CHAPTER I: The World As We Know It

Barely had Sub-zero's head touched her pillow, when she was rudely awakened by someone knocking loudly on her door. She raised her head by a few inches, just enough to see past the end of her bed and towards the double-door entrance of her room. She sighed, already knowing who disturbed her from her sleep.

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster lay back down and pulled the comforter over her head. She was too tired to deal with people, least of all, the person on the other side of the door. The knocks grew more urgent as she continued to ignore him.

"Grandmaster Sub-zero! Grandmaster!" The voice was muffled but she could still hear the anxiety in his voice.

When finally, he threatened to break down the door, Sub-zero got out of bed reluctantly and threw open the door with a bang.

"What. Do. You. Want?" she punctuated every word and glared at the young man in front of her. The said person, who still had his fist poised to knock, blinked at her in surprise. Slowly, his look of surprise transformed into a mischievous grin, and he gave her a small wave.

"Hi." he grinned.

Sub-zero waited for the rest of the sentence, but it never came. He merely stood there, with the annoying grin plastered on his face.

"If that's all," she said sarcastically and attempted to shut the door, but a well placed foot between the door and the doorway prevented her from doing so.

"Geez, Grandmaster, I was just kidding." he said as she opened the door once more.

"Do I have to repeat my question? What could you possibly want at three in the morning that couldn't wait until I had gotten my sleep?"

He rubbed the back of his neck guiltily and Sub-zero groaned, finally realizing what her apprentice wanted.

"Ryu…" she ran a hand down her face.

"I'm sorry, Grandmaster," he said quietly while staring at the floor. "But, I—it's just that—"

"I came from your brother's stronghold; not from a meeting."

"I—I know that, Grandmaster. I'm just—" he bit his lip, "Concerned." he looked up. "She could be hurt! Or injured! Or—"

Sub-zero raised a hand to stop his tirade. She'd been hearing it for the past few months and had no desire to listen to it again.

"Ryu," she placed a hand on his shoulder. "I've already explained to you that Sareena was not captured, imprisoned or is being held against her will. She went back to him of her own accord."

"But she hated it there! She told me she—!"

"I know," Sub-zero said as patiently as she could. "Listen to me, Ryu because I am tired of repeating myself. Let her go."

"I—what?"

"What, sir." she corrected. "She went back to Quan Chi of her own volition. She is not under a spell, she wants to go back…to spy for the Light." she added reluctantly.

"You don't understand—"

"Enough!" she raised her voice, and Ryu clamped his mouth shut. "What you don't understand is that Sareena is fine! She is not in trouble! I suggest that you move on because I don't see her returning to this stronghold!" She took a deep breath and in a calmer voice, she added, "You maybe Hanzo's brother, but you are also my student. And you will treat me with respect. Am I understood?"

"Forgive me, Grandmaster." Ryu said meekly, once again looking at the ground.

"Good," Sub-zero ruffled his hair affectionately. "She's gone, Ryu. And I hope that you can learn to accept that."

Ryu kept his eyes on the floor and didn't reply. It was something both he and Scorpion did when they felt embarrassed or stupid, though the latter did it less often.

She hooked her finger on his chin. She tilted his face upward and looked him in the eye. "Sareena had her reasons for leaving—reasons not all of us understand. You should know her by now. Despite being a good person in general, she never takes relationships seriously. I know—" she interrupted what Ryu was about to say, "—that you two shared something. But while for you, it was something more, to her, it was —as Johnny calls it—a harmless 'fling'.

She let go of his chin. "This may sound harsh, but since it's quite obvious that she's 'over' you, you might as well move on." Sub-zero felt that she was the last person on Earthrealm who should be giving love advice, but the broken look on her apprentice's face compelled her to do it.

"Come on, kid," Sub-zero said as Ryu continued to look sullen. "There's always Li Mei." she added, in an attempt to lift his spirits, and it did.

Ryu gave a weak chuckle. "And have Kenshi go all Taichi on me? No thanks."

