A/N - Hello...? Anyone still out there? Well if you are, here's the deal...
I've rethought this story just a bit. The details of Liu Kang's training are not going to be as much of a focal point, because A.) I really don't remember how I originally wanted to go about it, with most of my effort having been on my original works, and B.) I feel that part of the story is relatively minor compared to other things I want to cover and explore... those things being mostly the revolution in Outworld, some more inner battles for our favorite Champ, and a little romance for our Lady in Green. Plus more of the other good guys be dropping in soon.
Okay, now that my rambling's outta the way, let's get to it!
5 - Appropriate Action
Royal Library...
Kitana released a voiceless yawn, blinking her vision clear after as she continued read. She was in one of the smaller, more private rooms adjoining the Royal Library; huddled over a table, documents spread everywhere before her, and a single lantern at her side. She ran her finger pensively down the tenth of thirty scrolls detailing all major happenings in Outworld in the past decade, quickly scribbling down any especially important points on sheets of parchment at her side. She knew it was well after midnight, but she planned to retire soon. But she had told herself that many a time over the past few hours.
It had been well nearly two weeks since Liu and Jade departed to handle their separate affairs. Kitana still longed for them both, but had been more than a little preoccupied with the recent turn in the Lei Chen Conflict. She was trying to make sure she had all of her facts straight, took all previous events that were similar into account, and not overlooking anything, before she made any final decisions... decisions she truly prayed she could avoid making at all.
A large part of her, the part she feared may just be a paranoid reflex born from years of tyranny, was certain that another war was emanate. The Shokan and Centaur siding with Dairou so suddenly was very worrisome, especially considering they showed little if no interest in the conflicts at all until this point. Why would they join him now? And put aside their long-standing warfare between them, no less: It was implausible, no matter which angle she could tried to scrutinize it from.
Dairou seemed to be many things; intelligent, resourceful and apparently very persuasive, but is not physically intimidating. He could not force the Shokan and Centaur into compliance as Shao Kahn did. He may have offered them something in exchange for their support, but what? Or could they have joined him because they actually believed in his supposed cause to bring peace to Outworld's denizens? The latter, obviously, was extremely unlikely, but Kitana knew from experience that it could be possible. After all, the Shokan and Centaur agreed to peace with her kingdom once, and were sincere... until Kahn returned again.
She chuckled morbidly, 'Let's not even entertain that train of thought...' she mentally dismissed.
The door to the room suddenly creaking open startled the Princess out of her thoughts, but she recovered immediately upon realizing it was just Sindel. The Queen stood there, a cloak over her nightwear and her own lantern in hand, her concerned face free of its dark, garrish makeup.
"The night guards told me you hadn't emerged yet." Sindel said knowingly, setting her free hand at her hip. "Another late night digging into our records?"
Kitana blew a breath outward. "Indeed. I meant to be done long before now... but-"
"Your need to for some sort of resolution pushes you onward." Sindel finished. She shook her head, smiling slightly, as she came and occupied a chair across from her daughter. "Oh my dear I admire your drive, but at times it's your greatest fault."
"I know, I know..." Kitana murmured. "I just want to understand everything about Outworld's recent history, especially during the time Kahn was thought to be dead. I just... want to understand how Outworld's people have responded in the past to others attempting to rise to power during Kahn's absence, in hopes I can understand more about why things with Dairou seem to be going so differently."
"Are you certain you aren't planning anything?" Sindel asked, half chidingly and half worriedly. As she expected, Kitana's eyes averted somewhat.
"I just want to be prepared for whatever may come..." she murmured after a few beats of silence.
"And what would that be? Another war?" Sindel said, voice raising slightly with panic. "Kitana please, don't tell me you're thinking of striking into Outworld again..."
"No, no Mother." Kitana quickly assured. "I don't want to take our forces through another conflict... if I can help it."
Sindel released a sigh of partial relief. "... But you are afraid, at some point, we may not have a choice?" Kitana gave a single nod. The Queen sighed again, leaning back abruptly in her seat. "I cannot lie to you... I'm wary we inevitably may have no choice but to fight as well. Dairou has not given us any specific reason to think he was a threat before, but now that Outworld's most powerful factions are at his side..."
