Guardian: Fujin and Child Reader (Mortal Kombat)

Chapter Forty-Five: The Dragon And The Play

(Image credit: Wings of Fire NightWing by Joy Ang.)
(Lyrics used: The Alchemist by Nathan Wagner)

Alone in his room, Fujin looks over the script again, nervousness fluttering in his stomach. Despite being thousands of years old, he's never acted in anything before. The closest thing he can think of is using voices while reading to you, but that was when you and him were alone.

Now that he has to do it in front of the others?
But in other news, the egg had hatched, revealing a female baby dragon with black and dark blue scales.
Her horns are straight and white, along with the spikes going from the base of her head to the tip of her tail.
Like Fujin had designed, the scales on the underside of her wings are black, with a few silver scales scattered here and there, like stars in the night sky.

To his relief, you loved the little creature immediately.
Since it is late at night, he had just tucked you into bed, the dragon already asleep on your other pillow.
"What will you name her?" Kuai had asked, all of you watching her stumble around on her four legs.
"I don't know," you said.

"Nebula?" Liu guessed.
"Astral?" Raiden suggested.
"Veil?" Kuai offered.
"Maybe Foeslayer?" Hanzo murmured.
"Ooo, maybe Quickdeath!" You had smiled.
"Uh, perhaps something a little less violent, my darling," Fujin had said with a nervous laugh.

So in the end, you named her Topaz, because of the blue highlights along the edges of her wings.
With the others asleep, Fujin looks down at the script again, fingers going through his hair.
Memorizing lines is easy enough, it's just the acting part that frightened him. Specifically having to act the exact opposite of himself: self centered, stuck up. This will definitely be interesting.
****
The play begins.
Kuai paces in the living room, slipping into his character almost as easy as fighting is to him.
"Rule the continent by ourselves?" He echoes his father's words.
"Sounds like a challenge," Liu/Armax murmurs.
"But it is what father wants," Hanzo/Rhaelor says.

"I know. Father, you truly don't recall who poisoned your glass of wine?" Liu asks.
"No. The moments before my death were a blur," Raiden/Corthan sighs, more mascara smeared under his eyes and cheekbones. "But I know someone who can help."

Fujin sees you and Topaz watching from the couch.
"Who?" Hanzo asks.
"Go to the High Priest in the Capital. He can give you guidance," Raiden states.
Fujin leans back in his chair as the others approach. He exhales and looks down at them with an 'I-am-holier-than-thou' expression bordering on disinterest.

The other fighters don't have to fake looking intimidated. Even Raiden looks caught off guard.
"You may approach," he says clearly, adding more echo to his voice for dramatic effect.
"You are the High Priest, correct?" Liu stammers.
"That is correct," Fujin's eyes narrow. "But I must ask: what are the three Targaryen princes doing here?"

"Well—Father—King Corthan—He..." Liu sputters.
"He's dead," Hanzo finishes. "Poisoned."
"King Corthan Targaryen is dead?" Fujin echoes, leaning forward in his chair, gloved hands gripping the armrests tightly.
"Aye," Kuai nods.
Fujin forcing himself to cry comes easier than expected, feeling a tear slide down his cheek.

"Dead," he repeats quietly, wiping away his tears quickly, stunned. "And yet I sense him with you. He is here."
"Correct," Hanzo sighs.
"Corthan, come out before I expel you from these holy grounds," Fujin snaps.
Raiden appears from behind the group, facing a void of expression.
Fujin exhales sharply. "Brother."
"Little brother," Raiden nods.

"Wait," Kuai looks between the two, connecting the dots. "The High Priest is your brother?"
"And you never told us?" Liu gasps.
"He is," Raiden murmurs sadly. "But he cannot inherit the throne."
"I swore an oath to the church. I cannot marry, nor inherit any titles besides Father Superior," Fujin explains simply, then sighs and gets up.