Biology Class

Sonya was trying to read through last night's revision notes, struggling to concentrate over Johnny and Jax arguing.

Boys

"Come on Tinman, I was only kiddin".

Jax, who was currently holding Johnny upside down, was not all too pleased with Johnny Cage's talent for creating nicknames for the cyborg boxer.

"Oh don't worry Cage, I know. In fact, I thought it was real funny".

"Wait? Really?"

"Yeah, sure. So, how's about I give you a nickname? You like movies don't ya?"

Johnny cracked a nervous grin.

"Uh, yeah sure".

"Great".

Jax flipped him right back up to face him and raised his fist right towards the mouthy actor's face.

"Cause now after I'm done with your pretty boy face, they gonna be callin you Cronenberg!"

Johnny immediately got down no his hands and knees.

"Wait not the face! Anything but the face!"

"Fine. Nut shot it is".

"The face is okay! Go for the face!"

Sonya, not taking her eyes off her papers, placed a hand on Jax.

"Jax, put him down. He's learned his lesson".

With a grunt he looked back to Johnny.

"I dunno Sonya. Have you learned something Cage?"

"Oh yeah! Definitely learned something!"

Satisfied, Jax let Johnny fall to the floor.

Almost as if nothing just happened to him, Johnny whizzed right beside Sonya.

"Hey thanks for that back there. Really pulled my ass out of the fire".

"If you were less of an ass, you wouldn't be in any fires".

"Oooh, that hurt babe! So whatcha readin?"

"The notes for today's lesson".

"Hah! Good one guys. I think you've scared the crap out of me enough…"

When he noticed no change in the rest of the Special Forces group's expression, Cage started to panic.

"Wait we actually had to look over that stuff?"

"Yes", the whole Special Forces team responded in monotone.

"Ah crap! Tsung's gonna kill me!"

"My heart bleeds for ya Cage", Jax chuckled.

Johnny buried his head in his arms.

Kenshi whispered to Stryker, "Hey did you hear about the new girl? Apparently she's Kitana's sister".

Cage's head shot back up hopefully and he turned right round to Kenshi.

"Kitana has a sister! Is she as hot as her? What did she look like?"

Kenshi raised an eyebrow and waited for Johnny to realise what he just said.

"Oh right, sorry man, just slipped my mind. Didn't mean to…"

"It's fine. But from what I heard, she does appear…noticeable".

"Oh ho ho yes! A new hot Edenian, just what the doctor ordered".

Sonya shot Johnny a glare.

"Well of course I'm stayin with you babe. Just a little something to please the eyes is all".

Sonya rolled her eyes and gave Cage a good natured elbow jab.

If anyone had told her a year ago she'd be dating Johnny Cage, she'd have either laughed or punched you. But despite his many, many, many flaws, under all that bravado, there was a really sweet guy there.

Even if he was still a total idiot.

Jax gave out a disgusted grunt.

"Great, more OutWorlders. Just what we need".

"You don't sound thrilled Iron Giant".

Jax got up a little from his seat.

"I mean Jax! I meant to say Jax!"

"That's more like it. And I'm just sayin, OutWorlders aren't exactly the most diplomatic people you could meet".

Sonya turned to Jax.

"And you'd say you aren't violent?"

Jax chuckled.

"Fair point. But you know what I mean Sonya".

"True, but that was then, this is now. And right now, I think the best approach would be to not have anyone giving her the evil eye on her first day…"

"Yeah Jax, try and be friendly…" Johnny interrupted.

"And it would also help her and your love life if you didn't give her any eyes".

"Aww come on!"

"At. All".

Johnny folded his arms in a huff.

"Everyone wants to kill my fun".

Stryker pointed at the door beginning to open.

"Hey guys I think that's her".

A girl in all pink and shoulder length black hair walked in.

Biology (Mileena)

Mileena stepped in the room and caught the sound of a whisper from the end of the room.

"Holy hell, this chick is smoking hot! Those legs, that bod, that…"

Mileena turned her head to smile at her admirer, but quickly received the opposite effect.

"That giant mouth of teeth! Jesus H Christ, someone call Chief Brody, Jaws is back".

Mileena gave a disappointed sigh.

Knew it

The boy in the sunglasses was elbow in the stomach afterwards by a blonde girl in army gear.

