A/N: Insert big blue foot, into big blue mouth... :(

Tether Me

Kara, Erron and Kotal headed to the last known location of D'Vorah and Reptile. The amulet was mere minutes away from the Emperor's grasp now, he could sense it. Kara had linked her telepathic ability with his mind, so both could sense where the precious trinket was. Kotal was a little impressed that she could do that, and she had kept her promise. Perhaps she wasn't an insolent little child.

Had he judged her too quickly?

Kara stopped jogging, and looked east.

"Cassie's in trouble. I'm going to help her. Pretty sure you'll have no problem reclaiming the amulet, Emperor, and your". She looked at Erron and smirked. "Bloodhound".

Kotal just barged past her, smacking her shoulder as he did so. She held it and narrowed her eyes at him. "Stop throwing your weight around. I helped you like I said I would, didn't I?"

Erron walked past her, and, whilst she was tempted to say something, or do something to annoy him, she didn't. She severed the link with Kotal and simply walked off, in the opposite direction of the pair.

A huge ship loomed in the distance, with dozens of traitors to their emperor on-board it. A few were congregated around a large hatch, which made Kara suspicious. When she tuned into it, an already jumpy Takeda almost fell off his bed.

"Kara? How did you...".

Cassie, Jin and Jacqui stared at him. "Wha? Why is she here?"

Cassie's question was answered by the woman herself. "Because a certain asshole decided that I'd be a good toy for the Emperor, that's why. We sorta have an alliance now, but it's rocky, like I bet that ship is too. The sea's choppy today. You guys feeling okay?"

She was taunting them, and it made them groan. "Look, genius. Get us out of here. The guards stopped coming down here a while ago".

"Working on it. The hatch is open. Look right".

The four did so, and Kara was kicking the guards asses, throwing some of them over the side of the ship. One smacked her with a staff, which winded her, and she was spluttering. She lay on the floor, feigned defeat, when, in truth, even if she got up, this guy would actually defeat her. She violently coughed. She looked at the hatch, and put a hand up. The cell doors unlocked themselves. Cassie and her group ran to help the thoroughly pissed off Kara, who was still on the ground, mumbling profanities.

When the four had defeated the remaining guards, Takeda helped Kara up. "Thanks. You guys okay?"

The four nodded, and started to head off the ship. Cassie held back though.

"So, Erron kidnapped you?"

Kara nodded. "Yeah. I can't hate him that much though, turned out D'Vorah stole the amulet. They wouldn't have known was it not for me".

Jacqui's eyes went wide. "Hell to the Reiko Accords, huh. Pain in the ass she is".

Everyone agreed there. "Guys, lets go meet the Emperor".

Jin frowned. "And why should we do that? The guy tolerates us, but if we push him further...".

Kara butted in. "He's fine, he's just crap at small talk. As long as you guys talk about important things, like, you know, making sure war doesn't happen between our realm and his, we'll be fine".

The Shaolin monk smirking made Kara wary. "What?"

"You seem to be getting on rather well with him".

Kara shrugged. "What? So I know how to handle big, tough guys".

His smirk grew, and she went red. "Ohhh, I get it. Didn't think he'd roll over that fast".

Kara slapped him, followed by glares from his companions. "I was joking, sheesh".

Kara waved her hands. "Not like that. OR Erron, for that matter. Look, the way I see it is, if I can keep both from butchering us, and causing havoc, I will do all I can. Just not that. Besides, I don't know either of them. If I wanted to be in their pants, or war-skirt, or whatever you call it, I would be".

She started to run, and the others followed her.

Lets just get to the damn dock already, for the sake of my embarrassment.

When the five arrived, they saw D'Vorah on the floor, Kotal holding the amulet, and Erron, with a gun, pointed at Reptile's head.

Kara flashed a white toothed smile at Erron. "See, he is useful for more than just obliterating everything".

The gunslinger then shot Reptile. "Or not. Dammit Erron, let me have a moment for once".

