A/N: Bad Erron, bad cowboy. ;) Seriously, he just doesn't want to play. Seems Big Blue does though...

Desperado

Kara groaned as she woke up. Her head felt like someone had used it as a drum. Dizziness plagued her, as she tried to sit up, so she lay back down again, and covered her eyes with an arm. Her other hand felt beneath her body...

This, this wasn't her bed she was on, this one felt scratchy and rough. Her hands moved up to her face, and she rubbed her eyes. Little rays of light shone through...bars?

BARS? I'm in a cell?

"Rise and shine!"

A voice that sounded like the man it came from was smirking made her want to scream with frustration.

"Erron, I'm in the mood to take one of your guns, and ram it where the sun doesn't shine. So either back the hell up, or I'll make you".

Erron mockingly sighed. "Hmph".

Kara groaned, and finally managed to sit up. "Cut the bullcrap Black. Why in the realms am I in a cell, and where the hell are we?"

Erron tapped the side of his nose and shook his head. Rumbling sounds that steadily got louder made her jump to attention.

Torr grabbed the bars of her cell, and with a few pulls, tore through solid metal, as if it were mere paper. He grabbed Kara and flung her over his shoulder.

"Wha? No! Let go of me, you big brute! I feel sick. Unless you want me to vomit, I'd put me down".

Ferra slithered about after him, and hissed. "Pretty. Torr. No break, not yet".

Torr roared and continued to walk towards a big set of grand looking wooden doors.

"Hang on, are we in the?...Oh shi...".

Kotal was sitting on his throne, utterly stunned at the sight that was now before him. He commanded Torr to put Kara down, which he did so, before Ferra hopped back up, onto his back.

"Erron!"

The Gunslinger appeared soon after his name was bellowed. "Yes Emperor?"

Fire emanated from the Emperor's hands, and his turquoise eyes crackled. "Everyone else, leave!"

Torr walked off, and Ferra shut the door behind him.

"Black, what is the meaning of this?"

Kotal gestured to a still slightly green faced Kara, whose hair was now sticking up in every direction, and her black leggings were scuffed.

Erron looked at her, but there was malice there. "She knows more than she is letting on. You saw her fight, you know what she can do. How can we, you, pass on the opportunity to have a telepath here? The amulet, you can sense it, can't you, girl?"

Kara nodded. "I've been able to sense it ever since we met. I know where it is. It was under a big, black book, in your chambers, Emperor".

Kotal blinked rapidly, in surprise. She knew where it was? "Wait, was?"

She nodded again. "It isn't there now. It's..wait, does D'Vorah have permission to have it?"

Kotal shot up, and growled. "Where is she?!"

Kara flinched. "She's two miles east of here. Where is here exactly?"

Erron answered the question for her, as Kotal had stormed off, in an angry huff.

"Z'Unkahrah".

Kara stepped onto the steps, that led up to the palace. She looked out over the vast plains, and saw a cloudless sky, and trees, bountiful and lush. "Wow. This place is gorgeous". She turned to Erron and pointed. "You ever touch me again, I'll rip off whatever to touched me with".

Erron held up his hands. "Oh, I'm so afraid".

His sarcasm earned him a jab to the cheek, and an uppercut, under his chin, which sent him flying backwards. Her body pulsed with energy, and it latched onto the gunslinger, like a rope, tethering him. He blinked, and his hand was skeletal. He blinked again, and it was the way it usually was again. He would never say it, but that freaked him out. He wasn't yet aware of her tricks, and he disliked that.

"I can just so easily remove that little spell that Shang Tsung put on you, turn you into nothing more than a pile of ashes. I know more than you thought, huh?"

She walked off, leaving a slightly worried Erron in her wake.

Kara traced the steps she saw Kotal take, and when she found his room, she heard grumbling. It sounded like a spell.

"Vo rai, sa ik, mehja".

Kara knew that spell, it was a tracking spell. It would bind itself to Shinnok's amulet permanently.

"Mehja, mehja, ik, sa, rai, vo".

Kara jumped back against the wall. Kotal was standing in front of her, with his Macuahuitl against her chest. The tip of the sword then went against her throat.

She didn't have the words to express herself, and so, she started to chant and a grey mist swirled around her hands.

A vision shot though Kotal's mind, and his hand unerringly jerked. Kara moved out of the way, and sat on the carpeted floor, away from the blade.

D'Vorah was standing near a pier, with the amulet in her hands. Reptile was there too, along with several of his men.

"Er, you can put the Macua...wait, what was it again? Macwa? No. Dammit! Brain work, please".

Kotal did not stay his blade, he just put it against her heart. "I, please, don't. Erron was right, that asshole. But he was right! I can be of use here".

There was that look again. The fear, the shame. It was clear that she wasn't used to feeling vulnerable. Under death's gaze? She panicked and wanted to run away, as far as she could.

She'd had enough of this. "Just kill me, or walk away, for god's sake. I can't deal with waiting for death. It's the waiting that terrifies me"

And, there it was. Her reason for feeling terror. Unused to being confronted. She'd always run from it. She didn't wish to be controlled, or played. She danced to the beat of her own drum. And whilst Kotal found this admirable...

