#raiden gets the job done best anyway
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the-travelling-witch · 2 years ago
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calicos are my favorite!! sadly i cant get any cats rn atm. i'm the only sibling who isn't allergic :')) sjdhw i actually main cyno! tho scarab hunting is a pain in the butt and scouring the desert isnt fun ahdhw. my soft spot for tighnari happened bc he's so sassy and has 0 chil hehe. right?? bedo is very much like a prince and is my first crush (also do i spy a jealous haitham in the corner-) HONESLY CYNO'S INTERROGATION AFFECTED ME SINCE HE LOOKED SO HOT?? ~Lycoris
calicos are super cute!! and lucky too!! <3 they also make me think of jimin‘s serendipity but that’s a different story
i grew up with cats, so i‘m very used to their comforting presence and really miss it; my dream cats would be a black main coon with green eyes, and a lighter grey/white/cream coloured floof, not necessarily a main coon though it’s giving suna and semi from haikyuu jsjsh
tabbies are super cute too though <33 i like pretty much all cats except for the furless ones and the ones with the flat noses, poor babies probably aren’t very comfortable and the aesthetic just isn’t for me
i just sat down and marked every easily accessible scarab which made it a lot more bearable jsjsh but you have to teach me your ways, cyno barely does any dmg for me ㅠㅠ
jup, i can very much appreciate tighnari’s sarcastic side bc that’s me right there; also can anyone fault me for wanting to pet his fluffy ears? i don’t think so >///< big fan of foxes in general
yes!! he has that regal aura and it’s driving me up the walls+ it’s so funny when he’s being smug
[you‘re not wrong
al-haitham: and now why would i be jealous of them?]
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doki-doki-imagines · 10 months ago
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Can you please have all the mk 1 earth realm reaction like they're in that one nanny scene where their S/O say "this is what i was going to wear on our honeymoon" and it was just lip gloss in a bag and they just smirk and say "suffer :)" . love your stuff (^∀^●)ノシ💕
Johnny Cage: -He follows you like in those cartoons with the freshly baked pie. Literally floating to you with a dumb face. -Do you think your teasing worked? It was like inviting a kid into a candy shop and saying he could take everything. -I don't think the lipgloss will last.
Kenshi Takahashi: -Even with the help of Sento, he couldn't understand what exactly was the cylinder in your hand. -"What is that?" "Lipgloss." -Ohhh but Kenshi can see that wink. -He chuckles; seems like it is going to be an interesting honeymoon.
Raiden: -"Ah-Ah" He mostly nods, his brain not immediately comprehending your allusion. -But then it clicks. -Raiden doesn't say a word, just carrying your luggages toward the train taking you to your destination. -Your bag is awfully heavy for someone that will only wear lipgloss…
Kung Lao: -"Oh what a blessing. No way I'd carry your bags all over. Was inside there a corpse?" -Tease vs. Tease. Fight! -Honestly? Lao can't wait to smudge the lipgloss too. -"You could keep that at home together with the rest. Our lips will always be busy anyway."
Liu Kang: -He looks at you with the biggest smirk ever. -"You know that I prefer your lips without any coating." His fingers pinch and throw away your lipgloss, his lips soon pushing against yours. -Hope you don't have any transport booked because Liu Kang now wants to spend some alone time with his spouse. -Then you can use his teletrasport to travel wherever you want; it's time to use the god privileges. -For now, the only place Liu Kang wants to visit is in between limbs, and I'm not talking about the arms.
Geras: -"You are the same in all the timelines." "Are you implying that we are bond to be always together." "I have said too much…" -Anyway he doesn't mind if you won't bring anything. -You can always wear his cape, but I don't think it will last long.
Bi-Han: -He just nods, Bi-Han wasn't even looking at you when you teased him. -So he is surprised when he notices just a small and light bag. -"You won't take anything?" "Just my lipgloss, I told you." "Mh? Arctika is cold, you know?" "Isn't the husband job to keep his partner warm?" You say, arms around his neck and chest pressed together. -You feel a rumble in his chest, something akin to a roar; jackpot. -Bi-Han's hand grope your side, fingers digging in your flesh. You teased the lion then you'll have to deal with your actions.
Kuai Liang: -He smiles like a fool, rough hand trying to cover his face, but the damage is already done. -"You are playing with fire, firefly. If you keep going, you'll get burnt." -Liang knows perfectly well that you don't care, actually getting the best of his reactions every time you tease him. -"I'm not playing dear. After all, I'll always have you to warm me up during our honeymoon." You wink and Liang groans. -If you keep going like that, you won't spend a day of your honeymoon outside your chambers.
Tomas Vrbada: -"Hey, I remember this line-" -Here starts the memory train. His television was old, but Tomas was still able to watch some shows. -"So you don't mind if I bring just one change, right?" "Mh?" "Well, I don't think we'll stay dressed most of the time." Tomas winks, boyish grin on his face. -You'll visit very little places during the honeymoon.
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atlasofthestaars · 10 months ago
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Hello, any updates on the next chapter for the New Era?
Got off track for a while, but I'm working on it again! I should be done maybe tomorrow since I finally have a day off again? I'll post an excerpt here though <3 It's nothing too exciting, but here you go!
“Oh, your sister, Princess Mileena is fighting today.” You said aloud, eyes widening. A small smile spread on your face, wondering how it would be like to see the princess in action. You glanced over, and caught the sight of Kitana’s eyes widened a bit. Her smile turned a bit strained, much to your confusion. She hesitantly nodded.
“Yes she is.” She told you. Yet there was a tone to her voice that made your eyebrows raise. It was barely perceptible, the way her voice hesitated. But still, from your memories, you caught onto the subtleties within her voice. Maybe you were closer to her in your past life than you thought. Either way, it was not the same here so you could not ask. But there was definitely something off with how short her responses were.
“I’ll enjoy watching the fight, I cannot say I��ve ever seen royalty fight before. In Earthrealm, there isn’t much royalty left there, and if there is, not many, if at all, fight like Outworlders do.” You informed the princess. She nodded, seeming vaguely aware of that fact already. “Do you fight and spar often with others?”
“We spar and train often.” Kitana replied, her shoulders rolling back slight to make her perfect posture impossibly more pristine. “As for actually fighting, we only do so when necessary.” You supposed that made sense, after all, why would one need to fight unless necessary? Then again, she could always be lying to save face. After all, why would a princess disclose her empire in a state of distress?
Then again, Outworld wasn’t always subtle about its fighting habits before, maybe it was the same here. You remembered the state that the Outworld you once knew was in. It was…odd to think this world held the same name as the more bloodier version of it. Then again, from what you recalled, this world seemed more similar to Edenia.
What did happen to Edenia anyways in this world? You weren’t certain if that was taboo to ask. After all, in the past world, it had been conquered and merged. Would asking it be rude? You glanced over to the princess, noting her attitude. She seemed to be in her head about something, even if she was doing well at attempting to conceal it. You supposed it would be for the best to not ask right now.
Maybe you could ask Liu Kang about it.
“Do you and your sister spar often?” You asked, keeping up with your questions to show interest and civility. Kitana pursed her lips, pondering over your question for a bit. After a moment, she nodded. 
“We do, occasionally.” The princess replied. There was another pause, considering her words carefully once more. You didn’t try and question it much. Perhaps she was simply erring on the side of caution. You were a friend of Raiden’s. Maybe she thought you were trying to get more information on her sister to give Raiden some last minute tips. “We tend to spar more with the Umgadi more than anything.”
”I was not aware that they sparred with you on top of protecting the royal palace.” You said, glancing over to an Umgadi guard that was further down the hall. Upon reflection, the Umgadi reminded you a bit of the Lin Kuei, but only in the vaguest sense. Still, it was nice to make a mental connection to something from home.
”The Umgadi are responsible for plenty of things.” Kitana replied. One of her hands gestured to the guard down the hall you had been previously looking at. “Guarding the palace, sparring with us, making sure everything runs smoothly and properly. Being an umgadi is a lot of pressure but it is an honorable job.”
Ah, now it definitely reminded you of the Lin Kuei.
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armed-saphire · 1 year ago
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NOW ITS UR TURN WHO ARE YOUR MGS FAVS AND WHY!1!1?1!1?1!1?11!1! ٩( 'ω' )و
EHEHEEEE OK SO I'll say my fav from each game
Mgs1 is def Liquid he. He's so overdramatic it's really funny. He did so many backflips while explaining his tragic backstory 🥰 and then he just fucking died and turned into an arm which is the real tragedy (I have so many random HCs for him it's insane... I also rewrote his backstory a little...the recessive thing is so dumb)
Mgs2 I think it's a split between Raiden and Fortune. Raiden I really enjoyed playing as a character who is just... idk how to put it I just like that he's flawed and not some morally perfect charismatic guy. It feels like he's set up to be that way and then he whines about everything and is very dismissive at some points. It feels like he's a real person and not perfectly crafted to be the ultimate stereotypical good guy protagonist who can stay cool and collected in every situation. He has his moments where he lets emotion get the better of him and I like it a lot.
Fortune I have less to say about her but it doesn't mean I like her less. I think she's a really tragic character backstory wise but I also like how she sort of "plays into it" I guess? Ocelot points it out himself near the end of the game ("you couldn't get enough of the drama"). I thought the ending where she found out she could've died any time and she didn't have some magic ability was sad too and I lowkey wish she didn't die and was like redeemed somehow (imagine she comes back in mgs4 and has to go against Vamp or something that would've been so cool)..anyway I guess I didn't actually have less to say I like Fortune a lot blehhh😋
mgs3 AGH.. EVA ILY she is such a well written character and I love her so much I could write an essay on her if I wanted but I'll keep it more brief here. She's like a perfect subversion of the typical sexualized woman in video game thing...it's what she's doing as a spy for the mission and the best part is it doesn't even really work lol nice job snake. The game itself even adheres to whether Eva is in her Eva persona or her Tatyana one. It's....aghhhhghhh so great. (I have so many thoughts about her and Liquid btw)
Mgs4...difficult but probably Screaming Mantis. For real this time not a lot to say about her but I do like her a lot more since playing the game she went from my least fav B&B unit member to my fav one. She was really fun to watch in all her cutscenes and her boss fight was one of the best MGS boss fights I've ever done tbh. The callbacks and references to the first game were so good I won't lie I was giggling kicking my feet a lil bit. Screaming Mantis ily I have so many thoughts <333
Peace Walker ermmm Kaz and Paz equal I can't decide..also maybe Amanda. Yeah I like everyone a lot 😭 and Cécile....not Snake tho sorry lol. I haven't finished the game so I haven't gotten the full character arcs of everyone so it's hard to pinpoint exact explanations but you know I love Kaz forever and ever mwah mwah (I'm also a transfem Kaz truther and I'm RIGHT!!!). Amanda has a lot of really cool tapes explaining a lot of...not really exposition but it gives a lot of great context to her character. And her voice acting especially in cutscenes is some of the best voice acting I've seen in an mgs game so it adds a lot. Paz I need to learn more about her. I know basic plot points but not the inbetween stuff that really lets you get to know her. I do feel really sad for her though, Kojima decided he wanted shock value instead of a female character having a nice ending 🤷‍♀️ Sucks.
Mgsv QUIET!!!! QUIET ILY!!! she's soooooo OUGH. I'm glad a lot of the fandom has fixed her from her extremely flawed portrayal in the game because it shows what really could've been and I think I latch more onto that than the version of her in the game just a little. The foundation they were working with was still really good. The way they show her and venom building such a strong bond despite never having a single conversation is really well done and I like it a lot. Quiet ily my favourite creaturething killgirl my favourite ear biter offer...
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xarrixii · 6 months ago
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Chapter_38 : "New Friends"
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CW: archive masterlist | masterlist
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I’ll think about it.
Urban had hesitated⸺hesitated hard. It made Alph a little bit sick, though in truth they’d only had loyalties to Storm for about a month now themselves. It was unfair to ask Urban to make that choice in a few minutes.
It’d still given them too bad a mood to try to confront their dad last night.
Alph threw a glow-in-the-dark ball up from where they were lying down, doing their best at learning to catch the thing they could barely spot. Any sort of hand-eye coordination would start doing wonders right about now. But it just wasn’t coming. Alph ended up chucking the ball to some other part of the room, where they lost it pretty quickly.
“Damn it,” Alph mumbled as they made sure the bed hadn’t gotten any higher from the floor before standing up. “Shouldn’t have done that.”
The door opened, low influx of light spreading out across the floor. Not like Alph could tell much of the difference, wouldn’t have even known it was open if not for the hinge squeaking. “Yeah?”
“Just thought I’d let you know all of the braille plates were finished, in case you ever started learning.” The humming, mildly sarcastic voice of Nacht, who also happened to be Alph’s uncle, filled the space. “Looking for the ball?”
“Please.” Alph cleared their throat. “You think we can set up voice activation on the smartwatches? Like is that a thing?”
“If not, I’m sure I could get someone on it as a specific request. Open your hand.”
Alph let Nacht place the ball in their outstretched palm before hearing the silent slap of what at least sounded like a brick being dropped. “What was that?”
“Braille textbook.”
“Hate to break it to you,”
“I wouldn’t have bought it if it wasn’t tactile.”
Alph sighed. “I’d rather have a book of blind jokes.”
“You’d need to learn braille to read one.”
“Shut up.”
Nacht chuckled. “Hand over your watch and I’ll get someone on it for you. Where’d you even get the idea from? Quite smart, actually.”
“Was just thinkin’. A lot.” Alph shrugged, choosing to lie about their encounter with Urban for now. Nacht didn’t need to know about their first failure of getting Urban to agree with Storm’s cause. Not yet, anyway. They unlatched the watch after some difficulty and allowed Nacht to take it.
Alph sauntered over to where they had last remembered the general location of their desk being, feeling for the edge before tracing their hand over the hard-cover textbook. Big one, maybe. Probably. Had made a large plop. Even the cover was raised in some places. Alph was able to slowly trace some of the generic English alphabet, below it an arrangement of dots.
They assumed it meant something along the lines of Braille for Idiots Who Lose Their Eyesight. Probably a lot kinder about it.
“I see. Would you like to take a walk with me?” Nacht asked.
“Sure.”
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Nacht had left for a bit and promised to come back shortly, and Alph had a hard time figuring out how long they’d actually been leaning against the wall thinking about whatever before footsteps started walking up.
“I didn’t know you were here in the recruitment sector! It’s such a pleasure to meet you, Alph. Your name is Alph, right?”
Alph was so taken aback by the concept of being called their legal name they forgot to respond.
“You are Alph, right?”
“I prefer Raiden, but, yeah. Who are⸺?”
