Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

Chapter 9: Of Cordials and Cordiality

18:30. Half an hour before the dinner was set to commence, and the Sky Temple was bustling with activity.

Standing in the humble foyer of the temple with his team-mates and superiors, an overwhelmed Takahashi Takeda surveyed the chaos before him: countless students from the Wu Shi Academy, wearing their traditional uniforms, hurried past him while chatting loudly over each other. In their hands they carried items such as plates, glasses, cutlery and bouquets of flowers.

The young Shirai Ryu watched as they walked in from different corridors, entered a room at the end of the foyer – the large door shut behind them before he could sneak a peek – and emerged seconds later, empty-handed, before they disappeared into the corridors again.

Geez, Raiden's really going all out for this, he thought. You'd think the Queen of England was coming to visit.

Speaking of Raiden, the Thunder God made his presence known. Descending the staircase to the Earthrealmers' right, he looked almost unrecognisable. He wore white robes embroidered with lotuses, and matching colour trousers, tunic and jika-tabi shoes. His hair, usually concealed by a balaclava, hung over his shoulders in silvery-white strands.

Suffice to say, the Earthrealmers were in awe of his elegant appearance. Well, almost all of them.

"My God, Henry Cavill, is that you?" Takeda heard Johnny Cage say before he exclaimed, "Ouch! That was my rib, Sonya!"

Bowing before his guests, Raiden then straightened his posture. Although he was the image of poise and serenity, shards of anxiety reflected from his eyes.

"Thank you all for coming," he said. "I am honoured by your presence, and I certainly hope that you will enjoy yourselves tonight without any, er, disturbances."

Sonya Blade nodded. Like Takeda, she looked incredulously at the trainee monks as they scurried all over the place. Looking at Raiden again, she asked, "Do you need us to help with anything?"

Raiden shook his head.

"It may appear frenetic at this moment in time, but I can assure you that I have more than enough assistance," he answered, his voice remarkably steady. "The senior monks have been most helpful in overseeing the preparations for this evening."

He cast his eyes over his guests' outfits, making Takeda feel very self-conscious – they were all wearing civilian clothing. After all, Sonya had told them, the last thing they needed to do was spoil their best clothes if they had to do any heavy lifting or run around with fragile items. So, they had brought their clothes in bags to the Sky Temple.

"While we busy ourselves with the final touches, perhaps you can use this brief interval to get changed," said Raiden, noticing the time on the device that Sonya wore around her wrist. "I expect the rest of the guests to arrive promptly at 19:00. By then, everything should be in its place and the beverages can be served. We shall meet here again in half an hour's time."

Shortly, Raiden had some of the students direct them to different chambers within the temple. Cassie Cage and Jacqui Briggs went off together, while Jax Briggs – a surly sight for sore eyes – was accompanied by Kenshi. Sonya and Johnny headed north (separately, of course), and Takeda and Kung Jin were led towards the southern wing.

And it was in one of these chambers that Takeda encountered the first of many problems for the evening.

"Jin, help me fix my tie, please?"

The Shaolin monk rolled his eyes impressively as his friend made the whiny request. He walked over to the telepath, who stood before a full-length mirror and fiddled (read: struggled greatly) with a satin sheen gold tie. Clamping down on his shoulders and turning him around, Jin's nimble fingers set to work on the tie.

"Damn, Takahashi, didn't the Shirai Ryu ever teach you how to do stuff like this?" he said with a smirk. It grew bigger when he added, "I mean, you know how to work whip-chains, but you don't know how to fix a tie? That's skewed priorities right there."

Takeda chuckled. "It's not like we trained in dinner suits, you know."

"Perhaps you should have. It would've saved you all the trouble, not to mention improve your appearance."

"Says the guy who's not even wearing a tie."

Then again, Jin's outfit did not require a tie to begin with. His navy blue, Mao-suit-styled blazer and trousers ensemble was simple, yet looked neat and elegant on his well-built frame. He had just finished fashioning his long hair into a low bun when Takeda called for his help.

