Chapter 7: Enter Sub-Zero: Lin Kuei's Grandmaster

After Ichigo got to meet the other members of Johnny Cage's unit, they all headed to one of the military plane's Johnny's group uses. Johnny would go on to explained what had happened 20 years ago when Shinnok's forces invaded Earthrealm with some of the deceased warriors of light, including Ichigo's lover Kitana.

"SO! Ichigo is dating the princess of Edenia!" Jacqui playfully smacks Ichigo's shoulders.

"Hahaha bite me Jacqui."

"You sure you want me to bite you or you want Kit-"

"That's enough Jacqui." Johnny interrupts the two's conversation. Both of them just stared at each other, knowing this isn't over. "Any, today marks our 6 week anniversary. Secretary Blake is pleased with our progress."

"You can spit in his hair and he'll be 'pleased' with our progress." Jin retorts back at Johnny.

"He was smart enough to have Mister Cage put this team together Jin." Jacqui replies back to Jin.

"I'm glad I was chosen by the Shirai-Ryu to join you guys. New places...new faces." Takeda added, while he was eyeing on Jacqui, hinting to the African-American in front of him.

"Nice job playboy." Ichigo ruffles his hair.

"As the Secretary pointed out, us old folks are gonna retire someday, so it's time for the new generation to step up: The Shaolin, Shirai-Ryu, S-F, together." Johnny continues on, "Your first mission is to head out to the Lin Kuei Temple in China." Everyone looks at Cage confusingly, "We haven't heard from the Grandmaster in awhile...so we need you guys to make sure they are still on our side. We need to know if they have our back when things started heating up with Outworld. You need to bring him back here and don't be surprised if Sub-Zero's unwilling to cooperate." Johnny briefs his unit but his daughter looks at him confusingly.

"Why would be worried if about Outworld? I thought Kotal Khan respected the Reiko Accords." Cassie asks her father.

"He does but right now he's facing a Civil War against Mileena and her group. If the rebels win, the accords are history and we'll have some trouble." Johnny explains to his daughter. "So for now, get some shut eye, it's gonna be a long ride."

"Yes sir." They all as they all strapped themselves in, Cassie sat next to Ichigo's left and rested her head on his shoulder. Johnny sees this and smirks, hinting to him that his daughter probably found the right person for her, even though it's only been a few hours since they met.

'I guess Ichigo is gonna be my son-in-law. I gotta see how Kitana is gonna take this when my daughter is gonna marry him in the future.' Johnny thought with a grin on his face, he couldn't be happier that his daughter found someone but he still has questions about Ichigo.

Jacqui sees her best friend leaning her head on Ichigo's shoulder, smiling. 'Seems Cass is rather attracted to Ichigo. Interesting.' She thought as she continues on looking at the two sleeping young adults.

As Ichigo was dreaming, he found himself in this bizarre world once again. The last time he had this dream was 7 years ago when he was training under Kitana 7 months into their training. The landscape has tall buildings, skyscrapers of his old home well more like Tokyo Japan.

'Why am I here?' He questions himself as he walks through the streets of his dream. The first time he received this dream was very odd; the streets were empty, no sign of live anywhere but when he was with someone like Kitana, his world is filled with people but when he is not; his world is filled with anger and regret, something he tries to forget about his trouble past.

{Ichigo.} He turns around to see a feminine appearance in black.

'Who are you?' He asks the female.

{I represent your dark side.} She stated as another woman appears in white.

{And I represent your light side.} The other female says.

'You guys represent my two powers don't you?' They nod in agreement, 'Why are you here? Why am I here?' He questions the two beings.

{We're here to bring you a warning, Kurosaki Ichigo.} He looks at the white being, {As you already know, that Kotal Khan's forces are in peril with Mileena obtaining a god-like power from an unknown item.} The white being explains to him.

'A god-like item?' He looks at her confusingly, 'Can an item seriously be god-like?' He asks her.

{In time you'll understand why it's a god-like power in the future and a person who you thought as an ally might someday turn against you and your friends and love ones.} The black being explains.

'I see...so this item will corrupt an ally of mine and I might someday have to challenge him for this item.' He sighs, feeling a bit depress. 'I hope that it isn't Cass or the others I just met nor do I want it to be Kitana.' The white being walks up to him, placing her hands on his shoulders.

{It won't be but someone you won't expect it to be but that'll be in the future, Ichigo. Just be careful on who you can really trust.} She warns the young man as soon as he went unconscious.

