LockerRooms
Mileena fiddled around with her combination, grunting in frustration as the lock refused be opened.
"For the love of the Elder Gods, why the hell won't this thing open!?"
Roaring in frustration, she punched the locker door and to her surprise and relief, it finally opened.
"About damn time".
As she gathered her books in her bag, she heard voices from the other end of the room.
Whoever they were, they sounded angry, at the end of their patience and if she wasn't mistaken, one of them had a synthesised distortion to their voice.
"Sektor", she snarled.
Mileena had no idea why he was in this end of the lockers when the Lin Kuei's territory was in the East Block. She wasn't stupid enough to believe it was coincidence he was in the same place she was just after he recovered from the asswhooping she had served him a few days ago.
She sighed.
"I guess I'll have to do some recycling before I go to class", she grumbled, prepping her Sais.
She reached the corner to find Sektor and about four of his cyborgs flanking him, in an argument with two Edenians. One was a girl in yellow ninja attire, the other was a boy in purple.
"Back off Sektor, the Lin Kuei have no say in this end. Leave while I have the patience", the boy said.
Speaking of patience, Sektor's looked like it ran out a long time ago. He was different this time. No smart mouth cockiness. No flaunting his technological prowess. He was pissed and out for blood.
"Silence Rain! Unless the next words out of your mouth are where that bitch is, I will carve the tongue right out the back of your head!"
The girl stepped up beside Rain.
"We know you're not afraid of us Sektor, but what about Scorpion? If he sees you here, you're getting a Kunai through your spine. That is of course, if his friend Sub-…"
"Finish that name and your life ends with the sentence Tanya!"
Tanya folded her arms and grinned.
"Did I touch a nerve? Or circuit or whatever they've put in you to make you this mad all the time".
Sektor had had it.
"This nonsense has gone on long enough. Lin Kuei, destroy this filth!"
The cyborgs leapt for the pair, two on one for both of them. Rain used his water teleport to evade his attackers, then descended upon them, taking the pair out with a perfect split, delivering a foot to each of their metal faces simultaneously.
Tanya chose to waste no time in dispatching her foes, dodging the first attacker to grab the second as a shield, using him to absorb his comrade's attacks. Before the active cyborg could register what he had just done, Tanya flipped out her naginata and incapacitated the remaining soldier.
Mileena was impressed, but all the while warry. Sektor was an ass, but he wasn't stupid. This was too easy.
"Is that all you've got Sektor? I'm disappointed", scoffed Rain.
Sektor unleashed a flurry of well-coordinated kicks, using his teleport to dodge the duo's counter attacks. It was a one sided battle that Sektor ended in mere seconds.
The two Edenians fell to the floor, writhing in pain.
Mileena decided that now was the time to act.
"Hey you over sized Rock Em Sock Em robot, over here".
At the sound of her voice, Sektor whipped round, his optics focused on the half-Tarkatan princess.
"Mileena. How unsurprising it is I find you among another Half-Breed and a failed Edenian. I knew if a made enough noise, like any common animal, you would come to investigate. Speaking of noise….."
Mileena suddenly collapsed to her knees and covered her ears as a painfully high pitched noise was emitted from Sektor's vocaliser.
Gaaah! What the hell?! It feels like someone just put drills in my ears!
"You see, and while it pains me to say this, you had a point the last time we fought. Your natural abilities granted to you by your Tarkatan heritage allowed you to gain the upper hand. I miscalculated by fighting you like an Edenian".
He walked up to Mileena, holding her head in his hand, drinking in her pained expression.
"But any strength can be made a weakness with the proper strategy. Your amplified Tarkatan senses, such as your hearing, are also vulnerable to any drastic change in their stimulus. Say like, a sonic emitter I recently added to my arsenal?"
Mileena could feel her brain being torn apart by that awful noise. She refused to submit to Sektor and snarled at him, though it was at best only symbolic defiance.
"Now then", Sektor said a sickeningly smug tone. "Want to pick which limb I rip off first, or shall I surprise you?"
"Hey Sektor!", called a voice from behind the physcotic cyborg.
He turned to see an all too familiar blue suited ninja.
"How's about you cool off for a second".
"YOU!", Sektor roared. "I shall end yo-", a blast from Sub-Zero silenced the cyborg Lin Kuei and granted Mileena a reprieve from the previous sonic onslaught.
"Honestly, I wish there was a way to keep you this quiet forever", the Cryomancer sniggered as the two Lin Kuei leaders went at each other.
"Help your friends, I've got this".
Mileena, getting her head back together, ran to the sides of Tanya and Rain.
"Are you alright?"
Tanya cracked her neck and groaned. "Damn I'll be feelin that in the morning. Hey Rain, you alive?"
Rain just groaned.
"Pain. So much pain".
