Chapter Text
What exactly had led to this decision?
It was a bit impulsive, he could admit. Fueled by trivial wants and desires. It had begun on the night that everything changed. The night Kuai Liang decided to kiss Scorpion.
It had been an innocent enough act. Kuai asked for permission, he pressed his lips against Scorpion's mask… And then that had been all. Kuai did not talk much about it afterwards. He certainly didn't say anything that could lead to Scorpion doubting himself.
But if Scorpion was good at nothing else, he was very good at doubting himself.
The day after their kiss, after Kuai had gone home in the early hours of the day, leaving scorpion to his own thoughts. And there were many thoughts to sort through. The kiss had been… A kiss. Nothing special aside from who he shared it with. He could not reciprocate the action as he had no lips to do so with. He hadn't even moved as he was kissed. He simply sat still and stiff, wide eyes staring directly at Kuai's relaxed face. And when it was all over, Scorpion was left with countless regrets and desires.
His main regret being that he didn't have the lips needed to kiss his sensei. Before he had grown closer to Kuai, Scorpion had never really put much thought into his body. He was aware that he was no longer human. He had given up his body and his soul for the chance to avenge his family and he had never once regretted his choice to do so.
But now, as he stared into the tall mirror in the corner of his room, his mask in hand as he stared into the flaming sockets of his skull… He began to feel regret. He was not a person. He did not have a real body. He was just a skeleton of a man. A ghost forced into a deformed body made for battle and pain. He could hardly touch Kuai without the fear of burning him, let alone reciprocate a kiss. For the first time in the many years he'd spent as Scorpion… The wraith was beginning to wish he was whole again.
He hadn't been entirely sure what to do with this new realization. He couldn't talk to Kuai about it. The older man would only go on a long rant about how Scorpion was perfect as he was and didn't need to be mortal for Kuai to love him. The swordsman, Kenshi, Hanzo Hasashi's old friend. He often told Scorpion that he would be there for any help he may ever need with adjusting to his new life. The man often visited the Shirai Ryu to oversee the training, ensuring that the clan was not falling apart without its grandmaster. But Scorpion was hesitant to ask for his help as well. He was another person who was very close to Hanzo, but he was also too kind for his own good. He, too, would remind Scorpion in many long words that Kuai would love him without a face.
That officially left Scorpion with no other friends to ask for advice. Those were the two only people who actually liked him in the timeline.
However… There was one person he knew he could speak to. The only problem was that they both did not very much like each other. But for the chance to be able to touch Kuai without hurting him… Scorpion would take his chances.
And this was exactly what led him to his current location. The Sky Temple. Home of Lord Raiden and occasionally his companions- The new god Liu Kang and Raiden's younger brother, Fujin. Lord Raiden had sacrificed his divinity for the good of the world. He gave up his godhood, gave it to Liu Kang in the world's hour of need so he could destroy the titan of time, Kronika. But despite everyone's assumption that either Raiden would remain a mortal or Liu Kang's godhood would be stripped from him to return Raiden to his future glory, the realms were shocked to discover that Raiden had soon been gifted his divinity once more. A gift from the Elder gods to restore the balance of the world. So now Earthrealm had three gods. Raiden, Fujin and Liu Kang.
Scorpion was hoping to only see one of them today.
The air around the sky temple felt like static. Scorpion was sure that if he had hair, they'd be standing on end. The wind raged around him, a gift from Fujin no doubt. And Scorpion could occasionally hear the clap of thunder in the distance. However, the closer Scorpion got to the temple, the closer the thunder began to sound and the more suffocating the static began to feel. One particularly loud boom of thunder caused Scorpion to stop in his tracks.
"Lord Raiden." He greeted, his voice gruff as he turned his head to glance over his shoulder. Sure enough, surrounded by electricity and an aura of power stood the thunder god. The protector of Earthrealm.
"I must say I am shocked to see you here, Scorpion." The god spoke, his voice just as loud and echoing as the thunder he caused. Scorpion could see the man's white glowing eyes peeking out from under his conical hat. "What brings you to my home?" He continued, taking the few steps needed to close the distance between the two. Scorpion was a tall man, standing just a few inches above six feet. But even then, Raiden still towered over him. Scorpion figured it was an effect of being a god. A deity couldn't possibly be the same height as any average mortal, after all.
