()this is a story telling about my Mortal Kombat oc, Akira Inaba.
Part 1
The Mission
"Is that understood?" Mileena said, her steely yellow eyes focused on her.
"Yes, Mileena." she said, nodding to her.
"Then, go." Mileena said. She nodded again and prepared to head to Earthrealm. With Shao Kahn dead, Mileena was in charge of her now. She and Mileena were Shao Kahn's most skilled assassins, though he always had a special place in his heart for Mileena. He had always considered Mileena his daughter, his true heir. Akira herself had always been just a tool for him to command, and someone who's loyalty he had never fully trusted. So, naturally, Mileena became the one giving the orders after his death. Akira had thought about leaving since Shao Kahn's death, but, honestly, she had spent most of her life as an assassin, she knew nothing else. There was nothing left out there for someone like her. She had too much blood on her hands to ever redeem herself. She had accepted this long ago, and resigned herself to her fate. This was what she was, what she always would be. Mileena was sending her on an espionage mission to spy on Earthrealm. Akira gathered her weapons, twin kusarigama which she wore one on each hip, and walked through the portal to Earthrealm. Akira was actually born in Earthrealm, in Japan. Her father was Japanese, a member of the Shirai Ryu. He died when she was eight years old, and she hadn't been back to Earthrealm since. Akira's mother was Edenian, and she then took Akira to Edenia with her. But, Shao Kahn murdered Akira's mother, and, for whatever reason, spared her. He took her and raised her to be one of his assassins. Akira was unsure exactly what she was looking for as Mileena had only said "anything that may be useful". Akira couldn't stand how Mileena had so much hate for Earthrealm and it's inhabitants. As far as she was concerned, Shao Kahn's demise was his own. But, Mileena had always had more loyalty and admiration for Shao Kahn, even calling him "father". He was no relation to Akira. She had real parents, and she would sooner die than consider herself family to Shao Kahn. Above all, Akira still considered herself more Earthrealmer than Edenian, even though she lived in Outworld. She didn't leave Earthrealm by choice, and Outworld was no home to her. She had nothing but bad memories there. Akira silently observed the goings on, and, for a good while, remained unnoticed. Eventually, though, a man spotted her.
"I do not recall seeing you here before. What is your business here?" he asked. He was a Japanese man wearing a yellow and black outfit. He had a beard and mustache, and his long, black hair was worn in a high ponytail with a few strands in the front hanging over the yellow headband that was wrapped around his forehead. Something about him was familiar even though she was fairly sure she had never met him before.
"My business is my own." Akira stated.
"I'm afraid I cannot accept that as an answer." the man said, drawing his sword, "I'll ask you again, what is your business here?" It was then that it finally came to her. Hanzo Hasashi. The man was Hanzo Hasashi, formerly Quan Chi's wraith, Scorpion. That was where she had known of him. But, he was now human again, and free of Quan Chi's control. So, this was what Scorpion, or rather, Hanzo himself, looked like.
"I'm here on Outworld business." Akira answered. Outworld? Hanzo was somewhat surprised by this. This woman standing before him clad in black and orange looked human, unless, of course, she had a set of Tarkatan teeth under that black ninja mask like Mileena.
"Outworld business? Are you not of Earthrealm?" Hanzo asked.
"I was born in Earthrealm. My father was human. But, my mother was Edenian. None of that matters. My parents died a long time ago. All you need to know is that I work for Shao Kahn." Akira said.
"Shao Kahn is dead." Hanzo said.
"That's right. So, now, I work for Mileena." Akira answered.
"With Shao Kahn dead, why do you stay?" Hanzo asked. He was unsure as to why he was even asking, but something urged him to pry further.
"Enough talk. You're Hanzo Hasashi, right?" Akira said.
"You know me?" Hanzo asked.
"I know of you. You were the wraith, Scorpion." Akira said.
"No longer. I am human again." Hanzo said.
"Look, just stay out of my way. Let me do what I came here to do." Akira said.
"You still haven't told me what exactly that is." Hanzo said.
"And, I don't plan on it." Akira said.
"If you work for Mileena, you may be a danger to Earthrealm. In that case, I have no choice but to stop you." Hanzo said.
"If you want to fight, then so be it." Akira said, taking her kusarigama in hand. She ran at Hanzo, slashing at him with her weapons, but he blocked it with little to no effort, and pushed her away from him.
"It doesn't have to be this way, you know." Hanzo said, "Your talents go to waste aiding Mileena."
"What do you know? This is the only thing I'm meant for. I have nothing else. This is all I know." Akira said.
"I know that Mileena is not to be trusted." Hanzo said.
"Shut up!" Akira said, executing a flying kick, to which Hanzo grabbed hold of her foot and slammed her onto the ground. The look in the woman's eyes was not one of evil. It was a look that was all too familiar to Hanzo, the look of someone lost, lonely, and angry.
"You should be fighting for Earthrealm. It is your home, not Outworld." Hanzo said. Akira tripped him with her other leg and got to her feet.
"It's too late for that now. Years too late. I am who Shao Kahn turned me into. Who are you to tell me what I should and shouldn't do?" she said. Hanzo then disappeared into a flash of fire, reappearing behind her, holding onto her from behind.
"I am not giving you orders. I am merely trying to convince you." he said. His arms were wrapped tightly around her, holding her in place. Akira stopped struggling for a moment. Convince her? She was used to taking orders for so long. No one had ever tried to convince her to do anything, only ordered her to.
