The Forgiveness Prompt (Pitched by: Alwaysdoubted)
Goal: Simple. Write a scene where one character forgives another. OCs can be included if you want.
Pairing: Jai X Jade
Verse: Mortal Kombat
Two years ago:
Jade sprinted into the palace to find Jai. All his belongings inside were mysteriously cleaned out, not a single shred left beside the furniture. She asked all his friends about his whereabouts, but they were unaware.
Her resolve began to waver at the thought that he would leave without leaving a note or saying goodbye. Jade managed to find Kitana talking with her mother and father, who were all startled when she burst into the room out of breath.
"Is something wrong, Jade?" Sindel asked.
"My Queen." Jade bowed before them. "Has anyone seen Jai? I checked his room at his parents' house, and nothing was there."
Worriedly, Sindel glanced at her husband and daughter. They shook their heads at the realization Jai might have left without telling anyone. He wasn't a fugitive anymore and was cleared of all wrongdoing.
"I... I'm sorry. We don't know where he is," Sindel reluctantly told her.
That was not the news Jade wanted to hear. "But... but Jai said that-"
Despair had crept into her heart, fearing that despite her efforts to repair their relationship, the divide was beyond repair.
Jade fell to her knees before crying her eyes out to their surprise. Immediately, Kitana rushed over to console and support her sister. The tears fell nonstop at the bitter knowledge of what had transpired.
"It's all my fault... He's gone because of me..." Jade sobbed.
The main door opened behind them as a guardsman entered with visitors in tow. Everyone except Jade looked to see who they were, feigned surprise written over their faces.
"Your guests are here as requested, your majesty."
Jerrod nodded. "Thank you. You're dismissed." The guardsman bowed before taking his leave as the King and Queen approached the group. "We were wondering when you would arrive. Gave us quite the scare."
Jade heard the statement before craning her head in Kitana's embrace to see who the royal couple was conversing with. Following their line of sight, her eyes widened in shock. Standing in between Kiyana and Solomon along with Naomi...
Was their son.
Jai was in his Knight uniform, clean-shaven for today's occasion. "My apologies, King Jerrod. It was never my intention to worry anyone," he confessed.
"Nonsense, Jai," Queen Sindel said before addressing the room. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to welcome you all to a reinstatement ceremony. Attention to Orders."
Quickly, Jai snapped to attention, conscious not to make a move.
"Raise your right hand," Sindel ordered, Jai compiling instantly. "Do you, Captain Jai, solemnly swear that you will defend Edenia against all foreign and domestic enemies? That you take this obligation freely at the cost of your very life and faithfully obey the orders given to you by the officers and royals above you?"
"I swear, as Captain of the Edenian Knights," Jai recited his oath.
Sindel smiled. "Congratulations, and welcome back."
The room erupted in jubilation and cheers for what may have seemed unlikely. Jai's reinstatement made it clear that he had no intention of leaving, not when there was much to accomplish and live for.
Afterward, the applause quieted as Jai and Jade locked eyes, the palpable tension building. Neither said a word before everyone gave them space without leaving the room.
Jade swallowed a massive lump in her throat, her face stained with fresh tears. "I... thought you left."
"I chose not to," Jai replied. "Nearly did."
"How come?"
"I thought long and hard over these past few months. Hell, this past year. Truthfully, I don't know how to feel. Part of me wanted to disappear and never return here after having my name smeared through the mud. However, Edenia is the only home I've ever known."
Carefully, Jade approached him. "I know you're still upset, Jai, and you have every right to be. But we... I never meant to hurt or accuse you." She paused before averting her gaze. "Do... you still hate me?"
Jai eyed her intently. "I could never hate you. My parents raised me better than that."
Sighing in relief, Jade still couldn't shake the horrible feeling within her stomach. "You... were always there for me when we were children and stood up for me when I couldn't. All those times I felt lonely, you encouraged me even when I became an ungrateful bitch. That's when I knew I... I loved you."
The tears returned in full force. "I know things... will never return to where they used to be. But I'll do anything... to earn back your trust." Her mouth trembled. "I- Is there any conceivable way you could forgive my actions?"
"Anything?" Jai repeated.
