Mortal Kombat: Enenra's Shadow part 2
Chapter 7: Tears in the Rain
A few hours after the tower’s collapse, Muchacha, along with Viktor and the others have returned to the palace in Sun Do, the capital of Outworld’s republic. The general stepped before the crowd, kneeling before the Outworld’s rulers.
MUCHACHA: My Kahnum’s, we have visitors.
KITANA: I see that. Welcome back, Red Robin.
Robin removed his mask and hoodie, bowing forth as he gave the khan a smile.
ROBIN: You haven't aged a day, Kitana Kahn. Same to you as well, Mileena Kahnum.
Mileena giggled. She sat on the throne beside Kitana’s as she whispered to her.
MILEENA: I missed him.
KITANA (rolling her eyes): And these people with you, Robin?
Robin stepped back, wrapping his arms around Melisa and Viktor’s shoulders.
ROBIN: My wife and son, your honor. We were wondering if we could stay the night? Promise we won't bother you.
Kitana nodded and guards showed them to their rooms. Later that night, as Melisa and Viktor fell asleep in their rooms, Robin something outside his window. He knows it's late at night and it was probably a bird or something, but curiosity overtook him. He put on his red jacket, buckled his pants and grabbed his mask before jumping out the window, stabbing into the side of the palace as he climbed up to the roof. Rain crashed down from the heavens, before Red Robin took quick notice of a shadowy figure at the edge of the roof, looking down at the courtyard. The caped crusader climbed up, snapping his fingers and calling the daggers to himself. That startled the figure, causing her to quickly turn around and clench her fists. Robin put his daggers away and put his hands up.
ROBIN: Hey, calm down, I won’t fight you. Promise…
The figure sighed, lowering its still closed fists. The figure stepped forward, revealing to be Breeze. Robin’s expression changed from a calm to a surprised, almost haunted expression as he stepped forward, the moon's light reflecting off his mask.
ROBIN: Oh, you’re a… you’re Mauqu. I thought your people were wiped out…
BREEZE (angrily): They are. I’m all that remains.
Robin felt a pang of guilt wash over him, stepping back as he stood a total of 6 feet apart.
ROBIN: I’m sorry. I–
BREEZE: Oh, don’t give me your pity. Always “I’m sorry” this, and “I didn’t know” that, and “I’m here for you.”
Robin took a deep breath, stepping forward and sitting down on the ledge of the roof, looking over at the courtyard as he asked.
ROBIN: Viktor told me about you while we were walking. What were you doing up here?
Breeze pointed towards a window with a turned on light. Robin, taking a better look, recognized Muchacha there before the light was turned off.
ROBIN: Oh, you were spying on Amara? You got a crush on her?
Breeze’s voice lowered as she replied menacingly.
BREEZE: Her father is the reason why hundreds of voices are silenced like mice. I’m here to claim my revenge for centuries worth of genocide…
ROBIN (scoffing to the side): I should’ve seen that coming…
As Robin stood up, Breeze looked over at him in disgust as her eyes sharpened at him.
BREEZE: I should’ve expected you to be just another arrogant prick.
She clenched her fists harder, her veins were visible through her gloves as she stepped towards Red Robin, raising her tone to make sure what she’s saying goes into his head.
BREEZE: You think you’re sooo special because you rebelled against Shao Kahn so long ago, helped the homeless, killed a few guards. Do you have any idea what it’s like to have your people MURDERED in cold blood?!
ROBIN (seriously): Yes.
Breeze’s expression suddenly softened, her eyes looked at him with less anger and more a strange sense of… empathy? Robin sat down once again, looking over the courtyard as he removed his mask, the scars around his eye more prominent now as he replied to the wind-born fugitive.
ROBIN (monotone): It happened when I was little. My mother was an Earthrealmer who came to see the last Mortal Kombat tournament. After that, she met my dad and they had me not long after. My people worked as slaves under Shao Kahn’s boot. I decided to escape, try and find a way to free them. Or at least my parents. When I returned with my daggers, they were all already dead. My friends, mother and father, stacked on a pile of burning corpses. I murdered the guards responsible, and yet… I felt nothing.
Breeze looked down, sitting down beside Nico as she asked.
BREEZE: Then what?
ROBIN: Then a local took me in, trained me to control my powers…
He replied, snapping his fingers and spinning the dagger in the air as it caught on a green-tinted flame. He caught the dagger and put it out, tilting his head to Breeze.
ROBIN: And then the rest is history. After Shao Kahn’s death, I took up working for Kitana Kahn as a royal assassin, joined the special forces afterwards, did a bunch of other stuff and finally… fell in love.