"Hey, wait. Come here, please", she offered apologetically.

Mileena hesitated for a moment, unsure if she wanted to approach such a tightly packed group of EarthRealmers.

But this one seemed…welcoming.

She walked up to the empty seat beside the girl.

"Sorry about that. My boyfriend has a brain the size of a peanut and he's sorry", she pulled at Johnny's ear. "Isn't that right?"

"Ow! Yes maam, very sorry".

Mileena giggled and with that Sonya released him.

"It's okay. At least he didn't draw a weapon. That happens sometimes".

Sonya offered her hand.

"Name's Sonya. Sonya Blade".

"Mileena, Princess of OutWorld".

Johnny chuckled. "You have princess in your name? You really are Kay's sister aren't ya?"

"Yeah, but I don't throw it around as much".

"Well uh, hey sorry about that. I mean, if anyone needs to keep their mouth shut, it's me".

"It's alright really. You're actually kind of funny for an EarthRealmer".

Johnny straightened up.

"Oh really? Name's Cage. Johnny Cage. A-List actor-to-be and ball bustin badass".

"And sleeping on the couch if he doesn't lasso his libido".

Johnny sighed.

"Just being friendly Sonya".

Mileena couldn't stop chuckling.

These guys are alright. Wait the one with metal arms his looking at me?! What do I do? Say something!

"Uh…nice arms".

Oh Elder Gods dammit Mileena!

Jax just grunted.

"Real funny".

"No, no, no, no! I didn't mean that! I just think they're cool. They look really strong. Like a boxer's arms".

Jax's expression relaxed a little.

"Well…thanks. I built em myself".

"No way! How much can they lift! Could you like, smash a guy through a wall like it was nothing?"

Jax couldn't help but smile at this girl's passion for fighting things. And the personal comments didn't hurt.

Maybe she was alright.

"Yeah. But why settle for a wall. These babies could toss any poor bastard from here straight into OutWorld".

"Whoa", Mileena gasped in awe.

Johnny was annoyed.

"Hey, why does hey get to flaunt in front of the new girl?"

"Because he doesn't have a girlfriend sitting right next to him".

"Point taken".

Mileena got to talking to Kenshi and Stryker and over the next ten minutes, she and the Special Forces gang began to enter comfortable conversation.

Just then, Shang Tsung walked in and sat at his desk.

"Good morning class. Sorry I was running late, but I accidently wondered into Home Economics thinking it was my class. Long story short, there may or may not be a genetically engineered batch of carnivorous brownie creatures running around due to actions that are entirely not my fault".

Everyone in the class now immediately decided to avoid the H.E room.

Shang Tsung caught sight of Mileena.

"Ah, if it isn't my latest pupil and one of my favourite creations. Mileena my dear, how are you?"

"I'm good Uncle. Uh sorry, Professor".

"Ah, you've grown into such a beautiful young woman. It's hard to see you as that little embryo in my test tube anymore".

Mileena blushed furiously and buried her head, mortified.

Shang walked up to the blackboard.

"Now then, if you looked over your notes last night…"

"Uh sir?"

Shang sighed loudly.

"Yes Cage?"

"Well ya see, the thing is…"

"Cage, see me after school. You are going to look over those notes even if I have to surgically attach your cornea to the papers. Hmmm, actually, now that I say that out loud…."

Shang waved his hands.

"Anyway. Miss Blade, I assume you've read over the notes?"

"Yes sir"

"Very good. It's nice to have someone I can rely on. Now Miss Blade, go grab my meat".

The class was quiet enough to hear a pin drop.

"Ugh, sir?"

"Well, Miss Blade, grab my meat. He's eager to see you".

"Sir, what the hell are you…"

"It's in the store room, Miss Blade, chop chop".

Relived a little at Tsung's supposed innuendo being misinterpreted, Sonya was still confused as to why he used the word he for some meat in the store room.

As she opened the door, a terrifying creature that resembled as skinless human ran out, running, screaming and leaking blood everywhere.

Everyone but Mileena screamed.

"Thank you Miss Blade. Class meet, Meat. Meat say hello".

"Yell-ul", the creautree gurgled, with what may have been a semblance of a smile on its….lack of a face.

Mileena squealed.

"He's adorable!"

