"What's up, Cass?" Jacqui asked as she entered the two's shared accommodation. Being the daughter and goddaughter of the base commander had its benefits.

"Hm?" Cassie raised her head from the cardboard box on her lap. "Oh, just... going through some old stuff my dad sent over."

"That was nice of him. What kinda stuff?" Jacqui sat down on the bunk beside her and started looking inside the box herself.

"Oh, you know, keepsakes from school and sports stuff, my karate trophy, the cast photo from Daughter of Dragon Fist, a family photo with me and my grandmas. The usual stuff."

"I'm sure that'll make this place feel like home. So why do you look so concerned?"

"I don't look concerned."

"Cass, I know every facial expression this mug of yours can make." Jacqui squeezed Cassie's cheek like only her grandma Rose did for emphasis. "That expression when I walked in was definitely concern."

Cassie sighed. "Alright. I know it sounds dumb, but I was hoping he'd have sent... You remember that one Christmas back in, like... 2000 or so?"

"Mostly? I remember getting my first boxing gloves that year. And you got... Oh, right."


Christmas was an unstable affair for the Cage and Briggs families. In his youth, Jax had often been invited over to spend Christmas with his mentor, Herman Blade, and his family. Even after the Blade twins entered adulthood, this tradition continued. It was the death of young Daniel that had put a stop to it as both Herman and Sonya threw themselves into their work. Jax would then regularly invite the Blades over to his mother's home for Christmas, which only Erica ever accepted. Following the death of Herman in the Outworld invasion, however, Jax had impressed upon Sonya the importance of family being together and convinced her to take the Christmas of '93 off to spend with Erica and the Briggses.

Things changed for the better after Sonya married Johnny Cage and gave birth to their daughter, Cassie, in January 1996. Christmas became a segmented affair. Christmas Morning would see Sonya, Jax and their respective spouse and daughter together at one family's house. In the afternoon, they would split up and visit Johnny's and Jax's families, respectively. Erica would be with the Cages, and often with the morning group as well. They had attempted a full Cage-Briggs get-together one year, but that had ended in disaster.

For the first Christmas of the new millennium, the morning celebration was taking place at Jax's home. Erica was present, but Sonya was not. An urgent task had come up last minute and she was forced to leave the house early in the morning, telling Johnny to go ahead without her, as she doubted she'd be back in time. As such, Johnny decided to keep Sonya's gift for Cassie back for when Sonya eventually did return. No way in hell was he going to take away the precious moment where the recipient discovers what their gift is. It was Sonya's ultimate stress-reliever, he'd found over the years, and this was an especially important gift.

He kept Cassie distracted by handing her the card she had personally picked out for her grandmother to serve as the commencement ceremony. Seeing the warm smile spread across Erica's face as she took the card from Cassie's small hands made Johnny grateful Erica was here. In the absence of Cassie's mother and Erica's... everyone, it was good that the two were able to fill the void for each other like this. It was a little disheartening, seeing her smile give way to an expression of befuddlement as she removed the card from its green envelope, even if he knew what was coming.

"Um... Cassie, sweetie?" Erica asked, sounding slightly concerned, as if unsure how to break the news to Cassie. "This says 'Great Grandma'."

"Uh-huh," Cassie replied obliviously.

"But Cassie, I'm you mom's mother. That makes me your grandma. My mother would be your great grandma."

"I know."

"Then why-"

"Because you're better than a good grandma. You're a great grandma." Cassie spread her arms wide above her head as if to emphasise the size of her grandmother's greatness.

Erica chuckled. Then, she burst out laughing. Johnny had known Erica since he and Sonya had visited to inform her of her impending grandmotherhood. He'd always felt pity for her situation, having lost her son at a young age, then her husband only a few years after, leaving her with only her largely absent workaholic daughter in her life. At times, he felt that it was Erica, not him or Sonya, that most benefitted from Cassandra's existence. He'd offered to move Erica into his more-than-large-enough home with them, but she'd declined. As such, Johnny made sure to take Cassie to visit her grandmother at least twice a month, weekly if he could manage. She was also the go-to for babysitting when her parents were unavailable. He loved seeing Erica happy, almost as much as he loved seeing Sonya so.

"I see you inherited your father's wit," Erica said with glee.

"No, my stories have brevity," Cassie replied flatly.

