer be responsible for training him and that he would be assigned to a new teacher. While that was a relief to his ears...Something else bothered Shujinko.

"...Is it true that I almost killed Kung Lao...That I almost destroyed the realms..."

Liu Kang was so taken aback by this that he didn't immediately answer him.

"...Is that why my memories are missing, Lord Liu Kang? Because I'm a threat?" Shujinko's voice starts to shake as he can feel an overwhelming dread take over him.

Even though Liu Kang didn't answer him, the silence was telling. Despite this, Liu Kang didn't conceal the truth from him. Yes, Shujinko did nearly become a threat to all the realms...And yes, regrettably, he did nearly kill Kung Lao when they tried to subdue him. And there were others that Shujinko did kill...His best friend, Apep...Was one of the many casualties that Shujinko caused. All of this because Shujinko, at that time, became puffed up with pride and hungry for power. But it wasn't something that came out of nowhere. Liu Kang admitted that Kung Lao's early years of being a master at the Wu Shi Academy taught him many lessons in being humble; something Lao had to learn the hard way when he was teaching Shujinko the first time.

Liu Kang had no choice but to wipe his memories away, bringing him back to when he was first found by Liu Kang and his warriors. And like a house fire, the flames burned away nearly every inkling of his repertoire, leaving very little for Shujinko to remember. But that also meant, there was no way to recover those memories, even if Liu Kang wanted to give those memories back. Much like a valued family heirloom that was destroyed during a fire, there is precious little that can recover the lost item.

While this meant that Shujinko would not be haunted by the constant reminder of his failures...It still pained him to think that he COULD be a threat to be reckoned with. If anything, he almost wished he never learned the truth. Living in ignorance would've been preferable to living in fear of himself.

Shujinko blinks, not realizing that he's been standing idle in front of Liu Kang's private quarters for…Who knows how long. He didn't realize he was deep in thought as he was carrying a tray full of food to the fire god.

No one has seen Liu Kang-not since he disbanded the Earthrealm Warriors. Barely a week after that disbandment, Liu Kang became a ghost in his own academy. None of the monks can confidently say where they last saw the fire god. One moment, he's confined to his meditation area, then he's at the zen garden, or his private quarters. Other times, no one knows where Liu Kang is at all. Oftentimes, it was just best to leave offerings for the fire god at his (once) usual spots and come back an hour later. Usually, the contents were gone upon returning to retrieve them.

Shujinko should leave the tray behind, knock on the door, then go. But something compelled him to linger a bit longer after the initial knock.

"…Lord Liu Kang?" Shujinko meekly calls out. He tries the door, and to his surprise, it was unlocked.

"Are you going to l-let me die? Like you did Lao?"

"HE WOULD'VE WANTED TO LIVE WITH ME. SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE WITH ME! HIS FUCKING BOYFRIEND!"

"I LOVED HIM, LIU KANG! WITH ALL MY HEART, I LOVED HIM!!! AND YOU TOOK HIM FROM ME! YOU DID THIS TO ME!!"

"Even if you didn't know fully that Kung Lao would die, why didn't you tell us! Why didn't you save him?"

"BRING HIM BACK! BRING HIM BACK TO ME!"

"Why did you let him die"

Those words will always haunt Liu Kang. The pain in Raiden's voice, the intensity of his lightning strikes, the hatred he felt for Liu Kang. That's not something one can move on from, no matter how many years pass by. But these words cut deeper than Raiden, or anyone could ever imagine

In his youthful, mortal years, Liu Kang made the stupidest decision of his life, and fell in love with a god. Of all the people he could dedicate his life to, a beautiful Outworlder, a fellow best friend, a Special Forces agent, hell, even the Hollywood star would've (not really) been a better contestant than the LITERAL GOD OF THUNDER. An entity that will outlive him by decades, who probably went through multiple lovers-Liu would become another footnote in their unending life. Not only that, but he was pretty much RAISED by this man. He practically went through the entire spectrum of relationships with Raiden, first strangers, then friends, mentor/student, father/son…And now Liu Kang wanted to add lovers to that?

Liu Kang, even then, tried to psyche himself out of falling for Raiden. He had many other suitors, plenty of girls and boys who threw themselves at the Shaolin Monk, and he had plenty of options to choose from. But no matter how he tried, his heart yearned for Raiden. If you asked Liu Kang how he discovered that he grew an affinity for Raiden…There was no straight answer.

Liu Kang can probably point to his formative years as a teen already trying to traverse and reconcile with his growing and changing body. He remembered many times where he lingered at those he found attractive, one of those individuals being Raiden. But back then, Liu Kang assumed that he was just "admiring his physique" and using Raiden as a means of motivation to get stronger.

But the feelings of desire did not fade away as he grew older. If anything, they evolved. Soon, he was having silly daydreams about Raiden. Wondering how it would feel to be held protectively by the thunder god as he lifted them away from danger. What his white mane must feel like, and how Raiden would react if Liu ran his fingers through his hair or braided it. Or perhaps how would Raiden feel if Liu put in the effort to make him a meal, something that Raiden would love. He started noticing little details about Raiden that none did, such as the light glow in Raiden's eyes when he was talking with someone he fancied or the age lines when he smiled. But then these innocent daydreams became…Fuel for more carnal wants. Soon, it developed into memorizing his physique for…Reasons.

Liu Kang began to wonder how it would feel to have Raiden pull at his hair, to whisper in his ear, to pin him down, speak sweet nothings to him, to claim Liu Kang as his, something Raiden could do at any point in time if he wished. A god could take whatever it wanted, and Liu Kang would've gladly let Raiden do whatever he desired with him.

But what outweighed the carnality and the soft trances was the genuine love he felt for Raiden. On the same note of noticing small characteristics of the thunder god, Liu Kang did know of his favorite food (it's nuclear buffalo wings), he knew about Raiden's brother, Fujin, knew about the many adventures that Raiden partook in, both sad and joyful. Liu Kang KNEW Raiden and it made him fall for the god most spectacularly.

But Liu Kang overstepped his boundaries. He and Raiden were sparing together as Liu Kang wanted to demonstrate to Raiden that he was ready for the Mortal Kombat tournament. It was a sweat-inducing endeavor as there was an intense back-and-forth, each of them blocking and countering the others' attacks before finally, Liu Kang gained the upper hand, pinning Raiden below him.

"Do you yield?" Liu Kang says, out of breath.

"Y-yes. I yield," Raiden, just as winded, replied as he shoots Liu Kang with a reassuring smile. "You have improved thanks to Bo' Rai Cho's teachings."

"And I have you to thank for making me a recommendation," Liu readjusts himself on top of Raiden, sitting up on top of Raiden while not applying much weight to the god below him.

There's a moment where Raiden and he are quiet after some idle talk, Liu Kang only noticing that Raiden was staring at him with a growing smile. "…What?"

"You are ready, Liu Kang. You will be the one who will save Earthrealm from Outworld's attempts to merge the realms under their tyranny."

Liu Kang, even though he was praised by Raiden countless times before, cannot help the growing heat from surfacing on his face. He faces away from Raiden before muttering, "You flatter me, Lord Raiden…"

"You'll need a constant reminder that I, along with every defender of Earthrealm, will be cheering for you during the tournament. The kombatants you will encounter will test your might, your vigor, and your mental capacities. I believe you are ready. I know you will become the chosen defender that Earthrealm needs." Raiden softly professed as he leaned up, using his elbows to leverage himself.

Liu Kang looked at Raiden, meeting the thunder god eye-to-eye. Liu Kang saw his whole world in Raiden's white pupils, soaking in every hint of emotion that was displayed in front of him.

"Liu Kang?"

Liu didn't even realize that he was leaning closer to Raiden.

"Is there something you want to tell me?"

Liu Kang didn't even register that Raiden was asking questions.

Before Liu Kang knew it, he pressed his lips together with Raiden's. At last, his hearing decided to work so that he could hear the surprised "mph!" noise from the thunder god. It was perhaps Liu Kang's first kiss, he wasn't as adventurous as Kung Lao, who definitely had a few run-ins with various individuals. It being Liu Kang's first, it wasn't anything remarkable, but it was memorable to Liu Kang…But not for the reasons he would've wanted.

When they finally parted, Liu Kang felt like he could breathe again. The shocked expression plastered on Raiden's face, however, was unexpected. They both remain in total silence, neither making a move nor taking the first step to speak. Raiden would finally be the first to move, which indicated for Liu Kang to finally get off the thunder god. Liu Kang, courteously, helped Raiden back on his feet, his hand, however, did not leave Raiden's.

"…I…I must go," Raiden quickly excused himself, disconnecting his hand from Liu Kang.

Liu Kang watched Raiden leave, and the feeling of awkwardness and humiliation quickly overwhelmed him.

Since that day, the pair seemed to share the same idea of just avoiding each other. But where Liu Kang was avoiding Raiden out of embarrassment, Raiden...Liu Kang couldn't figure him out (that bit of mysteriousness always being an aspect of Raiden he did like). Before, Liu Kang didn't mind it, but when Liu Kang began to rediscover the courage to approach Raiden, the thunder god was always turning the other way or shortening their conversations considerably. He could never get a moment with Raiden as he was always in discussion with someone else, busy with other matters, or needed to consult those dreaded Eldar Gods.

But they would finally have a one-on-one...A literal week before the official Mortal Kombat tournament. Liu Kang and Kung Lao were sitting with their Shaolin Monk brethren and family, the spiritual brothers jesting from across the table and talking about their eventful day. Raiden was missing from the scene, but he would suddenly appear in the mess hall where they were all meeting.

"Liu Kang, do you have a moment?"

Many faces turn to Liu Kang with curiosity. The same kind of energy children would have when one is called to the principal's office. Liu Kang feels a knot in his stomach, and he wipes his face with an available napkin, "Yes, Lord Raiden."

"Ooh~! You're in trouble~" Kung Lao jokes, releasing the tension effortlessly in the room.

Liu Kang smirks at his friend, throwing a dumpling at the razerhat wielder before skipping away from the table. Approaching Raiden and meeting him out in the hallway, he noticed that Raiden continued to walk further into the Shaolin Temple.

"Was there a reason for my audience, Lord Raiden?" Liu Kang finally asked after a couple turns here and there, but Raiden still remained silent. The knot in Liu Kang's stomach grows tighter as he anticipates their stop, which means he'll finally be informed the news.

Liu Kang tried to calm himself when they finally reached a secluded area in the temple, outside near the zen garden. Raiden stops in his tracks near a still-in-bloom cherry blossom tree. Funnily enough, it was the same tree he and Kung Lao would often play near when they were children before sometimes secretly training together under said tree.

"...Is there...Something wrong, Raiden?" Liu Kang drops the professionalism as he tries to make this personal, trying to appease to the human side of Raiden.

"...About that...Day...When we both...When we both sparred together as we tested your skills for the tournament."

OHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCK!

Liu Kang visibly (and if possible, verbally) swallows as he stares at Raiden's back, the thunder god still not facing Liu Kang and meeting him eye-to-eye.

"...Yes..." This was all Liu Kang could utter as he waited for Raiden to continue.

"I...Um..." Even Raiden was loss for words, as if he just decided RIGHT NOW that he wanted to talk about this. "...I...I recognize that you have developed a fondness for me."

It felt like Liu Kang's heart was going to jump out of his body or crawl out of his mouth. A large part of his being was vibrating with excitement. Is this it? Is this the part where they finally take the next step? Liu Kang couldn't help but step in place, leaning against one foot before placing added pressure on the other. Liu Kang wanted to say it. He wanted to declare his emotions in from of Raiden before the thunder god could finish.

"I love you. I love you so much, Raiden. You have no idea the night I would stay up with you on my mind. The pain I go through because I wanted to be near you, close to you, with you."

All of this and more, Liu Kang wanted to confess, but he is disciplined, he is patient. He will wait for Raiden to finish his thought, if he has more to tell.

"...And I have that same...Care for you too, Liu Kang. There's much history between us, and I can understand that you may have grown a deeper affinity for me."

There's a BUT in there. There's a MASSIVE BUT in there. But Liu Kang didn't hear it. He was too enamored, far too blinded by his own love for Raiden to even recognize the writing on the walls.

"But I must, respectfully, decline your love for me."

Liu Kang's world felt like it shattered around him. Somewhere, deep down, Liu Kang knew this could be a possibility. A high probability, in fact.

But it didn't make it hurt any less. Liu Kang stared at Raiden dumbfound. There must be a reason why. Is he not his type? Is it due to the circumstances with the tournament? Is Raiden already seeing someone else? What was the reason?

"…Goodnight, Liu Kang," and Raiden proceeded to walk away. Or, at least, attempt to.

It took all of Liu Kang's willpower to surge after him and grab his wrist, "Wait! W-why can't we? I mean, you said you felt the same way, so why do you 'decline.'" Liu Kang didn't mean to sound desperate, but he wanted to know. Maybe there might still be a chance he can still win Raiden's love.

"Liu Kang, you're letting your emotions control you. I said what I said; there's nothing more to it-"

Liu Kang forces himself in his line of sight, "Why Raiden. That's all I ask."

"Does the why really matter, Liu Kang?"

"It matters enough to me as your friend…"

"…We're not compatible," Raiden tries to say with finality.

"And why is that?"

"Liu-"

"Is it because I'm mortal? The tournament?"

"Liu Kang!" Raiden's eyes flare with godly power as his voice booms like thunder. This immediately quiets Liu Kang. Raiden takes a moment to breathe, reeling back his anger. "…You have many admirable qualities. You're handsome, patient, caring, determined, and good-willed. These are aspects that anyone would fall for and would be lucky to have you as their significant other. And…Perhaps, in another life, I could return your feelings. But I cannot provide you the happiness you think I can give. The amount of responsibilities and burdens…I'm sorry, but I just wouldn't be able to emotionally and physically give back to you."

Liu Kang was speechless as he gazed at Raiden. It hurts too that Raiden is just too good at keeping a stoic look, so Liu Kang can't even find any cracks in his "it's not you, it's me" speech.