“Apologies. My epithet is Afyer. Wait, I’m not playing roleplay games. I’m Afyer Octave, once again, pleasure.” Afyer takes Alph’s hand and starts aggressively shaking it.
“Okay. Afyer. What’s your job here?”
“See, I—” Afyer began very proudly, “—am the one who decided we should hire the guy named Urban onto the team. Unfortunately, not everything went super well, and we ended up losing Raijin, but you’re here! You’re here, and I think this is the beginning of a wonderful new era of Storm recruitment.”
“So you organized the attack on the Cinder tower?”
“Me? No. I just told people who sounded promising based on mood and tone from snippets from our insiders. Also unfortunately, we’ve lost contact with a few of them in the past few months. Nobody agreed with me but Blake, and now look what happened. Rain-resistant fire! I told them! I knew it could happen. I hear you’re also pyrokinetic?”
Alph may have just found a new friend.
“Yeah. Hold on, rain-resistant? Nacht left that part out.”
“You talk to Nacht directly? You must be even better than I thought!”
“Not really, I think it’s just the fact we’re related.”
Afyer someone filled their tone with even more giddy excitement, “You’re blood related?! You must be some uber-powerful kinetic user too, then!”
“Uhh⸺”
“See, Nacht’s kinetic isn’t like any other normal telekinetic’s, and it’s kind of roundabout, but he literally controls like... areas. Like full blown entire sections of things, we sort of just shorten it to gravity. But it’s still technically telekinesis. Is yours special in any way?”
Alph blinked a few times, as if it would suddenly help them see what the hell was happening. “No?”
“I heard it’s unnaturally powerful, like Amaterasu. Just without the drawbacks. Like getting nauseous. Did you hear the rumors about her walking in flats yet?”
Alph practically snorted. “Mum? In flats? I’d never.”
In the period of Afyer’s momentary silence, Alph slotted away the idea to ask Urban about later.
“It probably would be quite similar to Amaterasu’s, then. You know who Raijin is?”
Alph still had sour memories of the electrokinetic, “Yes.”
“Nacht’s son and all. Really crazy part, even though they have different kinetics, Raijin still has this real weird sort of remnant of Nacht’s power. Like, dude has his own gravity. We did the kinetics tests a few dozen times, and there is no TK in Raijin’s blood. Wait, Raijin, Raiden? Dude, that’s crazy.”
“Coincidence.”
“You might have to change it once we get Raijin back. So no one mixes it up.”
“Get Raijin back?”
“No one told you?” Giddy clapping ensued from where Alph was guessing Afyer was standing. “Yes! I’ve always wanted to explain it to someone. Saying a story out loud is always so much more fun than telling it to yourself. At least in theory. Okay, okay. I thought everyone knew after Nacht finalized the report roughly a month and a half ago, but oh well.
“Essentially,” Afyer continued, “After you fought Raijin, nice job by the way, with the glass? Blake told us all about it. You don’t know who Blake is. Nevermind, you’ll meet him when we get him back too. I wouldn’t have thought of that. I didn’t even think not to light the old wooden floorboards I was standing on during a fight one time on fire. Then I broke my leg and got transferred to recruitment.” Alph winced. “That’s not important. What is important is that you got knocked unconscious, and then Urban appeared with his silver-blonde hair and really pissed off expression, ready to get you back at pretty much any cost. Nicest Cinder operative ever, honestly.”
Alph cocked their head at Afyer, donning a sheepish smile. “I know what color Urb’s hair is.”
Afyer took a few steps to process that information. “OH right, you weren’t always blind. As I was saying, he was fighting, like, tooth and nail to get you back, whilst also trying to ward off this Liam guy. You know who Liam is?” Afyer paused to let Alph nod. “Okay. Good, ‘cause I’m not the most familiar. He left Storm before I joined. It was super cool—the fight, I mean. At least so I read on the report. Really good tone from whoever wrote it out. And then Amaterasu, from like, somewhere, just slices the building in two!
“And after she slices it in two, the rain outside just like, exposed everything, and⸺”
“I, I get it. I can kinda piece it together from there. Urb still managed to light everything on fire, and it burned my eyes a bit. Then the cams cut out, and Blake wasn’t an eye-witness, so when Storm came back to the scene they saw me still lying there and picked me up.”
Afyer clears his throat. “Anyway, yeah. Raijin was knocked out during the fight and Cinder took them. If he was still in the building when our teleporter came back, it’s hard to tell, but Blake confirmed later Cinder had Raijin.” Afyer paused again, the sound of a pen clicking starting to sound before a smile entered Afyer’s voice, “And now we have you. Welcome to the team.”
“I’ve been here a month.”
“Well now you get to hear it from me,” Afyer took and shook Alph’s hand before presumably walking off. Alph had questions they could reserve for a later time. Mainly including Nacht’s son.
Alph heard a door slide open beside them, standing up straight. “Hold out your arm,” Nacht asked calmly. Alph obliged, allowing Nacht to wrap something around their wrist.
“My smartwatch?”
“Voice activation should work fine now. Its name is Jerry.”
next chapter
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jerry is the bestest boy
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dinogoofy · 3 years ago
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Hi I really liked your Kung Lao timeline headcanons, would I be able to request those same types of headcanons with Liu Kang.
ThankyouthankyouTHANKYOU for giving me this request!! It was super fun writing the Kung lao headcannons, and I didn't even think about writing them for Liu Kang! I hope you enjoy!
No tw for this one
Liu Kang timeline headcannons.
Liu Kang was used to being infatuated with the strong men and women around him. But you? You were something different.
You were kind to him and all others, regardless of where they stood on the spectrum of good and evil. You were wise and beautiful and everything a man or woman could want.
And you were in love with him. It was so easy to see. Easy for anyone to see.
At first he had written you off. He had been so incredibly swept off his feet by kitana, he had almost forgotten you. At least, he did for a bit.
When he finally realized he had feelings for you, you had already distanced yourself from him. Content with Kitana having him, because at least he would be happy.
And he missed you. So very much. But he still had feelings for Kitana. He was conflicted, and he came forward to you about it.
You gave honest, unbiased advice for him to think on. You told him that it was okay. That it was easy to get swept up in emotions during this tournament. It was fine for him to love many, as long as he didn't pursue those feelings all at the same time.
You never pushed him to pursue you, or become angry at his feelings for Kitana. You only wanted him to figure out what was best for himself.
That was the moment he was sure he was in love with you. He just about kissed you then and there.
The little bit of time you shared after that day was filled with sneaky stolen kisses, secretive glances, desperate hugs... and sometimes something a little bit more.
Starting a relationship during a life or death tournament wasn't the best idea, but oh, was it wonderful.
But fate always intervenes with star-crossed lovers.
Only Sonia was there to comfort you when Liu Kang was Slain at the hands of Raiden.
It was devastating. Raiden had been like a father to you and so many others. Even if you didn't know the full details on how the fight happened... It hurt. It hurt so bad. You couldn't look at Raiden the same again. You couldn't bare the thought of seeing Liu Kang's revenant.
Once you had done everything you could for Raiden and earthrelm, you retired from that life. You went home, spent time with loved ones, found a new job, and continued on as best as you could. You could never bring yourself to love another no matter how many years passed.
When the past and present fused, it was little Cassie who asked for your help. They were going to need a lot of man-power to defeat chronica. What else could you do but rush to help your old friends?
You freeze up when you see Liu and your younger self.
They just looked... so happy. So naive.
Even so, you find yourself smiling while watching them. The younger you had so much potential in her timeline. You almost prayed that she'd get to experience it with Liu.
Liu had already respected you and your older self, but when he becomes the fire God, and defeats chronica, and then Shang Tsung, he has all of history at his finger tips. When he sees just how you had suffered while mourning his death, that respect only becomes greater.
He has history bending to his will, and even if Raiden called it naive, Liu couldn't stop himself from giving you a happy ending. How would a small detail like that be of any concern to the thunder God anyway?
Mabye one day he would have the courage to ask you to stay with him and the hourglass till the end of time. But for now, he was content with having the thought as a daydream.
But when that day did come, it came bearing many gifts. Like kisses, and hugs, and open affection without any care of who would see. After all, it would only be just the two of you forever.
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whatifxwereyou · 3 years ago
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The Oncoming Storm Part 10: Distance
Liu Kang x Reader and Kung Lao x Reader (gonna do both, two paths!)
Man, the vibe between these two fine men is so different. I'm so into it! ALSO have some exciting stuff coming. Gonna try to update both days this weekend, and then setup some... very spicy/fun/dangerous romance stuff? Might add in some "choose your own adventure" style choices before we get to that big choice Lol. ENJOY! Much love.
Part 9 Part 11 Chapter Index
You rested on your side with your head in Kung Lao’s lap, a decision that you’d had no part in making. He held your hand while the monks tended to the wound on your side. You’d pulled more of your stitches than you’d noticed when you and Liu Kang had stopped to examine your wound. You could hear him saying he told you so in your head. You owed him an apology, you supposed. Kung Lao’s thumb brushed over the back of your hand and you were momentarily distracted from the rest of night.
Your exceptionally long awful horrible and terribly confusing but also kind of wonderful night. What a whirlwind.
The way that the monks fretted over you was embarrassing. It had done nothing to ease Kung Lao’s obvious guilt. You were fine! They’d been practicing and it had been an accident. Besides that, you’d had fun with him. You hadn’t wanted him to go easy on you and he hadn’t. You were grateful. Would he ever trust himself in a fight against you again?
After a lengthy discussion out of earshot the monks decided to cauterize the wound to prevent further bleeding since you didn’t seem to be clotting properly on your own. You’d agreed when it had been presented as the only option just to feel like you’d had some say in it. Liu Kang had done the same for your arm the other day and you wished he were there to do it this time too. You’d been spoiled by his magic in comparison.
They’d hooked you up to an IV of fluids to help you recover from the blood loss and set upon the task. It was a painful and miserable process that crippled you from the onset. Kung Lao stroked your hair soothingly and urged you to squeeze his hand. You weren’t sure if he was helping or not, but it was sweet of him to try.
Once the agonizing process ended, the monks suggested you stay for a while so they could keep an eye on you. While they cared for you on and off, Kung Lao talked. He was good at that. He comforted you with distraction and told terrible jokes to try and make you laugh. Eventually silence had fallen, and he had taken to running his fingers through your hair with his eyes closed.
From the way the monks spoke, morning was fast approaching. You hadn’t felt so exhausted and afraid to sleep in years. If everything hadn’t been such a mess, then you would have been impressed. As time passed the pain faded to a near memory. It was only then that you realized that you hadn’t spoken a single word since you’d agreed to have your wound cauterized.
“You don’t have to stay.” If Kung Lao needed you to absolve him of guilt, then you would gladly do so.
“I’m staying.”
“It’s been a long night, Kung Lao. You need rest too.”
“I’m not leaving until you can.”
“You don’t owe me this, Kung Lao. This isn’t your fault.” You turned so that you were rested on your back and Kung Lao helped you settle against his legs. Of all the places you thought you’d end up, head rested in Kung Lao’s lap was not one of them. Boy, you could use a drink.
“Then whose fault is it, exactly? Yours?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“I know that it’s not my fault, Y/N.”
“Could you tell that to your face?” You reached to poke the underside of his chin. He smiled, as if relieved to see you joking with him again.
“I’m staying. And I’ll make sure you get back to your room.” He poked you right in the chest.
“You’re being ridiculous.”
“What’s ridiculous is that I am being perfectly charming and on my best behavior and you’re arguing with me all while using me as a pillow without so much as a thank you. You can’t just use me, Y/N.” He said it in that boyish way, as though he was teasing you for having a crush on him. You definitely had had a crush on him when you were a kid. You didn’t know what you felt about anything anymore.
You laughed and swatted at his hand that rested on your shoulder. It hurt to laugh. “I could be here for a long time. You’re better off not waiting for me. Presumably, you have things to do today and probably got an hour of sleep at most.”
“Well, you’re lucky that I’m curious to see how long it takes before my legs go numb beneath your dainty little head.” He patted your shoulder and so you reached to pat his hand. Just as when you’d been kids there was no arguing with him. He would do what he wanted to do and there was no stopping him no matter how idiotic it was.
“Well, if I fall asleep and drool on you then that’s your fault.”
“I’ve come to terms with this disgusting sounding fate, Y/N. You’ll just owe me.”
“I will not be in your debt, Kung Lao.”
“You already are. I saved you from that fire, remember?”
“Oh? I didn’t realize you were keeping tabs!” You closed your eyes.
“I never forget, Y/N.” He whispered, picking up your hand and tracing lines along your palm with his index finger. He then regaled you with a tale of a time where he’d run an errand for Raiden and had dislocated his shoulder, tried to pop it back into place and had done a piss poor job of it. You cringed the whole time, but he had been delighted in disgusting you without you being able to escape. His voice droned on and you almost fell asleep.
Thankfully, a monk came over to you and asked you to sit up. Kung Lao, without being asked, helped you upright. It was remarkable how comfortable he was with touching you. Chen, the monk, was one of the few who you had formed a bond with during your stay in the infirmary. She’d taken to teasing you about your close friendship with Liu Kang and from the look in your eyes, you were certain this moment was only going to make that teasing far worse. You could see it in Chen’s dark eyes. It was coming.
Chen tested your reflexes, took your pulse, and checked on your wound before removing the IV and wrapping the wound tightly. “Alright, Y/N. Everything looks okay. No more bleeding and you’ve finally got some color back. Promise me that you’ll rest. And that you’ll stop bleeding all over our temple?”
“Listen, I didn’t try to bleed on anything!” You assured your friend who looked at you as if to say that was a lie and that if she saw you in the infirmary for a new wound by the end of the day then you wouldn’t hear the end of it. You avoided eye contact. “I’ll rest. I promise.”
Getting to your feet, Kung Lao joined you and offered you an arm to steady you. You swatted it, blushed, and then walked on your own out of the infirmary. Kung Lao’s eyes were on you as you went and then he followed behind you.
“Hey, you’ve got enough color back to blush again. That’s a good sign.” He leaned close enough to your cheek for you to feel his breath and you swatted at him again. For someone you hadn’t seen for years he certainly was comfortable being in your personal space.
“I’m not blushing. And I was fine, even before.”
“Is it so hard to admit that I make you blush a little?” He teased. “And you were definitely not fine. No one’s going to believe you when you say that if you keep lying.”
“I wasn’t lying!”
“It’s okay to be honest about your feelings, Y/N. All of them. Really.” He stopped in front of you, and you stumbled to a stop before him, having to place a hand against his chest to steady yourself. You took a step back and he tilted his head confidently, giving you that smirk that could melt pretty much any heart, you were sure.
“Kung Lao, really?” You rolled your eyes at him, but your heart was definitely fluttering in your chest, betraying you. “Look, I’m going back to my room now. You can go do… whatever it is you do around here, Lao.”