Scorpion stood strong, arms crossing over his chest as he glanced up at Raiden. "I have questions, thunder god. Questions I figure only you have the answers to… Lest I ask the decapitated head of Shinnok or perhaps Quan Chi… Though I have a feeling neither of them will give me the answers I seek." Scorpion took note of the way the gods face twitched ever so slightly with the mention of Shinnok, no doubt the only hint of a cringe he'd show at the reminder of his past crimes… Or his future crimes, technically.
For a moment, Raiden gave no answer. He was likely weighing his options. He and Scorpion did not have the best history together. Scorpion betrayed Raiden's trust the day he killed Bi-Han at the tournament, Raiden betrayed Scorpion's trust when he used Shinnok's amulet to torture him. They were not exactly… On the best of terms, as it stood.
Even then, Raiden was often a just god. A fact proven by the slight nod of his head followed a brief "Follow me." As the god led the wraith into the temple. Within the temple was far more peaceful than outside of it. It was silent, the decorations sparse but intricate, most of them seeming older, likely trophies kept from previous centuries. Raiden pointed to a circular table in the center of a relatively empty room. The table seemed heavy, carved of some type of stone with intricate details smoothed into it. Scorpion sat hesitantly at one of the many chairs surrounding the table, waiting patiently for Raiden to join him.
It only took a few minutes for the thunder god to return. When he did, his hat had been removed from his head, displaying more of his face. His hair- if he had any- was covered by a hood much like Scorpion's own, though his was white much like the majority of his outfit. Raiden sat at a chair on the opposite of the table from Scorpion and those blinding glowing eyes stared into the equally white eyes of Scorpion.
"You have my attention, Scorpion. What questions do you seek the answers for?" Raiden asked, his hands resting on the table with his fingers interlocked. Both men sat stiff and proper, the only difference being the air of relaxation that Raiden had about him. Scorpion was tense, worried, uncomfortable. Raiden was calm and seemingly unbothered by the oddity of the situation. In fact, he even waved his hand towards a cart near the table- one Scorpion was sure hadn't been there before- and offered the wraith a cup of steaming tea.
Scorpion decided to cut to the chase. "Hanzo Hasashi was granted a second chance at life. He escaped the bonds of Netherrealm and the reigns of Quan Chi. He was granted his body, his soul and his life… How?"
Scorpion could tell by the slight raise of his eyebrows that this had not been what the god was expecting to talk about. Perhaps it was because Scorpion had shown no real interest in learning about his future self. He had simply pushed Hanzo away as a separate entity, none of his concern. But now… He needed to know as much about the life Hanzo lived as possible.
"Your future self was a noble man-" Scorpion had to resist the urge to groan. He did not need to hear more about how perfect Hanzo was. He simply needed to know what he accomplished to be granted life again. His frustration must have shown on his face because Raiden paused, letting out a silent sigh before he changed direction. "Hanzo came to me, much like you are now. He was still Scorpion at the time. Much like you, he asked me if there was any way to restore his life. I was unsure of the answer, so I took him to who I knew could give him the answer he seeked… The elder gods."
Upon hearing those words, Scorpion immediately tensed further. This was exactly what he had been afraid of… It was one thing to come to Raiden. He was just a protector god. Though the title was nothing to scoff at, it was also nothing to grovel before. Elder gods, however… They were everything. They were the earth, the sky, life and death. They controlled everything . Even Scorpion could admit he was intimidated by the idea of having to communicate with an elder god.
Raiden seemingly decided to take the extended silence as a sign to continue, and so he spoke again. "I requested an audience with the elder gods, and when it was granted I took Hanzo to speak before them. He was given only one chance to plead his case to them. He explained his story, explained exactly what had transpired and exactly why he thought he deserved another chance. The elder gods were hesitant to consider it. After all, what happened to you was a part of fate. A set event in time, always meant to happen. They weren't exactly openly willing to consider changing the balance of the world so drastically. Hanzo begged. He told them that he was willing to do anything if it meant being able to live the life that had been wrongfully stolen from him so long ago. In the end, the elder gods agreed to gift him his humanity back only if he could complete the tasks they gave him."
Scorpion listened carefully, leaning forward slightly like he was afraid of missing a single detail. Raiden almost looked amused as he continued. "Hanzo was given the task of atoning for the grievances he caused as Scorpion. He was given tasks such as denouncing the Netherrealm and any affiliation with it, vowing to never let vengeance lead him astray again, doing humane tasks such as helping mortals with various assignments. The last task was likely what truly set his fate. The elder gods told Hanzo that he needed to gain the forgiveness of the man whose life he ruined the night he decided to take his brother's life for vengeance."
