Round 1
Jin Kazama sat at his desk waiting for the final bell to ring. He had a score to settle with Hwaorang and couldn't stand being one-upped by anyone, especially him. His fight with his rival was postponed by the South Korean Army after the fourth King of Iron Fist Tournament. They attempted to capture Hwaorang and take him back to South Korea for court marshal. Jin and Hwaorang eventually defeated the soldiers and became too weak to fight each other. "Remember Kazama, I kicked you're butt back there!" he called. Just five more minutes and Jin Kazama could meet his adversary in battle and defeat him.
Hwaorang tied his boots and hopped on his motorcycle. He knew he would meet his opponent soon and didn't want to be late. He gunned the bike and rode down the street. His hair flapped in the wind as he raced down the road. Then he saw it. The meeting place. They were to fight in an alley so that no one would interfere. He pulled into the alley and turned off his motorcycle. He then looked at his watch. 2:54. Jin would be getting off soon. Hwaorang went around the corner to buy some bandages and water if either combatant, mainly Kazama, needed them after their brawl. The line was long and Hwaorang felt like cutting in line but didn't, fearing the old lady in front of him would attack him if he did such a thing. He could see the headlines as plain as day. Motorcyclist cuts in line and gets bashed or Street punk cuts in line and retreats in fear. He hoped Kazama would wait as the line at the convenience store began to move. He looked around the place and saw the usual stuff; various alcoholic beverages, sodas, energy drinks, candy, and snack food brands lined the store. He looked at the clock behind the counter and then he came in. Paul Phoenix, a competitor in the Iron Fist Tournament with the tallest hair Hwaorang had ever seen. Forest Law must have been waiting tables at his father's restaurant. Usually he was right there with Paul unless Martial needed help at his place. Paul saw the red haired Hwaorang and called out to him.
"Hey, Red; what are you doing here? What are those for? Someone get hurt?"
"That's not my name. They're…for a friend, alright?"
"That many bandages? He…or uh…she needs a hospital and not some cheap bandages from a store; especially not THIS ONE!" Paul yelled and caught the clerk's attention. He looked at Paul very seriously.
"Hey you two! You come-a into my-a store-a and-a make-a lot-of-a-ruckus and drive away my-a customers. Huh? Huh? Maybe I should-a throw-a you out! Huh?"
"Sorry… It won't happen again," they said in unison. Paul quickly grabbed a bottle of water and went back to the line. Hwaorang looked at the clock again. A couple of thugs walked in and took up places. One of them pulled out a handgun, grabbed an old lady, and pointed it at her head. The other shouted the usual robbery banter, "Everyone stay down and give us all your money!" They both had handguns now and were waving them in some of the customers' faces. Paul gave Hwaorang the "you thinking what I'm thinking?" look. Hwaorang nodded slightly and they went right to work. Paul cracked his fingers and neck and threw the closest one into the ice cream machine and Hwaorang spun around and kicked the gun out of the other man's hand and whipped around again, this time catching the man's jaw. When the first got up, Paul punched him out. By this time, they had an audience. The people in the store were clapping and the owner of the place called the police to pick up the now tied up bad guys. Hwaorang, now with bandages and other items, walked out, right as the clock read 3:00. Instead of reading Punk Gets Beaten Up the papers would read Mystery Men Save Store.
Liu Kang walked with Rayden down a walkway of the Temple of Light. "You have done well, Liu. You defeated Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn among other adversaries. The Earth is safe for now. Out World still has many ravenous creatures, though."
"I thought that the Earth Realm was safe for one more generation."
"Shao Kahn came through by using Sindel as the key. There may be more ways to bridge the gap," replied Rayden, "between the Earth Realm and Out World." Then, a portal opened and Rayden stepped through, leaving Liu Kang behind.
Sonya Blade and her squad chased him down a dark alley and then he decided he ran far enough and turned. Bryan Fury, a man wanted for the murder of several people including Dr. Boskonovitch, the man who gave him his robotic body. He ran right at the squad and, like a bowling ball, plowed through it. Sonya and Jax managed to evade but no one else could. Sonya tried to attack Bryan but got pushed aside and knocked unconscious. Jax, now furious, charged him, grabbed him and threw him into the wall. Bryan got up and looked right at the man with steel arms and said "My turn." Jax instantly saw the night sky above him and then blackness. Bryan Fury claimed six lives that night, six men, one with metallic arms. Sonya was the only one who remained.
End of Chapter 1