Straightening the tie, the bowman took a step back and studied his handiwork. "Very nice. You might not win any fashion awards any time soon, but that tie-work? Flawless."

It was Takeda's turn to roll his eyes. Picking up his grey suit-jacket and putting it on, he said, "If this is how you're gonna be speaking to the emperor and the Netherrealmers, then my hopes for the dinner going smoothly just vanished."

"No sweat, I'm gonna be as good as gold in front of them," responded Jin, checking himself out in the mirror. "Raiden is counting on me to chat 'em up here and there."

"Like you did with Erron Black in Outworld, minus the part where you screwed it up barely five minutes later?" remarked Takeda drily. "Yeah, that'll do wonders for my confidence levels, alright."

Jin said nothing. Still, even without reading his thoughts, Takeda knew that strings upon strings of curse words were running through the bowman's mind right now.

It doesn't take much to piss Jin off. I just hope he doesn't go off at anyone. At least, not until after the dessert has been served.

After making sure that he looked presentable, Jin turned to Takeda and said in a slightly huffy tone:

"Let's get going. We don't want to keep the others waiting just 'cause your dumb ass couldn't fix a tie."

"Wow, I bet Kung Lao is going to be really impressed at how mature you turned out," mumbled Takeda as they exited the chambers. Sarcasm dripped from his voice in buckets.

Jin winced, which instantly filled the telepath with regret.

"Forget I said that," he said hurriedly. "I shouldn't have brought him up, I –"

"S'alright," the monk replied with a dismissive wave, although he did not look at Takeda. "Somebody's bound to bring him up anyway. All I can say is that if Liu Kang has any ounce of decency, then he'll bring Lao with him tonight."

"I hope so, for your sake," his friend murmured kindly.

Jin sighed, biting down on his bottom lip to stop it from quivering.

"I hope so, too, Tack. More than anything."

The duo reached the foyer once more; it was less chaotic now, with only a few trainee monks going about their business. Near the entrance, they saw Cassie and Jacqui standing and talking to each other … well, the specialist did most of the talking, while the sergeant had her phone out and posed for selfies. She wore a knee-length, coral-coloured dress – with impeccably manicured nails to match – and black lace-up heels. A simple chain bracelet adorned her left wrist, while a diamond pendant hung around her neck.

As Takeda and Jin approached, Cassie looked away from her phone to appraise them from under her mascaraed lashes.

"Huh, they were definitely wrong when they said it takes girls longer to get ready," she remarked. "Were you guys too busy hogging a mirror to get done quickly?"

"The only one in the temple that didn't break after you passed it," teased Jin good-naturedly. He sounded a little better now. "You know we look good, Cage, although you don't look bad yourself. Judging from Takeda's goo-goo eyes, I guess you turned it out, too, Briggs."

Takeda blushed, but honestly, Jin was right: Jacqui was a vision. Her ivory-white pantsuit, with its plunging cowl neck and chain belt, showed off her figure to perfection. Her cornrow braids, normally held together in a small ponytail, hung loose. Her lips, painted in pink matte, curled into a smile.

"Wow, you clean up nicely, Takeda," she said to him.

And I bet if you look good in the front, then you must look quite good in the back, too, the telepath heard her think. She tilted her head slightly as her eyes darted downwards.

Blushing again, Takeda said out loud, "So do you, Jacqui. Er, I mean, you always look beautiful. You're probably the most beautiful girl in the Sky Temple right now – oh God, that's not to say that you're not beautiful, Cassie. Or your mom – ah geez, that sounded so creepy –"

"Uh oh, I think you broke him, Jacqui," said Cassie with a snicker. "Maybe you should consider getting yourself an upgrade."

"Thank the Elder Gods that Raiden didn't pick you to butter up Kotal Kahn and Liu Kang, Tack," snarked Jin. "My own confidence levels wouldn't be able to take it."

While the two of them shared a good laugh, Jacqui took a beetroot-red Takeda aside.

"Ignore 'em," she said softly. "Pretty soon they'll be on each other's cases. That'll provide some dinner entertainment, at least."

