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You were panting heavily, dodging claws and wild swings left and right as you slowly but surely cut through Shang Tsung’s lackeys.
The guys were closing in on him now, forcing the sorcerer to grow more reckless the more cornered he became.
He huffed as he narrowly dodged Kung Lao’s razor hat, stumbling back as he quickly assessed his situation.
“It’s over, Shang Tsung,” you glared at him, weapon raised.
He scoffed, lifting his hands in mock surrender, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
“Perhaps it is time to admit defeat…” he murmured, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes.
You tensed immediately. You didn’t like how easily he was giving up.
As the others moved closer, you saw him reach down in one swift motion, fingers closing around a small vial.
“Wait— stop! Don’t get too close!” you shouted, but it was already too late.
Shang Tsung hurled the potion to the ground and leapt back as the glass shattered, thick fumes erupting outward and quickly enveloping the boys.
“I suppose today is not that day,” he chuckled mockingly. Then his gaze slid back to you, and he gave a casual, taunting wave. “I believe you’ll be plenty entertained for the time being.”
Before you could react, he vanished in a swirl of green smoke.
You cursed under your breath and rushed forward, heart pounding as you waited for the fumes to clear. A few coughs and pained groans echoed through the haze, the sound of bones snapping worrying you instantly.
Then everything went silent.
Suddenly, a low growl tore through the smoke.
You barely had time to react before a blur of white and black exploded out of the haze. The impact slammed into you, knocking the wind straight out of your lungs as you hit the ground hard.
“—Guh!”
Claws dug into the stone on either side of your head, heavy weight pinning you down as a massive shape loomed over you. You froze.
A snow leopard.
Its fur was thick and pale, patterned with dark rosettes that rippled as it shifted its weight. Familiar brown eyes locked onto yours, sharp and unblinking. Its lips curled back in a snarl, breath unnervingly cold against your face, chest rumbling with a warning growl that vibrated straight through you.
Your heart hammered as you stared up at it. Your gaze flicked briefly to the side, catching the glint of a Lin Kuei pin scattered on the floor, before snapping back to those brown eyes, thoughts racing.
“…Bi-Han?” you whispered, barely daring to breathe.
The leopard’s ears flicked.
For a split second, hope flared in your chest.
Then it snarled again, louder this time, claws scraping closer as it lowered its head, clearly seeing you as nothing more than a threat.
“Shit— okay,” you rushed out, slowly lifting your hands in surrender. “It’s me. I’m not— I’m not attacking you.”
Movement stirred in the smoke behind him.
A deep, thunderous huff shook the air as something much larger shifted. The ground trembled under heavy footsteps, followed by the unmistakable crack of stone beneath massive weight.
Your stomach dropped.
The smoke thinned just enough for you to see it.
A massive black bear lumbered forward, fur bristling, huge paws fumbling with the red blindfold stretched across its face before ripping it free. Small, dark eyes scanned the area before landing on you, still pinned beneath the snow leopard.
“Kenshi…” you breathed.
To your left, something colorful burst from the smoke with an indignant screech. Feathers fanned wide as a brilliant green peafowl strutted into view, wings flaring dramatically, as if personally offended by the entire situation.
“Oh no,” you muttered. “Please let this not be what I’m thinking it is.”
As the haze continued to clear, more shapes emerged. Each animal bore subtle, unmistakable traits that told you exactly who they were.
Your heart sank as a dull headache began to form, the weight of the situation crashing down on you as you tried to figure out how you were supposed to handle this.
The snow leopard above you growled again, claws flexing.
“Hey— hey, it’s okay,” you whispered, forcing your voice to stay steady. “I know you don’t recognize me right now. That’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.”
The leopard hesitated.
Its head tilted, nostrils flaring as it sniffed at you, confusion flickering behind its eyes, instinct warring with something deeper it couldn’t quite grasp.
Then a low metallic clang shattered the tension.
Both you and the leopard turned toward the sound.
A powerful, distinctly annoyed chuff rolled out of the smoke.
Orange and black stripes emerged from the haze, massive shoulders rolling as a tiger stepped into the open. His gaze swept the courtyard, taking in the destruction, his formerly human comrades, and finally settling on you.
Kung Lao.
Your breath hitched.
The tiger’s eyes narrowed, tail flicking once as he took in the sight of you pinned to the ground. A deep, resonant rumble built in his chest, low and threatening, clearly meant as a warning.