"We both will have our 'plates filled' during and after the tournament. A lot of opportunities will be heading your way. I know a mortal's life is short; one must grab at every chance of life that one can. But believe me when I say, that you will find someone who will love you more than I ever could. And it might end up being someone unexpected." Raiden smiles as he places a hand on Liu Kang's shoulder.

Liu Kang slowly hangs his head low slightly, not exactly looking at Raiden's feet, but not meeting his gaze either. "I'm sorry for lashing out, Lord Raiden."

"Do not apologize, it's natural. Believe it or not, I have had plenty of experience with such bursts of emotions. I will always love you, Liu Kang, and I pray that someone will love you more than I do."

When Liu Kang recreated this timeline, his main goal and motivation was always to provide his friends a new life. A better life. A second chance at being happy. And sometimes, that meant changing and altering events so that his friends and companions could achieve that life they'd always wanted.

That's why Raiden's words cut so close to home. The old Raiden, the former thunder god, his mentor, his father…The one that got away. Liu Kang only wanted Raiden to be happy because he saw, from the outside looking in, the stress and pressure Raiden had to maintain on his own. And being a fire god himself, he can finally reconcile with those tough decisions Raiden burdened himself with. There were times Liu Kang just wanted to hold him, to kiss away any tears or fears Raiden had.

But they were never meant to be, but that never meant that Raiden's happiness never came first for Liu Kang. Liu Kang may not be able to provide for Raiden emotionally or physically, but he can give him a life where he doesn't have to worry about a single thing. So he put Raiden in his shoes and gave him everything Liu Kang would've wanted. A loving family, a best friend, a wise mentor…A home…Everything Liu Kang has lost or never had, he gave to Raiden…In some way, it was almost like a thank-you gift to the one god who gave him everything in his mortal life.

"Lord Liu Kang?"

Liu Kang opens his eyes as he's slightly disturbed from his meditation. He can see Shujinko peeking through the door, a tray full of food. I'm sorry to disturb you. I wanted to bring you a meal from the mess hall…"

Liu Kang's glowing eyes stare at the young pupil, and he gestures for him to enter. The young man hurries into Liu Kang's quarters, taking brief seconds to admire the gods' room before setting the tray in from of Liu. Just as Shujinko was about to leave, Liu Kang speaks up, "Please, sit with me. I…I would like the company."

"R-really?" Shujinko looks at Liu Kang in utter surprise. He doesn't know anyone in the academy who has sat down with Liu Kang ever since the fire god decided to isolate himself. He's probably the first in a long time to actually SEE Liu Kang in so long. "Are you sure?"

Liu Kang smiles as he picks up the bowl of rice and chopsticks. "I don't eat much anymore. You can have some of the items presented."

Shujinko was still dumbfounded as he watched Liu consume the rice. Shujinko would finally sit across from Liu and pick up a slice of bread and carefully takes a bite. The pair ate in silence, which was more than enough for Liu Kang. Just being near someone, even if it was someone he wasn't too familiar with, Liu Kang knew that at some point, he needed to break this cycle. If Kung Lao was here, he would've scolded him and drag his sorry-ass outside, and forced him to to rekindle himself with the world at large. Liu Kang actually chuckles to himself as he thinks about this.

"Hmm?" Shujinko looks at Liu Kang startled.

"Nothing, Shujinko…Just thinking…" Liu Kang smiles.

~whoo, I wrote "considerably" less this time around :D! So, the reason why I picked the title "Burning Tree" is because I was thinking of Shujinko because trees are often associated with family ties and how they're connected to each other. In this case, its more memories than any familial ties Shujinko has with the characters. With his memories gone, it's like a tree burning (or a better analogy being the house fire I mentioned in the story). A burnt tree is nigh reversible and you are stuck with whatever was left behind, if anything was even left behind. That can go hand in hand with Shujinko's (and even Raiden's) memories when Liu Kang removed them. Liu Kang, being the god of fire, can take away those painful memories, but once the deed is done, is irreversible. Even the most dedicated of therapy sessions won't return those lost memories. But like embers after a flame, small fragments might still remain. See, I'm hella smart :D. Also, if it wasn't obvious already, I'm a big Liu Kang/Raiden lover and I was shocked to see there was barely any fics about the pair on AO3. The horror!~

#Mortal Kombat #Mortal Kombat 1 #MK1 #MK1 Shujinko #MK1 Liu Kang #MK1 Raiden #MK9 Raiden #Shujinko #Liu Kang #Raiden #Oops Kung Lao's Dead Again AU #Wilted Cherry Blossoms Dark Thunderstorms Burning Hopes

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420thewritersroom · 4 months

Note

Hey now that I'm going back to Re-read your story, what were the feelings of Kuei, Tomas, Kitana, Mileena and Bi han(?) about Raiden's retirement? (I'm sorry if I'm joking

I was actually gonna save this for when I got to it in the following chapters, but I might as well go over it just a little bit here.

Kuai Liang and Tomas perhaps took Raiden's "retirement" the hardest because they are one of the few who also know the truth about Raiden's said "retirement".

Bi-Han, reasonably, doesn't know jack about what happened to Kung Lao or about the whole Dark Raiden situation. So he's out of the loop

Kitana & Mileena are kinda out of the loop. They know Raiden was going through some shit since Kung Lao died, but they are currently unaware of his "retirement"

#oops kung lao's dead again au #Wilted Cherry Blossoms Dark Thunderstorms Burning Hopes #mortal kombat #mortal kombat 1 #mk1

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420thewritersroom · 4 months

Text

Deadly Sakura (Part 1)

~Ok, I wanted this to be SOOO much more longer than this because there were some plot and story beats that I wanted to get out of the way and wanted this to be a GRAND reveal to finally get Kung Lao back into the story. However, my anxious self just couldn't contain the amount of writing I already made, so I decided to make a part one of this chapter because I'm very much proud of the bit I made thus far. Also too, the other half that I'm making that's starring Johnny & Kenshi is getting a bit difficult for me to write and I didn't want this to sit for any longer. Hopefully you guys enjoy this! Also! Shoutout to @stabby-biscotti0152 for their art piece on one of my previous chapters. Plz go check them out, they make amazing art work! Once final thing! Congratz to those reading this now, you get to read this first before the AO3 peeps. The AO3 version will be uploaded soon, so keep a look out if you want to read it there instead!~

~Also, new & improved series summary!~

~Try as Liu Kang might, some circumstances are inevitable. Kung Lao has perished under the hands of Earthrealms enemies, leaving everyone to mourn the loss of his untimely departure. And some took his death harder than most. Raiden nearly became the very thing Liu Kang feared he would become, and out of wounded grief, opted to remove his memories and leave Earthrealm partially unprotected as he disbanded his warriors. Yet, something darker is rearing its head, and soon, Earthrealm and the realms beyond will need the help of Liu Kang's champions and some unexpected heroes. Especially when an old friend (and foe) comes back to say hello~

Characters: Raiden, Raiden's Sister (Fuji), Fire God Liu Kang, Shujinko, Reiko, MK11 Raiden, MK11 Liu Kang - Mentions of The Great Kung Lao, Kung Lao, & Kronika

Word Count: 7,961

Ships: Raiden/Kung Lao - MK11 Raiden/Liu Kang (Unrequited Love)

Warnings: Canon Typical Violence, Child Neglect

Sweat dripping, blood pumping, bones aching, ears ringing. Raiden's breaths were labored as he kneeled on the ground, eyes trained on Reiko, General Shao's cock sleeve.

For several months, Earthrealms protectors rushed to stop General Shao from releasing the feared Onaga, the Dragon King. It was a grueling chase that was quickly depleting their morale...Especially because this campaign cost them their dear friend, Raiden's lover, Kung Lao. It was the first time any of them had to face the reality that their line of work, the service they signed up for, could result in any of them dying at a drop of a dime. The only thing keeping them motivated was the coming destruction Onaga could make if they didn't stop General Shao.

But for Raiden, his motivation ran more fervently than simply protecting his realm and Outworld; it was pure vengeance. Since Lao's death, Raiden swore to himself that he would not let anyone close to him fall under his watch. Kung Lao's death could've been avoided if he had been powerful, more vigilant, and didn't hold himself back. Then, maybe...No...Definitely...Kung Lao would've lived.

Sweat dripping, blood pumping, bones aching, ears ringing. Raiden's breaths were labored as he kneeled on the ground, eyes trained on Reiko as the warrior positioned himself with his spear in a defensive stance. Raiden didn't bother to see which of his allies were still up; Johnny was down, Kenshi was out, and even Smoke couldn't keep up.

"Better that way. They were holding you back."

There it was, the voice again. And (frighteningly enough) Raiden couldn't agree more. With them out of the way, Raiden could get more personal with Reiko. It was his horn-headed master who killed his boyfriend, and he would hate for the weak moralities of his companions to get in the way of what he was about to do with this tattooed warrior.

Raiden took a deep breath as he straightened himself out, going into the many martial stances he learned training under Liu Kang's wing (not that they helped in any way, as petty as that sounds). The two kombatants circle each other, locked in a silent game of feeling the other out. Blue lightning sparked off Raiden, coursing through his entire being. He can feel the amulet begging to release its full potential and power, the electricity spilling from his fingertips tempting him further.

Finally, one of them decides to react as Reiko charges Raiden. Arcs of lightning attempts to meet Reiko halfway, but the experienced lieutenant was able to bob & weave past every bolt that came his way. Raiden dodges out the way of Reiko's spear attack as the warrior attempted to ram his weapon into the thunder wielder. A fierce back & forth commences as Raiden tries to keep his distance from Reiko's spear attacks, the fellow kombatant leaving little room for Raiden to land any strike on him. Reiko would finally get one good hit on Raiden as he smacked him square in the face with his spear, leaving a nasty laceration on Raiden's face. Fortunately, Raiden was milliseconds too early to lose his lower jaw.

Raiden growls as he shoots a line of lightning at Reiko, using the warrior's stunned condition to gain further distance as he hissed at the pain that grew once the adrenaline softly subsided. Raiden lightly touches the wound, the red hue bringing a sense of…Excitement to the thunder wielder.

"He dares wound us? Horrible mistake. He should've killed us with such a strike."

The voice copies Raiden's glee and thrill.

Reiko grunts as he puts one foot before the other, forcing himself out of his stunned condition. "Shame my master couldn't watch this hopeless display of kombat. He would've loved to see what face you would make once I help you join your hat-throwing friend to the afterlife." Reiko taunts.

"Shame, indeed," Raiden agrees. "Shame that your master had to leave you, his second-rate lieutenant, to finish the job that he started. What? Was he too scared to face the man he ruined the life of? I would've thought he would want to rub in my face further of how he killed Kung Lao."

Whether or not Raiden's follow-up gibe reached Reiko was a mystery; the fellow kombatant only chuckles as he circles about Raiden like a predator. "Believe me when I say that it would've delighted him to do so. But he has better things to do than waste time with a petulant child such as yourself."

"Or maybe he's embarrassed that he lost a fight with Earthrealm's chosen warrior." Raiden continues to taunt as the power of the amulet strengthens him further.

"He was pulling his punches. Need I remind you that it was a tournament that held my master back. Any other circumstance and General Shao would've ripped you apart."

"Really? Then you must still be pulling your own punches. I have yet to fall to you."

"Then let me change that for you!" Reiko shouts as he charges Raiden again.

Instead of continuing their previous dance of cat & mouse, Raiden summons himself behind Reiko through a lightning bolt, catching the lieutenant slightly off guard. But Reiko couldn't recover fast enough as Raiden hits him in the back with several fist attacks powered by electrical currents. Reiko powers through the assault and attempts a wide arching swing with his spear, an attack Raiden counters as he grabs at its shaft and yanks the weapon away from the kombatant.

Unfortunately, Reiko without a weapon didn't make him powerless. Just as quickly as he lost the spear, he swiftly replaced it with the large knife he keeps on him at all times; slashing at Raiden from his right shoulder to where his heart resided. Raiden screamed in pain, backing away, but was not able to recover himself from Reiko's assault as the lieutenant started hitting him with various fist and knife attacks; some of them Raiden clumsily countered.

Raiden teleports again in a bolt of lightning as he tries to gain distance from Reiko again, hiding behind cover and slightly recovering. He's losing too much blood, and he can feel his vitality draining from him. Raiden quickly tears pieces of his attire to serve as makeshift bandages to help slow the bleeding.

"Why must you prolong this? You're not here to provoke and tease. You're here to kill the ones who murdered Lao. Finish this before he finishes you. And once he's on his knees, we can leave General Shao a loving gift; just for him."

Right, the voice is right. Raiden cannot afford to keep pussyfooting around the battlefield. He's starting to act like…Johnny…That's what Raiden would prefer to compare himself to than…Regardless, Raiden removes himself from his hiding place, surprising Reiko with multiple lightning bolts as he rushes toward him. Reiko evades the majority of the bolts but wasn't able to react fast enough to prevent Raiden from disarming him again, knocking his combat knife out of his hands and leaving Reiko weaponless again. But, once again, this did not mean Reiko was useless without a weapon.

Reiko is quick to trip Raiden after the loss of his knife, attempting to slam his foot down on Raiden's face if it wasn't for the thunder wielder rolling away. Raiden jumps back to his feet and bends his fingers, channeling the powers of lightning into the area around them and causing lightning to spark and crackle dangerously close to the pair. Reiko grunts in pain as various shocks hit him in multiple places, and in the split second that Raiden releases his control over the lightning strikes, the thunder wielder humiliates him.

Various punches, kicks, and an onslaught of lightning were rapidly being served to Reiko, with little room for him to counter or even dodge any attacks. Soon, Reiko was slammed on the dirt floor unconscious. Raiden breathed slowly as he regained his strength despite the heavy loss of blood. His white hair and eyes dim away, his dark brown eyes returning to normal. Looking at Reiko's slumbering body, this would be the part where he would cuff him and have Reiko turned in as a prisoner…

"Finish him."

The voice encourages the very sentiment that Raiden was thinking of.