Scorpion did not need to ask who the god meant. "Kuai Liang…" He muttered under his brother. Hanzo's final task was to apologize to his arch nemesis for the pain he caused him the day he killed Bi-Han.
Raiden nodded his confirmation. "They considered asking him to apologize to Bi-Han instead, but considering the way his soul was tainted by darkness after death… That would not have gone well."
Scorpion could not imagine apologizing to Bi-Han. Though he had discovered recently that Bi-Han had not been the true cause of the Shirai Ryu's death, there was still far too much bad blood between the two of them. It would not be so easy to make amends with him as it had been with Kuai Liang.
"So all I need to do to be human again is apologize to Kuai Liang and do a few menial tasks?" Scorpion asked, and for the first time in a very long time, he began to feel hope blossom in his chest.
That hope was just as quickly extinguished when Raiden simply shook his head. "The elder gods will not give you the same tasks. You are not Hanzo, you have lived a completely different life since the time merge. Therefore you will be given different tasks to complete. Some may overlap, but they will not be the same."
Scorpion could feel his shoulders slumping. Of course the elder gods wouldn't make it easy for him. Everything needed to be difficult. It made things more fun to them.
"So… All I have to do is beg these gods for forgiveness and they will consider giving me tasks in return for my life." Perhaps he should have just gone to one of the sorcerers. But Shang Tsung would no doubt betray him somehow. As for Quan Chi… Scorpion had plans for the oni, and none of them involved begging for his help.
Raiden excused himself from the table after a moment of silence, leaving Scorpion to consider his words. The elder gods already made one exception for Hanzo, would they do the same again for Scorpion? The world was already unbalanced with the merge of time, surely it wouldn't be such a stretch to allow Scorpion to have some resemblance of his old life back. If Liu Kang could be a god and Shao Kahn could live again, then surely Scorpion could be human once more.
By the time Raiden had returned to the small room, Scorpion was standing beside the table with his arms crossed over his chest and his eyebrows pulled into a deep frown. The look shared between the wraith and the god spoke a thousand words. With a nod of his head, Raiden placed a strong band on Scorpion's shoulder. That feeling of static in the air grew stronger and thicker until Scorpion found himself being swallowed into a ball of electricity.
He closed his eyes against the light, only opening them again when the static was gone. If he were another man, he was sure he would have been shocked by the sight before him. Six beings towered above them, all of them sat in a neat circle. Scorpion took note of how he could see directly through each god. These were not their physical forms. It made the wraith wonder if they chose to appear in these forms to intimidate those below them. He had seen Shinnok and Kronika in their "true" forms as he had decided to call them. They were far less intimidating than these glowing, hulking beasts.
Scorpion watched as Raiden dropped to one knee, the god gesturing for Scorpion to do the same. Resisting the subtle rage that began to flow through him, Scorpion dropped to his knee beside the god, lowering his head as Raiden addressed the elder gods.
"All-powerful elder gods, I come to you today with a guest who wishes to request an audience with you. Scorpion, the ghost of Hanzo Hasashi." A quick elbow to his side told Scorpion to stand, though he didn't let the "Ghost of Hanzo Hasashi" bit pass without a quick glare to his companion.
"We know this guest." The gods began, speaking loudly and as one until it felt as if their voices were shaking Scorpion's very being. "We have spoken once before. We granted him his wish then. What does he request of us now?"
Scorpion chose not to be offended by the gods speaking of him as if he were not there. Instead, with subtle prompting from Raiden, he took a step forward. "I am not Hanzo Hasashi." He announced, projecting his voice as loud as it could go. They would hear every word he had to say. "I am not the man you spoke to before, but I do have a similar request. Years ago you granted Hanzo Hasashi his life. You allowed him his soul and body, things he willingly gave up for the chance of vengeance. Today I ask the same of you. I, Scorpion, humbly request that the elder gods spare me of my grievances and return my body to me, as it once was. I will complete any task you may request of me in return."
For a moment, no one spoke. The elder gods all looked upon each other in silence, leaving Scorpion to turn his burning gaze to Raiden who only gave a small shrug of his shoulders. This choice was completely up to the elder gods.
After what could have been either a minute or an eternity, the gods spoke once again. "We will consider this requisition, Scorpion, but only if you can complete the quest we assign to you."
Scorpion felt that small spark of hope blossoming in his chest once again. "Anything. No request is too great for me." He insisted, taking a small step forward in his excitement.