"Yes, he is quite the little scamp isn't he? I managed to grow him with some dead animal meat thrown out from the butcher's and some toxic waste I found in the back of my fridge. Seeing as using actual live subjects for dissection is "morally questionable at best", according to some hacks who call themselves scientists, I made the next best thing".

"Now Mister Cage, come up here. Seeing as you failed to look over last night, you will get a physical demonstration of the anatomy".

"But sir, that thing is freakin creepy".

"Now, now, don't hurt Meat's feelings. Or does he have feelings? Perhaps I'll test that next class. But back on track, it is important for a Kombatant to know anatomy if your x-ray attacks are to be successful. Now front and centre".

Like a sad puppy, Johnny limped up to the dripping pile of blood and offal.

"Now then", Shang said as he grabbed Johnny's hand and forced it in Meat's chest".

"Ugghh, gross!"

"Meat, tickly", Meat giggled.

"Now Mister Cage, you should be able to feel the heart. I want you to move further up until you reach the throat".

Uncomfortably, Johnny snaked his arm up Meat's inner innards until he reached something.

"Very good. Now, most of you would go for the bones. Classic, but sometimes they're not as breakable as you'd think. So what else could you do? Nerves? Paralyse them? Perhaps. But there is another option. From the posterior edge of the middle of the soft palate, there as a wonderful conic projection called the uvula. And, if enough pressure is applied…"

Shang nodded to Johnny who, hesitantly, squeezed it, forcing a large amount of vomit out of Meat.

"Gaahhhhh!"

"It causes the target to vomit profusely, not only incapacitating the enemy, but also very humiliating. This method was perfected by Noob Saibot. Thank you Cage, how do you feel?"

"I think I'm gonna be sick…"

"Now Mister Cage, we only need one demonstration today, though your enthusiasm is welcomed".

The bell rang out and the terrified classroom ran for their lives, with Sonya helping a foul smelling and deeply shaken up Johnny.

"Well that's all for today then. Please go over your notes this time. Say goodbye Meat".

"Blye", Meat gurgled.

Mileena got up to catch up with everyone else.

"Ah, EarthRealm children. They always were a tad queasy".

Mileena catapulted into Shang and hugged him tightly.

"It's great to see you Uncle Shang".

"Ah my dear, it's a pleasure to see you again. How has Kitana been?"

"Sorry Uncle, the restraining order is still there".

"Bah! You take a few blood samples, bone marrow extracts, spinal fluid vials and strands of hair to give someone a sibling and you get slapped with a court order. Story of my life".

"It wasn't just the court order she slapped you with".

"Oh yes. She hits like her mother".

Shang walked behind his desk.

"Now, seeing as you've just arrived, this is what you need to catch up on", he said as he dropped a tonne of papers on the desk.

"Oh goodie", Mileena sighed.

Shang handed her a single page out of the pile.

"Wow, that's a relief. What's the rest of the stuff?"

"Apparently the "Ethical standards that are to be maintained at all times". Or as I call them, "Intellectual inhibitors".

"Well, I gotta go to gym class. It was great seeing you again Uncle".

"Have a good time child".

"By the way, nice joke about the brownies at the start of class", she called out as she skipped off.

"What joke?", Shang said to himself.

FATALITY

Sareena could be heard over the speaker.

"Could professor Tsung please report to Headmaster Raiden for yet another reminder of why genetic manipulation without consulting officials puts student's lives at risk".

"Oh Elder God's dammit!"

GYM

Mileena walked into a large stadium that had a huge sparring ring in the centre. She looked around for Sonya or the others but she couldn't see them.

She was starting to panic. She didn't want to be alone.

"Well look what we have here", said a synthesised voice.

Mileena turned to see a red cyborg with a similar looking counterpart in yellow followed by a couple dozen other mechanical martial artists.

Ah crap this must by Sektor

"Look brothers, it appears Shao Khan has seen fit enough to let his dog off the leash without the decency to give her a muzzle".

Mileena growled.

New girl or not, she was a princess of OutWorld and she was not taking this shit.

"Careful you walking trashcan. You might wish I had a muzzle after I'm through with you".

Sektor was readying himself for a confrontation.

Cyrax stood beside Sektor.

"Sektor, perhaps we should not seek out any more enemies than we already have".

