Soul of the Dragon Queen

Chapter 12: Li Mei's Plan

(Kenshi's POV)

When me, Sonya and Jax found Li Mei on her back in the forest, I was filled with an emotion of such joy that I mostly forgot about the fact that her nose was bleeding and she was in immense pain. Of course the second that I did realize, I tried to be nice. For obvious reasons. I looked at this as an opportunity to…reconnect with Li Mei. I'm sure she, along with just about everyone else, was really taken by surprise by my sudden change of behavior.

Right now she's in a tent I took her to, with Sonya and Liu Kang treating her wound. And I really am surprised at myself because I just can't stop being happy about the return of a woman who is seemingly incapable of loving me. Well, if I put it that way…My thoughts were cut short by the arrival of two nosy comrades.

"Kenshi?" Kitana began.

"Yes, Princess?" I responded.

"What in the name of Argus was THAT?" She asked.

"What are you referring to?" I tried avoiding the discussion.

"We believe the Princess is over-reacting, but in our opinion she's referring to your sudden kindness with Li Mei." Ermac interjected.

"Oh…that. Well, she was injured and I was being helpful." I said.

"Really now? I think there's more to it." Kitana suspected.

"And why would that be?" I tried to remain calm.

"Your HISTORY with her maybe!" She angrily replied.

"She has a point. We consider the same possibility." Ermac stated.

"Even if there was more to it. Which there isn't! I would never tell you Kitana." I flatly said.

"Ahh, but would you trust us?" Ermac spoke hopefully.

"Obviously! Ermac you are my closest friend." I smiled.

"And me?" Kitana responded feeling insulted.

"My…uh…royal-ist friend?" I stuttered.

Kitana raised an eyebrow at me, gave me a vehement look and walked off. I was grateful she left because honestly, if she found out anything…Even Onaga would know about it. Ermac restarted the conversation with me.

"So tell us," he paused and placed a friendly hand on my shoulder. "Is there more to it?"

-W571-

When I concluded my discussion with Ermac regarding the events and my own thoughts to do with my kindness towards Li Mei, he said he was very excited at being aware of such interesting information. I must say, Ermac is nosy as the NetherRealm is endless, but unlike Kitana, he can keep what he hears to himself. Which makes me grateful for having a friend like him. Everyone else at the camp…they had a breaking point, after a certain amount of time, BAM! Everyone knows.

Me and Ermac were sitting by a stream which flowed only a number of steps away from the camp site. We were still talking about Li Mei…well mostly me. And Ermac, whose initial interest for juicy gossip quickly materialized to anger, annoyance and irritation.

"ALRIGHT! WE UNDERSTAND! PLEASE STOP!" Ermac begged.

"Sorry, didn't mean to annoy you."

"If you stop now, we will try very hard to forget it."

"Do you think Li Mei will stay?" I ventured towards that discussion again.

"GO AND BLOODY ASK HER THEN!"

"Uh…Sorry. I didn't mean to. I just wonder i-"

"Stop now, PLEASE!"

"My bad. Look, I know I must be getting really annoying these days-"

"We personally prefer you to be a sarcastic pain." He interrupted me.

"At least be glad I trust you." I reasoned.

"You seem incredibly desperate for a reason to keep one discussing it."

"Hey, there was a time when you wanted me to be this way!"

"That was before we were tortured."

"Hnh, that was before you kissed Li Mei…"

"Get over it!"

"Alright Scorpion, I will. Say, do you think dinner's ready yet?"

"Scorpion? Really? Do you not have any regard for how hard we try to make ourselves unique?"

"Three words: Get. Over. It." I smirked.

"At least you're not-" He abruptly stopped.

"Uh, hey guys." Li Mei responded her nose blocked by some gauze.

"Well, we are just pleased to see you, Li Mei!" Ermac jovially responded. Learning how fun it is to know too much.

"Aww, thangs Erbac, you are a real sweetie." I could sense that she hugged him.

"HAH! Ermac? Sweet? Please! He's just into shoving his nose in everyone's business." I jealously said.

"What are you jealous of us Kenshi?" Ermac said, implying something.

"Why would I?" I grew nervous inwardly.

"Because you wish you were at least HALF as kind as we are." Ermac smirked, probably glad he had me worried for a second.

"Hey! Erbac, when did you becobe so sbug?" Li Mei added.

"Yeah Ermac, when did you become so smug?" I said.

"Great, now you two are siding against us. Hmph." Ermac's tone implied he got what he wanted.

Which came after his remark, because me and Li Mei sat awkwardly silent before Ermac turned around and thankfully changed the subject.

