When Jessie woke up, she was laying on a gurney, being wheeled through an emergency room, a doctor and two nurses discussing her, as they walked. She looked down, not seeing the knife. She cleared her throat.
"Hey, doc?" Jessie said, weakly. The doctor looked down at her, smiling.
"What's your name?" He asked, reassuringly.
"Jessie." She answered, trying to sit up. The pain knocked her back down.
"Take it easy, Jessie. You've been stabbed."
"Chee, I thought all this blood was yours." Jessie said, sarcastically, as the doctor chuckled.
"And with that mouth, I see why." Jessie looked at her arms, seeing the IVs sticking out. Following the tubing up, she saw a bag of blood and a bag of medication attached. She laid back. No wonder she felt so weak. She winced, her stomach throbbing, every time she stupidly tried to move.
"Hey doc, where's the knife?"
"Most people are more concerned with their condition than the weapon." The doctor informed her, as she growled, trying to sit up, and the pain knocking her back down.
"If I'm talking to you, I'm not that damn bad off. Now, can I have the damn thing or not?" Jessie spat, giving up on sitting up.
"Why do you want it?" The doctor asked, curiously.
"It's a replica of the knife Kano used in the fight with Sonya. Think I could get it when I leave?" Jessie asked, hopefully.
"You could ask, but the detectives usually keep it in evidence." The doctor said, as they rolled her into a slot, pulling the curtains around them.
"Damn, that would've been a sweet edition to my collection." Jessie said, bitterly, as the doctor looked at her strange. Jessie looked past him, seeing a man in a white robe and Chinese peasant hat. Jessie recognized him as soon as he raised his head. She began laughing uncontrollably, her stomach killing her.
"What's so funny?" The doctor asked, as Jessie looked back up at him.
"How much more of whatever this is do I need to make him," She pointed at the man, "Look like Sonya instead?" Jessie asked, grinning. The doctor looked where she was pointing, seeing nothing but a blue hospital curtain.
"Just relax, Jessie." The doctor said, whispering something to the nurse. She injected Jessie's IV with something, as Jessie's eyes rolled back into her head. When Jessie woke up, the man in the robe was still there.
"Don't be afraid." He said, soothing, as Jessie laughed.
"Afraid? You're Raiden. If you wanted to fry me, you'd have done it by now. I just wanna know why I'm seeing you and not Sonya." Jessie informed him, sleepily.
"Why would you see her?" Raiden asked, as she sighed.
"Well, if I'm dying, I really would've preferred to see her instead, no offence." Jessie said, sadly.
"None taken, but what makes you think you're dying?" Raiden asked.
"I figured I was when I saw you." Jessie said, matter of factly.
"No, the knife didn't hit anything vital. More of a pain inducing injury than anything else." Raiden said, as she looked up at him, confused.
"Funny, I don't feel anything." She said, sitting up.
"That's because you're high on pain killers." He informed her, as she giggled.
"Now I see why people get addicted to this stuff. No pain, just giggles," She giggled more, looking him over, "I don't believe it."
"Believe what?"
"You really do look like Christopher Lambert." She said, laughing.
"I thought appearing in a mortal form you'd recognize might make this easier."
"I didn't know you were a shapeshifter." Jessie said, raising an eyebrow.
"I can." He said, as she grinned.
"I guess there really can be only one." Jessie said, doing her best Christopher Lambert impression, as Raiden looked at her strange.
"Would you prefer the energy form?" He asked, as she laughed.
"No, that's OK. These doctors already think I'm nuts now. Talking to someone they can't see. Can you imagine the drugs they'd give me for talking to a fuckin' orb?" Jessie said, laughing hysterically.
"You are quite the Mortal Kombat fanatic, aren't you?" He asked, as she laughed.
"Depends, would you call owning anything I can get my hands on Mortal Kombat a fanatic?"
"Yes." He said, with a chuckle.
"Ooops! I guess I am. I'm more of a Sonya Blade fan, though."
"Really, you're a Sonya Blade fan? I wouldn't have guessed." He said, smirking.
"Oh, by the way, since I'm having a once in a lifetime conversation with you, I want you to know. You're not sorry, you're misinformed."