"Silence Cyrax. The Lin Kuei will make themselves known in this pathetic school. I will not have Sub Zero's heretical followers poison our glory".

"Who's Sub Zero?"

"Do not play coy Half-Breed. We know of your fraternisation with Sub Zero's girlfriend Sareena!"

"Fraternization? I literally talked to her for like a minute, you paranoid pile of scrap!"

"Do you not know who you speak to whelp!? I am Sektor! Rightful master of the Lin Kuei!"

The rest all chanted, "More stealthful than the night more deadly than the dawn!"

Mileena paused for all of three seconds before keeling over with laughter.

"Really? How the hell is a group of walking talking tanks in any way stealthy?"

"Silence!", Sektor aimed a chest rocket at Mileena, who very nearly ignored it all together.

"Rockets? Oh yeah genius real stealthy. If it were me I'd go with something like, oh I don't know, knives!"

"Funny you say that", came a voice from across the hall as a large hunting knife flew past Sektor's head.

"I kinda have a similar preference meeself", said a tattooed man with one cybernetic eye. He was accompanied by a masked man with burns, a girl with red hair and two blades and a blonde haired martial artist.

"Be gone, mongrels! This is Lin Kuei business!"

"Wrong mate. See, that little darling there is from OutWorld. That means she's with them", Kano nodded to Ermac, Reptile and Sheeva.

Kira then stepped up. "Which means, you fuck with the OutWorld gang, you fuck with Black Dragon. And no one, fucks with us".

"Well put love. So mate, what's it gonna be?"

Sektor growled but relented, realising he was vastly outnumbered.

"This isn't over", he warned.

As the cyborgs walked away Mileena approached Kano.

"Thanks, but I could've taken em".

"Heh, sure. Well, you've got guts luv I'll give ya that. Name's Kano. These buncha hoodlems are Kabal, Kira and Kobra".

"Nice to meet you. My name is…"

"Princess Mileena Khanum, heir to Shao Kahn, glorious Emperor of OutWorld", said Reptile who took one knee followed by Ermac and Sheeva.

"We are here to welcome and serve you".

Mileena offered a hand.

"You don't have to serve, I'm good with just having friends".

"Oh. Very well princess".

"Just call me Milly".

The OutWorlders looked at each other in confusion.

"Is something wrong?"

"No princ…Milly. It's just, Kitana always had us address her as such before you arrived. You seem very…casual".

"Yeah, you're way more down to earth than her royal bloody bossy highness".

Mileena smiled.

"Well, what can I say? A girl who came out of a test tube can't be picky".

Kano patted her shoulders heartedly.

"I like this little toothy Shiela! She's in!"

The rest of the OutWorld and Black Dragon members agreed.

Everyone was silenced as the sound of a door being kicked in echoed through the hall.

"Ah shit! It's the coach!", Kano cried.

"Wait, what's wrong?", Mileena asked.

Sheeva took her hand.

"Just get into a line and stay quiet".

Mileena did as she told and lined up.

From the hallway, a massive Shokan stormed in and stood before the lines of Kombatans, practically eclipsing them with his shadow.

"Atten-shun!" Goro barked, walking up and down the lines.

"By the Elder Gods I prayed that Headmaster Raiden was playing some cruel prank on me, when he told me you pathetic maggots where my new Kombatants. But it seems fate just loves blessing me with endless pain and humiliation. Each and every last one of you are an Elder Goddamned piece of what is a horrific masterpiece of idiocy and failure! Every single one of you think you're the deadliest thing this world has seen since expired T.V dinners, but the truth is kiddies, you are about as threatening to a real Kombatant as wet tissue paper. But that changes TODAY! I can and will mould you little pansies into forces of destruction so devastating, it has not been heard of since the Dragon King Onaga. But the only way I will accomplish this, is if you little dipshits can manage to follow every single order I give you, to the letter. So let me make something crystal fucking clear to you little assclowns, when I say jump, you don't act like a smart ass and ask "How high" you shut your halfwit pie holes and fucking jump, am I understood!?"

"Sir, yes sir".

"Bullshit Kombatants, I've heard mice fart louder than that. Sound off like you mean it!"

"Sir yes sir!"

"That is still pathetic but I will tolerate it on the grounds you are as slow as a turtle with its feet glued to the floor".