Erron shook his head and chuckled.

Kotal nodded at Kara and the group, and began to walk off.

"Emperor. We could do with talk. Especially since the security of the amulet is at stake, again".

Cassie was right. "Funny that. The irony is making me want to laugh".

Kotal groaned and threw a ball of fire at Kara and Cassie, who jumped backwards to avoid them.

"Cannot take a joke, can you?"

"Kara comes, the rest of you, go home".

Jin had that grin again, it made Kara want to hit him. "Annnd, I was right".

Kara put the palm of her hand on her forehead. "You'll be in agony on the floor in a minute. Shut up. I'm only here because of my abilities. Nothing else".

A heavy, pregnant pause happened, but the silence was deafening in her ears.

Someone fucking say something. Please?

She looked at the floor, until she was yanked forward. "Ouch! Fuck's sake Kotal, stop it! I'm not some rag doll".

It was then that Takeda noticed the nasty bruises on Kara's wrist. "Where did they come from? Did he?" He gestured to Kotal. "If Kara's helped you, why do you feel the need to hurt her? You're a god, supposed to be respected, and yet, you hurt someone who tries to respect you".

Kotal laughed, loudly, and it stung Kara a little inside. "Respect? The girl knows nothing of that. All she knows it profanities, and childish outbursts".

Kara glared at him, the sting she still felt moved to her gut, and it made it churn. She tried to sound defiant, but her words came out utterly pitiful. "I believe the word you are looking for is facetious. I joke, a lot. I try to lessen the tension in bad situations, but I know when to hold my tongue".

Kotal's laughter echoed and became a belly laugh. He couldn't stop, and Kara was biting her lip, tearing up. Even Erron felt bad for her. The Emperor was being horrible, for no reason, but to satiate his loathsome sense of humor.

"If you did, you'd have kept your mouth shut".

The Emperor pushed her towards Takeda, who caught her. Once he saw the tears in her eyes, he hugged her, refusing to let Kotal see that he'd hurt her.

Cassie saw her face, and frowned. "Fuck off Kotal. We tried respecting you, but you still act like a douche. Come on guys, I'm done with him. You don't deserve to be emperor. You're evil, pure and simple. Your people starve and you do nothing to stop it. Kara tried she actually bothered to help. She spent hours feeding and healing people, I know, I saw her. She's fucking amazing to all of us, to those people. But to you, she's just a thing, isn't she? Something to use. We're through. Want to start a war? Do it, but know that despite just being 'mortals', we will fight, with everything we have, till our dying breath".

The five walked away, solemnly, none had the desire to even speak anymore. They were mentally and physically drained.

Erron looked at his 'boss' and pulled aside his mask. "Bit harsh there Emperor. Kara's annoying, sure, but she could be important in this. She goes between Earthrealm and Outworld, she could send and bring messages, be a mediator. I highly doubt she'd want to now though, she looked upset. Can't say I blame her".

Kotal wasn't sure what just happened. Why, exactly had he lashed out? Other than the frankly ridiculous sense of humor Kara had, she wasn't that bad. Over the thousands of years he had lived, he had known far worse people. At that time, he demanded blood, pain and sacrifice. Over those long years, his lust for those things diminished, and he became more subdued in his godliness.

The tattooed lines on his chest began to glow, and he felt a strange feeling wash over him.

Pity?

Why did he pity her? After all, Kara proved she could handle her own. She wasn't as weak as he'd first thought. He'd gone easy on her when they fought, but still, she defied him, got away from him. He practically lumbered around, whilst she bounded about, flippantly. This angered him, but, to see one so small, so delicate and feeble actually be able to challenge him? That, that was a sight.

To behold? Foolish child...

He cursed. But another part of his mind chimed in.

But she isn't a child.

She's a goddess, young for her status, will live many more years.

A goddess, all the same.

A deity?

Now he knew what he was feeling, and what an alien feeling it was too.

Empathy?

No.

Sympathy...