"Aww come on Rain. If you get up, you might get laid".
With that, Rain shot right back up on his feet.
"Right, I'm up, let's fight".
"Glad you're so enthusiastic Rain. But when it comes to those two, I'd wait til they finish this themselves".
Mileena watched as this Sub-Zero person was actually winning against Sektor.
Man, this is worse than when I kicked his ass
Sektor keeled over and fell to one knee.
"This…is not…over, traitor! You shall not best me!"
Sub-Zero sauntered up to Sektor and looked down upon him, an unseen grin widening under his mask.
"I don't know Sek, you're on thin ice as it is".
Sektor roared in rage at his rival and nemesis and spewed a jet of flames straight towards him. Sub-Zero stood his ground and was soon removed from view by flames.
Sektor chortled.
"At long last, I have-"
"You know….", said a newer, much more stern voice.
As the smoke faded, a new Kombatant, also in ninja garbs but in black and yellow, stood before Sub-Zero, shielding him from Sektor's flames.
"Considering how wretched Sub's ice pun was, I can't say I blame you for trying to roast him".
Sektor stepped back slowly, as the new ninja's body became engulfed in hellfire and walked menacingly towards him.
"But if there's one thing I can't stand more than his infernal chatter…"
Sektor was clearly not willing to take on whoever this was.
"This…this is not possible. I will return!", he called as he ran for his life, only to be caught by a Kunai to the shoulder.
"GET OVER HERE!"
With that, the cyborg was pulled back to the raging wraith.
Mileena, all the while looked on in sheer awe.
Okay yeah, the blue guy was cool but this yellow guy!
She starred, star eyed as he raised Sektor up to his face.
"Now as I was saying, the only thing I hate more than pathetic ice puns, is pathetic people. Like you".
With that, he used his chains to swing Sektor behind him and launched him past the lockers, through the wall and to Elder Gods knows where.
Rain and Tanya looked at the new whole in the wall, Rain satisfied and Tanya considerably pleased.
Sub-Zero walked up to his partner.
"Wow. Cool move man".
The other man sighed in disgust.
"Shut up before I toss you out too".
"Naw, you wouldn't. You love me man".
He looked straight into Sub-Zero's eyes.
"Of course, failing that, if you did, you'd have to pay the whole apartment rent".
"Let's just go Sub", he groaned.
"Sure Scorpion. You guys okay?"
Rain shook Sub's hand. "Sure Sub. Thanks for the save".
"Handing Sektor his own ass is becoming more of a hobby at this rate", he chuckled as the two walked off.
Tanya turned to Mileena. "Hey, you alright? That sonic attack looked like it really hurt?"
Mileena didn't seem to register Tanya talking to her. She could only stare at Scorpion walking off.
He hates Sektor. He's so powerful.
So focused.
And he is really, REALLY hot!
Just look at those arms! And that fierce, untameable look in his blank eyes.
Mileena felt herself being shaken and descended from Cloud 9.
"Hey! Wake up!", Tanya called, waving her hand in front of Mileena.
"Uh, wuh? Sorry I was….", Mileena recomposed herself. "Who were those two?"
"The blue one's Sub-Zero. Head of the True Lin Kuei. The one's who aren't cybernetic nut jobs", explained Rain.
"And the hot on-, I mean the yellow one?"
Tanya blinked a little at Mileena's near admission of her thoughts, but remained focused.
"That's Scorpion. Sub's best friend. Actually, kind of his only friend. He has…anger management issues", she gestured to the Sektor shaped hole in the wall.
"Is he Lin Kuei too?"
Rain nervously waved his hands. "Careful! Last person who said that nearly crapped out his own spine after Scorps was through with him. No, he's Shirai Ryu".
"I've never heard of that gang".
"That's because there isn't one. He's an indie, like us".
"Wait, aren't you Edenians?"
"Yes, but I'm also a demigod and apparently, "Full of myself" because of it. And Tanya here has issues with Jade".
"Oh please, you make it sound like all we've ever done is try to kill each other".
"All you two ever did was try to kill each other!"
"Oh sure, focus on that one thing".
Rain sighed.
"Anyway, indie Kombatants are sort like "the gang without a gang". Were pretty loosely based and we don't have a leader, except Scorpion who kind of looks out for any unaffiliated fighters against dicks like Sektor".
Mileena sighed.
The handsome ninja warrior with a gruff exterior but a heart of gold.
"How romantic", she purred.
"Um, what?"
"I mean, that sounds really noble. Defending the weak and all".
"Hey, we're not weak! They just have more numbers is all".
"Right, sorry".
"Hey it's cool. Say where you headin'?"
"Gym. You guys?"
"Same. Wanna go together?"
"Sure".
As the trio walked towards gym class, Mileena's thoughts were completely focused on Scorpion.