“Right now, I happen to be walking you back to your room.” He shrugged. “Are you feeling weak, Y/N? Do you need me to carry you?” If he hadn’t said it in such a teasing and taunting sort of way, then you probably would have considered it. Your face was hot with embarrassment. He grinned in delight, proud to have thrown you off.
“I think you’re overtired, Kung Lao. You’re clearly not thinking straight.” If he was going to tease you, then you would tease him right back. It was only fair, after all. You stepped a bit closer to him and he cocked a curious eyebrow. You tilted your head back as you drew closer and made to touch his chest but then pulled your hand back at the last second. He was very still. “I can walk just fine.”
You then stepped around him and continued down the hall. He turned to watch you walk away, and your face burned but you talked yourself down quickly. Then he hurried his pace to catch up with you and joined you in your walk. It was quiet after that for the most part, as if you both had plenty to think about. You were tired. Drop dead tired. Even so, you felt far more stable on your feet than you had the rest of that night. The quiet gave you time to think, which you weren’t sure you liked or not. You had way too much to think about.
When you made it to your room, you pushed open the door and thought your bed had never looked more inviting. It wasn’t even a particularly comfortable bed, but you were still looking forward to flopping into it. You turned to find that Kung Lao remained in your doorway, resting against the frame with his arms folded over his chest, admiring you with a smile. He did that a lot- openly admired you. You were going to have to find a way to cope with all this damn blushing.
“You’re up for me staying a bit, right?”
“I’m exhausted.”
“Just a little bit.” Kung Lao walked past you anyway, and you sighed and closed the door behind him. It wasn’t that you didn’t want him there it was just that you also really wanted to sleep. Sunlight was peaking over the mountains on the other side of the ravine. Kung Lao dragged the chair from your desk and sat backwards on it. You sat on your bed and held your hand over the gauze on your side. It had a solid heartbeat beneath your fingertips. Kung Lao fiddled with things on your desk, picking up the journal that you and Liu Kang had been working in.
He flipped through the pages and you thought he looked a little sad, but as quickly as you had thought it, it was gone, and he looked bored. He closed the journal and then waved it toward you. “I thought that Liu Kang was just trying to flirt with you when he said study because that’s what I would have done. But you guys really study, huh? Your handwriting is awful by the way, especially for someone with ink arcana.”
“You’re less funny than you think you are. But yes, we actually study.” You were never sure what to do with the offhand flirtatious comments but teasing him in return seemed like the way the go. “You probably don’t remember this since we weren’t in the same class and I was kicked out of school before we got close but… I’m passionate about learning new things. Liu is an excellent and curious teacher. It’s been really nice.” You smiled in memory. It felt like it had been ages since they’d studied, and you missed it. “We’ve grown pretty close since you’ve been gone. I’m grateful to him.”
“Yeah, I noticed.” He didn’t even try to hide how he rolled his eyes and you scoffed in disbelief and scooted to the edge of the bed. “Liu Kang is a good friend to have. And so are you when you’re not being defensive.” He stood up and dragged the chair closer to the bed then sat back down. He kicked off his shoes and then placed his feet on the bed. You stared at them disapprovingly and he purposely moved them, so his legs were rested just next to yours, barely not touching you. “It was a lie, you know.”
“Huh? What was? Something Liu said or…?”
“No, definitely not. Liu is an atrocious liar. Me on the other hand? Practiced liar. So yeah, it was me. I lied to you.” He shrugged and then rested his folded arms behind his head. He was avoiding your eyes, something he seemed to do when he felt guilty. When he noticed you looking, he tilted his head, so the hat obstructed your view of his eyes. That was still extremely attractive. “When you first woke up after the fire, I told you that I would visit town because I had become fond of your dojo and your store. That it was a beacon of peace.”
“And that’s a lie? Why would you like about something so trivial?”
“You don’t need to know the reasons.” He shrugged and tilted his gaze back to you. His smile was confident, but his eyes commanded all your attention. They went from playful to serious so quickly it was giving you whiplash. You suddenly felt as if your tongue was blocking your throat and your brain went blank. All that was left to focus on was Kung Lao. “I came to see you.” He pulled his legs back from the bed and leaned closer in his chair, studying your response. It seemed like a harmless lie so why was he telling you this now? “I didn’t know that you were my Y/N but I was still drawn to you. Watching you was what brought me peace when often I struggled finding any.”
“Kung Lao…” This felt like a confession, but what the confession was he hadn’t said. They had a thousand things to talk about and this was where he started? Not the visions? Not the ink? No, his inner turmoil and the peace that you had brought him without knowing.
“If I had known that you were my Y/N then I would have been far more forward with you than I was.” He pulled off his hat and set it next to you on the bed, then rested his hands on either side of the bed next to you. You couldn’t remember him ever flirting with you back then, but you had seen many faces and most of his visits were a blur. You remembered him as harmless and thoughtful. Those were fond memories. You smiled and averted your eyes. “No? Too much?” He smiled that confident smile even against your silence.
“I’m thinking.” You laughed.
“Guy puts it out there and you just stare…”
“I don’t know what you expect me to say, Kung Lao.”
“Anything would do.”
“You’re very sweet.”
“Ouch.”
“No! No, don’t be like that, Kung Lao.” You laughed and without realizing you’d unconsciously moved closer to him. “Really, I didn’t even consider who you could be back then. You were a strange fellow from out of town who enjoyed sitting in the peace of my dad’s place. Honestly, that feels like a different life now.”
“So, where’s the but?”
“There is none.” You furrowed your brow and his thumb overlapped yours on the bed. “This is a lot, isn’t it?”
“It is.” He considered, but he was studying you, and it made you incredibly uncomfortable. This way his eyes looked you over from head to toe, not to objectify you entirely, but rather to try and gauge what you were really thinking and what happened beyond what you told him. While your eyes apparently spoke in novels to Liu Kang, Kung Lao read your body language like a book you had forbidden him to read. Never in a million years did you think that you’d be in a dilemma where your heart was torn between two men. You’d been in relationships before but most of them had been with men from out of town who you rarely saw and had been short lived. Most of the people living in your hometown that were your age were still afraid of you.
“I don’t know what to say.” You finally decided.
“Because of Liu?”
“Well, I don’t quite understand what you’re trying to say. You say a lot without saying much at all, Kung Lao. I will admit that I think of Liu Kang very fondly. Yet, it is a very strange and emotional thing to see you again after thinking that you were dead- something I would like to talk about eventually, by the way.”
“That’s less important than this right now.” He tapped the bed and spoke very quietly, and you watched his lips form every word.
“I feel selfish, Kung Lao.”
“We are allowed to be selfish at times. You were like that as a kid too. Have some fun with me, Y/N.”
“Wow.” You laughed and as he went to say something else, you pulled your hand back from where his thumb had hooked over yours. His eyes were like big puppy dog eyes. He gave you the shivers and it took everything inside of you not to shake with them.
“Come on. You like me.” He teased.
“Kung Lao, now is not…”
“If this is because of Liu Kang? Trust me, I can change your mind.”
“No, I… excuse me?”
“You were going to say something. Continue.” He leaned just enough back to let you breathe. You were so confused. What did he even mean? You had to think about it. You had to think about a lot of things. He and Liu Kang were family. You didn’t want them to fight because of you. You would sooner turn away from them both. Then there was the nagging truth of everything else.
“I’m afraid.” You confessed and as the words came out, you felt a sudden great weight on your shoulders. “For the first time in so long, I’m afraid. Since back then, Kung Lao.”
“I know you saw things then.” He moistened his lips with his tongue and his lips remained parted for just one second before he sighed and seemed to reconsider. “I asked you if you were a witch once and you got all annoyed at me.”
“In my defense, the other kids called me that and threw shit at me, Kung Lao. I was afraid that I was a witch. That I’d never be normal. Then you died and I grew out of it. Now here you are and here I am and all the things I lost as a kid are back. And I attacked Liu Kang without knowing. I don’t know what to think and then you being so forward and Liu being like he is… I’m overwhelmed. I keep thinking that maybe this is what I’m meant for.”
Kung Lao’s whole demeanor changed from flirtatious to serious and you were grateful for him listening. You hadn’t meant to say all that you’d said. It’d just come out. “No, Y/N. You’re a fighter. I know you are. I always knew that you were even back then. And I knew what was happening to you as a kid, too. Or I guessed it at least. I always thought that it made you even more special. Normal is overrated.” Kung Lao placed a hand to your lips to stop you from talking but quickly pulled it back. “Liu’s tough. I’m sure he was fine. And so am I. We can handle whatever you throw at us, knowing or not. I’m sure he’s up to the challenge.”
“Lao…”
“I will help you fight. I won’t watch you waste away here speaking in nothing but the future.” He placed his hands on either side of you again. “And I’m sorry about your side. I know it was an accident but I’m still sorry for the trouble it caused you.”
“I’m not. I wanted to fight. I didn’t want you to go easy on me. I had fun. I had so much fun, and it was nice not to be treated like something frail.”
“It was fun, wasn’t it?” He picked up your hand and brought the back of it to his lips where he made very purposeful eye contact with you and placed a soft kiss upon it. Words were lost to you again. He pulled your hand back from his lips but didn’t let go of it. “Do you remember when we were kids and would pretend that we were like those martial artists in the movies your grandma had? I may have been reliving those days a little when we fought. Except we both knew what we were doing and could have given those actors a run for their money.” His attention was paid mostly to your hand and his thumb brushed over the back of it. “You’re still so pale. Even after everything. You weren’t before we fought.”
“Maybe I always will be now.” You finally managed to say something, but it wasn’t any of the things you wanted to say either. That crush you’d had on him as a kid was rearing its ugly head again. It had been the silliest crush. You’d both been so young and understood so little of the truth of life but there it was. You’d credited that memory of him to ruining every relationship you’d ever had. No one could ever be Kung Lao. But there he was. Alive and the memory of his lips against the back of your hand at the forefront of your thoughts.
“Don’t resign to a fate of serving others, Y/N. You’re made for more than that.”
“I’m not resigning to anything but I’m not a fool.”
“Just don’t give up.”
“I’m not. I didn’t mean to sound like I was. Honestly, that all came out of me without meaning to.”
“Like you said: this is overwhelming.” Kung Lao released your hand and with that seemed to release the hold he had over you too. “I should let you rest, Y/N. For now.”
“How very thoughtful of you.” You managed to joke at last and scooted back onto the bed. Kung Lao stood, replaced your chair, and then offered you a short bow.
“Get some rest because the next time I see you, I’m not holding anything back.”
“You’re so much trouble, Kung Lao.”
“You’re welcome.” He left without another word, closing your door behind him. You sunk back into the bed and pulled the blankets over your head with a whine. You were never going to sleep again at this rate. Liu Kang and the wild fiery tension he brought with him and Kung Lao with his nostalgia, teasing you and dripping in romance. You supposed that of all the problems you had, those two were at least fun problems to have even if you swore that they were going to send you into cardiac arrest. You drifted to sleep, more mixed up than you had ever been.
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cienie-isengardu · 3 years ago
Note
Can you do headcanons on SubScorp (Kuai Liang / Hanzo Hasashi) and the evolution of their relationship, please? ♡
Sure, just please keep in mind that rock has a better romantic sense than I ever will. I’m not a shipper in general and SubScorp has a lot to overcome in my mind to even get close as friends but I will do my best! In advance, sorry for the long text and especially opening. My hand slipped but I needed to build the romantic headcanons on something.
Oh, and I kinda threw away the canon timeline here and there and went with how I would write their relationship (and story, I guess) if I was given the chance.
At the beginning, Hanzo and Kuai were bitter enemies and their hate for each other was the exact reason why Quan Chi kept them working together. The revenants were creatures of vivid emotions, twisted and corrupted by Netherrealm fire. So the stronger they hated, the mightier were their unnatural powers. But there was also a more sinister reason: Quan Chi kept them together, day after day, because it amused him to watch how Sub-Zero and Scorpion wanted to hurt each other but always were defenseless against his magic, always blindly obedient. To have two deadliest of enemies as slaves under his power was the best perk of necromancy.
When they were revenants though, Quan Chi’s cruel joke meant nothing. Kuai Liang had no free will, no remorse, only hate and pain to go on. Hanzo could - should - run away, but didn’t. He was broken in thousands of little ways and it was easier to follow orders, to not think than take responsibility for his own choices, to face the utterly devastating feeling of failure. It wasn't a good life - it wasn’t a life at all, but it was all they had.
After so many days turned into weeks turned into months, the constant presence of each other became the punishment and the salvation at once. They hated each other and this hate never truly left them for a moment, never let them feel peace of mind. They hated each other but it was an emotion that bonded them together, grounded in reality, made sense in an otherwise senseless world.
Hanzo and Kuai Liang got used to each other that the presence of mutual disdain was as normal part of their cursed life as breathing for a living person.
But then Quan Chi lost and suddenly they both were brought to life against their will. The first weeks were the worst. They were victims of dark magic, everyone was saying but none of them was a killer responsible for thousands of brutal deaths. Not like Hanzo and Kuai Liang and because of that, the burden of guilt was their alone. A burden they didn’t want to share among themselves, so they sought out different paths to find some solace.
For Hanzo, there was nothing to come back. The home of Shirai Ryu was destroyed, devastated beyond any measure. He still heard clearly Quan Chi’s voice in his head, how he failed his clan, how shamed his wife and child. Hanzo felt dirty and unworthy and utterly lost. The once mighty Scorpion was now a wreck, a directionless nomad.
For Kuai Liang, the home was Lin Kuei but it was taken by cyber monsters without souls. Once he returned to living, those monsters hunted him restlessly. For years he ran and hid and killed and killed and killed and killed until he was ready to face Sektor and reclaim what was once his. An honor and a purpose in life, so he could find Scorpion and kill him for brother’s death. But then he learned dark secrets of the clan and even darker truths that changed everything.
Because of that, Kuai Liang invited Hanzo to Lin Kuei Temple, offered peace and a new start, a way to atone for all crimes and sins they committed arm to arm during war. Above everything else, offered the truth that finally set them both free from their cruel past.
They did not keep in touch then though. They met sporadically, when Raiden asked his Champions to assist in this or that little crisis. To hunt the demons that somehow survived the war, to find oh so rare, mystic artifact or two, or do a quick job in the Outworld. They were assassins after all and Special Forces the heroes who shouldn’t dirty their hands.
During those meetings, Hanzo and Kuai Liang tried to stay as far as possible without making a fuss about it. During missions though there was no one who could safely separate them, and thus save them from painful memories of the past.