"What?"
"You told Johnny that Sonya couldn't beat Shang Tsung. You need to know. You ain't sorry, you're just misinformed." She said, as Raiden laughs.
"Sonya is one of my favorite warriors. But she couldn't beat Shang Tsung."
"Bullshit! She's the best fighter you got, homeboy. She would've whipped his ass all over that tower." Jessie watched the nurse walk in, raising an eyebrow.
"Are you OK?" She asked, nervously.
"Oh, I'm fine." Jessie said, as the nurse changed her bag, "Hey, you ever see the Mortal Kombat movie?"
"Yeah, my son likes the fourth game." She said, as Jessie cringed.
"No accounting for taste. Can Sonya beat Shang Tsung?"
"Which one's Sonya?" The nurse asked, honestly confused. Tell me she didn't say that. Tell me she didn't really just say that? Simpleton! Jessie thought to herself, rolling her eyes.
"Never mind. Bottom line, she could beat Shang on Earth, in Outworld, in Netherealm, at the 7-11, or wherever in the hell you take her next." Jessie declared, as the nurse quickly leaves, spooked. College educated, and you don't know who Sonya Blade is? Peon. Jessie thought to herself, growling.
"You honestly believe that?" Raiden asked, laughing, as Jessie looked him over, angrily.
"I don't know, you honestly believe that peasant hat makes you look like anything but a reject from USA network's Kung Fu Theater?" She asked, smirking.
"How would you like to meet Sonya in person?" He asked, as Jessie laughed.
"I've already done that! I got to meet Kerri Hoskins after the MK Live show. She was absolutely awesome. I, however, went from being seventeen to five in two point eight seconds," Jessie laughed, remembering, "That woman must still think I'm crazier than these damn doctors do," She stopped laughing for a moment, her voice becoming slightly more serious, "On the other hand, I'm twenty six years old, and dream about hanging out with Sonya Blade. Top that off with the fact that I'm sitting here, arguing with a drug enduced hallucination, and I'm starting to think I'm nuts, too." Jessie said, laughing hysterically.
"Would you like me to come back tomorrow?" He asked, as Jessie looked him over, smirking.
"Sure, why not? Maybe they'll dope me up enough to see you, and Solid Snake, and the Undertaker." Jessie said, continuing to laugh wholeheartedly, as he vanished. All she could think of was how to fake enough pain to get a higher dose of that drug. If they kept upping the dose, maybe she would see Sonya. Shit, they give me any more, they'll never let me outta here. That nurse is probably calling the psych ward now to make my reservation. Jessie thought, laughing to herself. She was surprised that, as tired and mentally out of it as she felt, she was actually in a really good mood. She closed her eyes, finally drifting off to sleep.
"There's nothing to say that freak at the club wasn't lying his ass off. Kano could be a thousand miles from here by now," Jax said, as Jessie crouched behind him and Sonya, watching silently, "This is a waste of time. Come on, Jess, back me up here."
"No, he's here." Jessie whispered, her hand moving to her pistol.
"Wonderful. Thanks for the help." Jax said, angrily, as Sonya looked back at both of them, glaring.
"You two idiots give away our position, I'm throwing you both off the pier," Sonya said, annoyed. Jessie waited until she turned around, and grinned, as they watched a boat pull into the dock. A glint off a metal faceplate caught Sonya's attention, "That's Kano. What's he saying?" She asked, as Jessie looked through her binoculars.
"I think he's saying come to poppa." Jessie said, chuckling.
"I'm gonna poppa his ass." Sonya spat, as she pulled her nine, and ran for the boat he was getting on, Jessie following her.
"Sonya, come back here! Hey, Sonya!" Yeah, like that was gonna work, Jax.Jessie thought to herself, as they stepped off the loading ramp onto the deck. She spun around, noticing Jessie.
"Where's Jax?" She asked, as Jessie pulled her nine.
"I think he stayed." Jessie said, sliding a round in place.
"You should've stayed, too." She said, angrily.
"Yeah, but what's the fun in that?" Jessie said, grinning. Not watching, Sonya walked head first into Johnny Cage.
"Do you wanna get," Before Johnny could finish, Sonya shoved the nine millimeter hard under his chin, "Rough?"