"And she knows Shakespeare too!"

"You can blame that one on the other hellion," Johnny interjected. "Her and her book learnin'..."

"Did you just call my daughter a hellion?" Jax demanded from the other couch.

"Yes."

"...Alright, fair enough."

"Jax!"

"What? Is he wrong?"

"Well... no, but... you still shouldn't..."

"I'm a hellion!"

"See? Even Jacqui agrees."

"Ya gotta accept it now, Vera."

"...You guys suck."


Cassie and Jacqui proceeded to open their many presents. Cassie always received more gifts for her birthdays than Jacqui, thanks to Johnny's wealth and Jax's refusal to accept handouts. When it came to Christmas, however, Johnny made sure to scale it back to not make Jacqui feel left out, though the wealth disparity was still clear. With that difference in expenditure, it was difficult for the girls to ever believe in Santa. And then, after one of Jax's uncles had drunkenly declared that Santa was a racist for giving more to the white girl, the decision to tell the girls outright that Santa did not exist was made by the time Jax's family returned home.

"Daddy, why do we celebrate Christmas when we know Jesus isn't real?" Cassie asked, suddenly.

"What... What brought this on?" Johnny asked, too taken aback to answer her question without buying himself some time.

"Because, like... Isn't it his birthday? But if Raiden isn't the One True God, doesn't that mean God and Jesus don't exist? So why do we still celebrate his birthday?"

"Yeah, why?" Jacqui asked, equally curious.

"There's a very good reason for that. ...Jax, you wanna-"

"Heeeeeck no," Jax interrupted, catching himself before he could say a mild swear and get an earful from his wife. "Gettin' to watch you squirm is the best present you could give me."

"No more Chrome Bling for your arms then."

"I-I never used that on my arms. Only the car... Vera, I swear!"

Rather than repeat Jax's own words back to him like some kind of witty action hero (which he literally was), Johnny instead turned his attention back to his daughter's question. "Yeah, like I said, there's a very good reason for that: we just do."

Erica snorted.

"That's it?" Cassie asked, sounding almost disappointed.

"Yep. That's it. Christmas is cool- You'd say Christmas is cool, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"And you're in the same boat, right, Little Jax?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, then who cares what Christmas is about? We just take the cool parts and ignore the rest and boom. Anyone can have fun with Christmas."

"Isn't that cultural appropriation, Uncle Johnny?"

"Where did you even hear that term?"

"A book my mom gave me."

"Jax, burn those books. They're a bad influence on your daughter."


While keeping back a present in the hope of Sonya's late arrival was acceptable, holding back Christmas lunch on her account was not. Erica and Vera did most of the work, while Jax pitched in where he could, leaving Johnny to entertain the kids ("The one thing he's good for," Jax had teased.) After eating, the six gathered back around the Briggs home's fireplace, the girls playing with their new toys, Jax and Johnny watching the girls while letting their stomachs free up some space for their respective dinners, and Vera chatting away with Erica like a woman and her mother-in-law.

"I appreciate everything you've done for Jax," Erica said to Vera. "Danny and Herman's deaths hit him as hard as they did Sonya and I, even if he'll never admit it. You and Jacqui are the real light in his life and I can't be anything but grateful for that. Oh, excuse me for talking like some mother-in-law from some generic sitcom. I think Johnny's been rubbing off on me lately."

"That's because he's been determined to make sure you have a good holiday, with or without Sonya being here."

"I know. I couldn't be happier knowing both of my kids found wonderful people to share their lives with."

"I'm just glad those two get along so well. I've known Jax for a long time and I can tell you, he hated Johnny's movies."

"Past tense, I hope."

"Well..."

"But really, a farm?" Johnny asked out of the blue. "How is that relaxing?"

"I'm not relaxed when I'm not puttin' in some effort."

"Hey, a tireless work ethic. I can respect that. You don't get where I did in Hollywood without a little elbow grease or a fat wallet. And my wallet growing up was anything but."

"Yeah, and where did that get you? You've made, like, one good movie, ever."

"You like one of my movies?"

"Which one?" Cassie whispered to Jacqui, who whispered the answer into her friend's ear. "Really? That one?"

"Yeah. I dunno why though."

"Huh. I woulda thought he'd like Ninja Mime."

"Eww. No one likes Ninja Mime."