A fly happened to pass by Reptile. On instinct, he whipped out his tongue to catch it but found it grabbed by the Shokan's hand.

"Kombatant Reptile, what in the name of Ed Boon are you doing?", he snarled as he released his tongue".

"Ssssir! Trying to eat a fly sssir!"

"Godammit Kombatant I wanted the news, not the weather, keep the lisping to yourself or I'll have you run so many laps, you'll be lucky to have any bodily fluids left, do you understand that you amphibious looking little bastard?"

"Sssir yes ssir!"

"You do look like a frog don't you? You are now Bullfrog, do you like that name Kombatant?"

"Sssir yes ssir!"

"I'd like to talk again now Kombatant, can I stop babying your scaly ass for a minute?"

"Sssir yes ssir!"

"Thank you Bullfrog!"

Mileena watched on in terror as the Shokan sergeant continued ranting and patrolling.

"This guy's nuts", she whispered to herself.

Unfortunately, nothing escaped the Shokan coach and he marched right up to an already regretful Mileena.

"Well, well, what do we have here? Is there something you'd like to share with us Smiley?"

"Sir no sir!"

"Wrong! You think I'm nuts Smiley, you think I'm crazy? Mad? Loony? A batshit crazy junkyard dog? Huh Smiley?"

"Sir no sir!"

"Wrong again! I am nuts! I am the craziest Shokan sumabitch alive, because I genuinely believe I can and will turn you little mouthy weaklings into badasses of epic proportions! Now Drop and give me twenty Smiley!"

Help me!

"Hah! Pathetic Half-Breed!", mocked Sektor.

The Shokan coach's attention was now turned to the Lin Kuei leader, who unlike Mileena and Reptile, was too arrogant to fully acknowledge the mistake he'd made by talking out of turn.

"Apparently Apple just released their smartass app and you just went on ahead and installed it didn't ya Kombatant?"

Mileena was about to drop to give her twenty push ups, but stopped once Goro shot a finger at her.

"Smiley, what do you think of Big Red here?"

"With permission sir, he's an asshole and I'd really like to kick him straight in the nuts and bolts".

The entire class gave a sort of nervous chuckle before Goro silenced them with a wave of his hand.

The coach grinned.

"Kombabtants, we have been given a golden opportunity here. Nothing breeds good Kombat like rivalries. Smiley, Big Red, for your inability to follow basic instructions to shut the hell up, you are both going to be our first sparring Kontestants. The winner, will not be punished for today's actions and the loser will have to perform thirty laps around the school".

Sektor and Mileena both stared each other down.

"Fine", they said with equal venom in their words.

Kombat Ring

Mileena was giving her Sais another twirl to practice her dexterity in her end of the ring. Sektor was testing out his armour abilities in his end of the ring, ignoring what looked like advice from Cyrax.

Honestly, the one in the yellow looks like he's got some sense. Why does he hang around with this prick?

Kano strolled up beside Mileena.

"Hey Milly, just so ya know, we're rootin for ya. Kick his arse".

Mileena smiled and nodded.

"Sure thing".

"Oh, and just so ya know, Sektor loves his toys, but you take them out and he'll be confused for a minute. You can get em then".

"But how do I do that?"

Kano smiled and slid what looked like a small metal circle.

"Toss this on him, and he'll short out".

Mileena frantically looked around, unnerved by how sinister Kano sounded.

"Where did you get this?"

"Let's just say I have friends of friends who get around".

Mileena wasn't sure about this. She wanted to shut Sektor up, but she wanted to do it on her terms.

"Kano, I'm not sure I want to…"

Sektor called out from the end of the ring.

"I'm ready. Let's get a move on so I can give this Tarkatan dog the dental work she needs so badly", he laughed, cracking his knuckles.

Mileena looked back at Kano, furious.

"Give me the damned disk".

"Yes maam".

Goro stood between the two opponents.

"Now Kombatants, allow me to go over the rule: win. Okay now, FIGHT!"

As the Shokan left the ring, Mileena and Sektor leapt right towards each other.

Mileena went for descending kick using her teleport, but was countered by Sektor's vicious uppercut.

She spun in mid-air and landed in perfect stance, already prepared for Sektor's brutal onslaught.

The cyber-ninja launched a series of well-placed kicks, which Mileena only managed to block occasionally.

