#sundoes

                    ❦ ╾╾╾╾╾ Day of the tournament, and the buzz of Earthrealm's new champion was certainly a hot topic- with much need for Raiden was indeed something special. Although, the swordsman found himself wandering a little further away from all the talk, from the insufferable voice of Cage. Found himself in good company, like real good company it seemed.

                    "It has brought me the wonderful company of a very handsome gentleman. With such unique eyes that one could get lost within if they were not all too careful"

Too late... He knows this, how could he not? He is beyond redemption, his path to power paved by actions unforgivable, the bond he once shared with his brothers lies in shambles, the trust his allies had held in him destroyed, his reputation damaged beyond repair. And still, his stubbornness persists.

He wakes after what feels like a long sleep, fistful and restless. Disoriented it takes him long moments to come to himself, then to his surroundings - and then still realize he is not alone. He shivers, cold, covered in sweat that clings to him as opposed to simply evaporating. It hurts to move, a burning sensation rippling through each muscle, but he stubbornly aches to sit up, a wheezing breath taken as if the first in hours. And in fact it had been.

He was dead, by all accounts. And yet he lives. The undead cannot be killed in a way that matters.

The initial reaction is suspicion, but soon his mind catches up to the fact that he recognizes the space where in he was laid to rest and that he was unharmed - at least, no further harmed than when he'd found himself passing out with poison injected directly to his heart. He swallows, mouth tasting of ash and soot and just as dry, and a cough does escape him - a spark of flame manifesting in front of his face.

BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD

He feels it before he is alerted to a disturbance on their grounds, a familiar sense in the back of his mind, the pull of the Netherrealm on his tattered soul: another of it's residents was on their territory. A ghost, a demon, he could not tell yet, but it was not something he wished his ninjas face on their own - as capable as they are, he is intimately aware of the strength of Netherrealm's denizens.

He commands with his presence, and he is quick to teleport towards the location his scouts had noted, a tower of flame breaking the serene image of his expansive gardens — but the sight had already been tainted.

Hanzo finds the stranger, another wraith much like himself, and his distrust is immediate - especially finding the other standing over a corpse. Had it been one of his own, the answer would have been swift retribution, not a word wasted on the scum that dare attack his clan... instead he finds the other standing over what is clearly a mercenary for the Red Dragon, their surveillance persisting even after they had been ran out of Shirai Ryu territory, not letting go of their grudge against the burden that is Takeda's Takahashi legacy.

And he can understand the confusion, the reason why this lowly mercenary thought to attack a wraith — although he might not don their actual dress, the stranger is dressed in their clan colors.

Hanzo watches the other silently, awaiting a violent reaction, but when it is not immediately sprung he does speak.

       He was being genuine,   rare as it may be,   between the Lin Kuei              now Shirai Ryu,  Johnny found Tomas very pleasant to be around,   easy to like and talk to as well,   had an air of friendliness most of their new companions seemed to be lacking.   It certainly showed through the actor's attitude as he hardly called the other any mean nickname,   beside smoke ninja and what not,   he even offered a pair of custom-made sunglasses which was only an indication of trust he gives out to very few people,   a little extravagant in his own way,   for no one truly needed or wanted his choice of eye wear,   and certainly not as much as the extent of wearing them indoors,   but that was his one of many little ridiculous things he maintains despite public opinion.        ❛❛   No ?   Worth a shot.   ❜❜        Johnny huffed,   leaning back in his chair,   it wasn't that he couldn't afford to pay,   he could buy this whole place if desired,   it was simply that he was a sour loser with a fickle pride.   Tomas did not only win but was rubbing salt in the wound in asking for a prize              not that he minded really.        ❛❛   Ah, why not,   but you order it I don't want Madam Bo flirting with me again,    and I thought I was relentless.   ❜❜        He murmured.

@sundoes // [ ☆ ]

( let yuri braid rain's hair )

At first Rain was tense when Yuri started to mess with his hair. It wasn't because he was tender headed...he just wasn't fond of other people touching his hair. He was very peculiar about who was allowed to touch it. And right now it seems Yuri was added on that short list of those people.

Cold silence was Bi-Han's only response to his youngest brother's question. Frankly, he did not want to hear another word out of Smoke's mouth. He had no need for more of his brother's ridiculous excuses, but then again, Tomas had always had that annoying habit of talking back to him, of not staying quiet when it wasn't his turn to speak ⸺ and it never failed to get under Bi-Han's skin. Exhaling slowly, he forced himself to remain calm despite his frustration, just barely resisting the urge to slam his hands down on his desk, yell at Smoke and put him in his place. Not that any amount of yelling had ever helped with that in the past.

A mere couple of days had passed since their father's funeral ⸺ and while Bi-Han had not wasted a moment grieving the old man's death, he knew his brothers were still in mourning. Perhaps, he should be more forgiving, more patient with them during their time of grief, but he knew that, by coddling them, he would only make them weak. No, he would not let Smoke off easily again this time. He couldn't. After all, he still remembered their father's words all too painfully. Failure should never go unpunished.

❝ You failed your mission, Tomas. I have no use for your excuses, I won't tolerate failure. ❞ Bi-Han snapped, dark eyes narrowing as he pointed an accusing finger at his brother. ❝ I always knew you were not cut out to be one of us. ❞ He wanted his words to sting, wanted them to hurt, not because he enjoyed tormenting Tomas, but because he saw it necessary to teach him strength. Tomas needed strictness, a firm hand to guide him. When Bi-Han looked at Smoke, he never saw a warrior. All he saw was the pale, scrawny, scared orphan his father took in all those years ago; back when they were just boys. Bi-Han had not bothered getting attached then, he hadn't expected his new brother to survive the first winter's cold, yet Tomas had proven to be surprisingly resilient. Lucky, as Bi-Han preferred to put it. Luck and his father's mercy had saved Smoke's life.

Tomas was weak. It was not his own fault, no ⸺ it was his blood that made him weak, his blood that was not Lin Kuei. No amount of training, no amount of years spent amongst them would change that. Bi-Han did not resent Smoke for his weak blood, he pitied him for it. Weakness meant death and one day he would send Tomas out on another mission, he would watch him leave the Lin Kuei temple... leave, never to return. Was that not ultimately why he refused to call Tomas his brother despite Kuai Liang's pleas? Because it was easier to bury a solider than a brother.