Those Two Little Words
Chapter 1
Everything melted, began merging, surroundings splashed watercolour, paint falling, like drops of rain. I blinked, wondering if eyes deceived me, Shirai Ryu Fire Garden's symphony of burgundies, gold, Autumn in full swing misting. Vision blurred, form shaking, hand phasing in and out of reality. Trying to stand was impossible, limbs jelly, bow-legged, hips crumbling, knees crumpling. I didn't feel any pain, bothering me, thoughts trying to blossom, swept away with invisible brush.
Scanning area, my mind's eye saw nothing, no auras, presence of friends long gone, bag containing their soul gems now contained mush, acrid smell forcing nose away. My own, Amethyst Shard stuck to palm, glue sticking fast. Waves, varying shades of burnished bronze, polished gold swam in my head, nausea taking me, strong impulse to retch fought, with remaining might. My body wouldn't cooperate, soul worming its way through arms, fingers, chest flung forward as unseen hands freed me of it.
Collapsing, darkness shrouded mind, senses dulled, everything screeching to halt, silence deafening, eerie quiet hollow, nothing remained.
The world fell quiet, time ceased, my hold on life, grasp was yanked, fingers ripped off it, one by painful one...
I accepted whatever this was.
If this were death, strangely, it did not frighten.
It cradled, swaddled like helpless, fretting baby. Almost soothing, though with sheets around me, I awaited inevitable suffocation.
That came, with ever familiar voice. Straining to hear it, it faded into the ether, myself quickly following...
One week prior...
"What in the actual fuck?"
Johnny, as well Kara openly gawped, him looking at younger self, then younger Sonya. Kara stared at Raiden, as she knew him, purest white robes, fluffy cloud eyes, their Elder God clad in black, gold and scarlet warrior armour vanishing, before their eyes. Her heart hurt, thudding forcing her to look away, storm out of tent, feeling sick not descriptive enough...
Actor tried not to look at Sonya, given they, he'd just, their daughter just lost her, and past Sonya was half his age...younger than Cassie...
Sonya, upon being told she'd married him snorted, eyes disbelieving, everyone openly confirming it, nodding heads, seeing proof, in the form of Cassie making her squirm, younger actor standing beside clearly 'more grown up' and 'less like a total moron' Johnny disconcerting.
She wished to follow older Kara, on her heels, staying here deemed too much.
Realising her older self had just been killed threw her stomach up, retching forcing her to locate bucket, something to evacuate contents, older Johnny concerned, Raiden holding him back, from putting his, unknown hands on her.
Quickly realising folly, he backed off, glaring at younger self, using her being ill as excuse to 'cop a feel.'
Don't you fucking touch her...
Gods...he smacked his forehead...how did she ever fall in love with me?
Something caused feet to leave, follow this version of 'Kara,' younger version's presence certainly pleasant, if not a tad abrupt. Raiden wanted to know the one here, standing in front of him, arms folded, looking up at cobalt sky, stars making themselves known, their glint finding perturbed eyes...
"Kara," Raiden exited tent, "I must apologise."
Woman held arms, protecting herself, threat non-existent.
"Lord Raiden. I should be the one to say sorry. I left, without word. Ought to explain," she braved smile, turning, "after you."
Exchanging bows, God nodded.
"You witnessed two of all here, bar you and myself. Our 'version' of you was kidnapped by Shang Tsung, for malicious purposes. I have tried, failed to rescue you."
"He kidnapped me there, too?" Kara gulped. "He did here, was in the Flesh Pits for all of two weeks. Wanted to create a clone to replace Hanzo, right?"
Kasa tilted, crackling water irises spilling over.
"Hanzo? He was restored?"
Goddess's smile became real, earnest.
"Yes. My Mom...Mother and I regained his soul, formed Amber and gradually introduced it to his body, in the Jinsei Chamber."
Veneration filled God, heart warmed, reality of situation daunting, hanging on thread...
"Six months."
Kara's smile dropped, jaw hardening.
"You have resided in Shang's," hazels sharpening worried thunderer, stomach dropping, "Shao Kahn's clutches for far too long. He utilises ancient magic to keep me at bay. Visions, some positive, most negative clawed, took my attention away from important matters. I was supposed to be taking care of Earthrealm, its kombatants, yet I could not do anything but watch it burn..."
He had failed to protect her too, but Kara already knew that...
"It's not your fault..."
Kara's quiet, timid voice further dropped God's stomach.
"I should have been more aware. My weak mind, feeble body and stupidity damned me. I did not put up a fight. I now realise why you refused to let me fight in the ninth tournament. Would have been killed quickly..."
"You're too kind. I do not deserve it."
"You deserve all of that and more..."
Raiden here wasn't their Raiden, her Raiden, Kara well aware, but her mind greatly wished it so, her smile softening God's heart, lifting mood. Johnny informed him she and their version of him were close, she saw man beneath God, beneath anguish, something he thought impossible.
Anyone he got close to got hurt, maimed, his title held too much weight, others bearing brunt, discomfort obvious in features.
Kara, apparently managed, despite slender frame, heart in the right place, cradling his soul gem, right next to hers, two resonating?
"Yellow Diamond." Kara held it up, clay melting under sun, heat dissolving, disjointed whistling leaving it. "That was your gem here. I believe your's is White Quartz?"
Black sand trickled, leaky faucet gathered in woman's palm, Raiden swallowing.
"Black." He held up White Quartz, Amethyst on Goddess' chain spitting sparks, pathetic, tune condescending her own. "Impure. How could any of you bear me here?"
"We had too. None argued. You decapitated Shinnok, an incredibly potent, mephitic God. Us mere mortals wouldn't dare challenge."
"Did I hurt you?"
Kara braced herself against crate, fear wobbling legs.
"No, never! Please, don't think like that. You murdered one, once, that's it. He deserved it." Waving hand, woman furrowed brow. "I know you disagree, no matter what Shinnok did, but he destroyed everything we cared about."
"Murdered? Were my vows for nought? My tenets not enough? Training failed me? No. I failed myself."
"If you wish to see it that way..."
Kara sighed.
"Dark Raiden is gone. Light remains. Why would it be light, if you had less than decent intent?"
Friendly, amicable, normal surrounds confirmed her words, alluding to woman being wise beyond her years.
She left him to his thoughts, though he saw her hand go to pat his arm, reassuring gesture, pulling away, at the last second.
He wasn't hers to touch, let alone in affectionate manner...
"Everything alright?"
Kara's mind was uncooperative, refusing to formulate words. Johnny took silence as a definite 'no,' knowing she'd spoken with alternate Raiden. Grabbing pen and whiteboard, he wrote, 'You don't have to say anything. Its alright.'
Kara laughed, note raising spirits. Actor offered arms, Goddess stepping into them, man like family, remaining warriors needing to stick together, more than ever...