It was terrifying to Hanzo how much he missed Sub-Zero’s cold presence at his side, even if the so well known hate for Bi-Han’s death still hid beneath the cryomancer's skin like a furious, wild beast, always present, never forgiving, kept in check only by Lin Kuei’s iron will.
It was terrifying for Kuai Liang how well he still understood Scorpion’s body language even though the ninja tried so desperately to hide scars left by Quan Chi on his soul, all those unsaid horrors he experienced, all the doubts and pain and self-hatred that burned as hot as Netherrealm fire that twisted them both.
But those sporadic joint missions alone weren’t what helped them connect once and forever.
Ironically, it was the guilt that let one understand so well the other, to know when it was a good time for jab and when not to speak - not to see - raw pain that both so hard tried to bury under their respective masks, of cold politeness and hot devotion to the past. Surprisingly, it was also the arrogance of united governments that wanted to use them to expand Earthrealm’s control over wild Outworld yet did not see them as human beings. To be seen as a useful tool but never truly welcome wasn’t anything new for any of them. Kuai Liang and Hanzo were a relic of a dark past that should have died years ago yet were too stubborn to just yield and blindly follow orders even again. This burning desire for independence and search for their lost humanity built a common ground, the bridge between past hate and empathy.
This, and their shared disdain for Johnny’s never ending jokes. In the past, every time the Champions of Earthrealm met in the same place and Cage opened his mouth to talk Hollywood's weirdness, Hanzo got closer and closer to Kuai Liang. There was no word of recognition or permission - one look at each other and they understood perfectly it was either stay strong together and endure this senseless, annoying wave of words or do something regrettable.
And because they already had enough guilt to worry about, Sub-Zero and Scorpion simply stood arm to arm, like they did during war. Somehow that comforting familiarity grew up into something much stronger; not yet friendship but unity anyway. Time did not heal them but the mutual hate faded little by little, day after day until pain was nothing more than bitter ache they simply learned to live with.
Despite everything and everyone, Hanzo and Kuai Liang got to trust each other, to rely on a bond that was once a cruel Quan Chi’s joke.
Sub-Zero was the person that accompanied Hanzo to the Shirai-Ryu clan’s ruins, so he could finally bury dead ones left there forgotten by the world. Hanzo should have done that long ago, he knew, but the claw of fear clung to his heart for years and would not let it. The fear that Hanzo Hasashi never truly existed and he was a fraud, another lie begotten by Netherrealm. That there was no Harumi nor Satoshi and in the end he clinged so desperately to a nightmare that never was true to begin with. A nightmare for which he murdered the wrong person and brought someone else this maddening pain.
Seeing the ruins of home - the once so familiar bodies now just flesh spread out, glistening bones scattered everywhere, ripped and crushed, forgotten - was like dying again. Hanzo broke down and for the first time in a decade allowed himself to cry. Kuai Liang was there by his side, offering no wise words, nor comfort. He simply sat there, back to back with Hanzo, so he could know he wasn’t truly left alone this time yet quietly like a shadow to not disturb his grief. Hanzo would never forget this kindness for the rest of his life. He wouldn’t forget the sacrifice made that day by Sub-Zero to come to mortuary ruins, to bury another clan slaughtered without mercy in the name of madness and spite.
But with pain came also relief, that his memories were truly his and not another sweet lie whispered to his ear by a twisted sorcerer.
(Kuai Liang came here because it was the right thing to do. To pay respect and melt the dark past into a better future in which Shirai Ryu and Lin Kuei could be an ally, maybe even brothers in arms. He came for Hanzo, because no one did that for him, when he had countless bodies of comrades to bury after Sektor’s defeat and no one should be forced to do so alone. He came there also for himself, to see and be sure Bi-Han wasn’t part of the heartless crime. The hallmarks of a frontal attack, chaotic destruction and coarse, devoid of surgical precision violence were proof it wasn’t Bi-Han’s work. His brother would never be so sloppy, so random in his attack. He even told so Hanzo, in this moment of relief and social clumsiness and Scorpion just looked at him with the reddened eyes and did not burst in flame of anger, just… accepted the truth and Kuai Liang said no more about it.)
Scorpion was the person that stayed at Kuai Liang’s side when Frost betrayed her master and disappeared without a trace. He never liked the cryomancer girl - she reminded him too much of Sub-Zero who sought him for brother’s death. Young and brash, untamed, always snarling, spitting with venom in their face. But above everything else, Frost’s anger burned too hot like his own and he hated to look at her and to see himself.
Maybe losing such a precious student - an heir - was like losing a child. Hanzo understood this crushing feeling but there were no right words to offer. Even if he knew them, Sub-Zero did not want pity, did not want to talk. All he needed was a space to unleash fury and pain, the excess of emotions too large to bury them in the tomb of a cold heart. And so day after day, night after night, the ice and fire clashed over and over again until all muscles burned and the ache brought finally some peace. Not much, but enough to let Kuai Liang not dwell on his failure and focus on Grandmaster’s duties.
(There was something off about this whole situation but Hanzo couldn’t pick on what exactly. Kuai Liang had secrets he didn’t share, not yet and Hanzo respected his wishes, trusting Lin Kuei’s word. So far, Kuai Liang never had let him down. Scorpion trusted and it was terrifying on its own).
Those were the little steps into a path that brought them closer. It wasn't love for each other then, not even romantic infatuation, but love for the lost one, for family that was once but no longer. They understood this grief too well.
The first time Hanzo felt the pang of love, he and Kuai Liang were debating about the proper course of the upcoming mission. They were sitting in Hanzo’s room, with an open door leading to the Fire Garden. Then, without warning came spring rain and both looked out on instinct. The air was filled with the freshness of trees and flowers coming back to life; a freshness they breathed in greedily to wash out the taste of Netherrealm ash forever.
On that day, everything seemed to be in the right place. Just the two of them, sitting arm to arm delighted by the simplest things in life; a warm rain, nourishing garden, a steaming mug of tea between all of this. There was a peace Hanzo did not feel for ages and the sound of the rain and steady breath of his companion lulled him into half-sleep, half-awareness.
On that day, Hanzo wished to keep this moment forever.
The second time Hanzo felt something toward Kuai Liang, it was on Lin Kuei’s training ground. They spared, like they always did in their free or stressful time, but for whatever reason, Kuai Liang smiled at him, this soft, weirdly cocky smile he rarely shows in company and Hanzo looked at it for a few seconds too long before he understood how fast his heart beat, how warmness filled him - not the Netherrealm fire that burns through his muscles and bones, but warmth that he felt only around his wife and child. He wanted to kiss those lips, to feel its coldness on his own. It was wrong on so many levels and he did what he always does in times of overwhelming emotions he didn’t like. He disappeared into flames and ran the hell away from Sub-Zero’s smile. The burned holes to this day were the proof of his shameful panic.
Where did such obscene thoughts come from, he did not have an idea. But the guilt for having them even for a moment about Kuai Liang - any man, really - was too heavy, too suffocating to face Sub-Zero. So Hanzo avoided him for weeks.
And yet, he came back to Lin Kuei Temple. And again and again and again. Despite the burning shame, he sought out Kuai Liang, because only around him, the Netherrealm’s cursed fire cooled down enough to allow him to breathe.
So he danced, between disgrace and this weird feeling of happiness, of living again. Of seeking out the cryomancer and running away from horrific emotion he didn’t know how to get rid off, how to tame.
(Hanzo loved Harumi with all his heart. How could he love - desire - anyone else? And a man whose brother he unjustly killed?)
Kuai Liang decided to not discuss Scorpion’s emotional swings until Hanzo figured it out for himself what he truly wanted. There was no point to get involved into some sentimental drama if there was no hope for sensible agreement.
The Lin Kuei always desired a new generation of warriors, so sex wasn’t any taboo. Some warriors sought comfort in the arms of strange women and men, some between each other. Sex wasn’t forbidden but the emotions were. To feel loyalty or worse, love, to a fellow warrior instead of trusting the masters was a crime.
Kuai Liang did not feel any sudden pang of love toward Hanzo, nor any desire for physical contact. Romanticism never was part of any cryomancer’s nature. He missed his brother and Smoke, but year after year the pain of loss dulled enough to leave him with nothingness. Kuai Liang knew only this: somehow Scorpion became the only source of warmth that kept his heart from freezing completely.
Kuai Liang didn’t have a proper name for what twirled in his soul - a friendship or a love, how one could tell those apart? He wished his older brother or Smoke was there to tell him it was alright to like - care for - Hanzo, but both were dead and twisted into monsters. It was just him and his fragile, scarred heart to judge what was right and what was not. And hope Bi-Han would forgive him the weakness.
They find the balance that keeps both safe, warming the frozen heart and cooling down the neverending flame of anger. For a decade or so, it worked well.
But then Hanzo killed Quan Chi and ruined the chance to free revenants from sorcerer’s curse. The Champions of Earthrealm never liked Scorpion to begin with, now he was persona non grata. Rightly so. Imprisoned, he awaited their judgment. Scorpion could easily escape but chose not to - he was ready to face the consequences yet there was no court nor punishment. The Grandmaster of Lin Kuei came for him and made it clear to all representatives of the united governments and army that he will with Hanzo at his side, over their dead bodies if need be.
Twenty years was not enough time to forget what they together were capable of in fight. How dangerous and experienced murderers they were. No one dared to stop them when they left military base together.
Kuai Liang did not rely on words to show his feelings. Deeds always spoke more than any pretty speech. He was disappointed yet he still came for Hanzo. He saw Scorpion’s arrogance, egoism, breaking point and still came and that only made Hanzo love him more. For the first time, he did not feel shame or guilt for loving - and being loved - by another man.
Hanzo Hasashi’s choice almost brought destruction to the world yet somehow, this tragedy made them inseparable for good. It wasn’t always easy - they argued, for fun and for real and there were still rare days when it was only wise to stay away from each other. Like the day of Bi-Han’s unjust death and the lost chance to bring Harumi and Satoshi to life. They were beyond the primal hate yet some instincts were too strong to risk destroying what they built for themselves over the years.
Somehow through the years they changed from Sub-Zero and Scorpion to Grandmasters of their respective clans and from those to just Kuai Liang and Hanzo.
Hanzo wasn’t used to being so casually called by name but he liked the change. It was Sub-Zero’s voice, he suspected, that made him feel so attracted. At the same time, he felt honored when Kuai Liang told his birth - forbidden - name. He knew it already, for years, but it was different to know and be told, allowed, to use it freely.
Hanzo’s turbulent relationship with other Champions got worse once his student, Takeda started dating Jaqueline Briggs. The Champions distrusted and disliked him and he didn’t feel any need to reconcile with them. Kuai Liang was disappointed in him for treating the girl coldly but everytime asked why he still bothered to deal with Shirai Ruy Grandmaster, the answer was one and the same - he is my equal. For Hanzo it was the most beautiful and terrifying declaration.
(At the same time, everytime Hanzo heard someone accusing Sub-Zero of being cold, heartless, untouched by trauma, the anger burned him wholly. Who were they to judge, to mock Kuai Liang’s pain that hid so well under polite words and calmness? He did not care what people said about him, but would not stand any mockery against those he respected - loved - so much.)
Then of course another immortal being decided to screw up everything and messed up timelines. The younger, brash and mad version of Scorpion wasn’t something that Hanzo and Kuai Liang actually wanted to see, nor the repeat of Cyber Lin Kuei. Then Hanzo died and woke up, again trapped in Netherrealm. So he ran at the first chance, thinking more about Kuai Liang than about his own fears of burning alive in hell forever. The sight of Sub-Zero in hell should have alarmed him - and it did, for a moment, scare Hanzo that the other man died too which was an unbearable thought. But Kuai Liang was alive and so, so determined to bring him back home. If that wasn’t the loudest, the most tangible declaration of love, what else could it be?
And so, like twenty years ago, they fight side to side, like one body and soul. And destroyed, killed, tore apart demons and hellspawn, everything and everyone that stood in their way to freedom, to safety of Earthrealm’s boundaries. First time in ages, they could unleash their anger at those who hurt them, enslaved, and used. It felt so good, so right to be a storm of vengeful fury that frightened even the mighty Netherrealm. They were alive and together and nothing, no gods, titans or destiny, could stop them.
Kuai Liang and Hanzo did not talk much about their last visit in Netherrealm. What happened there was their and only their moment to relish, incomprehensible for bystanders. It was weird though, to come back to live and face his younger, stubborn self. Kuai Liang did not like this Scorpion much and to be honest, Hanzo did not like this version of himself too. It was Scorpion from the darkest time in their past, when only mutual hate connected them. At the same time, there was something amusing to see himself so awkward and uneasy everytime when Kuai Liang and older Hanzo sat so closely, relaxed and calm, like it was the normalest thing to do. When they acted like halves of the same soul.
Kuai Liang never was keen to show any romantic gestures but sometimes he took Hanzo’s hand to emphasize clearly what they were. Hanzo was always surprised by Sub-Zero’s openness and filled with joy, whereas his younger self was confused as hell. Hanzo suspected he would soon need to talk and explain to his younger self what he and Kuai Liang were to each other. Why they needed each other so much and how loving someone else other than Harumi was not dishonor. After all, love wasn’t sin nor weakness.
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kaediisarchive · 4 years ago
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Final thoughts on the 2021 Mortal Kombat movie.
LOTS of spoilers under the cut! Do not look at this post if you don’t want to see spoilers!
And remember, this is all just my opinion. It’s not like an actual in-depth review because I’m not a film student; this is just my perspective on what I saw as a fan of this franchise.
POSITIVE
Sub-Zero and Scorpion were great. Opening fight was great.
“Eddy Tobias” namedrop lmao
I love the snow preceding Sub-Zero’s attack. Very foreboding.
Score is AWESOME. My favorite soundtrack is probably the one that plays when Sub-Zero is attacking them in the city towards the beginning.
Sonya rigging her house with a secret bunker and trap doors is smart and fits her character.
I like that the dragon logo has an integral meaning to the story.
Loved Jax vs Sub-Zero. Not mad about the origin change of Jax’s arms. I like that he had to work through his feelings of inadequacy and failure; people don’t just immediately bounce back after something that traumatic. I also like that his arcana manifests to protect Sonya rather than in the heat of battle. It shows his emotional priorities and what separates him from people like Kano who manifest their arcana in a fit of rage.
Sonya “Throw Hands on Sight” Blade lmfao. They nailed her fighting style too and I am happy.
Kano is the best thing about this movie. No competition.
Kotal reference!
Nightwolf reference!
Shang Tsung’s soul magic being black and wispy and foreshadowing Noob Saibot.
