Aiko's Heart Gem

Aiko's Heart Gem was a relic created by herself. It was during one meltdown, an episode which resulted a fission of her cardiokinetic energy. This was first established by TheIkranRider in one roleplay of Mortal Kombat, when Aiko underwent so much stress as she escaped to a different time period dominated by Shao Kahn and having her former allies (Sheeva, Baraka, Reptile) turn and serve the Emperor to repopulate their species despite the merciless chaos. Although, fortunately, that scenario was non-canon and set in a timeline displaced by Kronika and Kano, that was when its inception began.

Although it, and Aiko's powers, have yet to be mastered, and more tests need to be done. It's likely Aiko can develop that item larger by giving it more energy from her cardiokinesis, or make separate gems.

It's also rumored it can have the positive effects as the cursed Gem of Tetsurri resulting in its rich endorphins.

Since Aiko's been taking beet supplements, and since beets were considered an excellent boost for the heart, it's likely her prowess has improved the gem's performance.

Known holders

• Aiko Krackle
• Kung Lao
• Liu Kang
• Kitana
• Nightwolf
• Raiden
• Fujin
• The Shaolin
• Sindel
• Jerrod
• Kenshi Takahashi
• Li Mei (as token of Aiko and Lao's relationship)
• Goro
• Ashrah
• Shinnok (as a corrupted black gem with dark energy)
• Caro
• The Forces of Light
• Frederick San
• Elder Kitana and Fire God Liu Kang
• Taven
• Cheung Kang
• Revenants, the undead army in the Darkseid War led by Unaliving Liu Kang
• Liuxei Kang (given by Aiko and her dad during her 16th birthday)
• Titan Liu Kang's clone (merged into one after wedding and honeymoon)
• Baby Caro II

Usage

• Drains enemies in her own accord.
• Gives life to her allies either automatically after death or if the mutual holder uses it.
• Monitors a holder's life force and heart, even wherever they are.
• Stores/transfers a mutual holder's memories.
• Stores and produces endorphins, thus a positive effect contrary to Gem of Tetsurri.
• The stronger Aiko's heart and the bond is, the more energy it produces.
• It can grow when it combines with another heart gem or when more energy is stored.
• Becomes dark and brittle, and soon shatters, if it's used up.
• Protects a person's heart from harm such as infatuation or if they just have cardio problems.
• The dark counterpart can also give the user strength, if they're evil. In the Unaliving War it does that and even glimmers when it gathers/gives black arts.
• It also emits corruption, the user's dark desires (ie, declaring war on the Elder Gods) and, in some cases, undead conversion and necromancy, as well as mesmerizing to others when it emits shockwaves. Even magnifies the effect when combined with the Makeba's, and the Netherrealm's, tribal drums...

Mortal Kombat: Vengeance

It was established in this story that Aiko has given one to Kung Lao before he faced the Deadly Alliance and shut down the Soulnado. It was rumored to replenish the user's energy if he should die in kombat. It was also stated it can have the positive effects of the mythical Gem of Tetsurri, whereas it can give the user optimism, energy, memories, and a more lighter outlook. This could've assisted Lao as he made his Brutality onto Shang Tsung.

It was first hinted by Liu Kang's spirit it was possible everyone was revived by an external source after they were nearly perished as the Dragonfly was shot down by Hsu Hao.

Return of the Dragon King

Aiko and Kung Lao still hold a gem in their possession. It was also unveiled that if anyone possessing one should perish, or be gravely injured, she'd either feel sharp chest pain or the gem itself would darken completely and become brittle. With Lao still lively, the gem still holds bright crimson energy. She still has a long way to master herself and her abilities. Kenshi was impressed by this, as the heart and cardiokinesis can be used as another form of the mind,

Aiko used the heart gem once to revive several wounded Edenian soldiers inside the Lost Tomb; they'd been injured since the brutal fight with Tanya as well as Kitana who was possessed by Onaga's corruptive influence.

Kung Lao took out his own heart gem as proof to Li Mei it was a token on his relationship with Aiko. He gazed into it, worried of Aiko's fate since he hadn't seen her since before he left to Outworld... Until Li Mei encouraged him that he must follow her to find the ancient Outworld portal leading to the Nexus.

The heart gem was seen again as Aiko checked hers when she perked up as if picking up someone's life force, then heart palpitations and chest pains. She gazed into it and the gem appeared normal; however, it wasn't until she noticed Hanzo communicating with Kenshi about Kung Lao. She grew worried as Liu if he was attacked by Onaga, but instead he was exposed into the Chaosrealm's intrinsic atmosphere. The connection was cut, and Kenshi offered Aiko to use her gem as an alternative; thankfully, Kung Lao had the same jewel as she did thus have a clear signal! It was also used as proof to Li Mei that she has a strong bond with Lao; Li came to the conclusion that the stronger the bond, the more energy it can give and receive!