"Yes..." Jade meekly said, unable to hold herself together. "I'm so sorry."
Naomi desperately wanted to console her daughter, yet never moved from her spot. Jade had made it clear this was the only way to apologize - on her own terms.
Mulling her words, Jai found himself struggling with what to do, his road to hell paved with good intentions. They each shouted hurtful words, their actions just as incorrigible. Instead of being prideful, Jade was pouring her heart out, even considering resigning as General. That alone showed she was sincere.
"I'll forgive you on one condition." Jai stepped closer but kept an appropriate distance. "Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me?"
Jade found herself in disbelief. "Why...?"
"I was no better during the trial and our efforts to stop Daegon and Kotal. You showed restraint as I continually lashed out. Added to that, you saved my life before I drowned in that ocean," Jai elaborated.
"You did the same for me," Jade reminded him, knowing how close Tanya came to ending her life.
He nodded. "That will never change for as long as I draw breath in this body. But before you answer, I have something else to ask." Jai took a deep breath. "Not a day went by did I not think about you during my exile, hoping for a chance to redeem myself. You still wanted to make things right though you would've been justified letting me rot. I'm sorry, but... I can no longer accept you as a friend."
Jai closed the distance before grasping her wrists. "Because you mean so much more to me, Jade. I loved you from the day we first met and have never stopped despite everything to this point."
Gradually, he got down on one knee, holding one of her slender hands before retrieving a small object from his pocket. Jade failed to stifle a gasp when she and the others saw what was in his possession - a diamond wedding ring.
"In addition to seeking atonement, I'm also asking for your hand in marriage... to become a family." Jai mustered all the courage he didn't believe he had. "Jade, General of Edenia's armies, and my cherished friend... will you marry me?"
Jade stared at the wedding ring, then at Jai, still too shocked to say anything. Naomi, Kiyana, Kitana, and even Sindel held their breaths. Solomon and Jerrod kept their expressions neutral, though Jai's father smiled inwardly at his son's decision.
"After... (sniff) all the hell I put you through," Jade started, doing her best to maintain her composure. "I should be on my knees, begging you to marry me."
"As I said before... I forgive you. Leave the past where it is," Jai said gently. "There's no other woman comparable to you in this universe that I want. I'll take that to my grave. So... what do you say?"
Jade slowly opened her eyes and nodded with a smile before whispering, "Yes."
She then flung herself towards him before wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing him with pure emotion. All in attendance cheered as they bared witness to this joyous occasion.
Jai pulled out of her embrace momentarily. "There's something I had engraved inside the ring."
Taking the ring, Jade read the inscription. 'My one and only.' Afterward, Jai carefully slipped the ring onto her finger, a perfect fit.
"This... this is beautiful," Jade remarked, staring in astonishment at the jewelry.
Smiling, Jai replied, "Not as beautiful as the wearer."
Jade lunged into his arms for a heartfelt hug, her joy expressed in tears and another kiss. "I love and forgive you, Jai." She moved away. "May I make a request?"
"Of course."
"I think it would be best for us to speak to a marriage counselor. It's not that I'm not confident in becoming a wife, but I want to ensure all issues are addressed." Jade touched his face. "That's all I ask."
He kissed the palm of her hand. "Say no more."
The Forgiveness Prompt (My Take)
Pairing: Callie Ann x Sareena
Verse: Mortal Kombat
The Scene
The war reports are starting to come in nicely. I need something to keep my mind off the truth concerning Jade and Benji, so any good news would be fantastic right now.
Tanya entered the house. "Callie?"
"What is it, Tanya?"
"I got Benny out of the NetherRealm," she said with a loss of breath.
Good news indeed, we all thought he was dead!
"You did!? How!? We heard he was dead!"
"Jackson and Kenshi pulled saved after a fierce battle with Liu Kang. He won from what they told me, but Liu Kang gave little quarter. He has bruises all across his chest that look like foot imprint," Tanya reported.
"Must've been from Liu Kang's kicks. But I'm glad he's safe and sound. Where is he now?"
"Sleeping in Mrs. Maddox's cottage. He'll be out for a few hours."