Raiden conjures ropes of electricity, wrapping them around the defeated warrior, and sitting him up in a kneeling position on both knees. Raiden approaches Reiko and slaps him a couple times to forcefully wake him up.

Upon fluttering his eyes open, Reiko is met with Raiden looking down at the warrior, eyes and hair dimly glowing while electricity buzzes around him. Reiko tries to reach for Raiden, only to realize that he's bounded by lightning.

"I wonder if General Shao will shed tears if he sees how I break his favorite boytoy."

All that fills Raiden's ears and memories is pained screams, crimson, and Reiko being pulled apart limb by limb while also being fried by Raiden's lightning bounds. Raiden beat him further, gouged out his eyes, gutted him. It wasn't until he felt someone tear him away from the expired Reiko that he was thrown off his bloodthirsty onslaught.

Raiden wakes up covered in sweat, breathing shallow, and eyes blown wide. He stares at his bedroom wall ahead of him as his brain quickly registers that he is not only awake but in the safety of his home. It was a dream, one of many that he has gotten over the year and a half that he's been back in Fengjian. But this one was…Horrific. It was a dream; Raiden knows it was a dream. Just a figment of scenes that his mind conjured up. Yet, he felt sick to his stomach. As a matter of fact, yes, he will indeed hurl whatever contents were still in his belly before he fell asleep last night. Raiden rushed out of bed and made a beeline for the bathroom.

…

"Raiden? Are you ok?"

Raiden snaps his head up, looking at his younger sister, Fuji, with a look of confused startlement. "Hmm?"

"You haven't touched your food, dear. Is there something on your mind?" Raiden's Mother chimes in with equal amounts of concern.

"I-I'm fine." Raiden sputters as he takes a forkful of eggs from his plate.

"Raiden," his Father speaks up, "You've been…Troubled as of late. You've been…Restless as of late. Like, you're not getting enough sleep."

"And you've been going to work late or not going to work at all recently. We're starting to grow concerned, Raiden. Is it…" Raiden's Mother looks at the rest of the family nervously, "Is it because of that…Thing that's stuck to your stomach?"

Raiden subtly writhes in his seat as he tries to establish an air of normalcy. "I'm fine, guys. Promise."

There's an awkward stillness that fills the table, which pretty much forces Raiden to finish his plate early and excuse himself from the table. "I'm, um, going to take a walk, run some errands. I'll see you guys later."

Raiden does his best to not show it, but he practically threw himself out of the house. He rubs his eyes, trying to blink away the exhaustion. He will admit though, he hasn't been getting any rest as of late. His dreams have been getting…Intense lately. So much so that Raiden is having a harder time believing that these are just dreams.

Raiden was never the type to see omens in dreams, but these past months have made him a believer. They're too consistent and (somewhat) grounded in reality for it to just be slumbering hallucinations. His sister and parents have been urging him to seek therapy, saying that perhaps talking with a professional might assist with the memory loss. And while Raiden has taken their advice to heart…He isn't sure if he's ready to go that extra mile just yet. It's definitely a soon-ish prospect, but not a RIGHT NOW endeavor.

Raiden doesn't even remember why he left the house anymore. He wandered aimlessly through the streets of Fengjian. Taking in the familiar sights, having small talk with friendly locals, and making small purchases for himself and the house. It wasn't until early in the afternoon that Raiden finally registered that he wandered into the old neighborhood where…Kung Lao once lived…Kung Lao's house was on the outskirts of Fengjian and closer to the streams and farmlands of the village. Raiden stares blankly at the residence of his past friends' abode; it's been so long since he stepped foot in there. Raiden approaches the front door. Despite his better intuition that he shouldn't enter the house, he still unconsciously grabs the doorknob and opens the front entrance.

Inside was unsurprisingly empty, yet it still caught Raiden off guard when faced with the heavily vacant home. Raiden can only let out an air of relief that the house wasn't vandalized; he would've scrubbed the place from the front to the backyard if that were the case, foolish as that may be. Stepping inside, a wave of nostalgia hits Raiden like a gut punch as he immediately remembers all the times he and Kung Lao hung out together. Admittedly, they rarely went to Kung Lao's house. It was always "hangout at Raiden's because he had food, and a cool bedroom, and all the sweet toys."

Raiden smiles as his mind reminds him of the first time he and Kung Lao met. They were both in their first year of being 10 years of age, and the pair would first meet when Kung Lao stole Fuji's backpack (she was 6 at that time). Although Raiden was under the tutorage of Madam Bo, nothing would've prepared him for the street-smarts knowledge that Kung Lao possessed. He was agile, knew the shortcuts and ins-&-outs of Fengjian, and hopped from rooftop to rooftop with exceptional ease. And while Raiden's disciplined mind wasn't able to keep up with Lao, that didn't mean he didn't learn a thing or two from Lao, either. For a week, the young lad began taking note of Fengjian's many shortcuts, how best to parkour off buildings and structures, and soon, Raiden was nearly able to catch up to Kung Lao.

Their friendship wouldn't truly begin until Raiden found Kung Lao on the outskirts of Fengjian, an area where flooding problems due to excessive rain are a constant worry. Raiden was always told by his parents to never go out to the outskirts for his own safety. But against their wishes, Raiden pushed forward to chase after Kung Lao. When he finally found Kung Lao, the pair fought for the first time, with Raiden coming out on top. But instead of immediately returning the many contents, including Fuji's backpack, back to their original owners, Raiden shared a snack with Lao.

Within the week of their near-endless chasing, Raiden noticed that Kung Lao almost always stole food from others among other things. Being his typical kind self, Raiden wanted to understand why Kung Lao did what he did. It was almost unsurprising to Raiden, even at that young age, to learn that Kung Lao was homeless and seemingly had no parents to care for him. Sympathetic to Kung Lao's living conditions, Raiden offered to have him stay at his house until his parents came to pick him up. From there, the two became friends and would train under Madam Bo together.

As Raiden reminisced about the past, he slowly traversed the abandoned house of his best friend. He stops in front of a room that served as Kung Lao's bedroom, a frown creeping across his face.

Raiden remembers the first time Kung Lao met his mother and only his mother. Whoever his father was, no one had a clue or a chance to meet them. Before then, Kung Lao hung out at Raiden's house, his family welcoming the young boy when they discovered he was "orphaned." But Raiden's parents didn't intend to keep Kung Lao and asked around if anyone could house the boy. It eventually came down to Kung Lao living with Madam Bo for a short while until his birth mother came to take Kung Lao back.

Kung Lao's mother was…Troubled, to say the least. At face value, many would say she was ill-fit to raise a child. She abandoned her son and was gone from Fengjian for most of Kung Lao's life. It wasn't until later in life that Raiden also learned that she had a substance problem. But despite these red flags…She tried to be a mother in the end. It's funny how children perceive adults talking because it wasn't until he was an older teen to his adulthood that he heard good things about Kung Lao's mother. Lao's mother, with the community's help, was able to get a decent home (still in the outskirts of Fengjian, but it was a roof over their head), a paying job, and was going clean as she cared for herself and Kung Lao.

But when Kung Lao spoke about his mother, before her untimely death, he talked badly about her. Not that Raiden could blame him. She abandoned him for most of his life-left Lao to fend for himself in Fengjian with no parental figures to look after him. Only for her to return and make amends and be a proper mother. That was asking for Kung Lao's trust, something he didn't have for his mother. So Kung Lao was seemingly never satisfied with her efforts to be a loving guardian for him, even when they had personal mother/son moments together.

It wasn't until she died when they were both in their mid-teens that Kung Lao solemnly started to appreciate his mother. Raiden still remembers getting a haunting call from Kung Lao about how his mother wasn't getting up from her sleep. The way Kung Lao spoke over the phone was uncannily calm as Lao was in a stunned, emotional state. Raiden had never run so fast in his life when he and his sister rushed to Kung Lao's side while his parents were getting emergency services to Lao's house. Before and during the funeral, Kung Lao isolated himself from everyone. Raiden remembered how Kung Lao didn't want to attend his mother's funeral, perhaps the pain of seeing her one last time was much for Lao.

But Raiden would finally understand Kung Lao's shift when he followed Kung Lao to the one cherry blossom tree they would both hang out under. The pair sat in silence together, and Kung Lao was the first to admit that…That he regretted he never allowed his mother into his life emotionally. What broke Raiden's heart further was learning that the one time Kung Lao allowed his walls to come down was the day before his mother died. Lao & his mother both went out to eat at Madam Bo's Teahouse; they had a big feast to celebrate his birthday. They laughed and talked; it was the first time Kung Lao actually allowed himself to grow closer to his mom. Kung Lao expressed, during that night, that his mother promised that they would move away from Fengjian to live in the cities nearby; even gifting her son a postcard she picked up when she was away from Fengjian those many years ago.

Raiden pulls himself off the memory road as he stares at the wall where a pinned postcard still remains; old and withered. The postcard displayed the Shunde District, beautifully showing the city-like streetlife of the distant land. Raiden could already hear Kung Lao's constant rants about wanting to leave Fengjian, how they could both be destined for something greater outside of their small village.

Raiden scoffs sadly as he touches the postcard, speaking to himself in a hushed tone, "I know I don't remember much. But I hope we both found our higher calling, wherever we went…I miss you, Lao."

"…Raiden…"

Raiden freezes in place as he hears a whisper behind him. He quickly turned around, he didn't hear anyone enter the house after him. But when he tried to face the disembodied voice, no one was there. Raiden's eyes slowly scanned the room, a fruitless endeavor since there was scarcely anywhere for anyone to hide from his sight. But Raiden felt his skin crawl when he thought he saw someone move from his peripheral near the entrance of Kung Lao's room.

Raiden was never the type to see omens, but a sense of dread started to creep inside him. Raiden sped-walked out of the abandoned house, only now just noticing that it was getting late in the afternoon, and sauntered back home. The goosebump feelings never left him, even after he walked through the front door of his own house.

"Lord Liu Kang?"

Liu Kang flutters his eyes open upon hearing a knock and the sound of Shujinko's voice on the other side of the door. "Come in."

The young monk opens the door eagerly, bringing in a tray of food as he hurries to sit across from the Fire God. It's been several days since they began their routine meet-up. Whenever Shujinko was tasked to deliver food to Liu Kang, he would invite the novice to sit and eat with him. It was a silent company, the pair often sharing the tray as they quietly enjoyed each other's presence.

Liu Kang smiles as Shujinko ardently sits across from him, setting the tray down with its contents. Liu Kang is surprised to see more food on display than usual. "You must have been hungry," Liu chuckles.

"Oh? Oh!" Shujinko looks at the tray and rubs the back of his head, embarrassed. "I missed out on breakfast and spent the rest of the morning not eating. Thought I was going to pass out, so I grabbed whatever I could."

"I see Kung Lao's influence has rubbed on you, then," Liu Kang jests as he grabs the bread and a small cup of butter.

"Please, Master Kung Lao would've eaten the entire tray, and I would be left with whatever he couldn't finish," Shujinko heartedly responds as he takes the bowl of soup.

In their still tranquility, Shujinko eyes the private quarters of Liu Kang's space. It still amazes him how much the Fire God has collected throughout the years. Relics that belong in museums filled the room, many with otherworldly origins. Shujinko takes notice of the many shelves displaying countless books and artifacts, but his eyes focuses on one particular hand-drawn portrait.

"Is that Master Kung Lao?" Shujinko stands and approaches the picture. The individual in the painting bears a striking resemblance to the Kung Lao he knows. The facial structure is mildly different, and they have no hair compared to Lao's buzzed undercut.

Liu Kang watched Shujinko walk to the portrait before explaining its origin, "One of Kung Lao's many ancestors. He shared Kung Lao's name, though many called him "The Great Kung Lao."

"Was he just as prideful and ambitious to bear such a title?" Shujinko smirks as he turns to look at Liu Kang.

Liu laughs as he shakes his head, "Despite the title, he was as humble as one could be. Though, he never shied away from demonstrating his capabilities. It was everyone else who gave him his title. The Great Kung Lao was the finest of Earthrealms warriors. Every Mortal Kombat tournament, he had won."

"Every Kombat?"

"Every one from his era..."

Liu Kang's sudden silence catches Shujinko off guard as he can see Liu Kang staring into place, consumed by memories that resurfaced. Shujinko has seen this happen a few times and quickly asks another question to distract Liu Kang from his own headspace. "Um, did Kung Lao, our Kung Lao, know about him?"

"...Yes, yes, he did. How else do you think he obtained the hat?"

"What? He told me he made it himself!" Shujinko looks at Liu Kang shocked.

"That he did, later versions of his ancestors' hat. The original I gave to him. He used it for a time but opted to utilize his own version of the Great Kung Lao's razerhat until he felt he was worthy to bear his ancestors' hat."

Shujinko nods in understanding, looking back at the portrait again, "I can imagine he would be proud of Kung Lao."

"That he would."

Shujinko was about to step away, but he now just noticed the second individual in the painting. He doesn't know how he missed them, they weren't in the background; they stood front and center, side-by-side with the Great Kung Lao in the portrait. The gentleman next to the Great Kung Lao had paler skin than the other, resembling a shade of someone who has lived closer up north. Yet, it still had a ghostly tinge to it than someone resembling a northerner. Their eyes were a milky white, but it was the type of hue as if they were losing their sight in both eyes. Their facial features were gaunt, and their musculature was sickly frail.

Shujinko points at this other person in the painting, "Who's this?"

Liu Kang had finished his bowl of rice before turning his attention back to the picture Shujinko stood before. Looking at the other individual, a sense of dread fills Liu Kang. He kinda hoped that Shujinko wouldn't ask about the other individual.

"...An old friend of (the Great) Kung Laos'." Liu Kang says bluntly.

Shujinko felt the finality in his tone and thought it better to leave it alone. He didn't want to resurface more bad memories for the Fire God. Shujinko returns to his place in front of Liu Kang, sitting across from the Fire God and finishing the rest of the tray. Silence falls upon them like a blanket, and soon, Shujinko felt that it was time he bid farewell to Liu Kang and perform his other duties. Shujinko cleaned up the area and stacked the emptied bowls together. Just as he was about to stand and leave, he noticed a particular shrine that caught his eye only now.