Takeda nodded, grateful for the reassurance. His voice dropped to a whisper:

"How're things going with your dad?"

Jacqui shook her head. "I tried talking some sense into him last night, but I don't think it did any good. At this point, I'm mentally preparing myself for when he trips."

"Trust me, my dad's not gonna let that happen. Once this evening is over, you won't have to worry about a thing anymore."

The Shirai Ryu placed his fingers under her chin and drew her closer, planting a kiss on her lips. Oh, Elder Gods help him, her perfume smelled so sweet –

"Get your mitts off my baby girl, techno fancy," a growl rang out. "Don't you know we're in a temple, for goodness sake?"

Takeda and Jacqui sprang apart. Their faces flushed as Jax marched into the foyer, sending some of the monks flying out of his way. His black suit and tieless white shirt were tailored to fit his large frame. He cut a handsome figure, save for the sour expression on his face.

"For your sake, boy, Raiden better make damn sure that you're not sitting next to me, 'cause I'll smack the lovesick s*** out of you if you so much as blink at Jacqui," he rumbled, folding his massive arms across his chest.

Takeda gulped, and gulped again. Jacqui, however, just looked unimpressed.

"C'mon, Dad, ease off of him," she scolded. "There's no need to scare him like that."

Jax regarded the terrified telepath with narrowed eyes.

"If you think I'm scary, wait 'til you meet her mother."

"Oh, we would love to!"

That particular exclamation came from Kenshi, who had just waltzed into the foyer. His slender physique was made even more apparent by his form-fitting black tuxedo. Adjusting his embroidered grey lapels, he came to stand beside the retired major.

"Just say when, Jax, then Takeda and I will pop over to your place," he said cheerfully. "A quiet dinner with you, Vera and Jacqui would be absolutely delightful."

Jax glowered at him.

"That's not what I meant, Kenshi," he hissed.

"Even so, I think it would be wonderful if we could all meet up one day, especially if it means meeting your lovely lady. I'm sure Takeda agrees with me, don't you, son?"

Takeda was too gawked and too red in the face to answer out loud. The thoughts he projected to the swordsman, however, ran wild:

Dad, stop! You're making me look bad in front of Jacqui, and Jax looks ready to murder us both! Please, please, PLEASE just focus on the plan for tonight, or I swear to the Elder Gods that I'm gonna tell Master Hasashi on you!

Kenshi's blindfolded eyes glittered.

Don't worry, Takeda, I'm prepared for the evening ahead – I know exactly what to do in case something goes wrong. Just relax and leave everything to me.

Out loud, Kenshi said with a grin, "Aw, don't they look cute together, Jax? You wouldn't think for a second that Takeda used to be so shy around women. They gave him the willies, Hanzo told me –"

"DAAAAD!"

A scarlet-faced Takeda – with a slightly flushed Jacqui on his heels – stomped away from Kenshi and a livid-looking Jax, and made his way towards Cassie and Jin, who were dying with laughter.

"The willies, eh, Tack?" giggled Jin. "Guess I'll have to start charging you for fixing your tie and holding your hand when there's women around."

"Jesus, your dads are so embarrassing," Cassie guffawed.

Jacqui landed a light punch on her friend's shoulder. "Says the daughter of Johnny Cage. 'Nuff said, sister."

Takeda, more than eager to change the subject, piped up: "Where is your dad, Cassie? And your mom? It's almost 19:00."

"Don't sweat it, my mom will make sure she's here on time," answered the sergeant. "As for my dad … well, there's no points for guessing what he's up to …"


Oh yeah, I look so good right now.

Johnny Cage adjusted his Armani shades in the reflection of a copper vase in a far-off corridor. Afterwards, he allowed himself to bask in the glory of his gorgeousness: from his black, bow-tie affair and white evening scarf (the finest silk that money could buy, of course), to his manicured nails and patent leather shoes, the actor felt deliciously debonair and incredibly expensive.

And smug. Let's not forget smug.

Dang, I look like a trillion bucks – I could practically end world hunger AND the recession twice over. Eat your heart out, Chris Hemsworth … and Robert … and Jason … and Arnie … oh, and the other Chris … and –

But his self-centred train of thought came to an abrupt halt when he heard her voice:

"Cage?"