The snow leopard immediately backed off, leaping away from you and landing beside the lynx and dhole.
You slowly pushed yourself upright, chest heaving as adrenaline finally caught up with you.
“Lao…” you whispered, taking a cautious step toward him. “It’s me.”
The tiger stared at you.
For a long, terrifying moment, you weren’t sure if he recognized anything at all.
Then he padded closer.
Each step was heavy and deliberate. He lowered his massive head, sniffing the air around you, eyes never leaving your face. His ears twitched. His breathing slowed, tension easing out of his broad frame.
And then, to your shock, he pressed his forehead gently against your shoulder.
A soft, rumbling purr vibrated through his chest.
Your knees nearly gave out.
“…Okay,” you whispered shakily, reaching up to rest a hand against his fur. “Okay. That’s a start.”
You carefully scratched at his head, letting out a quiet chuckle when he responded with pleased chuffs.
“Hey,” you murmured. “Remember me? Y/N?” you tried again.
He lazily blinked down at you, studying your face. Then his eyes widened slightly, recognition finally clicking into place.
With a low roar, he lunged forward and tackled you, throwing his full weight on top of you.
“—Oof!”
The air was crushed out of your lungs as he shoved his head under your chin, nuzzling you insistently. You weakly patted at his fur, half-laughing, half-gasping.
“I’m taking that as a yes,” you wheezed. “Lao… you’re crushing me. I— can’t— breathe.”
Around you, the tension eased. The others had begun to recognize you as well, their postures relaxing as they gathered closer, no longer suspicious of you.
The lion—clearly Liu Kang—strode forward and nudged Kung Lao firmly off of you with his massive shoulder. He let out a short, authoritative roar, fixing the tiger with a pointed look.
Kung Lao huffed in protest but relented, stepping away.
You lay there for a moment, gasping and wheezing as air finally filled your lungs again.
You finally pushed yourself up with a groan, brushing dirt and debris from your clothes before looking at all of them again. They stared back at you in unison, and you winced, the headache deepening as you tried to figure out how the hell you were supposed to get everyone home like this.
You turned toward Liu. “…Do your powers still work?” you asked weakly, hopeful he could manage a portal.
He shook his mane, then stilled. After a moment, he tilted his head slightly and a portal bloomed open beside him.
“Oh, thank the Elder Gods,” you sighed dramatically. “Okay, guys. On you go.”
One by one, they obeyed, padding toward the portal and stepping through without incident.
You watched them go, shoulders finally sagging with relief.
At least that part was easy.
Explaining the situation to Geras was an entirely different ordeal.
The look of alarm and pure confusion on his face as a group of exotic yet strangely docile animals stepped through the portal was almost impressive.
“So,” you sighed, already tired, “yeah… they’re kind of stuck like this for now. And it seems they at least recognize who we are.” You sighed, rubbing at your temples. “I’m not sure how long it’ll take for them to turn back…” You paused, tension creeping into your voice. “They will turn back, right?”
Geras studied each of them carefully, expression unreadable, before finally letting out a quiet sigh.
“They will,” he said calmly. “Eventually. However, it may take some time.” He glanced back at you. “I will search for a way to reverse the effects sooner. Can you manage until then?”
You stared at him for a long second before muttering, “I don’t really have a choice, do I?”
He inclined his head apologetically. “I will find a cure as quickly as possible.”
“Thanks,” you said, managing a small smile as he stepped back toward the portal. You lifted a hand in a brief wave as he disappeared.
You thought taking care of them would bring a barrage of headaches and exhaustion, but surprisingly enough, it was easy. You figured it had something to do with the fact that while they were animals, they weren’t exactly animals.
The Lin Kuei trio were by far the easiest to manage, seeing as they mostly took care of themselves.
Bi-Han preferred solitude, often lounging in the shade and keeping his distance from everyone, much like he did as a human. Somehow, he even managed to carry that familiar scowl into his snow leopard form.
He usually ignored you when you called for him, flicking an ear and deliberately turning his head away. More often than not, you had to physically go and retrieve him. Still, aside from that stubbornness, he was easy enough to handle.
He even let you pet him once.
Kuai and Tomás were much more obedient, though they still kept a respectful distance at times. They always came when you called and tended to stay close, keeping you company whenever you settled down.
Tomás often curled up beside you, purring softly whenever you scratched the base of his ear, his head resting comfortably in your lap. Kuai stayed near your feet, tail swishing lazily when you ran your fingers through the short fur along his back.
