Fairy Tales part 2
Arriving in front of house that represented most of the changes in his life, Rowen looked around and noticed he arrived early, just like the old days. He did not know why Ryo asked for him to come meet him at Mia's house, but friends never asked and Ryo knew he could always depend on Rowen for anything. A shout distracted him. "Hey, Rowen! Over here!" somebody yelled.
"Yeah, Strata…or is married life softening you up in your old age" a now familiar voice taunted.
"Don't start on old age, Sekhmet" Rowen replied, the smile belying the words.
"Now, we don't want Kayura to hear that, do we, men?" the former warlord exchanged amused glances with Rowen and also included the other 2 former warlords in the inside joke. "You know how women are, men…If she hears one word of this, we'll all be dead, husband or not and the NetherRealm will not be a peaceful place until she's happy again."
"Yup" the other 3 intoned.
"Yo, Rowen! Have any idea why Ryo called us here? Do you think there's ANOTHER emergency?" Kento ended with a note of excitement. "Wait a minute, that'd mean Kayura drop by and deliver some words of doom…So, where's she? Don't see her here...oh well. At least nothing to hide from the family."
While Kento was talking the other guys had a chance to not only arrive, but also grab some of the food and eat it before the human garbage disposal devoured everything in sight. Ryo somehow had set out some wonderfully smelling dished out on the table, and easily fired up the grill. At that thought, Rowen smirked. Of course he could barbecue! He's not the bearer of the Wildfire and Inferno armor for nothing! Heck, what's some pieces of carbon compared to cooking some bad Dynasty toast in the past? A few pieces of coal? Piece of cake. Even White Blaze had grabbed some steaks from the grill. All the guys were there. Felt like old times, too. Except…There was something different, though… It seemed like such a long time ago; too long, in fact. Might as well find out what was going on in their lives…They'd never believe me anyway… "Hi guys…" and was instantly mobbed by the others. "Hey! When did you arrive!"
"I didn't hear anything?!?!"
"How come you still don't have a car?!?"
"Never mind all that! What's important is that is…HEY! What happened to my plate?!" Kento exclaimed.
"That was a plate?! I thought it was a tray."
"Nevermind Let's eat."
Later…
Looking around the nicely functional living room, Rowen asked the question that dominated everybody's minds." So, why did you call us here? Is there an emergency?" Knowing that he would be the first to know about celestial emergencies or NetherRealm concerns, Rowen just asked the question to reassure the others. Then he asked the question that bothered him all throughout the way to the house. "So, what's new? How's everybody doing'?"
Ryo, never to skirt a direct question, answered:" No, no emergency. I just wanted to have a quick reunion and catch up on everybody' else's lives. That's all." Everybody's ready-for-anything expressions relaxed somewhat as each began to decide what to tell the others about what had been happening in each of their lives. After a few minutes, Sai started to recount what happened in his life up to the present. "Nothing much here. I became a marine biologist and am a partner in a restaurant. I'm a dad now. Here…here's Ryan's picture. He's four. Lisa wanted him to try horseback riding, and since I didn't want them in danger if there WAS an emergency, I told her to go in the country with Ryan. I wish I brought him with me today instead…" Sai quietly concluded. Seven pairs of raised eyebrows and expressions of shock and amazement surrounded him. "What?" he asked.
Of course, Kento couldn't resist."Sai, buddy, are you saying that practically right after you graduated, you got MARRIED?!?! To a lady who looks like she…stepped out of those old magazines Sage would drool over? Naughty, naughty!" Though his shock slowly dropped, Sage had flushed to a slightly outraged pink, but stopped as Sai spoke.
"Yes, I bloody did get married. What's so strange about that?" Sai demanded. Not mentioning to the others how he sometimes speculated his wife actually spent more time away from him because she was hiding something from him; after all, he was the warrior of Trust, not suspicion or illusion. In any event, all of his thoughts were just speculation, after all…weren't they? The gods knew Sai dreamed of happily-ever-afters with Lisa, but unless she could spend more time with him and Ryan, Sai had no idea as to what to do to recapture the love. He shook himself out of his musings and returned to the conversation at hand. Sage was speaking, trying to explain." Well, we'd thought...That is…" Sage's words came to an abrupt stop as he desperately searched for a distraction before he blurted out HIS speculations about Sai's life.
Somehow, Kento rescued Sage with his puffed out chest. "Anyway, who's next? Hey Ro, where've you been and tell all, Hardrock wants to know."
