Guardian: Fujin and Child Reader (Mortal Kombat)

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Relax

(Vs Mileena.)
Mileena: "Here for Liu Kang?"
Fujin: "Return him to Kitana now, Mileena."
Mileena: "Silly Fujin, sisters share everything."

Fallen leaves crunch under the three men's boots as they walk through the forest. It's getting darker now, but still enough light to see the Shirai Ryu Temple in the distance, the lanterns glowing faintly.
As they get closer, they feel the warmth of a campfire close by.

"Do you smell that?" Fujin murmurs.
"Smell what?" Liu asks. "Other than burning firewood?"
"No, not that. It smells....oddly sweet," he whispers.
Then they see you sitting by the fire, holding a stick with a small fire at the end of it.
"(Y/n)!" Fujin yells in panic, sending a gust of wind to snuff out the small fire.

You blink, bewildered at your marshmallow suddenly burning out. You look over at the three adults, then smile. "Hi, dad!"
Fujin sighs in relief, walking over.
"Hello, (Y/n). You look better."
You nod, eating your slightly charred marshmallow. "Kuai gave me some medicine. It tasted yucky...."

"It's not supposed to taste good. Where are Kuai and Hanzo?" Your father asks.
"Inside. They both need to get some things."
He sits next to you on the fallen log.
"(Y/n), there is someone I want you to meet," Fujin nods towards Liu, signaling him to come over.

Liu walks over and kneels down. "You're (Y/n), right?" He asks you gently. You nod. He smiles. "Nice to meet you."
"You want a marshmallow?" You ask, holding the bag up. "Sure. Thank you," he takes one and sets it on fire with his hand.
"Are you related to Hanzo?" You ask, head tilted.

Liu laughs. "No, I'm afraid not." He sits on another log.
Raiden is the last to sit. Kuai and Hanzo walk out with graham crackers and chocolate bars for s'mores.
After talking and joking for a bit, you end up sitting next to Raiden. "Want a marshmallow?" You ask.
He looks down at you and smiles, but you notice sadness in his eyes.

He takes one and looks startled at the squishy texture. "Oh, this feels weird," he mutters. You laugh softly. He copies you in learning how to roast one. His is charred black, looking more like a lump of coal on the end of his stick.
"Huh..." he takes a bite and looks surprised. "This tastes oddly good."

"Do any of you know any good songs?" You ask, looking around at the others. Liu shakes his head. "Not off the top of my head," he answers.
"Nope," Hanzo sighs.
"I don't," Kuai answers honestly.
"I don't sing," Raiden answers bluntly.
Fujin looks at you and smiles. "What if you sing one to us?"
You blink. "Me?"
"If you want," he answers gently, winking.

"Okay...Let me think..." you look into the fire.
"I'm half expecting Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star..." Hanzo whispers to Fujin, who laughs softly.
"I can't think of one," you say sadly. That's only partially true. More than that, you have stage fright.
"Perhaps another time, then," Fujin smiles. He's the only one that knows the real reason.

You smile and nod in relief. After a while of talking, you soon get bored. "Want to go for a walk, (Y/n)?" Your father asks, sensing you becoming bored. "Sure."
He gets up and excuses you both, then you follow him.
After making sure your coat is secure, he walks beside you, still close enough to the temple for light.

"Hey, dad?" You begin.
"Hm?" He looks down, blue eyes glowing faintly.
"On that record player you gave me, I heard a song called My Mother Told Me. What's a mother?"
Fujin looks troubled. "Hm, how do I explain this in a way you understand...?"
He crouches down to look you in the eyes. "Well, a mother is like...a female version of me, if that makes any sense. Someone who cares for children."

"Like you," you smile. "Yes," he laughs softly. "Like me."
"Do I have a mother? Could I meet her?"
Again, Fujin looks somewhat sad. "I'm afraid not, (Y/n)."
"Why not?" You ask innocently.
"Well, when I created you, I used the Hourglass to...make the other half of you, if that makes sense. So, in a weird way, I'm technically both your mother and father. I never gave birth to you physically, but I still wanted you to exist." He sighs.

"Huh," you blink, trying to process this. "Then where do babies come from?"
Fujin blushes in embarrassment. "I'll tell you when you're older," he blurts out, then picks you up.
"Are you feeling a little better?" He asks, wanting to change the subject. "Mhm," you nod. "I don't really feel sick anymore."
He sighs in relief. "That's good...I'm happy about that."