"What's that?"

Shrines are not uncommon around the Wu Shi Academy. There were plenty of those littered here and there dedicated to other Gods and Elder Gods, both of whom protect Earthrealm and the realms beyond. Shujinko has seen the ones that were publicly displayed around the Academy, but this one, he had never seen before. Based on the imagery, it depicted lightning and a hat, similar to what...Raiden would wear, hung around the altar.

"Is this shrine dedicated to Raiden?" Shujinko knows that Raiden isn't dead, so this wasn't related to that in the slightest. And Shujinko doesn't dare touch the idea of Liu Kang being...Obsessed...There was a long silence, and Shujinko was starting to grow uncomfortable with the quiet nature Liu Kang was giving him.

"Lord Liu Kang?" Shujinko dares to look at the Fire God, only to see Liu Kang staring at the shrine, deep and lost in his own thoughts.

Fuck, he did it again.

"L-lord Liu Kang?"

-In a long-dead timeline-

"I have conquered the darkness within me. You must do the same."

"You…Will have to kill me."

"I would rather save you."

In a desperate act to save not only their timeline but also Liu Kang, Raiden made the risky attempt to merge his being and Liu's into one form. Raiden approached the future, revenant Liu Kang, striking him with lightning that encompassed them both as a field of light further obscured them from the naked eye.

…

"Raiden…"

Liu Kang mutters as his eyes shot open. Liu Kang found himself no longer in Kronika's lair nor in the fire gardens where he last remembered being before being taken by Kronika. Instead, he found himself in the zen gardens of the Shaolin temple, no longer ruined by the intruders who came to take the energy capsules containing Earthrealm's life force. In the distance, Liu Kang can hear the muffled sounds of the monks training, the reverberating sound of the gong indicating a set-timed activity, and the cherry blossoms still in full bloom.

Liu Kang mildly panics; has he been sent back in time again? While his friends are fighting against Kronika?

"Liu Kang."

The familiar sound of Raiden's voice twists Liu Kang's head to face the Thunder God. Relief slightly settles him as Liu skips over to Raiden.

"Raiden! Where are we? Has Kronika been defeated? Are we back in our timeline?"

Raiden shakes his head, "No, the battle still continues. As we speak, Kharon is helping our allies to Kronika's fortress, and they are defending his ferries from the Time Keepers' forces who met us halfway."

Liu Kang nods in understanding but looks at the surrounding scenery in confusion, gesturing to their new location, "Then why are we here? Shouldn't we be helping our friends, Lord Raiden?"

"…Liu…We need to talk…"

In all his years fighting by Raiden's side, Raiden has never called him "Liu." Liu Kang stands at attention, ready to accept what news Raiden intends to tell him. "Yes, Lord Raiden?"

"Your future self, your Revenant self, boarded our ship and attacked us, along with Frost and her cyber Lin Kuei. Despite our brief scuffle, I had no intention of killing you, continuing this vicious cycle that Kronika forced us into."

Raiden takes a moment to let out a shaky breath before continuing, "Your Revenant self is far too blinded by his anger and corruption to be talked down willingly. So…So I'm merging our beings together, so that we may become One."

Liu Kang stares at Raiden in bewilderment. Become One? Such as merging into one individual? One conciousness? Liu Kang couldn't wrap his head around this. "Is that why we're…Here?"

The Thunder God nods, "As we speak, everything that makes us who we are is being united so that we could emerge as a powerful being, one who would share both our prowess, knowledge, and wisdom. I created this subconscious setting so that the information and transformation would be…Easier to process. Do not worry; I intend to transfer my soul to you so that you may benefit from my experiences and power. You will remain intact."

"…But what will happen to you?"

There's a deafening silence, and Liu Kang can already feel the knot of dread becoming tighter. He silently begged that Raiden would not say what he thinks he will say.

"…The process is painless, Liu Ka-"

"Please," Liu Kang raises his hand, stopping Raiden from trying to sugarcoat this situation any further. "Do not speak to me like I am a sheltered child. Give it to me straight, Raiden…"

Raiden could only slowly nod his head, "I don't know…I never had to perform this ever in my lifetimes as a God…Know this, it is not like the perverse necromancy that Shang Tsung often used on his victims, leaving a husk after stealing their souls." Raiden pauses as he ponders in his mind how best to continue his thought, "…But from what I could ascertain from previous studies and knowledge from trusted peers…I will…Cease to exist…When I give myself to you, Liu Kang, all that will remain is the changed you. The version of yourself that will be empowered by my being once we have merged."

Liu Kang looks at Raiden in horror. Raiden was…He was willing to essentially kill himself, all for the sake of not only saving him but this timeline. Liu Kang isn't foolish; he knew that trying to stop Kronika was going to cost lives, both his friends, their allies, and even his. But this…This felt…Different. This was Raiden giving his life FOR HIM. So that he, his chosen one, would save everyone. And Liu Kang KNOWS that he has to accept this. It was as Raiden taught him; to take every advantage to defeat his enemies and to protect Earthrealm. He was conditioned and trained to bear sacrifices, to make the tough decisions to ensure that Earthrealm would thrive.

Yet…He didn't want this.

Raiden slowly approaches Liu Kang, arms open wide as if he intends to hug Liu Kang. His face grows into a comforting smile, his way of trying to calm Liu Kang. "I assure you, this is for the best, Liu Kang. You'll be elevated to a God with enough power to take on Kronika."

Just as Raiden is about to fully embrace him, Liu Kang flinches away from him. Raiden looks at Liu Kang confused before it eventually changes to a look of understanding.

"N-no…No, I don't want this! There has to be another way, Raiden! I'm not going to just…Kill you!" Liu Kang says as his breathing hitches.

"You're not killing me, Liu Kang-"

"Then what do you call this!?! How is this not killing you!?! How do you know this isn't part of Kronika's plan as well?" Liu Kang continued to back away from Raiden every time the Thunder God attempted to get closer to him.

"Every timeline I experienced, we FOUGHT, and YOU died, Liu Kang. It was never the other way around. This will not further any agenda that Titan has planned for any of us!"

"HOW. DO. YOU. KNOW!?!" Liu Kang raises his voice, breaking the calm and serenity of the zen garden. "Was it not Kronika's plan to get rid of you? To erase you from her new era to prevent you from interfering with her grand design! How do you know that doing THIS won't give Kronika what she wanted!"

"I DON'T, LIU KANG!" Raiden matches his tone, but there is no crackle of thunder in the distance, no godly boom to his voice or glow to his eyes. "I never knew that letting Kung Lao fight in the tournament instead of you would've resulted in his death. I did not know that the events that would lead to YOUR death would lead to this outcome. I don't know if merging us will actually further Kronika's plans or deaden them! But I have to trust that whatever decision I make, whatever ripple effect this may cause, that the outcome will ensure that Earthrealm and its people will be safe; no matter the cost!"

Liu Kang can't stop his eyes from watering as he continues to step away from Raiden. "No…"

"Liu Kang-"

"No! Raiden, please!"

"Liu Kang, you're getting emotional! People are depending on us! ON YOU!" Raiden shouts, still no thunder or godly enhancements to his voice.

"I DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOU, RAIDEN! NOT LIKE THIS! YOU DON'T DESERVE THIS!" Liu Kang cries, his back hitting a wall from his constant evasions from Raiden. His legs grow weak, and he lets himself slide to the ground, trembling and filled with sorrow.

"I don't want to lose you…Not like this! You deserve so much more than that. You held this entire realm together, keeping us safe…Keeping me safe…You shouldn't have to sacrifice more than you already have! Let me merge with YOU! Let us face Kronika as we are together! But please…Please don't ask me to do this…To take your life in this way."

There's a stillness between the two; the ambiance that Raiden constructed for this subconscious conversation has long since disappeared, leaving Raiden to listen to Liu Kang's quiet whimpers.

"…Tell me, Liu…What is it that you think I deserve?" Raiden asks softly.

Liu Kang is silent for a moment before responding, "…You deserve to be happy. You deserve to look at the work you've so tirelessly done and rest knowing that Earthrealm will be ok…You deserve…" Liu Kang makes himself chuckle before continuing, "You deserve to enjoy your nuclear buffalo wings. You deserve to relax at the saunas you enjoyed so much. You deserve to see the fireworks every new year; I know how much you enjoy reaching the highest point you safely can with Lao and me and watching the colors pop in the sky…"

Raiden listened carefully to Liu Kang's list of things that he felt Raiden deserved, all of them evolving into things that he and Liu Kang had done together that meant a lot to both of them. Liu Kang didn't want to lose the future bond they could have. A future where they were at peace and happy together, even if Raiden's lifespan rivaled Liu Kang's…

But that life just wasn't possible, not under Kronika's rule…But…

Raiden leans down to the sitting Liu Kang, cupping his face in his hand, forcing the monk to look at him. No hint of malice or worry graced Raiden's face, happy as he can be. "Then provide me that future, Liu."

"What?" Liu Kang looks into Raiden's eyes…Only now that he noticed that they were brown…Huh…He never…

"Who knows what will happen once Kronika is defeated. Time might continue as it should, we might be shunted back to our original place in time, we might be stuck sharing this space with our future companions…Or it might all become dust in the wind…But no matter what happens. When Kronika falls, the hourglass will be unoccupied…And we will all have a chance of a better life."

"Raiden, how do you-"

Raiden places his thumb on Liu Kang's lips, quieting him before he could finish his sentence. "I don't know, Liu. I can only trust that whatever we do now, what we accomplish now, will open new doors and possibilities to us later. If we keep worrying about what the future will hold, we lose control of what we can do now."

Raiden steps away from Liu Kang, standing to his full height, and extends his hand for Liu to take. Liu Kang hesitates as he looks at Raiden's hand, but he gathers his courage and trust in Raiden and takes it. When their hands connected, a steady stream of memories, knowledge, wisdom, everything that made Raiden who he was; flowed into Liu Kang. Liu panics, clutching onto Raidens' hand tightly and keeping his eyes fixed on his friend.

"It's ok, everything will be ok." Raiden consoles Liu as he helps him back to his feet.

Liu Kang looks at their conjoined hands as his mind also processed the steady flow of information and essence drawing into him. Liu Kang saw the many stories Raiden would tell him when he was younger, all in greater detail than when Raiden described the events. Liu saw their past adventures together when Raiden mentored and cared for him and Lao when they were young. He saw the times they fooled around, enjoying the pleasantries that life offered them as he and Lao showed Raiden souvenirs, took him to events, ate out, and did things outside their monastic training. But most of all, Liu Kang felt what Raiden felt in each of these instances. Liu Kang felt Raiden's fear, confusion, anger, sadness, joy, serenity, hope, pride…and love…

Liu Kang didn't even realize he was shedding tears again until he felt something wet splash on his hand. Then Liu saw something that broke him; he couldn't contain himself further. He saw Raiden's hand fading. His watered eyes met Raiden's, and he could see that Raiden was phasing away, like a ghost.

"Raiden…" Liu Kang lightly gasps.

Raiden looks himself over, recognizing that an effect was being placed on him. But he does not panic, maintaining the same calm composure. "It's ok…I'll be fine, Liu."

"Raiden!" Liu Kang surges forward as he brings the Thunder God into a tight embrace, his form still solid enough for them to touch. "I-I'm going to miss you…" Liu Kang wept.

At this point, even Raiden couldn't compose himself any longer. The truth of the matter is that he doesn't know if this will work. Was there perhaps another way this could've been handled? Would merging together even work?

…Will this be his final moment not only as a God but as a living entity?

Raiden didn't know any of this. And that unknown scares him. This could very well be his last moment with Liu Kang, the man he watched grow from an infant to a powerful man. Raiden would never have imagined that this could be the last time he would hold Liu Kang this closely. Raiden could not help but quietly shed his own tears as he held Liu Kang just as tight, both of them locked together as he faded away slowly; giving all he was to Liu Kang.

Yet, despite this, Raiden couldn't be more proud of Liu Kang. His pride, love, and hope overpowered any second thoughts or doubts that surfaced and tried to demoralize him. They're going to defeat Kronika, Liu is going to defeat Kronika. Her reign of tyrannical balance will end, and they will become masters of their own fates; not the pawns to further the fight between good and evil. And Raiden is confident that Liu Kang will start their new era for them, even if he won't be there to see it.

Through shaky breaths and watered eyes, Raiden says his final goodbye, "I'm so proud of you, my son. You have no idea how proud you make me."

Liu Kang smiles through the tears, "I think I have a good idea of how proud you are."

"…Save us, Liu Kang. You were always destined to save Earthrealm, all the realms. And I know that you will stop Kronika."

"I will, Raiden. Kronika will not win." Liu Kang's voice starts to steady, confidence and power swelling within him.

Soon, Raiden's being was no longer tangible, their tight embrace dissolving as Raiden further faded away.

"I love you, Raiden," Liu Kang mutters, loud enough for only he and Raiden to hear.

"I love you too, Liu Kang."

…

The battle was won.

Kronika was defeated.

…But at what cost?

Liu Kang, Fire God Liu Kang, stared into the endless cosmos in awe-ful loneliness. Rock formations and asteroids pass him, and the rocky platform he and the hourglass resided on. Cosomic colors paint the starry expanse in beautiful whites, reds, and blues as space dust and burning stars littered the sky. It was all a sight to behold, a once-in-a-lifetime experience…But what's the point in experiencing any of this, if there's no one to share it with?

Kronika may have lost the battle, but she still achieved her goal…Somewhat…Time was reversed despite his best efforts to prevent it. He watched firsthand his closest friends backpedaling every second they lived as if a tape was being rewinded. Before he knew it, he was fighting Kronika at times beginning, long before the first man and woman graced the planet, long before the dinosaurs became extinct, long before the earth would be considered inhabitable.

All that remained was him and the hourglass.

Liu Kang finally comes down from the high of the combat, slowly processing all that has happened. His friends were dead, his family were dead, his timeline was gone…Raiden was gone…Liu Kang perches himself on a rock, slowly curling in on himself as the vacantness around him starts to overwhelm him. Is this his fate? As the chosen hero of Earthrealm? To live alone until his insanity kills him? To reminisce the mistakes he performed and what he could've done to prevent all of this?

