We're exiting out of the woods and find ourselves at a greenery, meadow hills. As we are walking and eventually following a small stream, I started to think this place was familiar. Like I never been here before, but seen it. I slightly started to walk a bit of head from the rest of them.
"What is it?" Liu Kang asked me.
"This place... I felt like I seen it before." I answered.
"You mean, you been here?"
"No, but seen it through film and such." I clarified.
"Perhaps it's not too late to start filming." Johnny Cage stated.
"I mean... it's foreboding someway, but I can't believe it, if it's true."
"Perhaps you lead the way, if you know where to go." Sub-Zero suggested.
I nodded, until I heard someone calling out for someone not far from us. Fiver! We stopped and froze to listen. Fiver! Fiver!
"Fiver... Fiver... Fiver..."
"A name rang a bell?" Sonya asked me.
"Yes... I believe so! Come on!" I dashed ahead, as the others followed me. When we came up the hill, as we passed a walkway bridge. I saw a rabbit looking around.
Fiver, where are you? The rabbit was looking for someone.
Everyone caught up to me, as they saw what I was seeing... a rabbit.
"A rabbit?" Jax questioned.
"Yeah... that's right." I answered. Before we could say anything, the rabbit looked behind and spotted us. He began to froze and stepped back a little.
Everyone didn't know what to think of that rabbit, but I knew it was someone that I could recollect from Netflix. The rabbit started to slowly sniff for our scent, while Liu Kang tries another approach. He started clicking his tongue, like he was calling for the dog to come. Normally, the rabbits would try to flee or step further away, but this rabbit didn't. The two managed to get close, as Liu Kang continues to do the same thing, as the rabbit sniff until he got close enough to the human's hand, and tilted his head.
"Well, I'm not going to smell it, if that's what you want." the rabbit spoke.
The rabbit's first words shocked everyone, except me as I giggled. Johnny Cage on the other hand thought differently. "WOW! That must be the CGI!"
"CGI?" the rabbit questioned.
"Computer Guided Imagery, for special effects in movies." Johnny Cage answered, as the rabbit tilted his head clueless.
"Johnny, he's a rabbit. I don't think he understands anything about movie sets!" Sonya exclaimed at him.
"Sorry." Liu Kang apologized from earlier from trying to have the rabbit smell his hand.
"Where did you all come from?" the rabbit asked us.
We didn't know where to start, until Sonya spoke. "We're from Earthrealm... and I'm sure this is still Earthrealm, right?"
"Earthrealm?" the rabbit questioned.
"She means Earth." I clarified to the rabbit.
"Oh. How did you all came here?" he asked.
"We're being sent here. Earth was being invaded and Lord Raiden send us... here I guess to look after rabbits." Kung Lao answered.
"There's danger?!" he looked around.
"Don't panic!" I whispered to him. "We're only here to make sure you guys are safe. That's all."
"Well, so far there hasn't been any danger since-"
"The flood." I finished and the rabbit was surprised, like I knew something that he may have experienced.
"Yes, a flood came last Autumn, how do you know?" he questioned.
"Well, ummmm..." I was looking around aimlessly at the rabbit and than back at the Earthrealm Warriors. "I guess I just guessed it." I finished with a chuckle.
"I see."
"If I don't mind asking and don't be shocked from this, are you Hazel?" I asked "The Hundred Dollar" Question.
He nodded his head. "Yes, my name is Hazel."
"Wowww..." I said to myself.
"My guess is that Thomas went into Johnny Cage's La La Land." Kung Lao whispered to Liu Kang.
"Sorry, we haven't fully introduced ourselves. My name is Liu Kang and this is Kung Lao." Liu Kang introduced to himself and Kung Lao.
"I'm Lieutenant Sonya Blade and this is my partner, Major Jackson Briggs. We're from the U.S. Special Forces." Sonya greeted next with Jax.
"A doe-human lieutenant in the Owsla?" Hazel was puzzled.
"Special Forces. What's an Owsla?" Sonya clarified and asked Hazel.
"An Owsla are a band of strong rabbits that defend a warren."
"Almost like a clan, basically?" Sub-Zero thought.