Dais smirked as he talked. "Strata here has a lot to tell the four of you, but there's so much that, well, he can't do it alone; so the three of us will tell it instead. Flyboy here studied and experimented once too often in the name of science and landed on his butt in the NetherRealm…Sekhmet?"
Sekhmet smiled with glee as he continued the narrative. "Yes, Flyboy thought he was traveling through time, but he only landed on top of the roof of the temple(?) where Kayura discovered him, looking like a little boy, hehe. I just don't understand it, after a few hundred years, a few hundred years of looking like a…ahem. (She could be listening, so I'd rather not say)…She looks like that and who of all people catches her eye?!?!---Star-boy over there! Frankly, I believe her interest began the first time she nearly destroyed you, but, on with the story… Anyway, of all things to talk about, the two talk about his science theories and experiments!"
Cale couldn't resist in putting his two cents in. "Funny that, going from small talk about memories, to theories, to more than talking and all you guys know what I mean, right? Three words: body, bed, and marriage. Or should I hand the microphone back to Strata here?" Rowen now could only open and close his mouth after the way the former warlords monopolized and described his life. "Thanks a lot guys. Sorry if I talked too much, you know."
Everybody chuckled at that, but Kento, the consummate joker, jock, self-proclaimed eternal bachelor, shocked everybody when he rose to reply to the pager he wore. "Aw!! Crap! It's my construction company...no wait! Aww! It's my wife! Why's she callin' me now? I told her I'd call home to check on Aaron an hour after I got here," he griped. Sai, with a smirk on his face, "Kento, ever heard of time flying? It's already been over an hour and a half since we got here. And what's this?! You're married? Kids?! How old is this kid?" Unable to resist the image of his man of men, best buddy to answer the summons of a wife, Sai laughed uproariously. "You must tell us about this woman Kento!"
"Yeah, in a minute…After I make this call. She'll kill me for sure.. Honey? I'm sorry…no, no don't cry, don't cry…aww..honey! I can't help it! These are my best buds from high school! You know, Sage, Ryo, Rowen, and Sai. Yeah...the flirt, the loner, the nerd, and my best friend. Well…I promise I'll remember to call. Yeah! I've got to go...love you too. Tell Aaron not to inhale the food too quickly. Bye Daisy." Hanging up, Kento turned to the sight of seven men rolling on the ground laughing. Flushing and slightly defensive, "well?"
Gasping for air, Sai decided he would be the best one to speak." Ohh...nothing...'honey'!" and Sai surrendered to the giggles again.
"My oh my, Hardrock, quaking at the sound of a voice of a woman and her tears! If I knew that in the past, you wouldn't stand a chance boy!" Dais laughed.
Trying to stifle his laughs, Sage inquired "Hey Kento, do you mean to tell us that your wife is Daisy Wu, the pint-sized firecracker who was the president of the debate team?"
"Yeah...yeah! So?!" Kento wasn't too sure why Sage asked this question.
"Oh my god! What did you do to the girl? Overwhelmed her with your mouth full of food and 'charm' the summer we graduated? I thought you were Mr. Eternal Bachelor, I thin it's hilarious!" Ryo gasped. He already allowed the "loner comment pass, since there definitely was more than enough ammunition to nail Kento being married.
"No, Ryo, you aren't thinking correctly, my friend" Rowen managed somewhat to quell his laughs down to a very wide smile. He continued "You should be wondering how in the world Miss Wordy got Mr. "I'll Never Stop Eating" to marry her. And—" and at that, Rowen was unable to finish as images of Kento always eating and working out, and sometimes acting like the obtuse jock he would use to cover his enormous heart.
"Hey! That's no fair guys!" Kento said defensively while munching on some chips. "Guys…Hey! What about Mr. Flirt over there! Sage, what about you!" he demanded in an attempt to divert the amusement from himself.
Though still smiling at Kento's expense, Sage took up the conversation. "Okay, guys, Kento's right…enough with the jokes…We'll get him again later. Hmm. My life, huh? Well, nothing much happened. My parents sent me to an all-male university where I completed a double major in philosophy and advertising. I—"
"What happened?! No women to distract you? You became a monk?!?!" Kento exclaimed.
"No, no. I'm just an agent for a few actors," Sage replied, naming some very famous people. Ending his narrative there, he turned to Ryo. "So, Ryo, you never did tell us if you found Mia."