"Our work is finished, Liu Kang."

Great…Now he was going insane by the second…He was already hearing voices…

…Raiden's voice…

Liu Kang dares to check his surroundings, only to be graced with an unusual sight.

"Lord…Raiden?" Liu Kang could not contain his surprise, eyes wide as he stared at Raiden.

"I am merely Raiden, now. You have proven worthy to take my place as the new Protector of Earthrealm, once it is restored," Raiden continues, nonchalantly, as if it was normal for him to still…Be here…

"But…But how?" Liu Kang stands from his place and steps closer to Raiden. "You…I thought…Aren't you supposed to be-"

"Dead?" They both say in unison.

Raiden smiles and nods, "I cannot say why I still remain. That much is a mystery, even to me. I can only guesstimate that perhaps your battle with Kronika, and you being so close to the hourglass during the encounter; you may have recreated me into a mortal shell."

Liu Kang leisurely looks at the hourglass, confusion still plastered on his face.

"Once again, it's only a guess. If anything, I could've been a freak accident, an outcome after your battle with Kronika." Raiden shrugs. This is perhaps the most…Casual, Liu Kang has ever seen Raiden act.

A moment of silence passes them before Liu Kang faces Raiden again. "So, there's a chance that you're not…MY Raiden?"

If this Raiden, this mortal Raiden, was the result of his kombat, then that still meant that the Raiden HE knew was still…Dead.

Raiden doesn't answer right away, mimicking the same ponderous expression that Liu Kang's Raiden would make when trying to find the right words to say. Before long, Raiden would look at Liu Kang, eye to eye, and smile.

"Do you want me to?"

Liu Kang doesn't answer him. Instead, he shares the same smile. Even if this Raiden wasn't HIS Raiden, even if this Raiden WAS his Raiden, his heart still fluttered knowing that he was here. A familiar face, someone to keep him company. Someone that Liu Kang saved, even if it was just one.

"You honor me, Raiden," Liu Kang respectfully bows to Raiden.

"The honor is mine, Lord Liu Kang," Raiden repeats the same bow, a smile still stapled on his face.

Since then, They both remade their timeline, their new era, together.

Oh, if only the story ended there.

Liu Kang learned quickly that he truly was a God. An immortal being incapable of aging. And Raiden was no longer a God himself, aging every year to a mortal grave. A selfish part of Liu Kang wanted to prevent this. He couldn't hold on to the idea that he might get to see his friends again. Kung Lao, Kitana, Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage. So many of those whom he called his allies would not be born, leaving him alone once Raiden died. So, Liu Kang offered Raiden the chance to regain his immortality by attempting the merge again, thinking that they could perhaps, somehow, someway, recreate the events so that Raiden could become the God of Thunder again. Or maybe share their power so that they could be Gods together, protecting Earthrealm under their watchful eye.

Yet, Raiden refused, wanting to keep his mortality and leave the old timeline behind so that the new one may flourish. Liu Kang made sure that Raiden's final moments were comfortable and peaceful. Raiden died surrounded by the new family and friends he made living in Liu Kang's new era.

And although a new Raiden would emerge at some point in his new timeline…Liu Kang was alone again…

"Lord Liu Kang?"

Liu Kang jumps out of his skin when he feels Shujinko touch him lightly. The young monk backs away, frightened, even though they have little reason to be.

"I-I'm sorry, Lord Liu Kang! It's just…You were quiet, and I got…Worried."

Liu Kang felt embarrassed and tried to laugh it off, "No, no, Shujinko. I should be the one apologizing. I'm sorry if I startled you. I just…I was pondering on the past for a moment."

"…I'm sorry if I triggered-"

Liu Kang waves his hand and smiles, "No, Shujinko, you didn't do anything to make me uncomfortable or to trigger me. Promise." Liu Kang looks back at the shrine, "That shrine was dedicated to an old friend of mine. He too held the title, Raiden, before the one we know today."

"Wow…What are the chances that there would be two Raidens as well? Did they also possess lightning powers?" Shujinko looks at Liu Kang expectantly.

"No, they did not…But…They did pave the way for that to be a possibility for our Raiden."

~Sorry to the Reiko fans out there. I always intended for there to be more deaths in this series, but as my first fan work and not huge into killing characters in my writings, Reiko was a nonconsequential sacrificial lamb to get myself into the mindset of "ok, there's going to be character deaths coming in future chapters".

Also, song recommendation for the Liu Kang/Raiden moment, "What You Left" by Refeeld :D. Deadass was crying while writing that moment. Hopefully, soon after, I'll get part two in here and might even combine the chapters as originally intended. Until then, can't wait for the next chapter!~

#Wilted Cherry Blossoms Dark Thunderstorms Burning Hopes #Oops Kung Lao's Dead Again AU #Mortal Kombat #Mortal Kombat 1 #MK1 #MK1 Raiden #MK1 Reiko #MK1 Kung Lao #MK1 Shujinko #MK1 Liu Kang #MK11 Raiden #Raiden #Reiko #Liu Kang #Shujinko #Kung Lao

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420thewritersroom · 4 months

Note

In your dead Kung Lao au, does Kung Lao know what Lui Kang did to Raiden?

Do the rest of the earthrealm defenders know?

Do they think he just retired?

Love your work by the way.

Had a similar question that was kinda along the same line in terms of the timeline in this AU lol. Because I didn't communicate this too well in the chapters that have been produced, here's what the timeline looks like:

First 15 minutes of MK1 (Raiden & Kung Lao lounging at Madam's Bo Teahouse and being recruited by Liu Kang)

Raiden tells his family that he and Kung Lao are going to the U.S. to be martial arts teachers

MK1 story proceeds as normal along with Kung Lao's Arcade ending

Raiden gains his iconic white hair due to nearly dying and fusing with his amulet

Kung Lao DIES

Raiden goes through his girlboss (Dark Raiden) phase

Dark Raiden moment ends when Liu Kang ctrl-alt-del his memories

Sends Raiden home and current story proceeds after a year and a half passes.

So to answer your questions:

Kung Lao was long dead before Raiden lost his memories. Johnny & Kenshi are the only ones (currently) who know the full story of Raiden's memory loss and "retirement" Also thanks! Gald you're enjoying the AU!

#mortal kombat #mortal kombat 1 #mk1 #oops kung lao's dead again au #Wilted Cherry Blossoms Dark Thunderstorms Burning Hopes

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420thewritersroom · 2 months

Text

Deadly Sakura (Part 2)

*trips onto this blog with this* hey ya'll how you doing :D

It's been a minute and I finally feel confident enough to bring this out! This has been sitting in my drafts for a LONG ASS while, like goddamn. I'm been slowly working on this and I feel like this is complete enough where I'm comfortable sharing the next half of this story. It will take another while before the next chapter is shown because one, I've been getting real acquainted with an old game from my childhoood and got the inspiration to write about it, and two, I just really need to take my time.

I realized that I made a mistake jumping onto this and making this into a series because I don't have a concrete blueprint of where I want to take this story. I hyped myself up, being pretty new to this fandom and making fanwork for an establish fandom got me a bit anxious. I found myself feeling guilty for not being able to pump out more chapters and I want to get out of that mindset. That's why I've been working on another, personal, project that I can't wait to show you guys sometime soon. I've been telling myself that it's ok if you loose interest for a while, the inspiration will come back to you as long as you keep the drafts.

But enough about me, here's the part 2 of Deadly Sakura! I'll post this on AO3 tomorrow because I'm lazy.

Characters: Kenshi, Johnny Cage, Jax, Raiden, Kung Lao, Fuji

Word Count: 9,652

Ships: Kenshi/Johnny Cage & Raiden/Kung Lao

Kenshi bursts through the fire exit door, leading him and Johnny to the back alleyway and away from public notice. Kenshi quickly dials Jax's number, muttering to himself for his partner to pick up the phone (and doing his best to ignore Johnny's constant questioning).

Finally, the familiar voice of Briggs on the other line gives Kenshi a sliver of hope that they might be able to escape this soon.

"Kenshi! Where the hell are you? I told you we'd meet 5 minutes ago; what's holding you up?"

"Jackson, we got company and need to get to China. How long for you to get to my location?" Kenshi hurriedly says as he pulls Johnny with him down the alleyway.

"Company? What kind of 'company'?"

"The kind that looks pale and dead."

"And breaks into other peoples' private property!" Johnny unceremoniously chimes in, getting a hissing scold from Kenshi in response.

"Hold up, do you have someone with you, Kenshi?"

"I don't have time to explain! Just meet me at the garage near the Starbucks on 114th Street!" Kenshi then disconnects the call, not wanting Johnny or Jax to further interact; even though it's going to become inevitable soon.

"Whoa there, You still gotta tell me what this is all about too!" Johnny insisted as he caught up with Kenshi. "Who was that guy, and what's going on?"

"Once we randevu with my associate, then we'll talk."

"And this 'associate' fellow is?"

"I'm more concerned about getting out of here than answering questions right now, Johnny."

Kenshi feels Johnny grab his wrist and force the swordsman to face him. "Johnathan now's not-"

"Then make time, Kenshi! At least give me the SparkNotes version of what's going on!" Johnny growls as he tightens his grip around Kenshi's wrist.

Kenshi feels his spine tingle, hearing Johnny growl his name. While he does make a mental note of that (for later), he readjusts his thinking back to the matter at hand. Kenshi never really came forward with his line of work with Johnny; he wasn't sure if he could trust the Hollywood actor to keep his mouth shut and not brag about dating an FBI agent.

The swordsman sighs, finally relenting to Johnny's request, "A month ago, when I was in Japan, I was tracking down a notorious gang known as the Jeido taigā bando, Jade Tiger Band in English. I was helping my associate track them down because he suspected that they were associated with…A far more dangerous crime organization."

"Let me guess, you pissed off the wrong guy, and now they're sending their goons to come after you, right?" Johnny huffs, acting as though he's heard this story before.

"Not really. To keep the story short, what I found when I discovered their base of operations was individuals who I can only classify as…Undead…And they're planning on expanding their ranks by digging up more bodies or adding to the body count for them to raise."

Johnny gives Kenshi a look, letting go of his wrist and crossing his arms. "Ok, so we're dealing with some Night of the Living Dead invasion-type shit? Does Bruce Kang know about this?"

"Not yet. Contacting Liu Kang gets difficult every day that passes, even with Geras serving as his line operator. I was going to report my findings to my associate-"

"It's ok, you can call him Jackson." Johnny was already getting slightly annoyed by the avoidance of names here.

If Kenshi still had eyes, he'd roll them to the back of his skull, "I need to get to him and report what I discovered. Afterwards, I'm going to Liu Kang personally."

"Why not go to Liu right now? A possible zombie invasion sounds like something that should be brought to his attention as soon as possible."

"I still have my obligations to my work, Johnny." Kenshi sighs.

"Work that you still haven't explained to me, Kenshi."

"Later. Let's just meet Jackson before that body catches up with us."

"A little late for that," Johnny looks down the alleyway in the direction of the fire exit they escaped from.

Standing at the far end of the alleyway, the undead creature they fought earlier and sent 200 ft back to the lobby glares their red eyes at the pair.

"Fuck me," Kenshi says, exasperated.

Almost on cue, the undead creature rushes at the duo, Johnny and Kenshi getting into a fighting stance. Once the creature was halfway to their position, Johnny was the first to meet them and threw a punch at them. Kenshi draws out Sento and helps Johnny, partaking in the back and forth between them and the monster.

The creature manages to grab at Johnny, clutching his throat in a death grip, before throwing him at Kenshi. Had they been the rivals they were before, Kenshi would've let Johnny fall. And perhaps he should've let Johnny fall, for his attempt to catch Johnny stumbles him in return. The undead creature lunges for Kenshi, their sharp claws countered thanks to Sento's protection. Kenshi quickly gets Johnny back on his feet and grabs the floating hilt of his sword, reengaging with the monster as he puts distance between them and Johnny, giving the actor a moment to recover.

The sounds of steel and hardened claws clashing together fill the air as Kenshi fights off the undead creature. Kenshi misses the monster feinting him, screaming when he feels its claws dig deep into his skin as it slashes him across his midsection. Johnny comes up behind the undead creature, round house kicking them in the head and sending them to the ground.

"Kenshi!" Johnny attempts to help the wounded Kenshi, only to feel an arm wrap around their neck, stopping him in his tracks.

Johnny grunts as he tries to prevent the undead creature from choking him out-or worse-snapping his neck. The creature's breath can be felt on the side of his face as they darkly chuckle, "You can join your crippled friend with our family if you're that desperate to join him."

Johnny can feel his consciousness slipping, the bastard's grip on him too powerful for him to overcome. Before going under, Johnny's ears ring as he hears the creature holler in pain. In his peripherals, Johnny can see the mystical blade of Sento breaching through the monster's head, right where their left eyeball resided. Johnny uses this time to escape, coughing as he recovers.

Kenshi removes Sento from the creature's head, leaving a slitted hole where the katana once resided. Gathering his strength and swift movements, Kenshi goes for the head again, scalping the creature before jabbing Sento into its brain, the steel running through the organ and the rest of its body before settling within the undead monstrosity's ribcage. Finally, their current nightmare ends as the creature goes limp once again. Removing Sento, Kenshi lets the body flop to the ground, stepping his foot on their neck and ready to behead the monster if it so much as moved another inch.

…It doesn't move.

Kenshi hisses as his still bleeding wound catches up with him, the adrenaline coming down. He leans against the stonewalls that make up the alleyway, breathing heavily as he continues to lose blood.

"Kenshi. Whoa, easy there, I got ya!" Johnny steps to Kenshi's side, holding him up and allowing Kenshi to put his weight on him. Johnny makes a hissing whistle sound as he helps Kenshi trudge through the alleyway, "They cut ya up pretty good. You think you'll make it to that Starbucks?"

"I'll be," Kenshi huffs between words, "I'll be fine."