"You could say, and who are you? You look cold in May" Hazel stated.
"I'm Sub-Zero, I'm an former ninja from the Lin Kuei. We learned to do abilities and control with ice, called Cryomancer."
"And I'm Johnny Cage! Earth's best Hollywood Actor!" Johnny Cage butt in.
"I'm sorry, 'Hollywood-Actor'?" Hazel puzzled.
"What?! Citizen Cage, Ninja Mime! Neither one doesn't rang a bell?"
"I'm sorry, I don't know. We're not familiar with human terms." Hazel apologized.
"That's alright. I'm Thomas by the way." I than let out a hand and he stepped back. "Oh, don't be afraid. It's just a handshake or hand-paw shake if you suggest."
Hazel sniffed cautiously and looked back at me. "Nothing's happen."
"No, I mean I need is your paw to shake." I stated. Hazel didn't know what else to think. He decided to lend his paw for my hand and we both shake on it. "It's how we say 'Hello' or how we greet each other."
"I see... well I have to go. I need to find Fiver." Hazel stated.
"Your little brother?" I questioned.
"Yes, we were supposed to silflay out here, but he hasn't came out. I best be looking for him."
"Maybe we could help too." I stated.
"Oh. Well... uhhh, I'm not too sure everyone well be surprised if I brought humans back to our warren." he became a bit worried.
"Oh don't worry, we won't cause trouble. Won't we?" I than looked back to see everyone nodding their heads. "Besides, we've been wandering around for a while too and need some place to rest."
"Well in that case, welcome to Sandleford." he than greeted us to the place, as he went off.
I was amazed to meet Hazel. The "Hazel" from Watership Down! At the same time, I was slightly began to think if that's why Raiden sent us here. The others were very caught off guard.
"Well that was unexpected." Sub-Zero stated.
"Unexpected?! It's almost like a dream come true, sort of thing! You never read and/or seen Watership Down?" I asked them.
They looked each other and shook their heads for a "no". Except Johnny Cage. "You mean the movie about rabbits and gore?" He than shivered. "So much of my childhood memories."
"It's not what you think, Johnny Cage." I stood up. "It's an amazing story, about a band of rabbits finding a new home and a story about fellowship you could say."
"Yeah, so what's your point?"
"My point is, if something bound to happen like in the story, maybe we're sent by Raiden to go through this journey. Maybe something having to do with 'The Invasion'." I added.
"Very hard to believe. Almost every living creature would have been destroyed from Shao Kahn's forces." Sub-Zero disbelieved it.
"What do you think, Liu Kang?" Kung Lao asked him.
He shook his head, as if he was seeing an illusion of a talking rabbit. "Well, perhaps we should follow the rabbit. Especially, what after Lord Raiden said."
"Liu Kang?! That was a talking rabbit! Rabbits aren't supposed to be saying anything!" Sonya Blade exclaimed.
"Well, Thomas knows something about them." Liu Kang stated, as she and Jax shook their heads and agreed with Sub-Zero.
"Perhaps that could be my next movie. Johnny Cage visiting a world of talking rabbits." Johnny Cage thought to himself.
"Are you all coming along?" We turned to see Hazel came back and waiting for us.
"Yes, sorry. We were just talking." Liu Kang answered.
"Right, I just want you humans wander into the warren. They'll find it suspicious." Hazel than added.
"What do you mean?" Sub-Zero questioned.
"The Owsla." I told him. "If we just stick with Hazel, I think we'll be alright."
And so, we decided to join up with Hazel. He took lead, as we followed him. We arrived at Sandleford Warren, it was a bit peaceful warren. The rabbits were out to silflay, we even spotted a few kittens with their mothers. At one point, Hazel saw two playfully ones that he chuckles and greeted them, as they greeted him back. The Earthrealm Warriors didn't know what to expect, but surprised to be in a world of rabbits.
"I never even thought we'll be in their realm." Liu Kang wondered.
"Oh, it's our world alright. It's just that we're small as rabbits." I assured him.
Some of the warriors noticed a few rabbits staring at them.
"Why's everyone looking at us?" Sonya Blade questioned.
