New AUTHOR NOTES 7/23/10: I FIXED THE CHAPTER, BECAUSE OF WHATEVER STUPID GLITCH ERASED SOME OF THE QUOTATION MARKS

Author's Note: This story is in the vein of something like Batman Begins. It WILL have supernatural elements but they will be played down (at first) in favor of story and character in order to invoke a real-world sense within the story.

Synopsis: Two stories that will lead into (a new version of) the first Mortal Kombat, One focusing on Johnny Cage a failing actor, who gets in debt with the Black Dragon leader Kano - while he (Kano - who is in fact Japanese in my version) is under the investigation of the Special Forces. And the other focusing on the characters of Sub-Zero, Scorpion, and Kenshi and their time in Japan many centuries ago.

Johnny Cage sped his hands across the freckled back of his house guest, burying his face in her chest. He brought his head up kissing her beautiful pink lips, feeling her tongue slide into his mouth. This was going to be the best night of his life he knew it. What he didn't know - and the actual truth, was it was to be the beginning of the worst night of his life.

He pushed her down into the cushions roughly.

To his horror, the door to his apartment peeled open at a slow creek and - the sound of the heel hitting the floor, the keys slapping up against the wall, and the light clicking on; could mean only one thing 'I'm fucked'. Anna looked directly at he and his mistress. Whose ruffled blonde head greeted her with a huge smile.

"Is she coming too?"

Anna's brown eyes pierced through Cage's forehead. Then she said, in that droll intelligent voice of hers, "Fuck you."

"So that means no, right?" The blonde piped, as Cage jumped off the love seat to follow his lover out the door. "What about me?" The girl asked.

"Shut the fuck up!" He said running out the door.

"Anna, Anna, Anna, listen to me."

"Fuck you!"

"I deserve it, I really do, ignori -"

"Deserve! You deserve to have your fucking dick chopped off, you fucking bastard!"

He made a beeline, blocking her at the stairwell, "That wouldn't be much fun now would it?" he teased.

She made a move at him but didn't finish, he flinched, "Don't test me..."

"Okay, alright," he said practically cupping his crotch. "I'm just looking for a little mercy?" He said to her as she passed him down the steps, "Well look elsewhere."

"HEY, I'm SORRY - FUCK!" The door slammed.

The blond stood behind him wearing only a buttoned up shirt. He turned to look at her looking only mildly interested.

"This is only a one night thing... You know that right?" He asked her coldly.

"No, I don't. Because this is a no-night thing - Johnny" She slid her hand across his shoulder blades, then just as before, the girl passed him by, making her way down the steps.

"Hey! It's John goddamn it! It's JOHN! - This fuckin' Johnny crap! - That's my shirt! HEY! What about your shit?"

She waved good-bye to him without looking back, as she got down the last step. A man walked through the front door holding it open as she left, his eyes clasped onto her body and she grabbed him by the shirt, leading him away.

"Goddamn it..."

The ball glided along furiously through the smear of red and black. Kano's casino was in the basement of Akira's in southern "Chinatown" a small Japanese restaurant with few visitors - to the upper floors at least. Everyone in the city came to the basement for a chance to gamble their money. Or to be with one of the business' lovely ladies. Though some were undoubtedly there for any other of the establishments more extreme market items.

The ball landed on black and Cage let out a war cry, balling up both fists, and spewed a defiant screaming laugh.

"YEAH!" he slid a hand across his tie, "Now that my friends, is a win. Can I get another drink over here?"

A hand landed on his shoulder and one of the bouncer's got in his face, as if informing a child; "We need to talk to you."

His arms shake at them, in defense, as they throw him into the leather seat, in his drunken stumble he manages to sit pretty straight. Kano stands with his back to him, cigar smoke permeating the air in front of his face.

Kano's small office was notorious amongst the gambler's there, it was were every deed was carried out. Every deed.

Kano took an object from his pocket, it made a piston noise before a large blade ejected from it's base. Bringing up his arm, he slammed it down into the black desk in front of him.

Finally he turned to John.