"Yeah, you sound 'fine,'" Johnny half-heartedly jests as they get closer to reaching the main streets. Which only worries Johnny further. With an injured Kenshi, his stardom, and it's still light outside, there will be eyes on them, whether they like it or not. "Ok, Kenshi, Imma need you to pick up your feet once we get out there. The sooner we get to your associate, the better."

Getting into the crowd, the pair make their way through the moving bodies, trying to give as little reason for anyone to take notice of them. Every wayward glance gave Johnny a spike of anxiety as he prayed and hoped that no one would immediately recognize him, even with his rise to popularity as a director. Before they both knew it, they reached their destination. Johnny glanced around, looking for anyone who might be expecting someone.

"Come on, where are they? Hey, Kenshi, what does this Jackson guy look like?"

"Don't need to look far, Mr. Cage."

Johnny twists his head, only to be faced by a tall, perhaps a couple cm off Johnny), dark-skinned individual. "You must be Jackson, right?"

"Right. What happened to him?" Jackson nodded over to Kenshi as he guided them to his vehicle. "Place him in the back; I got a first aid kit he can use."

"We had some company slow us down," Johnny opens the back car door, helping Kenshi into the car before helping himself to riding shotgun.

Kenshi didn't need to ask where Jackson kept his first aid kit, always in a hidden compartment inside the middle seat. He takes out all the necessary items to thread himself back together, though the work was slightly sloppy thanks to the moving vehicle.

"So, when were you going to tell me you were close to a Hollywood star?"

"What? So that you can pester me for an autograph?" Kenshi hisses as he runs the needle and thread through his skin.

"Aw, Kenshi. To deprive a fan of mine a chance to have a personal trinket with my name on it from yours truly is the most heinous thing of you to do," Johnny voiced.

"And I'm certain there's a special place in Hell for me for that." Kenshi jests back with Johnny before adjusting his mind to the reason he needed to speak with Jackson to begin with. "I found the Jade Tiger Band. They were all dead when I discovered where they were headquartered."

"Dead? All of them?" Jackson's eyebrows raise as he occasionally glances at Kenshi's reflection in the rearview mirror.

"All that remained of them was bodies. But…There are more concerning things about this situation. I saw the cargo with the Black Dragon's symbol printed on them, so they were in legion with the organization. How deep, I don't know. But while there, when I discovered the bodies, the building was almost repurposed in a…cult-like fashion. I saw, firsthand, bodies being given life, under the control of some puppet master."

If it wasn't for the fact that Jackson not only worked for the FBI but also the OIA, Kenshi's certain that everything that he just said would have him laughed out of the vehicle or into a mental institute. There's a moment of silence as Jackson takes a moment to process what Kenshi relayed.

"This job just gets stranger and stranger. Do you think the Black Dragon is behind these…Bodies coming back from the dead?"

"I don't think so, Jax. The attire these individuals wore was not Black Dragon material. Then again, the Black Dragons are not known for being uniformed. But the many times we tailed them, sorcery was never on their resume." Kenshi groans his final sentence as he starts wrapping himself up in cloth and medical alcohol.

"Do you think that sorcerer fella might be involved?" Jax questions.

"Shang Tsung?" Johnny chimes in.

"You know him?" Jax gives Johnny a quick look.

"Oh, not only do I know him, but Kenshi and I beat that bastard into prison and saved the world from a universe collapse. How else do you think I got the inspiration for MORTAL KOMBAT: CHAMPIONS OF TIME?"

Thanks to the fact that they stopped at a long red light, Jackson couldn't help but look at Johnny & Kenshi in disbelief. This isn't the first time Jax has had this revelation given to him, how else would the Outworld Investigation Agency exist if not for him?

"You know, if it weren't for Kenshi breaking the news to me before about your involvement in this whole…Circus fuckery, I wouldn't have believed that YOU, Mr. Cage, experienced this crazy shit first hand."

"Please, you can call me Johnny. No need for formalities."

"Back to the matter at hand," Kenshi interjects. "I believe that Shang Tsung might be behind this entire operation. I don't think he's working closely with the Black Dragon, but I wouldn't be surprised if they somehow got into contact with one another."

"And what makes you think that Shang Tsung might be involved?" Johnny takes his turn to look in the backseat where Kenshi sat.

"The magic used to bring these creatures back looked similar to how Shang utilizes his own sorcery. That, and it was green. And aside from Quan Chi, I don't know anyone else whose magic gives off a green color." Kenshi explains.

"Wait, who's Quan-"

"I'll tell you about him later, Jax." Kenshi interrupts. "Right now, there's a possible chance that Shang Tsung is causing dead people to come back from the grave, and the Black Dragon is possibly involved."

"Well, we can't work on chances and possibilities. If they're truly operating together, we're going to need concrete proof. People coming back from the dead might not be enough to get the higher-ups to look deeper into this, especially since they're still wrapping their heads around what is and is not possible with these supernatural occurrences." said Jax.

At this point, they arrived at a discreet enough motel, Jax pulling the vehicle into an available parking space under a shaded tree.

"I know, But maybe this will be enough to prove my suspicions. The Jeido Taigā may have been compromised and most of their members dead, but I was able to pinpoint where their next point of operation may be. Got it off a dying Taigā and convinced them I was one of them. They're right in our front yard, hoping to make a transaction somewhere in San Jose."

"Well, what a coincidence, because our inside gal reported to us not too long ago about a trade happening in San Jose, right in an abandoned warehouse," Jax smirks as he trains his eyes back at Kenshi through the rearview mirror.

"Great! Then all we gotta do is bust the bad guys, kick Shang Tsungs ass, and the day is saved!" Johnny rubs his hands in anticipation.

“Um, I’m sorry, ‘we’?” Jax gives Johnny a look.

“Johnny, can we talk for a minute?” Kenshi gives Johnny’s shoulder a firm squeeze before exiting the car, hissing in pain as his freshly patched-up wounds send signals of pain to him.

“Oh, boy, here we go,” Johnny mumbles, exiting the car with Kenshi.

Jax follows suit, closing the driver's door. “I already got us a room, when you need to sit it out for a minute,” Jax gestures to Kenshi and where his wound was, “We’re in room 118.”

Kenshi nods as he walks closer to the tree that provided them shade from the beaming sun above. He crosses his arms, looking directly in the direction where Johnny is.

“Ok, what did I do?”

“Nothing, Johnny.”

“Ok, but you’re giving me your ‘serious Kenshi’ face. You look like this, right now,” in which Johnny gives Kenshi an overly exaggerated pouty look.

Unfortunately, for Johnny, Kenshi wasn’t in the mood to entertain the actor. “You’re not coming with us.”

“What? Why not? Didn’t you just say that Shang Tsung could be behind this weird Undead invasion thing? That silver-tongued bastard is my business too, Kenshi.”

“I said no, Johnny.”

“Is this because I renounced my standing as one of Earthrealm's protectors?”

“No, Johnny, I-”

“Because if it is, I now renounce my renouncement as one of Earthrealm's protectors. I can help Kenshi, anything involving Shang Tsung is bad news, and I’d be damned if-”

“This isn’t about that, it’s something completely different.” Kenshi can already feel his annoyance with Cage brewing.

“How different is this? Didn’t Liu Kang set you up with this job?”

“No, he didn’t. Why do you think I need to get to China?”

“Wait, then what’s this all about if Liu Kang doesn’t know about this?” Johnny looks at Kenshi confused.

At this point, Kenshi just had enough. He prays to whoever would listen that Johnny wouldn’t make such a fuss about this and pulls his boyfriend closer. Then and there, Kenshi finally came forward about his association with the FBI and OIA (Outer World Investigation Agency) to Johnny. He still left some details out, only giving the essentials of what his job entailed. Johnny looks at Kenshi amazed before a huge smile crosses his face.

“Well, I’ll be damned! I didn’t know I had 007 as a boyfriend as well.”

“Johnathan, this is serious!”

“Kenshi, don’t worry! I’m not going to tell, I’m not that irresponsible. Even I have secrets I prefer others didn’t know too. Plus, I’m an actor, my secrets are all I have now.” Johnny gives Kenshi a reassuring peck on the cheek to prove his loyalty.

“I mean it, Cage.” Kenshi huffs, though the bubbling tension does soothe inside him.

“Cross my heart, hope to die, you can stick Sento in my eye if I so much as even BREATHE about you being FBI.” Johnny places one final reassuring kiss, this time on Kenshi’s temple, before squeezing the swordsman closer to him.

As stern as Kenshi tries to make himself look, he can’t help but twitch a smile here and there. Johnny always knew how to break his tough guy visage.

“So, now that the beans have been spilled, that means I can help, ri-”

Immediately, Kenshi frowns again, “No.”

“Wha-come on!” Johnny complains, his tone a bit too loud.

“Even if I wanted to bring you along, your face will get us into trouble. You’re an actor for crying out loud, and a recognizable one too. And I can’t just thrust you into my job. By all standards, you’re a civilian and not authorized to meddle in FBI business, doesn’t matter if you fought creatures from Outworld or in Orderrealm. I can’t just bring you along, Johnathan.”

Johnny opens and closes his mouth as if to protest further, but he can only groan. “Ok, fine, but if Shang Tsung is really behind this, hell, a possible zombie apocalypse should be enough to warrant Liu Kang’s attention.”

“I know, Cage. That’s why I’m-”

“No, no, no. That’s why I’M going to China.”

It was now Kenshi’s turn to be speechless. “Johnny…No, no, I don’t want you involved.”

“Kenshi, I’m gonna level with you now. This is me leveling with you. I can handle myself. We went through hell and back, fighting impossible creatures and beating up scary bad guys. You KNOW I can fight. You KNOW I can handle this. If you’re truly some secret agent, then you need to be with your people. The longer Liu Kang is out of the loop, the less prepared our other allies will be. Not only that, but your insight will prove useful to these peeps who know next to nothing about that cunty sorcerer. Let me go in your place, I’ll let Liu Kang know.”

Kenshi wants to argue, but a part of himself can’t really dispute Johnny’s claims. Kenshi can’t be in two places at once, and if Johnny is going to be this persistent in helping, he might as well let him run as a messenger boy…The message, however, Kenshi is unsure if he wants to share it.

Kenshi gives Johnny the silent treatment, not responding to Johnny trying to get a word out of the swordsman. Kenshi rummages through his head about how he can break the news to Johnny, and how much he’s willing to give up to the actor. Before long, Kenshi ultimately decides that the truth is a better alternative. Because, eventually, they’re all going to know.

“Ok…Go to China, find the Academy, and tell Liu Kang what you know.”

Johnny nods, heavily resisting the urge to fist-pump the air in victory like a child. “I will. I can book a flight as soon as today and get a ticket to Shanghai-”

“You’ll need a ticket to Guangzhou,” Kenshi corrected.

“Right, Guangzhou. I’ll get the ticket, fly out of here, and I’ll get Liu Kang to get off his ass and help us out. Who knows, this might be another bastard from another timeline trying to conquer ours for all we care.”

“…I don’t think that’s the case,” Kenshi mumbled, but Johnny still heard what he said.

“Why do you say that?”

“…Because I saw Kung Lao…Our Kung Lao.”

If Johnny wasn’t serious then, the revelation about Kung Lao silences Johnny. He keeps searching Kenshi’s face as if to see if the blind swordsman was joking or pulling some cruel prank. And it frightens him that he finds none in Kenshi.

“What do you mean you saw Kung Lao? Like, you saw his body just walking about?”

“Yes.”

“Yes!?! That’s all you have to say about that?” Johnny couldn’t hold in his frustration and fear.

“What the fuck else am I supposed to say about that! Kung Lao’s body is walking around somewhere out there. That’s why I wanted to reach Liu Kang after reporting back to Jax.”

“I mean,” Johnny pinches the bridge of his nose as he paces in place, “Did you at least check his grave? You know, to see if it was tampered with?”

“I can’t. And you know why I can’t”

When Liu Kang returned Raiden back to Fengjian, while he didn’t explicitly say that they were forbidden from seeing their amnesiac friend, it was an unspoken rule amongst those who knew what happened that they shouldn’t meet with Raiden anymore. Liu Kang clearly wanted Raiden disassociated from everything that they were, and continued association could rip open old wounds best left to the natural healing forces of time.

Johnny nods in mutual understanding before letting out a shaky sigh. "Ok, then this is big time urgent. I'll get to Liu as fast as possible."

"I'll drive you to the nearest airport once you have your ticket," Kenshi says. "...And don't bother Raiden, Johnny."

"I know...I know," Johnny mutters, rubbing the back of his head. "I guess this is the part where we..."

"Yeah...I actually need someplace to lay down anyways," Kenshi purposefully leans against Johnny, forcing the actor to support his weight as they walk toward their motel room.

In the secrecy of their motel room, Kenshi further briefed Jax on what he learned tracking down the Jade Tiger Band while Johnny booked his flight. Of course, because he was trying to leave TODAY, the moment Johnny got a ticket, they had to rush to get him to the airport. Navigating the building was a nightmare; it was filled to the brim with an overly anxious crowd trying to get their flight and woefully understaffed. In a small way, it made Kenshi somewhat appreciative that Johnny decided to take his place to inform Liu Kang rather than going himself.

As they both wait at the gate, Kenshi digs in his pocket and hands Johnny a keychain in the shape of a Japanese symbol, "Here. Got this for you while I was away." In all honesty, Kenshi had gotten the item a year ago, but he had completely forgotten that he still had it in his pants. Better now than never, he supposes.

Johnny gasps as he takes the trinket, fiddling with it around his fingers, "Sick!" Johnny examines the keychain further, the gears turning in his head for a moment. "運...That means Luck, right?"

Kenshi couldn't help but smile, "You've been paying attention, I see."

"Aw, don't be too proud of me yet, babe. I've been lacking on my Japanese, thanks to the meetings I've been going to about my next upcoming movie. Which is going to be put on a definite hold if this is as bad as you make it out to be." Johnny leans closer to the swordsman, resting his head on his shoulder.