"Ichigo." Cassie tries to shake her companion. Ichigo has been knocked out for the duration of their ride to the Lin Kuei Temple and she's been trying to wake him up for awhile with little to no success.

"Hey Cass, you done yet?" Her best friend Jacqui enters the room, "What's going on?" She questions her friend.

"Ichigo's still out. He's fine, heart beat is normal, pulse is normal as well but Ichigo isn't waking up." She stated to her best friend, still worried about the unconscious Ichigo.

"Why not try kissing him on the lips?" Jacqui smirks as her best friend looks at her, shocked that she suggested the idea.

"You can't be serious Jacqui. I'm not gonna kiss a guy, who's unconscious." She retorted back at her friend.

"Kiss who?" Cassie turns her head to see Ichigo regaining consciousness, "What happened?" He scratches the back of his head, "Are we at the Lin Kuei Temple?"

"Yeah...you've been out for the duration of the ride. We've been up since 9 this morning and you were still sleeping." Cassie explains to him, "Come on, we're about to sneak into the temple."

"Give me a minute, heads still fuzzy." She nods as both of the girls head out of the plane. Once Ichigo felt a bit better, he unstrap himself and plans to head on out to meet the rest of the group but a familiar presence was with him.

"Hang on champ." He turns his head to see Johnny Cage still on board.

"Aren't you with your team?" Ichigo questions the unit's leader.

"Let me explain. This isn't a mission to make sure the Lin Kuei are still our allies." Ichigo looks at Johnny confusingly, "This mission is for them to communicate better. They haven't been truly a unit since they don't communicate very well." Johnny explains to him.

"So this is a training exercise?"

"You got it kid. While they are trying to confront Sub-Zero, I want you to be an observer, see what they can improve on." Johnny would go and tell him about their past missions on the plane.

Cassie and her team were at the entrance of the Lin Kuei Temple, hiding from the grunts of the Lin Kuei.

"Is your dad and Ichigo in this assault Cass?" Takeda asks the blonde.

"I hope so, I want to see what Ichigo's power are. You guys have to be wondering as well." Cassie says as she takes out her gloves from her pockets. "Takeda, Jin: you guys go to the other side." Cassie orders the boys, much to their discouragement, "Now." And soon the boys did as they were told and moved to the other side of the entrance. "Ready?" She asks Jacqui, who nods. Soon they were about to enter the front door but what they didn't know is that Sub-Zero and a group of his Lin Kuei men were with him. They had no choice but to hide once more.

Sub-Zero and his men walked towards the warrior shrine. Kneeling on their knees and a bowing their heads in respect to whatever god they pray (Not trying to offend anybody's religion). Jin saw this as an opportunity but Cassie mouthed 'No Jin' but he wouldn't listen as he walks up to the group.

"Damn it Jin." She mutters as she and Jacqui had to stop him.

"You. I need to-" Jin didn't finish as Cassie pulled his arm, stopping him.

"You are not welcome here. State intentions." Sub-Zero demanded without looking at the group.

"Grandmaster: We need you to come with us. My name is Sergeant..." more of the Lin Kuei ninjas appeared, surrounding them.

"You demand my cooperation, yet you are cut off. What would you do next?" Sub-Zero questions Cassie as he gets up from kneeling and looks at the group.

"My father spoke highly of you Sub-Zero. He wants to talk." Cassie stated to him.

"Talking...always his first choice."

"Okay. Let's try pummeling, now!" Jin made the first move as he would go on to punch one of the men as did the others while Cassie tries to stop the fighting but Sub-Zero struck her, punching both of her sides but Cassie blocks the attacks. Sub-Zero kneed her kidney and Cassie kneed his kidney in the process and kicks his midsection. She tries a right hook but Sub-Zero dodges the attack and headbutts her in the process. Tossing her down to the ground and Cassie tries to use her pistols but Sub-Zero freezes her weapons.

"Cassandra Cage. You lead this group but they do not follow. What would your mother do?" He questions her as his arms started to become more apparent, his veins started showing as his arms started to turn sky blue.

"Stop wasting time and take you down."Cassie stated as she took on the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei. While she took on the Grandmaster; Johnny and Ichigo were observing the fight.

"So what do you think?" Johnny asks the Reaper.

"Well Cassie was trying to absolve the situation but Jin decided to use his fists instead of just trying to talk things out with the Grandmaster." Ichigo stated.

"Not bad grasshopper, seems Kitana trained you very well on observing your enemies." He grins as Ichigo pushed him.