Why do I feel like this? Do I…is this a crush?
Headmaster Raiden's Office
Sareena was flipping through her paperwork stack.
Well, the new ones anyway.
Between property damage and health insurance payments, the school needed someone damned good with numbers to sort this shit out.
Fortunately, Sareena was damned good with numbers.
Her personal intercom, beeped.
"Could the extremely hot secretary please turn around?", it called out.
Sareena whipped round to see what the hell that was about, only to find Sub-Zero leaning smugly against the door frame, holding a speaker.
"Sup babe?"
"Sub!", she yelled, looking around if anyone else was here.
"What the hell, I'm working! You're gonna get me in trouble!"
He closed the door and chuckled to himself, hopping up beside her on the table.
"Aw, come on Sareena. It was just for fun. And it was the truth, too. You are smoking!"
Sareena couldn't help but smile at Sub's good natured behaviour.
"Smokin? Isn't that more of Smoke's thing?"
"Nah, that's too cliché even for me. Plus I make smoke related jokes about him for the other smoke he's known for".
Sareena sighed.
"The True Lin Kuei. A smartass and a stoner. Sektor must be terrified".
"I'd be terrified if I was him. You hear about that new girl?"
"Mileena? Yeah I saw her fight. It's on FRIENDSHIPS, it has like two hundred thousand likes or something. Sektor was ranting about it, and you, earlier".
"She seems pretty co-"
"If the next word you say is "cool", I'm stapling your lips shut!"
Sub-Zero raised his hands.
"Geez, you sound like Scorpion. So, what's she like?"
"Good kid. Less bitchy version of her sister. Tends to get along with people. Unusual for this place".
"I guess it's cause she's half nice and half terrifyingly dangerous. You know, like you".
Sareena frowned and turned away from Sub-Zero.
Sub, realising Sareena was currently wearing that "Your girlfriend is pissed you brought up the demon thing" face and immediately tried to salvage the situation.
"Hey, hey wait, come on Sareena".
She still wouldn't look.
He rested his head on her shoulder, looking at her with puppy dog eyes.
"I'm sharwy", he said in a sickenly childish tone.
Sareena looked at him once with a frown, but turned back again, this time her expression faltering, until she burst out laughing.
"You are terrible", she said through gasps for breath.
Sub smiled, pleased he'd just saved the moment and his relationship.
He shrugged his shoulders. "What can I say, I'm a natural".
Sareena settled down and slumped into Sub's embrace.
She gave the Lin Kuei a light tump on the shoulder.
"I get so mad at you, you know", she said, smirking with a devilish glint in her eyes.
"Yeah. And I love it when you're mad", Sub whispered.
The two then moaned into a deep kiss, lying on top of the desk as their arms searched their partner's body.
Just then, footsteps where heard outside the door.
"Oh shit, it's my boss. Hide!"
"Oh come on, how do you know it's him?"
"Not up for discussion, hide! Now!"
"Yes maam!", Sub said, looking all around for a place to hide.
"You're a ninja, how the hell do you not know how to just disappear or something?!"
"I'm working on it!"
The door opened slowly and Sareena leaped back into her chair, straightening her shirt and fixing up her papers quickly.
Raiden walked in, coffee in hand, and smiled.
"Good morning Sareena", he said as he walked into his room.
"Good morning sir", she responded, her voice just a tad shaky.
Raiden continued his walked until he stopped in his tracks.
Sareena's heart seemed to stop with him.
"Sareena….", he said.
She gulped. "Um, yes sir?"
"Does it feel, cold in here to you?"
"Oh, uh…yes! Heating must be on the frits, I'll notify someone".
"Thank you Sareena", he nodded as he closed his office door behind him.
"Whew", she sighed.
"Hey Sub, you can come out", she whispered.
Sub emerged from behind one of the office plants.
"How the hell did you…"
"Told you. Ninja", he grinned impressed with himself.
"Just go, before I have a heart attack", she growled.
"Sure, sure. Hey goodbye kiss?"
"Sub-Zero! Door! Now!"
Sub made for the door, but not before he blew a kiss to Sareena and bolted off snickering.
She sighed.
Elder Gods he's going to be the death of me!
But…damn do I love that idiot to pieces
Sareena returned to her work, content that she had just avoided a very embarrassing moment.
"You two kids are banging. I can tell!", jeered Shang Tsung from his lab across the hall.
"How!? How did you know!?"
"Says the girl with the icy kiss on her cheek!", he cackled.
To her horror, she noticed Subs goodbye kiss had actually manifested in crystallised form onto her face, which quickly dissolved when her face burned red.
"Is it really that obvious?"
"Please, you two have been shipped since Mythologies".
"Shang Tsung, we've discussed breaking the fourth wall", Raiden warned.
"It's my lab dammit, I'll break what I like!"