"Thank you, Tanya." I never thought I would say that in my lifetime. "Tell Jade while you're up and about. And when Benji does awaken, take him to see Mom. And if you can find her, bring Kim with you."
"You don't want to tell her? She is your sister-in-law."
"At this point in time, Tanya, I'd sooner shoot Jade in the face than talk to her about Benji," I seethed.
My reaction was to Tanya's horror. "How can you say something like that?"
"You didn't hear?" She shook her head. "Koga exposed Jade to everyone. She cheated on Benji with Kotal and convinced Sareena to leave him too."
"How could she do this? They were a model married couple."
"Turns out making Jade General was not my best decision. She let paranoia cloud her judgment to the point where she hired Ana to snoop on Benji to see if he was unfaithful. Ana told Koga, and he brought this to him before he hired him to snoop on her. Koga found out that she's having an affair with Kotal. Ana... found nothing."
"How can she be paranoid? Benny doesn't strike me as the type to cheat. He'll more likely tell you that he fell out of love and wanted to end the marriage. Not taint it by committing adultery. What could Jade be jealous of?"
"From what Koga found out, Ashrah, Li Mei, even you and Sareena."
"Me?"
"Yes, Tanya. Even when you were a psychopath, you were still nice to look at."
My blunt compliment caused her to blush. "Thank you, Callie." She expressed gratitude. "If it bothers you this much, then I'll tell Jade. But you forgave me. Surely you can find it in your heart to forgive her as well?"
"Read my lips." I faced her with an emotionless expression. "I will never forgive Jade for this. We nearly came to blows in Seido over her marriage, only to fix it and tighten the bond. Just for her to pull this shit after I nearly begged Sindel to give her leadership of the Freedom Fighters? Jade should be lucky that I'm not gonna murder her in broad daylight. This is a betrayal of the highest order, and then she had the nerve to involve Sareena after she gave birth to Teddy." I explain. "Go tell Jade. I have to finalize these plans."
"Yes, Callie. I'll see you later."
Tanya left the tent just before I slammed my fist on the table. I'm worrying too much about Benji's marriage. The days are winding down, and if it wasn't for Shinnok invading Earthrealm, they would've been divorced by now.
Good riddance to bad trash, I say. After this, I need to confront Jade and Kotal about this, Benji be damned. I'll air out my toxic thoughts to him, too, maybe shoot his leg as the exclamation point on those thoughts.
"Callie?"
I cocked my head halfway to see who entered the tent.
Sareena.
"What do you want, Sareena? Can't you see I'm busy right now?" I act dismissive to my sister-in-law.
"I want to talk with you. Please, just for a minute."
"Talk about what? About how you lack a spine to the point where you let Jade convince you to leave Benji even though you knew he did nothing wrong? How you let him become a single father? How despite Okada giving you free will, you still let people walk over you? What, Sareena?"
"I wanted to apologize for what I did. With Benny possibly being dead, I need to make amends or at least attempt to. I don't know if I can raise Teddy if I don't make my peace with you."
"...Benji's alive."
"He is? Where is he? I-I need to-"
"You need to go back to your house since the public's not ready to learn that you gave birth yet. On top of them not being ready to learn of Benji's survival. Kitty's getting ready to execute anyone who celebrates his 'death.' He's asleep anyway. Tanya said he'll be that way for a few hours."
"I see..." Sareena said dejectedly.
"But... I appreciate that you want to ask for forgiveness. Better than Jade, that's for sure."
"Even I didn't know about her affair with Kotal. When Koga told me, I almost broke down on the spot."
"A part of me wishes that he wasn't so good at his job, for him to be wrong for once. But everything added up, which only makes me angrier at Jade." I answered. "Sareena, you may not have my forgiveness yet, but you're heading down that road. We'll talk about it in detail after Shinnok is stopped. But I think you should seriously head home. Is anyone watching Teddy?"
"Kim is watching him in my stead. Making her his godmother was a smart decision."
"I thought she was guarding Kitty?"
"Kitana gave her the day off. But you're right, I should go." Sareena hugged me, though I didn't return it. "Thank you for the reassurance."
"Uh-huh, Sareena. Go before someone sees you," I told her.