Even for someone of her speed, Sektor's superior targeting matrix allowed him to pretty much anticipate where she was going to be before she even moved.

Mileena managed to get in a good spin sidekick and performed a cartwheel kick to increase the distance between herself and her opponent.

Damn he's fast. Gotta keep him away from me and stick to ranged attacks

Mileena reached into her back pockets and tossed some of her spare Sais at Sektor, who managed to deflect all but one that had pierced his shoulder.

"Grrh! Lucky shot, nothing more beast!", he growled. "But it is time for you to see what real ranged attacks look like".

With that, two cylindrical objects emerged from Sektor's arms and spewed searing hot flames, nearly consuming the entire arena.

Mileena had to act fast and the only option she could think of was to get to higher ground. She backflipped to land on the railings, but was forced to teleport mid-landing when Sektor's rockets homed in on her position.

The crowd was divided in terms of opinion. The Lin Kuei were pleased by their leader's success whereas the OutWorlders and Black Dragon were incensed at Sektor's refusal to fight Mileena hand to hand.

"Oy, put ya rockets away ya big git. Fight like a man!"

Kira and Sheeva both eyed Kano.

"Ah rack off, ya know what I meant".

In the Lin Kuei corner, all but Cyrax were cheering. Yes Sektor was winning now, but he was already committing two fatal flaws. First, his fuel and rocket supplies were not infinite and he'd nearly spent all of it in that brash display of power. Second, he was getting cocky. While all Mileena could do now was dodge, he didn't doubt that she'd quickly develop a counter attack.

"Sektor, you've made your point. Press the advantage!"

Sektor whipped round to face his lieutenant.

"Do not tell me what to do Cyrax! I am the leader, not you!"

Mileena, who was getting very tired of dodging flames and rockets, caught wind of the argument.

Then it hit her.

While using Kano's device would probably turn the tables on her rival, it would be far more satisfying to have his own arrogance crush him.

"You now Sektor, you should really listen to your second in command. I'm not going to keep going easy on you forever".

"Are you mocking me? I have you right where I want you!"

"Really? Then finish the job".

Sektor cackled with glee.

"My pleasure".

He once again let loose a wave of fire, anticipating Mileena to teleport for higher ground.

He readied his rockets to deny her the advantage, only to be met face to face with the princess of pain herself.

"What the-"

Before he could finish, Mileena stabbed her Sais into his rocket launchers and wrapped her legs around his waist. She managed to get close enough to use her jaws to tear out Sektor's targeting matrix and flipped off before the rockets exploded, damaging Sektor's armour.

Sektor shakenly got back up. His body was almost as hurt as his pride.

"You sure you don't wanna give up?", Mileena grinned.

Sektor howled in anger and tried to launch another blast from his flamethrowers, but without the precision of his targeting matrix, it was completely unstable and never managed to hit Mileena.

"Poor Setkor", Mileena laughed, using the flames to hide herself.

"Your tech was impressive, but for all your boasting, for all your talk of how I'm a half breed beast, there's one thing I have over you".

Sektor was completely rabid now, not even looking were he aimed anymore.

"What could you ever have over me!?"

A hand was placed on his left shoulder and he turned to see a dozen large sharp teeth meeting him.

"Instinct".

Mileena raised her head and delivered an almighty headbutt, knocking the Lin KueI leader down and ending the fight.

"Kombatants, we have a winner!" yelled Goro.

The Black Dragon and OutWorld kids cheered at Mileena's victory.

"Congratualtions Smiley. The victory is yours. You didn't even need to use your hidden weapon".

Mileena and Kano's hearts both stopped beating for a minute.

"You…knew?"

"Smiley, do you take me for an idiot? Of course I saw cyclops slip you that EMP grenade. This was a test of character, not strength. Big Red here, still doesn't understand that being a Kombatant, isn't about how shiny your toys are. It's about how dirty you're willing to get to win. You could have ended it by taking away all his gadgets and it would have been tactical. Instead, you brought him straight down using nothin but your Tarkatan instinct and moxy!"

Goro turned and pointed to Mileena.

"Let that be a lesson Kombatants, skill is earned through blood, sweat and training, not by taking the easy route and installing the latest in military grade technology and calling it your own".