Sareena buried her fae in her hands.
I'm surrounded by lunatics!
GYM
"Good morning you dumbasses! Today, you fantastic little fuck ups get to be creative in how you disappoint me, as today you will be going through a fitness routine. To any competent person, this should be simple: push yourself, as far as physically possible, for the next hour, in any way you choose. Unfortunately, competent is word I'd associate with you just as quickly as I'd associate "tasty" with a steaming pile of goat shit. Nevertheless, if your routine doesn't appear on par with a Rocky Balboa training montage, so help me Gods I will flat out murder your insubordinate, lazy worthless asses myself by bitchslapping you Shokan style and save each Realm from the nightmare that would be the reality of your failure contaminating the next generation. Now then, if that wasn't too much for you to take in, would you all be so kind as to stop standing around like a bunch of piss ants waiting around for someone to exercise for you, get to work already!"
"Sir yes sir!"
Mileena had opted to train with Rain and Tanya, trying to build up some pain tolerance after her near defeat by Sektor. The trio had been doing pull ups for the last few minutes. She'd been completely focused on her training.
That is until…
Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed a familiar figure in yellow.
Mileena's sharp Tarkatan eyes focused on him.
No Mileena, focus! I mean, sure he's cute but is looking at him really important right now?
Scorpion proceeded to remove his shirt, revealing his perfectly sculpted chest, looking completely ripped.
That was it. Mileena couldn't stop looking.
As he proceeded to lift his weights up and down, his muscles flexing and sweat glistening all over his body. His chest had a fiery skull tattoo in the middle and he had more than a few scars on his body.
Mileena licked her lips subconsciously, absolutely enthralled with the visual treat she'd just been supplied.
"Smiley!"
And once again, she was snapped out of reality. Only this time, she was far more frightened.
"Uh yes sir?"
"Why the fuck are you not keeping up with your fellow Kombatants? What is your major malfunction!?"
"S-sorry sir! I was, uh, distracted and…"
"Knee strike!"
With that, Goro kneed Mileena in the stomach so hard, her breakfast was in pain.
"Dammit Smiley! Your enemy will not give half a diseased donkey's shit if you are distracted or not. They will try to kill you and you had better be prepared. You know why?"
"Um…because if I don't I'll die?"
"WRONG! You had better be prepared because you are not allowed to die! If you die, I will personally swim up the river of Styx, smash the gates of Hell and drag you right back here for punishment so unorthodox and morally questionable, Shinnok himself would violently vomit in disgust at the mere sight of the warm up I put you through. So Smiley, to save yourself a world of pain and me the misery of spending any more time teaching you the basics of how NOT to die, could you please just do the damn exercise!?"
"Sir yes sir!"
Goro left and Mileena returned to pull ups. To her relief and disappointment, Scorpion had moved on to another area of the training hall.
"Pst. Hey, Mileena?", whispered Tanya.
"What the hell? You've been in and out of concentration all day. What's up?"
Mileena looked around, then whispered to Tanya.
"Can we go somewhere private after this?"
"Sure".
Library
Tanya walked up beside Mileena and sat down beside her.
"Seriously, what's wrong? Did Sektor's attack screw with your head or something?"
"No it's not that. It's…", she noticed Scorpion sitting quietly three tables away from them.
"Him".
Tanya looked confused and then she smiled as it dawned on her.
"Oh my Gods, you have crush on Scorpion!"
"Shush!"
"But it's so cute".
"Stop it, it's not even a crush. He's just…distracting".
"Ha ha, I bet he is. But listen Milly, I'm hardly one to tell anyone who they should and shouldn't love, even if it's "just distracting", I have to tell you: don't bother with Scorpion".
Mileena looked confused. "But, why?"
"Look, the guy's really noble, I'm not questioning that. But all he knows is rage and hatred. He has never been happy with anyone in his entire life, even when he's near Sub-Zero he seems pissed off".
She placed her hand on Mileena's.
"Trust me Mileena, nothing hurts more than loving someone who can't love you back".
"How do you know?"
"I used to have….someone. You know her".
Mileena thought for a minute. Then it hit her.
"Jade?"
"Yes".
"But, I thought you two hate each other. You two try to kill each other all the time!"
Tanya smiled. "Darling that's just a little bit of horsing around. I'd never actually kill her and, well she can't kill me".
She sighed nostalgically.
"Rain didn't tell you the whole reason why I don't hang around with the Edenians. When Jade and I first met, I was Shinnok's assassin. I was assigned to take out the Edenian royalty, but Jade was the current bodyguard. For the first time in years, I actually had to push myself. She won, by a little mind you and I was captured".
"But over time, we grew…close. She saved me from all that Brotherhood of Shadow crap and made me a royal assassin. We were invincible. Nothing stopped us. Then one day, I told I felt….differently about her. Unfortunately, she didn't feel the same way. In all fairness, she turned me down gently".
