A/N: Since I've finally got my train of thought for this story rolling again, here's another update! R&R, please!
Sub-Zero, once called Tsumetai, walked briskly down the walkway to Kung Lao's cell. The monk had called him there at the will of Fujin, and hadn't told him why. He passed a few monks he had become familiar with, and exchanged short greetings with them. He had gained the respect of the Shaolin through his quick mastery of so many different martial arts and fighting styles, and they now considered him to be a legitimate fighter, a martial artist in full.
When Sub-Zero reached Lao's cell, he knocked on door, and waited for the word to enter. He didn't have to wait long, and when he did enter, Lao's back was to him. He was standing by his modest bed looking at something. Upon Sub-Zero's entry, the monk turned to face him.
"You came quickly, Sub-Zero. I'm glad. As you know, Lord Fujin left the temple a short time ago, but he wanted you to have this." The monk gestured behind him, towards his bed. On it lay a faded black dogi, in the Japanese design, and a similarly colored belt. Along with it was a pale blue mask, a Shinobi style hood, and a blue coverlet. On the floor nearby were blue tabi and fist guards.
"This is the same style of clothing worn by the lesser Lin Kuei, and this, in particular, was actually worn by the Sub-Zero before you. You are a warrior now. You can't go running around in jeans and a T-shirt forever." said Kung Lao.
Sub-Zero looked at himself. True, he had no fighting gear of his own, but..."Isn't this a little extravagant for what I'll be doing?" he asked.
Lao simply looked at him, one eyebrow cocked. "Oh, I think not."
Decked out in full Lin Kuei combat regalia, Sub-Zero strode confidently towards the Wushu threw the double doors open and walked inside. Those training within ceased what they were doing to look him over. Some nodded approvingly, some raised an eyebrow skeptically, and some showed no sign of their thoughts at all. One of these was Sub-Zero's friend Ermac. The spiritual amalgam approached him.
"We see you are now Sub-Zero in full." He said. "Yes, you might say that. My training is complete." said Sub-Zero. "The training of a martial artist is never complete, friend." returned Ermac. "Alright then, my preliminary training is complete, put it that way." countered Sub-Zero.
The telekinetic shrugged. "Very well then. We wish to see the extent of your training. Will you fight us?" said he. Sub-Zero looked Ermac over. "Alright. No tricks though." he said finally. "Speak for yourself," said the other.
The two fighters squared off in the center of the kwoon. The monks around them created a circle around them. Sub-Zero went through what he knew about Ermac's fighting style. He knew the red-clad warrior primarily used the art of Hua Chuan, a Chinese fighting technique focusing on fluid breathing and motion, and circular strikes, mostly open-handed. If I can keep my distance from him, I should be able to take him down using Taekwondo techniques...he thought. Taekwondo was a Korean style focusing on using kicks to keep the opponent off balance long enough to down them.
Sub-Zero watched as Ermac began the pinwheeling arm motions designed to help control the breathing so necassary to the Hua Chuan style. He knew now was the time to strike; because if he let Ermac find his center, he was done for, and he knew it. He rushed in with a flurry of powerful roundhouse kicks, alternating legs to throw off Ermac's rhythm. But his attempt was in vain; Ermac avoided his strikes without even ceasing his arm motions.
The ice warrior tried a different tact. he circled around towards his opponent and attempted to sweep his legs out from under him. Ermac leapt into the air without missing a beat. Sub-Zero aimed a powerful tornado kick at his head. Ermac grabbed his leg and tossed him aside like a piece of garbage. Sub-Zero lay on the floor for a while, watching his opponent. The pinwheeling motions continued, this was good. It meant Ermac had not yet found the place where body and soul meet, which in turn meant his attacks were distracting him, at least a little.
Sub-Zero rolled over and got to his feet, just as Ermac ceased his arm motions. Sub-Zero froze. The next few moments could possibly determine the winner of their bout. If Ermac had found his center, Sub-Zero knew he was done. In the end he decided to throw caution to the winds and charged forward, screaming like a banshee and loosing a barrage of kicks on his opponents. They were mostly connected, inciting grunts from his foe, although a few were blocked. Then, out of nowhere, a foot flew into Sub-Zero's face, very nearly breaking both his nose and jaw.
The fighter hit the ground hard, and felt all the air rushing out of his lungs upon impact. He jack-knifed to his feet, and glared at his opponent, who was calmly facing him, now utilizing a swaying, feral stance, as opposed to the grace and style of Hua Chuan.
What the hell...was that capoeira?!, thought the astonished fighter. Capoeira was a Brazilian war-dance style focused on balancing on the hands and delivering punishing blows with the feet. It increased the maximum range of a fighter's strikes to the length of his entire body, and momentum andcentrifugal force added a great deal of power to the kick.
He must have realized my strategy and seen Hua Chuan was no good. Reach was Taekwondo's primary advantage over Hua Chuan. Time for a new game plan.
The combatants circled once more, this time more carefully, each attempting to divine the other's next move. Sub-Zero decided on Wushu wrestling techniques, so when Ermac flipped over to him and launched a spinning kick at his head, Sub-Zero was ready.
He grabbed Ermac's leg and stepped forward, causing Ermac to lose his sense of balance and forcing him to hop to stay up. The Sub-Zero kicked the back of his knee, which put Ermac on his backside on the ground. Sub-Zero gained some distance from him and came in hot with a flying sidekick while Ermac was getting up. It connected with the side of his opponent's head, putting him on the ground once more.
Ermac jumped quickly to his feet to avoid being struck the same way again, but didn't expect a sweep at his arms. The kicks connected with the nerves in his forearms, a pain point capable of causing a lot of pain. It did so on this occasion. But Ermac was used to pain, and when Sub-Zero came in to tap him out with a tigermouth strike to the throat, Ermac punched him directly in the solar plexus. This was no martial arts technique, this was street fighting. Ermac followed up with a set of blows simliarly lacking organization, and ended up socking Sub-Zero in the throat, knocking him down and effectively ending the fight.
Sub-Zero looked up at his friend. "That wasn't martial arts." he accused. "You're very good, friend, but you need to think outside the box. We defeated you because you are narrowminded."
Sub-Zero glared exasperatedly at his friend. "Yeah, well you lot are assholes, you know that?" he said, rising. Ermac laughed. "Maybe we are, friend. Maybe we are."
A/N: Alright, I felt like I needed another fight scene, so I put the plot development on hold for a chapter. I also managed to sneak in some possible foreshadowing there, did you catch it? Anyhow, we're almost to the legitimate body of the story, so next chapter, ON WITH PLOT DEVELOPMENT!!!!