"Your assignment…" The gods began, watching as Scorpion leaned forward in his anticipation, "... Is to open your heart."
Scorpion found himself once again sitting silently at Raiden's intricate table in the sky temple, his head buried in his hands as he recalled the events he had gone through with the elder gods.
"You have convinced yourself that you live in a time where no one cares for you. We see this as false. For you, Scorpion, we task you with making the effort to open your heart to those around you. If you wish to be human once more, you must first show us that you can behave human."
A quiet groan echoed throughout the room as the elder god's words settled in his mind. Hanzo was tasked with simple apologies and helping a few hopeless mortals. Why did Scorpion have to be tasked with opening his heart? What did that even mean?
"As much as I enjoy your brooding company, Scorpion, I believe you should return home and begin considering your next course of actions." Raiden, for what it was worth, had allowed Scorpion to mope for a few minutes after their return. He had simply poured himself another cup of tea and watched as Scorpion fell apart, offering no words of encouragement nor words of discouragement.
Scorpion's chair was loudly pushed back, disturbing the peaceful silence of the room as he angrily stood from the chair. "Damned elder gods." He muttered under his voice, barely sparing Raiden a glance as he disappeared into a storm of flame. If Raiden were any less professional, he may have let out a laugh. Instead he only moved to tidy the area.
Shirai Ryu students made room for Scorpion as he stormed through the temple, his hands clenched into fists at his side. Only after he slammed the door to his room closed behind him did he take the time to take a deep, unnecessary breath. Sometimes all it took was the act of expanding and compressing his chest in the way mortals did to breathe to calm him. It made him feel so… Human. So alive.
With a new sense of calm, Scorpion calmly sat at the small table in his room, his head tilting backwards as he let out a deep sigh. He could talk to Kuai about this… But the thought of bothering the other man caused Scorpion to frown. He would be busy with his clan. There was no need to drag him into Scorpion's business. Besides… There was nothing difficult about the task. He simply needed to… Become friends with those in his life. Those he… Definitely harmed in the past.
It took an hour of thinking for Scorpion to come up with a plan. The first order of business would be to contact Kenshi Takahashi. The blind swordsman had already offered his assistance to Scorpion once before when he was trying to settle into his new life. It seemed logical that he would be the easiest to… Befriend.
After Kenshi, the next decision was the man's son, Takeda. According to Kuai, Hanzo Hasashi had taken Takeda as his apprentice (and practically adopted the boy as his son) after Kenshi had disappeared from his life. If that were the case, then perhaps Takeda could find some semblance of comfort in Scorpion's presence… Or he'd hate him. Scorpion would try either way.
Next came the special forces soldiers. Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage- both of them -, Cassandra Cage, Jacqueline Briggs, Kung Jin. Jackson Briggs if he could be found. This group would likely be harder to befriend . They were skeptical by nature and had openly voiced their distrust of Scorpion upon his arrival to this new era.
After the special forces, it did not matter who came next. All Scorpion knew was that no matter what, Raiden would be last. The man was insufferable to be around for too long.
Thus began Scorpion's journey to opening his heart , whatever that even meant.
As according to plan, a letter was sent out first to Kenshi. It was short and simple, an invitation back to the temple for the two to… get to know each other better. Though it was not lost to Scorpion that Kenshi likely already knew all there was to know about him.
It took only two days for Scorpion to hear a light knock at his door. When he opened it, he was met with the gentle smile of Kenshi. As usual, his eyes were covered by a red cloth. Despite this, Scorpion still knew that the blind man saw further than any others could.
"I was glad to receive your invitation, Scorpion. I was beginning to think you would avoid me forever." The words were spoken as a joke, but Scorpion heard the truth in them. After all, he had considered avoiding him forever. He planned on avoiding everyone forever, if he could. Aside from Kuai, of course.
And so Scorpion said as much. "I completely planned to avoid you forever." He expected shock or anger from the older man, but instead he only received a deep, hearty laugh followed by "I figured as much."
Scorpion came to a sudden realization when Kenshi asked what their plans for the day were… He had not thought that far ahead. His hesitance clearly spoke loud enough for him, as Kenshi answered his own question with another chuckle before suggesting they walk through the fire gardens.
Scorpion had not walked the gardens with anyone besides Kuai Liang in many years. It almost seemed a scandalous offer. Despite this, Scorpion only nodded his head in agreement. It was a walk. The location of said walk would not make it inherently romantic… Not that his walks with Kuai were romantic either.