...He knew it would get her killed. She was a fool. Brazen, fairly strong, to hurt him wasn't easy, but a fool all the same.

The Emperor sheathed his blade and held out a hand.

"Go back to Earthrealm. I shall find D'Vorah alone".

Kara shook her head, before going to take his hand. At her reaction, Kotal moved has hand away, so she fell, and hurt her chin and hands.

"Emperor, stop being so harsh. You can give it all the 'I'm awesome, and tough' routine all you want, and whilst you are tough, you are terrible at peace talks. I don't want Earthrealm and Outworld to fight. I want us to work together. If I go between both realms, try to calm the people, will that suffice? Will that prove to you, that I am indeed useful?"

Kotal walked into his room, and golden sunlight bathed his skin. Bruises on his chest started to fade. He looked back at Kara, who was on her knees, and wiping er hands on her leggings.

"You need better servants. This floor is filthy. Hmm?"

She sat up, and looked at Kotal.

Wow. He looks...majestic I'd say.

Wait. What the hell am I thinking?

Home...

"Emperor?"

Kotal looked at her. "You aren't the only one wanting the amulet. Cassie Cage's team want it too. They'll help us. The more of us there are, the easier it should be, right?"

The Emperor resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Yes, because barely any man dies, in war. Both sides have vast forces, but even so, many still perish".

Kara stood and coughed. "I need to get some new clothing, since these are ruined. I just had to wear a white tank top, didn't I? Urgh. Can I call my Mother? She can bring clothes. Oh, and I need a shower. Pardon the stink, it's definitely me".

She lifted up an arm, and scowled at the smell. That, and she was covered in what looked like soot. She looked like a vagrant.

Kotal smirked. "You don't ask for much, do you?"

Kara bowed, before walking to his balcony window. "Unless you want me stink the place out?" A small ball of amethyst light appeared from a hand, and she sent it up, high into the sky. "So my Mom sees it in the Heavens. I won't ask for anything else, I'll help out with the upkeep here, and I'll shut up. Don't want to further piss off the god of war, nope". She sighed and walked past him. She walked to the top of the stairs, and saw Erron with his mask off, and his guns out, at her Mother.

"ERRON! Don't you even think about it, asshole. That's my Mom. Sod off back to the cattle shed, or whichever hovel you abide in".

The gunslinger sent her a scowl, but she wasn't paying attention.

She walked towards her Mother, and smiled when she saw she had a large bag in one hand.

"Mother, you are a lifesaver".

Tiama smiled, but she was concerned. "Why are you here, and what happened?"

He daughter sighed. "The cowboy there? He kidnapped me. Figured with my abilities, I'd be useful to the Emperor. Didn't bother asking me though, just smacked me over the head, and put me in a manky cell".

Her Mother perked up. "There's another telepath here, but he's really weak".

Kara looked confused. "Then why am I here? I could just heal him, and go home".

"No, this man, he isn't of flesh and blood".

Kara raised an eyebrow. "A soulmancer? They are exceedingly rare. Hmm, I'll have to speak to the General about that when I get back to camp. If I ever get back, that is".

Tiama gave her daughter the bag. "Shower, then change your clothing".

Kara groaned and smacked her forehead. "Mother, I'm not a child. I know what to do".

Tiama called her bluff. "You don't, otherwise, you would have sense this 'cowboy' and taken care of him, instead of being kidnapped".

Her daughter's eyes widened..

..But, her Mother had a point. Kara should have known, shouldn't have let her guard down, even when exhausted.

"I'm leaving. Your Dad wishes to see you though".

Kara frowned. "Clan stuff, right? Look, I shouldn't have left in the manner I did, but, I just couldn't take any more of frosty bastard's bullshit. Sorry Mom, but I couldn't".

Tiama patted her back, and sighed. "You need to speak with both of them. Clear this up, It's gone on long enough. I won't have any more feuds, you hear me?"

Kara nodded and straightened her back. "Yes Mom. Thanks. I'll go and see Dad after I've helped Kotal".

"Helped? Hm, okay then. Just be careful, okay? See you soon".

Tiama slowly vanished, in a haze of lilac smoke.

Kara wandered through the palace, and eventually found a bathroom.

This place is huge.

She shivered.

And drafty.

She took a towel, and a bottle of shower gel out of the bag.

She stripped off her clothes, and left them on the floor.

She heard voices, on the other side of the door.

"Kara?"

She kept on washing herself. "Emperor? What is it?"

Wafts of cinnamon hit Kotal's nose, when she opened the door a tad. He grunted and looked away in respect.

"We leave soon".

She nodded. "D'Vorah is still at the port. Cassie's team are...that's odd. They are still in the same place as they were when I last sensed them. They must be trapped".

Kotal nodded, and briskly walked away, creating another cool blast of air to hit Kara.

She shivered again, and closed the door, returning to her shower.

Cassie, guys, what have you gotten yourselves into now, huh?

She sighed, and continued her shower, knowing that she may well have to save the group...

...Again.