Post-Mission, Closed to Sonya Blade

[nutkrusher]

Who: Cassie Cage & Sonya Blade
Where: Gym car, after hours
When: After the Voidtreckers return from the Jinnjar mission
What: Cassie asks her mother about love, marriage, and regrets


Cassie is waiting in the gym car. It's clear she's been waiting for a while. And from the look on her face, it's clear that her mother is the person she's been waiting for.

She looks her in the eyes for a long moment as she enters. She lets it hang for a moment before she breaks it.

"Can I talk to you about something?"

Comments

[nutkrusher]

"So all the shit that went down on Jinnjar was...well, it was a lot," Cassie says. "Probably more than I could even talk about, but..."

She bites her lip.

"Where I was...where I was set up, and the kind of life I thought I had there...being married, I mean. Well, it made me think about a few things. Made me understand a couple new ones, but also not be sure about some others."

There's a long silence as she weighs what she's about to ask.

"When you were with me and Dad, did you ever feel...guilty for being there?"

[soldier_blade]

Somehow, she had a feeling that the past 'mission' would be the subject of discussion. She wasn't entirely sure what Cassie's life entailed, but thanks to the gem, she knew from the start that something wasn't right-perhaps that had to do with something.

The question comes from left field, but also a relief-even a painful one. "Sometimes," There's only a few moments of hesitation before she answers. "Well, most of the time. I have...had...the family life any woman..or soldier..would kill for, but I could never ignore the reality that Outer realm threats weren't a thing, just because I was home-or..or that I didn't deserve either of you because of my actions at work."

Because Cassie's conception was an accident, and they married because they wanted to do right by her; not planned, all by ear. How did she deserve such a family when SF work was hardly 'safe' or 'secure'.

So, yes, there was a lot of guilt.

[nutkrusher]

Cassie nods, having expected that answer.

"In Jinnjar I was Trunks's wife. I didn't want to believe it wasn't real. He had to drag me out of it practically kicking and screaming. And for a while after he did I felt...weak. Like I'd abandoned my duty. Like the reason I got tricked by the illusion was because I wanted it, even though I know that doesn't actually make sense."

[soldier_blade]

She sat down on one of the weighted cubes, thinking on what Cassie told her, but in truth she couldn't find herself being surprised at any of it.

"Well, you're human," In more ways than one, she mentally added. "After awhile, no one who enters military service doesn't wish they could leave-that's why it's referred to as a 'sacrifice'."

Because it meant giving something up-something precious. "You're not selfish for wanting those things, or not wanting to leave."

[nutkrusher]

"I know that," Cassie says. "Felt like shit anyway. Don't feel as bad now, but...I'm gonna guess that's how it was for you, too. Knowing that but feeling like shit anyway."

She sighs.

"I still feel in my heart like it'd be worth it. If I could."

[soldier_blade]

"You still could, if you wanted." She answered, thinking on it a moment. "When you leave this place I mean. You can complete your contract, leave the military with an honorable discharge-actually live a life for yourself."

She knew what would happen of course, knew what was in Cassie's future, but it didn't have to be that way. Even if it happened, the idea of her daughter being lead on a vengeance quest, or loosing herself to the sort of pain that lead Sonya through her own career-she knew all too well where that could lead, and it wasn't a pleasant thought.

Cassie was young, and had already proven herself and led a successful military career; if she left the military at some point in the future, no one should fault her for it.

[nutkrusher]

Cassie shakes her head. "I've got abilities no one else in Earthrealm does. Especially now, with what I've learned here. I can probably teach at least some of it to other fighters, cross-train the Shirai Ryu and Shaolin to get an army of powerful qi warriors on our side, but..."

She sighs.

"...even if we had a million others, it'd take someone as special as Trunks to get me to even think about leaving. It's just my kinda luck that I finally meet the One and he's from another universe."

[soldier_blade]

They were only just at the point of conversation where one or both of them could crack jokes (actually it was rare her daughter didn't enter a conversation where she didn't), but now wasn't entirely the time.

"Cross training's all well and good, and I'm fully on board with expanding Earth's defenses this way, but," She sighed. "Come on, Cass. You don't want to make this your entire life. I did, and look what happened."

She really didn't feel the need to elaborate in that direction.

"As for Trunks," In private, she could refer to him by his name. "Stranger things have happened, that's all I'll say on the matter."

Inter-dimensional portals were a reality afterall; whoever said portals to other universes weren't possible, either.

[nutkrusher]

"I've asked Bulma about it," Cassie says. "I've thought about what I'd do, if I could somehow go with him. And I think...God, I think I'd really want to. To be with him, but...also to help him. Because his Earth needs it even more than ours does."

She looks up to meet Sonya's eyes.

"But that's up to me. I know you worry about me. You're my mom. But it's my life. I'd give it to save the world if I have to."

There's another long, uncomfortable silence.

"I mean, I still remember how...how you showed up all fucked up on the platform. Am I wrong if I think you'd say you'd do it again?"

[soldier_blade]

Let it not be said that the Cages didn't play hard; just like her, Cassie knew her well enough.

However, she didn't know it all.

"I would," She confessed, then added. "If it meant you and the others were to get out alive. If the situation had been reversed...I would've done everything in my power to get you out..or bomb the shit out of the Nether realm instead."

She could've been joking, but she was dead serious. "You're still my kid, I shouldn't have to bury you."

[nutkrusher]

Cassie's lip quivers as she stands up. She closes the distance between them before she's even realized she's done it.

Mom is getting a hug, whether she's ready for one or not. And she'll be getting one for a while.

[soldier_blade]

She's not ready for the hug. Even after making amends, even after her arrival to the place, Sonya still couldn't get used to signs of affection between herself and her family.

The hug is nevertheless welcomed, and she returns the hug with a silent, reassurance that carried the weight of her words. She had meant what she said-and had meant it since the day Cassie was born.

Whatever her feelings, whatever reservations she had on parenthood, the fact remained; she would do everything in her power to keep Cassie safe, or show all of the realms just how much of a mama bear she was capable of being.

[nutkrusher]

She isn't going to stop hugging her anytime soon. But eventually, she'll be able to get words through over her emotions.

"You know I worry about you, too," Cassie says. "Always have. Even before you got here how you did."

[soldier_blade]

At some point, they do break off from the hug, though when exactly, she couldn't be sure. All she knew was that after a few moments, she was back to looking Cassie in the eye.

"Course you do," Her tone was serious, however her words could be taken as a joke. "With the career I'm in, where...where there was always a chance I couldn't come home. I always knew at some point you had to worry, even if you did a great job of hiding it."

Otherwise why would she feel so strongly. Even if she was trying to feel otherwise, Sonya knew her well enough that she never did anything by halves; had she really not cared, she would've expressed it.

[nutkrusher]

"Well maybe we should both stop making a habit of the whole hiding-it thing," Cassie says. "Hasn't really helped."