"No, do you?" Sonya asked, with a smirk.
"I'm Johnny Cage, and you are?"
"Where's Kano?" Sonya asked, bluntly.
"I don't know who you're talking about, but I'm sure I can help you find him." He said, as Sonya shoved past him.
"Outta my way." She said, annoyed, as Jessie laughed, following Sonya.
"He was kinda cute, huh?" Jessie asked, teasingly.
"Get his number later. We've got a job to do." She said, as Jessie followed her to the lower deck.
Jessie woke up in a private room, her stomach killing her. She looked up at the clock, going into a panic, as she saw the time was ten in the morning. She was due into work at four in the morning. Fuck! Please don't let me be fired! Please don't let me be fired. Jessie thought to herself, as she painfully pulled herself up, and got the phone off the stand over her. She quickly dialed the number.
"Burger World." Frank answered.
"I'm in the hospital, Frank. Don't fire me, please." Jessie said, pleadingly.
"I know, I called the ambulance. How you feeling?"
"Sore as hell. Hope they give me some more of what they gave me last night." Jessie said, chuckling as she remembered the conversation with Raiden.
"Has the doctor talked to you yet?" Frank asked, as Jessie heard the office door close over the phone.
"Not yet. As soon as he does, you'll be the first I call."
"By the way, you're one of the best workers I have. I didn't think I was that much of an asshole to fire you the first time you missed a day in a year and a half." Frank said, as Jessie blushed. Compliments from him were as infrequent as snowstorms in Louisiana, where Jessie had grown up.
"Thanks, Frank."
"You're welcome. Just let me know when you want back on the schedule." Frank said, hanging up. Jessie breathed a sigh of relief, hanging up herself. He's cool, thank god! She thought to herself, laying back on the bed.
"You're welcome." Raiden's voice boomed before he appeared. Jessie's eyes went wide.
"I'm not high this time, am I?" Jessie asked, nervously, as Raiden smiled, reassuringly.
"No, you're sober this time." He said, laughing, as Jessie took a deep breath.
"OK, this has to be stress. Stress and blood loss. There has to be a logical explanation. You can't be real." She said, her voice shaking.
"Why not? You've built your life around the concept that Sonya is."
"Well, you got me there. What the hell do you want from me?" She asked, nervously.
"I need your help." He said, causing Jessie to laugh.
"Wonderful. You need my help. I'm having a nervous breakdown." She said, shaking her head in disbelief, "It's finally happened. I've lost my mind."
"You're fine." Raiden said, reassuringly, as Jessie looked at him confused.
"Fine? I'm arguing with a Chinese thunder god. I am not fine! The ship has sailed, and I missed the boat. Oh, God, I really am going crazy. I'm gonna end up Aunt Lulu talking to the shadows and shit." Jessie said, terrified.
"You're perfectly sane, Jessie. You're as sane as those doctors are." Raiden said, as Jessie chuckled.
"If you're trying to make me feel better with that one, it's not working. Those fuckers all think they're God."
"Sonya trusts me enough to follow me. Do you?" Raiden asked.
"Great, now my imaginary friend wants to play in my psychosis. Wonderful! I'm gonna be in a rubber room for sure over this shit." Jessie said, sighing, as the door flew open, and Brian walked in, out of breath.
"Jess, how are you?" Brian asked, worried.
"I'm nuts, how are you?" Jessie answered, deadpan serious, as Raiden chuckled.
"Frank said somebody stabbed you. You OK?" He asked, walking over, and taking her hand. She found herself smiling, hearing genuine concern in his voice.
"Stabbed me in the stomach. Should've had them turn it a few more times. Cut off a few more pounds. As for OK, I lost the little mind I had left." She said, looking at Raiden.
"What do I have to do to convince you I'm real?" Raiden asked, curiously.
"If you're real, then appear to him, too." Jessie said, as he chuckled.
"Simple. Would you like to warn him, or should we just give the poor man a heart attack." He asked, smirking.
"You didn't seem to mind almost giving me one." Jessie said, laughing, as Brian looked at her wide eyed.
"Jess . . . Uh . . . Who you talking to?" Brian asked, nervously.