The cheers for Mileena drown out any other noise in the hall. Mileena couldn't help but smile at the praise that was being given to her.

Oh my Elder Gods. They're cheering for me

In that moment, Mileena wasn't "Kitana's sister" or "Half-Breed". She was Mileena, OutWorld champion.

"Alright numbnuts, you've had your fun. Someone scrape Big Red up and get back to work!".

Kano and Kabal helped Mileena down, with Kira handing her a water bottle.

Reptile and Sheeva were quick to follow.

"You were amazing Mileena! Sssektor will not recover from that ssoon", hissed Reptile.

"Thanks Reptile. Here Kano, you keep this. Gadgets aren't really my style".

"Sure thing luv. I guess you'll just have to settle for being a badass ninja with teeth that can bite a man's skull in half with no gadgets".

Mileena gave a mock sigh.

"Somehow, I'll manage".

"We're headed down to the track. See us when you're ready Milly", Sheeva called as the rest walked off.

"Be there in a minute", Mileena called back.

As she gathered her gym equipment from the ring, she found Cyrax handing her used Sais.

"Look, I just went toe-to-toe with Sektor, can we do this later?"

"On the contrary, I am here to congratulate you".

"Say what now?"

"Your victory was hard won. You fought honourably, even when Kano gave you the opportunity for an easy when. You showed something…maybe the Lin Kuei have forgotten".

Mileena was a little sceptic of Cyrax's word, but he seemed genuine enough.

"Well…thanks I guess", she said cautiously, extending her hand to shake his.

Cyrax returned the gesture, greatly relaxing Mileena's worries.

"Until we meet again. Perhaps next time, things will be less hostile".

As he walked away, Mileena couldn't help but ask.

"Hey, you seem pretty decent. Why follow an asshole like Sektor?"

Cyrax stopped.

Mileena at first thought she'd offended him, but the young cyborg looked as if though he was questioning that himself.

"Because he is my leader and I must follow him", he said. "Even if he is an idiot".

Mileena would've protested, had she not considered how long she fought for Shoa Khan before Kitana saved her from her own madness and gave her a will of her own.

"I understand", she replied earning a surprised look from Cyrax, followed by a respectful nod.

"But just so you know, sometimes being a good second in command, means saving your leader from themselves as well".

Cyrax thought on her words for a second before leaving.

I really hope he doesn't let Sektor keep him down forever

School Exterior

Kano and Reptile walked with Mileena out to the car park, all the while praising her for her takedown of Sektor.

"I mean, yeah he's gonna be pissed when he gets back to full strength but you've bloody dented him for a while".

"Literally in thissss casssse".

Mileena couldn't wipe the smile off her face. On her first day, she'd not only managed to make new friends, she'd also managed to win over a great deal of respect.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could spot Sonya, Johnny and Jax.

"Hey guys", she waved over as she ran towards them.

"Hey guys you should have seen….".

Her Tarkatan sense of smell detected something unbelievably foul.

"Blegh! Johnny what the hell?!"

"Don't blame me. After Shang made me stick my hand in….that thing, it's smelt like and entire herd of slaughtered cows were pressed in a juicer and sprayed on my arm. It's gonna be weeks til this gets washed out!"

Jax cackled.

"Least you won't be making any cracks at arms for a while".

"Grow up both of you", Sonya chided.

She turned to face Mileena, an impressed smirk on her face.

"Heard you beat the crap out of Sektor, in front of all the Lin Kuei. Congratulations".

"He give you trouble too?"

"There isn't anyone in this school he hasn't pissed off. Jerk thinks because he has the best equipment, he's the best fighter. Glad someone shut him up".

"Speakin of shuttin up" an annoyed Kano spat upon catching up with Mileena.

Sonya and the rest of the Special Forces group were clearly displeased to see him.

"Back off Kano, she hasn't done anything to you", Sonya warned.

"She's my new mate Blade. Unlike some birds in this place, she isn't a complete asshole".

Mileena began to feel very uncomfortable.

"Ugh guys, is everything alri-"

But Mileena could do nothing as Repptile, Jax and Johnny joined the fray.

"Back off scales, this ani't yo fight".

"How'd you like to losssse you legssss too Briggssss?"

Both groups looked geared to go at each other.

A horn beeped from across the lot, as Baraka exited the royal taxi.