"Why does it keep getting sequels then?"

"Because people won't let a bad joke die."

"...Yeah, okay, you're right."


After Christmas dinner with their respective families, Johnny and Jax drove their groups back home. Cassie still had one present left unwrapped. She knew it was from her mother, even without it being said. As the evening drew on, eventually reaching 9pm, it became clear that Cassie had very little gas left in the tank as her head began to bob sleepily while she watched a Christmas movie, nestled between her father and grandmother on the sofa.

Erica looked from Cassie to Johnny, meeting his eyes, before glancing over his shoulder to where the final present lay waiting under the tree. She looked back at Johnny in a way that asked if they should simply have Cassie open the present now and send her off to bed.

Johnny shook his head and stroked Cassie's hair, his daughter snuggling up beside him and looking like she was deciding to go to sleep by herself. Even if it meant waiting until tomorrow, Cassie seemed determined to only open the thing in her mother's presence, which only made Erica adore the little ragamuffin all the more.

She poked Cassie's cheek, leading the girl's tired eyes to look at her grandma questioningly. "Why don't we get you up to bed and you can open your last present when your mom gets home tomorrow?"

"'m not sleepy yet," Cassie insisted sleepily.

"I think she wants to stay up until midnight," Johnny proposed.

Cassie nodded her agreement before collapsing back against her father's ribs.

Erica stood up to get a blanket to put over Cassie when her eyes roamed over the front window. "Oh, I don't think she'll be staying up until midnight."

Johnny looked up at her in confusion. His gaze followed hers to the window and he quickly realised what she meant. He gently shook Cassie to rouse her, picked her up from under her arms, and carried her across the room to the front door. Erica quickly grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around her and Johnny's shoulders, Cassie held in between them.

The front door opened and a fierce chill entered the house, followed soon after by Sonya in a thick parka and snow pants. Despite his usual discomfort with dirt being trailed into his house, Johnny stepped forward, opening up the blanket to pull Sonya into the group hug before she'd even dusted the snow off her coat.

Cassie leaned in to kiss her mother's cold, red nose and say, "Merry Christmas, Mommy," before seeming surrendering to sleep for good.

Sonya smiled and kissed her daughter on the forehead. "Merry Christmas, Cass. This is... a surprise."

"You're telling me. I thought you'd be at work until tomorrow."

"I was supposed to be, but... Hold on, let me get out of this coat." Sonya pulled out of the blanket and began removing her coat and boots. Erica took this opportunity to take Cassie from her father's arms.

"I'll take Cassie up to bed." She, too, leaned in and kissed Sonya, only on her equally red cheek. "You two stay and get warmed up. Merry Christmas, Sonya."

Sonya kissed Erica's own cheek and replied, "Merry Christmas, Mom. And thanks for being here for Cassie."

"If anything, she was here for me." With that, Erica stepped out of the blanket and let Johnny wrap it completely around himself and his wife while she departed for the nearby stairs.

"So, what happened?"

"You'll never believe it, but Fujin came down and said he'd deal with it personally. Said I should go home and be with my family."

"Wow, finally pullin' his weight as Raiden's successor, huh?"

A strong wind picked up outside and rattled the windows.

"A-And a damn fine job you're doing of it, Sir."

Despite Johnny's hasty backpedal, the strong wind continued.

"I think that wind was a coincidence, Johnny."

"Yeah, I'm starting to think that too..."

"I'm sorry I couldn't be back sooner. Between weather and traffic-"

"It's okay. You don't need to explain. Just having you here at all is better than having you miss the entire day."

"You're sweet." Sonya kissed Johnny on the lips. She then noticed the remaining present under the tree. "Did Cassie not open that one yet?"

"No, she wanted you to see her open it. Very considerate, that one."

"And I got back so late, she wasn't able to open it today..."

"I think seeing you on the day was all the present she needed. I can relate."

"God, you're so lame."

"And yet, you love me."

"Hm, true. Maybe I just have bad taste."

"We already knew that from how few of my movies you like."

Sonya shook her head, smiling. "Does your mouth ever rest?"

"Head upstairs and I guarantee you won't take issue with that for long."

Sonya pulled back and eyed him up with a raised brow. "Really, Johnny? Not a very festive thing to say."

"Especially in front of your mother-in-law," Erica added from halfway down the stairs.