Ryo paused for a moment before speaking. "Well, that's going to be a long story. Are you guys sure you want to hear it?" He asked.
Nobody objected nor needed to leave immediately. So, Ryo began the tale. "Oh my god…where to start...where to start. I started teaching at a dojo. Yulie came to live with me. Mia...Mia… Well, it came out that I didn't quite find her… She kinda bumped into me on the street. Weird, but it really was coincidental. She ran away from me again. I tracked her down, but…" Ryo fell silent for a moment, staring at the door. Somewhat to himself, "Have you guys met my wife? Hey, honey? The guys are here! Could you bring Capriana out to show to the guys?" he asked.
By now, everybody was in some degree of shock. The former warlords only stared at the woman with the brown hair with the little miniature female Ryo. Sage, Sai, and Rowen sat openmouthed with the beginnings of a smile on each of their faces. Kento could only babble "Mia? MIA!" and promptly tackled her and the baby girl. Kento's tackle brought everybody down to earth. "KENTO! Watch out! There's a baby in her arms!" Sai cried.
Sage and Rowen exchanged one look and met Sai's eyes. Sai exclaimed "No! You guys couldn't! KENTO!"
"Wha? Sorry about that Mia. Did you and the baby get hurt? I didn't mean to…You know how I am." Mia brushed off Kento's excuses as if nothing happened. By now, Sai was frantic. "Kento—"
"Now, Sai, why worry right now? After all, you refused to make any bets then, so you're safe. We just want to remind Kento of a little wager he made with us." Rubbing his hands together with anticipation, Rowen had a wicked gleam in his eyes that even the former warlords became wary of. Sage continued. "It's time Kento, pay up. You swore Ryo and Mia would never get married. Remember? 'The day Ryo and Mia get married will be the day I go vegetarian for a month.' Sound familiar? And what about holding the money we said was for in the chances that they WOULD get married? Let's see, what were the conditions? Oh yes—'If I'm right you guys owe me the same amount again. If YOU win, then I'll go vegetarian AND double your wager.' Pay up, buddy ol' pal." Kento's eyes comically went wide with fear at the thought of anything sounding remotely like the dreaded word of "veggie." He started pleading, "oh come on guys, you know I was joking, right? Remember?"
"Nope."
"Well…how about a compromise?" Rowen smiled. "Alright. No money. Just vegetarian for a month."
"Aww, guys. That's cruel. How was I supposed to know? You know me, going off at the mouth. Come on...be nice." Kento begged.
"Guys, I have to admit it, a month of going veggie sounds a bit extreme for Kento here. Why not two?" Sai asked.
"TWO?! Two what?! Two years?! Two months?!?! No way man! Ohh…two weeks...TWO WEEKS?! NOOOoo… One!" Kento exclaimed.
"Well..."Sage drew out the answer, knowing Rowen and he wouldn't really make Kento go veggie for a week much less a month. They just wanted to have minor revenge for all those pranks Kento used to pull in their youth. Rowen nodded. "…we were thinking of an hour; you being our friend and all." At which everybody laughed again; except Ryo and Mia, who remained staring at the scene in front of them and processing the fact that everybody apparently made a wager on when they would get together. Capriana started moving in Ryo's arms. "Daddy? Who? More daddies?" she asked.
"No, little one. These are your daddy's friends." Mia replied.
A few more phone calls later, Mia explained she was now a researcher and a children's author, often mixing the two together. Capriana officially met her "uncles" and everybody proudly displayed photos of their various and definitely precocious offspring. Kento already had 2 kids and one on the way. His oldest looked exactly like him. Sai's son, Ryan, had Sai's grin, but his eyes were gray, probably from his mother's side, Rowen surmised. His own son, Drew, had his blue hair and dark blue eyes and an easy smile. A smile that definitely came easier than his father's did, Rowen admitted. Sage apparently forgot to mention his twin daughters in his statement. It was only when Dais fingered his wallet and found the words "Babies Date. Waiting for name. Twins: girls. Blond, blue eyes" written on a piece of paper inside. The former warlord sent a mental image of it to the other two, and exchanged a loaded look with Sage, who shook his head once and said nothing, but Sai accidentally grabbed the paper, thinking it was a picture of Sage's current ladylove. "What?! Woo-ho! You got married?! And here we thought Kento with shackles was amazing! So, who's the lucky lady?" Sai inquired.
