Con't II

It was during Chinese Valentine's Day back in 1996, the first ever since the Shaolin restored themselves from the previous invasions, including Onaga's second coming, and Raiden returning to them from his Elder God status. It was ironic that America's annual day of romance took place the day after Kung Lao's birthday! Even with Aiko's mom's birthday on the day before it! Yet, China's version was always on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar; in which she always needed a lunar calendar due to holidays' inconsistencies.

Regardless on which edition, it was quite the day for the Shaolin, even to all of Earthrealm despite America's questionable origins. It was irresistible since most of the Order of Light and the White Lotus happen to have a significant other, even to those such as Liu Kang with Kitana as he decided to visit Edenia still under construction from Shao Kahn's regime, or Sonya with Johnny, or even Aiko with Kung Lao though the latter was busy amongst the prestigious faction.

As usual, the cardiokinetic's autistic mind seemed to never run out of these random and sometimes intrusive thoughts. She noticed Raiden, alone without a lover by his side; in fact, she never saw him with a lover, whether male or female, yet still she'd heard from the White Lotus he has a brother, the God of Wind, Fujin. She and Kung Lao had a chance to meet him right after their first date, and he'd been a vital mentor and hero ever since! There were also murmurs of other members of the Pantheon, though not as notable as the brother Gods, nor their newest addition, Ashrah.

While Raiden was keeping a watchful eye over his devoted followers as each family dispersed, he hardly noticed Aiko walk up to him. He actually decreed for them to have a day off to spend time with their loved ones, while the single warriors stayed.

"I bet you loved someone within the Pantheon. Right, Raiden? It's not just for mortals, is it...?" Aiko spoke curiously. "Or are they just asexual...?"

He laid a firm hand on her shoulder, "You know what, as a matter of fact, I did... Her name was Suijin. She was once the Goddess of Water who watched over Earthrealm with Riuky, Fujin and I. Before the world was in chaos and decimated by Shinnok."

The Thunder God flashed back to eons of the distant past as he, Fujin, Suijin and Riuky were within the heavens, all giving their best as they fought off the rogue Elder God. The sky was a bloody red and they were on a distant plain as the corrupt Elder God slain the other electromancer with his Amulet Staff, and the Water Goddess after he froze and shattered her!

He saddened, "Riuky... was the fallen God that churned into an asteroid and struck Earthrealm."

Aiko was despondent, "He engineered the apocalypse, and that was when you evacuated the Saurians... I'm...so sorry..." Nevertheless, she never thought that someone with an opposing element would be betrothed to another. "I guess Gods can die... What about the others."

"Millions of years later, Earthrealm and the Pantheon was reformed. They never wanted to recreate the fallen, as it is an imbalance of life and death, and there shall be no reminders from that fatal war. Alas, my brother and three other new recruits had defended the Temple of Elements and Shinnok's Amulet yet had been defeated by the bloodthirsty Bi-Han. After they recovered, they held off Shinnok once again in the heavens. Though it was discreet yet futile, even after Liu Kang, Fujin and I defeated Shinnok again; the Pantheon reduced in numbers once more.

"Still... I would never forget Suijin looking over Earthrealm and be fascinated with its ways of life, as the everlasting gem of the cosmos."

Meanwhile, the new Fire God was observing his mentor's conversation and even the ancient end of days thru the Hourglass. He closed his eyes trying to focus his racing thoughts as he sulked...

"Something on your mind, Liu Kang?" an alto spoke behind him.

He turned and his face lightened. "Kitana. I was just observing the Hourglass."

The titaness nodded, "I see. Even Earthrealm had its own share of Armageddon."

"It was how we evolved, thru natural selection when we had lost the dinosaurs. But...I never thought it was connected with the ancient war against Shinnok. Like mother, like daughter and son, they always wanted the realms in peril from their endless bloodshed."

His mind briefly flashed back to his confrontation with Kronika, in the Prehistoric Era before Shinnok's invasion no less! "The realms will not fight your endless wars!"

"Fight me further, Liu Kang, and your friends are lost. They have no future unless I create it!"

"The future you offer is not worth living! It will NOT come to pass!"

"We were fortunate to evade this scenario after I left the Prehistoric Era, then found you in the future, and restarted history. Twice..." He dropped his head again. "I could've saved them..."

Kitana reached and caressed his cheek, "Liu Kang... We cannot undo all of history. If it weren't for that catastrophe, then this realm would never have evolved. We must learn to accept that some of our dark past happened for a reason." He just sighed. "Your Revenant self and Raiden's dark self molded into you. Raiden here, Ashrah and Fujin are the chosen few to look out for Earthrealm, and we must do our part, to support our mortal selves and our allies indirectly. To prevent the dystopian future from transpiring again."

He recalled pulling out Baraka and Aiko from their horrific times, then had a change of heart, "Yes... That we must." She kissed him softly before she left. All Liu did was just stand there as he looked up at the Hourglass again. "Thanks, Kitana. But I know what we'll become..."

A/N: This was originally going to be a Valentine's Day special, but I wasn't able to make one on lack of inspiration/motivation, I contracted COVID, and I was stuck between my Pyrokinetics and Electrokinetics list. Also, I wanted to do an extra scenario with Raiden and Suijin inspired by the Battle of the Gods from MK Reconciliation, and I wanted Raiden to have a mate; I always didn't believe the Pantheon to be asexual. Whereas...how would Kronika have her son, Shinnok, and daughter, Cetrion. If Liu Kang and Kitana became the new titans of time together, surely, they'd love each other and maybe conceive. Hence my idea on their own son.

Also, in kase you don't know, Kung Lao's birthday being February 13th, 1964 was the date I found on Lao at the Super Fighters wiki. I liked that idea, rather than his bio as a pisspoor Bruce Lee rip-off from his biopic. And it was a koincidence that Valentine's fell 2 days after my mom's birthday, followed by Kung Lao's! Still, it's going to take me a long time for me to learn on the Chinese version of Valentine's, especially ever-changing on the "7th day on the 7th month," whenever that is...

It was difficult to find the right year for the setting of this chapter as it recalled Shinnok's invasion with Raiden's old shame on evacuating the Saurians; eventually 1996 was chosen since the invasions were over, Fujin was around as was Ashrah, and Raiden returned as Earthrealm's protector from his Elder God status and dark self! Besides...it might be better to have it take place before the upcoming Armageddon and the Final Kombat to justify Raiden and Liu's worries of future konflicts and the end of days.

Another bonus chapter kompleted, more shall be koming soon.