6 months earlier-

Cassie had a hobby of competing in underground fighting tournaments, in and around Los Angeles. Her goal was always to improve her skills and maybe even making a name for herself. But she was not as good as she thought. This was possibly, because as soon as her name was announced she was mercilessly taunted and bullied. And on several occasions guys would throw beers on her and yell certain phrases that were usually reserved for 'girls on wild' videos.

She was not the only female competing, but she was the only one who was harassed; all because, as the daughter of Johnny Cage she must be a spoiled little heiress, who is only there to get attention. Her friends suggested she perhaps compete under a fake name, but Cassie felt that would be giving in. She was worth more than her parent's names, but that the same time she wasn't about to hide/deny her family name just to get a bunch of drunk idiots to stop bullying her.

One day, she decided to try her luck in San Francisco instead, with her best friend Jacqueline Briggs along for the 6 hour drive. Jacqueline Briggs was, of course the daughter of Cassie's mom's former commanding officer (and family friend), Jax Briggs, so the girls had been best friends since they were toddlers.

Although they both had an interest in martial arts classes, old 80's movies and going on random adventures, she was the polar opposite of Cassie; humble, and shy around people, but also somewhat of a daddy's girl after the death of her mother. After all, when your mom dies when you're only 8 then your dad buys a farm and retreats in to the countryside- you kind of want to make parenthood as easy for him as possible.

"If you're so worried about what your dad will say, you don't have to come." Cassie said as she loaded her duffle bag in to her car. She didn't mean that; she would have been a little sad if she had to go alone.

"I'm not letting you drive to San Francisco and hunt down an illegal fighting ring alone. I'm going to end up having to identify your body in the morgue." said Jacki.

"fine, pack your bags and stop being such a drama queen." Cassie said, happily. Cassie already knew where she was going. But having someone with her couldn't hurt (especially if she lost again.)

Long story short, she lost again. It was close this time, but her opponent was just more skilled. The girl, with a long red hair the color of blood; had strange powers like projectile attacks and super human agility- it was just weird. Lucky for Cassie this girl appeared to be holding back, she used just enough skill to win but not to go in for a kill. Strangely she also kept looking at someone in the backroom. Since Cassie wasn't' too injured she stuck around for the main event. That was where she saw the most amazing fighter.

A man with long black hair and a strange metal mask, he sped around the arena like superman or the flash (yes Cassie was familiar with DC comics.) He also used hook swords. She had never seen hook swords before. He tore stabbed his hooks in to his opponent, to the massive cheers of the crowd. He did a throw, using his swords that not only got him the win via KO but ripped bloody chunks out of his opponent's back.

"I want to meet him" Cassie said out loud as the man left the arena with his pay.

"That's a really bad idea." Jacki said, following her. When Cassie had an idea there was no stopping her.

They looked for him all around the building then Cassie saw the metallic shine of his mask. He was slumped by the wall, and the girl with the red hair had brought him back a small platic bag of what looked like pills.

He had taken off his mask to drink from a bottle of cheap vodka and start taking whatever those pills were. First it was just 2 then 4 then 6, each time he paused, as if hoping the effects would kick in. Then it was 8 then the rest of the bag. He sat there shivering, slumped forward with his mask resting on his chest. Cassie knew what she was seeing, and she needed to do something. "HEY!" she ran up to him, and tried shaking him. "HEY!"

Jacki took a step back. "Did you see his face?"

"so?" yes Cassie saw his face, the man looked like a burn victim- but Cassie had seen worse. When she was 11 her mother took her on a military tour through India. Her mom's military unit was assisting with the opening of a water treatment plant. But Sonya took it upon herself to take her daughter to visit charities that cared for the victims for fire and acid attacks (usually young girls, but sometimes there were men and boy as well- all of whom were innocent victims regardless of circumstances.)

"He needs our help." Cassie already started to move the man's body in to their car. She could already see that the mask was part of a breathing apparatus that connected to a neck trach and small tanks on his back. The tanks had no on or off buttons; just a constant flow. She hoped by putting the mask back on him, oxygen or whatever was in those tanks would fill his lungs to wake him.

Jacki had no choice; Cassie had only the best intentions at heart. She helped Cassie get the man in to their car, and rest his body in the backseat as he started to convulse and vomit in to the mask. Cassie removed the mask, manually holding the tube to the neck trach attachment. In that moment, out on instinct, she held his hand. His hands looked as bad as his face, but he could feel her and that simple act of kindness was all it took to calm him.

"Where are we taking him?" Jacki asked as she was the one driving. "Get me to a hotel, some place where they won't ask questions."

The man was very sick, but she knew she couldn't take him to a hospital. He would get arrested or worse. But she needed to save him. They went to a hotel at the edge of town. Cassie and Jacki carried the body to the bed.

"get me ice." Cassie had a little medical knowledge (knowledge, NOT training.) The man was not immediately dying but he was unconscious and was burning with fever. Cassie started to cut off his clothes with whatever she could find. What she saw was shocking to say the least.

His body was over 50% cybernetic components; really old, decaying cybernetic components that were causing infection in the surrounding tissues.

"Jacki- take the car back to LA, I'm staying"

"no.. just no." Jacki thought she had seen the worse of Cassie's eccentric behavior but this on a new level. "What am I supposed to tell your parents?- Cassie decided to stay in San Francisco to take care of a mutilated homeless guy?- you don't even know his name."

"yeah.- go," Cassie said in what can only be described as a cali-girl accent.

Her parents might be angry at first, but she would make contact in a few days, so no one would report her missing (after all she was still a few weeks shy of her 18th birthday, so her going missing would still, legally, be a big deal).

And Jacki was mistaken, they had hear his name when he was made his entrance for his match. "Kabal."