Yin And Yang

Kara was stunned as Smoke staggered toward her.

"I thought you were dead. It's been over four years since I last saw you. Why are you...?" She stopped and her eyes widened as he spoke, but his voice sounded wrong, it had a metallic edge to it that unnerved her. He began to transform into a cybernetic being, in blue and grey armor.

"Target must be eliminated". Tiama stopped him launching himself at her daughter and threw him against the wall behind him.

"Mother...please. Look, he doesn't know what he is doing. I can see his spirit. It keeps leaving his new 'body' and he's in a lot of pain. Someone needs to end this".

Tiama nodded, and Night stepped in and deflected a smoke bomb.

"I can see his spirit. This fate, it is agonizing for him. Kara, I, we need to talk, but now is not a good time".

She turned and gave him a small smile. "I may not make it. He has been enhanced, so he will be stronger, his powers amplified". She kissed the shaman's cheek and hugged Tiama. Both shook their heads but she stood her ground.

"It must be done. Cyber Smoke, fight me!"

Night and Tiama walked away, both not wanting to leave Kara to fight all by herself, but they had too, for her sake and Smoke's. If anyone were to end his pain, it should be her.

Cyber Smoke flew at Kara, punches coming quickly, and she almost faltered. She saw his chest-plate, unguarded for a split second and she slammed her fists into it, and he stumbled back. She then spun and kicked him in his face mask. He fell backwards and then she saw his spirit again, clutching his chest and bleeding from his head. She sobbed, aloud, but had to suck up the rest. Any weakness now would be fatal and spell her death.

"Kara, help. Please. It hurts". His spirit then went back into the suit and he growled at her, the sound freaking her out, making her body shake in fear.

"Tomas. I will end this, for you. I am so very sad that you were turned into a robot unit, you didn't deserve that, no one did. I shall help you travel safely and peacefully to the other side too. You deserve that much". She took a deep breath, before being smacked several times.

She fought back, sweat dripping from her forehead, and blood dripped from her nose, and her eye had started to swell up. Cyber Smoke did not let up, and threw her, head first against the ground. Kara's vision blurred, and her nosebleed became even worse, making her dizzy. She used her thumb and forefinger on the bridge of her nose and squeezed it lightly, hoping the bleeding would stop. She sniffled and coughed up the blood that trickled down her throat. Cyber Smoke crashed to the ground, crying out, and everyone there felt what he felt.

Pain so great, that if he had any chance, he would end it himself.

Kara coughed, and the bleeding started again. She cursed aloud, and Night and her Mother looked at her. She looked to them, and shook her head in apology. She stood, and lent against the wall, before having a smoke bomb thrown in her face. It exploded and her face burned. It felt like her skin was being singed off and she screamed. Night flinched, he wanted, no, needed to help her. Every knock she took he felt and he hated every second of the fight. Tiama stood firm, but he could sense that her nerves were frayed, and his were quickly becoming that too.

Kara's face had stopped burning, her eyes streamed, her body hurt, she could barely move, but Cyber Smoke was not visibly affected by anything she did to him. She did not know if her powers were back to full strength but that was all she had now. She concentrated all of her energy and moved her hands, and the robot unit's body moved up in the air. She smashed him into the ground several times. She stopped and then teleported next to him, before putting her hands either side of his mask.

"I shall free you from this mechanical nightmare". She destroyed the suit. Smoke's spirit flew up and looked down upon the shattered parts of the suit. He smiled and Kara smiled back before falling to the floor. She began to black out, and everyone's voices became muffled.

A few clan members had heard the commotion and had come out of their tepees. None of the could see Smoke's spirit, but they all grabbed their weapons when another man appeared in front of Kara. The man had long black hair, and a small black beard. He wore red robes, and green magic swirled around his hands and feet.

"Kara, don't give up. You are stronger than you know. Thank you. Be happy". Smoke then looked up to Night. "She will be okay, but she needs to rest. She can be a little stubborn though". He laughed a little before looking at this other man.

