"Your parents, you say?…"
Lau listened with interest as he led Master Tigress through the forests outside the Valley.
"Yes…" She responded. "I was too young to remember a lot of it, but I was rescued by another tiger, the only other one to survive the Lin Kuei's attack on our village. He was only 17, and he'd been badly wounded by one of the warriors, but he managed to carry me all the way to the Valley…he told everyone what had happened, before he finally died from his wounds."
"My my…" Lau looked back at her with concern. "That's quite a mark to have to grow up with…no wonder you always seem so determined."
Tigress tried not to think about it anymore as she looked right back at the Cheetah. "What else do you know of The Lin Kuei? You've already mentioned Scorpion…where has he been all this time?"
"No one really knows…" Lau spoke ominously as he stared off into the distance. "In recent years, he's remained in the shadows…some say he has begun to lose hold of his physical form, which is why he may have taken the amulet from me…it contains mystic powers, that links its wearer between this world, and the afterlife."
Tigress nodded slowly as she followed. "Go on…"
Lau continued to lead her through the hilly terrain, looking back at her every so often as he spoke.
"These days, any dark deeds done by the Lin Kuei are under the supervision of Scorpion's second-in-command, Sub-Zero, master of the frozen fist… You have already defeated one of his underlings, Smoke, the late master of the Vanishing fist…still among the living are Rain, master of the Lightning fist…Reptile, master of the Poison fist…and Ermac, master of the Psychic fist."
"Sounds just like the challenge I've been waiting for…" Tigress spoke as she followed, looking to her left and right alertly.
"Do not take them lightly, child…" Lau's tone of voice became one of warning at that point. "You barely managed to defeat Smoke, if you recall…he was nothing compared to what lies ahead, if you intend to go on with your mission."
"I do not intend to turn back, Lau…" Tigress narrowed her gaze at him slightly. "My parents deserve justice for what was done to them by The Lin Kuei…they attacked because they considered my people a threat, and by the gods, I will live to prove them correct in that assumption!"
Lau just nodded slowly. "Very well…I shall lead you to where they dwell, so that you may retrieve my amulet, and I may resume my watch over this vast world."
"Deal…" Tigress smiled lightly for a second, before continuing to follow her new ally.
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The torchlights flickered in the dark, brown wood of the Lin Kuei dojo. Smoke filled the air from the numerous fires in the area, adding to the sense of foreboding in this environment. A large standard was carved into a wall at the top of a small stairway, in the shape of a black scorpion, the Lin Kuei's symbol for many years.
It was from the top of the stairway that the form of Sub-Zero slowly descended, an aura of cold air surrounding his form. Small parts of his Siberian Tiger form showed through his blue uniform and black mask, which covered half of his face.
"What news do you bring?" He asked aloud, his question directed to Ermac.
"I'm afraid it's rather dire, sir…" Ermac responded. The grey fox was dressed in similar manner as Sub-Zero, only with no noticeable aura…plus the cloth was blood red, instead of blue. "Smoke has recently been slain."
Sub-Zero closed his eyes for a moment. "A terrible loss…" He then reopened them and gazed lowly at his comrade. "Who perpetrated this outrage?"
Ermac closed his eyes, and outstretched his right paw, causing it to glow in a strange, green light, as he concentrated.
"She calls herself Master Tigress…" He spoke softly, his eyes still closed. "She hails from the Valley nearby…" his eyes then shot back open. "And he is with her…he is leading her to our position!"
"Then we must stop them both in their tracks!" Sub-Zero quickly turned as he spoke. "Rain!"
The figure of a black panther appeared, dressed in a dark violet uniform, to match the color in his eyes. "Yes master?"
"Follow Ermac's directions to the location of our new rivals…Kill them both on sight." Sub Zero spoke coldly as he pointed a finger at the panther.
"It shall be done sir…" Rain bowed obediently.
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Lau had now led Tigress out of the forest, as the two were now looking at the banks of a wide river, miles away from the valley now.
"Right across this river…" Lau pointed the way. "And over those treacherous mountains, you shall find the path to the headquarters of the Lin Kuei.
"Where do we cross?" Tigress asked him, looking closely along the water. "I see no boats or canoes…"
"There is a bridge…" Lau pointed the way as he walked again. "Not too far from here…it's a bit rickety, but it's your best chance, since you don't look like the swimming type."
"Indeed not…" Tigress frowned lightly at the water, before following him once more.
Lau tread carefully along the bank of the river as he led Tigress closer and closer to the bridge…she then began to feel a bit…uneasy…as if she could sense something watching her.
"What is it?" Lau asked, as he noticed her walking more cautiously.
"I don't think we're alone…" Tigress spoke as she looked up every so often.
"I'm sure it's just your imagination…" Lau answered, dismissively. "You warriors…always thinking there's something, or someone out to get you…"
He then suddenly felt something grab him by his robes…
Tigress spun back from looking behind her, to see the form of Rain, holding the old cheetah up by his collar.
"I thought we told you to stay away from here!" Rain growled.
"Want to try that on someone your own age, coward?" Tigress growled back at him, before getting into a fighting stance.