Johnny whirled to his right, and he immediately took off his shades; for the first time in what seemed like forever, he was utterly speechless.

Standing a few metres away was Sonya Blade, and dear Elder Gods in heaven, did she look resplendent tonight. Her metallic champagne-coloured strap gown hugged her body as if it were part of her skin. Small silver earrings adorned her ears, while her long, sun-kissed hair was pinned into a low-hanging braided bun.

Gazing at her, Johnny felt as if he was falling in love all over again.

"You're wearing the Giancarlo Valentino original I bought you," he murmured, his tone awestruck.

Sonya's eyes widened. "You actually remember this dress?"

Remember it? I'll never forget how much it cost, Johnny thought to himself.

Speaking out loud, and still taking in her radiant appearance, he replied, "I bought it for you to wear to the premiere of Caged Rage. That's all the tabloids and magazines would talk about for weeks instead of, y'know, the actual flick."

Sonya allowed herself to smile. Walking towards him, the thigh-high slit in the gown showcased a toned left leg that ended in a rose-gold heel (be still, my achy-breaky heart).

"Yet when they did, you complained about how bad the reviews were," she deadpanned.

Johnny waved his hand dismissively, but as his ex-wife came closer, he could not help it as a goofy grin spread across his face. Barely a hint of make-up could be seen, save for the shimmery gloss on her lips.

"I still can't believe that you've kept this dress after all these years," the actor said softly. "Excuse me for saying so, but … wow, it looks beautiful on you, Sonya."

The apples of the general's cheeks attained a light crimson hue.

"Thanks," she replied. "I guess I still have a soft spot for this old number."

Running her eyes up and down Johnny's dress-suit, she added, "You don't look bad, either. I dare say that you look handsome."

Johnny smirked. "Dare, huh? Got room for 'suave' and 'husband material'?"

"Fishing for compliments, are we?"

"More like wanting to hear the truth from the horse's mouth."

"Then you'd better go and talk to your reflection."

They shared a good chuckle together. Watching Sonya laugh and smile, Johnny felt a burst of warmth in his chest that he had not felt since Cassie defeated Shinnok all those weeks ago.

When Sonya was in the Jinsei Chamber … when she called me 'Johnny' …

Like it did then, as well as during all those years they had spent together, it felt right.

Sonya noticed the soft look on her ex-husband's face, and immediately her own expression straightened. She cleared her throat.

"We'd better head back," she declared, "otherwise everyone will start wondering where we are."

The actor nodded. "Yeah. I bet Cassie will be happy to see us getting along."

Sonya bit her bottom lip. "Yeah, I suppose she will."

A pause.

Then, Sonya frowned. "Just as long as you remember to behave yourself."

"Who, moi?" responded Johnny, pretending to look affronted. "Honey, I would never misbehave! Not on an important night like this."

"Calling me 'honey' might count," Sonya chided, placing her hands on her hips. "Also, I'm pretty sure you told me the exact same thing an hour before our wedding rehearsal dinner."

"Did I? Huh, I can't remember."

"Trust me when I say, Cage, I don't think you want to remember everything else that happened that night. My God, you were lucky that my parents let you in the church to marry me the next day."

"That bad, was I? Maybe this time 'round it can work out … getting through a formal do, that is."

Another pause, albeit more awkward.

Sonya tucked an escaping strand of hair behind her ear. "So, are we gonna get going or what?"

Johnny nodded. Without thinking, he held out his arm. The general stared at it in bemusement before looking up at its owner.

"If I can't be your escort, at least let me walk you back," he offered.

Sonya raised her eyebrows in disbelief. However, after a few seconds, she sighed.

"I guess I can trust you to walk me properly this time around."

She took his arm, drawing herself to his side. The muscles beneath her hand flexed involuntarily in response to her warm touch. Looking up at Johnny, and him looking down at her, a small smile blossomed across the general's countenance.

"Gotta keep you from falling this time, anyhow," she snarked.

