🔥: Hanzo and Kano having their meeting. Kano is misinformed and thinks Sektor is in control of the Lin Kuei, and Hanzo reveals that it's actually Bi-Han, resulting in Kano having a "oh shit" moment. Hanzo points out the Shirai Ryu and Black Dragon would be stronger together, and Kano actually agrees.
🔥: A month later, and Hanzo is still scrambling to get together his plan for the next full moon. He finally get's word that Kano is willing to see him and make a deal, which he is eternally thankful for. He sets off to go talk.
❄️: Hanzo with Kuai. The sex they’re having is sort of rough, but mostly in a very loving way. Kuai reflects on how different sex with Hanzo is, and the aftercare he gets after sex. While he’s being looked after, Kuai asks Hanzo why he calls him Snowflake. Hanzo explains it’s because he’s beautiful and unique, just like a snowflake. Kuai can’t believe he’s managed to finally find the kind of love he’s always wanted.
❄️: The day Kuai got the title of Tundra. He realises it’s basically the final nail in the coffin, the insistence he will never be good enough to be Sub Zero in the Lin Kuei’s eyes.
❄️: Sektor and Kuai having sex, and Kuai reflecting on how the name Snowstorm is how Sektor sees Kuai. Wild and out of control, and Sektor’s desire to tame him.
❄️: Johnny comes to Kuai with the idea for the training session with his team. “Wanna help me prank these kids?” Johnny and Kuai talk about the Lin Kuei and Shirai Ryu’s alliance a little, with Johnny asking Kuai if he’s told Hanzo how he feels yet. Kuai says no, and doubts he ever will.
❄️: One of the many one night stands Kuai had while he was on the run from the Lin Kuei. He doesn’t know the mans name, and the only names he ever has in these situations are things like slut, whore and bitch. He is treated roughly and without care, and as soon as the man is done, he leaves. and Kuai is left to feel satisfied and completely broken at the same time.
⚰️: Bi-Han realises that the Shirai Ryu are probably planning something. However, he's heavily distracted when Cyrax comes in telling him that Kuai was spotted going into Black Dragon territory. Bi-Han calls Kuai, and Kuai just says he forgot the territory lines because it's been so long, but he's out now. Bi-Han reprimands him, but otherwise leaves him be. Quan Chi comes in, seeming surprised that Kuai isn't there, and is a little too eager to know Kuai is out on his own. ("Kuai is an adult, he can make his own decisions." "Well, forgive me if I'm wrong, but wasn't that was got him killed in the first place?")
❄️: Kuai has been told he can find Kenshi in Black Dragon territory, and he can only hope that no one figures out who he is. In the club, he has no idea who he's looking for, until a voice echos through his head. Kenshi is a telepath and currently a special forces agent undercover, so they have to talk about the main issue mentally. Kenshi tells Kuai where he can find Sonya, just as Kano and Hanzo are leaving their meeting. Kano is suspicious of Kuai, and nothing he is saying is making him less so. Hanzo swears to god he recognises Kuai, making Kuai realise who he is. Kuai makes a run for it, but both Kano and Hanzo try to stop him, which is when Kuai accidentally discovers his new super strength.
❄️: It’s a few hours later and Kuai is still freaking out and Bi-Han calming him down. Bi-Han basically ends up feedings Kuai Liang like a child, and Kuai wonders if he would ever even be able to function without Bi-Han in his life.
🔥: Hanzo has spent the afternoon helping Kuai with his farmwork. Hanzo feels like he’s actually making progress on earning Kuai’s trust. That is until Tomas turns up and everything unravels because Tomas was made aware that Hanzo upset Kuai Liang, and thus is extremely aggressive. Towards Hanzo.
❄️: Kuai is out in the streets. He's finally decided to go and visit an old friend, Johnny, although he does have an ulterior motive. Johnny is shocked to see him, given Kuai's been dead for the last 5 years. Kuai had hoped to speak to Johnny's girlfriend Sonya, only to find out they broke up 3 years ago. Kuai explains that he has a bad feeling about his sire, and wants to see if special forces know anything about him. Johnny doesn't know where Sonya is, but tells him a friend of his named Kenshi might. ("Oh, wow... You look like complete shit." "I've been dead for 5 years, and thats what you want to say to me." + Kuai finding out his body was stolen from the local morgue and him being like "well that explains how I ended up in Bi-Han's freezer.")
❄️: Kuai has calmed down enough to do some farm work, he’s harvesting some vegetables, when Hanzo walks up. Kuai is immediately on the offensive but Hanzo doesn’t back down. He asks what Kuai will do when Bi-Han dies, and when this upsets him, Hanzo continues asking what he’ll do if he were to get married. Kuai is confused and doesn’t understand why he’d get married, and Hanzo reveals Sektor’s plans to him. Kuai in uncomfortable and upset, but suddenly a lot of Sektors actions make a lot of sense.
🔥: Hanzo decides he needs to learn more about Kuai Liang and Bi-Han. He ends up going to Cyrax. Cyrax is especially suspicious of this, but does give Hanzo some more insight into Kuai’s anxiety, Bi-Han overprotective nature and their father. The boys mother died in childbirth with Kuai Liang, and both his father and Bi-Han saw Kuai as the only thing they had left of her, explaining why they were so controlling of him. He also learns more context on Sektor’s desires for Kuai Liang.
❄️: Kuai and Frost have made their way across the wasteland, and have finally arrived at a laboratory in Japan that is trying to find a cure or vaccine for the zombie (tarkat) plague. The lady he talks to on the intercom tries to turn him away, until he states he was bitten by a zombie about 3 months ago, and he never turned. The lady lets him in, and he shows her the healed bite as evidence, at which point she goes off to call one of the doctors.