"Exactly." Kitana replied. "How suddenly he amassed such support is what makes me especially anxious. I'd like to think maybe I'm worried for nothing, for as you've said Dairou has not been an outright threat. I just... ugh, damn it all..." she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I just don't know. I don't know what to think of any of it."
"Neither do I Love." Sindel said with a wry smirk. "But I'm sure we'll both be able to think better on it after we've gotten some sleep."
"You're right." Kitana agreed, standing from her chair and following her mother out of the dark, spacious library.
A short time later she was in her chamber, freshly bathed and changed for bed. She and Sindel had resolved to discuss matters in Outworld with the Royal Assembly sometime the following week. But first, Kitana needed some personal consolation on all of it. Lighting the candle on her desk, she pulled a fresh roll of parchment and her writing kit from her drawer. She composed two letters, one for Jade and one for Liu, speaking briefly on how she missed them both before getting to the current news concerning Lei Chen. She needed to be absolutely sure her mind was completely unclouded before she proposed any choices be made, and she knew the two closest to her would give her the insight and comfort to clear her mind completely. Satisfied with her work, she applied the Royal Seal to them both and set them to dry during the night. She would be sending them off, with expedited service, first thing in the morning, and prayed her husband and best friend would respond quickly...
The Following Evening - Knight's Encampment...
Liu crouched before the small, clear stream running through the edge of the encampment, cupping his hands in the water and promptly splashing it over his face. He welcomed its coolness with a content sigh, feeling some of his annoyance ebb away. It had been a long day of running through various drills and exercises, and his usual routine of dealing with both the Captain's and other recruits' constant scrutiny.
Right from the moment Liu first entered the encampment, all eyes were on him... mostly scowling ones. At first he was merely a bit curious as to why he suddenly had a target on his back, but Kitana had warned him, as she had when they announced their intent to marry, that some of Edenia's people would not take to him immediately. It honestly struck him as being a bit childish most times, the snide comments uttered when he passed, usually accompanied by glaring, but as the week progressed it became apparent that things were building to levels that could spiral out of control. On more than a few occassions, some recruits would become so hostile that they seemed to be bristling to fight. Sometimes it would occour right in Juugo's sight, but he would stand idle, even seemed somewhat amused by it all. Liu reacted as diplomatically as he could, but he had limits.
He stopped short as he reached down to ladle up another handful of water, his senses instantly becoming fully alert. He could feel them, sense them, at least eight, all hiding in the woods around him. Liu released a gruff sigh. He had a feeling this would happen sooner or later.
"You honestly think I don't know all of you are there?" he called, rising to his feet and body tensing. "Come out!"
In spite of sensing it, Liu was just barely able to whirl about and dodge the dive kick that zoomed just past his temple. His would-be assailant toppled into the shallow water, and Liu lept back gracefully onto the stump of a long felled tree. The others revealed themselves, taking stances and forming a loose semi-circle around where he stood.
The ring-leader that Liu had dodged quickly righted himself, bedraggled and bristling with indignation. His surname was Yasahiro, a tall, thickly muscled man with reddish-brown skin and arms covered in some sort of tribal-looking tattoos. The bit of hair on his head was secured back in the standard topknot, now somewhat sodden and loosened, while the rest of his head was shaven, and a large, golden, septum nose ring hung from his broad nostrils like a bull's; fitting as he had the temper to match. According to Fedir, he was once and Imperial Soldier who had also attempted to gain the Princess' affections some years ago. Another jealous little man with something idiotic to prove.
"So then," Liu called to them with a faux, saccharine smile. "It appears you gentlemen would like a discussion with me, yes?"
"Little ybunci. To think our beautiful and mighty Princess would settle for him, champion or not." Yasahiro sneered, half-disdainfully and half-mockingly.
"The little boy doesn't even quite stand six feet!" one of the lackeys called. He was slender as a reed, shifty looking with a voice to match. "I don't think it'd be fair to fight him Yasahiro. I mean he can't even reach any of our heads."