"Ah yes, Li Mei what brings you to Kenshi and us?" Ermac stated.

(Ermac's POV)

Since Kenshi decided to make us go through the torture of his Li Mei ramblings, we decided to mess with him, without directly doing so: Creating tension between Kenshi and Li Mei, based on how we phrase things.

"Well, actually. I was lookig for Kedshi…" She said rather coyly.

"Oh now were you? Please tell us more!" We smirked, though no one could see it through our mask.

"See I was lookig for you Kedshi, because I want to thank you for helbing me." And she smiled in his direction. We presume Kenshi could tell, as he gulped as she looked away.

"Oh we think you're so kind! So lovable! Right Kenshi?" We looked in his direction and he just gulped again.

"I thingk I should go now…" Li Mei got up to leave.

"But Li Mei! We were just talking about you!" I saw Kenshi go from quiet to startled. And Li Mei froze in her tracks.

"No we weren't." Kenshi covered.

"We remember it differently. Why, you Kenshi, were the one who-"

"ENOUGH ERMAC!" Kenshi screamed awkwardly.

"I should go…" Li Mei repeated. And this time walked off.

Now we would be subjected to a brutal verbal beating from Kenshi. But he should consider this a lesson from overtly venting to us about his presently non-existent love-life. But as immature as we consider it. It was worth it.

(Li Mei's POV)

I felt very uncomfortable after leaving the company of Kenshi and Ermac. I was just in shock about how badly Ermac phrased everything. I'm certain he did it on purpose. I mean, he did say he read my soul, so it's only natural he found out about my still existing feelings for Kenshi. And he's probably still annoyed by the fact that I don't feel the same way.

And the worst was how Kenshi kept reacting. I could just tell he was annoyed by me being there. And is probably scolding Ermac for making sure I stay there longer. Judging by how he seemed to ignore me, I feel immensely rejected. I was hoping Kenshi would actually be nice to me now, guess not. I sat down in front of the fire by the camp site, but kept my distance as I remembered what happened last time. I stared into the fire and I began thinking of Kaito.

I would never see his innocent toothy smile. Or his adorable brown eyes. I wouldn't hear any more remarks of him trying to be all manly. The only thing that reminded me of him was my aching nose. I tried to make myself feel a little bit better by reminding myself that at least I avenged him. And I'm sure killing Tanya was big blow to Onaga too.

"Hey Li Mei." Sonya came and sat down beside me.

"Oh hi Sonya." She gestured for me to hand her the gause I was holding to my nose.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"I can tell you're not okay. So either be honest or else." She threatened me.

"Or else what?"

"Do you really wanna know?"

"Honesty it is then." I nervously responded.

"Good answer."

So I began telling Sonya about how I met Kaito, killed of his family and most of his neighbors. Then of how welcoming he was towards me, despite that. And how Tanya mercilessly ended his life before it could even begin…

"That's horrible. How could she murder a child?"

"I yelled the same thing in her face." I wiped my tears.

"Oh, Li Mei, don't cry." She hugged me. "And as gruesomely as you did it, you still avenged…"

"Kaito." I said as she patted my back, and then let go.

"Look at the bright side. Tanya is one of the big shots in Onaga's army. With her dead, he's been slightly weakened."

And as Sonya said that last statement, a plan formulated in my head. Perhaps what I've been thinking this whole time was wrong. You can't just go up to Onaga and battle him. You need to weaken his army. And slowly and steadily remove his tyranny while establishing peace.

"Li Mei? Are you alright?"

"I just got an amazing idea."

-W571-

After dinner, I announced my plan to everyone. They did say that it was an interesting way to get to Onaga. Jax and Sonya were just surprised that even with their skill in strategizing they didn't seem to think of getting rid of Onaga like this. Kung Lao had simply asked when we could begin.

"So who's our first target?" Jax queried.

"Well I got Tanya out of the way." I said.

"How?" Kitana asked.

"Sonya can tell you." I kind of drifted off. "Um, but Onaga's second-in-command is a Seidan guardsman named Hotaru. So let's start there."

Well, 2 consecutive updates :O Shocking! Well this chapter might be rushed IMO is very rushed and could possibly be worse than the last and I hope all the POV's didn't mush together like a…bad mushed up thing…

You readers must be annoyed by my constant self-berating.

But ANYWAYS. Nerdett92 and en-lumine as usual thank you soo very much for reviewing. And I must give en-lumine a big virtual hug for her awesome review, it's actually what inspired me to start working on this chapter as soon as I have : ))))

-Warbird571 signing out-