"Sai! I swear!" Sage grumbled and muttered the name of a well-known super-model. "Hey, guys. Just keep it under wraps, please. The public still doesn't know about it, and we would like to keep the privacy."
"Sure, Sage."
"You know us."
"Well, in case Mr. Magician here didn't get it already, the picture's...ah! here," and Sage almost held the picture reverently, still thinking names for his two precious babies. No way was his two babies were going to get near any rough scum. He decided to look into convents first thing he got back to his office, but that could wait for now. After all, these moments were a nice break from the wheeling and dealing of show biz.
Looking around at the people he considered his friends, Rowen quietly murmured." Amazing, we're all here with apparently expanding families. Who would've thought…Amazing." he concluded. After another round of calls and explanations, everybody decided to stay the night, like old times. However, only this time, everybody was sprawled all over the living room, across chairs, on tables, floating and of course, on the floor.
Next day
Rowen stood with the former warlords and exchanged good-byes with everybody. Before they went asleep the night before, they decided to improve communicating with each other. Telepathic exchanges usually were for emergencies, after all. Another exchange of backslaps and fake punches, and everybody disappeared to resume their lives.
Rowen went back to the NetherRealm and both Kayura and Drew were waiting for him. "Hi, honey, I'm home" he joked with the phrase. His jokes disappeared as soon as Kayura raised her lips for a kiss and Drew welcomed the former warlords. "Hi uncle Dais, uncle Sekmeht, and uncle Kale," Drew greeted.
"Very good, very good, young man." His three godfathers replied. "Now, it seems fly-boy needs some time to himself." Dais said. "Now, what have you been working on these past few days, mi'boy. Come on, show your three old uncles on what kept you busy. This way…come on. Very good, very good." The three former warlords frequently doted and spoiled their godchild in their own special ways, but that was the way life was in the NetherRealm. The boy was one of the few bright spots in governing the NetherRealm and the three former warlords enjoyed training the young boy, for Drew would play a very influential part in deciding the fate of the world, but for now, Drew was their little warrior in training. And so life went on in the NetherRealm.
V-mailer's warning—If you recognize it, then it's not mine. Don't worry, the good stuff's coming up, I swear! Thanks again to those who read this and also to those who send in feedback. If you have any suggestion or comments, please send them to Vmailer@excite.com Thank you again.
Arriving in front of house that represented most of the changes in his life, Rowen looked around and noticed he arrived early, just like the old days. He did not know why Ryo asked for him to come meet him at Mia's house, but friends never asked and Ryo knew he could always depend on Rowen for anything. A shout distracted him. "Hey, Rowen! Over here!" somebody yelled.
"Yeah, Strata…or is married life softening you up in your old age" a now familiar voice taunted.
"Don't start on old age, Sekhmet" Rowen replied, the smile belying the words.
"Now, we don't want Kayura to hear that, do we, men?" the former warlord exchanged amused glances with Rowen and also included the other 2 former warlords in the inside joke. "You know how women are, men…If she hears one word of this, we'll all be dead, husband or not and the NetherRealm will not be a peaceful place until she's happy again."
"Yup" the other 3 intoned.
"Yo, Rowen! Have any idea why Ryo called us here? Do you think there's ANOTHER emergency?" Kento ended with a note of excitement. "Wait a minute, that'd mean Kayura drop by and deliver some words of doom…So, where's she? Don't see her here...oh well. At least nothing to hide from the family."
While Kento was talking the other guys had a chance to not only arrive, but also grab some of the food and eat it before the human garbage disposal devoured everything in sight. Ryo somehow had set out some wonderfully smelling dished out on the table, and easily fired up the grill. At that thought, Rowen smirked. Of course he could barbecue! He's not the bearer of the Wildfire and Inferno armor for nothing! Heck, what's some pieces of carbon compared to cooking some bad Dynasty toast in the past? A few pieces of coal? Piece of cake. Even White Blaze had grabbed some steaks from the grill. All the guys were there. Felt like old times, too. Except…There was something different, though… It seemed like such a long time ago; too long, in fact. Might as well find out what was going on in their lives…They'd never believe me anyway… "Hi guys…" and was instantly mobbed by the others. "Hey! When did you arrive!"
"I didn't hear anything?!?!"
"How come you still don't have a car?!?"
"Never mind all that! What's important is that is…HEY! What happened to my plate?!" Kento exclaimed.