Kenshi stepped aside from the door, allowing Scorpion to pass before he followed him through the temple. Scorpion had long since gotten used to the stares from the Shirai Ryu members. They were always curious about the Lin Kuei grandmaster and the wraith, but now they were even more curious. Not only was Kenshi back, but he was spending time with the resident demon. That gossip would no doubt spread like wildfire. And deep within his being, Scorpion couldn't help but wonder how quickly the news would spread to Kuai. The Shirai Ryu had grown fond of him and it was not uncommon for them to report back to him on Scorpion's behalf. Scorpion had no doubt that Kuai would have heard about Kenshi's sudden visit by the end of the day.
Thoughts of Kuai were pushed to the back of Scorpion's mind as he walked through the gardens with Kenshi. Despite Scorpion's silence, Kenshi appeared to be… Enjoying his presence. He carried the conversation, pointing out certain aspects of the grounds that he had helped put together. He told stories of training with Hanzo or helping teach the new apprentices patience. And when the two men reached the graves of Hanzo, Harumi and Satoshi Hasashi, Kenshi insisted they stop to pay their respects. Scorpion had only ever done this with Kuai before. He never imagined sharing his grief with any other. But as he watched Kenshi carefully settle on his knees before the grave of Hanzo Hasashi, bowing until his head touched the disturbed dirt the deceased grandmaster laid beneath, Scorpion couldn't imagine not grieving with the swordsman.
After paying their respects to the graves of those they once loved, Kenshi and Scorpion continued through the gardens. Kenshi continued his stories and Scorpion continued his silence. By the time the sky had begun to turn shades of reds, orange and pinks, Kenshi had opted to settle on one of the benches in the garden. Scorpion only barely managed to resist telling the older man that this was his and Kuai's bench. The subtle smirk on Kenshi's face told Scorpion that he already knew…
As they sat together, side by side but not close enough to touch, Kenshi once again began to speak.
"Your thoughts are loud, Scorpion." He began, gaining the wraiths full attention. He knew that Kenshi must have been peeking into his thoughts. He just hadn't expected him to admit it so openly. "I am well trained to keep the thoughts of others out of my head until I am ready to hear them. However, while everyone else's thoughts are muffled whispers… Your thoughts scream. They are pained. Afraid."
Scorpion did not like thinking about his fear. He was a wraith. A demon of hell. A creature made of nothing but rage, vengeance and flame. He had nothing to fear.
But there was no point in telling Kenshi this if he already knew the truth. So instead he simply shrugged his shoulders. "I have lived through much. There is much pain and suffering in me. Even more fear."
Scorpion didn't need to look at the man to see him shaking his head, he could feel it. "I know your normal fear, Scorpion. Hanzo felt it often. What you feel now is beyond that…" Scorpion did look at him now, his brows dropping into a deep frown. He already knew what Kenshi was going to say. He was the one feeling it after all. "You're afraid of losing Kuai." The older man finished, his head tilting towards Scorpion, almost as if daring him to deny it.
Scorpion didn't bother doing so. Instead he only nodded his head, sighing before he spoke. "It is my greatest fear. I fear that he will soon realize I am not enough. That he will see how… Not human I am. I cannot hold him without fear of hurting him, for I burn too hot even when I do not mean to. I cannot share most human emotions. I do not have a face beneath this mask… I am… Terrified that he will soon see that I am not worth the effort that comes with loving me."
The two remained silent for a moment when Scorpion was done speaking. The wraith couldn't tell if Kenshi was thinking, or once again invading his thoughts. He received his answer when Kenshi finally spoke again. "So that is why you made the deal with the elder gods…"
His words were met by a fierce scowl, to which he raised his hands in mock surrender, chuckling. "Word spreads fast, Scorpion. I did not need to read your thoughts when Raiden is the biggest gossip in known history."
Deciding to leave that topic be, Scorpion let out a quiet sigh and spoke again. "They told me I needed to "open my heart" to those in my life. Something about me believing myself to be alone in this world. I was confused about this task. I already opened my heart to Kuai, and as far as I was concerned he was the only person in my life. But I now see it as the elder god's tasking me with giving the people who once loved Hanzo the chance to love me as well." Though he knew that this was what he must do, that did not stop him from doubting the situation. He was Scorpion, not Hanzo. He was someone to fight, not someone to love. People loved Hanzo Hasashi. Grandmaster, husband, father, friend, lover. They did not love Scorpion. The enemy, the demon, the monster.