"How about this, try saying a full sentence in Japanese for me," Kenshi shifts his head to lightly rest on Johnny's while giving an inkling of a teasing message to him.

The actor is quiet for a moment before responding to Kenshi's subtle dare. "At least I'll have a good idea of what you are saying while you're fucking my brains out against the headboard."

Kenshi chokes on nothing as he looked at Johnny embarrassed. "Johnathan!"

"Pretty good, huh?" Johnny snickers.

"W-well, at least you can make out perfect sentences, I suppose."

"Like I said, don't go congratulating me just yet. Second I have another vay-cay in Japan, I'll still be acting like a fish out of water. Best I can do is read the language now."

"That's still an improvement. I'm proud of you nonetheless," Kenshi gives Johnny a kiss on the head.

The moment is ruined when Johnny takes a peek at his watch and curses under his breath. "My flight is going to take off in a moment." Johnny stands to his feet, leaning down to take any luggage, only to remember that he barely packed anything with him; just the clothes off his back. It's not like they could go back to the apartment after what happened with that Undead guy.

"I'll, um, text or call ya once I'm in China." Johnny gives Kenshi a reassuring glance.

Kenshi stands with Johnny and gives him a firm grip on his shoulder, "Be careful out there."

Johnny would've quipped about how others should be careful around HIM, but with the startling news about Kung Lao's return and the whole Undead business, Johnny holds his tongue. Instead, he softly takes Kenshi's gripping hand and squeezes it. "I will."

The pair part ways, Kenshi watching Johnny board his plane and taking off before heading out of the airport. Now to see if Shang Tsung and the Black Dragon are truly shaking hands & making friends.

~A Week Later~

He's going insane.

Ever since he left Kung Lao's house, Raiden could not shake the unnerving feeling that he was being watched. Everywhere he went, Raiden felt that there were eyes on him, even in the safety of his own home. Raiden had become more restless; he could barely keep his eyes open as he sat at the family dinner table. He doesn't even hear his mother calling for him until she finally touches his shoulder.

Raiden nearly jumped out of his skin as he snapped his head toward his mother, "Y-yes?"

His mother doesn't say anything, the concern on her face clearly apparent of what she wants to say. Raiden tries to resist the urge to rub his eyes, instead opting to just blinking his tiredness away. "Um, was-was there something you needed, mom?"

"...You need rest, dear..."

Any other day, Raiden would downplay those concerns. No, he's not tired. No, he's just fine. No, he's feeling alright. But Raiden doesn't argue this point with his mother. A pang of building guilt fills Raiden as he simply nods, removing himself from the table and walking back to his room. Raiden shuts the door behind him as he just sits on his bed, face in his palms as he wallows in his self-pity.

Ever since he left Kung Lao's house, Raiden has been getting worse. He wasn't getting sleep, he felt as though someone was watching him, he'd been hearing voices, his dreams had been waking him up in the middle of the night, frightened and sweating, and he was losing further grip on his powers. It's almost as if he's been cursed after entering Kung Lao's house. And while Raiden doesn't want to entertain that idea, he can't shake the feeling that he is. Every shadow Raiden was weary of. A soft breeze sends shivers down his spine as his mind believes someone was talking to him. The thunder wielder dreaded the comfort of his own bed, for he would have to anticipate a horribly realistic nightmare or stay awake, watching every dark corner and staring out his window; waiting for something or someone to come for him, until his body finally forces him to sleep.

Raiden slides his hands off his tired face as he glances at his bedroom window. It was early in the morning, too early for anyone to still be asleep, lest they intend to sleep in. Raiden knows he should rest his fatigued body; going to work or doing anything while in this state will be a detriment to everyone and himself. But his pride in contributing to his community nagged at him at his very core. He shouldn't be wasting his time in bed, regardless of how tired he was. In a huff, Raiden readjusted himself, getting ready to leave the house. But he stops when he reaches for his bedroom door. His parents and sister won't let him vacate the house in the condition he's in.

Raiden never had to sneak out of the house in his life, ever. That was always a Kung Lao thing. He remembers his best friend often knocking on his window to be let in like a misplaced puppy. Raiden almost wants to smile as he remembers how every time Lao would come around unannounced, it would always give Raiden a heart attack. Raiden backs away from his bedroom door, inching toward his window and opening it up so that he may exit through there. Raiden's careful to avoid the various other openings of his house that could expose him before making his way over to the Farm so that he may put in some work for the day. Of course, after he picks up an energy drink from the closest convenience store.

But even with a boost in vigor, it would not stop the ongoing protest Raiden's body would give him about his waning spirit. All throughout the day, Raiden was getting slower and slower, and he was constantly shaken awake by his co-workers. Raiden was able to make it through the morning and mid-afternoon of working, and the second he had that moment of brevity, he found the nearest tree to rest his head and knocked himself out.

By the time Raiden had woken up, it was already late in the evening. Raiden curses under his breath, pulling out his phone as he realizes that the alarm he set for himself failed to wake him up. It was already inching dangerously close to 6 at night, and his family most likely knew that he was out of the house by now. Raiden quickly gathered himself, hoping to make it home before they attempted to knock on his door to call him down for dinner.

The nightlife of Fengjian is usually quiet, save for the few who decide to have a night out drinking to celebrate small pleasures, but there are few places to drink lest you are doing so at one's residency or at the teahouse. Yet despite this, tonight was exceptionally quiet aside from the buzzing and chirping sounds of nocturnal insects. Raiden power walked through the empty streets, only to slow down considerably. Raiden slowly turns his head, trying to seemingly appear as though he’s just taking in his surroundings or deciding his next step. He cranes his head just enough to get the peripheral sighting of the roofs, and he feels his spine shiver; someone was watching him from above. He couldn’t see WHO or WHAT, but he saw a shadowed figure.

Raiden continues his walk, but he makes the conscious choice to go in the opposite direction of his house. He’s careful to not give away that he’s aware he’s being followed, attuning his ears sharply to the subtle movements of his stalker. Raiden searched his mind rapidly as he sought for a quick getaway. Because his stalker is watching him from above, anywhere he went, they would see. Raiden hesitated at the idea of having to lash out at the one trailing him, not wanting to place permanent harm or, better yet, accidentally killing them. But then again, as insane as stalking someone may be, no one would be crazy enough to tail behind someone via rooftops.

Fengjian wasn’t busy once night fell, everyone was in their homes enjoying the final moments of the day. Raiden couldn’t blend into a crowd or seek someone out in hopes of asking for their protection. Ultimately, Raiden decides that utilizing his powers would be the better alternative. Raiden stops in his tracks, playing off the illusion that he’s determining where he should go. Raiden notices a puddle spill that reflected the night sky above and the gibbous moon that shone in the heavens. Closely examining it with his eyes, he was able to get a slightly good look at where his stalker was positioned.

In one swift movement, Raiden spins on his heels and unleashes a rope of lightning toward his stalker. The individual seemed to have anticipated that Raiden would attempt an attack, but they were not fast enough to dodge his attack, quickly getting stunned by the lightning that wrapped itself around their waist. Mustering all the strength Raiden had, he pulled the person off the roof, crashing onto the ground while being electrocuted. Raiden releases his hold on this person and books it in the other direction, not taking a second more to interrogate or even get the face of the stalker. He dashes through tight alleyways, jumping over fences, and taking routes that would get him back on track to reaching home, before slamming himself against the side of a building. Raiden takes a moment to breathe, hoping that he had outran his stalker. Raiden almost wanted to slide off the wall and sit on the dirt below, but his blood ran cold when he heard the distinct sound of footsteps rapidly approaching him.

Without even thinking, Raiden hoofs it. Ducking into alleyways, hopping from fence to fence, taking shortcuts and passageways that he was highly familiar with, anything to get away from whoever was chasing him. However, Fengjian is no city or large town, and there weren't many opportunities for Raiden to shake this person off him. He considered flying away but flying required that he use his lightning to elevate him, which could cause unneeded damage and attention. Just like before, Raiden finds himself in a situation where he will have to throw fists.

Raiden purposefully "traps" himself, placing himself in a "tight space" but just enough opportunity for Raiden to fly or teleport away should he need to. He turns on his heels, facing whoever's chasing him as electricity encompasses him. "Come any closer, and I will use lethal force!" Raiden threatens, his eyes and hair glowing white.

The person following him was shrouded in shadows, the distance and darkness of the night concealing their appearance from Raiden. They stop in their tracks at the other end of the open passageway, blocking Raiden's "only" escape. All Raiden could ascertain about his stalker was that they had…Glowing red eyes…That's not natural. Even more unsettling are the dimly lit cracks in this individual's visible skin; their arms lined with red scars. The person stares at Raiden before walking closer to the thunder wielder. Raiden empowers himself with the energies of the amulet infused to his person, static filling the air as he creates an aura of electricity.

"I said, stay back!" Raiden growls, his hair and eyes now glowing brighter than before.

"You really don't remember me, Raiden?"

…That voice…

Raiden's face softens a little, his defensive stance faltering. He examines the person approaching him, still unable to fully discern who it was that was talking to him. But that voice, it sounds eerily familiar. Raiden watched as the individual stepped closer to him. And as they approached, Raiden was able to pick off distinct features about them. The heart-shaped face, the hat, the dimples as they smile…The piercings…

The static bouncing around Raiden provides a little extra light, along with the shining moon above. And when this person stops their gait in front of Raiden (a safe distance from his electrifying aura), it's almost as if the world had stopped around them. Raiden loses the stance he had before, standing straight, and his expression changes into a state of unbelievable shock. The static slowly disperses as Raiden loses the need to fight.

"…Lao…"

That's all Raiden could utter.

Kung Lao's smile wides upon Raiden's soft comment, his skin crawling as he hears his boyfriend's lips speak his name. "Hello, Raiden. Missed me?"

His smug grin, his cocky mannerisms, his voice…Raiden almost wants to believe that he's still dreaming. "…You…They-I…They told me you were-"

"Dead?" Kung Lao interrupts Raiden, tilting his head to the side slightly.

"…Yes…" Once again, all Raiden could say were simple words and maybe scattered sentences if his brain could cooperate with him.

Kung Lao laughs, but it's strained, as though he has a terribly sore throat. "Well, do I look dead to you?"

"…They told me…" Raiden mutters to himself.

Kung Lao dares to step closer, and Raiden backs away from his returned friend, pinning himself against the wall behind him. Kung Lao notices this, his face growing sinister while still keeping that smile plastered on his face.

"Come now, Raiden. No hug? A welcome home kiss?"

Raiden remains stuck with his back against the wall, like a deer in headlights. This shouldn't be possible. They said Kung Lao was dead! He visited his gravestone! His fucking gravestone!! His house was abandoned! Everyone in Fengjian KNOWS that Kung Lao was deceased! Every fiber of his being was screaming how something wasn't right with this scenario. That he should be running or fighting this imposter. His mind flips through every excuse in the book on how this isn't Kung Lao. That someone was impersonating Kung Lao just to antagonize him. Or that he was truly hallucinating, somehow seeing ghosts. As Raiden's brain continued to fry, his mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for water, Kung Lao was now face to face with his friend.

Lao frowns as though disappointed that Raiden hasn't done some expected action. "…Do you not remember me, Ray?" A hint of fear is sprinkled in his surprisingly saddened tone. Kung Lao lifts his hand slowly, reaching for Raiden's face until he was cupping his cheek.

Kung Lao was dead. He visited his grave-his abandoned house. His family told him how Kung Lao died-they have no reason to lie to him. Yet, when Lao touched him, when Raiden got to feel his…Cold hand…Gracing his face, Raiden melted under his touch. All his confusion and shock burned away. As though he finally found the missing piece to this jigsaw puzzle of a predicament. Raiden's eyes flutter shut, leaning into Kung Lao's hand. It felt right, even though Raiden couldn't fully place why that was the case.

"So you do remember," Kung Lao's smile slowly returns, his thumb rubbing Raiden's cheek.

Raiden opens his eyes, looking into Kung Lao's…They're red…His eyes were never red. His skin was deadly pale compared to the sun-beaten tan that he once had. The many angry cracks on his person warranted Raiden's attention as he brushed his fingers over the red lacerations and scars. His mind wonders of their origin. They were…Supposedly…Martial arts teachers. What could've possibly happened that would have caused these wounds? It was now Kung Lao's turn to lean into Raiden's touch, making subtle hums with each curious touch Raiden graced him. This probably would've been enough to recenter Raiden, but what grabs his attention is Kung Lao's neck. A glaring (and glowing) scar indicating that he was slashed in that area. His family has told him the cause of Lao's death; a clean cut to his neck due to an accident with some equipment that malfunctioned. Yet, when Raiden touches the old wound, when he stares at Lao's neck, Raiden cannot help but feel there is a hidden truth hiding behind the scar.

"…Raiden…"

The thunder wielder shoots his eyes up, looking at Kung Lao. Did he say something? From the looks of it, Kung Lao was still enraptured by Raiden's touch, continuously leaning into him like a touch-starved cat. The voice surely didn't sound like Lao either. Another mystery for another day, it seems.

Kung Lao draws a hum from his damaged throat as he flutters his eyes open, "I've missed this. We've been separated for so long, I've forgotten how good it feels to be near you again. To feel you again."

The pair meet eye to eye again, lost in each other as foreign feelings resurface again. Raiden has always viewed their relationship as just platonic. That's how its always been. They grew up together, fought together, teased and jested for as long as he could remember. Raiden likes to believe that Kung Lao may have felt the same, that there was nothing more to their friendship than that.

Yet, when he looks at Kung Lao, his heart skips a beat. He can feel his skin tingle, the innate desire to be closer to Kung Lao than they were right now. He wanted to hug him until their bodies melded into one, to run his hands through his half-buzzed hair until it was in complete disrepair. Raiden wanted to intertwine his hands into Lao's, clutching him tight so that they may never be separated again; his eyes would never leave Lao's being if he could help it. And a part of Raiden wanted to explain these feelings away as just being ecstatic seeing Lao again, someone he has long believed was dead. Yet, Raiden knew deep down there was something more to this than shared amity.