Breeze dropped her head down, trying to hide her tears as Robin looked over at her.
ROBIN: H-Hey, are you okay? Did I say something?
BREEZE (wiping her tears away): No, it's not you, it's me. What you said about you leaving to try and help your people–
ROBIN: What, that? That's not such a big deal, I'm sure you’d do the same–
BREEZE: Except I DIDN’T!
Breeze lashed out, yelling at Nico who leaned back, his expression one of distress. The wind-born fugitive leaned back, adding.
BREEZE: You escaped and went to save your people at such a young age. I was a mere teenager when my people were wiped out…
Robin leaned forward, asking.
ROBIN (carefully): And…?
BREEZE (tearing up): I didn’t leave my village. I didn’t try to help anyone when the soldiers came. I hid like a coward, trying to ignore their screams… My people were dying and I did nothing… All what remains of their blood is a fucking coward and a criminal…
Robin removed his mask, wiping his tears away as he sat beside the mauqu, hugging her holding her shoulder softly as he whispered to her.
ROBIN: Fear overtook you, that is not your fault…
BREEZE: It doesn't matter, my people are gone, and their blood is on my hands. There is nothing I can do to fix my mistakes. It's too late. It's…
ROBIN (letting go of her slowly, giving a soft smile): It wasn't late for me.
The wind-born fugitive, sniffling as she wiped her tears away, asked.
BREEZE: Why are you so nice to me? I almost killed your son, and yet, you give me the benefit of the doubt.
the caped crusader chuckled, breathing in and out, and replied.
ROBIN: Because I know what it's like to be in the wrong. And you need a chance to prove yourself, so you can move on and forgive yourself. Because that's the first step: forgiveness.
Breeze listened carefully, looking up at the crusader.
BREEZE: You know what my name is? It's Ocreia.
ROBIN (sitting down as he looked over at Breeze): Okay... why are you saying this to me, of all people?
Breeze looked down on the ground, taking a deep breath as she lowered her mask, turning back to Nico.
BREEZE: I changed my name after I left my village. I shed it for Breeze after what happened. A name I picked after mastering my anemomancy.
a cold wind blew past, carrying a few leaves along the fugitive's arm as she spoke.
BREEZE: Breeze isn't just some secret identity, it is my identity. If I lose that... I'll have nothing.
Robin sat closer to her, placing a hand on her arm.
ROBIN: I used to think the same. Thinking that if I died doing what I did before Shao bit the dust, no one would bother remembering me. Not one soul would mourn my death...
He looked down on the ground as he spoke, but then a glimmer of hope was seen in his eyes as he looked up at Breeze.
ROBIN: But you, Ocreia. You have friends, a found family, even. Viktor told me everything. And if I wasn't any better, I'd beat the shit out of you first and him second.
Ocreia giggled playfully. She felt her heart beating insanely as she smiled back at the crusader, her cheeks turning a slight pink as she asked.
BREEZE: Do you really think so? You really think I have a chance? At redemption, at making up for my mistakes, after all this time? You really think I could…?
She looked down, her braided hair flowing from the wind as Robin replied.
ROBIN (gently): You redeemed yourself when you punched Shang Tsung in the balls.
The two laughed lightly, Nico moving his hand up to her face and wiping her tears away as he answered.
ROBIN: But seriously though, you deserve redemption, even if you think you don't deserve it, because you do. And don't let yourself, or anyone else, tell you otherwise.
Ocreia then wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly as she cried, her voice cracking from her tears.
BREEZE: Th-Thank you. Thank you so much...
Nico hugged her back, patting her head gently as he replied.
ROBIN: It's no big deal, my friend.
Breeze pulled herself back, sitting down, holding her knee up.
BREEZE: Sorry, I never asked you your name, I've only ever known you as Red Robin.
ROBIN (smiling): It's Nico. Formally, Red Robin. You can call me either or.
BREEZE: Nico. It sounds nice. Suits you. You are a very kind man, and I am happy to have met you. I can tell that our son likes you.
Robin smiled, chuckling gently. He looked back up, the sky was beginning to show the stars. It was quiet for a moment. A peaceful silence, the sound of nature, a gentle breeze blowing past. The masked man stood up, his daggers flying out into his hands.
ROBIN: Need a ride?
BREEZE: I can manage.
Breeze jumped off the roof, slowly gliding down and away as Nico smiled at her as he climbed back into his room, and sat on his bed, thinking thoroughly though the events of tonight.