You never had to worry about feeding them. All three would leave together to hunt, sometimes returning with their catches so you could cook for the others or set aside food for later.
Raiden and Kenshi were also surprisingly easy to care for, mostly because they made a point to keep themselves visible to you at all times.
Raiden stayed close, easily amusing himself with the smallest things. He climbed trees, explored nearby areas, and never wandered too far, always close enough to hear you if you called. More often than not, you could find him in the garden, chewing on different plants and fruits.
It was honestly adorable watching him approach the staff with pleading eyes and his little prayer hands, silently asking permission to snack on the weeds and fruit growing there.
Kenshi, on the other hand, had you stressed at first.
You had no idea how you were supposed to care for a bear that size and immediately assumed you’d need to buy an absurd amount of meat or ask the Lin Kuei boys to hunt extra just for him. To your surprise, you quickly learned that, like natural black bears, he preferred fruits and berries, with an especially strong fondness for assorted nuts.
He did indulge in the occasional fish (something you had scolded him for more than once after catching him snacking on the koi in the pond) and a bit of meat now and then, but he was an absolute sucker for plums.
Kenshi was also the only one who had to sleep outside, his massive frame unable to fit through such a small doorway. He didn’t seem to mind much, though, often settling in comfortably as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Johnny was an absolute headache to care for, just like his human counterpart.
He constantly showed off, spreading his feathers wide and demanding attention from anyone and everyone within eyesight. When ignored (which happened more often than not), he screeched loudly and eventually resorted to pecking you until you acknowledged him.
You scolded him more times than you could count, but the asshole only ever looked smug afterward, clearly pleased that he’d gotten your attention one way or another.
Liu Kang mostly kept to himself, patrolling the grounds and making sure everything remained in order. Just because he’d turned into a lion didn’t mean responsibilities stopped existing. He frequently corrected the others when they stepped out of line and helped you keep watch over everyone.
You were endlessly grateful for his presence. Without him, you were pretty sure you’d have been far more frazzled trying to keep everyone in check and make sure they were all doing well.
From time to time, he allowed you to indulge, running your fingers through his mane. A low, rumbling growl would escape him, almost like an amused chuckle at your fascination.
And last, but certainly not least—Kung Lao.
He was a total menace.
He acted like a complete house cat, constantly invading your personal space. He was always pressed up against you, tail flicking, following you wherever you went like a very large, very determined shadow.
It was honestly a sight to behold. You’d catch him with his ears flattened against his head, face utterly disgruntled as you yelled at him to get out of your bathroom. He’d respond by chuffing and growling back at you, before planting himself firmly on the shower tiles and letting his fur get absolutely soaked.
You had no choice but to shower him too.
He also had a habit of tripping you, knocking you off balance just so he could pin you down and force you to pet him. He was especially fond of it when you scratched right above his tail, immediately melting under your hands.
The asshat was spoiled, too.
He refused to eat unless you hand-fed him chunks of meat. You’d glare at him the entire time, sighing in pure exasperation as he happily accepted every bite.
Who would’ve thought your boyfriend would be this high-maintenance as a cat.
He enjoyed every second of it.
But you couldn’t deny it, your boyfriend turning into a giant cat did have its perks.
You had a massive cuddle buddy every night, his steady heat and low, rumbling purrs easily lulling you to sleep. The constant attention, the way he was always nearby, made the days feel a little less lonely.
Whenever you felt stressed or overwhelmed, all he had to do was brush up against you gently, and your mood would already be lighter than before.
So… you supposed you couldn’t complain too much.
When Geras finally returned and managed to turn them all back, you found yourself feeling both relieved and strangely disappointed.
Seeing them as animals had been an experience. One you knew you’d miss.
Especially Kung Lao—needy, affectionate, glued to your side at all times.
When he turned back, his face flushed a deep red as he scratched the back of his neck, clearly mortified.
“Listen…” he muttered later, refusing to meet your eyes. “The cat kind of took over.”
“Uh-huh,” you teased lightly. “It’s okay, baby. I’ll still rub your belly for you.”
He groaned, rolling his eyes as he pulled you into his arms.
“Whatever,” he muttered. “Just— let me kiss you.”
He leaned down and pressed a soft, sweet kiss to your lips, arms tightening around you like he still half-expected you to disappear.
And while having him as a tiger had been an experience in itself, you didn’t think you’d ever trade this.
Because no matter the form, this was still him.