Mortal Kombat: Sub-Zero's Student

Chapter Thirty-Six: Love Me Or Leave Me

-Hanzo's POV- An entire week has passed since everything happened. Kuai has luckily gotten better at being alone, much to Bi-Han's relief. Kuai has also gotten better at English, but still struggles with certain words.

Kana also visits Kuai as often as he can. When Raiden explained to Kuai who Kana was, Kuai refused to let Kana out of his sight. Much of Kuai's time is spent in the library with Bi-Han, relearning things from his old books. While that is going on, Raiden, Kana, and I have been working on repairing the main entrance to the temple.

I gently exhale a stream of fire to weld the metal connecting the door to its hinges. "Hanzo,"
I turn around to see Kuai standing in the hallway. He shuffles nervously, looking down at the book in his hand. "Can...I help?"
"That may not be the best idea," I answer truthfully, walking over to him. "We are afraid that you may get hurt."

Kuai's shoulders lower, but he nods. "I...understand." His face brightens. "But look!"
He hands the book over to me. "The art of Cryomancy," I read the title, then skim the thick book. "You're relearning Cryomancy?"
He nods excitedly, then creates a small sphere of ice between his hand before snapping it in the air.
The ball of ice explodes, causing snowflakes to fall lightly.

"I'm reteaching him how to fight," Bi-Han explains, his voice causing us to turn around. He leans against the wall, smiling, but I still see sadness in his eyes. Looks like he still hasn't recovered from the trauma he put both himself and Kuai through.
I glance at Bi-Han, then back at the younger brother.
"Kuai," I begin slowly, wanting to make sure he understands everything I am about to say. "Would it be okay if your brother and I speak alone?"

Kuai frowns as I hand the book back to him.
"Alone? Why?" He asks, sounding deeply hurt.
"Do you...not trust me?"
"No, we do!" I say, knowing I have to choose my words carefully, since Kuai has become more sensitive.

"I just need to...uh," I glance at Bi-Han, giving him the signal to help me out.
"Hanzo is making a present for you," Bi-Han cuts in, causing me to shoot him a confused look.
Kuai tilts his head, causing the sash of gauze on his head to nearly slip off. "P-present? What is a present?"

"Good job, Bi-Han," I whisper, scoffing.
"Something special that we give you, since you're doing a great job at recovering." I can tell Bi-Han is lying from a mile away, but Kuai breaks into a grin.
"Really? Xièxiè—I mean....thank you." Kuai's tense shoulders relax. "That would...uh, mean a lot to me."

Kuai smiles as we both walk off to his room and close the door. "What is so important that we need to discuss it alone?"

"I can tell you're still anxious about everything that went down. Understand this, what you did was in self-defense. Kuai was crazy enough to attack you."
"So you're saying it's his fault for being like this now," Bi-Han suddenly gets defensive.
"That is not what I'm saying at all," I whisper, hurt that he would think that about his own sibling.
"I don't know what caused him to snap like that."

"Tundra," He spats. I look up. "What about Kuai's old alias?"
"Not his alias," Bi-Han huffs, "his own personal demon. That's what he called it. Said he could only see it in reflective surfaces, like water or mirrors." He motions to Kuai's shattered bedroom mirror behind me. I walk over to it, feeling a chill run down my spine.

"And the Medallion? It is still hidden, right? He won't be able to find it?" I ask, brushing my fingers against the cracked glass. "Yes, I made sure to keep it hidden."
'Even though Kuai's memories are hazy,' I think to myself. 'Tundra may still be in his head, locked in there.' My mind flashes back to that confrontation in the snowy woods. Kuai screaming, the rage in his purple eyes, whiplash my Kunai to cause that explosion.

He isn't like that anymore. I have to keep reminding myself that. He has the thought pattern of a child now, overly sensitive if either Bi-Han or I sound different with our tone of voice, has a fascination with shiny items, loves reading with either Bi-Han or Kana.

I stare at my cracked reflection, wondering what horrors Kuai saw in this same glass. What did Tundra say to make him snap? Similar to Scorpion, he must know all of the host's secrets, their darkest thoughts, convincing them to succumb to the power.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts when Kuai enters his room, looking around. "Are you looking for something, Kuai?" Bi-Han's tone is gentle now, similar to how a parent would speak to a child.

"Just another book." He states, but suddenly freezes when his eyes land on the mirror.
"Kuai?" Both Bi-Han and I ask in sync.
Kuai slowly walks towards the mirror, worry etched into his face. Tears are in his eyes as he looks down at his right hand.

Both Bi-Han and I are frozen in place. Kuai's shaking hand suddenly curls into a fist as he begins to hyperventilate. We see his reflection change in the mirror, his face suddenly twisted in anger.
"RRRAAAUUGHH!" With an angry yell, he punches the remaining pieces so they fracture on the floor.

"Kuai! That's enough!" Bi-Han snaps to his senses and grabs Kuai's fist. Kuai turns to face his brother, snapping out of whatever daze he was just in.
"What was that? Did you want to hurt yourself more?!" Bi-Han snaps, sounding like a worried father.

"What did I do?" Kuai cries, tears rolling down.
"Hanzo, what did I do?!" He asks weakly.
I open my mouth, but no words come out.
With a cry of anguish, Kuai rips Bi-Han's grip away and bolts out of the room, crying.

"I was right," I finally say. "Tundra is still in his head. Kuai just acted like a soldier having a PTSD flashback. Even though he still has amnesia."
I look at Bi-Han. "What are you waiting for?" I bark. "Find him! I'll inform Raiden and Kana to stay away! We don't want him lashing out if he's still unstable!"