"We have a problem..."

"I know and I realize that-"

"SHUT UP!"

"Okay..." John said in a genuine fear.

"Now... I've got friends in high places, I've got friends in low places... and I've got some friends that are useless to me. The problem is, when I meet them I'm usually unsure which one of these three things they are. You for example; are degenerate fuck-up gambling alcoholic: low place," he brought his hand down in demonstration, his words caused Cage to shift uncomfortably in his seat. "On the other hand your also a highly paid actor with a lot of friends who have a lot of money - and like to gamble. - And people like you." he brought his hand up, "High place..."

He made a U-turn coming back around to his desk, stripping the knife from it. "Then again," he said touching the tip of the blade, "you come in here, gamble away all your money - then when you owe me, you return to gamble some more, risking me the money... you already owe. Useless." He said cutting across the air.

Cage rose from his seat, "Riiiiiight so obviously - I shouldn't be here and... I'm just gonna' go!" he said pointing to the door.

One of Kano's henchmen pulled a gun, pushing John back into his seat.

"Okay," Cage said opening his arms, "I had a rough night, but I won at the roulette table so now I can pay you back a little bit of the money I owe you."

"I don't want you paying me with my money you fucking jag-off!"

"Well I did win it so technically..." the gunman slapped the barrel across Cage's teeth. Who belts out; "That's not fair! Goddamn it! I'm drunk... you fuckin.. whatever."

As Kano spoke, his henchman reached into Kano's pockets for chips and money.

"NOW, normally. I'd start cutting off your fingers. Personally, at this point I'd rather cut off your cock..."

"That seems to be... popular opinion now days." Cage said nodding.

"But I need you to make money, and you won't be able to - given the movies you make, if I cut you off at the knuckles. I'm giving you one chance; make a deal that's golden and pay me with your cut, or I'll pay you with mine." He said holding up the knife.

"How'm I supposed to do that, Kano? I'm box office poison, all the papers got it plastered, I think my last movie made like three dollars domestically."

"I don't care if you have to make 'Johnny Cage and Slut named Paige' if you do; you pull your cock out and make me my fuckin' money, or you've got real problems... Now get out of my office."

The next day John stood at the backlot of the studio, waiting for his producer Edward Nikols to arrive. An intelligent but self-absorbed business man with a knack for not listening - or at least not caring - very much, and talking more than anyone could care to listen

He came out the door left of Johnny, when he spotted him he greeted with a genuine smile and shook Cage's whole arm, "HEY! Jack, how're you?" a couple of guys pass them by, Nikols turns to them "Hey all catch up with you guys later... John - looking for that big comeback, I know it's here, we just gotta work it out man, I've got the perfect scenario. I call it 'The Bomber' it's about a guy -"

"Ed, Ed, look. I did come here to ask if you could help me out - you know - with a film deal? But I was sitting out here and I was just thinking; maybe not so many explosions this time you know?"

Nikols raised his eyebrows, "What're you talking about, you're an action star, man, that's what people expect from you."

Almost disgustedly; Cage turned away, "I know that's what people expect from me! Shit... Why do you think I wanna' do something else? You know what else people expect from me? Stupid behavior, drunk driving, shit like that. That I'm just some self-oriented rich guy with no empathy for anyone... I can be compassionate."

"What are you talking about? You don't want to do action?" Nikols was a good guy, for the most part, but naive to a fault. Cage had run into a lot of them... 'Hollywood Types'. Except most of them weren't good guys.

"No... no, I'm talking about... I don't know what I'm talking about. Look I need money. And I'm not going to get it doing the same shit I've been doing. If we go the same route we went before - and before failed - what's going to happen this time?"

"You're in debt?"

"Yeah with Kano."

Nikols sighed deeply, "Look I'll give you some money."

"I don't want you're fuckin' money," Cage erupted, "I don't want it. My life was ruined by superficial nonsense I'm trying to fix it on my own - okay?"

"Okay... yeah." he put a hand on his shoulder, "look, I'm your friend okay? Just come to me for anything..."