"Maybe they're looking at you." Johnny Cage commented, as she scoffed with a chuckle.
"Wow... I never I'll be here." I was amazed to see Sandleford with my own eyes. I than spotted Hawkbit and Dandelion talking to each to other.
"Do you think there'll be a lot of does out this evening?" Hawkbit wondered.
"Is that all you think about, Hawkbit?" Dandelion questioned him.
"No, actually, but do you think there'll be lots of does out this evening?"
I couldn't help it, so I butted in a bit. "If you guys tell me, neither one of you would try to get best doe in town and even getting to first base." I quickly walked off with a giggle.
"What was that about?" Hawkbit questioned to Dandelion about my encounter with them.
"Whose that? Is that a human?" Dandelion questioned him.
"Maybe, but back to the question, do you think there'll be lots of does out this evening?"
"Give it a rest." Dandelion just shook his head.
"I was just asking." Hawkbit exclaimed.
"Don't try to get yourself into trouble, now." Liu Kang warned me.
"Not very likely, with these two." I pointed at them. "Hawkbit is the slowest rabbit, but he's also sarcastic and stupid. His counter part buddy of his, Dandelion is the quickest rabbit. Believe me, they'll rather go find some does/female rabbits, before they could rat us."
Liu Kang chuckled, as we kept going up the hill. "Well if you know everyone, who is that rabbit on guard?"
"Which one?" I questioned, until he pointed at the lone rabbit standing sentry over the warren.
I was amazed to see the rabbit was none other than... Captain Holly. The Captain of the Sandleford Owsla. When I watched the miniseries, I was admired by him, despite of a rocky start for him, when he tries to stop Hazel and the others from leaving. I couldn't but gazed at him, like I was seeing one of my favorite actors face to face. He than turned at me, before looking back at his own direction. He than looked at me, as it was an unusual sight for him. For me it was spectacular, to see my favorite Miniseries character face to face, at some distance though.
"Thomas?" I than saw Liu Kang's hand waving at my path, that I turned around, as he and Kung Lao chuckled. "Well, who is that rabbit?"
I looked back at the rabbit. "His name is Captain Holly."
"Captain?"
"Yes, he's the Captain of the Sandleford Owsla. He somewhat pictures like my brother and father, in a sort of way."
"Alright, day-dreamer, we don't want to get caught." Kung Lao, than pulled me away, as I was still looking at Holly, as he looked back at me, while I smiled back at him in return.
"Where have you been?" Sonya Blade questioned the three of us, as Hazel continued to look for Fiver, before heading inside the warren.
"Thomas, here just caught his love at first sight." Kung Lao teased.
"Now, wait just a minute, that is not true!" I exclaimed.
"Really?! A rabbit and a man?!" Johnny Cage joined in the tease.
I scoffed and shook my head.
"Now that's enough! I'm sure he doesn't mean it like that, right?" Liu Kang stood up for me.
"Of course not! I just admired him and amazed that we looked at each other that's all." I exclaimed.
We than joined inside the warren with Hazel, as he continues to search for Fiver. As we're passing through each burrows, we came across two more rabbits that I recognized: Blackberry and Bluebell.
"The duration of each season has to be calculated by light values." Blackberry was speaking to Bluebell
"Do you know that, I stopped listening, long time ago, right?" Bluebell joked.
I chuckled. "The blue furred looking rabbit is Bluebell, the story-teller and jokester in the warren. His closest friend Blackberry is the most talkative rabbit, but very most intelligent rabbit."
"I guess you really do know about everyone here." Sub-Zero stated.
I shrugged my shoulders, until we heard someone gasp and began to whimper. "Wait out here for this one." Hazel than spoke and entered the burrow to see Fiver dreaming.
"Whose that rabbit?" Sonya Blade asked me.
"His name is Fiver, Hazel's younger brother." I answered.
"He's dreaming." Liu Kang said.
I sadly shook my head. "I feel bad for him though. He often dreams like this, something might happen or something in the future."
"Fiver?" Hazel tries to wake him up, as Fiver continues to dream of something dark... or a vision that might come ahead for us all...