❄️: Kuai is sat at the edge of a cliff, kind of having an extersential crisis, unsure how to feel about the fact he’s not technically Kuai Liang at all. Hanzo finds him, and they sit and talk, with Kuai questioning if he’s not really Kuai Liang, then who the fuck is he? Hanzo states that he can’t really answer that, but that he can help Kuai figure it out. He makes a vow to protect Kuai, and help him discover himself, or maybe help him uncover any more potential memories he may have. Kuai becomes a little smitten at this. He ends up asking Hanzo if he wants to help Kuai hunt that stupid creature he was trying to catch earlier, and Hanzo agrees, saying they can cook it for the gangs dinner.
🔥: Back around the campfire, Bi-Han is explaining the story of his little brother. Kuai was 20 when he died, and his body was never found. The gang theorise that Kuai Liang is a clone of Bi-Han’s brother, most likely commissioned by the Lin Kuei, but for what reason, they can’t figure out. The Lin Kuei weren’t exactly fond of Kuai, and neither Bi-Han or Tomas think they’d have bothered bringing him back. Kuai stating that Snowdrops are his favourite flower does indicate that Kuai may have the original’s memories, somewhere deep inside. Bi-Han doesn’t seem to care what the circumstances are, his brother has been brought back to him, and he will not allow death to take him again. It’s pointed out Kuai’s gone AWOL again, and Hanzo once more goes to find him.
❄️: Kuai got distracted trying to hunt a rabbit like creature. He tries to hunt it but it escapes. He does however come across Bi-Han. Kuai has a weird feeling whenever he looks at Bi-Han, and not just because they look alike. Bi-Han notices Kuai standing there, and begins to question him. Bi-Han asks if he remembers him, and Kuai admits he doesn’t. Bi-Han goes on to ask more questions, one being, “what is your favourite flower?” To which Kuai answers “snowdrops”, which confuses him, because surely he’s never seen one before, so how could they be his favourite. Bi-Han, seems to know a lot more. This is the point Hanzo catches up to them, and Bi-Han states he doesn’t think Kuai is a clone of him, but a clone of his younger brother.
🔥: Hanzo explains what he found in the Flesh Pits, and tells them he doesn’t think Kuai is a threat to any of them (which is a task that proves harder when Kuai is running around murdering and eating the local wildlife). Tomas seems to know more about the significance of the name Kuai Liang, but he isn’t sharing what it is, claiming that’s Bi-Han’s tale to tell. Eventually they agree Kuai does at the least, seem more stable than Mileena, and they may be able to work with him. It’s then pointed out that Kuai has gone missing, leading to Hanzo going to see if he can find him.
❄️: They are going through the Outworld Jungle, and everything is new to Kuai and he’s a bit excited. Talking at a million miles an hour. Hanzo grows uncomfortable when Kuai calls him Master, and he’s told to call him “Just Hanzo”, which Kuai takes a little too literally, but Hanzo can’t be bothered to correct him. As they get back to the camp, the rest of the Earthrealm defenders are shocked by the clone, none more so than Tomas and Bi-Han himself. Bi-Han walks off in shock, while Tomas and the others demand an explanation.
🔥: Hanzo is exploring the flesh pits on Raiden’s behalf, as they believe there might be other clones. As he’s searching he finds a pod labeled as “Kuai Liang”, and inside he finds a half-tarkaten clone who looks almost exactly like Bi-Han. Hanzo let’s the clone out, and initially the clone seems very confused, but doesn’t attack Hanzo. Eventually Kuai seems to believe he’s meant to follow someone’s orders, and immediately assigns Hanzo that role. Hanzo decides that’s something he’ll address later, grabbing a spare robe and putting it on Kuai to get him away.
🔥: Back with Hanzo, his thoughts have been consumed by Kuai Liang. So, when his men bring the man in front of him, he’s ready for it. He calls Kuai foolish for crossing him, and gives him one last chance to get his gang to submit. Kuai tells him to go to hell. Hanzo then at least demands to know how Kuai swapped the suitcases. Kuai admits there was no big trick, he just had the suitcase with money on top of the one without and pushed the empty one back instead, and that it’s Hanzo and his mens fault for not noticing. Hanzo then asks to give one good reason he shouldn’t slit Kuai’s throat, and Kuai’s just like “I’d be a better fuck if I were alive”, before pointing out Hanzo’s got a boner. Hanzo is embarrassed by the fact he was turned on, and has his men take Kuai to a hold.
🔥: They go to Johnny’s to try and get some info out of him. Johnny is insistent that Art was above board, didn’t even drink let alone have any involvement in drugs. He does reveal that Art had a new client named Liu Kang who may know something. While they are there however, Hanzo notices how close Johnny is with Kuai, and begins to think there is something more to Kuai and his life story, given how concerned Johnny seems to be for him.
❄️: New body has been found, while Hanzo is asking for info about it, he’s told that there’s no ID on the body and their struggling to find his finger prints on any system so they may have to go for dental records. Kuai actually recognises the man however as Art Lean, a friend of a friend of his basically. While Hanzo makes a snide comment about that meaning the mans a criminal, Kuai actually reveals that Art was Johnny Cage’s agent, and from everything Kuai knew had nothing to do with the criminal underground, which stands out amongst the other victims, who were all criminals.
🐍: Shang has discovered Kuai is missing. This is absolutely an issue as the Kuai clone is the only one he has, and he was due to deliver to the client soon. Indeed, he contacts the client, who’s pissed by this turn of events, but Shang assures him that he’ll get the clone back and deliver him, to which the client threatens that he’d better. Deadly alliance Shang’s ass.