"It was what happened afterwards that made things bad. She started avoiding me. Our conversations became shorter. Eventually, I was more of a stranger than a partner. I…overreacted. When your father and Edenia went to war, I sided with him. She never forgave me".
"It was stupid. Pointless. I had more money than I knew what to do with, so I didn't need the job and I could care less if Shao Khan won or not. I guess I just wanted her to know I was still there, or maybe I felt like I had to get even".
"But the point is Milly, I ruined something great because I wanted more than what I had".
Mileena had to take a moment, listening to Tanya's heart wrenching story.
"Tanya I…I don't know what to…"
Tanya smiled, albeit weakly.
"It's alright. It's ancient history. In fact, if you're counting in human years it is literally ancient history. Look, bottom line, I'm not saying don't try. I'm saying don't start something you can't finish".
Tanya got up to leave and left Mileena alone.
Mileena sat there for a while.
Deciding that she'd go for broke and at least try to talk to Scorpion and see if what she was feeling was actually something relevant.
She walked up beside Scorpion, who was still quietly reading.
She cleared her throat to get his attention.
He slowly turned his gaze towards Mileena, his eyes making it almost impossible to decipher his mood.
Though is his physical mannerisms were anything to go by, all he wanted to do right now was wrap up whatever Mileena was going to say quickly and go back to his book.
Mileena gave waving a shot.
"Hi".
"What do you want?", the spectre said flatly. It didn't sound personally aggressive, but it didn't help to ease the mood for Mileena.
"I'm Mileena. We've met before today. Well we didn't really meet but I saw you kick the crap out of Sektor".
Scorpion seemed to be recollecting, even easing a little. He was like a predatory animal. A wolf always ready to attack when needed.
"Ah yes, you were the pink ninja girl with Rain and Tanya".
"Yeah that was me. Thanks for stepping in to help us".
Scorpion just grunted and returned to his book.
Mileena frowned.
"Well it was…nice talkin to you", she said, walking back off slowly.
Disappointed the she couldn't get anything worthwhile, she headed for the door to get some air.
"Hey, is this yours?", Scorpion called.
Mileena turned around to see Scorpion holding a teddy in his hand.
She must have packed it in her bag and accidently dropped when she turned to leave.
"Oh, yeah that's mine. You can keep it though, I have plenty at home".
Scorpion frowned.
"I hate teddies", he snarled.
If all this crazy stuff in EarthRealm High wasn't enough, that had officially flown right over Mileena's head.
"What?! How can you hate teddies?"
Scorpion picked up the toy, looking upon it with loathing and disgust.
"They're soft and weak. Only strength will truly get a person through life".
Mileena placed a hand over Scorpion and the teddy, causing Scorpion to stare at Mileena.
"I don't think that's true. I think sometimes, people need a something nice in their life. It's the little things that get us through life".
Scorpion seemed to be getting very agitated. "Believe me, life never throws you a break. It takes everything away from you and then kicks you right back down to the ground. If you're weak, you break. End of story".
"People can't be strong forever. Sometimes if they never show a bit of weakness, they just suffer more…"
"What would you possibly know of suffering?!"
Mileena took a few steps back, a little afraid of Scorpion's decreasing patience.
She looked down to the ground not answering him.
"Thought so", he scoffed.
As his eyes returned to his pages, a pink mask landed on his book.
He turned back round to see Mileena, this time with her face exposed and a bit of sadness in her eyes.
For if there was anything Mileena knew all too well, it was suffering.
Her voice wasn't aggressive, rather it was quiet, not wanting to say her words so loud that she'd remember them too well.
"I wasn't born, I was grown. My mentality was forced to find a balance between a child and a killer, so I had very little control of my own actions for most of my life. I'm the only one of my kind. Edenians feared me and Tarkatans despised me, so friends weren't an option".
Scorpion eased himself, captivated by her story.
"But worst of all was my sister. I hated her for so long, but I didn't know why. I was just made to. It was easy at first, I wanted to kill her and that was it. But then I saw her with her people, her friends, Liu Kang. And that's when I realised, I didn't want to kill her anymore. I wanted to be her".
"I tried everything. I dressed like her, fought like her, but I was always just, "Kitana's deformed clone".
"One day, I saw myself. I saw these", she said pointing to her teeth. "In my mirror. I was sickened by it. I didn't want to be a monster. I smashed it with my bare fists yelling "Why!? Why can't I be like her!?" I fell to the floor, crying and bleeding, begging the Elder Gods themselves to make me…not me".
Scorpion's eyes for once lost their rage and ire and were filled with something he hadn't felt in a long time.
Pity.
"And, how did a teddy, get involved in this?"
Mileena picked up the toy and smiled, faintly but it was there.