Rain's eyes widened for a moment, before he gently dropped Lau, and looked at his new opponent in interest.
"So you're the one who killed Smoke, eh?" Rain mused. "I told that idiot he was getting sloppy…"
"I'm on my way to find your leader…" Tigress asserted herself once more. "You can either stand down, or die with him…"
"Ha!" Rain crossed his arms for a moment. "Fancy you making a threat towards the likes of me!"
He then held out his right arm, as a bolt of lightning suddenly shot out from nowhere, striking the ground just a few feet from where tigress was standing.
Tigress was thrown back by the blast quite a few feet, before landing on all fours, still facing her opponent.
"So that was what he meant by 'lightning fist'" She mused for a split second, as she jumped and twirled out of the way of another lightning strike, meeting him where he stood with a jump kick.
Rain stumbled as her foot connected with his face, quickly swinging at her with his right arm…she grabbed it with her own arm, and elbowed him in the sternum quickly, before using the same arm to backhand him on the face.
He stumbled back again, as he faced Tigress, who got into another stance.
"I've misjudged you, it seems…" he quirked his brow a bit as he adjusted his mask. "No matter…I've no trouble with rising to even bigger challenges."
He shot electricity out of his paw this time, aiming it straight at Tigress, as she dodged it, and took Lau by the paw.
"Quick! Show me the way to that bridge!" She shouted.
Lau nodded quickly as the two ran to it together, all the while dodging lightning bolts from Rain, who remained in pursuit.
The two eventually arrived at the bridge, as she pushed him onto it a little. "Go! Get to the other side, I'll meet you there!"
Lau nodded again as he ran across the bridge, leaving tigress to face down Rain. The ninja leapt toward her in a jump kick, catching her in the chest with it before she had time to dodge it.
Tigress grunted and backed off a bit, feeling the bridge sway a bit under her feet, as she then saw Rain running towards her, attempting to nail her with a running punch. She quickly rolled under him on the wood as he passed her, and got him with a sweep to the legs.
A few planks broke under her form as she rolled back onto her feet, staying mindful of the condition of the bridge, as Rain carefully tried not to fall off as he flipped back onto his feet.
"I hate to burst your bubble…" Tigress spoke as she steadied herself. "But this is not the first time I've fought someone on a bridge."
"No…" Rain responded. "But it shall be your last!"
He raised his hand, and brought another bolt of lightning down. Tigress flipped away just in time, as the bolt smashed into the bridge, destroying many more planks. She then flipped back towards him once more, as he sent down another bolt, destroying most of the planks in back of her as well. She landed on solitary, but sturdy plank, and balanced herself with a determined look in her eyes.
Rain laughed at what he saw as a pathetic attempt by Tigress to keep herself alive…he was unaware of the fact she was studying the very strong rope that was keeping the bridge from falling down altogether. She took her time, and waited for the cocky ninja to make his move…
He then raised his hand, to summon a finishing bolt…Tigress immediately sprung into action, hoping onto the left side of the bridge's rope, and using her strong legs to bounce off the springy surface, sending her high into the air.
Rain quickly tried to shoot another bolt at her, but she zipped right past him, and gave him a jump kick on her way back down…one that he could feel smashing into his ribcage. He yelled out in pain as she landed on the still-whole section of the bridge where he stood, before trying to nail her with a hard right kick.
Tigress immediately blocked the kick with both of her wrists, before striking him hard across the left side of his face with a right hand, making him stumble and grunt once more as she then moved in for the kill.
She yelled out in a rage as she let loose with a flurry of fists and feet…every time he tried to block one, she smack him with the other, each blow landing on his form with incredible force.
Rain fell back, clutching at his form, as Tigress narrowed her gaze at him.
"Move aside…"
Rain breathed heavily, before growling out in anger…he would have sooner died than take orders from the likes of her. He lunged at her with a hard right hand…
Tigress saw the move coming, as she grabbed his arm, and rolled with him, flipping him over onto the surface of the bridge as he hit the wood hard…so hard, in fact, that the wood smashed, sending him plummeting into the water below.
Rain yelled out as he felt himself falling, before the splash of the water's impact silenced him. Tigress looked down, and saw some blood rising to the surface, around the jagged rocks in this particular part of the river.
Tigress sighed a bit…she had always been a little uneasy about taking the life of another soul…but once more, she thought, he had left her little choice. She then gingerly hopped over the new gap in the bridge, before she ran over to the other side to meet with Lau, who was patiently waiting for her…
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Some time had passed now, since the batter over the bridge, as the water calmly rushed over the banks of the wide river.
Over a collection of rocks near the bank, a single black hand reached up to grab the top one…
Rain pulled himself up slowly. He had indeed taken a nasty fall, as his numerous cuts and bruises showed, but the water had washed him to safety before he could drown. He painfully adjusted his jawbone, as he then picked up the facemask of his hood, which had fallen off.
"Oh, you're going to pay for that…" He grumbled in pain as he looked over to where Tigress and Lau had gone off. "Just you wait and see…and it won't be a simple kill either…I'll keep you in pain for just as long as I can…"