"Oh, Christ," Sonya groaned with her hands over her face.

"Mas," Johnny added.

"I hate you sometimes."

"Everyone does. Except Cassie."

"And me," Erica added as she passed them on her way to the kitchen.

"I like your mom. She's fun."

"I didn't take much after her, huh?"

"Your work's important. I know it, Erica knows it, and Cassie knows it. Knowing that you'd rather be with us when you can't be is enough for us."

"You say that, but... I hope she enjoys her present."

"Of course she will. It's a really sweet gift and it's from her mom, who managed to make it back before she fell asleep, just for her. I'm sure she'll cherish it forever."


"I'd've brought it with me if stuff like that was allowed in basic, but I left it with Dad. He knows how much it means to me, so I thought he'd have sent it over with the rest of the stuff."

"But it's not in there? You've checked, like, under the trophy?"

"And in the secret compartment, yeah. I know it's dumb to get this upset over it and I know it's not his fault for not reading my mind, but..."

"No, I feel ya. We'll just have to go call him and ask him to send it over with the next package. You'll have it back soon enough, trust me."

"Yeah. It's not the end of the world. I'll just- General!" Cassie leapt to her feet and gave a rigid salute as Sonya appeared in the doorway. Jacqui quickly joined her.

"At ease," Sonya said with her own salute. "How're you two settling in?"

"We're just getting Cassie's care package sorted away, Ma'am."

"I'm never gonna get used to you two calling me 'General' or 'Ma'am'. You got everything you need in there?"

"Well... Never mind, it's nothing. I've got everything."

"You sure?" Sonya reached behind her neck and undid a chain. "Because it looks like you're missing something." She produced a small necklace in the shape of the state of Texas, a tiny peridot gemstone marking Austin, the city in which she and her late brother had been born. She detached the two halves and returned the eastern half to Cassie before placing the western half back around her own neck.

The pair had been given to Sonya and Daniel by their father upon their completion of basic training as a reminder of their proud Texan heritage, as well as a symbol of the twins' inseverable bond. The two had been wearing them the day Daniel was murdered by Kano. Sonya had decided years ago that Cassie should inherit this reminder of the uncle and grandfather she'd never get to meet.

To Cassie, it was as if keeping it on her would allow her to feel the two's presence around her, as well as her own inseverable bond with her mother, who retained her own half. One of Cassie's favourite family photos was one taken when she graduated high school and posed with her mother, the two holding their respective halves together to complete the token. There were few items in the whole world that Cassie treasured more than this symbol of the Blade family legacy she had inherited.

"Why do you have it?" Cassie asked once it was safety back around her neck.

"Your dad gave it to me when I came to pick you up for basic. He knew you'd want it back ASAP and said that a Blade should hold onto it for you."

"Wow. Even after all this time, he still trusted you to keep it safe for me?"

"I wouldn't put too much thought into it. I'm sure he didn't. Either way, keep it safe and do your grandpa and uncle proud."

"And my C.O. - I'm gonna make her the proudest of all." Cassie gave another crisp salute and a smile.

Sonya returned only the smile, trading the salute for a hug. "I'm still your mom until I step out that door. I know you know I don't like the idea of you being out there doing what I do, but... I know you'll make me proud. Look out for each other, you two."

"You got it, Aunt Sonya."

"We'll be like you and Uncle Jax. Only, you know, better."

"Try taking a little more after me than your father."

"I prefer the 'best of both worlds' approach."

Sonya stepped back over the threshold and adopted a more stern demeanour. "I said, take more after me. That's an order, Private."

"That's mean, Ma'am."

"Executive privilege, Rookie." Sonya stuck her tongue out before turning on her heel and marching down the hall.

"Even when she's trying to be serious, your mom's still kinda fun."

"She's just going easy on us because we're new. Trust me, she'll be treating us like any other recruit after today."

"Maybe. Still, I'm kinda still floored about the whole necklace thing. I guess even a divorce won't keep those two from working together to make you happy, huh?"

"Yeah," Cassie replied as she held the necklace beside the dog tags that bore her name and details. "I have to do everything I can to return the favour."


Yeah, a Khristmas special. I don't think MK's done that outside of player kard stuff. I think the first thing I came up with was Cassie questioning the validity of Christmas in a world where people have met Raiden.