"Seriously? Garden work?", Johnny asked, hoe in hand.

Just as unenthusiastic as he was, you rested your hands on your hoe and nodded with a sigh.

"Either that or get the monkeys to return our fruit.", you confirmed.

One of his eyebrows rose in interest.

"Monkeys? I remember working with some once for a movie. Was a fan favourite."

A smirk snuck onto your lips.

"Don't even think about it. I'm pretty sure they have rabies. And they bite. Hard."

"Are you pretty sure about that?", he raised his chin teasingly and made a notch in the ground, which was covered in weeds.

"I know it.", you replied with a look on your face that told it all and got to work as well.

Dry earth and sand covered your hands. Every movement made your body sweat or itch. Not an hour passed before you were soaked with sweat from your work.

Dust stuck to your cheeks. You could smell the soil with every breath.

"Urgh!", annoyed, you wiped the sweat from your forehead with the back of your hand.

Thin rims of dirt had collected under your nails.

"There's just no end to it.", Johnny whined and threw his hoe into the dirt. "How am I supposed to build a cinematic universe if all I do is dig in the dirt?"

Amused by his almost childish irritation, you examined him. Although he looked far from it, there was something innocent and carefree about him. As if he wasn't weighed down by the burden of decisions. He simply did what he wanted and decided based on the consequences.

"Look on the bright side, at least we don't have to listen to the monks' introduction.", you drop your hoe in the dirt next to his and raise your hands. "Let's have some fun. Liu Kang is busy with... huh, more divine things I guess."

Immediately on fire for the idea, his usual enthusiastic expression returned. There was that hint of a smirk on his lips again. He never seemed to tire of looking smug.

"That's what I call a challenge!", he raised his arms and got into a fighting stance.

Maybe it was just your confidence in your own abilities or that some of the lessons had stuck, but you could see at first glance that he wasn't particularly stable on his feet. His heels weren't touching the ground and it looked more like he was dancing on his toes.

With a smug expression, you loosely stood opposite him, one hand clasped behind your back and the other raised to invite him closer.

Sceptically, he raised an eyebrow and tilted his head.

"If you insist.", he approached you with a grin.

A fist whizzed past your head. You just managed to duck away. Air deformed under the blow. The small hairs on your head moved with the force.

Impressed, you let out a whistle. Your feet skittered across the ground, dust swirling up and settling on your clothes.

Johnny had immense power, raw and unformed. So much of it that it reminded you of the way Sub-Zero had beaten you. Not a fond memory but a tribute you had to give him.

However, Johnny didn't know what to do with that raw potential. You let him come at you a few more times. Each of his punches went nowhere. He was a little slower than he could have been.

"My turn!", you huffed and slipped between his arms as he let down his guard in another attempt to land a hit.

Two blows hit his chest. To your horror, however, you realised that he wasn't bad at taking it. His stance didn't falter when you hit him.

On the contrary, he took a step back, both feet firmly on the ground, and went in for a kick. You expected him to aim for your face, or at least you would have.

Your balance shifted backwards.

But he wasn't aiming for your face. His kick went straight between your legs. Of course, you had a wide stance, allowing him enough room to attack.

You flinched in surprise. Your body froze.

The next thing you felt was a sharp pain, so powerful that it felt like all the bones in your body were turning to ice and then shattering.

Tears welled up in your eyes. A desperate cry froze on your lips.

Legs clenched, hands pressed to the burning pain, you fell to the dust, cramping. Dirt covered your face, mingling with the salt of tears on your lips.

"You fight like a dirty bastard..!", you whimpered in a quivering voice.

Johnny immediately fell to his knees beside you. His eyes grew wide with concern.

"That was a damn good scene.", he said, holding your face. "I might have known you weren't used to a star fighter like me."

"You fight... like a dirty bastard...", you repeated, your breathing still shallow. "I love it..."

At that moment, you were very relieved that none of the others were around to witness this disgrace. Of course, this victory had not been a fine one. There were far more glorious ways to win. Admittedly, not all of them were as effective.

With a smirk, Johnny pulled your upper body onto his bent legs and let you rest until the pain no longer paralysed your legs. He felt soft beneath you. Like a living pillow.

Suddenly you wondered what it would feel like to wrap your arms around him and rest your head against his chest.

"Liu Kang will hate the way you fight.", you remarked with an amused giggle.

His hands were braced left and right on the ground. The early midday sunlight caught in the silver of his wristwatch.

He lifted his chin and nodded with an approving hum.

"The ice guy.", he remembered. "He still owes me a Hitchuli."

"Bless you?", you frowned with a grin.

"Piece of art. One of a kind."

"As strange as that sounds, I would even believe you.", you sighed and sat up again.

His eyes followed your movement. You couldn't see it, but somehow he seemed disappointed that you didn't want to continue lying in his lap.

Growling, you ruffled your dusty hair.

"Mr Ice popciel almost turned me into a white walker...", you recalled your first encounter with the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei.

"Huh, funny story.", Johnny grabbed his chin as if it still hurt. "He was kind of a dick to me too."