"Sit down a minute. I need a favor," She said, turning painfully on her side to face him, as he sat in the chair, looking at her questioningly, "In a few seconds, you could see something over my shoulder. I need to know what you see."
"Come on, Jess. There's nothing . . ." Brian stopped suddenly, all the color draining from his face, "Oh, shit."
"Brian, what are you seeing?" Jessie asked, seeing his eyes go wide.
"I've been working too much." Brian said, taking a deep breath.
"Brian, what do you see?" Jessie asked, urgently.
"Christopher Lambert in Raiden garb." He said, almost too shocked to get it out.
Jessie laid back on her back, feeling like someone punched her in the gut. She stared up at Raiden, for the first time genuine fear in her eyes.
"Oh, God. Brian, call my family. Tell them I love them. He's gonna zap me." She said, shakily, as Raiden laughs.
"Maybe later. I need you." Raiden said.
"You can wipe out galaxies. What in the hell do you need me for?" Jessie asked, confused.
"Kano's back. He found a way to enter this world." Raiden explained, as Jessie's confusion grew.
"That's way the hell out of his league. Who's he working for?" She asked, as Raiden shrugged.
"I'm still working on that." Raiden said.
"Better question, why don't you just go get Sonya, and she can kick his ass?" Jessie asked, sharply.
"Sonya doesn't know he's back. I can't outright interfere in the lives of mortals. That's why I couldn't help you in the alley. But, since he did have you attacked on your world, I can transport you there, if you'd like." Raiden said.
"When do we leave?" Jessie said, almost immediately.
"Jess, this is nuts." Brian interjected, finally recovering from the initial shock.
"Nah, dude. If I can help her, I'm there." Jessie said.
"Jessie, this is straight out of the Twilight Zone, for Christ's sake!" Brian said, angrily.
"Respect it or deal with it, because I'm blowing this pop stand." Jessie said, angrily.
"What about your job?" Brian asked, as Jessie shrugged.
"It's Burger World. You could get a trained chimp to do that shit." Jessie said, as Brian sighed, defeated.
"I'm not going to convince you, am I?"
"No chance in hell. But I do need you to do me favor. Go to my apartment, and get my glove." Jessie said, as he glared at her.
"You are a born sucker, you know that." Brian said, angrily.
"Yeah. You gonna do it or not?" Jessie asked, motioning to her house keys on the counter. Brian nods, getting Jessie's keys from the counter.
"I'll bring you're motorscooter home, too." He offered.
"Please and thank you." Jessie said, smiling gratefully. Brian shot Raiden a hard look, leaving, as she turned her attention to Raiden, "She is not going to like this one bit." Jessie said, nervously.
"It's nice to see they portrayed her reasonably well." Raiden said, chuckling.
"Where are we going?" Jessie asked.
"There are several alternate earths. The one I'm taking you to is the MK Universe. All those characters you like so much from those games are real. All of them are real."
"Am I in for culture shock?" She asked, curiously.
"A little. It's not all that different from your world."
"Cool."
"I didn't say you weren't in for a shock. Just that it's not cultural." Raiden said, chuckling.
"What's that mean?"
"You'll see." Raiden said, as Jessie noticed a mischievous grin slide across the Thunder God's face. Before she could question it, Brian walked in, tossing Jessie a fingerless black biker glove. She slid it on her left hand, pulling it tight.
"Thanks. Would you get my clothes?" Jessie asked, before Raiden cut him off.
"No need." Raiden waves his hand over her, and the hospital gown is replaced by a green t-shirt and black jeans.
"Nice taste. Help me up."
"No need for that, either." Raiden said, as Jessie sat up on her own.
"No pain." Jessie said, pulling up her shirt, the wound gone.
"You're quick, aren't you?" Raiden said, laughing, as Jessie shot him a dirty look, getting up. She got her jacket from the cabinet in the hospital room, sliding it on.
"Please, be careful." Brian pleads, as Raiden opens the portal.
"You sound almost concerned." Jessie said, teasingly.
"No, I just don't want to loose my best customer." Brian said, teasingly, as Jessie grinned at him, before walking through the portal with Raiden.