"Kitana was doing her job in training me and helping me learn my abilities as a Soul Reaper and a Quincy." He stated once more as he materializes a mask.

"What's that?" Johnny looks at the mask Ichigo was holding.

"Something I'm still wondering." He mutters silently and dematerialize his mask. "Seems your daughter wasn't enough to stop the Grandmaster." he pointed out as Cassie went down.

It would appear so." They see Takeda taking on the Grandmaster, with little to no success, next up was Jacqui but she too wasn't enough to stop him and Jin was the last man up as the fought bravely against Sub-Zero with no success. They were soon tied up by the Lin Kuei.

"Time to make our appearance kid." He stands up and walks towards his unit, as does Ichigo.

"Sub-Zero..Let's talk." Cassie tries to persuade the Grandmaster.

"That opportunity has passed."

"Got any ideas Cage?" Jin questions her.

"You could have followed the old one Jin." Jacqui scowls the Shaolin.

"You're gonna catch hell if you kill us." Cassie stated to the Grandmaster.

"Yes...I suppose so. Chuo! Dangjin!" He orders his subordinates to cut their ties, confusing them.

"That worked?" Cassie looks at her group until they heard a whistle, seeing Johnny and Ichigo on the staircase.

"This was a..."

"Training exercise." Sub-Zero finished what Jacqui was about to say.

"Damn it...why didn't I see this." Cassie mutters quietly to herself.

"You and your friends show great promise, Cassandra Cage. But until you function as one, you will all fall short." He stated to the group as Ichigo and Johnny walked up to the group. "I presumed you are Ichigo Kurosaki, the lover of Princess Kitana."

"Why does everyone knows about my relationship with the Princess." He questions Johnny, who was just grinning at him. He sighs in annoyance and looks at the Grandmaster, "Yes, I am Ichigo Kurosaki, Grandmaster." He bows his head in respect to the cyromancer.

"Even without testing your abilities, you show great promise."

"Thank you Grandmaster."

"Mind if I test out your abilities?" He asks the Reaper.

"Don't have a problem with that." Ichigo materializes his Zanpakuto with his right hand and prepares for battle, as did Sub-Zero. Everyone got out of the way for their battle.

Without any warning, Ichigo disappears at in instant, shocking everyone watching the fight.

'Not bad Reaper.' Sub-Zero thought as he blocks Ichigo's attack from behind with his ice sword, everyone's eyes widen in shock. They never thought his skills were beyond what they imagined. Cassie was an awed, she didn't know that Ichigo's skills also had a disappearing act. Jacqui was wondering who could he have gotten behind him, as well as Jin and Takeda.

"So you know my 'flash step' Grandmaster." Ichigo grins at the cyromancer.

"Kitana made sure we all know what your powers were based on the notes she had written down." Sub-Zero stated as he disarms the Reaper and drop kicks his midsection.

"This is gonna be interesting." He smirks as lunges himself at the Grandmaster, who made an ice clone of himself but Ichigo instantly vanished before he could touch the ice clone and reappears in the sky.

"So you mastered the 'Shunpo'; you took your first step backwards when I made my clone. Impressive." Sub-Zero looks at the Reaper, very impressed with his skill.

"I'm a fast learner and you're main strategy is one defense which is your strength Grandmaster." He stated as he levitates down to the ground.

"Very fast indeed." Soon Sub-Zero and Ichigo would go at it, the group of Lin Kuei ninjas and Johnny's group were all looking at the fight, they never thought that Ichigo was this powerful. Cassie wonders what are his origins, what are the Soul Reapers and Quincy's, how has he gotten this strong with in the 7 years of his training.

To be continued...

Interactions: Ichigo Vs Sub-Zero

(1)

"Grandmaster." Ichigo materializes his Zanpakuto.

"Prepare yourself Kurosaki Ichigo." He crushes the ice in his hand.

"I'll be the victor of this bout."

(2)

"Sub-Zero." Ichigo materializes his bow.

"Time to slay a Reaper."

"Not this Reaper."

(3)

"Lin Kuei..."

"Your time is up Hybrid."

"Don't think so Lin Kuei."

(4)

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Trying to stop me, Sub-Zero?"

"Yes...a pity."

(5)

"Hybrid."

"Trying to kill me Sub-Zero?"

"You're out of control."

(6)

"The prodigal son of Raiden."

"Raiden is no father of mine."

"Time to see if you words are true boy."