KANO DID THE HEART RIP
CHEKOV’S GNOME I’M SCREAAAAAAMMMMIIIIIINNNNGGGGGG
I love Liu Kang in this. He is 1000000% a Wholesome Boi. I like that he’s younger and unhardened and not the fully realized champion version of his character yet. Let him grow into it so it feels earned later on. I like that he’s the underdog, and I like what they’ve set up for him in the future. Also, the casting for him was perfect and they nailed his fighting style, too.
That little “the FUCK” that the Kano actor improvised(?) in the middle of Liu Kang’s lines made me laugh more than it should have. I don’t know why that moment got to me so much but it did.
I love Kung Lao. And they nailed his fighting style, too! Great to see variation that represents the characters (though there were less shining examples, which I’ll touch on later).
LOW SWEEP! LOW SWEEP! LOW SWEEP!
Egg roll scene is best scene.
Kabal! I love his dry humor. And his voice reminds me of Duke Nukem, which I’m not mad about. It complemented his dialogue well.
Not mad about Kung Lao’s death because it was meaningful. His fatality on Nitara was sick, too.
Liu Kang taking the ribbon from Kung Lao’s hat and wearing it in his honor, giving an origin for his signature headband is FANTASTIC.
THE PIT!
FLYING BICYCLE KICKS!
LIU KANG’S DRAGON FATALITY!
SONYA’S ENERGY RINGS!
Sub-Zero was a GREAT final boss. They really built him up appropriately to make him feel like it.
Scorpion’s fatality! And his skull face!
NEUTRAL
Not sure how I feel about Sub-Zero being wholly evil and there being no involvement from Quan Chi. It’s more straight forward for sure. It makes him an interesting (and badass) character, and I’m really behind this portrayal in that he is one of the most believable characters in the movie, but I’m not sure if I like the implications for later films in how this has simplified the dynamic in the entire Shirai Ryu vs Lin Kuei plotline. Having Quan Chi be the Machiavelli was always one of my favorite MK twists. And how do we eventually end the feud now? If Bi-Han / the Lin Kuei were wholly responsible, why should Hanzo EVER make peace with Kuai Liang down the line? The complexity feels like it’s been stripped down a bit, but I do love this iteration of Sub-Zero. I truly do. That’s why this is in the neutral category and not the negative XD.
Why didn’t Jax tell Cole when he saw the mark? Why wait until his family gets attacked? Maybe he didn’t want to do it in front of his family to keep them out of it, but that ends up endangering them more. Not a gripe, just a curiosity.
Sound editing was a bit too intense at times for my taste. I have tinnitus, so...big boomy bass with very mild voices is a chore for my ears to switch between. My ears were ringing within the first twelve minutes.
Torn between “fuck you Reiko” and “Reiko deserved better”. He deserved just a little bit better, but Skarlet says “get fucked” anyway.
I don’t like the “shaky cam” used in the fight scenes. Not my cup of tea. Very hard to visually process at times.
Whatever cosmic force is picking the champions for Earthrealm is doing a shitty job at it.
Why did they change the location of the Sky Temple to a desert? Again, not a gripe, a curiosity.
“We will not see another full moon before the tournament begins” THEN WHERE IS THE TOURNAMENT BUDDY???
Not sure how I feel about the “arcana” concept. It’s an okay plot device but kinda hammy.
Kitana’s fan! But why? Why is it there? I could understand the Kotal and Nightwolf references because Sonya has been researching, but why is Kitana’s fan randomly in an Earthrealm temple? Purely cheap fanservice.
Nitara was really cool. Shame she had to die, but her death was cool and there have to be some characters that get killed off. Wish she had more screentime though; feels like another instance of fanservice just having her show up basically as a namedrop and a quick kill.
The phrase “Are you okay?” was said WAY too much in this film. So much that I actually notices how often it was said, and I usually don’t pick up on these things.
Pretty sure a camera operator fell at one point in a Sonya scene because the camera jerked around violently all of the sudden then stabilized. Whoops.
How did Sub-Zero know to take Cole’s family to the gym? WHY did he take them there?
NEGATIVE
Opening scene was awesome, but it’s emotional impact felt stunted. I feel like the order of events should have been twisted a bit. Hanzo find his wife and son should have been the big emotional climax of the scene, but it felt like a passing moment and gave him no time to mourn and no time for the impact to truly set in with me. It was an “oh no they died” moment instead of an “ OH MY GOD THEY DIED THIS IS SO FUCKED FUCK YOU SUB-ZERO” moment. I dare say that the Legacy web series did it better in spite of their lower budget and overall quality; the series of events had better pacing and gave more emotional impact because of it. I said what I fucking said don’t @ me.
Wish we got more Scorpion. I love Sanada, I love him as Scorpion, but they didn’t give us the time we needed with his character to truly get a grasp of him.
Cole Young is like white bread in a parade of decorative cakes.
Raiden, a normally passionate and protective character whose fatal flaw is that he involves himself too much in events because he cares about the people in his realm and ends up fucking things up because of it, now seems to not care in the slightest. He feels completely uninvolved save for an occasional pop in to give a nod of disapproval. I don’t like this unemotional take on one of the most emotional characters in Mortal Kombat.
Small complaint from my perspective as a martial artist but uh...”Throw your uppercut!” was a bullshit line in a bullshit scene. If you’re locked up with someone like that and the guy has his arms around your neck, you physically cannot uppercut. You cannot fit your arms between his arms because they are cinched tightly around your shoulders/neck. YOUR HEAD is between your fist + bicep and HIS HEAD. In that situation, the guy has also left his body completely unguarded, so the most logical thing to do since you CANNOT reach his head is to go for BODY BLOWS. Beat him until he lets go to protect himself, catch his floating rib with double strikes, or punch the dude in his fucking liver as hard as you can to DROP HIM. Cole is supposed to be an experienced fighter, yet he makes one of the most rookie mistakes a fighter could ever make. Normally I wouldn’t care to point out mistakes in fight choreography or whatever because it’s MK and I expect ridiculousness, but this is the WRONG kind of ridiculous. It’s just NONSENSE.
I have SO MANY issues with Mileena. I’ll make this as short as I can. I don’t like the design of her mouth. I don’t like her weird stacked voice. She shows NO personality, not in her acting or even her fighting style, just an evil minion that got angry because she almost got her ass kicked. The turned one of the principle characters of the entire franchise and a fan favorite into a GRUNT. There is NO mention of Kitana outside of literal “fan”-service. Not even a reference to one of the most important plotlines in all of Mortal Kombat. And then they KILL HER OFF!!! When they do inevitably bring in Kitana WHAT THE FUCK ARE THEY GOING TO DO SINCE THEY KILLED OFF MILEENA???? I’m heated and biased and they did my girl dirty.
Speaking of doing characters dirty, poor Reptile. They turned him into an actual animal. What a waste.
Why are they so mean to Sonya if she doesn’t have a mark? She wouldn’t be as much of a “liability” if they would take the time to prepare her and teach her how to defend against fighters that have unlocked their arcana. Mind-numbingly stupid logic.
This movie relies A LOT on prerequisite knowledge to work. It’s like they want fans to fill in the blanks for them. But not everyone watching is already a fan; this isn’t an obscure release, this is a blockbuster movie released worldwide. These gaps in lore and prior knowledge don’t make sense for such a broad audience.
Cole Young literally could have just been Johnny Cage.
Where was Raiden when his temple was being assaulted?
Cole’s arcana is LITERAL PLOT ARMOR IM FUCKING DONE
No but for real that’s the most boring decision they just ripped off Jax’s MK11 heater effect and Baraka’s blades (I know they’re tonfa and they aren’t attached and I DON’T CARE). Also, now he’s suddenly good at fighting again? After being dog shit this entire movie??? And tanks Goro?????
If Raiden is an Elder God in this continuity, why is he allowed to help Earthrealm AT ALL? It seems like favoritism and bends the rules that the Elder Gods are supposedly bound by way too much. They really just shouldn’t have made him an Elder God; I honestly think they just said it to introduce the concept without a fuck given towards the actual lore of the Elder Gods.
WHY DID RAIDEN TELEPORT KANO TO SONYA’S HOUSE AFTER HE BETRAYED THEM I HAD TO REWATCH THAT SEVERAL TIMES TO MAKE SURE I JUST SAW WHAT I SAW  WHAT THE ACTUAL NONSENSICAL FUCK
Cole REALLY should not have been involved in that last fight. Especially not after Scorpion shows up. It should have been Scorpion vs Sub-Zero ONLY for the final fight. Cole tag-teaming Sub-Zero with Scorpion cheapens Scorpion’s revenge.
Camera work in the final fight was not good, especially in the first portion. At one point Cole gets thrown into a fence, but it cuts to an awkward inverse angle that makes him look like he’s bouncing off of a trampoline. This continues to happen and ruins several shots for me.
Honestly Scorpion should have just possessed Cole. Permanently. No switching back and forth. No more Cole, only Scorpion.
PREDICTIONS
Lots of dead characters come back as revenants and / or with upgrades.
Kano comes back with cyber eye.
Mileena comes back with full teeth.
Liu Kang becomes MK champion, wins tournament, and kills Shang Tsung. As it should be.
Cole Young helps Liu Kang become champion somehow idk maybe he sacrifices himself or something just please don’t make Cole the champion I will start a riot.
Next movie will start IMMEDIATELY at the tournament since there was supposedly less than a month until the tournament starts in this movie.
New characters coming in will be Kitana, Shao Kahn, Jade, Quan Chi, Kuai Liang, Noob Saibot, Ermac, and Johnny Cage.
OVERALL
This movie was good, bloody fun! It’s not an A++ Oscar-winner, but if you expected that going into it, you played yourself. It was Mortal Kombat; it was stupid, it was gory, and I had a blast watching it. Kano and Liu Kang were the best parts of the movie for me, with Scorpion and Sub-Zero tied for third. Also I popped a lot for the cheap nostalgia hits. I’m overall satisfied with what we got in spite of my complaints, and I only complain so in-depth about the things I love lmao so trust me when I say I’m not actually mad, just nitpicky. I’ve watched it twice now, and I would watch it again. It’s like a 6.8/10 for me.
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baebywendy · 4 years ago
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My favorite Kpop releases in 2020
Girls - Nature
Girls by Nature is my favorite Kpop release of 2020 because of the mystery the song gives. The song makes you anticipated with what the solution is but it never gives it to you and you want more. This isn’t a bad thing especially with the music video. This music video was creepy but it was creepy mostly because of the mystery aspect. Throughout the music video, you keep asking yourself why or what and towards the end none of the questions are answered. This song also gives me a nostalgic feel from old Kpop in a way but it fits so well with 2020. The song itself, just kept bringing me in and the music video as well. When I first listened to this song, I was left in confusion because of how the music video ended. I kept listening to the song and watching the music video to figure it out but nothing. The song itself is just a really interesting song and the music video brings alive the song even more. If you watch the music video there two versions one normal and the other one uncensored. If you watched the uncensored trigger warning, there’s blood, there’s stabbing and mental distress throughout. Nature had a release before this called Oopsie My Bad and that song I liked but it wasn’t enough to bring me in but Girls did that for me. I’ve listened to videos with this song on a hour loop and the sad thing is, I never noticed it being that long because I just enjoy the song so much. This song truly captured my attention and I’m interested to see Nature’s future.
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Dazzle Dazzle- Weki Meki
Dazzle Dazzle by Weki Meki was such a cute song and it just makes me smile when I listened to it. Dazzle Dazzle aesthetic in the music video was something that I loved and the outfits as well brought the song more alive to me. Weki Meki had a successful year and all the title songs they had were also some of my favorites of this year. I picked Dazzle Dazzle to be my favorite out of the others because it’s so playful and it was something I was actually craving this year. I love all types of concepts but I couldn’t help myself wanting a cute song and this song gave me that. Not only is the song cute but the dance is also very cute and it matches the song perfectly. It's a song that I play when I clean because it makes it more fun or whatever I'm doing fun. I hope Weki Meki gets more recognition in the years to come because their dances and raps are some of my favorite within girl groups.  
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Monster - Irene and Seulgi
Monster by Irene and Seulgi made me feel like a vampire killing men at midnight but looking sexy. The beginning of the song is already eerie and it drives you in with the loudness of the bass. Then Seulgi starts singing and it makes you feel like your captured in a trance. Seulgi’s voice throughout the song is one of her best vocal performance to me because it shows her technique and how well she can use it. The deepness of her voice brings out the sexiness the song has and it’s only the first line. Then Irene’s voice comes in with a deep and again sexy voice but it’s softer then Seulgi’s. Irene’s voice through the song isn’t battling selgui and vice versa. Their voices match perfectly for the song and the concept itself. This song and naughty was my favorite but I picked monster as the winner because of how much I loved the overall themes in the debut. The music video brought out the monster within the girls and throughout the video, it’s a battle of dominance. Monster is literally one of my favorite releases and I listen to it almost everyday, it’s a strange lullaby but I don’t fight it.
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Scream- Dreamcatcher
Scream by Dreamcatcher is my second favorite title track by Dreamcatcher and this track rocked the kpop scene gathering more fans and getting more sales. The beginning of the song starts off with a track from Lord of the Rings or any final battle sequence. Dreamcatchers voices are soft and beautiful making the instrumental more demanding, the contrast is what makes every Dreamcatcher song so good in my eyes. The chorus of the song has a devil voice in the background that you hear but don’t truly notice it until later on. The rapping also comes in and it fit so well with the song, it just gives another layer of the song. The devil voice comes back with Gahyeon voice, as if the demon is within her as she sings it. Then towards the end the devil is just part of the song and it makes it known that it’s always been there. I actually had a hard time deciding between Scream and Boca because both were fantastic but Scream won because I enjoyed the demons voice in the song and the beat of the song itself. Boca is also a really good song and I recommend to listen to it but back to scream. The lyrics of scream as well talks about how words can hurt and how it just makes you want to scream because of it. The devil within the song is the people that are sending the hate and towards the end they gain control back even if the demon's voice is still heard. Scream is a good song if you want to pretend your fighting or you just want a song to make you feel empowered.
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Not by the Moon - Got7
Not by the Moon by Got7 is my second favorite Got7 song because its beautiful and the music video is one of my favorites that came out this year. Dare I say it, this is my favorite boy group song that came out this year. Let me start off with the melody of the song first, the melody itself just screams royal and elegance to me. Something that I’ve seen in Got7 is the transition into more mature songs and how much I love the transition being so organic. On my favorite album list, Breath of love: Last Piece is there and I talk about how JYP didn’t touch it but within this JYP touched it. Even though JYP touched it, it doesn’t mean I hate it. I wanted Got7 to have the chance having creative outlook for once on a title track. Now back to Not by the Moon. This song made Got7 vocals sound so beautiful and it also gives their vocals a mature sound. As a person that went to a film school, the sets in this music video is so well done. The sets themselves are seen to be extravagant and at the same time simple, the sets don't clash with one another and they fit perfectly with each other. The music video and the outfits sold the theme of royal and it made me like it even more. But now let me thirst over JB in this era. Did you see that man? His outfits and his hair gave me everything. It got so bad that youtube was just showing fancams of him during this era and yes, I watched every one. Not only that, when he was dancing in the background with him being the fine piece of man he is; kept catching my eyes and I couldn’t focus on Young-Jae or Yugyeom. Thirst session over. Not by the Moon is a good sequel to the maturity that You Calling My Name gave and I can't wait to see more by Got7 in 2021.