"Well, thank the Elder Gods I can leap." Liu drawled sarcastically. He was only two inches shorter than six feet. "Besides you know what they say, 'The bigger they are..."
"Liste to the little shit! Now he's getting cocky." Yasahiro called to his followers. "Probably gotten a huge head with all those little 'victories' he's won. You think none of us could take down the Emperor ourselves? Or Goro or Shinnok? We could've won those fights for our Princess. You should've just kept your scrawny ass in your own world where you belonged!"
"Hm..." Liu scoffed. "It is true that I won many victories, and I can't say for certain that someone else could not have won them in my stead, because someone likely could. And too, because I am no glory seeker, I haven't ever boasted about any of my battles. " He paused briefly, a wry smirk snaking across his lips.
"I personally believe those who must constantly swagger about, yelling to the world about how great they are, are merely just projecting their insecurities about own strength... or lack thereof."
All of the men visibly seethed, tightening their circle. Yasahiro moved to the forefront, eying Liu challenging.
"We'll see what you think of my strength." he growled. He raised his right fist. "I challenge you, oh mighty champion. A duel between two warriors."
Liu sighed, watching as the men surrounded him, attempting to form a full circle around him and Yasahiro. Looks like his choice had been made for him.
"As you wish." he acquiesced, stepping down from the stump.
The lackeys tightened around them, and he followed suit as his opponent took his stance. Liu's plan was to humor the fool for a while, mostly evade and parry his attacks and then quickly and proficiently incapacitate him when the opportunity came.
It wouldn't be that simple, as he inwardly knew it wouldn't.
For a few minutes Yasahiro played the aggressor, striking Liu with a furor of punches and kicks. Ever watchful of his adversary, the Prince Consort dodged and blocked accordingly, waiting for his chance. But he hadn't been paying quite enough attention to what was happening: So focused on trying to get through this little tirade so he could return to his small quarters and rest, Liu did not notice how Yasahiro's attacks were driving him right into one of the others enclosing them until it was too late.
Before Liu knew it, his arms were secured by the man standing behind him.
"Wha- augh!" Just as Liu was registering that he had been connived, he felt Yasahiro's fist ram unforgivingly into his gut. With a wildly triumphant grin, the larger recruit repeated the strikes again and again, reveling in the cheers and laughter and encouragement of the others. His attacks were controlled enough not to cause any serious, long-term damage, but they would make his restrained target sluggish and sore for days to come.
"Just look at him! Pathetic." the cadet that did the restraining guffawed, releasing his hold. Liu, out of breath, collapsed to his knees, clutching his throbbing abdomen and wheezing for breath. He released a brief cry when Yasahiro kicked him in the shoulder, causing him to topple into the dirt.
"Get up ybunci! Get up!" Yasahiro taunted, giving Liu another kick. "Get up!" Just as the Champion, who was inwardly growing irate, began pushing himself up on his wobbling arms, another cadet yanked him up, only for Yasahiro to punch him down again. They all laughed, sounding like cackling hyenas rather than men. Yasahiro raised his arms victoriously, soaking up his comrade's praise.
Liu was worse for wear, but hardly injured in a way that was concerning, at least not comparatively. That punch had made him unintentionally bite the inside of his jaw, and his spit the resulting, coppery tasting globule of blood away.
Repercussions be damned: If these bastards wanted a fight they would sure as hell get one.
In a maneuver he had used many a time before, Liu swirled and kicked to his feet, kicking out a circular trail of fire that licked at all of the men as they jumped just clear of the worst of it, all clearly taken aback. The Former Monk stood there, his topknot completely loose and hair swaying in the breeze. His eyes were burning now with irritated determination. He was about to teach these fools a hard lesson.
"Uh-oh, little shit finally grew a pair." the shifty one sneered. "Let's get him!"
Liu's eyes fixated on him as he lunged, catching his pathetically slow attempt at a punch. He yanked the shifty one forward to receive his own fist squarely in his face, who yelped like a startled pup as his nose broke under the pressure. As he staggered backward, Liu followed up with a straight kick powerful enough to send the man back several feet before he landed flat on his back. The men stood stunned for a moment, and then Liu's captor shot him a glare that he met with a quirk of his brows.