"Princess Mileena, are you ready to go?"

Kano and Mileena looked to Mileena.

"See ya Milly", they both said, thankfully with no aggression aimed towards her.

When they returned their gaze to each other though, the hatred was as plain as day between those two.

As both groups left, Mileena caught Johnny's arm.

"Hey Johnny, what was all that about?"

Johnny lost his usual smartass smile and looked torn between explaining and trying to catch up with his pissed off girlfriend.

"It's….complicated", was all he uttered before he ran off.

"Wait! I don't understand…"

Baraka honked the horn again.

"Princess, your father has ordered me to escort you home. Are you ready?"

Mileena just looked on in lamentation of the previously cheerful atmosphere she had amongst her friends.

"Yeah Baraka. Let's go", she sighed.

Mileena's Bedroom

Mileena sat in her bed, sewing yet another teddy together. It was just a few stitches short of completion.

Mileena looked upon her unfinished work with pride.

Even after her cloning, when her sanity was about as stable as dinner plate atop a toothpick, she was always good at making teddies.

She'd gotten creative over the years, making them in different shapes and sizes and assigning names to nearly all of them. She knew she was getting too old for this, but in truth for a long time, when Kitana was still her nemesis, these toys were as close to friendship as she got.

Nowadays, it just served as a hobby as much as anything else.

A knock came at her door.

"It's open", she called.

The door opened to allow Kitana to enter her room.

"Hello sister", she said. "How was school?"

"It was good", Mileena answered shortly.

"That's good. Anything else?"

Mileena sighed. When Kitana tried to be subtle, save for combat, it always failed.

"What is it Kay?", she asked.

"Nothing, you just seem….down".

"It's just, I met these really cool guys in biology and then I met these other really cool guys in gym and then….ugh! Kay why is everyone acting like dicks to each other?!"

Kitana already knew where this was coming from.

"Oh Milly, that's just commoners acting like commoners, nothing to worry about".

Milly sighed and sulked into her bed.

"See that doesn't help".

Kitana tried something more practical.

"Very well. There are, as you've no doubt witnessed, some divisions at school. The OutWorlders and Black Dragon groups tend to stick together, Special Forces, Shao Lin and Edenians tend to hang around each other as well. The Lin Kuei are divided amongst themselves, either following Sektor or Sub Zero. And after that, there are a few loners like that Scorpion fellow. Though he hangs around with Sub Zero he isn't Lin Kuei. He's rather…coarse".

Mileena took all of her sister's advice in, forming a better understanding of why Kano and Sonya were distant, but it did little to explain their fierce hostility.

"But, why do they hate each other so much?"

"The reasons vary, but I never really cared as to why they were so opposed to each other".

"Not even once".

Kitana shook her head and placed her hand on Mileena's shoulders.

"Mileena, if you want some advice, this is what I've learned in my time at that school: no one person can fix all the problems those fools have made for themselves. Stick to yourself and you'll be fine".

Her words clearly didn't help Mileena all that much. Not wanting to see her sister so downtrodden over matters that were out of her hands, Kitana got an idea.

"You know, I seem to recall a nice piece of raw, bloody steak lying in the fridge. What do you say we split it in half, mine's cooked, yours normal?"

Mileena licked her lips together.

It was hard to stay upset at the prospect of fresh meat.

Kitana smiled.

"I'll go get it ready then, shall I?"

As she walked out. Mileena looked back to her teddy.

It was apart, unfinished and it would still take time to put together.

But she'd done it before, put them together. No matter how many pieces they all started out as.

Maybe that's all it took to put something together, patience and determination.

Maybe Kitana was wrong.

Mileena hugged her unfinished teddy.

Maybe one person could fix EarthRealm High's problems.

First off, thank you soooooo much for all the kind things you've said about the story so far. It means a lot, believe me. Second, this is a call out to those more knowledgeable of Mortal Kombat than myself. I've already got Shang Tsung and "Gunnery Sergeant" Goro working biology and gym, so if there's anyone else you think would suit a teaching position, please don't hesitate to give out your ideas. That's all for now, but next chapter, we get a good look at a tale of Ice and Fire ninja's, the dynamic duo themselves: Sub Zero and Scorpion. And to answer some questions posed: yes, Scorpion x Mileena is happening