"They do love you." Kenshi's gentle voice cut through Scorpion's thoughts as smoothly as the man's sword. "They do not love you like they loved Hanzo, because that is a love that cannot be replicated. But they love you. They care about you."
"They care about me because they see me as the gateway to Hanzo." Scorpion countered, his fingers folding into fists as he grasped angrily at his own pants. "Even Kuai admitted that he first only began helping me because he wanted Hanzo back. He may have changed that mindset, but the rest of them still only see me as the creature who will one day become the man they loved and respected."
His own words filled him with rage. The truth behind them… The reminder that those who claimed to care for him only cared for who he may someday become. He could feel his own temperature rising and was certain Kenshi could feel it as well.
"You do not give your peers enough credit, Scorpion." Kenshi laid a strong hand on Scorpion's burning shoulder, seemingly ignoring the heat radiating from him. "Talk to them. All of them. You will soon see that they care for you , not who you once were or may become."
His time with Kenshi came to an end when the moon was high in the sky. The older man dismissed himself with a polite nod, telling Scorpion he could see himself out. "Unfortunately, I have other places to be. I will see you again soon, Scorpion." And with that, he was gone, disappearing into the darkness of the dimly lit fire gardens.
Kenshi may have been gone, but his wisdom lingered for many hours after his departure. As Scorpion laid silently on the arguably uncomfortable cot (at least, uncomfortable according to Kuai), he thought over what the man said. Scorpion supposed he was right. He couldn't just assume how the others felt about him. He couldn't assume that things would go wrong. He needed to… Give them a chance. Perhaps that was the deeper meaning of opening his heart.
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The next trial came a week later. This time a letter was sent to the younger Takahashi. Kenshi's son, Takeda. All that Scorpion knew about the boy came from Kuai Liang, who told him of how Hanzo Hasashi had practically raised Kenshi's son while he was… Gone. The only part of the story Scorpion hadn't gotten was why Kenshi had been gone. Was he also met with the fate of a revenant, much like the Shaolin Monks? Restored to life like Jackson Briggs? He wasn't entirely sure if that was possible… But what better way to discover the truth than by asking the abandoned boy himself?
When Takeda arrived, Scorpion found himself feeling… shocked. He resembled Kenshi in some way, but he carried himself differently. Takeda appeared far more… Modern than Kenshi. His armor and weaponry, all technologically advanced, while Kenshi himself stuck to the bare minimums. Takeda seemed more than willing to shed any resemblance to his father, and yet he wore a bandana around his forehead, similar to the one Kenshi wore around his eyes… Interesting.
"I was shocked to hear from you, Scorpion." The boy spoke clearly, his voice strong as he looked at the wraith with his arms crossed over his chest. He appeared confident… Perhaps a bit cocky. He surely hadn't learned that from Kenshi. "I was under the impression that you wanted nothing to do with anyone who wasn't Sub-Zero."
Scorpion felt his face twitch at the mention of Kuai, especially considering the young man used his denounced name, but he forced down any further reactions. Instead he crossed his own arms over his chest, assessing Takeda with a raised eyebrow. "And I was under the impression that you and your special forces friends considered me a threat and a nuisance." He countered.
For a moment, the two men only stared into each other's eyes, one gaze burning into another. After a minute passed, Scorpion was prepared to speak once more, but stopped in his tracks when he noticed the features on Takeda's face begin to soften. "I missed you…" He whispered, his voice frail and soft, a total turn around from his first encounter.
The words caused a storm of emotion within Scorpion, the most prominent being confusion. Surely he meant he missed Hanzo . He had never met Scorpion before… Right?
"I know what you're thinking." Takeda spoke again, interrupting Scorpion's thoughts. "How can I miss someone I've never met, right?"
Scorpion was impressed. That had been what he was thinking, so he gave the boy a curt nod, to which he responded with a quiet chuckle.
"I know you aren't the same person. You have so many differences… And yet you remind me so much of him." This was about Hanzo, then, Scorpion realized, his shoulders drooping with the realization. It was always about Hanzo. He really shouldn't keep expecting more or less.
Takeda seemed to realize Scorpion's change in demeanor, as he quickly began trying to explain himself. "No no! It's not like I see you as Grandmaster Hasashi, you're just so… Similar. It's refreshing to see those… Rigid shoulders and unbearably angry eyes."
It wasn't exactly better, but Scorpion could… Work with it. As long as this child knew that Scorpion was not and never would be the Hanzo Hasashi he once knew.