"That was a plate?! I thought it was a tray."
"Nevermind Let's eat."
Later…
Looking around the nicely functional living room, Rowen asked the question that dominated everybody's minds." So, why did you call us here? Is there an emergency?" Knowing that he would be the first to know about celestial emergencies or NetherRealm concerns, Rowen just asked the question to reassure the others. Then he asked the question that bothered him all throughout the way to the house. "So, what's new? How's everybody doing'?"
Ryo, never to skirt a direct question, answered:" No, no emergency. I just wanted to have a quick reunion and catch up on everybody' else's lives. That's all." Everybody's ready-for-anything expressions relaxed somewhat as each began to decide what to tell the others about what had been happening in each of their lives. After a few minutes, Sai started to recount what happened in his life up to the present. "Nothing much here. I became a marine biologist and am a partner in a restaurant. I'm a dad now. Here…here's Ryan's picture. He's four. Lisa wanted him to try horseback riding, and since I didn't want them in danger if there WAS an emergency, I told her to go in the country with Ryan. I wish I brought him with me today instead…" Sai quietly concluded. Seven pairs of raised eyebrows and expressions of shock and amazement surrounded him. "What?" he asked.
Of course, Kento couldn't resist."Sai, buddy, are you saying that practically right after you graduated, you got MARRIED?!?! To a lady who looks like she…stepped out of those old magazines Sage would drool over? Naughty, naughty!" Though his shock slowly dropped, Sage had flushed to a slightly outraged pink, but stopped as Sai spoke.
"Yes, I bloody did get married. What's so strange about that?" Sai demanded. Not mentioning to the others how he sometimes speculated his wife actually spent more time away from him because she was hiding something from him; after all, he was the warrior of Trust, not suspicion or illusion. In any event, all of his thoughts were just speculation, after all…weren't they? The gods knew Sai dreamed of happily-ever-afters with Lisa, but unless she could spend more time with him and Ryan, Sai had no idea as to what to do to recapture the love. He shook himself out of his musings and returned to the conversation at hand. Sage was speaking, trying to explain." Well, we'd thought...That is…" Sage's words came to an abrupt stop as he desperately searched for a distraction before he blurted out HIS speculations about Sai's life.
Somehow, Kento rescued Sage with his puffed out chest. "Anyway, who's next? Hey Ro, where've you been and tell all, Hardrock wants to know."
Dais smirked as he talked. "Strata here has a lot to tell the four of you, but there's so much that, well, he can't do it alone; so the three of us will tell it instead. Flyboy here studied and experimented once too often in the name of science and landed on his butt in the NetherRealm…Sekhmet?"
Sekhmet smiled with glee as he continued the narrative. "Yes, Flyboy thought he was traveling through time, but he only landed on top of the roof of the temple(?) where Kayura discovered him, looking like a little boy, hehe. I just don't understand it, after a few hundred years, a few hundred years of looking like a…ahem. (She could be listening, so I'd rather not say)…She looks like that and who of all people catches her eye?!?!---Star-boy over there! Frankly, I believe her interest began the first time she nearly destroyed you, but, on with the story… Anyway, of all things to talk about, the two talk about his science theories and experiments!"
Cale couldn't resist in putting his two cents in. "Funny that, going from small talk about memories, to theories, to more than talking and all you guys know what I mean, right? Three words: body, bed, and marriage. Or should I hand the microphone back to Strata here?" Rowen now could only open and close his mouth after the way the former warlords monopolized and described his life. "Thanks a lot guys. Sorry if I talked too much, you know."
Everybody chuckled at that, but Kento, the consummate joker, jock, self-proclaimed eternal bachelor, shocked everybody when he rose to reply to the pager he wore. "Aw!! Crap! It's my construction company...no wait! Aww! It's my wife! Why's she callin' me now? I told her I'd call home to check on Aaron an hour after I got here," he griped. Sai, with a smirk on his face, "Kento, ever heard of time flying? It's already been over an hour and a half since we got here. And what's this?! You're married? Kids?! How old is this kid?" Unable to resist the image of his man of men, best buddy to answer the summons of a wife, Sai laughed uproariously. "You must tell us about this woman Kento!"