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Wannabe - Itzy
Wannabe by Itzy was the first Itzy song where I didn’t have to listen to it more than once to like it. With DALLA DALLA and ICY, it took awhile for those songs to become my top in my playlist. With the first listen of this song, I knew this was going to become my favorite by Itzy but then Not Shy came out. Wannabe and Not Shy were neck to neck in my book but Wannabe won because of the tune itself. The tune of the song does such a good job on showcasing their voices that there is no battle between them. Wannabe wasn’t something I expected with Itzy after ICY, I expected a song close to ICY but was given the opposite of ICY. Itzy theme is self love and being different, this song is continuation of that theme. This song does what DALLA DALLA does with demanding eyes to be on them but does it in a slightly more mature version of Itzy. The song still is playful but to me it has a sprinkle of mature in it. Now let's talk about the legendary shoulder move. This move changed my life, just watching it being done was so satisfying and I can't explain why it was. The dance break is my favorite dance break within Itzy, it's just so cool to see them move. Wannabe is a good extension if Itzy's themes and I can imagine it becoming a staple in their discography.  
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Dream of You - Chung Ha and R3HAB
Dream of you by Chung Ha and R3hab was a song that made me the hoe in me come out and I wanted to dance. It was so hard to pick what Chung Ha song I wanted to put here because all of them are so good and so different from one another. Stay Tonight gave me club kid, Play brought the dancer out but I was wearing a red dress in this one, Bad Boy was a easy song to listen to with two different voices that blend well together and then Dream of You. Dream of You brought out a different reaction, I was shocked because of the dancing that was on my screen and then the lyrics. When I heard Chung Ha say lingerie, my mind combust and I was just stuck replaying that part. The song does a good job to show Chung Ha voice but not only that shows her dancing skills that never fails to impress me. With every release she has, I know I’m going to get the full package no matter what. Somehow, she always raises the bar with her music videos, outfits, dances, and her vocals. I know she has Covid and I hope she has a speedy recovery, I also hope theres no long term effects on her health from this. I think Chung Ha is on her way making herself a legend within Kpop and I can't wait to see that for her.
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Yours - Chanyeol, Raiden, Lee Hi, Changmo
Before I get into the song, Chanyeol in a suit with nothing underneath his jacket and the only thing I can see is two necklaces makes me want to become a flight attendant. Not only did he give me that look but he also gave me ripped jeans and a blazer, this man is going to give me a heart attack and I'm going to say thank you. Anyways, Yours by Chanyeol, Raiden, Lee Hi and Changmo was a song that I played the most at night because Chanyeol’s and Lee Hi’s voice was so soft that it could easily put you to sleep. This was my third most played song of 2020 on Spotify for good reason. For starters Chanyeol is my man and I gotta support his hoe ass but another reason is just how peaceful this song is. I had a hard time because I wanted to put Minimal Warm because that was another song I listened to at night and is currently on my 2020 favs on itunes. The hoe in me wanted to give both but I realized that Yours won because Chanyeol rapped in the beginning of Yours and I am a simp for rapper Chanyeol. The song just makes me feel like we're driving to the beach and making a small video when we get there. This song was a light hearted summer song and boy did it make me fall more in love with Chanyeol's hoe ass even more. Lee Hi's voice is a nice addition that makes the song feel even more light and her voice is just nice and smooth. Changmo rap also didn't change the song and it continue the them of light hearted summer song. This song is my lullaby most nights and Chanyeol I miss you on instagram.
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Helicopter - CLC
Helicopter by CLC was another long awaited comeback and there was fear because there was a rumor that disbandment was going to be CLC'S next step. I waited for any news and then I saw Yeeun on Good Girl and it made me realize a comeback is coming. When I heard the second teaser of Helicopter, I knew I was going to like the song and I was right. This is one of the best comebacks of 2020 in my opinion because how long we waited for it. Helicopter is as song that I think defines CLC as a whole with the lyrics, the dance, the attitude, and the music video. "I go up in the sky Jumping over the time and space, I changed everything for this moment. A night covered in a veil, passing through a long day. I’m gonna make it big, no doubt. There ain’t no star that cannot shine, let’s hang out at the top." I think these lyrics express everything we want CLC to achieve and what they want to do as well. This song is their driving force to become better and no matter they will reach the top. This song gives you the empowerment to do anything and never give up just like CLC. I'm excited to see more from them and make sure to check their covers, my personal favorite is fly me to the moon.
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To be or Not to be - Oneus
To Be or Not to Be by Oneus wasn’t the song I expected after A Song Written Easily because of how different they are. The shock on my face when I saw the teaser for it and the excitement I had because it was new for them. I’ve been a fan of Oneus since they debuted and they’re actually in my top ten boy groups. Their past songs have been dark but To Be or Not to Be was truly one of the darkest songs that they have done. The music video showed off the darkness of the song so well that it didn’t feel like a music video but a movie. This is my favorite music video that came out in 2020 because of the production and the sets that was in it was just so beautiful. The music video is more story telling then other music videos that they have done but it matches at the same time. The rapping in this song was so good, it demanded attention and the deep voices they had just matched so well with the song.  The dance that they had with this song truly blew me away and there parts in the dance where I was shocked, the throwing of the members just matched the song so perfectly. Now lets talk about music video. This music video again was my favorite music video that came out of 2020 because of the story telling it had. In the very first shot, it was light from the sunlight and they were seen wearing white clothing at table with a white table cloth but when the song starts the scene changes into a darker scene. In writing, white is the symbol of purity, innocence and simplicity so when the scene changes to black, you can still see them wearing white but the environment is darker now. As the song moves forward it transitions between the dark and the light. Within the music video, there's flashes of red and red is seen as a overlay in some parts. In film and writing red is the color of anger, passion, love and desire. The useage of red throughout the video makes the song comes more alive. I'm going to stop talking about the music video now because I can just go on for hours on it. The music video and song blend so well with each other that it truly does feel like your watching a movie. I hope they can continue this film work in later videos because it made the song even more special.
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Hmph! - WJSN Chocome
Hmph! by WJSN Chocome was the song that I wanted all year and then I was given it, after complaining. See when you complain sometimes you just win and this is my example of that. I can say how playful this song is but I don't even think that word does it justice. This song was so cute and adorable when I first heard it I fell in love with it. In the beginning the song is already bringing you in with the unique beats that I have never heard before. The music video matches the weirdness of this song and it takes the cute to the next level for me. In the music video it shows the dance and the dance is so cute with the song. The whole song, music video, outfits, and dance is the cutest thing I have seen this year. I hope WJSN does a concept like this in the future or maybe another song by WJSN Chocome because I love it and i support the idea of it.
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La Di Da - Everglow
La Di Da by Everglow is such a contrast to the last comebacks that they had in past but at the same time it fit with the concept they have established for themselves. When I heard La Di Da teaser I was excited because on my favorite album list, The Weeknd album was my favorite of 2020. This song gave me the vibes of blinding lights and I enjoyed it. Not only that but the part Everglow, forever lets go was the most unexpected break of a song that I have heard but it's my favorite. I hope that becomes their intro when they do interviews because its a cool saying to me. The raps brought more depth to the song and it made love Aisha even more. The outfits of this era was so pretty and I like anything with sequins. The dance had voguing in it and being a huge fan of drag queens, if I see any type of voguing I’m living for it. I know Sihyeon and Yiren tested positive for covid and I hope for a speedy recovery and I also hope this doesn't cost long term damage. 
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Honorable mentions:  
Arisong - Cignature
1 billion views (feat. Moon) - EXO-SC
My Day is Full of You - Zico, Wendy
Butterfly - WJSN
Lovesick Girls- Blackpink
Feel Good - Fromis_9  
God’s Menu - Stray Kids
Secret Story of the Swan - Izone
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eleanor-devil · 6 years ago
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[Boruto Fanfic] Aihime
As promised here is the new, small, collab fanfic done between me and @mirage-05 !
This fanfic is mainly focused on Boruto’s and Mitsuki’s relationship, with the possibility of romance in the way but mainly regarding their bond as friends. Some other ships will be occasionally mentioned such as ShikaSara and Sumire x OC.
Feedback is appreciated!
Chapter 1: Mitsuki’s Wish
Mitsuki stared at that little baby in the hospital's nursery; well actually there was more than one baby in that room, each one of them with their name written in their crib, some were there with their parents and others were alone, some were awake and others were sleeping.
But Mitsuki, for once, wasn't minding all the other babies around him, he was starting particularly at the black haired baby boy that had been born just a few hours ago. The man's golden eyes stared at the name too.
Shikaharu Uchiha-Nara.
Son and first born of two of his friends, one of them being Mitsuki's former teammate and the current Hokage; nonetheless Mitsuki had delivered this child himself, he had been the first one to hold the baby boy, to see him open his mouth and shout his first cries into the world before passing him to his parents.
Albeit, it wasn't the first child Mitsuki had brought to the world, after all it was part of his job in Konoha's hospital; and it also wasn't the first child from close friends that he had seen been born even if he hadn't been the one to deliver them.
And still... with the lives of all those babies and their parents he touched... he couldn't remember ever being hit with such a sensation... it was pretty overwhelming really. To observe the creation of another living being from the beginning... listening to its heartbeat... watching it grow in its mother's belly…
He was coming more and more to the realization that he wasn't just getting used to it, enjoy it... he was fascinated. And often, from time to time... he wondered how it would be to have a child of his own…
Despite already being in his middle 20's, Mitsuki hadn't found anyone to be with; sure he had dated a few here and there but they barely lasted or Mitsuki just didn't feel "the connection" with them, not in the same way Shikadai and Sarada had with each other or the same way Sumire and her husband, Raiden, had.
But Mitsuki, despite not having found the so called 'soulmate' for himself yet, felt that he was ready to have a child of his own; he didn't really care if there wasn't the second parent like in most children's lives, he would love the child in double if needed.
These thoughts continued to wander in Mitsuki's head, so much that by the end of the day, after his shift was over the blue haired man found himself calling Karin through his phone as he made his way back home.
Karin's tone was light and cheerful as she replied to him. "How nice to hear from you again, Mitsuki. I hope everything is good in Konoha?"
The young man couldn't help a small but genuine smile. No matter how old he became, Karin's motherly instinct toward him never changed - and he was actually glad for that. They chatted light-heartedly for a while, just catching up as they always do in their calls, before Mitsuki finally decided to bring up the subject he originally called for.
"Karin... I needed your advice about something." He took a deep breath. Yes, his father had Karin running this... business for a while now... but it wasn't like Mitsuki gave it a lot of thought before. "I... I decided that I really want to raise a child of my own."
The question caught Karin by surprise, of course it did Mitsuki had never showed interest in this before. The woman tried to understand why the sudden change of heart.
"Why is that Mitsuki? I mean, you know it's a big responsibility."
Mitsuki sighed "I know." he sat down on a bench near the park, watching some kids playing together "But I feel like something is missing in my life and working daily with children has made me realize that I want one."
Karin remained silent for a minute. Well, it wasn't really hard to see where Mitsuki was coming from... he had always been a sensitive and caring  person after all. For a brief second she had the image of a mini-Mitsuki, one that called the young man on the phone with her papa... and she couldn't help a smile.
"Well..." she sighed. "You know the process, Mitsuki... Human genes consist of 23 pairs of chromosomes, ideally coming from two parents. Direct cloning is still not a process that's fully developed, one that the resulting baby might not survive." She had to pause because what she was gonna ask next was... extremely personal. "Do you... I mean can you think of someone...?" She had to leave the end of the sentence dangling.
Mitsuki on his end was silent too, before he had called Karin he had decided that he didn't simply want a clone of himself, he didn't just want his father to make another mini clone so that he could raise him. No..that's not what he intended...so when Karin asked if he had anyone in mind, in reality the answer was yes but he still needed to confirm this.
"I do but..I haven't talked to them yet nor I know if they will accept."
He could hear the small sigh Karin tried to hold back "Well, as soon as you are ready to go with this, just call me. I will have everything ready."
"Thank you, Karin."
The call ended and Mitsuki's arm dropped from his ear down to his lap. His eyes still not moving from those children playing in the park.
He stayed still for a while before eventually standing up and walking back home...a bigger house than the one he had when he first moved to Konoha.
But still, it was an empty house.
He pulled off his jacket and put it on the hanger, but didn't turn on the light as he continued walking into the house. It was like he was there for the first time... which was a funny feeling, but he didn't elaborate on that. He just continued to move in silently.
The house consisted of two more rooms other than his bedroom, the living room and the kitchen. One was his study, the room in which he spent most of his time when he's home really. The other was a plain, one-bed only guestroom.The young man walked in there.
It was almost like the room was changing right before his eyes. He would need a crib there... and a little dresser with a changing table... maybe he should also paint the walls because right now they were a dull yellow. Blue if it was a boy, pink if it was a girl…
He didn't know when he started thinking of that, but he suddenly imagined himself as the proud father of a little girl... a warmness settled in his heart as he thought more of it.
He didn't go to his study this time, actually he hadn't even realized that had sat down on the guestroom bed, still imagining all the chances it would need when...if the baby came.
Mitsuki also imagined all the changes the room would have to suffer yet again as the child started growing. How would they be? Quiet like him? Or the complete opposite?
All these thoughts eventually made the blue haired man lay on the bed and drift off to sleep where the thoughts became dreams...very good dreams about his future child.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
A couple of days later, Mitsuki returned from a mission. It was funny how Sarada assured the missions kept going despite being on maternity leave; that woman worked way more than he did in the hospital, it was amazing how Shikadai managed to make her sit down, relax and just enjoy the time she had with their baby.
Boruto was also part of the team that had taken this mission, so the two men were just chatting as they walked past the Konoha gates.
"So how was your last date, Boruto?" Mitsuki asked with a hidden chuckle, knowing perfectly well how that date had gone
"Aww man, don't even get me started," the blond complained. It was amusing to Mitsuki that he still retained his trademark pout from when they were back as academy students. He guessed some things never changed.
"She just kept talking and talking, about oh how many places she had been in the world already, about how her father was willing to pay for another travel just at the end of this month... I mean even if she wasn't this self-aware, I was like how are we gonna keep this up, 'ttebasa..." He sighed in mock exasperation. "I. have. the. worst. luck. When it comes to girls anyway."