"Baraka found me. He treated my wounds and led me to my bed. I asked him to get rid of all the mirrors in the palace. I never wanted to see myself again. I never wanted to try and find a beautiful princess only to be greeted by a taunting reminder of what I'd never be. Who I'd never be. He tried to convince me not too, but I wasn't having it. When I woke up after a while, I found a small teddy beside me. It wasn't anything special, I could've gotten one at any market stall. But when I brought it close to me, knowing something was close to me, something that didn't judge me, didn't compare me to my sister. It felt good".
"And then I made more. Lots more. Not just bears, but rabbits, dogs, you name it. And they were really good. They were cute. And knowing that my blood sweat and tears were as much a part of those creations as the stitching I made them with. It felt…it felt like at least some part of me wasn't ugly".
Scorpion looked back at the teddy.
"That was stupid", he said coldly.
Mileena looked back to the ground.
"How could you possibly have believed you were ugly?"
Mileena looked back at Scorpion hopefully.
"Wh-what?"
"You were born a unique being, with the strengths of both your races. You are a testament to the power of Edenia and OutWorld. You are fierce but demonstrate kindness I haven't seen in years. And you are…very stunning".
Mileena's face went as red as Sektor's armour.
"Oh um…thanks".
Scorpion, by his own admission, blushed a little, caused Mileena to nervously chuckle. He stood up and outstretched his hand.
"Forgive me. I am…bad tempered. I was rude when you didn't deserve it. May we start over Mileena?"
Mileena smiled widely and shook his hand.
"Sure, and it's Milly to my friends".
"Can I call you Milly?"
"Can you be my friend?", she shot back with a smirk.
And lightning struck twice as Scorpion once again blushed.
"I feel I…would like that", he said.
Inside her head, Mileena was absolutely squealing.
Yes!
"I'd like that too, Scorpion"
One Hour Later
The two had chatted for a while, getting to know a little more about each other.
It started off slow, mainly focused on how Scorpion's roommate and Mileena's sister could be really annoying sometimes. Then they got talking about their weapons and Mileena asked if there was a way she could somehow incorporate chains onto her Sais".
"I still don't think Sais and chains go well".
"Okay, but at least tell me how you get flaming weapons".
"Go to hell".
"Geez sorry".
"No I mean literally go to hell. You have to bathe them in the NetherRealm flames to get them to do that".
"Oh. Yeah I think I'll pass".
"Probably a good idea. Wouldn't recommend it from experience".
The bell rang out for home time.
No, wait! This was going so well!
Scorpion sighed.
"Well, I suppose I must go now. It was nice talking to you Milee-…Milly".
Mileena smiled. "Yeah you to. See ya around?"
Scorpion pondered. "I'd like that".
Mileena skipped off.
"Hey, don't you want this?", Scorpion called, holding the teddy.
"I got plenty, you can keep it", she said making her way to the exit.
Scorpion, now alone with the little bear, held it in his hands.
Sub and Scorpion's Apartment
Scorpion sat on the couch, still inspecting the teddy. He hadn't put it down since Mileena gave it to him.
What is this? Why does this soft children's toy make me feel so…strange?
But then Scorpion thought, What if it's not the toy? What if it's…her?
"Hey Scorps, beer?"
Scorpion returned his attention to his roommate.
"Sure, toss it over".
"Comin right up", Sub called as he tossed a bottle at Scorpion, who caught it nonchalantly.
Hmm. Warm.
"Hey Sub? Could you?"
"Sure man", Sub said as he lightly ice blasted Scorp's bottle, making it colder.
"Thanks", he said gulping it down.
Sub-Zero and Scorpion weren't always friends. Hell their first meeting was Sub trying to avenge his brother after Scorpion killed him. But when Sub revealed the real person who took everything away from him and when Sub's brother Noob turned his back on his brother, Scorpion and Sub-Zero formed a bond, as much brothers as any blood relative.
Plus there where benefits of having him as a roommate. One, they never had to pay the heating bill as Sub couldn't feel the cold and Scorpion's hellfire always kept him warm. And of course, the beers were always chilled just the way he liked them.
But then there were the ice puns.
Sub hopped up beside Scorpion, clanking their beers together.
"Well, Smoke just called. Unfortunately, Sektor is set to make a full recovery".
Scorpion grunted. "I'll try and throw him further next time".
"No worries man. Me and Smoke got Sektor".
He looked at Scorpion inspecting the toy. "Dude, how long have you been playing around with that thing?"
Scorpion thought for a moment.
He didn't actually know how long he'd been holding this thing.
"It was a gift. From Mileena".
"Oh, you met the new girl. She's hot isn't she?"
"She was nice to me", he admonished Sub.
"Wow, due relax. You need to chill".