Sub-zero smirked, "And here, I thought you were up to the challenge."

"By the time I'd even be within three feet of Li Mei, my ass would already be sliced, sauteed, and deep fried."

Sub-zero laughed at the ridiculous imagery. "True, true."

"Well, er—I apologize, Grandmaster, for disturbing your sleep with trivial matters." Ryu bowed.

The Grandmaster waved her hand dismissively. "Just let me sleep, all right?"

"Yes, maam." he grinned.

"Sir." she corrected with a shudder. For some reason, she knew that she'd never get used to being calling Ma'am. Just because she's a she now, doesn't mean she can't be called Sir.

"Good night, Grandmaster." he gave her a small smile. "And thank you."

"You're welcome." She nodded at him as he bowed and closed the door behind him.

Sub-zero flopped back onto her bed and buried herself underneath the covers. Though she was extremely fatigued, she had a difficult time falling asleep, and therefore, lay awake in bed while staring at the ceiling.

Ryu's questions brought back thoughts of the demoness that Sub-zero had tried to let go. True, Sareena did say that she was going back to Quan Chi to "spy" for the Light, but really, how would he get the necromancer to trust her? Apart from that, she has never been able to contribute any kind of valuable information so far.

For a few months, Sareena left the Lin Kuei stronghold and didn't contact them. Then one day, she came back and announced that she was going back to Quan Chi to spy.

What happened during those weeks that made her want to go back? Like she said before, Sareena hated Quan Chi with a passion. Returning to his service contradicts that fact.

Scorpion suggested that Sareena had somehow been given a deal by the sorcerer, to serve him in exchange for becoming human or something of the sort. He also said that maybe Sareena was lured by the promise of power. They always did say that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Scorpion didn't want to trust the demoness anymore, and it had been one of the topics they frequently quarreled about.

Sub-zero didn't want to admit it, but she felt that maybe Scorpion was right. What if Sareena had actually joined the Dark Side? Could she if forced, fight her? To the death?

No! she beat her face with a pillow. I shouldn't be thinking of Sareena like this! She's a good person! She's been my friend for so long. Scorpion's wrong!

Scorpion…

Sub-zero groaned as her trail of thought left Sareena and moved towards her—dare she say it?—lover. She'd gotten together with Scorpion roughly half a year ago, when Armageddon began. There, she'd forgone her chance to return back to her original gender and stayed with him. Lately though, she'd begun to think she shouldn't have.

The first few months with Scorpion were some of the happiest days of her life. They almost never left each other's side. They were together in the morning, during lunch, and at night. But, like any couple, they'd eventually become disillusioned. Suddenly, they couldn't stand being with each other all the time. They frequently fought over small things and needed space from each other. The two went back to their strongholds and lived their lives separately, only visiting each other perhaps a few times a month. But even then, they still got into a few squabbles about the attitudes of their respective clans.

Sometimes, she considered ending it. What was the point of continuing it, when the most they do was fight over something pointless?

But then she'd remember the times they were happy, the times when they'd simply lay in bed talking until the sun came up, the times they fought side by side, the times he comforted her when she had nightmares of the past, and she knew that she'd miss him if he was gone; she knew that she loved him.

The question was, does he still love her as well?

At times, Scorpion had a faraway look in his eyes, and Sub-zero already knew that he was thinking of his wife. Sub-zero knew that though he'd already let her go, there was still a part of him that longed for her.

Did he ever think of her?

At the moment, Scorpion was probably off with Liu Kang to search for places Quan Chi could use as a hideout. His thoughts were probably filled with his wife and son, fueling his anger and thirst for revenge.

Quan Chi was up to something, she was sure of it. He has never laid low for such a long time before.

Her last thought before drifting to sleep was that she hoped that whatever Quan Chi's plans were, they didn't involve her.

A/N: Oh hi guys. Nothing happens yet. This is just here to establish the whatever of the story. XD Thanks for the 11 people who reviewed the first chapter. I really appreciate it guys. R&R as usual. :P