He then glanced at his best friend, and a smile quickly raised the corners of his lips. "What about you Mitsuki? Wait, lemme guess... you still don't sleep well enough with the time you spend in the hospital, yet alone another date?" His tone was light and teasing.
Mitsuki hummed before showing one of his trademark smiles towards Boruto "I actually had two dates this week" the look on Boruto's face was amusing "But they didn't work out, I guess I'm probably picky when it comes to dates. Or maybe I just don't need to date anyone to be happy."
Boruto pouted again "Well you don't exactly have people asking you to give them grandchildren already" Mitsuki chuckled knowing exactly who he was talking about. Lady Hinata was a very kind person and wanted to see her children happy as well...and of course she wanted them to give her grandchildren.
And ever since Naruto retired from his position as Hokage, he had joined his wife in doing the same. Mitsuki could only guess Boruto was driving crazy.
However soon the smile on the blue haired disappeared, becoming a more thoughtful and serious face "Boruto...I have been thinking..."
"Hm? What, you want to make changes in your living room again?"
"I want to have a child."
That effectively rendered Boruto speechless and more than that, the shock made him just gape at Mitsuki... and walk straight into a light pole. "Ugh... damn..." he muttered as he rubbed his nose, and then turned to his friend again.
"Come again, a-a child?" he stammered. He had never thought of Mitsuki's father, the feared sannin as a grandpa type (well he never gave him much thought, period) but still found himself asking, "What, is your parent driving you crazy about grandchildren too?"
Mitsuki actually chuckled at that... he couldn't ever imagine his father being like that to be honest. It would be downright out of character. "No... he doesn't really care about that stuff." The thoughtful look was still on his face, although softened by a small smile. "I guess... working in the pediatric ward was bound to bring that out sooner or later..."
"But...uh..I mean...kids...babies ....they need attention, they are a huge responsibility and not that I don't think you can't handle that because I think you already do an amazing job at the hospital but..." he looked straight at Mitsuki "They pee, they poop with a killing smell...and they cry a lot. Are you sure you are ready for all that??"
Mitsuki raised an eyebrow "You do all that stuff you named too...and you're an adult."
"It's not the same and you know it Mitsuki" he crossed his arms "But well...if that's what you really want, I will support you. But how are you going to do that if you don't have...you know a second person?"
"I will be going to Karin, I've told you about the laboratory she has been working on and she has had success cases." he stopped in his tracks, Boruto followed and that was when Mitsuki looked at him directly in the eyes "But for that to work I...do need a second person's DNA."
"Oh." was all Boruto could offer to say, pretty much on the dark about the whole genetics and cloning. He thought for a minute about it. "Well... did you think about it? I mean who would be that second person... It is kind of a big decision, a life-altering one even..."
Mitsuki shook his head slightly, his expression serene but serious. "I'm not going to ask for the person to take responsibility... it's my decision to have a child after all, they'll just be the donor, and it's only understandable if they don't want children anytime soon. But..." he paused for a moment, and his eyes glazed as his thoughts wandered. "I... don't really fancy about walking up to a complete stranger for it. It should be someone I know, someone I trusted... preferably someone I had a bond with for some time now..."
"But then who...?" the blond was kinda perplexed now. Seeing that a lot of the girls their age were married or at least engaged at this era... who could it be...?
Mitsuki's mind would probably remain a big mystery for him for years to come.
There was a silence for a while and then Mitsuki stopped walking which caused Boruto to do the same but their eyes never left each other out of sight.
"Boruto..." Mitsuki finally murmured "If I have to pick someone that I really trust, to be part of my child's genetics...then I would like that to be you."
To be continued...
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holdharmonysacred · 3 years ago
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Waiting for Genshin to come back up from maintenance so I guess in the meantime I’ll finally post my thoughts on the ending of the Inazuma arc.
First off, much as it saved me time when I had to speedrun to unlock the Kazuha event, I think the Resistance questline and the “We gotta fight the Raiden shogun!” questline in act 3 should’ve been just completely different acts rather than something crammed together. Like, give the Resistance their own chapter so that that whole subplot can actually be resolved onscreen properly instead of “Yae saved your ass, we are now completely abandoning what we were doing beforehand”, and THEN jump over to the Final Fight part of the story. As is the speed at which the game abandoned the plot up to that point after Scaramouche KOs you just gave me whiplash.
And then with the actual conclusion like. The final fight against Ei genuinely kicked ass, it was absolutely perfectly done what with the visions yeeting out to support you and Kazuha briefly getting to use Ei’s own element against her. I’m genuinely disappointed that Kazuha doesn’t get to dual-wield visions after this - I get why, since it’d be hell to code on top of how it would break the game balance due to Kazuha being so limited, but it’s still a super cool idea and it sucks to see it get ditched. It is nice to see Kazuha’s friend’s vision actually on his grave in the game once Kazuha leaves it there though, it’s over by Ayaka’s house if anyone hasn’t found it yet.
I think my big concern is that I’m scared of people girlbossing Ei into “Ei did nothing wrong” when that just ruins her character and defeats the point of the arc, and 2. the ending is stuck with a Status Quo Is God situation. I got spoiled on Ei’s situation going in, so I was worried it was going to turn into “Ei actually did nothing wrong and it was Literally Everybody Else”, so it was nice that the game twisted back on itself and went no, Ei really did approve of the Hot Bullshit going on like the vision hunt decree, and her ignorance of just how bad things in Inazuma had gotten was 100% willful. I get the same vibes from her that I get from Hades in Hadestown - someone who is so desperate to protect that which she holds dear that she has built a wall around herself, but who harms the things she loves when she walls them in too. Which I unfortunately have a strong hunch people let her get away with even though it does her character dirty because she’s a hot lady and not an old man, and I Fear for that disk horse. I’m already baffled by the way TV Tropes frames her as “Noooo, she had no idea!!!!!” when like. she herself said in-game that she already knew she was getting played, and didn’t care because she agreed with it all anyway - the most she didn’t know was just how fucked things were until the Resistance marched up on her doorstep and the Traveler kicked her ass.
I’m kind of mixed on the actual ending, because on the one hand it feels like it’s a copout where Mihoyo didn’t want to commit to the full revolution and “Ei is dethroned and has to quit her job” that it felt like the story was building up to. On the other hand, it kind of works in the sense of like - going back to the Hadestown comparisons, the revolution fails, Ei only budges a little bit, but there’s a crack in the wall, and in the future that crack could get bigger and bigger and bigger until finally the wall does collapse. The writing’s still wonky, and the Traveler and friends are a little too okay with the status quo once the chapter ends, but like. It’s a workable ending. Not the best, but not the worst either.
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alaynirpcorner · 6 years ago
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A Deal with the Devil
[17:48] Artimis 'The Talon' Raiden would be dropped off just infront of the place he was supposed to meet this mysterious employer at his trusty blasters on his side and his sword resting he'd enter the street looking closely around him he'd activate his visor damn undercity was always dark he'd notice what appeared to be a darkened robed with bolts of lightning around it he'd raise his hand said '' Ye called fer a pirate ? ''
[17:54] Dark Lady Malice studied the man as he approached her, a sly smirk crawling across her face behind the mask.  The tendrils of electricity crackled around her, seemingly to try and reach out to grab the pirate, but she held them in check.  "Former ISM General are you not Mister, Artimis Raiden.  How the mighty have fallen." she chuckled.  It was not an overly pleasant sound given the horror that was her voice.  "I have a job for you.  One I intend to pay well for.  It requires a man of your....background.  I am in need of a subject for my experiments.  They must be strong...yet broken.  Byss has been known to keep prisoners, all their lives, in a permanent state of misery.  That is the kind of person I need.  Given you were once a General, I assume you can find your way into their holding cells and get me what I need?"
[18:00] Artimis 'The Talon' Raiden would have his hands close at his blade just incase there was something fishy about this but if the credits were good why the hell not right. looking over the lady listening to her words as he said '' Actually i was just a pirate put in charge of a military due to my successful raids in the past. As pirate i might add so in truth the mighty have not fallen in my occasion '' he'd grin the suaveness of his tone increasing as he said '' I am actually still the Rear Admiral of the navy so i can certainly access those cells you speak off but first there is my fee to discuss you see i'd be endangering my rather favorited position within the Dark Council what if they no longer invite me for tea ! '' he'd smirk then added '' I'd also like to know who i am rescuing specifically plenty of scum in the brig not all might be compatible with your ermm... I will call them plans '' he'd laugh briefly lighting up his chemstick still somewhat cautious and took a toke of it [18:05] Dark Lady Malice chuckled at his choice of words. "I do not think I would go so far as to call it a rescue.  There is no one specific.  Any one of them will do, as long as they have been a prisoner since they were very young.  I want them used to captivity." she replied.  "I am sure the Dark Council will not even miss them.  They keep hundreds of such worthless beings for their own varied uses.  Your tea sessions are not in danger.  As for your fee...." she drifted off, looking over his somewhat shoddy armor, "A new set of armor perhaps?" she offered.  "Though it will be a custom job and may take a while." [18:08] Artimis 'The Talon' Raiden would run his hand over his chin considering her words the job was easy enough and he sure could use new fancy armor he'd smirk then said '' Armor is good but i'd like some credits too. Lets say add 5 thousand creds to the offer and we got an understanding.. '' he considered adding for a fancy ship but eh t'was an easy enough job [18:12] Dark Lady Malice rolled her eyes.  The armor she was going to give him was going to be ridiculously expensive.  But five thousand credits wasn't exactly much.  If he felt the need to add the sum in so he could pretend he had negotiating skills then that was just fine with her, "Very well.  You drive a hard bargain," she patronized him.  "But I expect the job done within the hour."
[18:16] Artimis 'The Talon' Raiden bowed respectfully as he said '' We got ourselves a deal then Miss Mystery. Tis not hard bargain perse i simply like credits. '' nodding in her direction as he said '' well i better change into a uniform then must be the best way to get em
[18:16] Dark Lady Malice waved him off, "I do not care how you do it.  Just do it.  I will wait here."
[18:17] Artimis 'The Talon' Raiden would tap his bandana as he went to his transport to change into uniform
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[19:05] Artimis 'The Talon' Raiden would approach the meeting point as he looked to the lady and said '' Here's your friend i fulfilled my end of the deal i'll be expecting my fee now course the armor may be delivered to my ship whenever it is avaliable '' he'd smile then took a toke from his chemstick his hands close to his blasters incase the man wanted to run away
[19:08] Dark Lady Malice inclined her head towards the cage next to her that she had had brought from her ship while she waited, "Put him in there while I start the credit transfer," she replied.  She just shook her head at the ridiculous pirate refering to the test subject as a "friend" but said nothing about it.  She pulled out a datapad, connecting to the personal accounts of Artimis Raiden.  She transferred five thousand as agreed upon, and waited for the prisoner to be secured.  "Someone will be sent to collect your measurements at a later date.  Expect them to show up at random."
[19:09] Subject 074 looked ahead with wide eyes. He turned to look at the man who freed him, wanting to ask if he saw what Subject 074 saw. Being alone for so many years in isolation did things to the mind, but without a doubt he was staring at a nightmare. A woman that reeked of madness and oblivion. He stood his ground, previously seeing the man's blaster and sword. Even with his powers, Subject 074 was not prepared. And just like that, his life was sold again. He grinned somewhat at the thought of it. It was that easy to sell his hide, on the street no less. [19:14] Artimis 'The Talon' Raiden would try to persuade the man to go into the cage '' Like i said when i let you out i never guarenteed actual freedom simply a new path. So i ask you to please step into this cage i'm certain you'll come to enjoy it '' nodding to the lady he said '' I got a ship to catch though lady [ RL bed xD 4:14 AM xD ] So i cant do much more then i agreed upon and that was to deliver ye the man here ''
[19:17] Dark Lady Malice nodded, "I have no other need for you anyway, your purpose has been served." She finished the credit transfer and put the datapad away.  She did not bother to thank him, credits were thanks enough.  She waited for the man to get into the cage, preparing to throw him in, violently, if she had to.
[19:22] Artimis 'The Talon' Raiden would turn around and made his way to his ship [leaves rp cuz rl sleepz and baby wakes up in 4 hrs xD ]
[19:23] Subject 074 looked between the two and paced slowly over to the cage, studying it, looking it over. He began to feel something strange, an exhilaration over possibility of his next torment. What new ways would he suffer in? Considering it all, even that thought, was horrifically exciting. He stepped into the cage and grinned wide at the pirate that brought him to a new fate. "Enjoy the credits."
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[19:39] Dark Lady Malice removed a scanner from her belt.  Using the Force to bring the man closer to the bars, nearly crushing him up against them, she would use the scanner to take a blood sample and cross-reference it with the Byss prisoner records.  She downloaded all his information, such as age, blood type, medical records, etc.  "Ah, prisoner since 11 years old," she commented idly as she glanced over the information.  "What would you even know of enjoying credits?  And no one asked you to speak."
[19:47] Subject 074 stood there in the small crate, staring out the bars, resigning himself to his fate. When she pulled his up against the door he grunted and looked at her with eyes of fury and fire. "I know more than you think. A jail cell is less confining when you can see far away just in your mind. I've seen people walking these streets. Visions of other planets. Whispers of civilization. You want me for my power? Take it, I will never give it."
[19:55] Dark Lady Malice lifted the cage onto the cargo tug, punching into the keys the coordinates of her ship.  She laughed when she heard him speak.  Her voice was the sound of multiple voices echoing in a void with screams in return.  It was obvious it was unnatural. The laugh was not a pleasant sound. "I did not even know you had any power.  I am here to collect prisoners for my experimentation.  You were nothing but a randomly drawn number.  Do not place such a self importance upon yourself.  You know nothing of true power, and what you have is mine to take not yours to give." she executed the commands of the tug and it hovered immediately towards her vessel, with her walking behind it, unhurried.
[20:03] Subject 074 felt the structure he stood on move, keeping his feet planted on the crate's floor as he looked at her. "Then I await this true power. Maybe someday I'll lay eyes on someone who wields it." He stepped back and leaned on one of the walls, looking up. He expected nothing but lies from this woman, following the pattern of his life. But this demon didn't belong amongst normal people, even on a terrible planet like this. "What are you?" He mouthed, but not too loudly.
[20:06] Dark Lady Malice did not bother to answer him, as a lioness did not concern itself with the ramblings of it's prey.  Once they reached her ship she loaded the cage securely in the hold before heading wordlessly to the bridge to make the journey home.
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banjokazooie64 · 7 years ago
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Injustice 2 Review
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Injustice: Gods Among Us was the first fighting game to feature DC characters battling it out in a Mortal Kombat style.