"Of what?" she asked.
"That things can be different for you. That your fate is your own to decide." Hanzo answered. What he was saying made sense. But, what if this was some kind of trick to get her to let her guard down. No, she couldn't trust him. She couldn't trust anyone. Trust is a fatal mistake for an assassin. She struggled to break free of his grasp, but to no avail.
"Let go of me!" she protested.
"Calm yourself." Hanzo told her. She whipped her head upward, hitting him in the jaw with the top of her head. It distracted him, causing him to let go long enough for her to get free.
"Clever." he said. He actually had a slight smile on his face. The woman was clever, he had to admit. Hanzo hurled a fireball at her which she promptly dodged.
"Why should I trust you?" she said.
"I only seek to help you." Hanzo said.
"It's too late for that." Akira said. He ran up to her and used his takedown move, tripping her. He stood above her, looking down at her. He pointed his sword down at her.
"It may feel that way, but it is never too late to change for the better, to start over. I know this too well. I was lost once, just as you are. It is no more too late for you than it was for me." he said. She stared up at him in silence, and he stood unmoving. For the first time in her life, she was truly unsure of what to do. For so long, she had searched for a way out of the miserable life that she led, only to eventually give up hope completely. For a long time, she had felt that there was no way out for her. But, what was stopping her? Shao Kahn was dead. He could no longer hurt her. And, she certainly did not fear Mileena as she had Shao Kahn. Truly, it was only her guilt stopping her, her self pity. How could she live a normal life after all of the people she had killed while serving Shao Kahn? Nothing she could do could make up for that. But, standing here before her was a man who had also sinned, a man who was so consumed by revenge that he offered his soul to Quan Chi. But, though he did so, though, for years, he existed as a wraith driven only by revenge, he had finally turned his life around. He was human again, and had reformed the Shirai Ryu, fighting for Earthrealm's protection. He, like her could not erase the sins of the past, but he was given a second chance. And, he was trying to give her the same.
"Do you yield?" Hanzo asked. Akira was silent for a moment as she stared up at him. Though, it was true, nothing she could do could ever make up for the things she had done in the past, but, that was no reason to keep making the same mistakes over and over again. That vicious cycle would end now. She was being given another chance, and, though she couldn't make up for the things she had done, she swore that she would die trying. She would live the rest of her life as a better person. Why should she let her feeling of guilt, fear of Shao Kahn, or some twisted loyalty to Mileena control her even after Shao Kahn's death. She was better than that. Hanzo was willing to spare her life. Why should she not at least take that opportunity to try and start over again?
"I yield." she said quietly. Hanzo hesitated for a moment, and when he was sure that this wasn't a trick of some kind, he lowered his sword and resheathed it. Hanzo smiled slightly and offered her his hand. She took it, letting him help her up. This was the first time that he had gotten a good look at her, although the bottom half of her face was covered by a black ninja mask. She was of average build, though curvy. She had deep brown eyes, and long, black hair worn in a high ponytail with bangs in the front.
"You seem to know who I am. But, may I ask your name?" Hanzo said.
"Of course. My name is Akira Inaba." she said, bowing to him. Inaba? For some reason, that name sounded familiar to him. He was fairly sure that he had never met her before, so where had he heard that last name before?
"Inaba. Where have Why do I feel as if I have heard that name before?" he asked. She was somewhat surprised. The only explanation that she could think of was that maybe he had heard her father's name before.
"Well, my father, he was a member of the original Shirai Ryu." Akira said. That was it. He had heard the name Hideo Inaba. That was Akira's father.
"Your father died in battle, if I have heard correctly." Hanzo said, "I don't recall hearing anything about you, however."
"When my father died, I went to live with my mother in Edenia." Akira told him.
"I see." he said. He wouldn't pry into her personal life anymore as it was none of his business. But, that made sense as to why he didn't remember hearing about her. Hanzo had always heard that Hideo Inaba was a skilled warrior. It was then that he thought of something. Akira had nothing and no one. He didn't want to leave her out there alone with no allies, no connections, and no idea where to start. Besides, everyone deserves a second chance. He knew this more than most. And, truly, she seemed to be a skilled fighter. If she was even half as skilled as her father was, she would make a great asset to the Shirai Ryu and Earthrealm in general.
"Akira, how would you feel about joining the Shirai Ryu?" he asked her. At first, Akira looked at him with disbelief, almost as if she thought he was joking. But, she could see on his face that he clearly wasn't.
"You're serious." she said.
"Yes." he answered.
"Shirai Ryu, just like my father... I always wanted to, but... But, I don't deserve such an honor." Akira said. Hanzo looked her firmly in the eye.
"You do." he said.
"Are you doing this out of pity?" she asked.
"No, Akira. I do not recruit members for the Shirai Ryu out of pity." Hanzo said, "You are clearly skilled, and in need of a new purpose in life. It would benefit Earthrealm if you would fight for it's protection." Akira smiled, just slightly, but it was the first time she had genuinely done so for as long as she could remember.
"Well, in that case, yes. I would be honored to join the Shirai Ryu, just as my father before me." Akira said. Hanzo could see in her eyes that she was smiling. He found himself wondering when the last time was that she had actually done so.
"Then, it is an honor to have you. Welcome, Akira Inaba." Hanzo said. He led her to the Shirai Ryu temple.
()on a side note, a kusarigama is a weapon composed of a sickle and chain. also, I assume that since the Lin Kuei have a temple, that the Shirai Ryu do, too.