Scorpion groaned and Sub chuckled. "Sorry man, you set me up too perfectly".
Scorpion brushed off Sub's foolishness.
"Sorry. It's just…she made me feel, different today. I felt calmer, relaxed even", and he couldn't believe he was even saying this word, "happy".
Sub nearly choked on his beer at that.
"What?! You were happy? How the hell did that happen?"
"I don't know. Well I do know but It's insane. She was kind and patient. And she gave me this".
"Dude, I think you like her. Like really like her".
Scorpion grew defensive again. "No. I do not think of her that way. I haven't thought of anyone like that. Not since…"
An empty void of silence filled the room.
Sub sighed. "Scorpion, it's been years. Kara would've wanted you to move on".
"I cannot. I loved her Sub. We were going to be married. Have a family. And then, she died. Because of me".
Sub was now on the defensive. "No. Don't ever say that. Kara and Bi Han died because of the sick bastard Quan Chi and you know it"
"He wanted me. He used her to get to me and turned me into this…shell of a man. I have felt nothing but hatred since her death. I have prayed for a release from my suffering. But I could never be with anyone but her. I can't betray her memory".
Sub sighed, placing a supportive arm around Scorpion's shoulder.
"Scorpion, you say Kara loved you, right?"
"Yes".
"Then tell me this. Would she have wanted you to spend the last ten years, loathing yourself when you think of her? When you think of anyone?"
Scorpion paused. "No. But-"
"Kara will never be replaced. She will always have a place in your heart, one that will be there forever. But you need to move on. If it was the other way around, if you died and she lived, would you want her to feel like this?"
Scorpion shuddered at the thought. He wished his suffering upon no one, least of all Kara.
"No. I would…I would want her to happy".
"And I bet she'd want you to be happy too".
Sub leaned over to grab the remote.
"You don't have to build a wall around everyone else all the time. Some people do care about you ya know".
Scorpion took some time to consider. Kara was the love of his life. She was so kind, so caring. Always able to soothe the rage that consumed him. For the first time in years, someone was able to make him feel as at peace as when she was by his side.
Was it wrong to want to move on? He'd thought so, but Sub-Zero was right. If he truly cared about Kara, he wouldn't want to stain her memory with this rage. She had always wanted him to be happy.
Could he truly be happy with someone else?
He decided, it was worth trying. Even if it just meant having a friend, Mileena had managed to make him feel like a person again. Not a monster.
He was willing to give it a try.
"I'm going out".
"Where?"
"Just to the store. Thanks for the talk Sub".
Sub smiled. "Snow problem Scorps".
Scorpion sighed as he slammed the door, leaving a laughing Sub-Zero to enjoy his cartoons.
"Good luck man", he said to himself, hoping his friend could find some semblance of peace.
OutWorld Palace
Mileena sat at the dining table, taking small bird bites of her meat.
Shao Khan noticed his daughter's apparent lack of appetite.
"Mileena, you've barely touched your food. Is everything alright?"
Mileena huffed a little at her food.
"I'm fine father. I'm just…not that hungry tonight I guess".
"Hmmm, must be the food. Baraka, have the chef executed!"
"Of course Emperor".
Mileena started eating her food very quickly. "No, wait! See? Good food! Mmm, tasty".
Shao Khan seemed convinced and asked Baraka to leave them.
"What is wrong my dear?"
Oh great. Just me, dad and my messed up relationship problems.
"It's just, I have this crush and…"
Shao Khan slammed his fist on the table.
"Who dares to crush my little girl!? I will rip their limbs of slowly and shatter their soul!"
Mileena banged the table.
"No dad! It means I have feelings for someone".
"Oh. What does that mean?"
"Wait, what do you mean?"
"Feelings. What the hell are those?"
"You didn't feel anything for Sindel?"
"I felt my dark magic controlling her mind. Wait, have you brainwashed a suitor? Oh marvellous! My little girl is growing up so fast!", he cheered.
Mileena sighed.
How else did I suspect this to end?
"No dad it's not like that it's…never mind".
She got up to leave.
"Mileena sit".
Mileena reluctantly did as she was told.
"Now Mileena, there are three things I cannot stand: Those who stand in my way, my ridiculously one sided divorce settlement with Sindel…"
"It would've helped if you didn't threaten her lawyer, your lawyer, the judge and everyone else with "the fiery wrath of OutWorld itself should you not obey me".
"That statement was taken out of context! And the judge had it out for me!"
"You threw your hammer at him", she replied flatly.
"He was merely hospitalised. Talk about melodrama. Anyway, as I was saying, the third thing I cannot stand, is seeing my little girl upset. I know Kitana is better at this "sensitive" stuff than me, but I am your father. Just tell me what's wrong?"
Mileena was quiet for a while, trying to find the right words.