But what about Mortal Kombat VS DC?
We don’t talk about that game around here.
Injustice 2 is the follow up to Injustice: Gods Among Us and takes place after the events that shook this version of the DC Universe.  In summary, Earth 1 heroes are transported to the Injustice Earth where Superman kills Lois because of the Joker.  He then proceeds to kill the Joker and form a new ‘regime’ to rule all of Earth along with other heroes.  So the Earth 1 heroes work with the Insurgents, run by Batman and Lex Luthor, to take down Superman.  Injustice 2 is based completely on the Injustice Earth so if things seem odd to you it may be because a lot of the heroes from the Comics are now villains and vice versa.  Injustice 2 starts with some back story on how Damian Wayne became Superman’s #1 fan showing how he took Superman’s side during the Arkham Asylum executions.  Fast forward to the present and Superman is in a red sun prison, which negates his abilities.  Gorilla Grodd along with a slew of villains take the opportunity of a shattered government to rise up and join forces to take down the remaining regime members (even if they are turned good); oh yeah and brainiac attacks. I won’t give too much else away but it is an excellent campaign that gives you some interesting dialogue along with some nice Easter eggs.   Throughout the campaign you can choose between two fighters for a battle, this gives you some control over new dialogue I would have rather had it be like Mortal Kombat 9 where your second fighter would be on deck and you would simply fight two enemies as well.  Although, they could make it like that Raiden fight in Hell where you have to fight at least 10 opponents.  Never-the-less, I do believe they should have done something like that whether it be a tournament mode like Soul Caliber or just an extra fighter like in Mortal Kombat 9.  
The graphics are quite nice in this game, the environments are the best of course.  They put a lot of detail into the back ground along with plenty of new transitions, intractable objects, and the like.  There is one intractable that is a dude sitting at a bar that you can grab and throw at your opponent, I did feel like this was a bit off the wall as most of the characters would not grab this guy and throw him like Blanche from Mortal Kombat X.  Other than that, the new areas you fight in are both unique and well detailed.  The characters designs are also pretty well done with only two that I think should have been re-done; catwoman and Gorilla Grodd both needed more work but for different reasons.  Gorilla Grodd’s face seems out of place with the rest of his hairy body, making him look like a Planet of the Apes actor.  Catwoman just has a strange face that doesn’t look right, I don’t know if it’s the big eyes or the cleft chin.  Everyone else I do like the new designs, especially Scarecrow, Dr. Fate, and Harley Quinn.  What about The Joker?  I think they did a good job with the Joker in this game, even though I think he should have been DLC the new design he has is both better and more realistic than the last installment.  The voice actor also does fine work with the Joker from the puns to the laughter, it’s all there.  They did bring back Premier skins which will change a character completely.  A good example is Reverse Flash, he is a skin you can purchase (with in-game crystals) and use.  The premier skins offer new dialogue and a new look for your character while keeping your gear stats on them.  I rather would have had Reverse Flash in the game as a separate character but I am fine with this too.  Other characters you can get include Power Girl, John Stewart, Mr. Freeze, and Vixen.  
If you are familiar with the first game’s characters then all the returning characters will feel very familiar to you. Besides from the odd move taken out (or placed in a Motherbox to unlock) they all play and feel relatively the same.  So, if you were really good with Batman you can still be really good with Batman.  I think this was a good idea, especially since I had gotten most of the moves\combos down for my favorite characters like Bane, Catwoman, and Green Lantern.  The new characters all have a nice feel to them as well, some are better than others of course but I personally am quite enjoying using Captain Cold, Robin, and Scarecrow.  Some characters I personally don’t like?  Supergirl, Swamp Thing, and Gorilla Grodd all for different reasons.  I feel like Grodd doesn’t have enough hitting power while Swamp Thing has too many moves that can’t be chained with a combo.  I just don’t like Supergirl’s move set but what are you gonna do?  Each character has their own unique gear that you can get by winning matches or opening box’s, it’s all random so you could get gear for Dr. Fate while playing as Firestorm.  You can turn off your gear modifiers for online matches if you want (which is a huge plus from me) and you can sell gear for coins to purchase more box’s.  
I mentioned Motherbox’s before so I will go over them.  Motherbox’s are the random generated gear you can get along with Shaders (new colors), new moves, and you can get new Calling Card backgrounds\emblems.  There are five different version of the Motherbox, each one holding better items as you go up.  There is Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond.  You can get anything you get from a gold in a bronze but it will take some time.  Along with regular motherbox’s there are also Guild box’s which are unlocked by completing guild events.  The Guilds work pretty well and there are more than enough active guilds to chose from.  You can even chose to create your own if you want.  Once you join a guild you can trade gear, battle guild bosses, and chat with other guild members.  Completing guild challenges will net you guild box’s which are better than normal box’s.  You can also get Regen coins from box’s and selling gear.  Regen coins will take any piece of gear your choose and re-roll it’s numbers for the four main categories Strength, ability, Defense, and health to match your current rank.  This is nice for when you have a level 9 pair of pants but you are level 20 and can’t seem to get anything better or it is part of a set which gives you a boost and you need it leveled up to match your level.  All in all, mother box’s are a nice way of getting new gear but putting your new abilities into these box’s is not a good call.  I’d rather just buy new abilities with coins or earn them while leveling up my characters, randomly getting any characters abilities in box’s is nothing short of annoying.   
Online works pretty well in this game and shares the same game modes as other Kombat and Injustice games, Ranked matches, Player Matches, and king of the hill.  What IS new in the Online is the new Multiverse mode which is the replacement for the S.T.A.R. labs challenges.  The Multiverse randomly generates six planets that will stick around from 15 minutes to 7 days and contain different challenges for you to complete which will give you coins, regen coins, box’s, and gear.  I felt like this was an excellent idea since I didn’t really enjoy the Challenges from the last game, this one gives you a much more varied and fair system of challenges.  They range from easy to hard with rewards mirroring the difficulty.  
In conclusion, Injustice 2 is a great fighting game with some new enhancements but some new flaws as well.  The roster is great except for a few that I don’t like and the new places to fight in are very detailed and fun.  Character designs are mostly on point along with the new multiverse and gear system.  Motherbox’s provide new headaches if you are looking for certain gear\new moves but are nice for when you are looking for better gear to equip.  Online works well and matches can be set to ignore boosts in stats due to gear equipped.  The DLC line up is looking good but having Darksied be day 1 DLC was a pretty low blow, no one liked Goro being Day 1 DLC and you bet your ass I didn’t appreciate  Darksied doing the same thing.  I feel like they only want to put characters into these games that will appear in the campaign which is kinda dumb but what ever.  I would have rather had Reverse Flash in the game but premier skins are welcome anyway.  All in all, Injustice 2 is a near perfect sequel to a successful game and comic series.  If you like DC comics or fighting games in general this is the game for you!  
I gave Injustice 2 an 8\10
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radramblog · 3 years ago
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Nintendo Direct E3 Takes
Well we’re pretty much done with E3 at this point, and it looks like once again Nintendo is carrying the whole damn thing on their back.
This is obviously a bit biased, because I’m not really into the AAA gaming industry otherwise, and the only other potential announcement I cared about didn’t happen. You had one fucking job, Capcom. One job.
Anyway as I did last time this came around I’m giving some hot takes like every single other person on this godforsaken internet because innovation is dead and react culture is king. Shall we?
Smash DLC Fighter…10 or something idk
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I mean, look. I was hoping for an indie representative. Kazuya isn’t really that. But on the other hand, Tekken rep is something I can still get behind. They’ve already got Street Fighter and Fatal Fury in there, might as well get Tekken. What’s next, Raiden from Mortal Kombat? Hell, might as well get some Rivals of Aether character in there, might as well, don’t even have to change much.
From what little we’ve seen of Kazuya’s kit, it looks like his gimmick is going to be…complicated input combos for special attacks. Hm. Well, it’ll probably be fine. People managed with Ryu, they’ll manage with Kazuya. I do appreciate that they gave this guy his demon form- I guess they had to make him jump somehow, huh?
 Life is Strange
I haven’t played the original Life is Strange, but I did watch a playthrough so I know how it goes. Don’t really know much about Before the Storm or 2, but I don’t think 2 is part of this collection anyway? Look I’m probably not going to buy this, but it’s probably good that it exists. The original was like, actual good rep, I think, so they’re probably not going to fuck this one up. New character is neat looking, good for them.
 A Bunch of games, I guess
Guardians of the Galaxy? Damn dude, did I ask?
Worms Rumble said it had 32-person multiplayer, which I was like well hang on how’s that going to work with turn-based Worms combat you’d be waiting for ever. Except it isn’t turn-based. And it looks like ass as a result. F.
Astria Ascending…I’m reading this name and I already forgot what this was. Sorry if you cared about it I suppose.
I know nothing of the Two Point…series, I guess? I keep on seeing Hospital pop up on either Steam or the eShop, and I’ve scrolled past it without thinking twice every single time. Not about to change that.
 Super Monkey Ball
I understand this series was a lot of fun for a lot of people, but it just looks miserable to me. With that said, I have seen some speedruns of these games that look incredible, so on that axis I’m happy this is getting made. Makes doing a marathon-length run of this a fair bit easier.
 Mario Party
Look I haven’t even gotten around to playing my (very fake) Mario Party 3 cart, you think I’m going to buy another 80 dollar game on top of that? Nah.
 Metroid
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Yoooooooooooooo lets fucking gooooooooooooo
Okay so I’ve actually never beaten a Metroid game. Got some ways into Fusion and Super but didn’t complete either of them. But this looks super cool and good and I’m here for it. They mentioned that this was the first new 2D Metroid game in 19 years, which I guess means Fusion was the latest one.
…wait how many Metroid games are there even? Like, the original, Super, Fusion, the three Primes, and that one we don’t talk about…is that it? That feels a lot smaller than I thought it was, but I guess it adds up.
Just don’t cock it up, I guess. Metroid and Castlevania’s absence have left indie devs to fight for the Metroidvania name, and it’s about time the big boys got to come back around again.
 More bullshit
Just Dance 2022. Is this one also coming out on the Wii?
Some racing game that looks cheap as fuck, neato. Man I feel bad for the devs working on these absolute shovelware games, like I bet they’re either working hard or being worked to the bone. But this is what the result is. R.I.P.
It’s about 13 years too late for me to be caring about Dragon Ball. Especially since this is just a port. Next.
Mario Golf
I mean we saw this earlier this year. I don’t even know what was actually new in this presentation.
Bowsers outfit is fucking clean though. Once again proving himself the best Mario character.
 Monster Hunter
Fuck off Capcom. Y’all are leaving Mega Man in the fucking dust and he doesn’t deserve it.
I mean I guess ill get into it here, I mostly just wanted something, anything for the Mega Man Battle Network series. It’s their 20th anniversary, and we haven’t gotten shit so far. Literally just a MMBN collection for the switch, that’s all I want. They were even on the Wii U VC, you can just port those again, I don’t care fucking give it to me.
Anyway. Monhun? Ehhh they already showed this at their lacklustre presentation who cares.
 Warioware
Look I haven’t played this series before, it’s probably fun, but I’m not sure how they stretch microgame content out into a fully-priced game.
Also, the multiplayer looks kinda miserable? Like, in case Mario Party was a little too efficient for ruining friendships, now you can yell at one person specifically for fucking the both of you up, and vice versa. Wheeeeee.
 SMT5
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Shoutouts to Squiggy, they’re super hype for this and I’m happy to see it. I personally again haven’t played this series, let alone Persona (though 4 is sitting untouched in my steam library, oops), but it looks pretty aight. I’m sure there’ll be a huge pile of demons to fuck up, or friend up, and some level of story that people will like (I have literally no idea what the plot of the series is), so. Atlus (?) has been at this for a long fucking time, they aren’t goofing this up.
 Danganronpa
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Shirtless Rantaro Shirtless Rantaro  (shamelessly stolen from u/ AnaLissaMelculo on r/danganronpa)
I’m interested to see Talent Development Plan develop into it’s own fully fleshed out game. It was surprisingly good for a tacked-on minigame, and I hope that they’ll fully take advantage of its potential.
It also looks like the 4 games are releasing separately on Switch, but there is a physical collectors edition with all of them, and I mean, I can probably afford that, riiiiight?
R.I.P. Ultra Despair Girls fans, snubbed yet again. Ehhhh fuck it aside from the dialogue that game sucks ass so its fine.
 More stuff
Fatal Frame looks spooky, I guess. I dunno, I was talking to mates through half of this one so I basically missed it.
DOOM Eternal DLC, cool. I still haven’t finished the original.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater should be on the Switch, and now it is. Or, it will be, in a couple weeks. Good.
There’s something on this list of notes called Strange Brigade, and I have literally no idea what that is. Oops again.
Mario+Rabbids 2, now with a Rabbid Goth GF. I’m terrified to go on any fuckin NSFW platforms for the next couple weeks, because I’m sure everyone is drawing incredibly cursed hentai of that thing. Ubisoft sucks ass, fuck Ubisoft, don’t buy this.
 Advance Wars
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This sure isn’t Fire Emblem. Actually when I was explaining to my mates why this was cool, I called it Fire Emblem but with tanks instead of waifus, except I forgot this game still has waifus. I know strategy nerds love this series, so for their sake I’m happy to see it remade. This just looks unbelievably cute.
 Zelda
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Oh look, Hyrule Warriors 2 DLC, Zelda gets the motorbike now, cool who fucking cares we got more BOTW sequel footage
It does kinda bug me that people keep calling this BOTW 2, because there’s no way that’s what it’s going to be called. Zelda has never done numbered sequels. I mean, they’ve also very rarely done sequels at all, but there are a few- Phantom Hourglass is a sequel to Wind Waker iirc.
It is kinda funny that right after I was saying boo who cares to Skyward Sword remake (still mad this is one game and not a collection) that the new game clearly has SS-ass floating islands and such.
I was hoping we’d get to see Zelda do things this game. Apparently not, she’s stuck in a hole now. Or dead. A shame. But Link at least looks kickass, so.
Look, they could not say a single other thing until release and everyone would still buy this game. Breath of the Wild was an incredible enough game that so many things that vaguely resemble it get compared- Genshin Impact comes to mind. This is likely made by the same (or similar) team, in the same world, and it looks fucking incredible. We all know this is going to be a good game. My hot take isn’t going to change that.
 And that’s the tea, sis. All the shit that Ninty had in their corner of E3. It’s a pretty solid lineup! It looks like they are bringing their A-game. I was kind of surprised not to see any Pokemon stuff- while it usually gets its own direct these days, BDSP is really coming up soon and they kinda need to win back the crowd on that one.
Oh what am I saying, it’s fucking Nintendo, it’s too big to fail.
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