"Uh, that aside, Grandmas- Scorpion. What have you called upon me for?"
The boy looked at him with both admiration and confusion. Scorpion was used to the confusion. The admiration, however, was very new. This boy looked at him and hoped for his grandmaster. He yearned for something Scorpion could not give him.
Scorpion pressed his eyes closed for a moment, blocking out that hopeful look on the young man's face. Just another person for me to disappoint. "I wish to get to know you." Scorpion finally began, opening his eyes to address the boy. "I understand that you and Hanzo were close. It has been brought to my attention that I need to… Attempt to bond with those who were once close with Hanzo. Form my own bonds. I started first with your father, now it is your turn."
It seemed that the mention of his father was enough to sour Takeda's otherwise happy mood. The moment the man's name was mentioned his face fell into a scowl. "I suppose you like my father, then? That was always Hanzo's main flaw too."
Scorpion gently tilted his head, his eyes boring into Takeda's without a word. Now seemed a good time to ask about his relationship with his father, then. "Do you not like your father?" Scorpion asked. When the words left his mouth, Takeda almost looked shocked. As if no one had ever asked him that question before.
"Well… No. I don't." The younger man finally answered, a defiant nod accompanying the words.
"... Why?" Again, Scorpion's question was met with shock. Did no one really ever question Takeda's feelings for his father? Did no one care to know the reason?
For a moment, Takeda said nothing. He merely stared at Scorpion, his eyebrows drawn down into a confused frown. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of awkward eye contact, the boy spoke. "Well, Kenshi was not in my life for… Most of it. I did not meet him until my mother's death, when I was eight years old. When I did finally meet him, he was… Not as a father should be. He was distant. Negligent. Clearly on a mission to get rid of me so he could be on his way again. And that's when he dropped me off with you- with Grandmaster Hasashi, I mean. I stayed here at the Shirai Ryu for years. Training alongside Grandmaster Hasashi as his personal apprentice. He taught me to use both my strengths and my weaknesses. He introduced me to the special forces, where I met all of my closest friends- and my fiancée. Grandmaster Hasashi raised me. He was my father. Kenshi only came back when I was an adult, prepared to step in and pretend to be the concerned father. I denied him that satisfaction. He tried to tell me that the reason I was sent off was to protect me from my mother's murderers, but I… I just don't care. No reason would be a good enough excuse for abandoning me. So I have not and will not forgive him."
Scorpion hadn't exactly been expecting anything, and yet somehow this was still much worse than he expected. He had assumed that Kenshi had disappeared during the resurrections of the revenants. Killed and brought back like the Shaolin Monks or the Edenian princess Kitana. Never did he consider that Kenshi purposefully left.
"I… Was not aware that his leaving was his choice. I assumed he had been a revenant." His words caused Takeda to scoff and cross his arms over his chest.
"He left because he never wanted a child. He can come up with as many excuses as he wants, but the truth will always be the truth."
Scorpion sat in silence after this, absorbing this new information. Kenshi had a… paternal air about him. With his wisdom and the way he insisted on helping others, Scorpion could easily assume that the man was a good father. But now… He wasn’t entirely sure what to think.
What was Scorpion to say to Takeda? I'm sorry your father abandoned you? I'm sorry the man you considered a father figure died? I'm sorry I have your father figures body but none of his memories?
"... I'd hate him too." The words almost felt like they hadn't come from him. They slipped through his mask unbidden, against his will. And once they were out, there was no taking it back. He could see the words take effect immediately. With the way Takeda paused, his back straightening and his head swiveling toward Scorpion with a confused expression on his face.
"You… You would?" There was disbelief in Takeda's voice. "Ah, sorry. It's just… Grandmaster Hasashi was good friends with my father. He never wanted to take a side when it came to the two of us. He always insisted on the two of us talking. Wanted me to… Hear him out. Forgive him… I wasn't expecting you to-"
"I told you." Scorpion interrupted, causing Takeda to snap his mouth shut. "I am not Hanzo Hasashi. Perhaps Hanzo was more wise than I am. Or perhaps he was just more emotional. All I know is that either way, we do not share the same opinions. I have no real bond to Kenshi currently, aside from him giving me some advice every once in a while. I am not too close to him to be blind to his faults. He may be a good man, but he is a bad father."
Scorpion had never seen a man look so starstruck. Takeda looked at Scorpion with awe, like no one had ever believed him so quickly. Scorpion would not be shocked if that were true.