Johnny snorted as he led her away.

I don't think I ever stopped falling, Sonya.


It was precisely two minutes before 19:00 when Sonya Blade and Johnny Cage finally entered the now peaceful foyer.

All conversations ceased at once. Everyone's eyes immediately fell on them, and they were understandably in awe – not only because of their glamorous appearances, but also because of the former couple's appearance together.

Cassie Cage was especially gobsmacked. Even when her slightly flustered mother let go of her father's arm, she continued to gawp at them.

Holy crap. Did I just enter another timeline, or is it Raiden's incense that's making me see things?

The pair walked over to where their daughter's team stood; Kenshi and Jax joined them moments later.

"Well, don't you all look so pretty?" Johnny remarked, impressed. "If anything goes wrong, at least we can say that we went down looking fashionable."

Sonya rolled her eyes.

"Nothing is going to go wrong. May I remind you all that we mustn't lose sight of our main objective tonight: creating diplomatic ties with both Outworld and the Netherrealm. So, we've all" – she sneaked a glance at her ex-husband – "got to be on our best behaviour."

Takeda and Jacqui shared a look before glancing at Jax, whose expression was extremely dour. Next to him, Kenshi dipped his head respectfully.

In a quiet murmur, Jin asked Cassie, "And if s*** hits the fan?"

The sergeant shrugged.

"Then the fan hits back," she replied.

Johnny, who heard the exchange, chuckled. Catching her eyes, he blew a kiss at her and mouthed "You look stunning"; in return, she smiled adoringly and mouthed "You, too".

That's my punkin.

Right on cue, Raiden made his reappearance – still unearthly, still elegant, and still slightly anxious. He was accompanied by the older monk, Xue, who quickly greeted the others before leaving through the temple's entrance. Running his hands through his hair, the Thunder God appraised the Earthrealmers and nodded in approval.

"I cannot express how thankful I am that you have all availed yourself this evening," he stated. "For the first time in centuries, the three realms will meet without having to resort to kombat ... a momentous occasion, indeed. May the Elder Gods bless you and keep you tonight and forever more."

Boy, do we need it, thought Sonya.

Suddenly, from somewhere within the Sky Temple, a gong rang. Its full, dark timbre reverberated throughout the entire structure, including the foyer, where it shook the occupants' very beings. Overhead, the small pitter-patter of light raindrops hitting the roof could be heard, akin to a ticking clock counting downwards.

With a sigh, Johnny took his sunglasses out of his pants' pocket and put them on.

"Well," he declared, "it's showtime, folks."


A/N: At last, the dinner is finally here! Brace yourselves, folks, it's not going to be smooth. Also, can we all just agree that Johnny, Kenshi and Jax are the best/worst dads on the planet? Poor Kombat Kids, especially Takeda. XD

Guest – Aw, thank you. :) I must admit, I'm very terrible when it comes to fashion and clothes, but I had to at least make the Outworlders (and everyone else) look as good as possible. Don't worry, I'll get to the revenants and their outfits soon enough, just hang in there!

Sarah – Glad you thought so, thank you! Believe me, I have no idea how Kotal is going to cope with his enforcers' shenanigans, either (especially when it involves ol' Erroneous). But it'll be fun writing about it. :)

LoveLovers – Thanks ever so much, hun, I appreciate the sweet words. As you can tell, I tried to put in more troll!Kenshi moments and jokes here, so I hope they were okay. There will also be some more Jax-Jacqui moments as well. You're definitely right about the last four figures, and, like the Outworlders, I hope you find the Earthrealmers' clothing to your liking. Keep well, hun! :)

I was a bit delayed writing this chapter, but here it is at last, so I hope you will like it. :) And oh gosh, MK11 is nearly here! Are you guys excited/nervous about the game? I know I am. (Mind you, I'm still sulking about Jin, Takeda, Kenshi, etc, being unplayable. Maybe NRS might surprise us by having them appear in the story-mode or as DLC?).

Hope you all have a wonderful Easter, please travel safely wherever you go, and reviews are welcome!

*~AI07~*