It was used to monitor the battle in the Nexus as Lao, Liu, Hanzo, Ermac, Havik and Goro clashed against Onaga. While also becoming dull as Lao's vitality was fading; it's most likely his shattered like Liu's amulet during the scrimmage as it didn't revive the Orientals. Still, Aiko used her own as she was monitoring Lao and Liu during their recovery in the Jinsei. It warmed her inside when she sensed her lover was alive and well! Even when she was reunited with all her friends!

Final Kombat

Aiko's heart gem corrupted by Shinnok

Raiden, Aiko, Nightwolf, Kung Lao, Frederick and Hanzo meet up with Shinnok in the Netherrealm. He unraveled a black, dark version of Aiko's heart gem as he still possessed and mimicked her cardiokinesis during their last encounter. With it, he was able to emanate from it sending subconscious visions of Armageddon as well as Aiko reliving her dystopian future via nightmares. Shinnok had actually absorbed some of Liu's positive heart energy as Nightwolf performed a ritual for his friends to cross over and empower the Champion over him! Thus, remembering his lost sister, Cetrion, and the dominance of their mom, the Keeper of Time and the Titaness, Kronika! Having a desire to thwart Kahn and assist in Armageddon and wish to reunite with Cetrion, he'd been imploring to use his amulet to do so and have his revenge onto the Elder Gods, thus Earth's destruction. He entrusted Raiden, Aiko and others for his final pleas...

Aiko also used her heart gem till it withered and shattered as she and her team ascended Shinnok's Spire.

By the time Aiko, Kung Lao and Caro had some R&R in the Dragon Grotto, Lao's, Raiden's and Aiko's gems acted up. They gave each recipient hallucinations: one of them was when Raiden was atop a pyramid and gravely wounded by Shao Kahn while uttering the cryptic message, He must win; the second was when Aiko saw Revenant Liu Kang and his cronies bow low to Shinnok in her destroyed world; and the third was when she and Lao beheld an engraving which had its head erased, to which Caro mentioned that Blaze was more than just an embodiment of Armageddon, as he tended to erase victims from existence, essence and all.

She soon theorized that Shinnok has tapped them to spy on the heroes as they'd plan for Armageddon. Raiden accepted her advice as she and Lao discarded theirs, and did the same with Liu, Kitana and Sindel, with Jerrod encasing them in a soul field disabling their reception.

By the time Armageddon was upon them, Raiden suggested everyone to take one of Aiko's heart gems from the Shaolin, those who don't have them, in order to be revitalized after their death to fight again; however, they could only be used once... Aiko still held onto one monitoring the battle, and even...something stirring within the Dragon Grotto...

It turned out that Raiden and Liu Kang merged into one being, known as Fire God Liu Kang! By the time Aiko went thru a rip, he urged her to give him her own heart gem, and he combined the two into one! He then stated that Caro would know what to do with it, before he left for his final kombat... Eventually, Caro did retrieve the heart gem and brought it to the Yin Yang Island. While there, it was able to disperse life as well as memories to the comatose Edenian!

As Taven fell against Daegon's lethal throws and strength, Aiko felt sharp chest pains, and the gem activated to revitalize the demigod! With its fresh energy, Taven was able to best his corrupt brother in battle then kills him!

One also reenergized Kung Lao after he fought off the vicious Baraka and was spared by the time-displaced version of him. It seemed that it kept each hero from dying, while Cetrion and the Elder Gods' tears revitalized them. From Aiko's combined gem, the Edenian, known later as the elder Kitana, thanked Aiko for saving her life and keeping her memories intact while transferring them to her from her younger self.

It was soon revealed that she and the elder Fire God Liu Kang were watching over Aiko ever since she was born after they started their journey from the dawn of time. They recognized her from her younger years and knowing she had a good heart; Aiko was taken from her dystopian future. They were grateful she and her rejuvenation shall stay with Lao and the Shaolin for years to come.

As for her dark heart, by the time Hanzo handed over the amulet to the weakened Shinnok, it began to sparkle from absorbing his positive energy and soon broke and dissipated, making the double walker rage without his power source. Thanks to both relics, Shinnok became overloaded and let loose his energy into the heavens! Memories of Cetrion remained intact and revived her existence as Blaze was destroying the Pyramid of Argus!