And Lao would be the first to confirm this fact to Raiden. Kung Lao's eyes kept glancing at Raiden's lips, still soft and plump despite the horrors they both experienced. He slowly closed the (albeit already small) gap that separated them, planting a tender kiss on Raiden. Under any other circumstances, Raiden would've made a startled noise. This is the first time in Raiden's known memory that Kung Lao kissed him with such care and passion. Yet, whether or not this was their first kiss was irrelevant to Raiden. This felt familiar, standard, as if he should've already known to accept such an exchange from Kung Lao. Raiden finds himself giving into the motions, his hands snaking over Kung Lao's shoulders as he uses him to keep himself up and to further lock them in this moment.

Raiden isn't sure what spurred Kung Lao on, but a muffled growl was heard from the other man, and Raiden finally emits that startled noise when he feels Lao's hands move from his waist to his ass. The pair separate, Kung Lao being the one out of breath despite the kiss not being that deep or filthy (for lack of better words). However, Kung Lao wasn't as red in the cheeks as Raiden was. He whimpers as Kung Lao's grip tightens, and he presses his body closer to the thunder wielder.

"L-Lao-mph!"

Raiden didn't get a chance to say anything else, for Kung Lao was back on his lips again, eagerly assaulting his lips, trying to breach into Raiden's mouth. Raiden tries to keep up with Lao, reciprocating as much as he could with his limited experience. Yet, when Kung Lao started sucking and biting his lower lips, that's where Raiden left himself vulnerable.

"L-Lao!" Raiden gasped, clinging onto Kung Lao as his friend grew increasingly ravenous.

The moment Raiden opened his mouth, Kung Lao deepened the kiss, forcing his tongue into Raiden's mouth; familiar territory for the Shaolin Monk, new grounds for the thunder wielder. Raiden moans into the kiss, his body feeling weighted down and his vision going blurry from the new sensation. The feeling of Kung Lao exploring his mouth, battling his submissive tongue with his own, his hands now possessively grabbing at his ass. Raiden gave into Kung Lao's ministrations, his body slowly growing limp as he allowed his friend to do whatever he pleased. He was being consumed, almost fitting considering that his friend did come back from the dead. He was the first body that Kung Lao found upon his resurface, and he was going to devour Raiden, body and soul. And Raiden would let him if Kung Lao demanded it.

Raiden was increasingly losing air, having become breathless from Kung Lao's need to keep his lips on Raidens'. Slowly, Raiden was falling out of Kung Lao's spell on him, his desire to breathe becoming more of a voice of reason. Raiden starts pulling on Lao's clothes, which were surprisingly more like armor than typical clothing. He actually had to grasp at Kung Lao's hair and rip him off, a trail of saliva bridged between them. Raiden was now the one breathless, cheeks still red as cherries, eyes needing a moment to refocus. Hell, he actually had to rewire his brain so that he could focus on the matter at hand. Kung Lao makes another growl upon being separated from Raiden, though this one was more…Angry than lustful. Kung Lao tries to go in for another kiss, his hands now gripping at Raiden's clothes, as if wanting to remove them, or tear them off for that matter.

"Lao, Lao, wait, stop!" Raiden prevents Kung Lao from placing another suffocating kiss on him, making his tone clear that he wanted no more (for now, that is). Raiden would have to make his point even more clear as he firmly separates himself from Kung Lao, stopping Lao from even tearing off his clothes.

"How are you alive? You're supposed to be dead. They told me you died," Raiden quickly puts his concerns out there for Kung Lao to process.

This actually seems to have centered Kung Lao. His eyes, dark with anger, lust, and intent, dissolve into realization, and his features soften just a little. "…Right…What did 'they' tell you, hm? How did my death go down in history?"

Quite bold of him to phrase it like that. Then again, Raiden always knew that Kung Lao had an ego about him. Raiden ponders how he should break the news to him, unsure how much he can tell Kung Lao, before finally deciding that the truth would be better than concealing any information.

"You…You died because some equipment back in the U.S. malfunctioned…It got you in…" Raiden does his best to not look at Kung Lao's neck, keeping his eyes straight at Lao's eyes. "…The cause of death was a deep laceration to the neck…You died before you could make it to the hospital…That's…That's what my folks told me."

Kung Lao looked at Raiden in a subtle display of shock. If there was a chair, Raiden was sure Kung Lao would need it. Kung Lao's eyes slowly darted this way and that as if he were in deep thought, processing what he had learned.

Then he started…Smiling…Then he started laughing.

"So that hellish witch was right after all," Kung Lao quietly seethed, his hands balling into tight fists.

Raiden wasn't able to hear him, but he could imagine that this was…Much for Lao. "…Lao, I…This is probably a lot to take in, but there was a tombstone and funeral for you. Everyone in Fengjian thought you were dead. I thought you were-"

"Of course, you believed me dead! You were there to see it!" Kung Lao snaps at Raiden, his eyes glowing an angry red. "I died in your arms! The last thing I felt was you shaking my body while I was bleeding out on the dirt! AND YOU DID NOTHING! NOTHING BUT CRY LIKE THE WEAK COCKSUCKER YOU ARE!"

The last phrase caught Raiden off guard. Understandably, Kung Lao is confused and upset; this is a lot for him to take in. But that final line…That was…Unnecessary. Raiden pushes it to the side, building his sympathy as he responds calmly.

"I…I don't remember exactly what happened, Lao. It…It probably happened so fast. But, you're here now, and we can…We can help each other. My parents and Fuji would be happy to see you again. You can come with me back-"

"SHUT UP!"

Suddenly, Kung Lao's fist slams against the walled surface behind Raiden, dangerously close to Raiden's skull, as the wall behind Raiden makes a fist-sized crater from the force of Lao's punch. At this point, this truly scared Raiden, silencing the thunder wielder as he felt a pocket of uneasiness build within.

"I don't want your sympathy OR your useless offerings! Not when you left me to die because you were too weak-willed to save me! AFTER ALL I SACRIFICED FOR YOU! AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, I REMAINED IN YOUR SHADOW, 'CHAMPION OF EARTHREALM'! I PLAYED MY PART, I SUPPORTED YOU, AND WHAT DID I GET IN RETURN? A BIG, FUCK-OFF HORNED BASTARD SLASHING MY NECK, AND YOU DOING NOTHING TO SAVE ME IN RETURN! YOU DIDN'T EVEN KILL THAT MOTHERFUCKER WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE!! NO, YOU WANTED TO KEEP TO YOUR FOOLISH MORALS AND PLAY THE GOODY-TWO-SHOED ROLE! OR, BETTER YET, YOU WERE PROBABLY GLAD YOU WERE FINALLY RID OF ME! I GUESS SECOND BEST WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU, HUH?"

Each sentence was further pronounced as Kung Lao kept making violent movements, hitting the walled surfaces around them. Never hitting Raiden, but the intent was there. And each swing forced a flinch from the thunder wielder as he expected Kung Lao to lash out at him. Under any other circumstance, IF Kung Lao were to attempt to hit him, Raiden would be able to block a punch or kick. But…But this felt different. This wasn't the usual friendly sparring the pair once indulged in; these throws, should Kung Lao decide to, could seriously injure Raiden…Kill him even…

"Oh, yes, I bet you were soo happy that I was finally out of the picture, Mr. Champion," Kung Lao jeered venomously. "I bet you felt relief knowing you didn't have to play pretend just to keep me happy. No longer had to play the annoyingly humble Raiden part once I was gone now that you had Liu Kang's undivided attention. And I can tell, don't try lying to me. That kiss was half-assed, even by your standards. You kissed me as if you didn't even know me!"

"L-Lao-"

"Or maybe you already moved on, didn't you? Who's the 'lucky guy,' hm? Is it Johnny? Kenshi? Heaven forbid Kitana! But I bet you like those types, huh? You like being a submissive bitch to someone who's way out of your league? I bet you sucked that Fire God off to get the title of Champion! He would've picked you regardless if you won or lost! I always saw the way he looked at you. He wanted you, no one else. Maybe that's why he paid such close attention to you than anyone else. He was playing favorites!"

"Lao-"

"No, you shut the fuck up! You think you can wise-man your ass out of this, but no, not this time, not ever. You never deserved it, ANY OF IT! I was ALWAYS better than you, ALWAYS! I'M THE ONE WHO KNOCKED THE TEETH OUT OF YOUR SKULL, I DID! EVERYONE HAS ALWAYS TOLD ME THAT I WAS THE BETTER FIGHTER. THAT I'M FASTER THAN YOU, STRONGER THAN YOU, EVEN NOW! BUT NOOO! ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS FLASH A SMILE AND SNIFF EVERYONE'S ASS AND, SUDDENLY, EVERYONE IS ALL OVER YOU!"

The more Kung Lao angrily rambled to Raiden, the more the thunder wielder felt his chest tighten. He's speechless, has Lao always felt this way? Raiden has always known that Kung Lao was a better fighter than him (he was considered Madam Bo's favorite student for a reason). Since they were children, Kung Lao fought harder and was faster due to, what Raiden assumed, was his rough upbringing. Raiden has always looked up to Lao, exemplified him even. But he didn't know…He didn't know Kung Lao felt like…This.

The more Kung Lao poked at Raiden's expense, the more Raiden felt himself tearing apart at the seams. Raiden doesn't consider himself someone who would allow anyone to walk all over him, even if he has the demeanor of someone who would. Even with his humility and kindness, Raiden has and will clap back should anyone talk shit to him. The difference between him and Kung Lao (at least back then), Raiden knew how to kill people with kindness. But to hear such hatred from Kung Lao, hearing him degrade him for events that he doesn't even remember or believe have happened to them. The confusion, the agony, the anger, it was consuming Raiden all at once.

"I'm…Sorry…"

It was all Raiden could muster, his voice quivering as he tried to maintain his composure while also breaking under Lao's sudden anger. There were many things Raiden wished he could say in response to Kung Lao's accusations. He wanted to reassure Kung Lao that he was seeing things that weren't there, that he had never thought of Kung Lao as lesser than or ever desired to be rid of him. But there was a part of himself that wished to chastise him. If Kung Lao would hear him out, he'd know that he lost a good chunk of his memories, and it wasn't fair of Lao to start spitting out occurrences that supposedly happened between them that vexed him. If Kung Lao was of his right mind, instead of immediately blowing up in Raiden's face, he would know that Raiden has NEVER felt this way about their relationship. They were childhood friends! Why didn't he tell him this before? Why wait until after he had DIED and then came back to life? How long did Lao let this fester in this state?

"I'm…Sorry…" Raiden says again, quietly whimpering with his head facing the ground. Trying his best to further obscure the tears running down his face.

There's a moment of silence before Raiden feels Kung Lao's hand touch his cheek. Raiden flinches but allows Kung Lao to caress him, wanting to believe that there's still some measure of trust between them that hasn't been lost. He doesn't say it, Lao doesn't have to, but Raiden meets Kung Lao's eyes. It was almost as though Lao's outburst was a terrible hallucination, a figment of his seemingly broken mind. Kung Lao appeared remorseful, wiping away the tears Raiden shed with care, his lips tight with guilt as if he realized what he had done.

"No. I should be sorry for you, Raiden. He took so much from you, and it pains me that she-" Kung Lao stops himself, as though needing to correct himself on the spot, "It pains me that there's so much…Lost time between us."

So…He does know? Raiden did try to explain his condition to Kung Lao earlier, but the way he said what he did makes it seem as though he already knew. But Raiden's brain was practically fried from the emotional rollercoaster he was on since he met Kung Lao. And it doesn't help that Kung Lao occasionally kissed his round cheeks, causing the thunder wielder to blush and melt into Lao once again. He never knew that his best friend would have such an effect on him…And he kinda likes it, honestly.

"It's-it's getting late, Lao. My folks are probably wondering where I'm at." Raiden says in a hushed tone. "You should come with me. They would be so happy to see you again. Everyone missed you."

Kung Lao smiles, "I'd love to. But not now. I have other business to attend to."

"You just came back from the dead," Raiden chuckles. "What other 'business' must you attend to?"

Kung Lao doesn't answer him directly, instead, he giggles himself and thumbs at Raiden's cheek. "I'll come by another time. Don't tell them yet, keep it a secret. It'll be a surprise." Kung Lao winks.

Raiden nodded, and for a moment, he wanted to lean into Kung Lao, wishing for a final kiss. But, to Raiden's surprise, Kung Lao just disappeared. Right in front of him in a quick flash of light and small, wilted cherry blossom petals floated around him before descending to the ground.

"RAIDEN!"

Fuck. It was Fuji.

Raiden follows her voice, revealing himself to his younger sister. "Fuji, hi, um." Raiden honestly didn't think too far ahead when it came to actually coming forward to his sister.

"Raiden! Where the hell were you! You were supposed to be in bed, at home!" Fuji rushes towards her brother, pulling at his ear as if she were his mother.

"Agh, ow, ow, Fuji, stop!" Raiden strains in pain as he pulls her off him. "I'm sorry that I worried you-"

"Fucking hell, Raiden, you gave us all a heart attack! We thought the worst!"

Fuji continues to scold Raiden, and he quietly lets his sister air out her worries. Raiden reassuringly pats her head, smiling apologetically, "I'm sorry I snuck out of the house. I just-I didn't feel…I missed too many days of work; I didn't want to skip another day."

Fuji sighs, "I get that, but you have to take care of yourself first. You haven't been getting sleep, your night terrors have been increasing, you've been acting paranoid. We're getting worried and…We thought you went and…Did something stupid."

"It won't happen again, promise."

This seemed to finally settle Fuji as she motions for Raiden to follow her back home. "You can win me over easy, brother. Mom & Dad will be talking your ear out all night, so I hope leaving the house was worth it."

In a small way…Yeah, it was worth it.

#Wilted Cherry Blossoms Dark Thunderstorms Burning Hopes #Oops Kung Lao's Dead Again AU #Mortal Kombat #Mortal Kombat 1 #MK1 #MK1 Raiden #MK1 Kung Lao #MK1 Kenshi #MK1 Johnny Cage #MK1 Jax #MK1 Fujin #Fuji

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