"Yeah, in a minute…After I make this call. She'll kill me for sure.. Honey? I'm sorry…no, no don't cry, don't cry…aww..honey! I can't help it! These are my best buds from high school! You know, Sage, Ryo, Rowen, and Sai. Yeah...the flirt, the loner, the nerd, and my best friend. Well…I promise I'll remember to call. Yeah! I've got to go...love you too. Tell Aaron not to inhale the food too quickly. Bye Daisy." Hanging up, Kento turned to the sight of seven men rolling on the ground laughing. Flushing and slightly defensive, "well?"
Gasping for air, Sai decided he would be the best one to speak." Ohh...nothing...'honey'!" and Sai surrendered to the giggles again.
"My oh my, Hardrock, quaking at the sound of a voice of a woman and her tears! If I knew that in the past, you wouldn't stand a chance boy!" Dais laughed.
Trying to stifle his laughs, Sage inquired "Hey Kento, do you mean to tell us that your wife is Daisy Wu, the pint-sized firecracker who was the president of the debate team?"
"Yeah...yeah! So?!" Kento wasn't too sure why Sage asked this question.
"Oh my god! What did you do to the girl? Overwhelmed her with your mouth full of food and 'charm' the summer we graduated? I thought you were Mr. Eternal Bachelor, I thin it's hilarious!" Ryo gasped. He already allowed the "loner comment pass, since there definitely was more than enough ammunition to nail Kento being married.
"No, Ryo, you aren't thinking correctly, my friend" Rowen managed somewhat to quell his laughs down to a very wide smile. He continued "You should be wondering how in the world Miss Wordy got Mr. "I'll Never Stop Eating" to marry her. And—" and at that, Rowen was unable to finish as images of Kento always eating and working out, and sometimes acting like the obtuse jock he would use to cover his enormous heart.
"Hey! That's no fair guys!" Kento said defensively while munching on some chips. "Guys…Hey! What about Mr. Flirt over there! Sage, what about you!" he demanded in an attempt to divert the amusement from himself.
Though still smiling at Kento's expense, Sage took up the conversation. "Okay, guys, Kento's right…enough with the jokes…We'll get him again later. Hmm. My life, huh? Well, nothing much happened. My parents sent me to an all-male university where I completed a double major in philosophy and advertising. I—"
"What happened?! No women to distract you? You became a monk?!?!" Kento exclaimed.
"No, no. I'm just an agent for a few actors," Sage replied, naming some very famous people. Ending his narrative there, he turned to Ryo. "So, Ryo, you never did tell us if you found Mia."
Ryo paused for a moment before speaking. "Well, that's going to be a long story. Are you guys sure you want to hear it?" He asked.
Nobody objected nor needed to leave immediately. So, Ryo began the tale. "Oh my god…where to start...where to start. I started teaching at a dojo. Yulie came to live with me. Mia...Mia… Well, it came out that I didn't quite find her… She kinda bumped into me on the street. Weird, but it really was coincidental. She ran away from me again. I tracked her down, but…" Ryo fell silent for a moment, staring at the door. Somewhat to himself, "Have you guys met my wife? Hey, honey? The guys are here! Could you bring Capriana out to show to the guys?" he asked.
By now, everybody was in some degree of shock. The former warlords only stared at the woman with the brown hair with the little miniature female Ryo. Sage, Sai, and Rowen sat openmouthed with the beginnings of a smile on each of their faces. Kento could only babble "Mia? MIA!" and promptly tackled her and the baby girl. Kento's tackle brought everybody down to earth. "KENTO! Watch out! There's a baby in her arms!" Sai cried.
Sage and Rowen exchanged one look and met Sai's eyes. Sai exclaimed "No! You guys couldn't! KENTO!"
"Wha? Sorry about that Mia. Did you and the baby get hurt? I didn't mean to…You know how I am." Mia brushed off Kento's excuses as if nothing happened. By now, Sai was frantic. "Kento—"
"Now, Sai, why worry right now? After all, you refused to make any bets then, so you're safe. We just want to remind Kento of a little wager he made with us." Rubbing his hands together with anticipation, Rowen had a wicked gleam in his eyes that even the former warlords became wary of. Sage continued. "It's time Kento, pay up. You swore Ryo and Mia would never get married. Remember? 'The day Ryo and Mia get married will be the day I go vegetarian for a month.' Sound familiar? And what about holding the money we said was for in the chances that they WOULD get married? Let's see, what were the conditions? Oh yes—'If I'm right you guys owe me the same amount again. If YOU win, then I'll go vegetarian AND double your wager.' Pay up, buddy ol' pal." Kento's eyes comically went wide with fear at the thought of anything sounding remotely like the dreaded word of "veggie." He started pleading, "oh come on guys, you know I was joking, right? Remember?"