Kontentment

After Kitana and Liu Kang arrived in the cavern of Yin Yang Island, she was holding a blue bundle with a sleeping baby. He named him Cheung and before she returned to the Shaolin Order, she gifted Liu for Cheung one of her heart gems to keep him well or watch over him, even to play around with it.

Koherence

Since it was still a few months before the end, Kung Lao, Liu Kang, Nightwolf, Kenshi, Sindel, Jerrod, Raiden, Fujin and the Shaolin still held onto them. However, there was darkness brewing within the latter's groups, both the White Lotus and the Order as they'd been struggling against their personal demons from the negative side effects of meditation. Unfortunately, Nightwolf offered help from Raiden, and he volunteered for Liu and Lao to travel to the Matokan sacred land in the East Coast. By the quartet leaving in short notice, their gems at times created tension and also murmurs from the distant drums. Aiko first yearned for Kung Lao's return and never to be swayed by the Matokan, even filling her with hope and pleasantness. Although she was often distracted by personal coherence training by Kenshi; both their hearts not only empowered her, but also challenged her as she'd be off keel. Thankfully, thru her training on using her heart and mind, they overridden her angsts and the consumption by her angsts with the Matokan drums as triggers. They both gained more moral support as they allied with Fujin, Ashrah, Jerrod and Goro as they put together a performance to safeguard their hearts and raise the Shaolin's spirits.

The ceremony was drawing nearer and closer, and the gems still emitted distant booms from the Matokan land during the warmups, the summons and finally the ceremony itself. The Edenians, the Shaolin, and other distant allies became anxious as did the bandmates, until Fujin gave the signal. He and Aiko gave a fanfare announcement then signaled to start the number. Thru the drums, the two numbers sounded muffled, but it wasn't until the latter in which enough positive energy and endorphins were given and received overriding the tension completely, even breaking the thralls over Nightwolf, Kung Lao and Liu Kang, almost like a broken fever. Thru the glistening gems, it was proven that the hearts of the Shaolin, as well as Aiko's, can be more powerful than a dark sorcerer's!

Aiko's heart gem held by her in anticipation of the dreaded Matokan heat dance to start the Koherence koncert

At some point before the ceremony, Aiko heard the distant drums in her bedchamber, but she actually succumbed to them... She was mesmerized, following along as she beat on her mattress and having the urge to be with them and her distant family as she zoned out... At the same time, though, there was a darker version of herself who was in the Netherrealm and she with Liu became chieftains there, even embracing the Matoka, Makeba and many others. Until the Revenants noticed the lively self! The puzzlement struck her out of her trance, and she saw her tribal, undead self! She explained each of their gems portrayed a dimensional distortion, there was a glitch and a disruption of reality. They were at the same time but in alternate dimensions, whereas the Revenant Aiko was first killed and converted by Emperor Liu Kang, Shinnok was powerless to govern, Darkseid made Liu's soul black, and soon their families followed even Lao. She persuaded the lively Aiko to embrace that enticing part of herself, to no longer avoid nor fear it. She warned if they talk too long, the dimensions swap, and she and Liu wished her luck before they ended the transmission.

Unaliving War

AiKangLao, the Power Trio sharing her dark heart gem as her two lovers

The dark heart gem, a symbol of AiKang's bond, and power source during the Darkseid War

In the roleplay, aka Darkseid War, after Aiko became a Revenant by Dark Emperor Liu Kang's lacerations, she gifted her dark heart to him, and thus became a symbol of their bond as well as the source of dark strength combined with her skills utilizing the mesmerizing Makeba drums in undead manipulation and hypnotism.

Caro's Baby Journal

August 30, 2024

After breakfast Caro appeared very sad, anxious on Aiko leaving for work. He even started to cry, and she promised that Liu'd take good care of him; she handed over his dragon plushie and even her heart gem. Caro cried more with his arms up, then Aiko used her cardiokinesis which made the gem ignite. She was hoping it'd emit endorphins to calm him. It soon did, and upon Liu remembering her, he actually saw her thru the gem, from her smiling, to going on dates, to having their wedding and honeymoon, to playing with Caro who began to feel a little better before she left at 11am...

Trivia

• Aside from the aforementioned RP, this was also inspired by how the Fayelons, created by Fanfictiondreamer in a bad way, could develop their own crystals. Except, unlike going thru a critical point in puberty or using Jewel as a Gemma Kinetic, Aiko has created her first one during an overwhelming autistic meltdown. Shinnok also created one in his mimicry over Aiko, and as positive energy from Liu's heart overwhelming him and created his more volatile double.