"People… Usually try to convince me that he must've meant the best for me. That I should give him another chance, allow him to make up for his lost time… No one has ever agreed with me before." It was then that Scorpion could see the change in the boy's eyes. The realization. He could see that right then and there, his earlier words were finally starting to sink into him.
"You really are completely different." Takeda whispered, his voice much softer than it had been earlier.
Scorpion shrugged in return. "I do not know. I only knew Hanzo for a moment before his death. Others seem to have varying opinions on how similar I am to him. Some say it's hard to believe I was ever Hanzo Hasashi, or that I ever became him again. Others…" The others in question being Kuai Liang and Kenshi. "Others think I keep a lot of Hanzo's mannerisms."
"You definitely still have some of his mannerisms." Takeda agreed, pausing after he spoke and tilting his head to the side. "Or perhaps he kept some of your mannerisms." Now this was a new take on the situation. Whenever others met Scorpion, they always considered him the ghost of Hanzo. Never had Scorpion heard it implied that Hanzo was his ghost instead. He supposed it all depended on how one saw it. "You've got the same angry eyebrows. Grandmaster Hasashi was always frowning, though he insisted that he was never angry. You've got the same posture. Always standing like you're ready to fight someone. But you're still so… Obviously different."
The two men fell into silence after this, with Scorpion staring ahead at nothing and Takeda staring unabashedly into the side of Scorpion's face.
“…I was sad to hear of Grandmaster Hasashi’s death.” Takeda began, finally making Scorpion turn his attention back to him. “I mean, of course I was. He was my mentor, my friend… My father, more than Kenshi ever was. I lost someone I can never get back…” As he trailed off, Scorpion found himself bracing for the usual. The anger directed at him for existing in Hanzo’s place. The guilt for existing in a world that was not his own. But instead, all he received was a hand on his knee. “I realize now that I did not lose more than I gained. I lost Hanzo, yes, but I also gained you. ”
If Scorpion had a heart, he was sure it would be swelling right now. If he had the means to, he might have even shed a tear. But he had neither. So instead he simply rested his hand on top of Takeda’s. Neither of them spoke after this. They simply sat in silence, much like he did with Kenshi and like he often did with Kuai Liang. And when the sun began to set and the moon slowly began to rise above the mountains, Takeda began to gather himself.
The two men quietly made their way to the temple gates- well, mostly quietly. Scorpion walked in silence while Takeda spoke of anything and everything that came to mind while they walked. And when they finally arrived at the gates, Scorpion turned and bowed to the young man, expecting Takeda to do the same.
Scorpion tensed, standing still as a statue as strong arms wrapped around him in a tight embrace. He had only ever been embraced by Kuai since his resurrection. And even then they only did so after months of communication about their relationship. This was… unexpected. Unplanned.
And yet Scorpion found himself not reacting violently to the touch. Perhaps it was because he needed this just as much as Takeda did. Or perhaps it was because he could feel the way the boy shook as he held him. Either way, Scorpion slowly raised his arms, settling his hands on Takeda’s back and listening to the sharp inhale of air that followed.
The two stayed in each other’s embrace, Takeda with his face buried in Scorpion’s chest, and Scorpion with his hands gently rubbing the boy's back. Scorpion pretended to not hear the gentle sobs of Takeda. And then he pretended to not hear the quietly whispered words of “I love you, sensei.” He knew they were not meant for him. They were simply… the boy's last words to his lost mentor. Words he did not get to speak before the death of the grandmaster.
It took a moment, but eventually Takeda finally released Scorpion, stepping out of the embrace and gently wiping away fallen tears. His face was red and his eyes were wet, but a smile was still ever present on his face.
“I’ll be seeing you soon, Scorpion. Don't let Grandmaster Kuai Liang keep you all to himself this time!” And now, with a far less formal goodbye than Scorpion was used to, Takeda held up two fingers toward Scorpion before turning and making his way through the Shirazi Ryu gates.
Scorpion, mostly just confused about the entire interaction, gave a confused frown and watched as the gates slowly closed behind the retreating boy. Only when he was alone did he look down at his own hands, putting up two fingers and staring as he tried to decide the gesture. He soon decided that he did not care.
Making his way back to his room, Scorpion had a newfound sense of courage. He did not feel quite so nervous about this journey anymore. Though he was sure bonding with the other warriors would not be quite as easy, he was still… Better prepared. Kenshi and Takeda made this feel easier.
For the first time in a long time, Scorpion felt hopeful.