"Next I presume?" Liu quipped. With only a snarl, the man charged, swinging out in several punches and chops Liu parried or outright evaded. Deciding to play a manipulative trick of his own, he intentionally moved them both slowly toward Yasahiro, who was obviously bristling with the urge to jump into the fray. Liu stopped creeping backward once the distance was just right, pretending to brace himself to attack. The restraining soldier reared his fist back to punch, and the Prince gazed back quickly to see Yasahiro preparing to do the same. Just as both prepared to strike, Liu suddenly ducked and rolled gracefully aside as the two buffoons strikes landed right in each other's faces, downing them both.
"That was so predictable and easy that it's almost sad.*" Liu deadpanned, shaking his head at the crumpled pair. He gazed around him to the remaining men, who were all justifyably wary at this point. "Anyone else?"
One man, seemingly the youngest of the lot, gulped back his anxiety and then gave a mighty warcry as he attacked; all the other lackeys following suit. They were all skillful and Liu could not successfully match every attack. One man caught him with a stiff punch in his jaw, almost broke it, but he recovered and retaliated with a worse kick. Another attacker fell him with a sweep kick, but he jacknifed to his feet swiftly before any punishment could be dealt. His last attacker was so bold and dishonorable to produce a knife, and managed to swipe it across his upper right arm. Hissing, Liu held the wound a moment, and then glowered at the man.
"I once heard an American expression about bringing a knife to a fist fight..." he murmured, deathly calm. The man lunged with the knife again, but Liu caught him and held firm. He continued, "I can't quite recall how it went, but the moral was," he paused just as he violently wretched the man's hand aside, and he yolwed in pain as his wrist crackled loudly, "don't." In spite of its seeming viciousness, Liu's attack was controlled. He was highly annoyed, but saw no reason in crippling him permanently. He had stressed the man's ligaments just enough to hurt severely, but they would heal with time and good rehabilitation. He would fight again another day.
The remaining men all went down after that fairly easily. Liu stood over them all, worse for ware but subduedly triumphant, as they writhed and moaned in the dirt, well chastised.
"You all wanted to test my strength. Be well aware that I only used a portion of it because of the circumstances." Liu warned. "Had you been my enemies, I could've killed you with less time and cost." And wit that, the injured man trudged back to his lodging.
"By Argus man, what the hell happened to you?" Fedir remarked, taking in the bruises and small cuts covering his new friend just as he limped back into their barracks. "Did you happen upon a bear while you ere taking that 'quick drink?'"
Liu scoffed, plopping onto his cot. "No... just a few dogs."
"Riiight..." Fedir drawled, tossing him small first aid pack. "Looks like it was a hell of a fight."
"Not so much." Liu replied flippantly. He stripped his tunic off and set to work wrapping his injured middle. A spot just beneath his left pectoral was beginning to darken and felt tender to the touch. It may be fractured just slightly, but that thankfully was the worst of his injuries. Once his middle was set, he then covered the cut on his arm, and then applied healing ointment to the rest of his smaller lacerations. Behind him, Fedir nonchalantly stretched and yawned.
"Well, almost dinner time. I'm gonna get in line before all the good stuff is taken and I'm left with that pig slop they dare to call soup." he declared, heading for the door. He glanced back at Liu. "You coming?"
He heaved a sigh. "In a moment I suppose. Right now I need to lie down." And without further ado, Liu flopped back, folding one arm over his eyes.
Fedir shrugged. "I'll sneak you back a couple of dumplings if I can."
"It would be appreciated." Liu called after him as he left. Curling up on his side, exhaustion began to drop upon him like a anvil. He provided no resistance as he drifted into sleep, content to let his mind sink into a sweet dream vision of his wife being in his arms.
*A little crack on myself at my lack of creativity for writing fight scenes. Oh how painfully difficult they are for me X(
Anywho, this was kind of short, but next time well move forward another week. Jade will feature first, and then our two main stars. See ya soon!