"Shang Tsung, leave this place. You are not welcome here. You have lost another puppet and I thank Kara dearly for ridding me of your influence". Shang growled in response, the green and black smoke vanishing as he disappeared. Smoke stayed, and watched over Kara, who's breathing had become shallow.

Night panicked. He couldn't lose her, what he had said to her was wrong and he needed to rectify it. He walked over to her and carefully picked her up. He looked to his fellow clansmen, and they looked down, realising that it was not Kara who caused this incident, nor was it her fault. Night carried her into his tepee, and put her down on his cot. He and Tiama used their powers to heal her, but she would need to sleep for at least a day before being able to move.

Smoke watched over her. Seeing her again, it did bring back some feelings, but he knew that she had moved on and the man who she had moved on with seemed honest and genuine. He stayed there all whilst she was asleep, and Night could see that he still cared. He knew why though. Kara was a rare woman, beautiful, smart, talented but not vain about any of those things.

After thirteen hours, Kara woke up, and quickly regretted it. Her head throbbed. She closed her eyes again and felt sick.

"Kara? You look pale. Are you?" Kara then got up, fell over, only to be caught by Night, before she wretched. Nothing came up, as she hadn't eaten in a long time. He held her, avoiding her stomach as she just coughed up nothing.

"Shhh. Want a bowl?" Kara looked at her love and shook her head, feeling rather embarrassed.

"I'm sorry. I am okay, I think. I need to sit down though".

He felt her forehead and frowned. "You have a fever. I was sure we healed you properly".

Tiama walked in then, a bowl of cool water in her hands, putting it down near her daughter. "She does not have an infection, so a fever is odd. We need to monitor you". She and Night then left.

Kara nodded and sat down. She looked to Smoke, who had a white light around him, bathing him. She looked down, and felt a twinge of sadness. He noticed that.

"I couldn't stop myself from attacking you".

She shook her head. "You did stop yourself. Twice. You doubt yourself. That is unlike you".

His face became somber. "After I was taken, all I could think of was the last few months we had together. I took my anger out on you, shouted at you, brought you down, with no idea why I did. I then realised I did because I was weak, and I couldn't face up to my anger issues".

"You needed to vent, so you did".

"But I shouldn't have. I am sorry, truly". Smoke looked up, his spirit was being called, and he could hear the voices of people he had known that were in the spirit world, wanting him to join them.

"Are you happy?"

Kara smiled. "I am. Very. I am sorry for not listening and recognising your feelings. I should have seen why you were the way you were. Go, your friends want to see you again. Thank you for the happy years we had".

Smoke agreed, and his spirit then faded away. Kara knew that he was at peace now and that made her happy. She yawned and fell asleep. She awoke in the evening and felt much better. She stretched and saw Night walk in. He felt her forehead and nodded.

"The fever has gone down. I was worried sick that I'd lost you, before I had a chance to apologise for my terrible behavior".

She shook her head and held his hand. "Please tell me why you said what you did".

"Because of the way you were being treated, I did not want that for you, and that is why I told you to leave. I love you, but I didn't think that would be enough to make you happy".

"Happy? I couldn't be happier. I adore you, and what the clan says I do not let get to me. They are entitled to their opinions, so I did not get offended. I love you".

He blushed, and did not hide it away from her, making her blush too. "Kara. I can be myself with you, you accept me, and my flaws, you accept Lycyrian. Let us bond".

Kara tilted her head. "Bond? Oh, you mean?"

He realised what she meant and blushed even redder than before. "No...not that, if we do that, I want it to be after..". He took a deep breath and seemed to be trembling.

"Marry me".

Kara squealed, and he laughed, she joined him shortly afterwards.

"Yes. Of course I will".

It took him a little while to realise what Kara had just said. "Wait, yes? Did I hear that correctly? By the gods, did you just say yes?"

Kara got up and onto her knees, hugging him and kissing him. "Yes I did". She nuzzled him and put her forehead against his.

She never thought that she would get married, but now, she was, and she couldn't have asked for a better man to marry.