"Dad, what if you really wanted something, but everyone told you it was a bad idea? That, even if you wanted it so much, they told you it would never work, that you should just quit while you're ahead?"
"You mean like how I want to takeover EarthRealm?"
Mileena grunted. "No dad, it's not like-"
Then it hit her.
You can make this work. Just word it right.
"Yes. Like how you want to take over EarthRealm. What if someone told you it was impossible?"
"Well screw them. I want it".
"But, but what if you don't get it?"
"I will".
"But what if trying to get it just causes you pain and just kicks you back down".
"I get over it, get back up and take EarthRealm".
"Ugh, dad I'm serious!"
"So am I".
Shao Khan signalled Mileena over to him. She walked up to her father, who placed one of his enormous hands on top her smaller ones with a gentleness she could never have expected from him.
"Mileena, nothing worth doing is, was or ever will be easy. When I wanted to seize OutWorld from Onaga, everyone said it was impossible, but I did it. When I wanted to challenge the Gods for EarthRealm, I was told it was madness, but I did".
He peered into his daughter's yellow eyes with sincerity.
"When I told Shang Tsung I wanted another daughter, that I wanted you, they said a Half-Breed would never be able to succeed me. That you would never be strong enough to replace me. I told them all to go to hell and nearly sent them there myself".
"I did all those things, because I really wanted it. And if you want something enough, you have to fight for it. People say life doesn't hand you anything for free, their fools. Life gives you a chance, one chance and you have to take it. It will not be easy. You will be hurt, you will be brought to your knees and forced to start over again".
"But I would rather suffer for that brief while and be a champion forever than quit".
The OutWorld Emperor rose up and looked down at his daughter with pride.
"You are Mileena Khanum. Princess of OutWorld. Heir to my thrown. And my little girl. I know that if you really want something as bad as you seem to now, you'll get it. I believe in you".
Mileena could feel the tears brimming up in her eyes as she catapulted onto Shao Khan's arms into a powerful dad hug.
"You're the best dad".
"Glad I could help".
"I'm gonna go get some rest. Night dad".
"Goodnight darling".
Mileena raced off to her bed.
Baraka entered the dining hall, his Tarkatan hearing allowing him to hear the conversation ending.
"What was all that about master?"
"I believe I had what people call "A Moment".
"May I ask what it feels like?"
"It feels…terrible", he shuddered. "Come Baraka, I need to kill something to get these "feelings" out of my system before I end up like Raiden".
"Of course sir".
Mileena's Bedroom
Mileena opened the door to her room. She kicked off her shoes and changed into her pink jammies, then proceeded to wrap herself up in her sheets.
Dad was right. Maybe my feelings for Scorpion will get me hurt. Maybe he doesn't feel the same way about me. But dammit I want to be happy. And I am gonna try!
She pulled one of her teddies close to her.
She sighed.
Still, it'd be nice to have a sign that he cared or something.
She turned over, only to be surprised that a wrapped parcel was there to greet her.
"What the-"
The box had a label that read "From a friend".
Mileena cautiously opened the box to find a note and something small and circular, wrapped in pink wrapping paper.
She read the note.
Dear Milly
If you're reading this, your father needs to step up his security. Sorry for breaking in.
Also I got this for you. Because somethings in life, deserve another chance.
Scorps.
Mileena unwrapped the little object to be met with…
Herself.
Indeed Mileena was greeted with her own reflection, as she held, what was revealed to be a pink mirror with the words "PRETTY GIRL" at the bottom.
Mileena looked at herself for, what was a very long time.
And for once, she saw something she never seen in her life.
She saw herself smile.
Oh my Gods he does care.
NetherRealm Academy
Noob growled in frustration.
"Dammit, why won't this thing work?!"
"This One suggests you not damage Shinnok's amulet with your failed attempts, Saibot", sniped D'vorah.
"Maybe it needs a sacrifice to work. Care to volunteer gnat?"
"Silence, both of you. I have already discovered the solution to our dilemma. It involves the Khan's daughter, Mileena".
Quan Chi's presence ended his pupils squabbling.
"So why are we here when she's in EarthRealm High?"
"Because Lord Shinnok has more plans afoot that involve her presence there than you need to know. Her involvement with the amulet will come, in time".
Noob growled impatiently.
"In the meantime, I have a task for you two. You are to go to Argus Memorial Hospital".
"Why?", D'vorah buzzed.
Quan Chi grinned. "Mileena has an enemy there. Sektor. Approach him. Move him into position. The next phase of Lord Shinnok's plan approaches".
"As does the end of EarthRealm High".
Once again, thank you for reading. All of your reviews and support are what keep this story moving. I'm taking a short break so the next chapter may take a while, but I promise I am not abandoning this story. To quote every Saturday morning cartoon villain "I shall return". As always, rock on and stay tuned.