"Nope."
"Well…how about a compromise?" Rowen smiled. "Alright. No money. Just vegetarian for a month."
"Aww, guys. That's cruel. How was I supposed to know? You know me, going off at the mouth. Come on...be nice." Kento begged.
"Guys, I have to admit it, a month of going veggie sounds a bit extreme for Kento here. Why not two?" Sai asked.
"TWO?! Two what?! Two years?! Two months?!?! No way man! Ohh…two weeks...TWO WEEKS?! NOOOoo… One!" Kento exclaimed.
"Well..."Sage drew out the answer, knowing Rowen and he wouldn't really make Kento go veggie for a week much less a month. They just wanted to have minor revenge for all those pranks Kento used to pull in their youth. Rowen nodded. "…we were thinking of an hour; you being our friend and all." At which everybody laughed again; except Ryo and Mia, who remained staring at the scene in front of them and processing the fact that everybody apparently made a wager on when they would get together. Capriana started moving in Ryo's arms. "Daddy? Who? More daddies?" she asked.
"No, little one. These are your daddy's friends." Mia replied.
A few more phone calls later, Mia explained she was now a researcher and a children's author, often mixing the two together. Capriana officially met her "uncles" and everybody proudly displayed photos of their various and definitely precocious offspring. Kento already had 2 kids and one on the way. His oldest looked exactly like him. Sai's son, Ryan, had Sai's grin, but his eyes were gray, probably from his mother's side, Rowen surmised. His own son, Drew, had his blue hair and dark blue eyes and an easy smile. A smile that definitely came easier than his father's did, Rowen admitted. Sage apparently forgot to mention his twin daughters in his statement. It was only when Dais fingered his wallet and found the words "Babies Date. Waiting for name. Twins: girls. Blond, blue eyes" written on a piece of paper inside. The former warlord sent a mental image of it to the other two, and exchanged a loaded look with Sage, who shook his head once and said nothing, but Sai accidentally grabbed the paper, thinking it was a picture of Sage's current ladylove. "What?! Woo-ho! You got married?! And here we thought Kento with shackles was amazing! So, who's the lucky lady?" Sai inquired.
"Sai! I swear!" Sage grumbled and muttered the name of a well-known super-model. "Hey, guys. Just keep it under wraps, please. The public still doesn't know about it, and we would like to keep the privacy."
"Sure, Sage."
"You know us."
"Well, in case Mr. Magician here didn't get it already, the picture's...ah! here," and Sage almost held the picture reverently, still thinking names for his two precious babies. No way was his two babies were going to get near any rough scum. He decided to look into convents first thing he got back to his office, but that could wait for now. After all, these moments were a nice break from the wheeling and dealing of show biz.
Looking around at the people he considered his friends, Rowen quietly murmured." Amazing, we're all here with apparently expanding families. Who would've thought…Amazing." he concluded. After another round of calls and explanations, everybody decided to stay the night, like old times. However, only this time, everybody was sprawled all over the living room, across chairs, on tables, floating and of course, on the floor.
Next day
Rowen stood with the former warlords and exchanged good-byes with everybody. Before they went asleep the night before, they decided to improve communicating with each other. Telepathic exchanges usually were for emergencies, after all. Another exchange of backslaps and fake punches, and everybody disappeared to resume their lives.
Rowen went back to the NetherRealm and both Kayura and Drew were waiting for him. "Hi, honey, I'm home" he joked with the phrase. His jokes disappeared as soon as Kayura raised her lips for a kiss and Drew welcomed the former warlords. "Hi uncle Dais, uncle Sekmeht, and uncle Kale," Drew greeted.
"Very good, very good, young man." His three godfathers replied. "Now, it seems fly-boy needs some time to himself." Dais said. "Now, what have you been working on these past few days, mi'boy. Come on, show your three old uncles on what kept you busy. This way…come on. Very good, very good." The three former warlords frequently doted and spoiled their godchild in their own special ways, but that was the way life was in the NetherRealm. The boy was one of the few bright spots in governing the NetherRealm and the three former warlords enjoyed training the young boy, for Drew would play a very influential part in deciding the fate of the world, but for now, Drew was their little warrior in training. And so life went on in the NetherRealm.
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