Mortal Kombat: Sub-Zero's Student

Chapter Forty-Three: Soothing Kuai

-Bi-Han's POV- "Kuai, look," I begin, pacing under the branch he is above in. "Can't you just....call Tundra here? You said you can talk to him in your head, right? Just tell him to come over so we can talk."
"That is a horrible plan," Hanzo scoffs, too low for Kuai to hear. "Well, what else can we do?" I hiss.
"Bribe Kuai with cookies like he is a little kid?"
"He is acting very much like a child currently, Bi-Han, if you haven't noticed." I can't tell if Hanzo is being sarcastic or is dead serious.

"I've got this," Hanzo looks up at the branch where Kuai is sitting. "Bi-Han says he'll make you cookies!"
Kuai peeks over the edge of the branch, laying on his stomach. "Bi-Han said he'd do what?!" Despite the fact that Kuai is currently crying, he looks amused.
"I said no such thing!" I yell back.
"He definitely did, Kuai! I heard him!" Hanzo laughs.
Kuai's laugh echoes down. "Why are you two making me laugh?! I'm gonna fall off from here!" He giggles.
"To cheer you up, Kuai. Looks like it's working." Hanzo smiles at me.

"Okay," He looks down at us. "It's gonna take a bit more than cookies to coax me down."
"I'll make your favorite," I say.
"Which is....?" He teases, grinning.
I sigh, shaking my head while smiling. "Chocolate chip baked with peanut butter."
"That's an odd combination," Hanzo murmurs.
"Hey! It's delicious!" Kuai argues.
"I didn't realize Bi-Han was a cook," Hanzo smirks.
"Cooking helps me de stress. That's besides the point! Kuai, can you get in contact with Tundra or not?"

"Yeah, yeah," He waves us off, sitting on the branch and concentrating. A few moments pass.
"Okay, I asked Tundra. He's coming. Hah! He's laughing at the fact that Bi-Han cooks! I never realized how amusing that is! Hahaha!"
"Yeah, and Tundra is a real sweetheart, isn't he?" I scoff, rolling my eyes in embarrassment.

A small tornado of ice and snow forms near us and Tundra walks out, his bare, frost bitten feet black with decay. His icicle claws are gone, replaced with fingers just as decayed with frostbite.
He looks between Hanzo and I. "Well, never thought I'd see both Scorpion and Noob Saibot together." He looks up, his purple eyes reflecting the moonlight like small beads of amethyst.

I had almost forgot that half of his face is terribly frost bitten, with the scar over his eye almost purple with decay or infection.
"Kuai, get down here. We need to talk like adults." Kuai jumps down, landing and kicking up snow from the impact. Now that they are both side by side, I can clearly see the similarities and stark contrast at the same time.

Tundra looks around, like he is constantly in fight or flight mode. Kuai shuffles around nervously.
"So..." Hanzo begins. "Do the both of you....share the same mindset? How exactly does this work?"
Tundra wheezes out a laugh, his breathing ragged.
"I am a personification of all of Kuai's negative thoughts and feelings. I'm the embodiment of his insecurities and frustrations as well. Remove all of that from Kuai, and you're left with the shy/childlike side that he is currently. That's why he doesn't get mad at you calling him baby brother. He secretly loves it when you call him that, by the way."

Kuai looks flustered. "T-Tundra...!" He stammers, his cheeks burning. Kuai glances at me, then looks away, wringing his hands. "See?" Tundra smirks.
"So, about the Cyber Lin Kuei plan...?" I urge him on.
Tundra grins, the ruined side of his face twisting horribly. "Oh, it's quite simple, really. We fight our way into the factory, get to Frost and Sektor, then..." He trails off, forming an ice sculpture in his hands that resembles a human skull and spinal cord. He crunches the spine in one hand, the sound akin to glass shattering. "Any questions?"

"So you being all of Kuai's negative traits is true," Hanzo observes, looking a bit unnerved at how relaxed Tundra is about the plan.
"Call me crazy if you want. I'm all of the above! Arrogant, cocky, quick to anger if anyone calls me weak, insecure....you name it." He counts the list off on his fingers. "Oh!" He smiles. "And Kuai talks to me. He still feels really bad about how both of you have been treating him lately." He narrows his eyes, the icicles on his back pricking up in a warning.
"Better clean up that act soon, you two. Kuai can only cry himself to sleep for so long."

"What are you talking about?" Hanzo asks.
"See? That right there. And you wonder why it took so long for Kuai to talk about it, only because he was confronted." Tundra's hard gaze softens. "He's scared. I'm scared as well. We both share this fear, him and I. Listen," The icicles lower as he calms down. "I want the fighting to end as well. I know it never fully will, but we need to stop Frost before it is too late." I hear a hint of Kuai's leadership in Tundra's raspy voice.

Kuai suddenly begins coughing violently, shaking as he does so. Tundra narrows his eyes in either concern or worry. He suddenly collapses. I rush over, holding Kuai up bridal style, who is now unconscious. "He's running a fever. We need to get him inside."
"You don't say," Tundra snaps, looking sick as well. He shakes his head, growling. "Since we are one in the same, I feel every bit of pain he does. My chest is burning right now. If he's sick, I'm sick as well."

We all rush back to the temple. Kana had fallen asleep in the library and Hanzo watches him. I set Kuai down on his bed, running my fingers through his hair. I hear Tundra gasp and see him blush, his fingers going up to his hair where I'm comforting Kuai. "You feel that as well?" I ask, curious. Tundra nods, not saying anything.

I let Kuai rest after placing the polar bear fur blanket over him. "Looks like we have to postpone this plan for another day. I cannot fight like this," He holds up a shaky hand, then motions to Kuai.
"We'll have to wait until he gets better."
"Will you remain here in the meantime?"
Tundra looks troubled, glancing between Kuai and I.
"Yes. It is what Kuai would want. For now, we will have to learn to get along. Kuai would never really admit this, but he truly looks up to you as an older brother. He loves you with all his heart. And by an extent, I share that same love, Bi-Han. I know it may take a while to get used to....since Kuai and I are technically one in the same...." He blushes, looking embarrassed for once instead of arrogant.

"No, I get it, Tundra." I cup the normal side of his face, causing him to wince in surprise. "Let's talk, alone. Let Kuai rest up."
Tundra exhales, a cloud of ice crystals flowing out. "Of course, Bi-Han." He gently grabs my hand over his face, his grip terribly cold.
He then smiles, looking to be on the verge of tears.
"Let us talk about the plan of destroying the Lin Kuei Cyber factory for now. Is there a more private space we can speak?"
"I'm afraid not," I admit. "We'll have to stay here."
"Very well," He nods, leaning into the warmth of my hand and closing his purple eyes briefly, with half-frozen tears slipping out. "Your hand is so warm, brother. I've been so cold for so long..."

"Here," I hand him a blanket from the chest in front of Kuai's bed. He looks surprised as he takes it, wrapping it in front of himself since the icicles on his back would rip into the fabric.
I motion to the two chairs in front of the fireplace.
"Let's talk, Tundra." He smiles. "Of course, brother."